6 Struggles Only Karaoke Enthusiasts Understand (in GIFs)

6 Struggles Only Karaoke Enthusiasts Understand (in GIFs) Suzy S. Love karaoke? And by that we mean borderline obsessed? Is it your first suggestion for a birthday get-together? Do the karaoke hosts at your local bar know you by name and get concerned when you dont show up? Are you first on stage, while your  friends hide  in the corner  slowly sipping their liquid courage? Yep, we know the feeling. Even if it takes you forever to browse the book and pick  the perfect  song to sing, its all worth it when you take the stage, grab the mic, and hear the roaring cheers of your fans (er, friends). If you know your local karaoke spots song catalog by heart, karaoke isnt just a late-night whim for you. Its a hobby that unleashes the natural performer inside you, daring you to take risks and win over crowds.  If youre a karaoke enthusiast like us, we bet you can relate to these six struggles 1. YouTube swallows your weekends whole. Most people imagine the karaoke life as a series of parties, bars, and amateur singing contests. However, you do most of your singing at home. YouTube is full of popular karaoke songs, complete with scrolling lyrics, so its easy to warm up with a few of your favorites. But before you know it, hours have passed and youre down a sing-along rabbit hole. The Internet is a great place to practice, but if youre not careful, youll lose track of real-life karaoke, with its far superior sound systems and energetic live audiences. 2. You have nightmares about losing your thumb drive. Once upon a time, people burned their favorite popular karaoke songs  onto CDs and handed them to KJs. Today, you can fit thousands of custom-edited and privately purchased karaoke songs onto one flash drive. However, if youve ever fished around for your USB drive in a dark pub, you know this convenience is a double-edged sword. If your competition has your playlist of karaoke songs, there goes the element of surprise. 3. You take notes while listening to the radio. You cant help it. When youre driving to work or school, streaming an online radio station, or listening to a friends music collection, youre constantly on the lookout for popular karaoke songs to sing. Are those lyrics fun and easy to hear? Is the beat recognizable? Do you think you can match the singers voice? Should you go scrambling for the rest of their collection, hoping to find that perfect track for the next karaoke night? Without fail, listening to music always results in karaoke brainstorms. See also: Our top picks for karaoke songs for girls, guys, groups, and more! 4. Reality show judges make you want to scream. When you watch singing shows  like  American Idol, X Factor,  or The Voice, you cant help but critique the amateur singers who somehow get a national platform for their mediocre mimicry. And its inevitable: With every new season of yet another televised singing competition, a few more talent-less wannabes are kicked out of tryouts because they belong in a karaoke bar. Ironically, the judges are usually music-industry veterans who profit every time you sing a song they recorded or produced. Why, then, do they insist on using karaoke as a punchline? 5. To alter or not to alter: That is the question. Some karaoke machines can raise or lower a songs key, to better match your own voice with the singers. Youve been around long enough to know how divisive this issue is, and you may even have a firm opinion about whether or not its a legitimate way to perform. However, theres no denying the appeal of a guaranteed harmony, digital or otherwise. 6. Practice doesnt always make perfect. Successful self-taught singers are few and far between for a very good reason: singing takes more than just talent. If you want to master the nuances of singing for a live audience, youll need to train your vocal cords with exercises that make it easier to breathe, stay on key, remember the lyrics, and sing with emotion. A private vocal coach or singing instructor  can  work with you to hone your singing talents and tweak your performance style. Karaoke Tips: Picking the Best Songs to Sing Remember picking the  best song isnt always about choosing from the most popular karaoke songs of all time. If you want to avoid embarrassing mistakes, youll want to select a song that  suits your voice (i.e. your vocal range and stylistic tendencies), your personality, and also your audience! Are you at a grungy dive bar? Might be best to save Genie in a Bottle  for another time. Also,  remember that  singing karaoke is all about having fun! If youre nervous, its much easier to pick a song your genuinely enjoy singing before breaking out the high notes and fancy riffs. For specific recommendations, check out our list of fun songs to sing at karaoke! Additional Karaoke Resources Need more karaoke tips and inspiration? Here are few other websites to check out: The Karaoke Channel This website  offers thousands of professional, re-recorded hits available for download, along with a community forum and a mobile app to take with you on the go. Karaoke Version Another great resource for finding instrumental tracks to sing along to. Sunfly Karaoke Offers more than 13,000 karaoke tracks available for download or via a personalized karaoke disc. RedKaraoke Feeling shy?  These apps work with your iPhone/iPad, Android device, or SmartTV to start the party, without ever leaving the house! Ace Karaoke Need karaoke equipment, like amps, cables, stage lighting, or mics?  Find it all here! KaraokePlayers.Info Karaoke community and articles for karaoke fans. Ultimate DJ + Karaoke Karaoke entertainment for the Kansas City area, including sales and rentals Readers, anything youd add to this list? What are your favorite karaoke songs to sing? Leave a comment below and let us know! Photo by  Richard Sunderland Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher

How to Sing and Play Guitar 5 Methods To Try

How to Sing and Play Guitar 5 Methods To Try Suzy S. It doesnt matter if youre a guitar player who wants to sing along with your music, or a singer looking for accompaniment it can be tricky for all of us to learn how to coordinate playing the guitar and singing at the same time! Luckily, there are several ways to master how to sing and play guitar, and with a good amount of practice, you can learn how to master the skill. Before you begin, however, its smart to have a strong foundation in both playing the guitar and singing separately. Make sure youve learned the basics and corrected any bad habits, such as poor posture or incorrect technique. Next, you can move on to trying out the methods detailed below. Everyone learns differently, so try out each, figure out which one feels the most natural, and practice it often. With time, youll learn how to sing and play guitar like a pro! Method 1 Find an easy song that uses only a few easy guitar chords and has an uncomplicated rhythm. Memorize the words to the song and practice just singing it. Get a metronome and set it on 4/4 time, then play the song while singing, “1 and two and 3 and 4” repeatedly. After this exercise, begin singing the song and playing your music in 4/4 time. Method 2 Choose a song, set it up on your iPod/MP3 player, and sing or hum along with it. Practice until you can sing it without the music. Experiment with singing it in your head, too. Play the song on your guitar until you can play it without thinking about the chords, the progression, or anything else. Sing and play at the same time. Dont concentrate too hard default to your memory, and your subconscious should take over! Method 3 Distract yourself (and really work on your multi-tasking abilities) by watching television while playing and singing the song slowly. By shifting the focus elsewhere, youre less likely to get tripped up and it will become a more natural feeling. Method 4 Pick a song and memorize the words. Sing it aloud and sing it in your head without the guitar. Play the music on your guitar until you have memorized it too, and can play without even thinking about it. Now, go through the song (singing and playing) measure by measure. Repeat each measure, or a few measures at a time, until you can get through without errors. Method 5 Guitarist Ken Tamplin offers some great advice on how to sing and play guitar at the same time. Ken’s basic advice is to train yourself to play the song and sing the song on autopilot. He recommends the following process: First, get your guitar parts down. Practice and patience is the key to synchronizing your guitar playing and vocals. Stop thinking about playing and singing as two separate things. Play guitar and practice counting out loud in 4/4 time. Practice playing and counting in 4/4 time in your head. If you can, get a drum machine. Practice playing and singing along with the drum machine, adjusting the tempo as necessary. American musician and poet Sidney Lanier once said that Music is love in search of a word. You, too, can express yourself through your music and words! Find a method that works best for you, and enjoy the process of learning how to sing and play guitar like your favorite musicians. Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo by  SabrinaDan Photo

Drawing Exercises for Learning to Draw

Drawing Exercises for Learning to Draw Practice Drawing in Between your Drawing lessons ChaptersSharpen Your Visual Memory to Improve Your Drawing TechniqueWork on Your Concentration and PatienceDraw Whenever You CanDon’t Stagnate in Your ArtGo to Museums and Art GalleriesShow People What You Have Drawn and PaintedSome people seem to think that the best way to improve your drawing technique is to just keep drawing as much as possible until divine inspiration rains down from heaven.You couldn’t be more wrong.To be sure, drawing as much as possible will help you progress as an artist, but it is not sufficient unto itself to learning how to draw well.During art lessons, drawing instructors will ensure that certain things become second nature to their students to help them develop their hand-eye co-ordination. But drawing lessons cost money, so you can't necessarily take one every day.So what can you do to improve your craft outside of drawing lessons?Drawing is above all, a passion. There is no fixed “sketching hour”- you should be free to draw whenever you like.Bu t how can you improve your technique without a drawing teacher breathing down your neck?Here are a few to tips to help you become the next Picasso.Go to Museums and Art GalleriesThe British Museum, the Tate Modern, the National Gallery… even if your drawing lessons are outside of London, there is sure to be some sort of museum near you!Take advantage and go visit - learn from the masters or from local artists. Your art teacher is certain to approve! It will help you find inspiration and improve your techniques.Though a lot of wonderful paintings are in private collections, some have escaped this fate and are now housed in the world’s most amazing museums, giving you an incredible window on art.Many museums in Britain are still free, though government cuts are forcing more and more to introduce entrance fees. They are usually easily accessible by public transportation.Looking at art helps you develop a critical eye. Whether you choose a guided tour or not, don’t hesitate to sto p for a few minutes in front of a piece to look at details - especially since a lot of paintings are very large.Take advantage of special exhibitions to broaden you artistic horizons.As you wander through the exhibit halls, you will discover the different artistic periods. Over the course of art history, various styles emerged. Painters took inspiration from their masters, then gave it their own personal twist.This created artistic currents such as:Constable’s RomanticismThe Dada movement with DuchampDewhurst’s Impressionismthe Cubism of William Roberts orMatisse and Fauvism.There are so many radically different styles that one of them is sure to strike a chord.The techniques they used also vary greatly depending on the pieces. Though oil painting is the technique most often associated with art museums, you will find other techniques as well, such as gouache or acrylic painting, and many have galleries and study groups with dry mediums. Study the strokes, their use of layering a nd highlights, the play of light and shadow, their composition and use of negative space.Other artists are inspired by museums, too. Take art lessons from the masters and visit art galleries! Photo on VisualHunt.comBut what is the point of all these paintings?Every one of them has a narrative behind the picture’s simple beauty. Love, violence, war, family, solitude… If you are lacking in inspiration, a little stroll through a museum will do you good.Don’t hesitate to go to special exhibitions and artist’s workshops, watch art films or take art books out of the library. Art is becoming ever more present in our lives - take advantage of it!Culture is an important part of the creative process. It lets you realize what has already been done and expand your horizons.Show People What You Have Drawn and PaintedThe best way to make progress is to meet critics head on!Take your drawings out of their pouches and show them to your friends and family to get their reactions. They will us ually be honest with you and won’t hesitate to tell you when something isn’t working.Critique will improve your drawing fast. But careful: don’t confuse negative critique with constructive critique. Tune out those who wish they could draw like you, telling you everything they would have done differently, and listen to those who actually tell you what parts of your drawing don't work and why. A too-large nose, disproportionate figure, problems of plane or perspective….That way, you will know what to be careful of in your next drawing!But positive feedback is important, too. It tells you what you are doing right - and what you should keep doing.You can also ask other participants in a drawing class to give their advice. Just like your materials exchange sessions, why not organise critique sessions in which everyone presents a work of art for feedback. They will have a more informed eye than someone who doesn’t draw.If you feel up to it, you can also organise your own little exhibition. And if that isn’t in the stars yet, be sure to keep your ears open for critiques during your end-of-year exhibition.Superprof has a range of private tutors to give you drawing lessons throughout the UK:drawing lessons Londondrawing lessons Sheffielddrawing lessons Glasgow

How to Explain Plagiarism to Your Elementary Student

How to Explain Plagiarism to Your Elementary Student Late elementary school is the time in which students first begin to write longer-length papers and execute more fact-based assignments. These types of academic assignments require students to learn how to identify and avoid plagiarism. Explaining this concept to younger students, however, can be challenging. When describing plagiarism to your elementary student, define the word, illustrate why its important to avoid it, and identify strategies for academic success. Keep reading to learn tactics to utilize when explaining plagiarism to your elementary student. Explain the definition of plagiarism to your elementary student The first step when helping your elementary student understand plagiarism is to define the term. In short, plagiarism occurs when an individual copies the ideas and/or words of another as his or her own work and fails to cite the source of that information. Your elementary student likely understands that stealing something from someone else is bad. It can be easy for a young student to understand that stealing physical objects, like personal belongings or money, is wrong. It can be a bit more difficult, however, to explain that its also possible to steal others ideas or words, and that doing so is just as serious an offense. Its important to find strategies to explain the concept in a way your student can personally relate to and understand. [RELATED: How Parents Can Help Students Setand AchieveAcademic Goals] Explain to your elementary student why its important to avoid plagiarism Make it clear that taking somethingwhether you can hold that item or notfrom someone else is wrong. Help your child understand that ideas and words have value, just like objects. Ask your student to put him- or herself in the shoes of someone who has had an idea or words taken by someone else, and ask how he or she would feel if another person tried to pass off his or her idea or words as their own. Teaching students to properly cite their sources and avoid plagiarism is important, because its an integral way to show respect to others throughout their academic careersand it can also help students avoid academic penalties. [RELATED: How Parents Can Help with Elementary Homework Challenges] Explain to your elementary student how he or she can avoid plagiarism When showing your student how to identify and avoid plagiarism, it can help to give examples. Ask your student to find a passage in his or her favorite book, and have your child summarize the passage without using any phrases from the snippet. Also spend some time reviewing your students class assignments with him or her, and examine the following questions: When mentioning another persons work, does he or she credit the sources used, and if so, were the citations used correctly? Does your student put the authors words in quotation marks? Does your student paraphrase the authors work using words and phrases different from those used by the source? Praise your student for using correct citations, as well. If you do identify plagiarism in your students work, show him or her the correct way to cite others ideas and words. His or her teacher will explain the correct way to cite these various works, and can be a good reference for tips on explaining this concept to your student. [RELATED: 3 Ways to Effectively Communicate With Your Childs Teacher] When teaching your student to avoid plagiarism, praise originality in his or her work. Applaud your student when he or she comes up with new ideas, and show your child how to complement their own ideas with the ideas of others. Any topics you want to know more about? Let us know! The Varsity Tutors Blog editors love hearing your feedback and opinions. Feel free to email us at blog@varsitytutors.com.

How to Successfully Answer a GMAT Sample Sentence Correction Question

How to Successfully Answer a GMAT Sample Sentence Correction Question GMAT MBA Admissions Blog The GMAT is the first and only standardized admissions test designed specifically for graduate business and management programs. Though in recent years most business schools accept the GRE exam, taking the GMAT can set you apart from other applicants. The GMAT measures your critical thinking and reasoning skills, the two most relevant skills to the world’s top graduate business programs. You can learn more about the GMAT exam here. In the video below, we put some of that critical thinking to the test as we tackle a Sample Sentence Correction question, one like you’d find in the Verbal section of the GMAT. Begin by Setting Up Your Scratch Pad: Write the Question number List a, b, c, d, e to represent answer choices, X them out as you eliminate each Draw a line next to the question number to write the error once you identify it Utilize Obvious Easy 2/3 Answer Choice Splits Look for similarities/differences in the answers. In this example, 2 of the answer choices begin with the word “indicate” and the other 3 begin with “indicates.” Spotting this “split” in the answers helps us determine whether to use the singular or plural verb. Read Carefully to Find the Intended Subject Identify the subject in the non-underlined portion of the sentence, this will help you determine if your answer will be in singular or plural form, ensuring subject-verb agreement. Once you determine this, you can eliminate any answer choices by placing an x next to those which are subject verb errors (in the incorrect form). Going back to your scratch pad â€" write out the error you have identified. You always want to evaluate the category of error, not just specific, individual errors. In this case, its subject/verb agreement (singular vs. plural). Go back and read the sentence inserting whichever answer you believe to be correct. Remember, we always want to use the non-underlined portion of the sentence as the answer key to match to the underlined option. About the Author Stefan Maisnier is the Director of Online instruction as well as an expert online GMAT tutor.

English Vocabulary for Socialising ?? - Learn English with Harry

English Vocabulary for Socialising ?? - Learn English with Harry In this post you will learn socialising English vocabulary words and phrasal verbs. Socialising with Friends Vocabulary | Image What better way is there to enjoy a coffee or cup of tea than with a friend who drops in on you to spend an hour or so in your company? Catching up with the gossip and chilling out on a Saturday or Sunday morning may just be the tonic you need to get over the week day blues of office politics!Alternatively a scheduled meeting with friends in a city centre coffee shop or even in the gym gives you the chance to find out about the comings and goings of your mutual acquaintances and mates. Learning about old school or university colleagues who you have not come across for a few years is better than traipsing around a shopping mall packed with shoppers. You might even find the time to chat up a new “friend”.In this short extract, which has been written informally, I have used many common everyday phrasal verbs a feature of modern day English. Socialising with Friends Vocabulary - English for Socialising CLOSE KNITa few friends who are special friends who know you and each other well. We can also refer to a tight circle of friends.ex. They were a close-knit group of friends who truly enjoyed meeting and welcoming new people.TO UNWIND FROMto relax and get rid of any stressex. It was the perfect  trip to unwind from the hectic routine.TO DROP IN ONsomeone who visits you or who you visit without making an arrangement or appointment.ex. I was passing his house so dropped in on him to see how he was.TO CATCH UP WITHto find out all the gossip and information. What has been happening since you last spoke or met each otherex. It was good to meet up and catch up on old times and find out the latest news.CHILLING OUTrelaxing in a friendly atmosphere away from the stresses and strains of everyday life.ex. I had a lovely massage in the spa and enjoyed chilling out on the beach each day.TO FIND OUT ABOUTto get the information you were looking for or needed.ex. I spoke to Mary’s father to find o ut about the arrangements for the wedding.TO ASK SOMEONE OVERto invite someone to your houseex. It did seem rather short notice to  ask friends over for  dinner.TO COME ACROSSthis can be used both positively or negatively.I came across his name in an old diary. I had not thought about him for years. OrI haven’t come across him since I moved to another town.This means I have not met him since I moved to another town.TO TRAIPSE AROUND to wander / walk with out any real purpose trying to find something you want or need.ex. I traipsed around every shop in the high street looking for that book but could not find it anywhere.TO CHAT UPto talk casually to someone in a slightly flirtatious way with the hope you might get a date.ex. He chatted up the new secretary last week and is taking her to the cinema this weekend.

New Years Challenge Video Pledges

New Years Challenge Video Pledges See Whos Taking this Years Challenge If you are taking this years challenge were  giving away 50 free ITC if you make a video challenge pledge. Life Hacks research  has shown that if you put yourself up to something by doing it in public, you follow through because others are watching.  So use peer pressure to your advantage!  So help out your fellow language learners participating in the challenge!  Leave them words of encouragement on their notebook entries!  And dont forget to sign up for yourself, and get 2015 of to a great start! Cassie  from Australia is learning French She has been learning French for 12 months at University so far, though she has had little opportunity to speak French and practice her listening skills.  So despite facing the concurrent challenge of raising children, she will be taking the New Years challenge to continue to improve her French!  Provide advice and support on her notebook. David Jackson  from the UK is learning Mandarin   After going to Taiwan he became inspired to learn the language.  He would love to spend more time in Taiwan and also hopes to be able to converse with his girlfriend in Chinese.  While speaking a little already, he hopes to make great strides over the coming 2 months!  Help David out by commenting on his notebook. Jay Allen  from the United States is learning Japanese. Jay has been using italki for the past two years to learn Japanese!  Hes planning on going to Japan later this year and is afraid  his Japanese is not good enough to reach his goal: to speak in Japanese 85% of his time in Japan.  We were already very impressed with his Japanese and hope that he can continue to improve during the challenge.  Give Jay words of encouragement on his notebook entry. Jesee Calzalda from Texas is learning Spanish. Jesse has set a solid goal of being able to hold a 15 minute conversation with a native Spanish speaker in Spanish by April 12, 2015.  He is using the italki New Years Challenge to get a start on this task.  We wish him the best.  Give him advice by writing on his notebook. Jen Leigh  from the United States is learning  Spanish. Jens boyfriend is Chilean so not only does she want to be able to converse with him in his native tongue but also be able to speak Spanish when she goes to some weddings in Chile with him this year.  She wants to make sure she can order beverages and converse with her boyfriends family and friends.  Cheer her on here. Derek  from the United States is learning  Portuguese. Dereks wife is from Brazil and so are all of his non-English speaking in laws.  Therefore, Derek has resolved to get to a high level of Portuguese so he can communicate with his Brazilian family members.  We wish and the best and you can to on his notebook entry.  Good luck Derek! Sarah from the United States is learning Spanish Sarah wants to increase the fluidity of her speech this language challenge.  She wants to be able to formulate some of her thoughts in Spanish, without having to mentally translate everything before speaking.  She also hopes to learn more about the nuance of using the subjunctive.  Wish Sarah luck here. Sergio from New York is learning French. Sergio has taken 3 years of French in high school, but unfortunately has lost most of his ability to speak the language.   He  started up lessons 4 months ago and is looking for this language challenge to provide him with the necessary discipline to  get into the right routine.  He would like to be able to interview in French and write an op-ed in French.  Encourage him on his notebook.  Mark  from the United States is learning Spanish!   Mark is taking the challenge as it provides him the motivation he needs to keep improving his Spanish.  He wants to be able to to speak to his in-laws more easily and also hopes to get to the level where he is comfortable teaching a short 5 minute Spanish lesson himself.  Wish Mark the best here! Kevin  from the United States is learning Japanese. Kevin wants to take the challenge because he wants to use a strict time frame to help him study.  He wants to actually use the language as he often doesnt get many opportunities to do so.  Kevin mentioned that he hopes the challenge will bring him closer to the italki community.  Give him words of encouragement! Amy from the United States is learning Japanese, Korean, and Chinese! Amy is not taking just one language this challenge period, but three extremely difficult languages!   She is doing this while starting a new job as well!  This is definitely not an easy feat to pull off but we are sure she can do it!  She hopes to travel to these countries in the future so she would like to be able to speak the languages! Wish her the best on her notebook and be sure to follow her blog. New Years Challenge Video Pledges See Whos Taking this Years Challenge If you are taking this years challenge were  giving away 50 free ITC if you make a video challenge pledge. Life Hacks research  has shown that if you put yourself up to something by doing it in public, you follow through because others are watching.  So use peer pressure to your advantage!  So help out your fellow language learners participating in the challenge!  Leave them words of encouragement on their notebook entries!  And dont forget to sign up for yourself, and get 2015 of to a great start! Cassie  from Australia is learning French She has been learning French for 12 months at University so far, though she has had little opportunity to speak French and practice her listening skills.  So despite facing the concurrent challenge of raising children, she will be taking the New Years challenge to continue to improve her French!  Provide advice and support on her notebook. David Jackson  from the UK is learning Mandarin   After going to Taiwan he became inspired to learn the language.  He would love to spend more time in Taiwan and also hopes to be able to converse with his girlfriend in Chinese.  While speaking a little already, he hopes to make great strides over the coming 2 months!  Help David out by commenting on his notebook. Jay Allen  from the United States is learning Japanese. Jay has been using italki for the past two years to learn Japanese!  Hes planning on going to Japan later this year and is afraid  his Japanese is not good enough to reach his goal: to speak in Japanese 85% of his time in Japan.  We were already very impressed with his Japanese and hope that he can continue to improve during the challenge.  Give Jay words of encouragement on his notebook entry. Jesee Calzalda from Texas is learning Spanish. Jesse has set a solid goal of being able to hold a 15 minute conversation with a native Spanish speaker in Spanish by April 12, 2015.  He is using the italki New Years Challenge to get a start on this task.  We wish him the best.  Give him advice by writing on his notebook. Jen Leigh  from the United States is learning  Spanish. Jens boyfriend is Chilean so not only does she want to be able to converse with him in his native tongue but also be able to speak Spanish when she goes to some weddings in Chile with him this year.  She wants to make sure she can order beverages and converse with her boyfriends family and friends.  Cheer her on here. Derek  from the United States is learning  Portuguese. Dereks wife is from Brazil and so are all of his non-English speaking in laws.  Therefore, Derek has resolved to get to a high level of Portuguese so he can communicate with his Brazilian family members.  We wish and the best and you can to on his notebook entry.  Good luck Derek! Sarah from the United States is learning Spanish Sarah wants to increase the fluidity of her speech this language challenge.  She wants to be able to formulate some of her thoughts in Spanish, without having to mentally translate everything before speaking.  She also hopes to learn more about the nuance of using the subjunctive.  Wish Sarah luck here. Sergio from New York is learning French. Sergio has taken 3 years of French in high school, but unfortunately has lost most of his ability to speak the language.   He  started up lessons 4 months ago and is looking for this language challenge to provide him with the necessary discipline to  get into the right routine.  He would like to be able to interview in French and write an op-ed in French.  Encourage him on his notebook.  Mark  from the United States is learning Spanish!   Mark is taking the challenge as it provides him the motivation he needs to keep improving his Spanish.  He wants to be able to to speak to his in-laws more easily and also hopes to get to the level where he is comfortable teaching a short 5 minute Spanish lesson himself.  Wish Mark the best here! Kevin  from the United States is learning Japanese. Kevin wants to take the challenge because he wants to use a strict time frame to help him study.  He wants to actually use the language as he often doesnt get many opportunities to do so.  Kevin mentioned that he hopes the challenge will bring him closer to the italki community.  Give him words of encouragement! Amy from the United States is learning Japanese, Korean, and Chinese! Amy is not taking just one language this challenge period, but three extremely difficult languages!   She is doing this while starting a new job as well!  This is definitely not an easy feat to pull off but we are sure she can do it!  She hopes to travel to these countries in the future so she would like to be able to speak the languages! Wish her the best on her notebook and be sure to follow her blog.

5 Must-Have Desk Items for Your New Job

5 Must-Have Desk Items for Your New Job Image via https://pixabay.com 1. A Calendar or Planner In order to do well in your new job, you’ll need to stay on top of everything that you have to get done each day, as well as due dates for important projects. To keep track of important dates, it’s a good idea to have a calendar or a planner handy that you can consult from time to time. While choosing between a calendar or a planner is up to you, in general a calendar will be helpful if you want to use it mainly for keeping track of major events, such as important meetings and due dates, while a planner is a great option if you want to have a place where you can write out all of your to-do’s each day. Either way, being able to glance at one to keep track of the date for scheduling and day-to-day purposes will be a major help. 2. A Desk Organizer If your desk is unorganized, you’ll run the risk of spending so much time looking for your office supplies that you lose time you could be spending on your work itself. For this reason, it’ll be a huge help if you have a desk organizer to keep everything in order. You’ll want to have a set place for everything so that you always know where to find paper clips, extra pens, or staples when you need them. In addition, having a desk organizer will keep items from getting scattered all around your desk and drawers, taking up unnecessary spaceâ€"which, as well as cluttering up your space may also make you seem less professional to your colleagues. All in all, having a desk organizer will be a huge help when you’re starting your new job. 3. A Mug When you need to come into work early, or when the afternoon is dragging on and you’re starting to lose your energy, caffeine will be a huge help. However, in order to make the coffee or tea that you need to wake yourself up, you’ll need to have your own mug at the ready. To make sure that you’re prepared when you reach your mid-afternoon lull, it’s a good idea to bring your own mug into work that you can keep at your desk when you need it. Plus, if you keep your mug at your desk, you won’t run the risk of having it confused with someone else’s. 4. A Water Bottle In addition to having a coffee mug handy for when you need a caffeine fix, you’ll also need to make sure that you stay hydrated throughout the day. In order to do so, keep a reusable water bottle with you at your desk that you can refill whenever you need. By bringing your own water bottle to work, you’ll refrain from wasting plastic water bottles, and you won’t have to constantly get up from your desk to get a drink of water. You’ll also be able to work better and stay more focused if you’re properly hydrated, so make sure you keep your water bottle full! 5. File Folders Throughout the course of your day, you’ll probably be getting a lot of paperwork and documents that you may need to refer back to later. To ensure that all of your work stays organized and that nothing gets lost (which is the last thing you want when you’re starting a new job), make sure that you have some sort of filing system in place, either on top of your desk or hidden away in a drawer. The way that you want to organize your paperwork is up to you, but just having a system will be a huge help both in clearing away all of the unnecessary clutter on top of your desk and later on when you need to find something. Plus, if any of your colleagues need to find something in your desk, having organized files will make it much easier for them. When you’re starting a new job, you’ll have to do some planning in terms of what you’ll need in order to succeed. Considering that you’ll be spending most of your time at your new desk, it’s important to keep it tidy and to have everything that you’ll need easily on hand. In addition to the more obvious items, like pens and notepads, you’ll also want to have some extra items on hand. The more you plan out your workspace, the more prepared you’ll be to conquer the job at hand!