How to Find Average Tutor Rates Per Hour For Teaching English As a Foreign Language

How to Find Average Tutor Rates Per Hour For Teaching English As a Foreign LanguageTeaching English is not an easy job to do, even though many people think it is. However, teaching English as a foreign language also requires many characteristics to be successful, the key being that the job is a lifelong one.There are many things that make teaching English difficult, but the fact of the matter is that the most common factor that hinders the teaching of English as a foreign language is lack of experience. While this may sound very negative, those who are just starting out can really benefit from receiving some experience and training.It's difficult to teach foreign languages if you don't have any experience. The reason for this is because of the fact that you need to keep in mind all the challenges that the students might present, such as the fact that they might be very expressive and a bit over emotional. This could be because of the stress that they are feeling in their homes, due t o issues at work or due to family problems.As for the students, they will most likely come from different cultural backgrounds and therefore need to be taught English in different ways. One way to achieve this is to send them to a language school, where they will be trained and learn by receiving intensive training in the United States.On the other hand, teachers who are trying to find teaching jobs can consider looking for online tutoring companies. These companies can give tutors a flat rate for every hour of work they do. This is because these companies have set the price according to the number of hours they need to do, usually around $15 per hour.Some employers might require their tutors to receive some teaching qualifications, such as passing a CELTA, an international test that evaluates the abilities of tutors in their ability to teach foreign languages. However, this is not the case with all employers. Therefore, a person with teaching qualifications is highly recommended.Ab ove all, teachers who are looking for jobs should consider taking a look at the internet for information about how to teach English as a foreign language. This will give them the opportunity to create their own website or blog, allowing them to market themselves and let potential employers know that they have potential.

Lost in Translation - English Words that are Hard to Translate (Video)

Lost in Translation - English Words that are Hard to Translate (Video) Google produced a very interesting video recently to promote Input, a new product that allows you to type on a virtual keyboard that is standard for your language. The video animates the voices of three people talking about words in their languages that are difficult to translate.This made me start thinking about words that are difficult to translate from English to other languages. According to this article from The Atlantic, the English word fair has no 1-to-1 translation. Im not a translator, but as someone who has studied Spanish, I always thought phrasal verbs, especially ones that are used in English slang, were hard to translate.Words like bust out which means to quickly remove something from concealment, as in, He busted out his phone and called the police. Or freak out, a word that can be used with several meanings, including to freak (someone) out, which is sort of like scaring and confusing and offending someone, but not exactly.Anyway, let me bust out Googles video for y ou:I hope you found that as interesting as we did. Do you have any words that are very difficult to translate from your language to English? Let us know in comments.

When should I start revising for GCSEs or A-Levels

When should I start revising for GCSEs or A-Levels The average recommended time to start your key revision is two to three months before your first exam. This gives you enough time to go over every subject and topic you need to ensure you remember it on the day. That said this is a very rough estimate. When to start revising for GCSEs or A-Levels really depends on where you are right now in terms of grades. Here's how to work out what you need to do. Look at the specification for each subject To work when you need to start your revision, you need to look at the subjects you are studying. Specific topics require a longer revision time than others due to the scope of the exam specification. For instance, revising for Chemistry and subjects like maths. physics and languages take more time than other subjects. These subjects all have a broad spectrum of topics that need to be learnt, which means you need to allow yourself enough time to break topics into digestible chunks so you can study them little and often. Consider your mock results Your mock results and the revision you did for your mocks will also give you a good indication of when you should start revision. If you did poorly because you didn't leave yourself enough time, then you need to factor in a longer league time and start as soon as possible. If your grades were good, then follow the same revision path as last time, but make extra time for more past papers so you can focus on exam technique. Check you know how to revise This may seem like an obvious point, but the fact is that not everyone knows how to revise. If you don't have a plan or a timetable, you run the risk of not covering all the topics you need in time for your exams. Also, GCSE revision tends to be different in scope to A-Level revision, so make sure you understand what you need to know before you start. Check out our blog posts on revising for A-Level Biology and History to find out more. Then spend time now coming up with a timetable that makes your revision an active process. A proper schedule should have set days and times for studying each topic. As well as time for writing revision notes on each topic, using flashcards and diagrams (where appropriate), and doing past paper examinations. Know your revision strengths Only you know the best revision technique for you to ensure better memory retention and recall, but always try to pace yourself, and not do too much too soon. Revision should be little and often. What can also help here is to form a study group with peers, so you are covering all the topic areas but still opening up to different opinions and insights on subjects. Know your revision weaknesses It also pays to be honest, and acknowledge your weaknesses before you start revision. What knowledge gaps do you have? Are you bad at organising yourself, or do you get distracted from the task at hand? All these factors point to a longer revision time period and extra help from a teacher or tutor. Don't dismiss the subjects with limited revision material It's easy to ignore the subjects that look like you don't need to do any work for like GCSE English so make sure you factor in revision time for them too. Past papers will help with your summarising and comprehension skills and analysing the writer's choice of language. Likewise, if you are doing English Literature make sure you know the set texts and precisely what the examining board want from you. Seek extra help It's never too late to work on upping a grade level or filling knowledge gaps. We have tutors across every subject and level who can help you.

8 Summer Jobs That Will Expand Your Skills

8 Summer Jobs That Will Expand Your Skills via Pexels.com 1. Camp counselor When you choose to spend your summer around  other peoples children,  youre truly giving up all of your free time to help them parent their kiddos. Sometimes, being a camp counselor can be one of the most rewarding experiences. Getting to work with children and (generally) do activities that are fun can be the perfect way to waste away the summer months. But being a camp counselor is more than just getting kids out of bed for breakfast and walking them from activity to activity. Being a camp counselor means being responsible for multiple childrens well-being. Youll have to develop more responsibility than youve ever had to before in your life. Youll be more inclined to look at situations from several perspectives. And youll potentially meet other camp counselors and campers who will change your life forever. If youre trying to go into a field where kids are involved, being a camp counselor during your summers in college will teach you the skills youll need for your desired career. When you work with kids, you have to know how to be flexible. You have to be able to come up with games and entertainment on the spot. You have to be responsible for your actions, and constantly stay a step ahead of the kids youre looking out for. Becoming a summer camp counselor might be the perfect way for you to gain the skills you need to work with children. 2. Receptionist As silly as it sounds, being a receptionist can teach you how to juggle multiple tasks at the same time. Sure, there are receptionist gigs that require you to say the same phrase over and over and over again, but then there are receptionist gigs that allow you to talk to the public, work with people, and make sure business operations go smoothly. If youre looking for an administrative job, or youre wanting to work on your organizational skills, taking a  receptionist job  for the summer might be in your favor. For college students who take summer classes (and dont we all!), working as a receptionist might be the perfect way to knock out some of those course requirements. When youre a receptionist, youre often multi-tasking. Youre doing multiple things at once, trying to keep your head afloat. But there will be times as a receptionist when youre crazy busy and other times when it seems to slow down. Those are the times when youll be able to study and work on your homework. As a receptionist, youll gain skills like active listening, organization, memory, communication, and tech-savviness. After working for two to three months as a receptionist, youll be able to juggle class assignments without issue. Youll learn how to prioritize whats urgently important and what can wait until later. 3. Nanny/Babysitter Much like a camp counselor, working as a nanny or a babysitter will give you experiences with children that youll need after college. However, unlike a camp counselor, nannying allows you to truly grow close to just a few children, whereas being a camp counselor will put you in charge of several children. Typically, when college students taking a nannying job, theyre transporting kids to and from their summer activities, watching them at the pool, making sure they get their chores done, and run errands for the family in the meantime. Being a nanny definitely isnt easy, but at least you get to spend your evenings and weekends at home in your own place (for the most part). Taking a job as a nanny will teach you an infinite number of skills and if youre looking to learn what its like to be a stay-at-home mom or dad, being a nanny is your best bet. Youll learn what it means to get kids up and ready for the day, transport them to their activities, make sure you have everything packed and prepared, run errands while theyre occupied, and end the day with quiet time and a nutritious dinner. It makes it really easy on a family to have a nanny, but it will put  a lot  of responsibility on you. Youll basically become an extension of their family. via Pexels.com 4. Freelance worker When you are a freelance worker, you arent signing yourself up to make a fortune, but youll learn several important life skills. The first of which will be  how to make your own schedule  and  manage your own time.   When you freelance, you have to actively search for jobs, so you have to be disciplined about how you spend the hours in a day. Youll have to search for jobs you qualify for, reach out to the person whos hiring, and then deliver quality work. Otherwise, you wont be freelancing for very long. If anything, freelancing is a difficult way to make a living. You have to stay on top of taking jobs and hitting deadlines. You also have to make sure youre  keeping a portfolio of freelancing jobs youve completed.  If you dont do this, youll have a really tough time finding a job. If anything, people hiring freelancers want to be sure they pick the right person for the job. 5. Waitress/Waiter At first glance, spending your summer waiting tables might seem like a bore. With random scheduling, tough hours, and hard manual labor, waiting tables isnt the easiest summer job. However, waiting tables might be the kind of work youre looking for, especially if youre taking lots of summer classes or you have a tight summer schedule. Waiting tables will teach you how to be proactive. You have to put yourself in anothers shoes to really understand what they want while theyre eating. If you work at a high-end restaurant, waiting tables can be pretty stressful and maybe even rigorous. You might feel like this kind of summer job gives you more flexibility (so you have time for your friends and the pool), but if youre wanting to make as much money as possible, youre going to end up picking up a lot of shifts for people in order to make ends meet. If youre going to learn anything while waiting tables, its how to take care of people. But unlike being a counselor or a nanny, youre going to be taking care of a range of ages, and youll get to go home after five or six hours. If you have a pretty tight summer schedule, waiting tables might be the way to learn the skills you want in just a few hours a day. infographic by Lorena Roberts via Canva.com 6. Tutor/Summer School Teacher If youre trying to enter the field of education, tutoring during the summer is one of the best things you can do for your resume. Whether you decide to tutor privately, through a summer school program, or with a tutoring center, having experience teaching is one of the best ways to give yourself the credit you need to land a teaching job later on. If youre going to tutor privately, word of mouth is going to be your best advertisement. Once you get linked up with a few families, it wont take long for them to recommend you to their friends. 7. Lifeguard Lifeguarding requires  a lot  of certification, but in the end, lifeguarding can be one of the best summer jobs. Youll be poolside, getting your tan on, for 8-12 weeks over the summer. As a college student, youll love being out in the sun, around kids, and by the pool day after day. But lifeguarding is more than just sun tanning. You have to prioritize peoples lives. Their safety is truly in your hands. Youll have to work with your coworkers to ensure youre always providing the safest environment for the visitors at your pool. This kind of teamwork can be something youll be able to bring up in interviews for jobs after college. If youre looking at going into a field that requires you to work with other people, on a team, lifeguarding could be a good way to get the skills and experience you need. 8. Lawn Care If youre a fan of physical, manual labor, lawn care could be the right summer job for you. Plus, this can be an excellent income during the summer months. If youre going to invest in a lawn care business for the summer, youll definitely learn what its like to run your own company. You have to get your own clients, keep up with their schedules, and then get your butt out of bed to get the work done before the intense heat of the day. If youre looking to work on your responsibility, this is definitely the way to do it. When you make yourself your own boss, things can go downhill pretty quickly if you arent disciplined enough to keep yourself in check. When it comes to looking for a summer job, college students are looking for different things. Some of us are just looking to bring home a paycheck, while others of us are wanting to secure a spot at a highly coveted business. Its all about setting your sights high once you get out of college. Depending on what you want to do once you graduate, youre trying to sharpen your greatest skills. Once youve graduated, youll have to sell yourself and your resume. The jobs youve held up until your college graduation will be your biggest selling point when you start interviewing for jobs. Youll be looking for ways to prove that youre punctual, responsible, disciplined, and knowledgeable. It all begins with the summer jobs you choose while youre in college.

Face Transplants Too Risky To Continue

Face Transplants Too Risky To Continue Photo Via: https://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/BN-PS134_facefr_G_20160906150745.jpg According to the Amiens University Hospital in northern France, Dinoire died this past April after a long battle with an illness they didn’t specify, which left many to speculate as to whether or not the illness was caused by the transplant that took place over a decade ago. Part of the reason for the secrecy are the family’s wishes, as they wanted this part of her life to be kept private. However, the hospital did go public with her death when Le Figaro reported on it. The initial face transplant was the result of an attack from Dinoire’s pet Labrador which left her “severely disfigured.” The transplant gave her a new nose, chin and lips to fix the damage done by her dog. The operation was ground-breaking, to say the very least, and took a total of 15 hours. The two doctors that performed the surgery were Bernard Devauchelle and Jean-Michel Dubernard in the Amiens hospital. Of course, this wasn’t a total success right off the bat, as her first public appearance following the surgery displayed a very visible scar and her speech was slurred. However, the fact that she was able to speak at all was a big step in the right direction. Plus, the attempt at a smile was visible during her interview with reporters as well, as she claimed she had a “face like everyone else.” The operation took place on November 27, 2005 and since then, there have been almost 40 face transplant surgeries around the world. In the U.S., there was one in New York last year that was the first to include more areas of the face including the scalp and eyelids (functioning). So to say the surgery was a big deal is an understatement. That being said, these 30 something people to follow Dinoire in their face transplant surgeries now have concerns regarding her death. If it is transplant related, it’s important to know what caused it and how to prevent it. So for many, this death means more than just another funeral. So what aspect of the surgery could cause such an illness? As with any transplant, there’s always the possibility the body will reject the new organs. The same goes with face transplants. So to prevent this, medications are required for patients to take so their body doesn’t reject these organs. The problem? Medications have certain severe side effects and trigger illnesses. Le Figaro newspaper, which initially reported Dinoire’s death on Tuesday, also stated that she suffered through two cancers that were linked to her transplant and she began to lose use of her lips last year. And there are also questions surrounding the initial incident that led to the transplant, as Dinoire was “wrestling with personal problems” when her dog attacked her and she “took some drugs to forget,” so she was unconscious when the dog bit her. And while doctors warned her of the risks involved in such a transplant, she insisted on it due to her disfigurement. So while the surgery was without doubt a success, the long-term effects weren’t quite so positive. According to Dr. Jean-Paul Meningaud, who wasn’t involved in treating Dinoire, “The results were very good in the medium term, but the long-term results were not so good.” Meningaud has been involved in seven out of 10 face transplants in France, and has switched his ways completely. Now, he’s arguing to suspend these procedures. In his opinion, the science behind such procedures isn’t quite right, and doctors need to determine what the long-term benefits are and if it’s worth the risk. There’s a physical and psychological toll that these operations take on the patients, and according to him, we don’t fully understand the extent quite yet. For many patients, anti-rejection medications aren’t even working, so the procedure is oftentimes followed by several more follow-up surgeries. According to him, “It’s a rather high price to pay for the patient. It’s time to mark a pause.” In the case of Dinoire, her immune system rejected the transplant two times. However, a year afterwards, she was gaining mobility and sensitivity and bought a new pet. According to Dinoire, “I can open my mouth and eat. I feel my lips, my nose and my mouth … I have a face like everyone else. A door to the future is opening.” But was that door opened too soon? Only time will tell. (Cover photo via bbc.com)

Here are the top 15 best websites for English teaching jobs abroad

Here are the top 15 best websites for English teaching jobs abroad Have you just graduated from college or are you a licensed teacher with a few years of experience under your belt? Are you looking for an English teaching gig, but not having much luck on the bigger job sites like LinkedIn, Indeed or Monster? Read this: What qualifications do I need to teach English abroad? We’re going to let you in on a little secret. Your search for the perfect teaching job abroad doesn’t have to take months, so long as you know where to look. Job sites that focus specifically on ESL positions abroad are your best bet. The majority of you happen to agree with this statement. In fact, 51% of aspiring overseas ESL teachers prefer to use education-specific job boards to source teaching jobs abroad. Make sure you’re using a website that lists the kinds of ESL jobs and teach abroad programs you want to apply for, though. Check out our list below detailing the 15 best sites to find teaching English abroad job openings. 1. Teach Away The Teach Away ESL job board has tons of new jobs added every day and allows you to search by job title, key responsibilities, company or location. On the site, you’ll also find a detailed view of the job market for teaching English abroad worldwide, plus career advice from experts on our blog, including info on which countries pay the highest salaries for teaching abroad. Have a browse for any teach English abroad job listings that catch your eye. And if you haven’t already, we recommend you kick things off by signing up to Teach Away (it’s free!!) - this way you can apply to hundreds of ESL companies in an instant, including the latest home-based online English teaching jobs. Sign up to Teach Away today for access to the latest teaching jobs around the world. 2. ESL Base No list of the best job search websites for English teaching jobs abroad would be complete without ESL Base. On ESL Base, you can search for hundreds of English teaching jobs by country. ESL Base also let you sign up for job alerts - oh, and they have a nifty guide to spotting ESL job scams. 3. Transitions Abroad Looking for a licensed English teaching job overseas? Transitions Abroad’s TEFL job board is sure to become your new best friend! 4. Dave’s ESL Cafe From English teaching positions in Korea and China, to ESL instructor postings throughout Europe, Dave’s ESL Cafe has tons of different opportunities for you to consider. 5. Go Abroad Enter in your desired teaching location and Go Abroad will connect you with a bunch of different English teaching positions, including short-term and volunteer English gigs. 6. Go Overseas If you’re on the hunt for an overseas English teaching job, Go Overseas should be on your list of sites to check daily. 7. i-to-i i-to-i connects new grads and experienced teachers with a wealth of TEFL teaching opportunities abroad in over 20 countries. 8. ESL Employment ESL Employment is another useful job board for wannabe TEFL teachers - both at home and abroad. 9. TEFL.com TEFL.com is a well-established TEFL job site that allows prospective overseas English teachers to search for positions that fit their qualifications and experience. 10. ESL Job Feed ESL Job Feed lets you search through available ESL positions with factors like job type, location, and employer in mind. The site is also filled with handy resources for working ESL teachers, so be sure to check those out! 11. teflSearch teflSearch is frequently updated with ESL jobs located worldwide. If you’re just beginning your job hunt, you can easily search by region or country. Right now, they feature over 350 English teaching vacancies peppered throughout China alone. Or, you can browse their employer directory for the inside scoop on ESL employers globally. 12. TEFL.net This job site compiles teaching job listings in major ESL hotspots around the world. You also have the option to upload a resume and specify which countries you’re most interested in teaching in, which works as an open invitation for recruiters to contact you. 13. ESL Teachers Board ESL Teachers Board has a comprehensive jobs database for those looking to teach in China and Korea. Also, they offer lots of ESL teacher resources for working teachers, which is always a plus. 14. Total ESL Total ESL is a great place to find English teaching jobs by region. Just enter your desired location and you’ll come up with a list of opportunities on Total ESL. 15. Reach to Teach Reach to Teach have an extensive list of ESL job openings. Plus, it features other resources like tips and stories from other people who have taught English abroad. This list of ESL job sites above isn’t meant to be exhaustive, but it should be a good place to start on your journey to finding a teaching job abroad you really love! Of course, using the best ESL teaching job sites is a good start, but it’s only half the battle. You still have to land the job. That’s why we spoke with hiring experts who gave us some excellent pointers. You can read their advice in our interview tips blog post. Happy TEFL job hunting!

Pokemon Move Tutor

Pokemon Move TutorHoenn Move Tutor is a site that provides help for the players in the Pokemon games. It provides different articles for the players to learn moves in this game. The articles are provided by a Move Tutor that has lived in Hoenn for several years. He is the one who has studied this game very well and knows all the moves in this game.The Move Tutor is actually the main adviser for the players of this game. He will tell the players about every move of the Pokemon. He knows all the moves and tells the players about them. He has a unique way of doing things and it is very interesting to read the move lists of the Pokemon.There are several steps that have to be done in order to learn how to perform the moves. The first thing that a player needs to do is to find the Move Tutor who lives in Hoenn. After that, he needs to submit the moves list of the Pokemon in order to him.The main adviser for the Pokemon players will also provide some tips in advance in order to save the tim e that is usually needed to learn the moves. The Pokemon guides also can be found on the website. The articles that are being provided are very interesting and one has to read them.In the Moves Tutor, there are also other articles that one can read as well. The articles about the moves have many links that the players can visit to learn more about the moves. This makes it easier for the players to learn moves of their favorite Pokemon. These articles provide links for the players to learn more about the moves.The Pokemon Go is the biggest craze in the internet that involves all kinds of people. Some people play it and some people play with the motive of trying to get the Pokemon. There are different people who will take part in the game.There are many players who live in Hoenn and these people do play Pokemon with the intention of getting the Pokemon that they like. One can get the Pokemon if he wants to. But it is better to learn about the moves before playing.

Clayton County Library Tutoring

Clayton County Library TutoringClayton County Library Tutoring is one of the greatest ways to improve your academic success. You can benefit from this form of tutoring from a variety of sources including schools, colleges and universities.The Clayton County Library tutoring programs are available to adults and children. They allow you to attend a free public library and work with tutors that are available to help you on topics like reading comprehension, school work, math and writing.You can get help with homework, middle school students, high school students and college students with the Clayton County Library tutoring services. For example, middle schoolers can use reading problems to help them concentrate on their studies. High school students who are having trouble in their courses can use this service to make a move to their studies, increase their reading speed and create better grades.Students that attend colleges or universities in Clayton County can also avail of these tutor ing services. There are many different types of programs that they can take advantage of and it will be up to them to decide what works best for them. By attending classes on campus, you will not have to worry about traveling, getting lost or missing class time.Clayton County Library Tutoring can also help students who want to earn a degree. It is helpful for students who want to learn how to read better so that they can earn a bachelors or masters degree. By improving their learning abilities, they will gain more knowledge in the classroom.By using Clayton County Library tutoring programs, you will also be able to improve your grades. Tutors that are available for the Clayton County Library tutoring programs will work with you to help you improve your grade point average and determine if you should repeat the course or take a different one.The Clayton County Library has a wide variety of tutoring programs that can be used to help students and adults improve their academic achieveme nts. Whether you are going to be enrolled in a classroom environment or attending an online program, the Clayton County Library tutoring services can help you improve your grades and gain confidence that you are making progress. It is one of the best forms of academic tutoring available.

Should I Go To Vanderbilt University

Should I Go To Vanderbilt University The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Ariana is earning her bachelors degree in English at Vanderbilt University. She is currently a tutor in Washington D.C. specializing in college essays, editing, writing, and several other subjects. See what she had to say about her experience at Vanderbilt University: VT: Describe the campus setting and transportation options. How urban or rural is the campus? Did you feel safe on campus? Are there buses or do you need a car/bike? Ariana: Vanderbilt has a gorgeous campus with such a large variety of plants and trees native to Tennessee that it qualifies as an arboretum. Although Vanderbilt is only a quick drive from downtown Nashville, it is self-contained and Ive always felt safe on campus. Since nearly all of the students live on campus, walking is the most popular form of transportation, and having a bike or car is not a necessity. There are also small buses (nicknamed the Vandy Vans) that transport students around the perimeter of the campus from 5 p.m.-5 a.m. daily. VT: How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Ariana: In my experience, the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants have been very willing to help. Even my larger classes have had professors who made themselves available to their students in any way they can! For example, the professor for my huge Intro to Neuroscience class gave us her cell phone number in case we had any last-minute questions before the tests. My Communications 101 professor even hosted the entire class over at her house for dessert to celebrate the end of the semester! Although I have had less contact with academic advisers and teaching assistants than professors, they have been eager and prompt in their responses when I have had questions. VT: How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Ariana: At Vanderbilt, all freshmen live on The Commons, a small community of dorms with their own student center and dining hall, and upperclassmen live on Main Campus. I have found both of my dorm rooms so far to be spacious, and the dorm to be clean and relatively quiet. The dining options are plentiful and include the aforementioned freshman dining hall, the Main Campus dining hall, a kosher vegan caf, a small pho restaurant, a salad and pizza restaurant, a pub, and several to-go markets. The dorms do provide social activities in the form of RA-led house events, but the students themselves initiate most socialization. VT: Which majors/programs are best represented and supported?What did you study and why? Did the university do a good job supporting your particular area of study? Ariana: Some of the most popular majors at Vanderbilt are economics, political science, mathematics, English, and psychology. After brief stints as a music major and a cognitive studies major, I settled on an English major with a creative writing concentration. I decided to major in English and creative writing because of the rich discussions in our literature classes and the phenomenal poets who guide our poetry workshops. Vanderbilt supports the English department through a number of writing-based events, such as the Writing Symposium, which gives undergraduates a chance to present their writing in an academic conference setting, and the Visiting Writers Series, which brings well-known writers to give free readings on campus. VT: How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Does Greek life play a significant role in the campus social life? Ariana: It was fairly easy for me to meet people and make friends as a freshman. Vanderbilt really tries to get freshmen to feel at home through initiatives such as the required freshman seminar, a small class on a specialized topic just for freshmen, and the VUcept groups, a mixed group of about 15 freshmen that meets once a week during the first semester to talk about everything from dorm life to political issues. Extracurricular groups are another popular way to make friends, and I have also made many friends from my classes, especially the smaller ones. Greek life is prevalent on campus with about half of the student body participating, but I am not Greek and I have not felt that it inhibits my social life at all. VT: How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services?Do many reputable companies recruit on campus? Ariana: I have not been to the Career Center yet, but it has been helpful to many of my friends, and Im sure I will make a visit before I leave Vanderbilt. Other free student services at Vanderbilt include The Writing Studio, peer tutoring, the Psychological Counseling Center (PCC), Student Health, and the rec center. Taking advantage of these helpful services has definitely improved my experience at Vanderbilt. I honestly dont know which companies recruit because Id imagine that would apply more to seniors who arent planning to go to graduate school, which I am. VT: How are the various study areas such aslibraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? Ariana: I normally study in my room, so I will admit that I dont have extensive experience with other study spaces, but I do know that there are multiple spacious libraries spread out across campus. When I have been to the libraries to do research or meet for a group project, I have always been able to find space to do so, and I have enjoyed being able to pop into the Peabody and Central Library cafes for a quick cup of coffee or a treat! VT: Describe the surrounding town. What kinds of outside establishments / things to do are there that make it fun, boring, or somewhere in between?To what extent do students go to the downtown area of the city versus staying near campus? Ariana: Vanderbilts location in Nashville is one of the most alluring things about it. There are many fun events on campus, but students do venture into Nashville a fair amount. I could spend this entire interview talking about activities in Nashville, but I will limit myself to two of my favorites: going to musical events and sampling restaurants. Nashville is considered to be Country Music City, and rightly so, but it is musically and artistically interesting outside of country music. In my first two years at Vanderbilt, I have enjoyed seeing classical music at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, indie and pop at the Grand Ole Opry, and bluegrass at the Station Inn. As with country music, Nashville is known for its replenishing southern food, but it also has every type of restaurant imaginable from award winning Thai food to hip vegan cafes. Rather than staving off boredom, I have always found more interesting events to go to (on campus and off) than I possibly could have the time to attend! VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Ariana: There are about 7,000 undergraduates at Vanderbilt. I think it is an ideal sizejust small enough to feel comfortable and personal, just big enough to have some anonymity and all the resources you need. I have been quite pleased with class sizes overall, although it does depend greatly upon major. Psychology and science intro classes can be as large as 100-200 students, while many humanities seminars and education classes can be as small as 20, or even five students. In general, freshman and sophomore classes are larger, and the last two years are more specialized and bring smaller classes. VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Ariana: I had a memorable experience with a professor during my first semester sophomore year in my Latino(a) Literature class. For a class assignment, I wrote a poem from the perspective of Joy Castro, an author we read that semester. My professor sent the poem to Ms. Castro, whom she was friends with, and I received an eloquent and emotional response from her, which was such an honor for me. I am very grateful for both my professors generosity and the existence of this type of opportunity at Vanderbilt. Check out Arianas tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.