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YOUTH ARE AWESOME

Youth Are Awesome, commonly referred to as YAA, is a blog written by youth for youth. YAA provides the youth of Calgary a place to amplify their voices and perspectives on what is happening around them. Youth Are Awesome is a program of Youth Central.

Any views or opinions expressed on this blog belong solely to the author and do not represent those of people or organizations that the blog may be associated with, unless explicitly stated. All content is for informational purposes only.

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Music Playlist Guide for Studying

Listening to music has shown to positively affect your mood, blood pressure and heart rate. In all, this helps to increase your motivation which also leads to the rise of productivity levels. Research has shown that the same music you would listen to while studying something low mental efforts affects you differently than studying something that requires high mental effort. Here is a guide to help you listen to the right music while studying.

 

Types of studying:

 

1. Low Mental Efforts

This means studying something that you are already familiar with and have a tangible understanding of. In this case, I would listen to high energy music that would boost my energy and help me get into the flow of my work.

2. High Mental Efforts

This is where you are trying to learn something new and unfamiliar. This would pertain to tasks that are more conceptual and require more efforts to fathom. The best music to listen to during these times would be calming and peaceful music.

3. Cramming for an Exam

If you have limited time to study for exam, the best choice to go with would be classical music. Something that has a steady and repetitive pace can help with concentration. Something that is inconsistent and varies in tempo can maximize your stress.

4. Deep focus

This would mean studying something that is very text heavy and requires a lot of reading or writing. In this situation, I would avoid anything with lyrics and tempo changes, as it may be distracting.

 

My top 5 study songs:

1.Erik Satie – Once upon a time in Paris

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fuIMye31Gw

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2. Saint-Saens : The Swan – Carnival of the Animals

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3. Claude Debussy – Suite Bergamasque – Clair de Lune

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4. Faulkner – Daydreaming

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5. Mozart: Rondo No. 1 in D Major, K. 485

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Image Sources: Featured Image

Top Seven Pieces of Renaissance Art

When we consider contemporary art, most of us imagine to the likes of Pollock or Warhol, anything that invokes a sense of “oh, that’s modern art.” But what is our perception of modern art? Basically, anything that we can’t describe. Campbell soup can certainly draw contrasts with Van Gogh’s pieces, but if anything, there is one genre of art we are all familiar with, Renaissance art.

Top Seven Pieces of Renaissance Art  –

7. Primavera by Botticelli

Primavera (1482) - Botticelli

Primavera by Botticelli deserves to be in this spot simply because of its integral nature to the Renaissance at large. The painting is unique it the way that it portrays classical Greco-Roman characters rather than the norm which was usually biblical, or historical characters.

6. Arnolfini Portrait by Jan Van Eyck

Image result for Arnolfini Portrait

The Northern Renaissance is an oft-forgotten section of the Renaissance at large and hence deserves recognition as it emboldened the Flemish-style movement which would later translate into major Northern European Art styles. This piece, like many Flemish pieces, has a high focus on the background detail and even has an easter egg in the form of the mirror in the background, where Jan Van Eyck took the time to paint the backs of the two Nobles and even the painter himself in front of the two figures.

5. The Last Judgement by Michelangelo

Image result for The Last Judgment (Michelangelo)

One of the pieces commissioned by the pope for the Sistine Chapel, the last judgment is often overshadowed by the grandeur of the Creation of Adam as well as the rest of the Sistine Chapel’s ceiling Fresco. One of this pieces claims to fame is that Michelangelo painted this wall after partially losing his vision due to the effects of fresco and plaster on his eyes. The artwork was then censored by painters hired by the Vatican’s brass who painted leaves and clothes over many of the genitals of the characters.

4. The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci

The Last Supper

The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci deserves to be on this list simply because of its iconic nature. The painting incorporates the use of sfumato, which is a signature technique used by Leonardo Da Vinci. Sfumato is the softening of lines and features.

3. The School Of Athens by Raphael

The School of Athens (1509) - Raphael

The School Of Athens deserves its spot in this list because of its innovative use of perspective and realism. Raphael was commissioned to paint this painting for Pope Julius II, and it depicts all the classical authors and philosophers, such as Pythagoras, Plato, Aristotle, and Zoroaster of Persia. One thing that Raphael does that is very interesting and unique is that rather than painting Plato the way we today think Plato looks, he painted him as Leonardo da Vinci. Raphael did the same thing with the rest of the classical greats, where he painted them as greats of his time. The painting has references to Michelangelo, who is painted as one of the greats, which is ironic despite Michelangelo’s hatred for Raphael (who was painting at the Vatican at the same time as him), Leonardo da Vinci, Botticelli, and a self-portrait of Raphael who is looking directly at the viewer.

2. Sistine Chapel Ceiling by Michelangelo

The Creation of Adam (1512) - Michelangelo

The reason that the Sistine Chapel made it onto this list is that of the sheer artistic innovation and scale of it. The ceiling’s most iconic piece, the creation of Adam, is revolutionary in that it depicts an action that has boggled most artists for decades. The was one simple question, how would one depict the instance that life became an object on Earth? Michelangelo solved this problem by having Adam see as an unanimated, lazy corpse-like figure whilst god was animated and forceful. The full ceiling tells the entire story of Genesis.

1. The David by Michelangelo

Image result for the david michelangelo

The only sculpture to make this list deserves this place because of its iconic nature and its sublime attention to detail. In person, upon close inspection, you can see that Michelangelo even took the time to create accurate veins flowing from David’s hand to his tricep. The sculpture depicting the titular character in David And The Goliath was commissioned during Michelangelo’s time in Florence by the Florentine banking family known as the Medicis. It to this day remains as a symbol of Florence’s grandeur and the brilliance of the Italian Renaissance.

 

 

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How to fit in physical activity for a busy lifestyle

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As the school year is back into full swing, life may sometimes feel overwhelming. Physical activity regardless of what type can be a great way to help you refocus and revitalize your day. Here are some tips on how to have a healthier year!

  1. Set goals

Sometimes the hardest part of getting some physical activity is actually starting! Try setting a “move goal” for each day or each week, that way you have something which you can work towards when you get home from a busy day of work or school. For example, try aiming for 30 minutes of activity per day; this could range from anything like a walk around your neighborhood, playing some soccer in your backyard, or going to the park.

     2.) Enjoy what you are doing!

It is important to do activities which you will enjoy doing! Playing games or doing activities which you enjoy will increase motivation and commitment to the activity which you are doing. Doing activities which you enjoy turns “staying fit and healthy” into loads of fun rather than a chore. Moreover, playing games or sports with friends and family can be a great way to bond and have a great time!

   3.) Try something new!

The best part of getting physical activity is that you can discover a new sport or game. Make it a goal to try a new activity once a month, this can range from a new sport, a new game, or even a new workout. By trying something new, you are bound to have fun, all while discovering new activities that you may have never otherwise tried!

 

Image Source:

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Featured Image Source:

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Information Source:

https://www.wikihow.com/Stay-Healthy-and-Active

Tips to stay organized in school

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Staying organized in school is crucial for your academic success. By being organized, you can balance sports, school, and free time. Also, you will probably do better in exams and you won’t get as stressed. Here are some tips to help you stay organized:

 

Tip #1: Have a planner to write down when tests are, what homework you have, or when sports tryouts are. You can have a separate planner for your extracurriculars (ex. Application due on Friday, volleyball practice on Wednesday), or you can simply have everything in one big planner.

Tip #2: Study for tests and do all your homework as early as possible. If you are a student, you probably hear this a lot. However, it will make your life a lot easier if you don’t cram the day before the test. If you have a big project due in two weeks, the earlier you do it, the better. Also, a lot of teachers say, “Whatever you don’t finish in class, finish for homework.” In that case, just finish it in class, then you don’t have to worry about it!

 

Tip #3: Develop a binder system that works for you. In junior high, one of the easiest methods is to just have one big binder for all subjects. Every time you start a new chapter in any subject, you empty the old material into a file box. You will have one file for each subject. For midterms or finals, just look back into the file of that subject. With this system, you’ll never say, “Oh no, I forgot my math binder at school.” In senior high, you might want to switch to one binder per subject, because you have so many more papers. Use whichever system suits you best.

 

 

Tip #4: Organize your workspace. Work somewhere quiet and distraction-free so that you can focus. Put your phone downstairs while working. This may be shocking, but you can survive an hour without checking your phone! If there are no distractions, you will get work done faster.

Tip #5: Have an idea on when to study for each subject during finals. You will have multiple tests, and you should know on which day and at what time you’re studying for each subject. You may need more time to study for a particular subject, so you should account for that. This will ensure you don’t forget to study for a subject. Also, remember to take breaks after working for more than an hour. Get up for fifteen minutes, stretch, do some jumping jacks, and get some water. This is scientifically proven to improve concentration.

Bonus tip: If you need to memorize some things quickly, one of my favourite methods is to use flashcards. Firstly, write your flashcards by hand. By writing the word and its definition, you have already subconsciously started memorizing the word! Secondly, read through all the flashcards and divide them into three piles. One pile is “I have no idea,” another is “I kind of think it’s this,” and another is “I know that one.” After you have divided your flashcards into piles, Put a red paperclip on the “I have no idea” pile, put a yellow on the “I kind of think it’s this” pile, and finally put a green one on the “I know that one” pile. Now, review the red pile first, then the yellow pile, then you’re done! Of course, you can change the colours to whatever you want.

 

If you follow at least some of these tips, I’m certain you will have a very successful year!

 

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Mental Health Awareness

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Over 400,000 Canadians deliberately hurt themselves every year. And only about 50% of all Canadians enduring mental illness actually admit that they suffer. In all likeliness, you are surrounded by people suffering from mental illness in your everyday lives, at home, at school, at work, and you probably don’t even know it. 

This Sunday, September 30th – October 6th, is Mental Health Awareness week in Canada. This week’s aim is to open the eyes of Canadians to the reality of mental illness. But as stated by the Canadian Mental Health Association, “It’s more than being happy all the time. It’s about feeling good about who you are, having balance in your life, and managing life’s highs and lows. Everyone deserves to feel well, whatever their mental health experience. And we all need a support system to lean on.”

In honour of all the Canadian youth and adults who suffer silently, sometimes heroically, but often with the hard crushing stigma and shame of mental illness in our society, I have compiled a list of some of the greatest works I have come across that bring light to this important issue.

  1. Slam Poem: I Will Not Write Your Obituary by Nora Cooper- written and presented at the College Unions Poetry Slam Invitational in 2015 

It reflects the struggles of people who experience this illness every day as well as the struggles of their loved ones, who suffer along with them, although in different ways.

2. Facebook Post: Re: The Death of Kate Spade by Claudia Herera

After the tragic news, that 55-year-old designer, Kate Spade was found dead after reported suicide last June, the Internet and social media broke out with people offering their mourning. One of these messages was a Facebook post that went viral written by Claudia Herrera who posted a photo of her Kate Spade bag along with a profound message about mental health. Click here to see what she wrote.

3. This Video created by Newfoundland and Labrador Musician, Amelia Curran along with filmmaker Roger Maunder and recording engineer Don Ellis

In this video, Curran asks a very crucial question – in a time when mental health is one of the biggest challenges facing our society, why aren’t we doing more about it? Starring many celebrities, Curran says when she first started, this video was meant to tell her own story, but that things just kept getting bigger.

 

4. The Huffington Post: Why We Don’t Have Walk-in Clinics for People with Mental Illness by Arthur Gallant

This thought-provoking article addresses the topic of how essential it is to have immediate free access to psychiatric care. As Gallant puts it, “The health care system keeps telling us to keep our physical health in check… Isn’t it about time, we do the same for mental health?” Click here to read the full article.

 

5. Youth Central: Speak Your Mind Project 

Finally, take a few moments to check our Youth Central’s Speak Your Mind Photography Project with young volunteers in your community trying to normalize and get the conversation around mental health started.

Remember, you are not alone. 

The Apple Watch Series 4 Review!

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It’s that time of year again! As the temperature begins to drop, and the leaves adopt a yellowish hue, that can only mean one thing- Apple Keynote time! This year Apple announced some new and exciting products, however, none stood out as much as the newly updated Apple watch Series 4. This year’s Apple Watch brings in some distinct and positive changes to the fifth version of Apple’s watch.

Probably the most visible and notable upgrade on the new Apple watch is its display. The newest Apple watch screen has been updated to stretch from one end of the watch to the other, thus keeping bezels extremely small and allowing the watch to display more information with more detail. As a result of this, applications look more expansive and understandable and what you can view on the Watch is significantly more informative, as a result of the added screen real estate. Because of this added screen space, Apple has added two new watch faces which are exclusive to the Apple watch series 4, those being the Infograph and Infograph modular, these are both watch faces which allow a large array of complications on the screen, with the Infograph watch face allowing for up to 8 complications.

Aside from the beautiful new screen, the new Apple watch has also improved in speed. Its new processor allows for the smooth opening of applications and the seamless transitions between tasks. Improvements to the hardware also allow the Apple watch to have excellent battery life giving users enough power to easily get through the day.

The final notable feature which was announced on the new Apple watch was a redesigned heart sensor. The new sensor now allows for a more accurate and thorough heart rate reading with the future ability to give ECG’s in the next Watch OS update in the United States.

Overall the Apple watch is a product which is currently living up to its expectations. It’s newly redesigned screen and a plethora of hardware updates makes it a solid option in the smartwatch market amongst its other competitors.

 

Sources:

https://www.apple.com/ca/watch/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidphelan/2018/09/27/apple-watch-series-4-when-will-the-ecg-feature-arrive-in-the-states-and-worldwide/#163b4a383a09

https://bgr.com/2018/09/26/apple-watch-series-4-battery-life-vs-series-3-what-you-need-to-know/

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Featured Image Source:

https://9to5mac.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2018/09/apple-watch-s4.jpg?quality=82&strip=all&w=1500

RDTBBPBACI

Preface: This is a funny, fictional script for a radio advertisement. Try reading it aloud in a funny voice, and have fun with my satirical “advertisement”! ** Note: The product “RDTBBPBACI” does not exist in real life.

 

“…Have you ever had bad breath? If not, you’re not human, go fly back to Mars. If yes, you’re in luck!

Introducinggggg the Rad Death to Bad Breath Pills by Alex Companies Incorporated, also known as the RDTBBPBACI for short!

Rad Death to Bad Breath is an innovative approach to a problem that has affected humankind for thousands of years. Well, not just us.

When dinosaurs were alive, their number one priority was not food, water, or shelter as you may have guessed. No, in fact, it was the presence of bad breath that haunted them… so much so that they went extinct!

We don’t want this to happen to humans, do we? I guess Rad Death to Bad Breath just saved your life. Buy Rad Death to Bad Breath! It even rhymes, which is the sign of a creative, established product destined to save the world!

There is, however, one small side effect, a side effect so small you probably won’t care, but since we are such a great company, we have decided that you deserve to know.

Exactly 2 months, 6 days, 22 hours, 17 minutes, 26 seconds, and 384 milliseconds after you have ingested the pill, you may or may not grow a third arm from your left shin. Don’t worry it’s not a big deal. But you should proceed to cut it off right away, which shouldn’t hurt too much. If you don’t, other small, insignificant (fatal) side effects may or may not occur.

Other than that, Rad Death to Bad Breath is the solution to save our society from the detrimental and diseased clutches of the devil that is bad breath.

Buy one pill for only ONE (hundred thousand) dollars! But if you want a huge discount, buy 3 pills for just two hundred ninety-nine thousand nine hundred ninety-nine dollars and ninety-nine cents!!! Yes, that’s right folks, get your three pills for a limited discounted price now…”

 

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What’s New In Tech?

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iPhone XS

How fast is technology really advancing? The answer is: Fast enough that there is a new stylish Nokia, something that doesn’t break AND is aesthetically pleasing. Now, we’ve all seen androids filling this description for the past couple of years, but now it’s time for Apple to join the race. How durable is the iPhone XS? On September 12, the new iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR were announced by Apple, each phone pricier than the last, without the headphones included. Twelve days later, CNET reporter Vanessa Hand Orellana published an article, where she describes the effect of dropping the iPhone XS from various heights on its screen.

You can see what she has to say here: iPhone XS Drop Test

This is the video link: iPhone XS Drop Test

3-D Metal Printer

Durable glass isn’t the only improvement in tech. Another breakthrough is the increasing popularity of 3-D metal printing. In the near future, mechanics will be able to 3-D print old or aging car parts, meaning inventories containing parts will no longer be needed, just a machine. An article by the MIT Technology Review says, “The technology can create lighter, stronger parts, and complex shapes that aren’t possible with conventional metal fabrication methods. It can also provide more precise control of the microstructure of metals. In 2017, researchers from the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory announced they had developed a 3-D-printing method for creating stainless-steel parts twice as strong as traditionally made ones”. The original use of machines was to make human life simpler, and it seems as if the line to which machines are able to do that is receding towards the maximum. The spread of 3-D printing is a prime example of that.

How fast can life be created? If we look at the 21st century, the sudden increase of population due industrialization is decreasing. New methods of birth control are being tested. There are solutions for people who are infertile. If we consider the question, the answer would have been based on the rate at which humans can reproduce; however, now we will have to consider artificial embryos. Magdelena Zernicka­-Goetz, who headed the team that placed mouse cells in a three-dimensional scaffold watching how they communicated and formed an embryo, said in an interview, “We know that stem cells are magical in their powerful potential of what they can do. We did not realize they could self-organize so beautifully or perfectly.” The next step here is to take human stem cells and watch the result of the experiment.

Toronto Sensing City

When I read about breakthroughs in technology, I always wonder where in the world I could find such things. This is why I got pretty excited when I read something that hit close to home. Toronto is making a bold plan of changing an urban neighbourhood where the vehicles will be autonomous and robots roaming underground doing small errands such as delivering mail. This brings the discussion of artificial intelligence. So far, AI has mainly just been a plaything for big tech companies, as it is difficult and expensive to build AI systems. Google, Microsoft, and Amazon have been challenging each other in becoming the leader in offering AI services. Most companies do not have enough people who know how to use AI or program their systems. However, Amazon, Google, and Microsoft are setting up consultancy services. Once this comes in the reach of the public, “the real AI revolution can begin.

Another breakthrough in technology is earbuds that produce a real-time translation. “One person wears the earbuds, while the other holds a phone. The earbud wearer speaks in his or her languageEnglish is the defaultand the app translates the talking and plays it aloud on the phone. The person holding the phone responds; this response is translated and played through the earbuds. 

So is phone durability really what’s new in tech? Are machinery and artificial intelligence the future of our world? These are certainly advancements with new ideas and concepts. They also raise the questions: Is there really anything new in technology? Or is it all advancements? The best answer to those questions is that technology is improving by combining concepts in a different way, which results in a new product. This is the advancement we see when we talk about the new things in tech. Artificial intelligence, self-driving cars, drones, these are all combinations of different fields. They are also what makes 21st-century technology so vastly different from the 20th century; we have invented things based on the premises of other things. With the ever-growing development of the STEM fields, the question: ‘what’s new in tech’ will have some trouble giving answers as fast as they are coming.

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Autumn Sunsets

It’s fall. The weather is colder, the days shorter. The green of the leaves pulls back to reveal the hidden gold in preparation for the surrender to the winter ahead. This display is well-known and romanticized. The withered foliage murmurs softly in reply to the whispers of the breeze and the shuffling of boots. But have you noticed how the sunsets are also more vivid in the fall?

A herd of lambs dots the sky as they begin their pursuit of lulling the world to sleep, and the horizon is covered with layers upon layers of blanket-like clouds. The sun begins its descent and envelops the earth in its amber glow. The sky morphs from blue to yellow as the final rays of daylight extend to the ground. But the sun refuses to leave without a display of brilliance.

Each drop of yellow becomes a splash of gold. The clouds are canvases upon which nature, the greatest artist, paints its ephemeral masterpiece. Ambers, oranges, and crimsons flow from the paintbrush. The sky blushes at this fanfare. This is no simple lullaby. This is a symphony. The final prodigious chords ring out as the sun exclaims its farewell. Although everything is going into hibernation, the sun refuses to become complacent and meek. As the trail of scarlet disappears, the indigo of above settles to tuck in the covers, leaving behind only wisps of rose.

 

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How to not Procrastinate

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Procrastination leads to an unproductive lifestyle that builds bad habits. It is bane for being efficient and growing. It holds us back from achieving our goals and propelling forward. Here are some tips to fight procrastination and unproductivity.

1. Identify the Problem

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Acknowledge what it is that is preventing you from being productive and be specific. Being particular will provide you with a more clear path to fighting torpor. Without knowing this, you’ll won’t be able to stop the negative behavioural patterns. These bad habits will turn into a daily routine that lead you to squander additional time. When issues like these are addressed, it is easier to stop them from reoccurring.

2. Have Goals

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If you have a schedule or a planner of some sort, it will help you to keep track of things you need to get done. This may be difficult to get into especially if you get  easily distracted. The key is to start small. If you usually start studying at 9:00 P.M at night, the next time you could start studying would be at 8:50 P.M. This a gradual and slow process that will lead you to your end objective. If you endeavour to achieve everything at once, you’ll get discouraged.

3. Reminders

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There are lots of different things that could potentially help you remember what you should be doing and staying on track, so get creative. If you need to study, put your textbook by your laptop or in plain sight so it reminds you to study. Set alarms on your phone or reminders to help trigger you to start being productive. Get rid of junk foods in your house if you want to start eating healthier. These are a couple of examples that might work for some of you, but try different things and see what works best.

4. Acknowledgement

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Be proud of what you have achieved. Over time, you’ll be able to see what progress you’ve gone through and your growth. The bad habits that you once were doing turned into positive ones. Seeing the change you’ve gone through can become an incentive for achieving more great things.

5. Reward

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Rewards are beneficial because it encourages you to remain motivated and work harder. This can be giving yourself breaks. If you’ve been studying for the past week for a test, having a day of relaxation is not only good for your mind, but it is also something to look forward to. If you’ve been trying to read a book, have a piece of candy every chapter to help you to continue reading. Whatever it is, remunerate yourself for the goods things you’ve done.


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FuturFund x Credit Education Week Canada Essay Contest

Have you ever made a dumb money decision? Maybe you made a purchase that didn’t last long enough to justify the price. Maybe poor budgeting lead to some poor balance in your finances. Maybe you haven’t even paid attention to your money at all. No matter your financial missteps, grade 12 students in Canada are invited to disclose the dumbest thing they did with their money and what they learned from it in an essay contest by Credit Education Week Canada for a chance to win a $5000 scholarship.

The contest runs from September 4 to October 9, 2018. To enter, write an essay of 900 to 1000 words. The essays will be judged based on five categories: funniness, creativity, knowledge of savings and money management, organization, and grammar/spelling/punctuation. Click here for full contest rules. The top twenty essays will receive prizes ranging from $1000 to $5000.

This year, FuturFund is helping promote this contest. FuturFund is a youth-run, registered not-for-profit organization that runs some of the biggest financial literacy youth events in Canada. Their goal is to instill financial literacy in high school students.

 

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The Significance of Striving to Achieve Personal Goals

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Every learner is told at an early age to set personal goals for themselves. They are told that the life they wish to live is solely based on their decisions and choices they make, and to make the right choices for themselves they must strive to achieve the things they want in life. In other words, it is extremely important to strive to achieve personal goals in order to create a pathway in life that they wish to walk through, and not one that is based on poor planning. However, they are told to set goals for themselves so often that the real value is overlooked. If the true worth of aspirations is deeply looked into, the meaning behind why pursuing goals is stressed can be clearly understood. Striving to successfully fulfill personal goals helps one in telling them what they truly want, help propel them forward in difficult times, and hold them accountable for failure. When one strives to achieve a goal, they are never left without a gain, and even if it seems as though one has not acquired anything, the rare skill of self-reflection, as well as the, seldom felt surge of motivation is always the result of pursuing an objective.

How often is it that a person wonders where their true happiness lies, believing that a fancy title with a fortune will complete that empty hole in their heart, only to find that the hole has only enlarged? This common mistake comes from the deprivation of self-reflection. When one does not reflect on their lives and find out their inner desires and what they truly want, compulsive decisions are made while supposing that the decision they made is what they essentially want. However it is very rare that it is indeed what they desire, and it only results in more dissatisfaction. Setting goals for oneself is a result of self-reflection when one thinks about what they really long for, they automatically make a goal for themselves and aspire to reach it. As they begin to strive to reach their goal, they are constantly self-reflecting and asking themselves if what they are reaching for is what they actually want. By constantly re-assessing one’s goals, they gain the benefit of introspection and self-reflection, both of which are crucial to making the right decisions and choices to create a life one wants.

Many have noticed the trend that when they want to achieve something, they work hard for a while, but then their motivation begins to wane. This is because of poor planning and the wrong insight. A proper goal comes with a plan on how to achieve it, and it also comes with the understanding that one must achieve the goal, and that they must work hard to overcome the obstacles and not back down when a hardship arises. The main reason that motivation wanes is that a person encounters a difficulty, and they feel that they are not able to continue. However, having a goal written down with a set date for accomplishment gives one something to work hard form despite the inevitable struggles. A goal is not something one just throws in the towel after they find themselves in a hard situation, it is an external representation of one’s inner desires. Desires are what people really want, and it automatically gives one the motivation to continue; a goal is a constant reminder of what one needs to accomplish. Motivation is the key to moving forward, and striving to reach a goal a person wants teaches them motivation, which does nothing but helps them in accomplishing it.

An important aspect of self-improvement is learning from one’s mistakes and always trying to exceed others and well as their own standards. A goal always includes a specific date on which one has acquired a certain amount of whatever they wished to accomplish. It is like a deadline for their own assignment. If a student does not hand in their work on the day it was due, they have to suffer consequences. However, if the teacher gave no deadline, why should the student be punished for not handing in his or her work? There is no punishment, however, there is also no gain. Without goals, one may only think of what they want, however, if they do not set a goal to achieve what they want, a month or even years later they will not get what they want because they never strived to achieve it. Goals give a person the accountability for failure. When one sets a goal for themselves to accomplish something in a given time, and they do not fulfill that goal, they are responsible for not fulfilling it. If they had not set a goal, they would have never achieved it. Setting goals not only gives one the liability for their actions, but it also strengthens their character in the sense that they try to improve themselves and work harder to achieve what they want.

Setting goals are one thing, and striving to achieve them is another thing. Setting goals is a result of self-reflection, however attempting to achieve them reinforces this skill because one is frequently contemplating on how much they wish to still pursue their goal. Striving to achieve goals also gives a person the motivation to continue chasing their ambitions, because goals reflect what a person really wants and one wishes to acquire what they want despite the struggles. Goals also give one a sense of self-improvement because they feel the need to persevere in order to accomplish their goals without fail. These are the main reasons why striving to achieve one’s goals is important and shows the true value of goals that are often ignored.

Here is a talk on how to expand the scope of your ability to reach even the most impossible-seeming goals:

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A Tardigrade: The Most Durable Animal on the Planet

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A Tardigrade: The Most Durable Animal on the Planet

A tardigrade, also sometimes known as the water bear, is one the most durable creatures ever discovered, although they look like a chubby, 8-legged gummy bear. Their legs each have 4-8 claws that resemble the claws of a bear. This is why they have earned the name ‘Water Bear’ but they are also known by the name ‘Moss Piglet’ because they are also found in moss.

 

Although they are only around 0.5 millimeters long, they can survive extreme conditions. For example, it can survive at 151 degrees Celsius, which is way above the boiling point of water. They can survive in the vacuum of space, and can also tolerate temperatures as cold as 272 degrees Celsius, which is only marginally above absolute zero! These micro animals can survive a pressure of over 6000 atmospheres, which is nearly 6 times the pressure of water in the deepest ocean trench, Mariana’s trench, and can go decades without food or water!

In case you are not satisfied yet, even if you expose them to extreme radiations and they will come out victorious. Scientists have found out that the lethal dose of gamma rays to kill tardigrades is 5,000 Gy while the lethal dose of heavy ions is 6,200 Gy. For humans, 5-10 Gy is lethal.

These extraordinary capabilities of tardigrades come from their ability to halt all their metabolic activities completely. This is known as cryptobiosis and when a tardigrade gets into a cryptobiotic state, it is known as ‘tun.’ When a tardigrade enters cryptobiosis, it loses more than 95% of the water stored in itself, essentially, dehydrating itself. In this state, the water bear creates different proteins and sugars that help protect its cells. Once these cell protectants are synthesized, the water bear reduces, and at times suspends, its metabolism.

Scientists have immersed them in liquid helium, pure alcohol, hydrogen sulfide, and even exposed them to deadly radiation. However, when removed from these hostile environments, they simply emerge from their cryptobiotic state, rehydrate themselves, and amble away on their four pairs of stubby claw-tipped legs, completely unharmed.

Scientists are now trying to find out whether tardigrades use the tun state to survive other stresses. If we can understand how they stabilize their sensitive biological molecules, perhaps, we could use this knowledge to develop many new technologies, such as stress-tolerant crops that can cope with the Earth’s changing climate. By studying how tardigrades can survive the vacuum of space, we can learn more about the limits of life, and how to safeguard astronauts. Tardigrades can even answer a critical question: can life exist on a planet far less hospitable than our own? These are just some ideas if we do further research into this incredible species.

 

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Items You Need In Your Backpack For Back to School

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As the school year rolls around, it is important to have the essentials for back to school. Heres everything you need in your backpack to be prepared for the school year. Do you have everything?

 

1. Binders

Having binders to store loose papers, homework and assignments will help you to stay on top of your work. By having these organized in binders, it will make it easier to find and keep track of what needs to be done.

 

2. Notebooks

Notebooks are a perfect way of storing information. You will find that writing things down rather than typing things up on a laptop, will help you to retain information much better. You will find that the information binds to your memory.

 

3. Pencils and Pens

This one is pretty self-explanatory, you need something to write with. I would recommend writing in pencil when taking notes but I like to keep pens because I  rewrite my notes by using colourful pens.

 

4. Highlighters

Highlighters are always handy especially when you need to highlight any key topics that were emphasized by your teacher. This will ensure that you understand anything important for your tests and quizzes.

 

5. Pencil Case

It is easy to lose your pens and pencils at the bottom of your backpack but having a pencil case will you help you to keep track of them in the same place.

 

6. Planner

This is a must have for the school year. I use this for writing my schedule, deadlines, knowing when my tests are, and my todo list. Having a planner allows me to complete everything on time and not miss anything. This benefits me on my busiest days when I need to stay organized and balance school work and extracurriculars.

 

7. Lip Balm

Living in an area where the weather changes from super dry and hot to freezing cold, having lip balm will save our lips from getting cracked and bleeding.

 

8. Hand Lotion

Just like our lips, we need to rehydrate our skin when they get cracked and dry.

 

9. Snacks

You may be running late to class and didn’t have time to have breakfast or maybe you get hungry during the middle of class ( I can’t be the only one), having that snack will ensure to ebb your hunger and staying focused in class.

 

10. Water Bottle

Staying hydrated during the day is important for your body to stay healthy and to function throughout the day.

 

11. Hand Sanitizer

Germs are everywhere; doors handles, railings, desks, seats…

 

12. Hair Ties/ Bobby Pins

You always need these during sporadic moments when you want your hair out of your face and you don’t have any, keep extras in your bag and stay prepared for anything.

 

13. Gum/ Mints

Need to quickly freshen your breath, these are imperative in all situations.

These are also good to have because having peppermint stimulates a part of your brain that allows you to focus better and makes you feel more awake.

 

14. Tissues

Teachers don’t always have these in their classrooms but they are pragmatic whether you need them to blow your nose from the cold weather, have a cry from an exam or you need to clean something up, it is useful to have these on you.

 


 

Image sources: 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11/12/13/14/15

 

Shot on iPhone 8

Adventures in Chicago

 

“Hallway of Skyscrapers”

“There are two seasons in Chicago: winter and construction”

“Glass giants”

“Look up, stare, and dream”

“Calder Red – The Flamingo”

“Millenium Park”

“Patriotic and loyal”

“AVP Beach Volleyball Championships”

“Mall Illusions”

“Kaleidoscope Elevators”

“Get off at Harlem stop”

“Claude Monet’s Water Lily Pond”

“New perspectives”

“Going old-school”

“Underground Rainbow”

“A Hint of Nature”

“R.I.P. John McCain”