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Ask.fEMergency!

Louisa
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0

Ask.fm is a fairly new social media website (launched in 2010) and has made its way into the lives and browser history of people all around the world. I believe that the major demographic that uses this site are youth, for us kids are often genuinely interested in the lives of our peers, and we also wonder what people want to know about us. It feels good to know that you are on somebody’s mind and in their queries, even if that somebody is unknown.

Aside from the frivolous Question of the Day’s, most questions that I see on this website tend to inquire about people’s personal lives. Examples include, “When was your first kiss,” “Who do you like,” and of course, the vital question that can alter your social image forever: “Are you a virgin?”

Facebook is seen as a great way to gain publicity on an Ask.fm profile.
Facebook is seen as a great way to gain publicity on an Ask.fm profile.

These questions are a little personal, I must admit, but kids will be kids, right? We are curious to see if everybody else is growing up at the same pace we are, if we’re normal, if others are doing something we are not. I feel that any real question is fine to ask, for that is what the site is intended for. If you are comfortable answering something, you may do so to your discretion. If not, or if the question is inappropriate (like the “Are you a virgin?” question mentioned before), you simply delete it from your inbox.

Unfortunately, there are some “questions” that you will never be able to delete—from your memory, that is. These are the questions that aren’t really questions, but comments that people only feel comfortable saying because they are safely hidden behind the comfortable pseudonym of “Anonymous.”

Rumours, lies and drama are part of some teens' daily lives; Ask.fm can only magnify the issues.
Rumours, lies and drama are part of some teens’ daily lives; Ask.fm can only magnify the issues.

Anonymous, or “Anon” for short, can be your best friend or worst enemy. Anon could be that kid you dislike from school, your best friend, or even your parents. Anon could send you encouragement and love letters, but Anon could also send you hate that ranges in severity from mild to extreme, and sometimes it can leave you restless for nights.

Though it may seem far-fetched, I don’t think that the issue are the anonymous kids who say mean things.  Anon will always be out there, and he will always have something nasty to say. The main problem here is that these teens I see, instead of disabling their accounts, continue to respond to and encourage these hateful messages!

Some questions are too personal, but a few people don't realize this!
Some questions are too personal, but a few people don’t realize this!

It seems illogical to me; why would you want something that hurts you so much to persist? Do people really relish the attention that much? Also, why would somebody answer questions that are extremely personal and obviously inappropriate? It may feel good to be the centre of attention now, but down the road, you may regret sharing your personal information with random strangers. Your parents, your employers, and even your future children could see what you wrote. Remember, once it’s on the Internet, it’s there forever.

My advice to people using Ask.fm is to be careful. It’s all good and well until somebody gets hurt, so have fun, be smart and answer wisely!

The National Youth Orchestra of Canada showcases brillance and passion

lisa aka "Mangomaru"
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0
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Courtesy of the National Youth Orchestra of Canada

The National Youth Orchestra of Canada (NYOC) is recognized for being a strong bridge between music education and a music career, providing comprehensive and rigorous training that challenges talented youth all across Canada to become skilled orchestral musicians. Extremely competitive, over 600 young musicians will audition for the coveted 90-100 positions in the National Youth Orchestra of Canada and the chance to gain valuable personal, sectional, chamber and orchestral instruction in the summer. So intensive is this training, taking place six days a week, 8 a.m to 10 p.m, that it is often referred to as “orchestral boot camp”!

The NYOC are currently on their 2013 national concert tour, stopping by in Calgary where I was able to hear their amazing performance in the Jack Singer concert hall. The programme included one of my favourites, Wagner’s Flying Dutchman Overture, Copland’s El Salon Mexico, Debussy’s La mer  and a new personal favourite, Sibelius’ Violin Concerto in D Minor, played by the talented Blake Pouliot. A treat included all members of the orchestra singing not one, but two choral pieces to conclude and dazzle the audience after an amazing concert.

After this great performance, I had the great opportunity backstage to interview two Calgarian members of NYOC, Gregory Burns, who plays trombone and Jonathan Yeoh, who plays double bass. Having survived their intensive “orchestral boot camp,” their reward is a national wide tour, having already visited Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa. Meeting with so many young musicians playing at a very high calibre can be intimidating, but it pressures both of musicians to lay everything out on the table and play their best, while making great friendships and summer memories. Sessions become ones where fellow sectional musicians simply have to look at each in order to communicate their mood in the moment.

Courtesy of the National Youth Orchestra of Canada
Courtesy of the National Youth Orchestra of Canada

Both of these young musicians are dedicated to perfecting their craft, practicing for at least 3-4 hours a day, which requires solid discipline. It seems that habits start young, as these two have already developed those pre-performance rituals to ease nerves. For Gregory, a nice polish of his dress shoes does the trick, while Jonathan enjoys a physical cleanse before a concert. With post-concert rituals, these classical musicians don’t skip a beat and celebrate in style with a drink or two.

But when was the moment when you got lost in classical music and realize it has become your passion? It was the first time hearing a orchestra performing Mahler on a CD for Gregory and then in high school, that was when classical music fully resonated with Gregory. Jonathan responds that music was a huge part of his life since junior high school, continued his passion in high school and through to university, where he is a second year student in the music program at the University of Calgary.

Even talented and promising young musicians get stage fright, right?  “Yes…but it’s the screw ups that makes us human.” Jonathan reveals, smiling as he recommends that making these mistakes, getting the worst out of the way, makes for a better attitude and confidence towards playing one’s instrument. “I’d rather play with more passion and make mistakes….” Gregory adds, also smiling while confirming the best mistakes to make are those with brilliant passion.

Before music had “taken over his life,” Jonathan actively pursued Kinesiology and sports, including rowing and wrestling. He’s also a huge fan of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Gregory is at home in his scholarly pursuits of philosophy and the history of composers and science. Interesting tidbit was the different genres Gregory also listened to, ranging from electronic, funk to old rock.

Their advice for other young and aspiring musicians? “Keep at it… keep those doors open, because you don’t know what will happen,” Jonathan recommends. Gregory also suggests to be able to build discipline and being able to control yourself while learning, but to “learn something you do like.”

I want to thank Marie Pollock, publicist for the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, in providing this wonderful opportunity! The Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra has a new and exciting program for the 2013/2014, some fan favourites and amazing guest artists are there, so treat yourself to live music!

 

 

 

Newcomers Orientation Week 2013!

Asa Bapat
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0

“Yes! Its a new life, full of opportunities! But I am more nervous than excited. EVERYTHING IS FOREIGN AND UNKNOWN. How are the people going to be? The teachers?? Friends…will I have any??”

That was my line of thought when I moved to Canada an year ago! Canada is known to be a country of immigrants. People are friendly and nice! But not many, understand the struggles an immigrant youth faces. Having a simple conversation is a struggle because of the language barrier. You feel you are left at sea! High school is a totally different planet! And trust me, you feel like an alien!cbfy

BUT THAT HAPPENS TO EVERY IMMIGRANT! YOU ARE CERTAINLY NOT ALONE!!

The Calgary Bridge Foundation for Youth’s N.O.W Program (Newcomers Orientation Week) is a platform for immigrant youth. Past immigrant youth members, support new immigrant youth settle in their new lives.
Make new friends with people who are new immigrants (just like you!!) or with people who have walked down the same path! (just a few years ago!!)
Get to know Canada!!
Play fun games!!

WHO: Newcomers to Canada entering High School
WHEN:12th Aug, 2013 – 15th Aug, 2013
(Monday-Thursday)
WHERE:Sir John A. MacDonald Junior High School
6600 – 4 Street N.W., Calgary AB T2K 1C2
TIME: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
COST: FREE

More information

Getting RAD at Colour Me Rad Calgary 2013

Aaron
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Getting RAD at Colour Me Rad Calgary 2013

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color me rad

Saturday August 3rd was the annual Calgary Color Me Rad event at the WinSport’s Canada Olympic Park. It was a day to transform and add some sparkle into everyone’s lives. Volunteering there, I had the opportunity to see the color stations set up around the park to splash runners. The actual “color” is actually cornstarch that is safe and gluten-free, as well as the liquid color.

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The day was very exciting and fun, and there were also a couple of local booths there set up by the Daylodge. There were over 22000 participants signed up spread out over 16 waves throughout the day. In addition, there was also music and food in the parking lot. It was a lot of fun for me, and I would definitely come back again next year! The 2014 Color Me Rad Calgary has been set for June 28, so make sure you check out their website for information as that date approaches!

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Easiest Summer Pasta

Ivonne
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0

I’m becoming a real foodie, but one thing I try to avoid doing as much as possible is stove top cooking (thanks a lot carbon monoxide, for being odorless, colourless, and an unnerving stimulator of paranoia). Thankfully, I came across this recipe which turned out super delicious and happened to require no cooking! I took inspiration from the video and put my own twist on it. For a single portion of this recipe-with-a-twist, you will need:

  • 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
  • Finely chopped cilantro (vary the amount, depending on preference)
  • 1 clove finely chopped garlic
  • Diced cucumber
  • Diced onion (use red if you want to go sweet, or white if you’re looking for a stronger flavour)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Pasta of your choice
  • Salt and pepper to taste

1. In a dish, mix together the tomatoes, cilantro, garlic, cucumber, and onion. The amount of onion and cucumber you choose to add is up to you- I like to add just a small handful. Pour the olive oil over your mixed ingredients, then salt and pepper. Give everything one last mix and let the mixture marinade for at least an hour.

2. To serve, pour the mixture over pasta of your choice. Adjust the flavour by adding more salt and pepper, if needed. Top with a few fresh cilantro leaves, and enjoy!

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For more BenjiManTV recipes, click here.

 

 

Is the insanity excuse getting old?

Ananya
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2

Ariel Castro was recently sentenced to life in prison without parole for kidnapping and subsequently ‘raping’ and torturing Amanda Berry (and fathering a daughter with Berry), Gina DeJesus, and Michelle Knight. He was sentenced to serve a whopping 1,000 years. As the hearing went on, Castro blamed his misdemeanors on him being addicted to many substances (like pornography), which fit perfectly with Castro’s “mental illness” defense. Castro said, “I am not a monster. I am just sick. I have an addiction, just like an alcoholic has an addiction.” He also said, “I am not a violent person, and I do have value for human life.” From his closing statements, one can see that Castro isn’t fully aware of the terror and hurt he has caused for these 3 girls, and their associated family and friends. Ignorance shouldn’t be an excuse to call in for an ‘insanity’ plea.

The “mental illness” defense is often a fallback defense in court, for people who either are unable or unwilling to understand the severity of their crimes and take responsibility for their actions. It has been over-used and often results in the defense helping their client get off with a lighter sentence. Some other befuddling but successful defenses used in court were:

  • The “Matrix Defense”, where Tonda Ansley shot her landlady in the head and got off scot-free as “Ansley’s defense was able to prove that she believed she was inside a computer simulation. As such felt she was entitled to waste anyone around her that could possibly prove a threat. A jury of her peers found her not guilty by reason of mental defect.”
  • The “Irresistible Impulse”, where Lorena Bobbitt performed an “amateur penectomy” on her husband. Due to “an irresistible impulse to sexually wound” him after years of domestic abuse, she was acquitted.
  • The “Idiot Defense“, where Richard Scrushy, founder of healthcare service provider HealthSouth, company was caught embezzling money. Scrushy was found not guilty on the grounds that he acted like a naive fool in court, claiming he had no knowledge of such activities going on in his company, despite being the lead boss of the company.

What does all this information tell us? First, the legal system is messy and is not improving anytime soon, especially when people find any excuse to sue and cause riffraff nowadays. Second, the legal system could become the punchline of many jokes if they don’t put restrictions on the “insanity” defense.

Some believe that individuals should repent for their harmful actions, the legal system should have tighter rules and regulations on the tests performed and juries chosen. Others believe these procedures would take extra time and the money should be spent elsewhere (i.e. easing rent or tuition). There is much debate on whether hardened criminals should have life in prison (to repent or to not repent for their crimes) or exterminated from altogether (death penalty). Some believe that the death penalty is too harsh, while others believe that paying hefty taxes to provide criminals with the means to live their life ‘comfortably’ in prison is an outrage. In the end, one of the first steps to improving the legal system should be stricter rules on who can access and use the “insanity” defense.

Sources:

http://news.yahoo.com/cleveland-kidnapper-faces-sentence-001821758.html

http://www.cracked.com/article_17470_the-7-most-baffling-criminal-defenses-that-sort-worked.html

Photos of the Day: Beauty at Moraine Lake

sarena
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0
Photos of the Day: Beauty at Moraine Lake

Moraine Lake is a gorgeous, turquoise coloured lake near Lake Louise.  It’s part of Banff National park and is glacially fed; the rock flour deposits giving its unique hue.  Fun fact: it  was once featured on the back of the Canadian $20 bill.  I spent a lovely Sunday afternoon there during the Heritage day long weekend, complete with a picnic lunch.  Take a look at these shots I was lucky enough to get.

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Lake Moraine in all its elegance
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An exquisite little flower showered with raindrops after a brief storm at the lake

 

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A mountain chickadee sitting peacefully
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Water droplets clinging to leaves in the forest walk around the lake

DIY natural hair lightening

kathy
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0

Here are two all-natural ways to lighten your hair this summer!

 

Lemon

This method is easy and fast. You can take lemon juice and apply it to the areas that you want lightened, or you can combine the lemon juice with conditioner and put it in a spray bottle to apply to your hair. After this is done, go have some fun in the sun!

Don’t leave the lemon in your hair for too long, as it will dry out your hair. Of course, it is still much less damaging than using lighteners such as bleach or chemical dyes, because lemon is natural.

Hair Mask

This hair mask  lightens your hair approximately one shade. It’s best for darker coloured hair, such as black or dark brown.

Use honey, cinnamon, and your regular conditioner. The honey and cinnamon are natural lighteners, similar to the lemon juice. As for the amount you need for each ingredient, most people just eyeball it. It really depends on the length and amount of hair you have. Try to get equal amounts of honey and conditioner, then add as much cinnamon as you want. I would go for at least 3 tablespoons.

Split your hair into parts, then begin to apply this mask to your hair evenly and generously. It will get messy.

Once you have finished covering your hair with this wonderful mixture, put your hair into a shower cap/bag/saran wrap and bundle up your hair.

Sleep with this on. You can wrap a small hair towel or bandana around your head, then lay down a towel in order to make sure you don’t get this sticky mixture all over your bed. Then get your beauty sleep!

If you don’t want to sleep with it on, be sure to leave it on for at least six hours for the full effect.

Once you have woken up or finished waiting, rinse out the mask. Wait for your hair to dry, then admire.

This mask also leaves your hair super soft and shiny in addition to lightening it. I would definitely suggest trying it out.

 

Enjoy!

 

HEART: A Short Animation

lily
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0

I’m really a big fan of short films, and this particular one caught my interest sometimes last week. I thought it was rather clever how the makers embedded symbolism and metaphors into the animation without any verbal hints. The story line is rather eccentric and is able to convey an unpleasantness without resorting to morbidity. The story can be interpreted in a lot of different ways, but I consider this video a satire to human nature and our emotional thirst for love and the ironic consequences of the pursuit of love.

Enjoy this video and prepare to turn your thinking caps on.

Bruno Mars & One Direction Live in Concert!

A N
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4

I have had the opportunity to see both Bruno Mars and One Direction live within the past week, which is extremely lucky. So if you are just as lucky and you have the chance to go see either band live I have the low down to see I either concert is a good fit or you! I have rated both concerts out of ten in a few different categories:

Kid Friendly: Is it good for younger brothers or sisters, or maybe even if you are on the younger side? (no swears, low sexual content etc.)

Entertainment Value: Do they put on a good show? Is the set nice?

Live Performance: Are they actually good singers once they are off the auto tune?

Opening Acts: Should you skip or see the pre show?(to save some time for that long t shirt lineup!)

Let’s get started!

Bruno Mars

bruno mars

Kid Friendly: 8/10 If you know Bruno, you know that some of his songs aren’t the most kid friendly, with multiple sexual references in almost every song it’s something to consider. However kids likely won’t pay that close attention to the lyrics. There was some swears as well but nothing terrible.

Entertainment Value: 9/10 Bruno and his band was highly entertaining! They are all great dancers and they are really fun. However when he stopped to talk sometimes you got a little bored or felt like it was lagging on.

Live Performance: 10/10 Bruno is a great live performer. He’s energetic and fun but yet still sincere and passionate. He sounds almost better live than he does on the album!

Opening Acts: 8.5/10 For this particular tour, singer Ellie Goulding is the pre show performance. I personally love her and her voice, however she is very different from Bruno style wise. While Bruno is very soulful and retro Ellie is very indie.

 

One Direction

one direction

Kid Friendly: 9/10 I give them a nine because their fan base is solely young teens. So with that said it’s great fun to go to but it gets very loud. Young kids might not enjoy that. There was also the occasional swear but nothing too worry some.

Entertainment Value: 9.5/10 They are a highly entertaining band. With 5 people onstage you never get bored. They had a fabulous stage and a cute Q & A session. But since they are such good friends and they are pretty crazy, it was easy to get confused and lost when they were talking to the crowd, they kept getting distracted by each other!

Live Performance: 8/10 It is obvious they all have some auto tune on their album, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have talent because they sure do! Since there was so much screaming, they needed to amp up the microphones so you could actually hear them sing. They all sounded a bit “chipmunky” during the performance and when they talked.

Opening Acts: 6/10 Everyone in the crowd seemed to love the opening bad 5 Seconds of Summer. I had never heard of them before so I wasn’t sure what to expect. They had incredibly catchy songs however I did not enjoy their voices, they all sounded nasally and a bit pitchy. I recommend skipping them, unless you are curious or just happen to like them.

Five ways to engage this summer

Ananya
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0

As most of us know, summer gets boring after a while. Want to know how to beat the boredom? Here are some ways to energize yourself this summer.

1. Volunteer with the Calgary Public Library, Youth Volunteer Corps (via Youth Central), City of Calgary Youth Employment Centre or festivals and summer camps around Calgary.

Volunteering helps build community spirit and is a great way to make new friends!

2. Exercise: swim at the YMCA, run, or bike in park trails or just around the neighbourhood.

3. Read. The Calgary Public Library is putting on a really fun initiative called the Summer Reading Club.

4. The summer is one of the best times to get out in our city. Go with friends or family to Calaway Park, Calgary Zoo or summer festivals like GlobalFest, Taste of Calgary and Expo Latino.

5. Pursue a hobby. This is your last school-free chance to try singing, dancing, writing or listening to music.

DIY: Glitter your phone case!

Julia
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4
DIY: Glitter your phone case!

Vendors at the mall, electronic stores, accessory sections, etc. etc. Many carry phone cases, but a) they’re pretty much all for iPhones (which really sucks if you have a different kind), and b) you could make an even more awesome one yourself!

Since I have a more unique and not as standard model of smartphone, the only cases I could find were plain solid coloured plastic. For a while my phone was protected and decorated with translucent blue. My heart died a bit whenever I saw it and realized how unlike me that case was. So of course I had to add some “me” to it.

Glitter is a way of life. I’m definitely not a “girly-girl”, but still. When I scrapbook or make cards or do practically anything I am obsessed with glitter incorporation. Once I decorated my math homework with glitter. Yeah I’m strange. Anyways… I thought I’d share with you how I made my phone AWESOME!

Supplies:

  • Basic phone case
  • Mod Podge (craft stores, probably even the dollar store would have it)IMAG0291
  • Fine glitter (again, craft or dollar stores)
  • Brush to apply it with
  1. Remove case from phone
  2. Mix some of the glitter and Mod Podge in a small container (the more glitter, the more glittery the case will be…)
  3. With the paint brush, apply your mixture in thin coats. NOTE: it will appear white and ugly at first, but it dries clear, so don’t worry, be happy.
  4. Let individual coats dry.IMAG0292
  5. Then apply more coats.
  6. Finish with a layer of just Mod Podge
  7. Let dry COMPLETELY
  8. Put the case on your phone
  9. Enjoy, and feel free to brag about your one-of-a-kind DIY phone case!IMAG0293

 

Now I get tons of comments about my phone case, and its super awesome to be able to respond saying that I made it myself.

Get creative!!!

🙂

Couch to 5K! An easy way to get started with running

T. W.
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0

Pretty short post here – recently I’ve been feeling weak in regards to running so I went out for a run and tried to jog for twenty minutes straight. I pretty much died at the end which made me sad considering that I could run 45 minutes straight in Junior High, so I figured that it was time to start from scratch.

I’ve recently started on this program with my sister called Couch to 5k (C25K for short) which literally means it’s a running program designed to get couch potatoes onto the road and running 5k eventually. It’s very easy and time affordable. Approx. 30 minutes every day for three days a week. Easy.

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If all you’ve been doing is sitting on the computer, maybe it’s time to take a run. And if you find yourself breathless at the end of a light jog, perhaps it’s time to give this very quick and easy training program a start. Running is a very balanced form of training and is very healthy for your body.

It can train your stamina as well as split second power depending on how you run. I like to run because it generally rounds off the strength training that I do because it seems to just work everything in your body. The changes are very subtle in C25K but I can find myself regaining some of my old endurance.

Check out the program here: http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml

There are free apps from Zen Labs that you can download (atleast for Android), so definitely get those as well as they have created automatic timers and such which is very useful.

Remember to take breaks between the days or you will overwork your knees, which is the most common injury for most runners.

Free-To-Play Recommendation of the Day

Dani Kilani
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0

Do you like guitar hero and other music games?  Well here is a game for you! Osu is a Music game with many music genres within the game.Osuungimped Firstly maps are made by players and have a range of difficulties. There are thousands of songs in Osu which has an upside as well as a downside. A negative impact, of the variety of beat maps is that you must download each Beat-Map off of Osu’s website. Osu has multiple modes ranging from using your mouse to hit each note to using a keyboard and pressing each key. Osu is often used by pro-gamers to warm-up before a match.791083

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Osu has both single player and multi-player functions. Osu’s multi-player and ranking interface functions with the ability to play with others, view their scores and compare. A match of Osu may become competitive if players are of similar skill level. Single player in Osu allows for someone to practice there skills in a less competitive manner and beat there previous records.311

 

Osu is Free-To-Play play meaning you only have to pay for extra features or you dont have to pay at all for anything. Osu is free except for some extra features like in-game downloading of beatmaps.

 

This is my Free-To-Play Recommendation of the day I recommend you go check it out:

http://osu.ppy.sh/

Message to a Graduate:

E
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4

Dear all graduates and those graduating,

Moving into a new beginning, your mind pregnant with the fear of the unknown can be overwhelming. It is overwhelming. The worries of adapting to your new surroundings, the challenges of making new friends; the inevitable insecurities of self-doubt…

However, as the saying goes, “It is not the strongest of species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.”

Change is perhaps as inescapable as the rawness of human emotion or the incessant process of thought. There is no reason not to embrace the exciting prospect of opportunity and growth.

Grant Snider has created a comic panel illustrative of the journey of life itself. I hope it inspires you to look forward to the thrilling adventure that awaits you.

Image courtesy of Grant Snider. Click here for more of his work.

Sincerely,

A fellow graduate.

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