Published on June 24, 2022

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How many hours of sleep do we need to ace our exams?

• Post author By tbrg
• Post date June 24, 2022
• No Comments on How many hours of sleep do we need to ace our exams?

Are you giving exams on less than 8 hours of sleep like me? Stop now! 

Most high school and college students, much like myself, often stay up all night studying or sleeping extremely late thinking that the more hours of studying they squeeze in, the better we will do on our exams. However, this is a misconception. 

All-nighters do nothing good for our memory and retention. Harvard Medical School psychologist Matt Walker agrees that “practice makes perfect”, “but having a night’s rest after practicing might make you even better.” Consequently, he enforces that memory needs those full 8 hours of sleep. Pulling all-nighters can impair focus, decrease immunity, memory and cognitive function, increase the risk of mental health issues and anxiety, and more. Thus, it becomes necessary to find a way to finish off your exam syllabus without compromising your 8 hours of sleep. 

How should you get these necessary hours of sleep and manage your syllabus? 

Here are a few tips from a fellow struggler who was able to overcome this challenge using the following-

1. Get yourself a planner well in advance. Being ahead of time will help you plan much better and it will be easier for you to follow it. Even if you lag behind on something you will have enough time to come back to it later.
2. Write down the syllabus you need to complete for each subject. This will not only give you some direction but also remind you how much you have left. After completing a chapter, tick it off your syllabus. 
3. Feel free to add subtopics of a chapter in your planner. This will break it down for you so that you can estimate how much time it would take you to finish the chapter. This worked really well for me because if a chapter ever got too much for me, I would leave the last 1 or 2 subtopics and move on to the next; however, since those subtopics were not ticked in my planner, I always remembered to come back to them later.
4. Make a week-wise timetable, with necessary breaks, and follow it religiously in order to effectively manage your time. You can use the Google Calendar app; it is what I used and it was extremely helpful because it gave me reminders too! For more useful study resources, check out this blog.
5. Make sure to keep your goals for the week/day realistic. If you expect too much from yourself, not reaching said goals may demotivate you. This was a mistake I always made and I hope that after reading this you will avoid it.  
6. If you want, add a reward for yourself at the end of every week or maybe at the end of every day too! This worked for me because I had something to look forward to once I completed a certain portion of my syllabus.
7. Prioritize – put away your distractions, be it your phone, food (a huge distraction, at least for a foodie like me) etc. while you are studying. This is actually one of the most helpful tips. Everyone knows they should do this but actually executing it will really help you focus.
8. The sense of satisfaction you will get when you tick off topics on your syllabus sheet will naturally motivate you to do more 🙂

If you follow these, you will be able to manage your time much better. This will allow you time for studies as well as recreational activities, and the need to pull all-nighters may vanish altogether!

Pro Tip– Try to start studying early in the morning. Your focus will be much more and by lunchtime, you will already feel like you have accomplished a lot. Trust me, I have tried studying from 2-6 am without sleep telling everyone that I study better at night, but the amount I could study that way compared to what I could early in the morning differed by leaps and bounds. 

Happy Studying!

Published on June 8, 2022

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What Makes Captain America a Public Speaking Maestro?

• Post author By tbrg
• Post date June 8, 2022
• No Comments on What Makes Captain America a Public Speaking Maestro?

It’s been two years since Captain America dropped the now-iconic “Whatever it Takes” speech in Avengers: Endgame. Cap’s speech, delivered before the Avengers’ final battle, wowed the cinema hall and willed the Avengers to victory. 

But exactly what makes Captain America such an Effective Public Speaker?

Well, In today’s blog, we look at 6 Practices that make Captain America a Public Speaking Maestro.

1. Know your audience

Cap knows that before speaking, he must understand the needs and expectations of his audience. His audience is a group of battle-hardened veterans that have all lost loved ones and are about to face the biggest challenge of their lives. They are filled with nervousness and foreboding. 

2. Defined Rhetoric

Understanding their nervousness, Cap deduces that what they need right now is inspiration, steady nerves, trust and a clear goal. So he appeals to their personal loss to assert the importance of the moment. He emphasises the spirit of teamwork and acknowledges the difficulty of the task, but assures them of his confidence in their victory.

3. Clear Structure

Cap knows that to inspire and drive action, his words can’t be all over the place. Therefore, he starts his speech with a clear introduction, where he lays out the context. He then proceeds to the main body, explaining what they can do now and how. Finally, he concludes with a punch, boosting the team’s morale and while highlighting the stakes.

4. Delivery and Voice Modulation

Understanding his audience’s tense mood, Cap’s delivery is loud, clear and overall, the embodiment of stability. He speaks slowly and surely, never gives in to unsteady emotions and makes sure to include well-timed pauses after important points so that the message hits home.

5. Body language

A major chunk of communication takes place through non-verbal cues. Cap is aware of this and his body language exudes calm and confidence. He maintains a firm demeanour and makes deliberate eye contact with his audience, making the exchange that much more intimate and his message that much more powerful.

6. PRACTICE!

Mark Twain once said, “It usually takes me more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech.” Cap has turned this quotation into his mantra. Whenever he is signed up for a film, he makes sure to deliver as many speeches as possible. It is with this accumulated knowledge that he is able to make his craft reach perfection.

P.S.

Wanna receive guidance from Harvard mentors on how to improve your communication, public speaking, leadership and collaboration skills? Check out Harvard Youth Lead the Change to reach the next level!

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How To Start A Business In High School? Here Are 6 Tips For You

• Post author By tbrg
• Post date June 8, 2022
• No Comments on How To Start A Business In High School? Here Are 6 Tips For You

Have you ever dreamed of being your own boss, working on your own terms, or having unlimited earning potential? The most impactful things you can do as a teenager to reach that goal is starting and launching your own company.

This does not go unnoticed by College Admission Officers, Recruiters, Scholarships Officials, Companies, etc.

So you want to be an entrepreneur but you’re not sure how to get started? Here’s a guide to fast-track your business Idea! 

Before we get into the nitty-gritties, We are gonna let you in on a little secret:

No one who starts a business for the first time really knows what they’re doing. 

Seriously! Especially in the early stages, it’s not about what you know but about learning from making mistakes. Focus on what you don’t know, and on learning and growing.

1. Find your Passion

The most successful startups are founded by people who are passionate about what they do. So what are your passions? When you base your ideas on something you truly love, you’ll be more focused and motivated. 

2. Know Your Market

The better you understand your target market, the easier it will be to avoid costly misfires. If you want any chance of success, you need to thoroughly research your target market before launching your business.

3. Get your Finances in order

While many startups enlist the help of angel investors, many

entrepreneurs need to use their own funds to start their companies, which means you should do everything you can to improve your financial situation. 

Start building credit as early as you can to help you get that loan easily. 

4. Find a Mentor

Finding a mentor is one of the most important things a young entrepreneur can do. Use alumni networks, conferences, and other resources to form these valuable connections as they bring knowledge and experience to help you move forward and make smarter business decisions.

5. Tune up your business knowledge

Take the time to improve your business IQ and pay just as much attention to the business side of things as the creative side.

6. Be a Planner

By placing key actions on a timeline, you’ll improve your focus and accountability, making it much easier to stay on top of what needs to be done.

P.S.

Wanna get a step-by-step guide on how to become a young entrepreneur in high school and learn under successful mentors like Arun Saigal (founder of Thunkable), Kristin Kagetsu (founder of Saathi Pads) and Aman Gupta (founder of Boat)? Then check out Ivy Early Entrepreneur Program, our 7-day program featuring a guaranteed internship with leading firms!

Published on June 6, 2022

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What’s your Career Type – Choosing A Career For High School Students

• Post author By tbrg
• Post date June 6, 2022
• No Comments on What’s your Career Type – Choosing A Career For High School Students

In 1958, Dr John Holland created a simple system to help people find the right career. Based on the tasks you enjoy doing at work, you are categorized as one of the six types – each with its own list of recommended careers. If you haven’t found your ideal career, discovering your type may just point you in the right direction. 

Image source 

Choosing A Career For High School Students Can Be Hard. So, which career type fits you?

Now that you know your career type, the next step is to strengthen your credentials. The best ways to do that is by:

• Taking Winter or Summer programs, workshops and attending seminars related to your Job Target.
• Reading books, journals, and magazines related to your Job Target.
• Doing internships related to your Job Target.

Make 2022 the year to update your resume with any new skills, knowledge, and experience! Big Red Education has a plethora of exciting Winter & Summer programs lined up for you to help you make the right entry into your career!