Wednesday, April 1, 2020

Chemistry Gas Laws - How Does Chemistry Work?

Chemistry Gas Laws - How Does Chemistry Work?If you're wondering what the difference is between combustion and chemical reactions then you should know that the two are not the same. Combustion occurs when you put fuel in a burning engine, while a chemical reaction happens outside of an engine as a result of the energy that's provided by a molecule or atoms from another substance. These processes can be very different.Let's take combustion as an example. The process of combustion occurs when you put fuel or other combustible materials into a burning engine. This can happen inside or outside of the engine, but the gas produced by the burning has to travel through a pipe or tube to reach a specific point. The surface area that surrounds the pipe or tube of a combustion process determines the speed at which the gas travels.The surface area of the pipe in the combustion process determines the amount of heat it produces. The higher the temperature, the more the gas releases. A better place to put your fuel is a location with a greater surface area for better efficiency.In chemical reactions, the surface area of the substrate affects the way the substance is handled. In order for it to do what you want it to do, it must be able to pass through the structure or channel. As the substrate passes through the channel, it will interact with molecules of its component and that interaction is what determines what the substrate will look like.In chemistry, the surface area of a molecule is determined by how much energy it can absorb before the atoms give up their energy to the surrounding environment. The smaller the atom, the less surface area of the molecule has and the faster it will go. Because of this, larger molecules do well in catalytic reactions.Chemical reactions use a large number of atoms in order to produce heat and other processes, but a higher surface area makes it easier for those atomsto pass through the structure. This will make them smaller and then more lik ely to be absorbed by the environment so that they can continue to generate energy. When these smaller molecules are absorbed by the environment, the surface area of the surrounding substrate increases, which decreases the rate at which they absorb energy.Because of this, many processes rely on the amount of surface area that's available to them in order to do what they're designed to do. In the case of combustion, the particles from the fuel can pass through the walls of the combustion chamber to reach the point of combustion. The higher the surface area in the chamber, the higher the temperature will get before the particles have a chance to escape.Chemistry is not easy, but it's important. It is a necessary part of the universe and it's not going away anytime soon.

Friday, March 20, 2020

How To Find A Tutor In Manassas VA

How To Find A Tutor In Manassas VAIf you are looking for a great way to earn money without working a traditional job, consider tutoring in Manassas VA. It's one of the best places to teach English because of the excellent pay and flexible hours. The city offers many opportunities for talented students.Tutoring is an important part of a college or university education. It provides students with free training on both theoretical and practical skills. It also gives them practice in communication. While both these benefits are very important, there are other benefits that come from working with students.Tutoring in Manassas VA is usually provided by the local university or community college. However, if you live in the area, you may want to find out if tutoring is offered at your local school district. In addition, consider getting help in looking for tutors. Check online, in the yellow pages, and even at your local library for tutors.If you do not know anyone who works as a tutor, ask o ther friends and family members if they have recently started a career as a tutor. This will give you an idea of what you can expect.For those who live in the area, the best way to find a tutor is to use a service that connects people who need tutors with tutor educators. These services will take care of finding a tutor for you, and they will then help you find a quality tutor at a reasonable price.You may be able to find some help from the community, either through the tutoring center or through a group of individuals who are interested in helping new students get started. If you do not want to work with a group, you can contact each tutor individually to ask for recommendations.Tutoring in Manassas VA gives you many advantages. If you have never been to this city, consider helping a few students with their English today.

Friday, March 6, 2020

Images for Free Tutoring

Images for Free TutoringFree images are also available for downloading to your computer, on the web, or even in books. Images are usually digitally copied or directly recorded as a digital image. However, some people prefer to do this themselves.In Word Processor or Microsoft Word program, the first step is to open the file (also called a picture) in the program. This can be done with a File Menu, and by clicking the Pictures tab. Then, you can paste or select an image from the popup menu.From the list, you will see the images that you want to access. Click on the photo that you want to edit. After clicking, the photo opens in a new window. This is the advantage of being able to edit photos.Selecting a part of the image or a section of the image you want to edit, you can then move it and resize it. If you want to make it a different size, you can click on the Size drop-down menu.The size is very important part of this. Without being able to change the size, you cannot edit the image. Since most photos have a certain resolution, you need to know what will fit best in your computer, before you can edit.If you wish to create a collage of pictures, you may need to go to your local bookstore, or online, and find a file that contains hundreds of pictures. If you would like to create a picture book, you will also need a particular book. This will come in handy, when you are editing pictures in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or your favorite computer software.You can get access to any type of electronic resource material, from local stores, libraries, and online. You do not need to pay a fee to view these resources.

Thursday, March 5, 2020

Considerations for Vocal Health Part II

Considerations for Vocal Health Part II Suzy S. Last week, Long Beach instructor Jim S. shared some tips to help ensure top performance when it comes to your vocal health.   However, there’s even more to it than just nutrition and keeping yourself hydrated. Read on for Part II of the article and even more considerations that will protect you from vocal challenges: Use a Neti Pot for nasal irrigation twice a day: A Neti Pot is the safest way of clearing out your sinus passages. You can find Neti Pots in most health food stores and pharmacies. This is a much better and safer way to keep sinus passages open compared to using ocean spray inhalers or over-the-counter nasal inhalers such as Afrin. Anything you shoot up your sinuses has the possibility of forcing mucous further into the passages, as well as causing sinus irritation or re-infection. I use a Neti Pot twice daily even when I feel great. You’d be surprised to find out the amount of pollution most of us are breathing daily! Even though I live oceanfront in Long Beach, CA, smog and brush fires are sometimes in the air, as well as pollution from the harbor and high pollen counts. Choose an ionic/ozone air filter for your home: I prefer Ecoquest’s Living Air Classic. HEPA filters can actually put pollution back into the air once they are filled up. Ionic filters zap particles out of the air and can help keep mold, dust and germ levels way down. This is especially helpful to singers suffering from respiratory illnesses, asthma or chronic allergies. Choose a good water filtration system for drinking and shower water: Our drinking water is especially important. Choose spring water with minerals, alkaline balanced or oxygenated water, or put a filter on your tap. I also suggest bathing in filtered water, as hot water can penetrate through pores, which means we’re getting low levels of chlorine, lead, mercury and other toxins. Over time this can build up in the body and cause challenges. Avoid yelling, screaming and excessive talking on the telephone. It is advisable to rest your voice, especially if you are in an opera or musical theater production and have long hours of rehearsals. Same would be true for those in school/university or church choirs, or soloists who work regularly. Of course, exercise is also an integral part of your vocal health, since as singers we rely on our lungs to provide support for our voices.   Consider these exercise tips to take it one step further: Yoga breath work and Meditation: I make all my singers do a bare minimum of 20 minutes of breath work daily. Gentle Hatha yoga is a great place to start. Yoga breathing techniques can be your greatest asset in strengthening your lungs, developing vocal power and projection, and preventing illness and injury. Here is a list of a few of my favorite breathing techniques to aid in your development: Gentle Hatha: Breathing diaphragmatically in for 4, hold for 4, out for 4, hold for 4. This helps to slow your breathing and it also strengthens the diaphragm. Breath of Fire: This is a Kundalini yoga technique used to tone and strengthen the lungs and sinuses, as well as detox the whole body. Look for video illustrations on YouTube to help you get familiarized with the concept. Bikram Breath: This posture and breath has helped many of my beginning singers to double their power and sound in a few weeks. It also helped me in my early teens to completely rid myself of chronic asthma. Bikram is a form of hot yoga. You can find videos on YouTube, or simply Google Bikram to find studios that teach pranayama (breath work) in your area. Other great forms of exercise include swimming and brisk walks. Readers, what other ways do you supplement your vocal health, beyond the basics?   Leave a comment below, or stop by our Facebook page to join the discussion! Sign up for email updates here! Join thousands of other subscribers and get emails catered to your music interests with advice, tips and more! James S. teaches piano, singing, violin, mandolin, music performance, music recording, music theory, opera voice, songwriting, speaking voice, theatrical Broadway singing, acting and fiddle lessons to students of all ages in Long Beach, CA.   He joined the TakeLessons team in June 2012.   Sign up for lessons with James, or visit TakeLessons to search for a teacher near you! Photo by Unfurled.

10+ Fun Italian Grammar and Vocabulary Games for Kids

10+ Fun Italian Grammar and Vocabulary Games for Kids Brooke Neuman Learning Italian grammar and vocabulary can be difficult for kids.  Below, Italian teacher Nadia B. shares some games parents and teachers can play to help engage kids in learning Italian For kids, learning Italian can be a great adventure, filled with exciting new discoveries. As your child explores the joy of learning Italian, you can aid him or her by playing fun Italian grammar and vocabulary games. These games  are chock-full of fun activities so that learning Italian can become less painless and more fun! Below are 10+ Italian grammar and vocabulary games that will make a big difference in your childs learning. 1. Rhymes and Tongue Twisters These fun and imaginative verbal adventures will help your child to think of Italian as a playful and colorful exploration, not to mention build a strong Italian vocabulary and understanding of syntax and grammar. You can trade off reciting lines of a rhyme, have a tongue twister competition, or read a fable before bedtime. Before you know it, learning Italian will be just another fun part of the day. 2. Memory Games Using index cards,  write out some Italian vocabulary words. Try choosing a theme (for example, colors or animals). Then, create a matching card  with a related vocabulary word. Lay them all out with the words face-down and have your child try to select the pairs. Recalling where each word is located will help the vocabulary word stick in your childs mind. 3. Make Assuming Sentences This game is similar to MadLibs, as you provide all the parts of a sentence and then allow your child to choose words to form a unique sentence. Heres how to do it: Write out  all of the pronouns (io, tu, lui, lei, Lei, noi, voi, loro), a selection of verbs (volare, ridere, sorridere, pensare, andare), and some nouns (il gatto, il cane, lalbero, il poliziotto, lItalia, etc.) Keep each category of words in its own pile. Your child can select a pronoun, verb and possibly a noun to form a sentence. For example, Io volo con il gatto (I fly with the cat). You can help your child to form grammatically correct sentences by providing prepositions (con, sopra, sotto) when needed. The sillier the sentence, the better! 4. Sing in Italian Download, purchase, or stream some simple songs in Italian  in which  you and your child can sing along. For example, you can search  for Christmas carols or lullabies. Encourage your child to sing along, or to sing from memory when you have free time in the car, while walking, or some other time. Sing along together, or help your child as needed to remember the lyrics. 5. Charades Charades is a really fun game  and there are so  many opportunities to tailor it to your childs needs. First, write out a selection of verbs, nouns or phrases to act out. Once youve formed two teams, start by having the first team draw a verb, noun, and phrase to act out while the other team guesses.  This can be as simple as two teams you and your child or can involve other children and family members. 6. I Spy This game is an excellent option when youre on the go or exploring a new place. It will encourage your child to view and describe his or her surroundings in Italian. You can give your child a prompt of Io vedo (I see) and then let him or her choose an item to identify in Italian. For example, Io vedo una nuvola grande e bianca. (I see a big, white cloud). 7.  Describe an Imaginary Friend If your child has an imaginary friend, ask him or her to describe him or her to you in Italian. For example, Luisa è simpatica, alta e bionda. Le piace nuotare e saltare la corda. (Luisa is friendly, tall and blond. She likes to swim and jump rope.). This helps to build useful Italian vocabulary. You can also ask your child  to talk to his or her  imaginary friend in Italian! This is a playful way to show your child that Italian can be spoken anywhere and anytime. 8. Italian in the Kitchen If youre busy cooking in the kitchen, why not get your child involved? Go online to find a recipe in Italian  to use. As you cook, have your child read the recipe and then ask him or her  to name the ingredients as they go in the pot to be cooked. You can also ask your child to retrieve ingredients with the Italian name (for example, farina, latte, pane), and describe the colors and size (Comè il pomodoro? Whats the tomato like?). This is also a great  Italian culture activity, as cooking and eating together as a family is a common tradition in Italy. 9. Identify Characteristics Gather up some old magazines or newspapers laying around the house. Cut out pictures of objects and people from those magazines, and have your child describe the particular scene in Italian. Encourage your child to use color, specific characteristics, and numbers to practice adjectives, quantity and more! 10. Give Commands Designate a piece of clothing or a certain item, such as a hat or a scarf. Whenever someone is wearing that particular item, he or she is responsible for issuing commands to the other people in the group. For example, the person wearing the item could say the following: Gira a la destra; dimmi un piccolo racconto; chiamami Alessandro quando mi parli (Turn to the right; tell me a short story; call me Alessandro when you speak to me). This game is meant to be silly and encourage children to practice commands in a fun and memorable way. The roles reverse whenever the person with the item issues a command that the other person chooses not to obey, or doesnt obey. 11. Ask Questions Ask your child any question in Italian. You can find a set of  questions in your childs  Italian textbook or online. If your  child   answers the question with the proper Italian grammar, he or she can then ask you a question. The game can be played with just the two of you, or with other children. This is another exercise that can be silly and amusing, while simultaneously reinforcing interrogative words, grammar, and vocabulary. Learning Italian doesnt have to be boring. Make learning enjoyable for your child by playing games with him or her in between his or her lessons. Photo by Leonid Mamchenkov Post Author:  Nadia B. Nadia B. teaches Italian in New York, NY. She graduated summa cum laude from New York University, with a double degree in Italian Language and Literature and Classical Music Performance.  Learn more about Nadia here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher

The Best Food for Students to Cook

The Best Food for Students to Cook What Are the Best Student Dishes ChaptersSweet Potato FriesThe Poke BowlA Different Take on a Cheese and Ham ToastyChocolate Mug CakeOne Pot Pasta CarbonaraAvocado ToastLemon Pasta“Cooking is about passion, so it may look slightly temperamental in a way that it's too assertive to the naked eye.” - Gordon RamsayDuring your time as a student, you’ll be restricted due to your budget: a small flat, a small fridge, a small kitchen, etc. In short, you won’t be working in a professional kitchen when you’re a student.There are simple and quick recipes that are adapted to the student budget that are good for you, too. Since students are restricted by what they can make, a good number of them aren’t able to eat a balanced diet.This is due to fast-food, takeaways, or the ready-meals and instant noodles students tend to eat. However, students can find alternatives like spinach tagliatelli, stuffed peppers, etc. There are plenty of quick and balanced meals for students.So which are the best recipes for students to co ok?Let’s have a look. GiovanniCooking Teacher 4.83 (12) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HalimaCooking Teacher £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HakimCooking Teacher 5.00 (5) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors VincenzoCooking Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors GinellaCooking Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ArronCooking Teacher 5.00 (2) £9/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JoshuaCooking Teacher 5.00 (5) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FlickCooking Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsSweet Potato Fries“Simple ingredients prepared in a simple way - that's the best way to take your everyday cooking to a higher level.” - Jose AndresMore and more students are opting for sweet potatoes and with good reason! In fact, this plant is healthier than its cousin, the potato. It has a low glycemic index but also 50% more fibre and plenty of nutrients (vitamins B2, B6, C, A, and beta-Carotene).Sweet potatoes are great alternative to potatoes. (Source: auntmasako)It’s a tasty and healthy option. As a student, easy cooking also needs to be quick and this ingredient is ideal, especially as fries. This is a good dish that’s healthy and tasty. To make sweet potato fries, you’ll need:Sweet potatoOlive oilPepperSaltYou can make this for three people or keep the leftovers in the fridge for a few days. Preheat the oven to 200 °C and cut the sweet potato into small fries. Spread the fries onto some tinfoil, add salt, pepper, and a dash of olive oil. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes until your fries are crispy and you’re done!You can also add some herbes de Provence or spices of your choice. While the original recipe is great, it’s not set in stone.Additionally, since this dish only includes veggies, it's suitable for vegetarians.The Poke BowlThe poke bowl has become very trendy recently and it helps that it’s a great dish for students. This tradi tional Hawaiian dish is balanced, healthy, and easy to make. It’s great when you’re cooking on a budget.More and more people are beginning to enjoy poke bowls. (Source: pokebrosau)There’s not a lot of cooking involved (just the rice) and you can put almost anything you want into it. Chickpeas, carrots, edamame, raw salmon, anything’s possible!You can make a poke bowl for four people with the following ingredients:3 cups of riceTwo raw salmon filletsTwo avocadosHalf a cucumber3 cups of edamameSesame vinegarCook the rice as instructed, cut the avocado, salmon, and cucumber into small cubes, put it all in a bowl, and you’re done! You can also add coriander, sesame seeds, etc.Easy, isn’t it?In addition to being healthy, this dish works with a student’s budget and includes a lot of vitamins and omega 3. You can make it as often as you like!Get cooking classes London on Superprof.A Different Take on a Cheese and Ham ToastyRather than a cheese and ham toasty, we’re going to be making a salmon and cream cheese toasty. It goes without saying that this is an easy-to-make dish and it's better than your standard sandwiches.It’s almost the same! For two people, you’ll need:4 slices of smoked salmon.120g of herb cream cheese.4 slices of bread.The preparation doesn’t differ much to a cheese toasty. Toast the bread. Spread the cream cheese onto the toast and onto the salmon and place the salmon onto the toast. Then you’re free to taste it.This simple recipe costs very little to make! GiovanniCooking Teacher 4.83 (12) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HalimaCooking Teacher £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HakimCooking Teacher 5.00 (5) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors VincenzoCooking Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors GinellaCooking Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ArronCooking Teacher 5.00 (2) £9/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JoshuaCooking Teacher 5.00 (5) £30 /h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FlickCooking Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsChocolate Mug CakeThis is a sweet recipe that can be made in just three minutes! It’s basically a chocolate cake that you can make in a mug with the help of a microwave.For one person, you’ll need:A mug40 grams of dark chocolate40 grams of butter30 grams of sugar20 grams of flour1 eggPut 40g of chocolate and 40g of butter into the bottom of a mug and melt it all in 30 seconds in the microwave. Mix it and add 30g of sugar and an egg, then add 20g of flour. Cook this for 40 seconds in the microwave, and you’re good to go!Who said student cooking had to be boring?One Pot Pasta CarbonaraOne-pot pasta is an interesting cooking technique that you can use to quickly make a meal without having loads of dishes to do. This is very useful if you have a small kitchen. Let’s start with a basic recipe: pasta carbonara.This is your basic carbonara recipe simplified. For fou r people, you’ll need:250 grams of spaghetti.200 grams of lardons.1 onion.300ml of creme fraiche.600ml of water.100 grams of parmesan.Salt and pepper.Peel and chop the onions and put the water and a bit of oil into a pan. Place the spaghetti, chopped onion, and lardons into the water and cook them all together. Stir regularly until all the water has been absorbed. This part’s done.Take the pan off the heat and add the creme fraiche and parmesan and season with the salt and pepper. Your creamy pasta dish is now ready!Avocado ToastAvocado toast has become quite fashionable as of late since it’s healthy and simple. This recipe is great for students because it’s simple, cheap, and doesn’t require a lot of cooking. You can also add a poached egg if you fancy.Avocado toast is full of nutrients. (Source: FoodieFactor)For two avocado toasts, you’ll need:Two slices of bread.A ripe avocado.Feta or cream cheese.Salt and pepper.Seeds of your choice (sunflower, sesame, etc.).Two eggs (optional).Spread your cheese onto the toast, slice the avocados, and put them onto the toast. Season with salt and pepper and add your seeds. You can always add a poached egg if you want.Lemon PastaHere’s an interesting dish that you might want to try. It’s original and easy to make and it’s tastier than dry pasta.The sourness of the lemon brings something to this dish that’s greater than the sum of its parts. To make lemon pasta for two people, you just need:200 grams of pasta30 grams of lightly salted butter200ml of cream30 grams of grated cheese1 lemon1 sprig of tarragonSalt and pepperAdd lemon zest to the grated cheese. Cook the pasta as instructed in water. In another pan, melt the butter, add the lemon and cheese, cream, and the juice of the lemon, and season.In just a few steps, you can make a tomato sauce. (Source: Daria-Yakovleva)Strain the pasta and add it to the sauce, gently cook in the pan for two minutes until the sauce thickens. Add a bit of tarragon and the re you go! Bon appetit!Thanks to these recipes, you can cook delicious, healthy, and cheap meals.Who said student cooking had to be boring?If you're struggling to cook, consider getting help from one of the private tutors on Superprof. There are three main types of tutorials available: face-to-face tutorials, online tutorials, and group tutorials.Group tutorials tend to be the cheapest per hour since you're sharing the cost of the hour with the other students attending the lesson. Of course, this means that the service won't be as bespoke as a private face-to-face or online tutorial. However, if you and a few friends want to learn how to cook, this might be the best option.Face-to-face tutorials cost more than group tutorials but you'll also get a more tailored service. Generally speaking, this type of tutorial is much more costly but it's also far more cost-effective. Each tutorial will be tailored to the student, their learning style, and their learning objectives.If you want tail ored tutorials but at a lower cost, you should consider online tutorials. If you've got a decent internet connection, a webcam, and a programme like Skype, you can get online tutorials from one of the tutors on Superprof.At the end of the day, you need to pick the right type of tutorial for you. After all, every student is different and you need to get the right tutor for your personality, your learning style, and your budget. Every type has its advantages and disadvantages so take your time choosing the right one. Fortunately, a lot of tutors offer the first hour of tuition for free.

Should I Go To Macalester College

Should I Go To Macalester College The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well.Ruby is a Minneapolis tutor and 2011 graduate of Macalester College. She holds a Bachelors degree in Linguistics and tutors several subjects, specializing inAlgebra tutoring, SAT prep tutoring, and Spanish tutoring. Check out what Ruby had to say about her time at Macalester College: VT: Describe the campus setting and transportation options.How urban or safe is the campus?Are there buses or do you need a car/bike? Ruby: Macalester College is both urban and safe! The campus is very small, about five blocks across by one or two blocks wide, so you do not need transportation if you want to stay off-campus. There are indoor skyways and tunnels between almost all of the dorms, so students do not have to go outside in the winter to visit each other. Many students choose to explore the Twin Cities via bike or bus. The campus is located on two great bus lines, the 84 and the 63, and they easily connect to the Green Line light rail train. There is a campus organization called MacBike which will help students access and maintain bikes. Do make sure to get a good bike lock! When I was on campus, bike theft was by far the most common kind of crime. VT: How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Ruby:Extremely available. Macalester College has very few teaching assistants, and they mostly just help with grading papers in first year courses or observing labs in science classes. The overwhelming majority of classes are taught directly by professors. Most professors are very available and helpful, during both class and office hours. I had to take three weeks off school during my sophomore year when I had mononucleosis, and my professors spent one-on-one time with me helping me get caught up. VT: How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Ruby:I had a great experience in the dorms at Macalester College. I am still close friends with many of the women on my first year freshman floor (I lived in Doty Hall, which is gender-segregated by floor). All the dorms are in the same area of campus. The theme houses are mostly on one street on the other side of campus from the dorms. There is only one dining hall at Macalester College, which is nice because it becomes a real social hub, especially during freshman year. The dining hall has lots of options (including vegan, vegetarian, and gluten free), and it is very careful about buying local and sustainable ingredients. One exciting thing about the dorms at Macalester College is that in almost all of them, the rooms have sinks. This is great for brushing your teeth and washing your face without waiting in a long line. Many upperclassmen live off-campus. There are lots of great, affordable housing options around the campus, and living off-campus is a wonderful way to transition to living on your own after college. 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? Ruby:The International Studies department is excellent and well renowned. I personally majored in Linguistics with minors in Environmental Studies and Hispanic Studies (Spanish). The Linguistics department is very small, with only two full-time professors at the time that I attended. There are benefits and disadvantages to being part of such a small department: it is very close knit, and you really get to know the people in your classes, but the depth and diversity of classes is not as good as at bigger schools. I am sometimes jealous of friends at large schools who got to take extremely specialized classes, but there were some great topics courses, especially those cross-listed with other departments (I took an excellent topics course on Spanish in the United States, for example). 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? Ruby:Macalester College makes it extremely easy to make friends. You have both an orientation group and a first year course to provide social structures with other first years. There are all kinds of clubs and activities to help people get to know each other. There is no Greek life at all at Macalester College. VT: How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services?Do many reputable companies recruit on campus? Ruby:The Career Center is great and provides a lot of good resources, but you really have to go to them. I have had staff at the Career Center look over my resume and do career planning as an alumna, which is a great benefit for people who stay in the Twin Cities. I was not aware of companies recruiting on campus specifically, but you can get connected with many great organizations and companies through the Internship Office. Macalester College is definitely well regarded within the Twin Cities, especially in the non-profit community. I have worked with multiple Macalester College graduates at every job I have had. VT: How are the various study areas such aslibraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? Ruby:There are lots of great places to spend time. The Campus Center, where the cafeteria is, is a great study-and-relax atmosphere with a lot of people, especially during meal times and late nights. The library is more sedate, with progressively quieter floors as you go upstairs (the top floor is essentially silent). The new arts building is very beautiful, and it has great spaces for doing work. The dorm lounges are nothing to write home about, but they are perfectly serviceable. There are a ton of free and open computers, especially at the library, and I knew a few people who were able to write all their papers and do all their work without bringing their own laptops. 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? Ruby:The Twin Cities are two great reasons to go to Macalester College. Immediately around campus, there are many great restaurants, an art supply store, a fantastic bookstore, and other similar businesses. Campus is just a quick bus or bike ride away from downtown Saint Paul (which is honestly pretty boring) or many parts of Minneapolis. When I was in college, I spent a lot of time in the neighborhood where I now live. It can be hard to leave campus, especially in the winter when it is so cold, but it is really up to each individual student. Some people never leave campus; some people are off-campus exploring, enjoying the arts scene, or volunteering all the time. The most important thing to me about being in a city was that the connections I built up through outside internships and volunteering directly translated into my professional network once I graduated. I know for many of my friends, the internships they did during college were places that would employ them when they graduated. It is a huge benefit that you do not always get at more rural schools. VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Ruby:Macalester College has a little over 2,000 people. Particularly being in the Linguistics department, which is so small, I was always very pleased with my class sizes. My capstone class only had six students in it. VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. My senior year, I took a class on Community Based Theater with Harry Waters, Jr. It was both experience- and readings-based. Harry would often have us lie on the floor and breathe mindfully, which forced a little bit of reflection and quiet into my days. The class was extremely fun and included visiting In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theater in Minneapolis to be a part of their puppet-making workshops for the May Day Parade. I really appreciated that the class, which I took for an art credit, made me get off campus and outside my comfort zone. We got to be in the parade alongside hundreds of other volunteers, and we were able to share the art we had made with an audience of thousands. Check out Rubys tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.