Robert H. Holt and Winston Rinehart

Robert H. Holt and Winston RinehartThe National Academy of Sciences, the American Chemical Society, and the Association for Assessment of Concepts in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (AAC} as well as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration have recognized the contemporary research and achievements of Robert H. Holt and Winston L. Rinehart with the ACS medal for outstanding contributions to the field of chemistry. However, many scientists do not recognize the achievements of Holt and Rinehart. It is important that the discoveries of Holt and Rinehart are acknowledged. Let us first examine the activities of Robert H. Holt and Winston Rinehart.In 1920, the Academy of Sciences recognized the outstanding contributions of Robert H. Holt and Winston Rinehart. It was in a study of the composition of gases which the two scientists discovered that a possible physical and chemical understanding of biological cells could be gained. Thus, they founded the field of bioche mistry.Holt and Rinehart had a number of important papers published in their field. The Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to Holt and Rinehart in 1936 for a series of useful studies of the formation of compounds in aqueous solutions. Another one of the landmark papers by Holt and Rinehart was published in 1938 in a distinguished journal entitled Physical Review Letters, which describes the electron transport system.In 1943, Holt and Rinehart were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry jointly with Anton Zeilinger for their studies of the hydrolysis of glucose. After the war, these two scientists co-authored a paper in the scientific periodical Reviews in Pharmaceutical Science on the healing power of insulin. Another notable paper in this field by Holt and Rinehart is entitled 'Transactions of the Nucleus Acta' by which these two scientists published the detection of hydrogen and oxygen binding to the nuclei of cells in aqueous solution. This paper was highly significant because it was the first description of the local scale at which DNA molecules bind to proteins and hence have their sites of activity.According to a recent article by Holt and Rinehart, 'Our basic hypothesis is that all organic compounds have a proton concentration gradient that the 'anion of a molecule' is at its highest point of entry into the cell and this gradient is pushed up by ion gradients from the intermembrane space.' This hypothesis is very reasonable because some molecules have higher anions than others. Therefore, the more anions they have, the more proton will be transferred into the cells of an organism.Robert H. Holt and Winston Rinehart continued to produce valuable contributions to modern chemistry by their revolutionary work in a number of areas. They conducted experiments at U.C. Davis and in Princeton University. These experiments revealed that carbon dioxide can be broken down into carbon monoxide.It is a fact that some other scientists have used advanced technology to create new substances and new groups of atoms and molecules. Robert H. Holt and Winston Rinehart have done their part in this regard by creating molecules like the amino acid L-glutamate, which belongs to a group of proteins.

Stress and Standardized Tests Coping Strategies

Stress and Standardized Tests Coping Strategies ACT SAT Prep and College Admissions Blog Stress is something that everyone experiences; however, the triggers and manifestations of stress differ for everybody. As illustrated in the Yerkes-Dodson Human Performance Curve, a little stress can be good; it keeps us focused and motivated, and can positively impact performance. However, too much stress can be physically debilitating and can decrease productivity, performance, and cognitive function--a particular issue when engaged in a high cognitive activity, such as standardized tests. While effective time management, productive study habits, and strong organizational skills can help combat stress, there are also coping mechanisms that you can utilize to help mitigate stress. Here are nine coping mechanisms that you can take advantage of to help deal with ‘Test Stress’. Coping Mechanisms: Reduce your consumption of caffeinated beverages. Caffeine is a stimulant and will increase your level of stress rather than allay it. Try to reduce or avoid caffeinated beverages. Get the right amount of sleep. A lack of sleep can exacerbate stress levels. Make sure to get between 7-9 hours of sleep each night leading up to your test date. Get organized. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when you have a long list of items on your ‘To Do’ list. Prioritize your tasks and break them into smaller, manageable tasks. Relax. Stress is the body’s reaction to a stimulus that disturbs your mental or physical equilibrium. Try deep breathing exercises to help relax your body or short meditative exercises to help clear your mind. Stretching is also good for relieving muscle tension. Exercise. Often times, stress manifests itself as physical agitation. Going for a run or doing a few calisthenic exercises can help mitigate your stress levels and restore your body and mind to a more relaxed state. Distinguish between good and bad stress. Good stress can increase productivity and performance, while bad stress can slow you down and decrease productivity. Try utilizing some relaxation practices when your stress levels shift from manageable levels to overwhelming levels. Don’t stress about stress. Accept that stress is a normal feeling and that a little stress can be a good thing. Use it as a tool to focus on the task at hand. Create a checklist prior to exam day. Create a list of items you need to complete or bring with you to the exam ahead of time. Doing this prior to exam day allows you to organize yourself and prepare things, and prevents you from feeling scatterbrained the day of your exam. Keep a stress journal. Documenting your own stress patterns will help you become aware of situations and stimuli that trigger your stress levels. Being aware of what triggers your stress level can help you to develop better coping mechanisms. Other ‘Test Stress’ coping mechanisms I like to utilize include maintaining a healthy diet, avoiding cramming before a test, wearing comfortable clothing during an exam, and practicing visualization exercises wherein I imagine that I have aced the exam. Such strategies help me feel physically and emotionally prepared for an exam. I invite you to try out some of these coping mechanisms, and play around with them until you find one that works for you.

Healthy Shopping On A Budget

Healthy Shopping On A Budget Photo Via: Pixabay.com 1. Plan Your Meals in Advance The first and most important element of healthy shopping on a budget is to plan all of your meals in advance, from breakfast to dinner. Basically, when you’re doing some healthy shopping, it’s easy to get side-tracked in the store and grab items that look good. To help you stay on track and develop a plan of attack before you even go into the store, make sure you plan out every meal in advance so you know exactly what you need and can limit the tempting foods that you keep around the apartment. 2. Create a Shopping List (And Stick To It) Once you’ve created a meal plan for the week, create a shopping list that adheres to that meal plan. This should be a pretty general list, but give you a good idea of what foods you are going to need when you go to the store. Again, once you have your list fully planned, it’s still easy to grab items as you see them in the store. Avoid doing this! These impulse buys are rarely healthy, and they’ll cost you more money than you need to be spending. Stick to the list you created and you’ll be just fine! 3. Look for Sales Once you have your list and you’re in the store, check the shelves for the items that are on sale. If you put “oatmeal” on your list, for example, avoid grabbing the name brand product just because it’s what you’re used to getting. Instead, browse the selection available and look for similar products that are on sale, as this is a great way to save money in the long run. While there may only be a few cents of a difference, these cents do add up in the end, so pick up the sale items when you can! 4. Use Coupons Target perhaps makes this the easiest with their Cartwheel app. All you need to do is input or scan the item to see if there are any coupons available for that item. You can do this throughout your shopping trip as you are adding items to your cart to save coupons that you can use at checkout. Again, these are going to add up to some cost savings that are really free money, so while they may take a little time and effort to grab, they are well worth the time and effort in the long run. 5. Read the Ingredients One of the biggest mistakes that individuals make when shopping for healthy items is not reading the list of ingredients for the item that they’re choosing. Let’s go back to the oatmeal example; if you choose an alternative you’re unfamiliar with, but it’s on sale, you still may want to read the ingredients list to see if the brand has more or less sugar or undesirable ingredients that will defeat the purpose of your healthy eating initiative. It happens more often than you would guess, so read the labels before tossing another item into your cart! 6. Set a Budget Last, but definitely not least, you need to set a budget for yourself before you even go to the store. Walmart has an app in which you can add grocery items to your cart to determine what your total cost would be. This is a great method for planning your shopping trip, as it gives you an idea of how much your food will cost before you even go into the store, allowing you to alter the list as needed to achieve your desired budget. While you’ll want to give yourself a little wiggle room here, since prices do vary, this is a great starting point and will help you better stick to your budget. Shopping healthy doesn’t have to be expensive, at least not as expensive as it’s made out to be. When it comes down to it, healthy shopping on a budget is possible, you just need to know where to look, how to plan and what to get. So ditch the ramen and easy mac and start choosing healthy eating options that you’ll actually enjoy more than anything else! With the above six tips in mind, you’ll be a healthy shopping professional in no time!

Top Electronics To Put On Your Holiday Wish List

Top Electronics To Put On Your Holiday Wish List Photo Via: http://www.androidguys.com If you don’t have one of these bad boys already, this is definitely something you will want to put on your list. It comes with a six, seven or eight inch display in high definition, as well as Wi-Fi and from eight to 32 GB of storage. The bigger the display and the more GB of storage you ask for, the more expensive the gift becomes, but the average price is about $229. So if you frequently use e-books for class, or just love to read in general, this is absolutely an item you’ll want on your wish list. 2. Nest Learning Thermostat: Photo Via: http://i.ytimg.com While this idea isn’t as fun as some of the others, there really isn’t anything as cool, or as practical. If you live with roommates and no one can ever seem to agree on a temperature for the apartment, this is the perfect gift for you. The Nest Learning Thermostat is the ultimate money saver: it will remember the temperature you like and program itself, and while you’re away, it will turn itself off to save energy. At about $250, this product practically pays for itself. Plus, you can’t really put a price on never fighting over the thermostat again, am I right? 3. GoPro Hero3+: Photo Via: http://www9.pcmag.com For those of you that love to take pictures, and are also always up for adventure, this is one of those items you have to have. The GoPro Hero3+ is a GoPro camera that you can put on your dashboard, helmet and really anything else you could think of and get a beautiful picture every time. While this is on the more expensive end at about $400, this is the perfect item to put on your wish list if you have always wanted a GoPro camera but have never had one. 4. Portable Power Bank and Car Jump Starter: Photo Via: http://ecx.images-amazon.com For any of you with a car, this is an item you didn’t even know you wanted until right now. This is basically a portable, external battery that has charging adapters for any electronics you may need to charge, i.e. laptops or cellphones. However, that’s not all this item does: it also has jumper cables in case you ever need to jump start your car. Plus, it’s portable, so it fits right into your glove box, backpack or purse. This item is about $100 on Amazon, and it’s yet another practical item that any car owner should have. 5. Fire TV Stick: Photo Via: http://fm.cnbc.com For those of you like me that have an obsession with cinema and television, this is something you will want to ask for this holiday season. The Fire TV Stick is a streaming media HDMI stick that plugs into your TV. It has Netflix, Amazon Prime Instant Video, music, games, etc. It prides itself on having voice searching that “actually works” and being extremely easy to use. All you do is plug it in to your TV, connect to the internet and enjoy hundreds of options of movies, TV shows, games, etc. The Fire TV Stick is about $40 on Amazon. 6. NETGEAR N300 Wi-Fi Router with External Antennas: Photo Via: http://i.ebayimg.com Living at school comes with its hardships, including terrible internet connection. While you’re at school, you want to be able to connect to your Wi-Fi without trouble, especially for classes with online assignments. Well, no longer will you want to throw your router out the window. The NETGEAR N300 Wi-Fi Router provides Wi-Fi for medium-sized homes, which makes it perfect for apartment living. Plus, setup is supposed to be extremely easy, even for those that aren’t tech-savvy. The product runs about $25 on Amazon. 7. The Fitbit Flex: Photo Via: http://static0.fitbit.com By now you have undoubtedly heard of the Fitbit. You wear it on your wrist and it tracks the amount you walk, the calories you burn and how long you are active during the day. As a college student walking to classes everyday, it would be interesting to know just how far you walk and how many calories you burn. Plus, it tracks your sleep schedule to let you know how often you wake up in the night. And it even has an alarm built in that will wake you up, but no one else. This is perfect for roommates that have early classes and don’t want to wake their roommates up with their phone alarm. The Fitbit runs about $100 on Amazon. So no need to keep racking your brain for anything big you might be missing; this electronics list should have you covered for the holiday season. Happy Holidays!

How to Become a Professional Writing Tutor

How to Become a Professional Writing Tutor Check out this awesome  article from our good  friends at DoMyCaseStudy: How to become a professional writing tutor if you have years of experience in personal tutoring? So you’ve been providing your services as a personal tutor for a long time, and you want to branch out into something different. Perhaps, you love writing and have decided that you want to devote your time to becoming a professional writing tutor and start working for one of the writing companies such as DoMyCaseStudy.com. With writing becoming increasingly important in every discipline, there will be no shortage of demand for your services. Here are the steps to embarking on a career as a professional writing tutor. 1. Become Certified Certification with an organization like the National Tutor Association gives you that added edge of credibility. In some states, certification may be a requirement for employment. 2. Start out with a Tutoring Company Striking out as a professional writing tutor on your own can be intimidating. At the beginning stages, try working for a tutoring company. They can take care of finding clients and billing hours while you are trying to find your legs in your new profession. 3. Learn How to Be Adaptable A tutor must be responsive to the needs of their students. Every student has a different learning style, level, and course requirements. Practice adapting to their needs as necessary in the course of a tutoring session. 4. Reflect on Your Work Take the time to do some journaling about your challenges, failures, and successes. The process of self-reflection will help you build your skills and serve you well as you continue to grow and improve. 5. Observe Others Observe your peers during their tutoring sessions. Take notes of those strategies that are successful and consider adding them to your own repertoire. 6. Get as Much Experience as Possible You will need to deepen your skills not only in writing but in working with specific age groups. A fifth-grader will have different needs from those of a college student. Gain experience with the age group that you will be tutoring so that you can learn how to serve them best. 7. Set Clear Goals Write out your own personal goals as a writing tutor. Why do you want to do it? What do you hope to achieve? Articulating your own goals will give you more clarity when setting goals for your students. 8. Visit Classrooms Gain hands-on knowledge of what classroom teachers expect of your students by visiting their classrooms. In the long run, you can save yourself time during your tutoring sessions if you are familiar with the teachers’ expectations and can tailor your sessions to that. 9. Develop a Sense of Your Own Identity Who are you as a writing tutor? What is your philosophy? What are your values and beliefs? Be sure to articulate what you bring to the table as a writing tutor so that you can convey that to your clients. 10. Learn about Pedagogy Read up on the many theories about the teaching of writing. Build a strong foundational knowledge of the vocation of tutoring and develop an idea of your role within it. Follow these steps and you will quickly become the tutor that students return to over and over again.

Writing - Thankfully - ALOHA Mind Math

Writing - Thankfully If you can read and write your can learn anything. Students in our writing program learn skills based on grade level. One of our students was published in an Indian publicationdistributed in the United States. Our students write beautifully and Thankfully as demonstrated in the piece that follows written by one of our South Edison, New Jersey ALOHA students. Written by Dhruvi Sarkar, a grade 4 student, entitled Thanksgiving. (unedited from student) Thanksgiving. It has different meanings for different people. For some, it is an extended holiday weekend. For others, a day of thanks that may or may not include church. For many, it is the time when families get together, have fun, play games, and create good memories. Thanksgiving is a day which we look forward to be thankful and grateful for what we have. Everyone, rich or poor, is very lucky to have a life, weather or not they have everything. The First Thanksgiving was the time the pilgrims, Squanto, and the governor, William Bradford had their feast. During the feast which lasted 3 days, they played, feasted and shot guns and arrows. Previously they called Thanksgiving the Green Corn Dance, or the Harvest Festival. At the feast they prayed for what they were thankful for to god as he is the one who gives us everything. We celebrate Thanksgiving in many different ways. We eat many foods, usually with family. We eat turkey, pie, potatoes, and many more. These are things the pilgrims, Squanto, and the governor ate during their feast. Many Americans still continue the tradition of eating these foods, but with some alterations. Thanksgiving is usually the time for family reunions! Many people celebrate Thanksgiving differently. Some eat turkey, and many other delicious items with their family, and friends. Some go out and do some early holiday shopping during the black Friday sale. This year I am planning to go out with my family and watch a movie. After that we will come home for a relaxing family dinner which will be followed by a game which our whole family loves; Wii. Thanksgiving for me means being thankful for my family, friends, belongings, and good home. My caring family is always ready to support me and guide me whenever I need it, and my friends are always ready to turn my frown upside down with a good laugh. We are so fortunate to have a shelter. Just think about all those needy people with no home and not many belongings. In conclusion, this is how Thanksgiving was started and what I am thankful for. Thanksgiving is not a religious holiday, it is just a day of giving thanks and appreciating what god has given us. Our award winning students will continue to do great things, reading and Writing Thankfully.

Learn How to Speak English Using the Website www BBRussianCom

Learn How to Speak English Using the Website 'www BBRussianCom'Even if you don't know how to speak English, you can learn how to do a www bbcrussian I'm learning English. However, I have noticed that many people tend to assume that learning a language can be done by just memorizing a whole bunch of words. Actually, it can be done by using words in a special way, which is only possible with the help of the internet.If you decide to look for an online course on learning English, you will be confronted with a lot of options. You have to select the best online course to learn English by means of which you can master the language.With the help of the internet, you can make a better choice in choosing the best course on learning English. Many sites will promise you that they can teach you English and then they ask you to pay to their site in order to get the course. Some sites will offer a free course, but in reality you will have to pay a lot of money to get the course.A good option is to enroll in an actual classroom for a distance learning program. The classes are taught in an actual English-speaking environment. You will need to travel to another city in order to attend the class.If you choose to learn English in an actual classroom, you will be able to learn the language at your own pace. In contrast, you will have to pay for each class. As well, you have to wait several months before you can take the next class.Learning to speak English through classes can take up quite a bit of time. In addition, you may have to take classes for several years before you will be able to study the language competently.While the website www.bbcrussian.com is not really an option, I would still recommend that you enroll in a class online. However, you should remember that not all people are comfortable talking to native speakers, so they would rather enroll in a class that will help them learn how to speak the language.

Find A Tutor In Plano TX

Find A Tutor In Plano TXOne of the best ways to get a tutor in Plano TX is to attend a school that offers an online course or tutoring services. There are many companies and colleges who offer tutoring programs for both adults and children. By taking a look at what these schools offer, you will be able to choose the one that is right for you.At first glance, these programs may seem to have some drawbacks, but you will find that the classes are very accessible and flexible. For those students who want to do most of their learning from home, online courses may be the best option for them. By attending classes and practicing on your own time, you can earn your degree and set yourself up with a great job as well. This will help you put your child's education ahead of your own.Online tutoring in Plano TX courses have already been approved by a number of professional associations. These tutors have received a teaching certification and often already have years of experience in the field. T his will allow them to work in private homes or even homes of students who have special needs. This flexibility allows these tutors to tailor their lessons to the student's needs. They can also help their students complete assignments that have a greater level of difficulty.Many of these tutors will receive teacher training to obtain their certification. This will ensure that they can teach students from a variety of educational backgrounds and to give them the best learning experience possible. These courses and programs have also been approved by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. This ensures that they are qualified to provide instruction to the state's students.Students who live in Plano TX can expect to receive one-on-one tutoring by professional tutors. This means that you will only have to contact them if you have any questions about the class can't attend. While this might not seem like a good option for those who live in other areas of the country, in Plano T X it is very convenient.You will find that there are many resources available to help you when choosing a tutoring school in Plano TX. By looking through the different options, you will be able to choose a school that fits your needs. When searching for a school online, you will find that most of them offer free tutoring on your computer at no cost.The entire process of finding a good tutor in Plano TX is made much easier by the internet. With so many options available, you should find the best fit for your individual needs.

What is it Like to Attend Northwestern University

What is it Like to Attend Northwestern University The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Chloe is a 2012 graduate of Northwestern University and holds a Bachelors degree in English Literature. She is an Austin tutor who specializes in Essay Editing tutoring, Reading tutoring, ISEE prep tutoring, and more. See what she had to say about her alma mater: 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? Chloe: Northwesterns Evanston campus is on the medium/large end (240 acres), with lots of open outdoor spaces. It is right by Lake Michigan, well maintained, and really pleasant to walk around. Located in Evanston, a suburb of Chicago, it is a happy medium between urban and rural campuses. On campus grounds, I felt very safe because they are well lit and even late into the night there are always a few people walking around. I lived farther off campus than most students do and was not as comfortable going home by myself at night. When it comes to transportation, Northwestern has you covered. There are several L train stops in Evanston, which can get you to downtown Chicago in roughly 45 minutes (less if you can catch the express train), but is not used to get around Evanston. The Metra is another, slightly more expensive, train option, mostly used by working commuters traveling longer distances. To travel through Evanston and the Northwestern campus, buses, biking, and walking are all commonly used. Northwestern has a campus shuttle used nearly exclusively by students, but the Evanston Loop is also convenient, especially for students living off-campus. With some transfers, the Evanston Loop can also take you into Chicago. From 7pm-3am, Northwestern also offers a driving service called Saferide. While it is NOT a taxi service and will rarely be available on-demand, Saferide can be used when students do not feel comfortable getting home on their own. Students should be aware that in the winter, they get booked rapidly, and are not meant to be used regularly. If need be, Evanston also has a number of taxicab companies that can be at your door within 5 to 15 minutes. Finally, Northwestern offers a carpooling service around the holidays that allows students to share rides to OHare and Midway airports at a discounted price. Not many undergraduate students have cars at Northwestern because with all of the other options, it is unnecessary, and parking is inconvenient both on and off campus. Many students do have bikes, which make for faster trips to campus, but once on campus, it becomes difficult to bike through the crowds of people walking. I personally walked nearly everywhere throughout my time at Northwestern, and while I do not have fond memories of walking through snow for months, it was definitely doable. VT: How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Chloe: Whenever I sought out professors, they were pleasant and encouraged me to ask questions and bounce ideas off of them. One of my favorite aspects of college was having in-depth conversations with my professors that were sparked by concepts/texts from class, but had nothing to do with assignments. That being said, do not expect professors to come to you if you are struggling, have missed a lot of class, etc. Professors who reach out to you just to check in are rare at Northwestern, so dont be afraid to contact them. The majority of teaching assistants were exceedingly available. They were quick to respond to emails and usually happy to stay after class and/or set up meetings to talk to students. Unfortunately, the handful of times I was able to see my academic advisors over my four years, my meetings with them were brief and only dealt with necessities such as getting paperwork done. I did not feel much advising took place when it came to making decisions about my studies, but I must say that I have many friends who loved their advisors and felt that they were helpful. VT: How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Chloe: Northwestern freshmen are required to live on campus, and most sophomores live there as well. The personalities of the Northwestern dorms span a huge range. Fortunately, there are pictures and descriptions of all the dorms online so you will know what to expect. There are 18 residence halls and 11 residential colleges. The former are traditional dorms while the latter emphasize community, each with their own faculty fellows and built-in opportunities for students to get to know each other. Many residential colleges have concentrations, such as green living, performing arts, and international studies, attracting students who are particularly interested in those fields. For someone like me, who was nervous about making new friends, it made sense to opt for a residential college. During orientation, there were activities planned every night, ranging from making smores on the lakefill to touring the entire dorm building in groups on a scavenger hunt. I loved living in Willard Resi dential College, and several of my closest friendships were formed there. Nearly all dorms are coed (with separate bathrooms), have kitchen facilities, TV/game rooms, and large common rooms. Double rooms are the most common, with a handful of singles and triples. Many have their own dining halls and/or convenience stores, and those which do not are only a short walk from dining/shopping locations. Dorms located on north campus are closer to the athletic facilities, Engineering buildings, and fraternities, while those on south campus are quieter and nearer to the Liberal Arts buildings and downtown Evanston. Accepted Northwestern students rank their top 5 preferred dorms and will typically be placed in one (I was placed in my first choice) and those who wish to live in a residential college must submit a brief essay about why they would like to live there. Sophomores who wish to stay on campus but change their dorm can do so. 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? Chloe: Some of Northwesterns most popular areas of study are: Journalism, Engineering, Communications, Political Science, and Psychology. The majors within the Medill School of Journalism, the School of Communication, and the McCormick School of Engineering are all more in the spotlight because their schools are revered and specialized. Because the School of Education and Social Policy is the smallest school and the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences has over 60 majors and minors rather than a particular focus, they receive less publicity. Of course, that does not mean that the students themselves are any less valued. I graduated with two majors, Film in the School of Communications and English in Weinberg, and I had great experiences with both departments. I came to Northwestern as a Communication Studies major, but after my first English class I realized that I was meant to study literature. As a sophomore, I enrolled in a Film Theory course which I enjoyed so much that I decided to minor, but eventually accumulated enough courses to double-major! The English departments faculty is brilliant and dedicated. My English courses taught me not only about literature, but history, gender studies, and religion as well. The Film department is filled with more quirky, but equally passionate teachers, and Northwestern offers numerous opportunities for Film majors such as grants, screenings, internships, and lecture series with media industry professionals. 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? Chloe: Overall, I found it relatively easy to meet people at Northwestern. Of course, it takes awhile to distinguish who amongst the dozens of other students you seem to meet everyday will be the ones you form lasting friendships with. For the duration of orientation week, freshmen spend most of their time in groups with other students of the same major, and several events are organized by school, giving them many opportunities to meet people with similar interests. The residential college I lived in also had at least one planned activity every week (more during orientation), which was a nice way to get acclimated. Many professors at Northwestern, especially those teaching courses designed for freshmen, include introductions and even brief activities on the first day of class so that students can learn a little bit about each other at the start of the quarter. About half of undergraduates pledge fraternities and sororities, but Greek life is not especially apparent to those who are not a part of it. Students who go Greek seem to dedicate a significant amount of time to it, but fraternity parties are typically open to everyone, and being part of a fraternity/sorority is definitely not pivotal to having an active social life. VT: How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services?Do many reputable companies recruit on campus? Chloe: While I never went there myself, many of my colleagues found internships, fellowships, and jobs during school and after college through the Career Center. It has a solid reputation for jump-starting the careers of students and recent graduates. Students also receive weekly emails about various recruiting opportunities, job fairs, guest lectures, and tutorials for building skills such as resume-writing and interviewing. VT: How are the various study areas such aslibraries, student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? Chloe: Norris University Center, Northwesterns main student center, was just updated last year. It is spacious, and a great place to grab a meal with friends between classes, study, or meet in groups to work on projects. Norris houses a bookstore, a large food court, a Starbucks, a FedEx mailing center, a small art gallery, an arcade, and an outdoor ice skating rink in the winter! The ground floor also overlooks the lake and offers a beautiful view. Norris is usually busy but not overly crowded. While I only visited a few dorm lounges, the ones I did spend time in were clean and well-furnished, but rarely full. The dorm I lived in was sizeable and had a common room, study lounge, computer lab, TV lounge, and game room. These were never packed, with about ten students at a time in each. University Library, which is attached to Northwesterns gorgeous original library, Deering, is enormous. Most of the time, it is easy to find an empty desk, armchair, or even an entire room to study in. However, around midterms and finals weeks, it can be hard to find a comfortable work space, and impossible to find a secluded one. During those hectic times, the main library stays open all night, and most students will have pulled an all-nighter there by the time they graduate. The Engineering and Math departments have their own libraries elsewhere on campus, which are significantly smaller, but offer an alternative for students majoring in those subjects. 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? Chloe: Northwesterns undergraduate campus is located in Evanston, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. Popular Evanston businesses within walking-distance of campus are Whole Foods, Urban Outfitters, Barnes Noble, American Apparel, an Irish pub, a few bars, several coffee shops, and a movie theatre which screens major releases as well as independent and art films. Evanston also has wide variety of restaurants, many of which rival the quality of those in Chicago. There are upscale spots perfect for date nights as well as standards like Chipotle and Burger King. Evanston is far from boring, but most businesses do close around 10pm even on the weekends, which can be disappointing for night owls. Luckily the El train runs until 2am, so you can go into Chicago for more options. Despite the cold, Chicago is one of the countrys liveliest and most diverse cities, and a huge perk of going to Northwestern is knowing it is close by. VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Chloe: Northwestern currently has about 8,500 undergraduates and nearly 11,000 graduate students. However, the individual schools within Northwestern vary in size. The School of Education and Social Policy (SESP), for example, has about 300 undergraduates and 400 graduate students while the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences has around 4,000 undergraduates and no graduate students. Class sizes vary greatly I took discussion-based courses with less than 10 students as well as large lectures with nearly 200. As an English major, most of my courses consisted of 20-30 students. Of course, the further along in your studies, the more opportunity for small classes you have. Not only do upperclassmen register first for their classes, but once students have declared their majors and minors, they are able to pre-register for classes in those subjects. I found this system worked well, allowing those with a vested interest in certain areas of study the chance to get into small classes with s tudents who shared their majors/minors. VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Chloe: My sophomore year, I heard that my favorite professor would be teaching a Faulkner course only available every other year. Because I was an underclassman and didnt have priority, I couldnt sign up in time for such a popular class. Fortunately, I got in as a senior and it turned out to be one of the most fascinating and memorable courses I ever took at Northwestern. Our last day of discussion was held in our professor's home, where we all brought different brunch items. Crammed in wherever we could fit, we shared our final thoughts about the books we had read while we ate bagels and drank coffee! It was a great end to the quarter and I felt completely rewarded for having waited several years to take the class. Check out Chloes tutoring profile. The views expressed this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.