3 B-School Application Mistakes to Avoid

3 B-School Application Mistakes to Avoid Your b-school application is your key to entering business school. If you follow the directions provided by your school regarding how to submit your application and what components to include in your package, you should be on your way to MBA success. However, double- and triple-checking your MBA application would be prudent, especially if youre applying to multiple programs. Youre competing with qualified applicants from all over the world for a spot in your schools class. To make your application stand out, its important to avoid application mistakesincluding submitting your first draft and missing the application deadline. Looking to secure your spot in your desired b-school? Keep reading to learn three b-school application mistakes to avoid. B-school application mistake #1: not doing your research Its important to develop relationships early on with the schools youre especially interested in attending. So, speak with someoneideally in personfrom the admissions office of your prospective schools. Before initiating a phone call or meeting, ensure that youve performed exhaustive research on the school. Dont ask an admissions officer questions you can find the answers to on the schools website, such as: Do you offer an executive MBA program? Do you accept either the GMAT or the GRE, or both? However, you could ask an admissions officer questions specific to your situation, including: Based on my years of work experience, would a part-time program or an executive MBA program be a better choice than a full-time program? In your experience, which types of students perform better on the GMAT or GRE? Show that youve done your homework on the program you want to apply for, so that youre using the conversation to not only gather information, but to also present yourself as a prime candidate who is ready for business school. [RELATED: 3 Ways to Prepare for a Business School Interview] B-school application mistake #2: submitting the first draft of your application The first draft of your b-school application should not be your final draft. Before you click the submit button, have at least one other person read your entire application and make notes, at minimum for typos that spell check missed. Having multiple sets of eyes on your application can help reduce the risk of mistakes. Its key to submit an application that has been thoughtfully constructed. Double-check all application requirements to ensure youre submitting a complete application that can hold up against the others. [RELATED: 4 Steps to Take Today to Prepare for B-School] B-school application mistake #3: missing the application deadline Its vital to submit your application by the due date. That being said, its also important to submit your application when its ready. These two recommendations are not at odds with each other, but they do require planning. Depending on whether youre applying in Round 1, Round 2, or Round 3, work backwards from the deadline to schedule what you need to get done. Filling in the standard forms, crafting your essays, and managing your recommendations all take time and energy. Therefore, allot the necessary days, weeks, and months on your calendar to complete your package to the best of your ability by the deadline, so that admissions officers can assess your finest work. [RELATED: Everything You Need to Know About B-School Admissions Rounds] Applying to b-school can be fraught with stress, anxiety, and long nights. However, with strategic planning, you can make your MBA application process smoother. Build cordial relationships with admissions officers at your schools, ask for help in proofreading your work, and submit your application on time. By taking these steps, youll improve your chances of succeeding during b-school application season. Any topics you want to know more about? Let us know! The Varsity Tutors Blog editors love hearing your feedback and opinions. Feel free to email us at blog@varsitytutors.com.

Get Online Physics Tutor For Exploring The Mysteries Of Matter And Motion

Get Online Physics Tutor For Exploring The Mysteries Of Matter And Motion 0SHARESShare The knowledge of nature and exploration of concepts related to motion and study of matter is all physics is about. It is quite important for higher studies in any branch of science and getting  online physics tutor could help you waltz through your academic struggles and improve your grades. The laws of motion and gravity and the theories associated with it make for quite a fascinating study and sub disciplines and branches offer glorious career opportunities. Physics branches into a variety of disciplines and sub disciplines and for all these, a firm grasp of the fundamental is required and an  physics homework help could help you with it. Some of the toughest topics that students find quite difficult to master are motion, gravity, quantum theory, pressure, thermodynamics, etc. At advance levels, these topics become difficult still and it becomes very hard to make do with what is taught at school or at college. Physics homework help could come in handy to help with your doubts, queries and clarifications. You can exploit the advantages of online help and derive a multitude of benefits out of it. For instance, you get to study at anytime and from anywhere. Also, with an online platform, you can rope in a subject expert from across the globe as your online physics tutor and expand your exposure and knowledge levels. Uploading of notes, sharing and printing them and participating in discussions â€" the scope of this medium is unlimited and it is up to you to derive maximum benefits out of your physics assignment help  or tutor. [starbox id=admin]

Teaching the Social Curriculum

Teaching the Social Curriculum Schools usually have a very strict and clear academic curriculum. The social curriculum can be less clear, but it’s just as important for the development of children into healthy adults. The social curriculum relates to teaching students how to interact and empathize with others. Learning these things helps young people to build healthy relationships and feel good about themselves. Unfortunately, a lot of schools don’t know how to teach the social curriculum. As a result, students who have trouble learning how to interact and empathize with others are usually labelled “troubled” or “disruptive,” and then punished. Instead of labelling and punishing people, schools ought to stick to what they are good at: teaching. Impediments to learning the social curriculum Students come to school from a myriad of different home situations. These environments are something the school, teachers, and students have no control over. Home is where we first learn how to react in certain social situations. Unhealthy or unstable home lives teach young people disruptive and antisocial behaviors. Students from coercive families are used to a constant battle at home. As a result, when their teacher requests them to comply with classroom rules and behaviours, they see it as the beginning of a battle and strongly resist any authority from the teacher through disruptive behavior. When a student has an inconsistent or unstable home, they crave structure and stability. Unstructured classes will prompt disruptive behavior designed to get more guidance from the teacher. Students who become aggressive in class often do so because they face the threat of violence at home. They strike others to avoid becoming the victim of violence, themselves. Students who have a history of low performance can be disruptive in the face of academics. For them, sometimes facing punishment is a better consequence than confronting the schoolwork they believe they cannot learn. Methods of teaching the social curriculum need to address the reason why students act out, as opposed to punishing negative behavior without discovering its root cause. Understanding their behavior can help teachers get to the root of what is happening with disruptive students, and help them to understand their feelings and frustrations. Go away! There has been no proof that disciplinary removal is beneficial to students in any way. If sending disruptive students out of class were beneficial to the individual student or the safety of the school, that would be different; however, neither of these is the case. Individual students who are sent out of class, or receive suspensions or expulsions are often repeat-offenders, proving that the punishment does not teach the lesson it intends. For these students, disciplinary removal is often more of an affirmation that they do not fit in, rather than a lesson about appropriate behavior. Similarly, schools do not become safer by having problem students suspended. Instead, students are more likely to want to retaliate against the school that repeatedly shows it does not want them there. Source: http://captaincapitalism.blogspot.com/2015/08/there-are-no-more-calvins.html Teaching the social curriculum One of the key aspects of teaching the social curriculum is the school environment, especially for those students who do not have good home environments. The school should be a safe, communal place where every individual has value. Students should learn from a young age to cooperate with one another, empathize, and use kindness in their interactions. A key part of teaching these skills is for teachers to lead by example, treating their students with respect and empathy. The second key to teaching the social curriculum is to approach it as one would teach any other element of the curriculum, by providing a clear presentation of the material to be learned, opportunities for meaningful practice, and timely feedback on performance. Framing the social curriculum has to be adjusted to the age of the learner. The Golden Rule, “do to others as you would have them do to you,” teaches young children empathy by referencing their own needs. As they get older, this rule is less helpful. Once a child is out of elementary school, he or she needs to learn to “treat others the way they want to be treated.” This second rule emphasizes that we cannot assume that our own selfish desires are universal. We have to be sensitive to what others want, as well. In short, teaching the social curriculum involves making desirable classroom behaviours explicit to students, showing empathy and respect to students with difficult home lives, and providing timely feedback when expectations have not been met. When that happens, the class can focus more productively on the academic curriculum. Sources: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/kaitlin-roigdebellis/the-importance-of-learnin_1_b_4455595.html http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~coesyl-p/principle7-article1.pdf http://www.texasdisciplinelab.org/resources/alternatives-to-school-discipline/ Please follow and like us:

Using the Science of Habits to Improve Performance in School Part I

Using the Science of Habits to Improve Performance in School Part I Improving Academic Performance We write a lot on this blog about how academic success (and other types of success) is much more a function of the choices you make and the effort you put in than a function of your intrinsic or genetic talents. In other words, most recent research suggests, and we firmly believe, that academic skills are built through practice and success comes through developing better strategies and making better choices. So where do habits fit in this story? A habit is essentially a tool that the human brain has developed to become more efficient. Instead of spending brain power to analyze a situation and make a conscious decision, habits kick in, and we act automatically. The mental processes that power our habits can be a force for good or evil. Habits can help us sense danger and flee automatically, exercise regularly, and eat better. But they can also explain why we abuse alcohol and fight with our spouses. In The Power of Habit, Why we Do What We Do in Life and Business, Charles Duhigg argues that habits might be far more important than any other factor in explaining our successes and our failures. And this of course includes academic success. Drawing from Duhigg’s book, in this two-part article we will: Introduce the “habit loop,” a framework for understanding how habits work Discuss how to change habits Discuss why habits are so important, as well as a key concept called the “keystone habit” Apply the theory of habits more directly to success in school The habit loop: a framework for understanding how habits work In Duhigg’s book, he explains that habits have four dimensions. To explain, he uses one very common habit that you probably have: brushing your teeth at night. The habit of brushing your teeth may have play out as follows: The cue: you feel your teeth have a bit of a film on them, or perhaps it’s just morning or night, around the time when you always brush your teeth The craving: when you notice that cue, you feel this intense craving for that particular tingling feeling which tells you your mouth is clean The routine: you brush your teeth The reward: your teeth are clean and shiny Most habits play out like this. You don’t analyze the pros and cons each morning and night of brushing your teeth. You just do it. It’s a habit. Other habits work this way too. Let’s envision a well-trained high school student in the habit of doing his homework. His habit loop might be: The cue: I’m home from school, and I’ve had a snack The craving: I want to be able to tell my mom I’m done with my homework AND feel that sense of accomplishment The routine: do your homework The reward: a sense of accomplishment and freedom to do whatever you choose for the rest of the night But let’s consider a bad habit many students have. Let’s say that whenever you are studying you have a habit of using social media or texting your friends, which is distracting and wastes time. This interrupts your studying, reduces your level of focus, and makes it harder to learn new things, finish your homework, and generally be productive. How do you go about changing a habit? There is more than one way to change a habit. James Clear, a blogger on productivity, offers a range of helpful ideas about how to change habits. But one thing is clear. It is incredibly difficult to remove a habit simply by exercising willpower. You’ll be far more successful by changing a habit. To do that, it’s generally accepted that you need to a) identify the cue and b) change the routine so that you can c) realize the same or a similar reward. Back to that habit of checking your phone when you are supposed to be studying. The solution might not be all that complicated or even interesting. Perhaps your cue is literally just seeing your phone or feeling it in your pocket. The routine is checking your various social media channels, driven by a craving to be socially connected and see what others are up to (and because you view homework as a little boring). The reward is connection with others on social media. There is a potentially very simple habit change that results in much better academic outcomes. As we said earlier, the key to changing habits is identifying the cue and changing the routine such that you still see the reward. In this case, what if you say to yourself, you know, when I feel my phone in my pocket, and begin to crave the social connectivity that Facebook provides, instead of immediately checking my various social media channels, I’m going to commit to doing whatever I am currently doing for 20 more minutes. At that point, I’ll take a break and check Facebook. You have now substituted 20 minutes of additional studying for checking Facebook right now. At the end, you get the same reward: the ability to check Facebook and feel connected. What are habits so important? And what is a keystone habit? If it’s not obvious already, habits are so important because so much of what people do is controlled by them. We may think we are in control as we go about our day. But in fact, our brains our filled with lots and lots of habits, and those habits are driving how we act. Taking a shower, brushing your teeth, exercising, eating healthy foods, not getting too upset when things go poorly at home or at work, being committed to finishing a project on time, etc. â€" these actions are all in large part a function of habits. To change your behavior and reach your goals, you typically have to spend a lot of time identifying and modifying habits. And, it turns out, according to the research the Duhigg cites in his book, that some habits are more powerful than others because they make it easier for other habits to take hold. Duhigg calls these “keystone habits.” In this blog post on keystone habits Sam Davies describes them as “the habits that change, remove, and re-shape your other habits. Duhigg suggests that exercising regularly tends to be a keystone habit. Once you are regularly exercising, you are more likely to stop smoking and start eating better. This seems intuitive. Once you are doing one good thing for your body, you have built up some momentum. It is good to exercise regularly but also eat well. The two habits complement themselves. In part two of this article, we’ll explore keystone habits in a bit more detail, and discuss a number of ways to improve performance in school by leveraging the power of habits.

The Perfectionists Guide to Improving Your Accent in a Foreign Language

The Perfectionists Guide to Improving Your Accent in a Foreign Language The Perfectionists Guide to Improving Your Accent in a Foreign Language Dont listen to the naysayers, the haters and the skeptics.Forget the Debbie Downers and Negative Nancys.You can sound exactly like a native speaker.Its possible for a language learner to be mistaken for a native.All it takes is practiceâ€"the right kind of practice.Of course, an accent isnt the end-all, be-all of foreign language learning.Grammar, vocabulary and communicative skills are arguably more important. You can be understood and respected while still having an accent.But theres nothing cooler than speaking with the tone, rhythm and pronunciation of a legit native speaker.Its guaranteed to impress natives and fellow learners alike. Why Improve Your Accent in a Foreign Language?Getting rid of your accent and sounding more like a native is the key to fully being understood.Theres a very social aspect to language that should not be ignored. While it may seem cool to know one or more foreign languages, the goal of language is communication. Sounding more like a native enables sm oother conversation, since the listener wont be straining to make sense of your words.Getting your accent to be not just intelligible but also  perfect  will put natives even more at ease, as they wont feel like theyre speaking with a foreigner as much. (Not that theres anything wrong with being foreign, but people might not be sure if you fully understand them or have anything in common with them.)An accent requires a deeper knowledge of not only the grammar and rules of the target language but also of the customs and culture. Theres a famous Czech proverb: “You live a new life for every new language you speak. If you know only one language, you live only once.” Its no coincidence that this proverb exists. To speak like a native, you must step into the shoes of a native speaker.A deeper knowledge of the accent will help you understand natives better. Many language learners find themselves overwhelmed when they step out of the classroom and meet honest-to-goodness native speaker s for the first time. The language can sound so different when natives are speaking a mile a minute, dropping syllables and blurring words together. To get your own accent just right, youll have to study the way natives speak, which in turn will boost your comprehension, big time.At times, speaking a foreign language can feel more like a performance. In fact, thinking of it in this way helps you overcome your fears, shyness and self-imposed boundaries, which set you down the path to sounding more like a native speaker. Integrating artistic disciplines such as music and theater along with some basic language learning concepts can drastically improve the way you speak. Again, youll put yourself in the shoes of a native speaker. Play the role of someone who lives in the language. Then project that voice out into the world when youre speaking.In the end, language is more about communicating effectivelyâ€"practice is more important than the theory for all practical purposes.The Perfectio nists Guide to Improving Your Accent in a Foreign Language1. Listen, listen, listenThe most important skill you have to master in order to improve your accent is listening.Careful listening will help you get the language “in your ear.”It will help you to better distinguish all the phonemes, or distinct sound units, of a language, giving you an overall familiarity with the language.Before you can speak fluently in a foreign language, its important to be able to break it down into its distinct sounds. The first time you come into contact with a new language, a whole conversation may sound like one big run-on word. However, with time and with more exposure, youll start to hear syllables and words.Obviously, the most fruitful way to listen to a language is to be surrounded by it constantly while having little to no contact with your native language. This forces you to listen because your native language cant be used as a backup to get you out of a situation that you dont completely understand. Your brain goes into survival mode and youll be compelled to use that language to buy food, locate the bathroom and get back to your house or hotel.Realistically, not everyone has the luxury of living abroad and being fully immersed in their target language, but thats no longer a deterrent. YouTube, language learning podcasts and internet radio are great resources to utilize. Before you know it, youll be listening to your target language every day.Never let the room be silent. When youre working, exercising, showering, cooking, washing the dishes, you name itâ€"have something playing in your target language.  Its always a great idea to listen to one of these resources while doing menial tasks around the house such as cleaning or cooking. The foreign language becomes the background noise that youll slowly grow accustomed to.2. Teach your mouth and tongue the right movesOnce youre able to distinguish the basic phonemes of your target language, its advisable to immediately start learning the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). Any dictionary for any languageThis is a systematic method of phonetic notation that makes reading foreign words much easier because every sound has its own character. This can be learned through IPA charts and apps. The IPA Phonetics app is very beneficial because it allows you to hear the sound of each letter and it shows you a close-up video of the mouth and lipsâ€"not only can you hear the sound, but you can see how the sound is made. Both of these are very important to getting the correct accent.Aside from listening and watching this app, its helpful to practice these letters on your own in front of a mirror. Are your mouth and lips making the same movements as the app? How are these movements different from those in your native language? Becoming conscious of these can help you distinguish your native accent from the foreign accent, making it easier to pick up the new foreign accent.3. Do a sound checkOnce you get down the basic mouth and lip movements, its time to focus on pronunciation as a whole. This means putting all the individual sounds you learned with the IPA together. Its advisable to practice words and phoneme combinations that differ from the combinations in your native language. However, this is not enoughâ€"you have to focus on articulation and the tone of voice.Getting the  vowel sounds down pat is key to any authentic-sounding accent. Most constants are the same or at least very similar across languages, but vowels are tricky. Practicing getting vowel sounds correct greatly improves your accent. Listening to vowel sounds in your native language and comparing them to your target language is a surefire way to distinguish your native accent to that of your target language.As silly as it may sound,  tongue twisters immensely improve your accent because they focus on a certain phoneme thats said in various words across a sentence. Tongue twisters are tricky to say correctly in your own native language, so practicing them in your target language helps you learn and get used to these difficult sounds.Reading out loud and recording yourself helps you track your progress. This exercise is twofold. You practice both speaking and critical listening. There are many foreign-language and dual-language books which are excellent sources for practicing. Some of these books are also sold as audiobooks so you can listen to the audio version and compare it to your own practice recording.Another interesting fact is that accents are closely connected to the culture. Trying to get into the mindset of the culture does wonders for your accent.For example, have you ever noticed that a Midwestern American accent sounds rather flat, much like the flatlands that surround them?Have you ever noticed that the Russian accent is in the back of the throat, as if its too cold to let the words out so they stay warm back there?Did you ever notice that the romantic French language seems to speak w ith the lips always ready for a kiss?Noticing these little nuances and applying them to your language learning helps bring your language to life and improve your accent when speaking.4. Make a sweet playlistAfter getting down pronunciation, youll notice that every language has its own melody. The words are spoken in a certain rhythm with emphasis and stresses in places much different than those in your own native tongue. Building up a music library gives you access to music that brings this out. Not only will it help you learn new words and sentence structures, it loosens you up, making it easier for you to achieve the accent of your target language.Singing songs in your target language in your favorite genre is a great way to start. The basic rhythm of these songs will be somewhat familiar to you. If its music you already love, then youll identify with it right away. This creates an emotional connection and makes accent practice much more enjoyable and memorable. Youll probably be mumbling the lyrics to yourself next time youre wheeling your shopping cart through the grocery store.Singing along with a song also helps you imitate the sounds being sung. Once youre more advanced, rapping is an incredible way to practice improving your accent. Like tongue twisters, rap tends to be fast and with all the rhyming it can be a challenge to learnâ€"but it provides immense benefits.When singing its important to be emotionally presentâ€"feel the rhythm and become part of the song. Focus not only on the music of the song but on the music of the language. Singing helps you exaggerate this, which improves your accent.5. Act out the role of a lifetimeLastly, every language has its own mentality.This mentality forms the culture which affects the language. So, why not become an actor?Act out the language! Embrace the emotions that are shown or not shown. Language isnt just wordsâ€"gestures, expressions and body language play a huge part in unspoken communication. Embracing the se help you to break free of your own native language and culture, allowing you to enter into the world of your target language. This is the only way to truly speak like a native.Practicing reverse mimicry is an acting technique that helps improve your accent. This is when you speak your native language in the accent of your target language. With this, youre practicing the accent without any of the worrying that may come along with speaking in your target language. The accent is much easier to achieve in this manner. Once you realize that youve got the accent down while speaking in your native language, its an easy transition to use it when actually speaking in your target language.Dont forget, speaking a language is a means of interacting more effectively with native speakers.The less you sound like a foreigner, the more easily youll be understood.On a more personal level, achieving a foreign accent helps you sound more confident and fluent, thus making it easier for people to enga ge in conversation with you.Despite this, you should never be ashamed of where you are in learning a foreign language.Even if youre a complete beginner and are worrying about your rough accent, get out there and try your best!Start practicing a foreign accent at the beginning of your language learning journey.You have nothing to lose and everything to gain! And One More ThingUnlike many traditional language programs, FluentU exposes you to a wide variety of speakers, accents and dialects in your target languageâ€"all of which can only improve your own speaking skills and confidence. FluentU makes it possible to learn languages  from music videos, commercials, news and inspiring talks.With FluentU, you learn real languagesâ€"the same way that real people speak them. FluentU has a wide variety of videos, like movie trailers, funny commercials and web series, as you can see here:FluentU App Browse ScreenFluentU has interactive captions that let you tap on any word to see an image, de finition, audio and useful examples. Now native language content is within reach with interactive transcripts.Didnt catch something? Go back and listen again. Missed a word? Hover over or tap on the subtitles to instantly view definitions.FluentU Interactive TranscriptsYou can learn all the vocabulary in any video with FluentUs quiz mode. Swipe left or right to see  more examples for the word you’re learning.FluentU Has Quizzes for Every VideoAnd FluentU always keeps track of vocabulary that you’re learning. It uses that vocab to give you a 100% personalized experience by recommending videos and examples.

Do I need a tutor for the 11 Plus Exam

Do I need a tutor for the 11 Plus Exam Grammar schools (and many selective independents) select their pupils on the strength of their performance in the 11 Plus examination. This exam tests applicants on English and maths, verbal reasoning (VR) and non-verbal reasoning (NVR), something your child may need help with. Vernal and non-verbal reasoning tests are designed to assess aptitude rather than knowledge, while maths and English build on what's already been learnt at school. If your child's school has suggested the 11 Plus or you are interested in your child taking this exam, you need to sign up by July of year 5. The exams will take place in September of Year 6 and sometimes in January of Year 6. Preparation for the 11 Plus should, therefore, take place in Year 5 and the summer before starting Year 6. How do I know if the 11 Plus is for my child? Firstly, talk to your 's child's teacher. They can give you an honest indication of whether a school will suit your child, as well as telling you what your child needs to do to pass the exam. Be careful of evaluating your child's chances based on where they are in their class. The National Curriculum levels and your child's teachers are better indicators of whether your child is suitable for these exams. How do I know if a particular school is right for my child? It's vital to go with your child to the open days of the schools you are interested in, as this will help you to determine if: The school is right for your child If your child wants to go there What the examination process is like Whether you like the school Does my child need a tutor to pass? There is massive competition for places, which is why so many people use 11 Plus Tutors for preparation and exam help. However, it's important to differentiate what tutors are employed for with the Eleven Plus. Tutoring for the Eleven Plus focuses on verbal and non-verbal reasoning, and maths and English practice papers so pupils can see how questions are phrased and how they need to answer the questions. A tutor can also help in specific areas like maths and English and even with confidence, but cannot guarantee any child will get accepted into a school they desire. That said it's always worth checking that an 11 Plus tutor knows the school you're considering and has prepared children for the 11 Plus before. Maths tutors and English tutors can also help if you're looking for tuition in one subject area only. Can I do it without a tutor? Yes, you can. There are 11 Plus practice papers and sites to help pupils online, and you can also buy books full of tips and practice papers and ask your child's current teacher for help. What else should I consider? Your child's personality is also worth considering as taking the 11 Plus as these exams can cause quite a lot of anxiety and stress for some children.

How to Save Money on Utility Bills

How to Save Money on Utility Bills creditreport.com Not only is being conservative with your energy use good for your wallet, it’s good for the environment too. Thinking about your effect on the environment might only be a tiny blip on your mental radar, but it’s definitely worth considering. By consuming less power, less toxic fumes will be released into the air by power plants, which will help to conserve our planet’s natural resources and protect ecosystems from certain destruction. Read on to learn ways to be conservative and efficient, and youll be able to save more than one type of green! Be In The Know Call up your utility provider and ask them for a free appraisal. An employee will come out to your house and apartment and evaluate the location for what is using the most power. After the appraisal, the worker will be able to inform you of what is taking up the bulk of your utility bill. Once you’re in the know, you can take further steps to reduce your usage, thus cutting down on your utility bill. Depending on where you live, you might be able to compare quotes from different companies to see which utility plant has the best option for you. Unfortunately, if you live in a large city, which most college students do, you’re most likely limited to the official power plant of that city. Be Conservative Another good tip is to be conservative with your resource utilization. Take what your parents said into great account: Don’t leave the water running, turn the lights off after you leave a room, etc. A good rule of thumb is to make sure everything that isn’t in use gets turned off. Before you leave the house, make sure everything is shut down and unplugged. Make sure that none of the faucets in the house are dripping water. Turn off the air conditioning unit before you leave, but only if nobody else is home. Unplug your cell phone charger whenever it’s not in use. Remember that while objects are plugged into the wall, they’re sucking up energy. Decide what should remain unplugged and what shouldn’t according to that logic. twitter.com When doing laundry, make sure you’re not using more water than you have to by paying close attention to the diagram underneath the lid. Most washing machines will have an illustration indicating what washing settings are most appropriate for specific load sizes. Make sure you’re following those instructions to prevent using more resources than you really have to. Instead of taking baths, take quick showers. Baths tend to use up more hot water, thus adding more money to your bill. Be sure to educate your roommates on your new conservation plan as well. You won’t want to be the only one following your conservation plan when everyone else is still stuck in their old habits. Be Efficient Even though it might seem like your quality of living has been reduced by changing your power and water usage so much (No more bubble baths? C’mon!), there are ways to supplement your reduced energy usage. The key is finding energy efficient appliances and shopping green to save your green. Use energy efficient lightbulbs  or even candles if you’re dedicated. Purchase power saving televisions and entertainment products that utilize LCD screens rather than plasma screens.   A good purveyor of energy saving goods to check out is EnergyStar appliances. EnergyStar sells green everything: washers, dryers, refrigerators, televisions, computers, central air conditioning and more. EnergyStar has saved $362 billion on utility bills since 1992, so check out their website and see what they can save for you. By following these tips with discipline and dedication, you’ll find yourself with a less heinous bill every month and a much happier and healthier planet to go along with it.