Monday, March 23, 2020

Muay Thai Clubs in Birmingham

Muay Thai Clubs in Birmingham Where in Birmingham Can You Find a Muay Thai Club? ChaptersMuay Thai Fighting: Determine Your LevelWhat to Expect for Your First Muay Thai SessionThe Best Muay Thai Clubs in BirminghamBirmingham, the second-largest city in the UK, is considered to be the financial, commercial, cultural and social centre of the Midlands. What couldn’t you find here?We have great food and lots of entertainment, from theatre to music concerts, hopping nightlife and plenty of leisure activities. We have sports â€" oh, do we have sports!The Football League was founded here and two of their oldest clubs are based in Birmingham: Aston Villa and Birmingham City. We have cricket and rugby and tennis and golf; skateboarding and stock-car racing and hockey and boxing…Boxing? Thai Boxing?Indeed, we Brummies love our sports, even several at once. For instance, you may like to take in a match on the weekend and head to the gym to train as a Muay Thai fighter during the week.Naturally, we’re only supposing what you might do with your time and what your fitnes s regimen might consist of but, judging by the number of Muay Thai clubs in and around the city, we’re guessing that this ancient art figures prominently in people’s plans.And you? Are you looking for fitness training with an interest in combat sports or are you looking to get in shape first and decide which of the martial arts you will embrace later?Whichever side of that coin you fall, Birmingham has a club for you. C’mon! Let’s go find them!colour of one’s belt proclaims their level of achievement.There are no such belts in Muay Thai and one doesn’t change the colour of their Muay Thai shorts to signify they’ve attained a greater degree of skill. Nothing about your Muay Thai gloves or other apparel indicates your status or rank as a fighter Image by Christopher Chiu from PixabayHow are fighters ranked, then?First an explanation of why there is not a visual ranking system, as in the other martial arts we just mentioned, and even in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.Muay Thai is an ancient discipline that, for the most part, adheres to tradition â€" even modern-day tradition. Today’s fighters in Thailand join up so they can earn money; there, Muay Thai is a profession, not a pastime.We have the luxury of training as fighters to become fit or school ourselves in discipline; our livelihood does not depend on stepping into the ring.Still, there are ‘levels’ in Muay Thai; 12 of them to be exact:As an absolute beginner, you would be considered a ‘street fighter’ or ‘untrained’Level 2: First Time Fighter â€" you have some training but are unpolished.Level 3: as a ‘Tomato Can’, you would be matched with fighters one level higher t o help them alongfighters at this level are also called ‘Tuk Tuk Drivers’Level 4: Upcoming Prospects have a natural ability to fight and lots of potential to become a championLevel 5: Amateur Champions have fewer than 10 pro fights under their beltsLevel 6: Journeyman â€" a good fighter but will most likely not become a championLevel 7: Strong nac muay farang â€" the Strong ForeignerLevel 8: Gatekeepers generally fight in the best stadiums in Phuket, Chiang Mai or Pattaya â€" but not BangkokLevel 9: Lumpinee Fighters â€" these elite foreign fighters can take their place alongside top Thai fighters in BangkokLevel 10: Ranked Thai Fighter â€" these are the Bangkok champions!Level 11: Superstar â€" compete worldwide to gain the utmost visibilityLevel 12: Muay Thai LegendThere are no outward signs of these levels and, as you might have guessed by the descriptions of these rankings, they depend solely on the number of fights and your number of wins.You may also have noticed that many of these descriptions rely on bouts fought in Thailand.Although quite a few do, not every Muay Thai fighter will make their way to the cradle of their sport to compete; in fact, not every fighter here in the UK wants to step into the ring! For sparring, perhaps but not for actual fights.Even at the Muay Thai clubs in London, we met plenty of people engrossed in Muay Thai training who have no intention of facing off against an opponent.So, while some Muay Thai clubs in other countries might have instituted a belt system, you should know upfront that Muay Thai is more about the discipline and strength conditioning than it is about any tokens of rank.However, if you are learning under a great Master, s/he may give you a pra jiad, the traditional armband proclaiming your loyalty to your club.Do you wonder if Muay Thai clubs in Belfast have adopted a ranking system? You won't receive a belt to denote your achievements in Muay Tai as you would in Taekwondo Image by noellepierceromance from PixabayWhat to Expect for Your First Muay Thai SessionBefore you land your first punch on the heavy bag, you should expect your trainer to conduct a full assessment of your abilities and physical condition.This Art of Eight Limbs is meant to be challenging to the utmost degree, not just on the physical level but in mental conditioning, too.Like every other martial art, Muay Thai is about discipline â€" focusing your energy, marshalling your physical resources and strategising against your opponents’ weaknesses, so you should expect some mind-stimulating exercises even as you push your body to the limits of endurance.Martial arts training is rigorous and Muay Thai training is especially so. Because it is a combat sport, there will be a lot of punching, kicking, grappling and clinching.Its designation as an eight-limbed fighting method indicates that you will u se hands and feet; also elbows and knees to land blows on your opponent.That was well-demonstrated when we dropped in on a Muay Thai kickboxing class at in Cardiff...To be able to compete successfully in the ring, you will have to develop core strength as well as speed, coordination and balance â€" all of which will make for a leaner, fitter, faster you.Even if you have no intention of competing, your training will involve bag work â€" hitting the heavy bag, and your coach will most likely use focus mitts to help you aim your punches more accurately.S/he may don Thai pads, a full-body padding system and step into the ring with you. You may also do some sparring with other Muay Thai fighters so you can get the feel of what it is like to face an opponent.All of this is months in the future; first, you have to become mentally and physically conditioned, like the fighters from Muay Thai gyms in Glasgow who compete all over the country.Are you ready to find your gym?The Best Muay Thai Cl ubs in BirminghamIf you were looking for Muay Thai boxing lessons for the whole family, you could not be better served than at Black Widow. Their martial arts academy has classes for men, women and children â€" even toddlers!Why would anyone want their toddler to take a combat sport class?Considering that childhood obesity is currently at epidemic levels in our country, it might be a good idea to take such a class for their lifelong health and well-being.And, considering that bullying is a very real fact of life that our school students deal with every day, arming your kids with self-esteem and confidence before they are old enough to go to school might be a good idea.Speaking of school: wouldn’t it be great if your child could focus better? Studying a martial art such as Muay Thai is an excellent way to teach them to focus! Muay Thai is a great way for people - including women to learn self defense Image by Sasin Tipchai from PixabayBlack Widow’s instructors have winning records, both in the bouts they’ve fought and in their success at teaching their art.They offer classes six days a week, from mid-afternoon (right when the kids get out of school) until 10pm â€" that is when the fighters come out to play. Their adult beginners’ classes start at 6pm and last an hour.Why not drop in on them? They’re on Washward Heath Road, hopefully not too far out of your way.K-Star Legacy is a great facility if you wanted your children to learn Muay Thai because they take an unusual approach to teaching kids all about discipline and focus. While your kids will indeed develop the skills to fight, the primary focus of these classes is self-confidence and discipline.K-Star is not just for kids, though. They have a beginner’s program for Muay Thai training; even if you’ve not worked out for years, their trainers are ready to take your development in hand. If you wish, you may engage one of their private coaches to work with you one on one.Muay Thai clubs near me offer that option too but I went with a Superprof trainer…We really liked the K-Star Sheldon training academy for their free trial class offer.Whether you are an established fighter who has just relocated to the Birmingham-Solihull area or someone for whom standard gym workouts aren’t quite getting it for them anymore, you should check out the facilities on Hobs Moat Road.They too offer classes for children as young a five as well as adult beginner, intermediate and advanced classes.Which club(s) in Birmingham is the best for Muay Thai? That's really up to you and what you're looking for. The three mentioned above are a good place to start looking for lessons and, if we failed to mention your preferred Muay Thai club, please let us know in the comments section below.There are indeed quite a few clubs for Muay Thai  but, if you think Birmingham has a lot of them, wait until you read about all of the Muay Thai clubs in Manchester!

Friday, March 6, 2020

Why A Strong Leader Must Be at the Core of Any Business - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / Why A Strong Leader Must Be at the Core of Any Business - Introvert Whisperer Why A Strong Leader Must Be at the Core of Any Business Even more important than the impact leadership has on your business as it stands today, one must look at the implications that it brings to the table in terms of the future of your organization in particular. The chances are high that even though you founded your business, youre not going to be steering the ship forever. Youre going to want to step aside gracefully at some point and when that day comes, hopefully, there will be a viable candidate to pick up the baton and carry on in the way youve always envisioned. Without prioritizing leadership today, however, there is a very slim chance of that actually happening.  Leadership Will ALWAYS Be the Core of Your Business Consider the fact that according to a recent HRPA study, 63% of millennials in the workplace feel like their leadership skills are just not being developed by the companies that they work for. As a result, a massive 71% of those millennials are looking for opportunities to leave their job within the next two years to help fix this problem as soon as possible. A failure to promote the other strong leaders within your organization besides yourself is a massive problem for many companies these days but thankfully, its also one with an easy fix. You probably already use a tool like Visme (which I founded) to create collateral aimed at bringing your message to the widest possible audience of potential customers. You can use those same tools to focus a leadership-driven message inward, too. Dont just create Infographics to get your customers ready for that upcoming product or service launch create Infographics that will also help you visualize the direction you want your company to go in for the next five, ten and even twenty years. Use it to convey to your employees the leadership skills that matter the most to you the qualities that you will collectively need to make those dreams become a reality. This is a great opportunity to not only get everyone on the same page as far as leadership is concerned, but to also begin developing some of those necessary leadership skills as soon as possible. Any type of collateral that you would create to broadcast an outward message can also be focused inward in these ways including presentations. Start creating presentations that will help you focus on the leadership skills that will align your efforts to further develop your existing employees with your long-term objectives as an organization. Not only will this go a long way towards actually getting everyone on the same page, but it will also be a great way to show the younger generations that work for you that you do value their skills and their place in the future of your business. When these people see that leadership development is actually one of your priorities, it will go a long way towards solving the problem of quality employees jumping ship in search of someone else to work for.  Actions Speak Louder Than Words Another important thing to consider is that sometimes the importance of leadership is best conveyed through action something that is true both in terms of how essential leadership is today and with regards to the types of leadership qualities you want to instill in the future managers of your brand. If you pride yourself on having a forward-thinking company, for example, you should constantly be on the lookout for new ways to put your money where your mouth is, so to speak. Take the type of marketing collateral that you create. Everyone these days is uploading videos to social media sites like Facebook and Twitter or YouTube for their customers. But is there an opportunity to go above and beyond that you may be overlooking? Instead of simply following the rest of the industry, consider forging your own path using a service like Uscreen. Uscreen is a video monetization tool that lets you sell your video content as subscriptions, for a fixed price. Using a tool like this, you have the chance to do things with your content that few others are actually doing you can create a streaming site built around your industry, develop an educational learning site and more. Not only will this pay off in terms of the additional return on investment that youre able to guarantee for your collateral today, but it also sends a number of important messages about leadership to your company. It shows that youre willing to take risks and always look for new opportunities to connect with your audience. It also shows that youre not content to simply reactively chase trends and are instead eager to proactively take advantage of some new ones on your own. Rest assured, these are the types of qualities and actions that people will sit up and pay attention to if you give them a chance.  A Strong Leader is All That Matters The only reason your business was able to get to where it is today is because there was a strong leader at the heart of it all: yourself. Youre more than just the captain of a ship youre the light in the darkness. Youre the person with the vision that people can buy into the one who they want to follow even when they cant necessarily explain why in words. The importance of this is something that cannot be overstated enough. But this need for a strong leader is something that, if all goes well, can and should outlast you a strong leader will always be the core of your organization. The simple acknowledgment of this fact along with the actionable steps that you take today to reinforce those ideas will determine whether or not your business is actually around in another decade or more. About the Author: Payman Taei is the founder of Visme, an easy-to-use online tool to create engaging presentations, infographics,   and other forms of visual content. He is also the founder of HindSite Interactive, an award-winning Maryland digital agency specializing in website design, user experience and web app development. Go to top Let me emphasize that Self-Promotion doesn’t have to be obnoxious to be effective.  But, if you don’t Self-Promote you, who will?  If you ever want to get ahead, you have to learn how to Self-Promote. I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my video that shows you simple, yet effective ways to Self-Promote. Start watching now by clicking here! Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleashing your professional potential. Introvert Whisperer

Thursday, March 5, 2020

How to Handle the College Application Process as a Parent

How to Handle the College Application Process as a Parent The following piece was written by Kofi Kankam. Kofi has been featured in our Admissions Expert series and is a former admissions interviewer for The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He is also the co-founder of Admit Advantage. His face was alight with the joy of life. Not a care in the world, he would always greet me, arms open, beaming, I love you, Mom. Good morning. I trust you slept well. Anything I needed, from the floors being mopped to cleaning out the refrigerator, done without pestering or even request. But all of a sudden, fall semester of senior year, he morphed into some other teenager. So, if you happen to have the kid described above, God bless you because your next one is sure to be his out-of- control, system-bucking counterpart to balance things out. The reality is that few of us experience the extremes of the personas described above, but life does sometimes change, and not necessarily for the better, for many families walking through the college application process. From an already stressful and over-scheduled existence, families delve into college season viewing the application process as the element that sends someone in the family, head-first, plunging into the deep end. And quite often, it is the parents. The gripes and complaints vary, but overwhelmingly, I hear three most often. Here they are, presented in no particular order, with some tips and strategies on how to overcome them: I just cant get him motivated to complete his applications. Ah, procrastination. It is the root of much parental frustration and angst. It has reared its ugly head in the past but likely with less at stake. Heres the first thing that you, as a parent, must acknowledge this is your childs college experience, not yours. If you are in a position to assist your son or daughter with organizing their materials and you feel comfortable doing so, then by all means, feel free. Create a chart or timeline that is useful in helping them understand the time constraints that can define the pressure-cooking application season. Send them reminders about looming deadlines for standardized tests, college visits, high school recruiters, and applications. Assemble documents that they may need to reference in order to complete the applications and then check in regularly to gauge their progress. However, you must realize that the more handholding you do during this final year of high school, the harder the transition will be come freshman year of college. You kn ow the old saying about leading a horse to water? Well, consider your child the horse. At some point you will need to cut the ties that may cripplingly bind and let your child rise or fail to rise to the occasion. You know your child and the amount of assistance they may need to be nudged along; use this as your compass without crossing the line. You do not want to be that parent on the college campus advocating for a grade change next fall and then five years later discussing his promotion on the job. If your child seems resigned to failure, even with the scaffolding youve put in place, perhaps he isnt ready for college at 17 or 18 years old and a year to grow and experience what life is like outside the world of academia may suit him well and motivate him to take more of a proactive role the second time around in the application process. We cant even talk about his applications without the conversation morphing into an argument. Children are very perceptive, especially college-bound seniors. If college has become your singular focus, they will pick up on it immediately. Remember, your child is more than a mere application. Try to revert to conversations of yesteryear and show a genuine interest in your child beyond his applications and pending acceptances. Let him know that you are there to bounce ideas off of and review materials as needed. You must also realize that application season is a particularly vulnerable time for students. Try to recall your own experience with applying to college. Too long ago? Go back to your last job interview. Remember the feeling of outlining all of your experience and qualifications and then waiting for the verdict? Well, this is your childs new reality. Often, for the first time, these students are putting their existence of the last three plus years on the line for evaluation, and that is a scary prospect. A short fuse or resistance to engage in an ongoing dialogue with you about applications may be less a reflection of his feelings for you and more an indication of how scared and insecure he may be feeling during this process not to mention the delicate dance he is now doing to manage all of his academic and extracurricular commitments beyond the applications. Let your child know that you recognize the stressful nature of this period and are there as an outlet. Encourage him to take a break and plan something fun, like a trip to his favorite restaurant or seeing a movie. The greater the sense of normalcy and balance you can maintain, the more likely he is to come to you to discuss his college application questions and woes. He wont even let me read his essay. The shroud of secrecy that envelops college essays often drives parents insane. Equally, parental badgering and inquiries to read the essay often annoy kids beyond belief. As a parent, the first thing you should ask yourself is what is your motivation for reading the essay? Will you be critical or judgmental? Will you attempt to hijack the essay and make it your own? In reviewing the essay, your motivation should be to support your child in writing an essay that is authentic, relevant, and effective. It should be his voice that comes across, it should answer the question being posed, and it should leave a lasting impression on the reader. When you ask your child if you can read the essay, try to do so in a manner that is supportive and encouraging. Again, reflect on your own similar experiences in which one piece of writing or project carried significant weight, and share the experience with your child. Acknowledge the difficulty of conveying something meaningful in a few meager paragraphs but also affirm your belief that he is capable of writing a strong essay. And rather than always asking directly, Can I read the essay now?, show a genuine interest in his writing process by inquiring, Hows the essay coming along? When you do finally get the chance to read the essay, youll want to remain as objective as possible and only offer feedback that is candid and constructive. If you completely destroy the essay, its not likely that your child will continue to solicit or accept your feedback. Highlight the strengths of the essay and encourage him to develop weaker areas by pointing out portions of the essay that are effective. Finally, if you find that both you and your child have drawn lines in the sand and are unable or unwilling to talk out your differences regarding the essay, seek the advice or counsel of someone else. This may come in the form of a family friend who has recently gone through the application process. It could also be an aunt or uncle with whom your child has a strong and less contentious relationship. It could also be an English or History teacher for whom you child has written other papers. Realize that sometimes it is the collective feedback from a few trusted key sources that can ultimately shape and guide an essay that is well written and engaging. Visit Admit Advantage for more information. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

French Grammar Basics When to Use Tu and Vous

French Grammar Basics When to Use Tu and Vous Sign up successful French grammar dictates that “vous” be used in two basic situations. In one situation, you are still speaking to only one person, but that person is your social superior. It could be your boss at work, a teacher or professor, or a friends older relative. Depending on the level of formality used in a family, it could also be used by a child speaking to his or her parents or grandparents, although many families do not require this. In any other situation that requires formality, or when in doubt, use “vous.” In the second basic situation, the speaker is talking to more than one person. It doesnt matter if you are talking to two people or a thousand, to women, to men, or to both (and yes there are languages that care about this, too!). The formality of the situation also becomes less important in this case, since the speaker will use “vous” in any case. In some regional spoken dialects of modern English, people will say “yall” (short for “you all”) when speaking to more than one person. For those English-speakers who include “yall” in their speech, this is a reasonably closer English equivalent to vous than the simple “you.” So when you are speaking and are trying to figure out which one to use, ask yourself three basic questions: Is it a formal situation? Are you speaking to more than one person? (Use “vous!”) Or are you speaking to one person in a more relaxed, familiar situation? (Use “tu!”) And keep at it with your study of French language and grammar! Learning French takes persistence, but time and effort will help you master it. Carol Beth L. teaches  French lessons in San Francisco, CA. She has her Masters in French language education from the Sorbonne University in Paris and has been teaching students since 2009.  Learn more about Carol Beth 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 Photo by Gareth Williams

How to Prepare for GMAT Vocabulary

How to Prepare for GMAT Vocabulary When it comes to tackling the GMAT, unlike the GRE, you wont be tested on the meanings of individual vocabulary words in context. You will need to feel comfortable with the type of vocabulary used on the GMAT, however, particularly in Reading Comprehension, Critical Reasoning, and Integrated Reasoning questions. There are many ways to prepare for GMAT vocabulary, such as taking practice tests and incorporating GMAT vocabulary into your daily life to gain familiarity. When preparing for GMAT vocabulary, you will need to understand both the content of the passages and how to answer the related questions. For students who need help with GMAT vocabulary, here are four steps to prepare for the types of language you will find on the GMAT exam: 1. Take a GMAT practice test When preparing for the GMAT, sit for a full-length GMAT practice exam, including breaks. If you have already taken a practice test recently, pull it up. Then, review your results. Go through each section of the exam, and look at the questions you answered correctly or incorrectly. This will help you learn the language of the GMAT. Familiarize yourself with the types of words used in each of the sections, including Quantitative and Integrated Reasoning, and identify the words that you did not understand. Additionally, examine which questions you were able to answer correctly, even though you didnt know all of the vocabulary involved. Using clues in context will help you find the correct answers on the GMAT when you dont necessarily know every word in the question. [RELATED: How to Plan Your GMAT Prep Schedule] 2. Create a list of GMAT vocabulary words Write down every word on the test that you are unfamiliar with in a separate list. Then, write down the definition of each word on the list. As you go through the exam, you will notice these words appearing in multiple places on the GMAT. For example, the word species is often included in both Reading Comprehension and Critical Reasoning questions. The words prime, median, mean, and reciprocal are found in many Problem Solving and Data Sufficiency questions. Words like consumption, dramatically, proliferation, and yield are common words in the Analytical Writing Assessment topics. Making a list of unfamiliar vocabulary words can help you better understand what areas you can work to improve on. Once you know what these words mean, studying for the GMAT becomes much easier. 3. Make GMAT vocabulary flashcards From your list of unfamiliar words, write one word on one side of an index card. On the other side of the card, write the definition of the word along with your own sentence defining that word. Test yourself on 5-10 words per day, eliminating words once you are confident that you know them. Continue this practice as you study from official GMAT material and encounter more words you dont know. This will keep the words in your head and help you process GMAT passages and questions more efficiently. 4. Read magazines and newspapers with similar language to GMAT vocabulary The Reading Comprehension passages found on the GMAT exam can involve a variety of topics, including: biology astronomy American history European history economics environmental science physics human resource management In addition to working through actual GMAT passages, students can also read publications like Scientific American, Financial Times, The Economist, and Bloomberg Businessweek to get comfortable with the writing styles that appear on the GMAT. These magazines often contain composition and language found in certaintexts and case studies that you mayin encounter in your MBA program. So, understanding this vocabulary now can help not only on the GMAT, but also in business school. [RELATED:4 Reflective Questions to Guide Your GMAT Prep] Though memorizing GMAT vocabulary may not be your primary focus in preparing for the exam, becoming familiar with the types of words found on the GMAT will help improve your overall performance. Combined with a regular study schedule in which you practice on official GMAT questions, improving your GMAT vocabulary will help you prepare for the material you will face on your exam day. 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.

Spend your summer with AJ Tutoring

Spend your summer with AJ Tutoring As the weather warms up, its time to start thinking about summer plans.  Whether this summer will find you heading to the beach or relaxing at home, we hope youll make some time for academics too. AJ Tutoring has several options for this summer, including one-on-one tutoring for the PSAT, SAT, ACT, and academic classes, as well as SAT courses at our Palo Alto and San Jose offices.Rising seniors this summer is the time to prep for your final SAT and ACT tests in the fall.  We can help you with a few review sessions to target your specific weaknesses. Got some tough APs next year? Dont slack off just yet fall semester grades count for college admissions.  We have AP experts who can introduce you to calculus, statistics, physicsand almost anything else!Rising juniors   youll be taking the PSAT in October.  If youre going for National Merit recognition, you should start preparing for the test this summer.  Even if youre not thinking about National Merit, a few tutoring sessions ca n help you feel more comfortable with the test.  And dont forget, we can help introduce you to those tough academic classes youll be taking next year.  A lot of juniors take AP US History wouldnt it be nice to get a head start on the material?Rising freshmen and sophomores   AJ Tutoring can help with general study skills and summer enrichment.  We dont typically recommend SAT prep for freshmen and sophomores, but everyone can benefit from a summer program that reinforces reading, writing, and math skills.  We can create a personalized tutoring program to make sure you dont lose your edge over the summer.Everyone if youd rather take a group class and make some new friends, AJ Tutoring is offering several SAT classes at our Palo Alto and San Jose locations throughout the summer.  Our classes offer a focused learning environment, a set schedule, and an affordable price ($990 for 9 classes and four proctored full-length SATs).  Check out our summer class schedule here.If you hav e any questions about AJ Tutorings summer programs, please call (650) 331-3251, or email us at info@ajtutoring.com.  Wed love to be a part of your summer plans!

Come From - Phrasal Verb of the Day

Come From - Phrasal Verb of the Day Todays phrasal verb is come from.Infinitive: Come FromPresent Tense: Come From/Comes From-ing Form: Coming FromPast Tense: Came FromPast Participle: Come FromIt is a non-separable phrasal verb that can be used in three ways.1. The place you come from is the place where you were born, or where you previously lived.Example: I come from the United States. She comes from New Zealand. My parents came from Germany.2. You can also come from different past life experiences or situations that explain things about you in the present.Example: He comes from a poor neighborhood. They come from a wealthy family.3. Where a thing or idea originated.Example: The word chipmunk comes from the Ojibwa language.1. Where does she _____ _____? 2. This beautiful silk _____ _____ China. 3. She has a lot of problems because she _____ ______ a really abusive past. 4. I just _____ ____ the baseball game, and there were a lot of people there. 5. He doesnt _____ _____ money, but he acts as if he did.Rephrase the f ollowing sentences: 1. He was born in Egypt. 2. She was raised in a really poor family. 3. The tea was grown and picked in Africa.

A Complete Guide to Renters Insurance

A Complete Guide to Renters Insurance pexels.com What is renters insurance? Costing about $10 to $20 a month, renters insurance protects renters against possible loss or damage to their personal property. It also insures renters in the case that someone else is injured while on their property. What does renters insurance cover? Renters insurance covers a wide variety of potentially disastrous things that could happen to your rental property and/or your belongings. According to Insure.com, a super helpful site explaining the basics of renters insurance, there are 16 different perils covered by a policy called the HO-4. Some of these perils include fire or lightning, explosions, windstorm or hail, damage caused by vehicles, smoke, falling objects, vandalism, and theft, just to name a few. For the complete list, visit Insure.com if you want to check all 16 conditions that are covered by renters insurance. What does it not cover? While renters insurance certainly covers many different perils that could befall your rental property, there are unfortunately some conditions that are not covered. For example, your insurance won’t cover such natural disasters as earthquakes, mudslides, and landslides. Further, events such as natural floods, war, nuclear hazards, government seizure of your property, intentional destruction of property, and failure to save your property either during or after the time of loss, are not covered by renters insurance. To get coverage for such events as earthquakes or floods, you may need to purchase a separate insurance policy. Also, be aware that even your pets can become a liability. For example, if you have a dog and it bites or injures someone  who is on your property, the harm caused will not be covered by your renters insurance policy. As a result, if you do happen to have a dog (or any other pets that could potentially cause harm to others), you might want to consider purchasing a separate policy that will cover animal bites. Infographic by Kailey Walters What are the benefits of having renters insurance? Have you ever heard of the saying, “Better safe than sorry”? Well, that saying definitely applies to your decision to get renters insurance. Some people might hold themselves back from buying renters insurance because they think it’s not worth it â€" perhaps they don’t feel like shelling out extra money each month, or they think their personal belongings aren’t valuable enough to warrant protection. However, at about only $10 to $20 a month, renters insurance is certainly affordable and a worthy investment to make to protect your property. In fact, the  National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC)  reported that the average cost of a renters insurance policy was $187 annually in 2011 â€" not a bad price for protecting your most prized personal possessions, especially when considering how much more expensive it could potentially be to replace any lost or damaged items out of pocket. Ultimately, the actual cost of your policy depends on a number of other factors as well, such as where you live and the type of coverage you choose. Especially if you intend to rent the same property for an extended period of time, making sure that your property and personal belongings are protected against any possible damage is certainly a smart idea. In the event of a disaster or something unfortunate that happens unexpectedly, you will have peace of mind knowing that your belongings are insured. Particularly if you think you cannot afford to replace any lost or damaged belongings, having renters insurance is a safety net to cover replacement costs. Further, if someone happens to be injured while on your property, they could potentially bring up liability issues by suing you. Having renters insurance can consequently save you a lot of headache in terms of dealing with paperwork and a whole slew of unnecessary legal issues. Another advantage of having renters insurance is that it may possibly  cover additional living expenses. For example, if something happens to your rental property (i.e. one of the 16 perils mentioned previously) and you can no longer live there, your insurance may cover the costs of temporarily living elsewhere, which includes your food, and other expenses. Especially when you think about how much it would cost to temporarily stay in a hotel for even a few nights, or how anxiety-inducing it is to find a place to stay on such short notice, you’ll be glad that you have a renters insurance policy. To make sure of the details, check with your specific policy. Can you rely on the landlord to protect your possessions? Unfortunately, no. A common misconception held among renters is that their landlord’s insurance will cover their rental property and their belongings, which is why many renters ultimately choose not to purchase an insurance policy. However, the landlord does not have you covered in this situation. While your landlord’s insurance covers damage to the building and the grounds, it does not cover your personal possessions or any damage you may have caused to your property, such as a fire in your own kitchen. With that being said, it is definitely smart to stay informed about what your landlord can and can’t do for you, and to know exactly what you are responsible for protecting. As a result, having your own renters insurance can be quite useful in protecting your property and in allowing you to know what to expect, so that you arent hit with any nasty legal surprises. In fact, some landlords might even require you to have your own renters insurance policy. If you are not sure about this or need assistance finding coverage, ask your landlord for some guidance. He or she should be willing to help you out and clear up any questions. What are the different ways that your belongings can be covered? There are two ways your belongings can be covered generally: actual cost value (ACV) or replacement cost coverage. ACV coverage will only pay for what your property was worth at the time of loss or damage, minus the deductible. This means, for example, that if you bought an electronic device for a certain amount of money ten years ago, ACV coverage will only pay for what it was worth back then â€" even though today, that electronic device would most likely be worth less. The other option, replacement cost coverage, will reimburse you for what the item costs according to current market prices, minus the deductible. While this option costs a bit more than ACV coverage up front, it may be more worthwhile in the long run, especially for more expensive items that you own. So, when it comes to how you want your belongings to be covered, you have a couple of options to choose from.  Again, definitely check with your specific policy to make sure of the details. What kinds of coverage are involved in renters insurance policies? There are three basic kinds of coverage to consider when you start shopping for a renters insurance policy: personal property, liability, and additional riders. Personal property coverage is fairly self-explanatory â€" it covers your personal possessions, such as clothing, furniture, etc., which is usually a minimum of $2,500 worth of coverage. Liability insurance protects you against liability claims, such as lawsuits for bodily injury, while additional riders provide coverage for belongings that are of higher value, such as jewelry and electronics. Where should you get renters insurance from? According to Value Penguin, some of the best renters insurance companies of 2018 include State Farm, Erie, Allstate, Lemonade, and USAA. So, if you want to get the most bang for your buck and rest assured that you are being covered by an effective policy, take a look at these companies. What’s more, Uloop is certainly a great resource to turn to for your renters insurance needs while still in college. Under the “Renters Insurance” section of Uloop, you will find a form that you can fill out to get a quote for renters insurance. You will also find information on the GradGuard College Renters Insurance Plan, which provides a number of useful features â€" such as theft and fire protection, or liability protection â€" that can be of great help in protecting your personal belongings and your property on campus. pexels.com What else should you do to be smart about renters insurance? Definitely one thing you should do is to take a complete inventory of all of your valuable personal belongings. Doing so will help you keep track of everything valuable you own and ensure that you are properly compensated for anything that is lost or damaged. Create a list of all your belongings and their monetary value, and make sure to keep the list in a safe place.  (It’s up to you whether you keep an electronic or a physical version do whatever works best for you!) It’s also a smart idea to keep receipts for everything, as well as to take pictures of your belongings and keep them as your own photographic records. Leave no stone unturned â€" after all, when it comes to your belongings, you want to do everything you can to make sure your stuff stays protected. Even if youre not a particularly organized person, there are a number of resources out there to help you stay on track with cataloging your stuff. One resource is the myHOME Scr.APP.book set up by the NAIC, which allows you to photograph images, barcodes, and serial numbers that you can then store electronically. Another good resource is the Allstate Digital Locker app, which also allows you to take and store photos of your belongings. Also, while this may seem a bit tedious, it’s a good idea to go through your policy with a fine-tooth comb to check for any limitations or specific items that are not covered. For example, many policies may not fully reimburse you for particularly expensive items such as jewelry and electronics. In those cases, say if you have a favorite piece of costly jewelry or a flat screen TV that you cant stand the thought of losing, you may want to consider getting further coverage beyond what the standard policy can offer, just to be safe. How can you save money on renters insurance? Although renters insurance is already fairly affordable, there are still ways you can get discounts on your insurance policies. If you have another policy (e.g. car insurance) with a certain insurance company, they might offer you a discount on your renters insurance. According to the Insurance Information Institute, you might also be eligible for a discount if you have a security system, use smoke detectors, use deadbolt locks, have good credit, stay with the same insurer, or are over 55 years old. Ultimately, if you rent property, it’s definitely a good idea to take the necessary steps to insure yourself against possible damage or loss of your personal belongings. When it comes to your possessions, you’ll want to make the most responsible decisions to ensure that everything you own and your property remain safe and sound!