6Feb, 2017

Overcoming Fears

Fear is an emotion experienced in anticipation of some pain or danger. It exists in our minds and manifests through our actions. It is truly a challenge to overcome your fears.

What you need to do first is to identify your fears. Though it may seem obvious, you have to know it exactly to give a point of reference and something to focus dealing with. Either talk about it with someone or do ‘self-talk’. Denying or ignoring them doesn’t make them go away.

Do an action to defeat your phobias. Exposure to your fear may slowly help you overcome your fear. For example, if you’re scared of spiders, watch films relating to the creepy crawly. In this exposure therapy, you can be used to seeing it instead of avoiding your fears.

Face your fears by doing it over and over again. Have the courage to try riding a roller coaster to conquer fear of heights. Have the courage to try and learn swimming to defeat fear of drowning. Have the courage to join speeches or declamation to overcome fear of public speaking.

Some people may have hurtful experiences in the past making them afraid of romantic commitments. Some just have fear of rejection because they have so many doubts about themselves.

Fear causes stress in us. We shouldn’t let negativity and remove mental imprints of negative experiences permanently. Relax the mind because the more we think of our fear, the more we see it as a threat to us. The best thing that can happen once we surmount our fears is to gain confidence and be a new person we didn’t expect to be.

2Feb, 2017

Study Smart

Studying sometimes is difficult. Students have homeworks, projects, reports, presentations and exams to study for. Aside from these, students have other activities in their personal and social lives.

Understanding concepts and learning new ideas are the ways we learn. We should organize these ideas to make it easier for us to recall instead of cramming last minute.

There are learning strategies we can use. In memorizing, we can simply stare at our notes for several minutes. Using acronyms and other mnemonics are tools to make information retain faster in our mind. We can learn same information in different ways. It means it can be by reading your notes from class, textbook, online resources or teach someone about what you’ve learned to make you more familiarize.

Study a bit of different subjects everyday instead on focusing to just one subject. Schedule review intervals to make information long-term in the memory.

Another useful strategy is to sit in front of the class. It can make you attentive to class since you are in front of the teacher. Your concentration will improve as well.

Have a study break rather than tiring yourself all day. It can best help you to avoid using phone or computer which will just distract your study schedule. To keep you motivated, you can reward yourself after you get a good result of your exam.

Most importantly, have a healthy lifestyle. Drink at least eight glasses a day. Exercise at least three times a week. Get enough sleep for at least eight hours. In this way, you will not only have a healthy body but a strong mind.

Focus on your learning goals, not on trying to reach a certain grade. Enjoy studying without putting pressure on yourself so much. We must remember that education is not about getting high grades but about learning and contributing effectively to the society someday.

31Jan, 2017

Top 5 Quick New things to try in the Philippines

Another new year has come and most of us are looking forward to new activities to do. For those living in the city, here is a list of easy and quick things to do for you this year.

Mystery Manila Harry Potter theme – Embark on an adventure by solving a mystery with 6 of your friends in the theme of the wizardry world of Harry Potter for only Php 400.00/person at Mystery Manila – Ayala Malls the 30^th You may book through their website, http://booknow.mysterymanila.com. They also have other packages for different number of persons:

2 Pax – 550 PhpPer Head
3 Pax – 500 PhpPer Head
4 Pax – 450 PhpPer Head
5 Pax – 400 PhpPer Head
6 Pax – 400 PhpPer Head

The Yard – If you like chilling in food places at night, then The Yard, with over 30 stalls to choose from, located at 83 Xavierville Ave, Quezon City, Metro Manila should definitely be part of your list. They are open from 4PM until 12 midnight.

4DX Cinema– Experience high-tech motorized recliner seats with 4D glasses that will make feel like you’re inside the movie playing as you will physically feel what’s going on in the film playing, feeling the air blow up your face, smelling the burning building in an action movie, and moving along as if you’re the character in the movie as Ayala malls recently opened another 4D Cinema here in the city. The first one is located at Bonifacio High Street. This new one is located at Uptown Center mall, along Katipunan Avenue. Prepare around P500.00/person and call up the cinemas to check if there are available seats because seats are usually sold out early.

Archery – Want to feel like Katniss Everdeen, Game of Thrones’ Ygritte, or, okay, Daryl of The Walking Dead? Then you better try shooting those arrows at Sagittarium at 37 Scout Borromeo St, Diliman, Quezon City, Metro Manila. Call them up first to inquire and reserve at 576 0774.

Starbucks, Tagaytay– One of the most beautiful Starbucks shop in the country for caffeine lovers. In Manila, frappes and other beverage is usually the most ordered, but you will definitely enjoy the hot beverages offered in Starbucks’ menu in this place.

30Jan, 2017

Miss Universe 2017

Miss Universe 2017 hosted by The Philippines

After 23 years, The Miss Universe, an annual international beauty pageant, will be held once again in the Philippines. It can be traced back that the pageant was held at the Folk Arts Theater, Manila for the first time in 1974 where 65 contestants vied to success the crown of Filipina Miss Universe 1973, Margie Moran of the Philippines.

Exactly two decades later, in 1994, the pageant came back to the country and made the Philippine its host country. The pageant was held on May 20, 1994 at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay.

The live broadcast of the competition draws half a million viewers worldwide, including many from the Philippines, according to Miss Universe Organization Vice President Shawn McClain. Thus, wanting to host the pageant in Manila again for its “energetic” and “engaged” fan base. He then signed contracts with Philippine sponsors led by former governor Chavit Singson. Other private sector sponsors are Japanese billionaire and Tiger Resort chief Kazuo Okada and the Philippine’s richest man, who is also the chairman of SM Prime Holdings, Inc, Henry Sy.

It can also be added that Filipina beauty queen Pia Wurtzbach holds the Miss Universe crown from 2015.

(Miss Universe winners from the Philippines in order: Margie Moran, Gloria Diaz, Pia Wurtzbach)

The 65th Miss Universe coronation will be aired live on ABS-CBN Channel 2 on January 30, 2017 Monday 8 a.m. (Manila time).
The 65th Miss Universe Itinerary and Schedule of events are as follows:
*Updated after visits to Albay and Iloilo were cancelled due to the effects of Typhoon Nina

Jan 12-14: Arrivals, Fittings and Registration
Jan 14: Group taping in Boracay, arrival of last contestants
Jan 15: Visit to Vigan City – Welcome Event with Terno Fashion Show
Jan 16: Governors’ Ball, SMX Convention Center, Manila, 6:30 pm
Jan 17: Parade at Sinulog Festival, Cebu / Swimsuit Fashion Show, Jpark Island Resort and Waterpark, Cebu
Jan 18-19: Visit to Baguio (Street Motorcade), Davao, Batangas (separate groups)
Jan 20: Return to Manila
Jan 21: Fashion Show, SMX Convention Center
Jan 22: Women Empowerment Night, SMX Convention Center
Jan 23: Visit to Malacañang Palace for courtesy call with President Duterte (morning) / National Gift Auction, Conrad Hotel (evening)
Jan 24: National Costume Competition, World Trade Center
Jan 25: Preliminary Interviews (Group 1), Rehearsals
Jan 26: Preliminary Interviews (Group 2),
Jan 26: 65th Miss Universe Preliminary Competition, Mall of Asia Arena: All delegates will compete in Cocktail Dresses, Swimsuits and Evening Gowns; National Costume opening pre-taping
Jan 27-28: On-Camera Rehearsals, MOA Arena
Jan 29: On-Camera Rehearsals, MOA Arena / Final Dress Rehearsal, Mall of Asia Arena, 7-10 pm (to be confirmed)
Jan 30: 65th Miss Universe Live Telecast, Mall of Asia Arena, 8:00 am (Jan 29 at 7 pm EST) / Coronation Gala, 8:00 pm
Jan 31: Departures

27Jan, 2017

Parenting Hacks and Tips

Parenting is no easy task especially for children defying your requests. Parents always want the best for them starting from toddlers to teens and becoming an adult like them. They should have an ability of controlling their temper. The main goal of parenting is to teach children self-discipline.

Most of the children love race. Make them love their tasks and do it quickly by using a stopwatch or doing a countdown. Build your child’s confidence by letting them show you activities like putting their clothes on or drawing or painting. Praise them whenever they do something great so they would feel good and repeat their performance next time.

Children feel happy when they win a game. However, when they lose, they might feel bad, scream and throw a tantrum. Parents should be able to teach them sportsmanship by talking with them beforehand. By regularly having a conversation with a child reminds him of showing proper behavior.

Make them a bracelet or necklace with parents’ phone number in case a child gets lost in public.

Teach simple household chores like sweeping and turn it into a game for more fun experience for children.

Ask your teenage child to clean the room and reward him or her with their favourite food.

To get kids to easily learn putting their shoes by themselves, cut a sticker in half and put inside the shoes. Teach them which is left and which is the right shoe.

Make your child love bedtime not only by telling them stories but making their bed cute by decorating it with special designs of their choice.

26Jan, 2017

Beauty through Simplicity

Women have this thinking that in order to be hailed beautiful, you have to be physically attractive. Even if men are mostly visual, that is not always the case, in fact, it impresses them more to see a girl without make-up or enhancements on, and still be stunning.

That doesn’t mean that women should not fix themselves altogether, though. It would still be a factor if they maintain their beauty through simple ways; the most important ‘SIMPLE’ way to achieve beauty, is by taking care of the first part of a person that is seen, the FACE:

Washing one’s face daily. When washing the face, you have to know thatthere are foam cleansers and scrubs. Foam cleansers are to be used daily, morning and night. Scrubs are to be used twice a week or depending on the need of the face to scrub off dirt. It is used moderately as to not damage the skin and the pores.

Moisturize daily. There are different variations of moisturizers and you have to know which one is the most compatible with your skin. There are day-moisturizers and they usually have sunblock contained in them to protect the face from the UV light. There are also night moisturizers and creams. Some use masks to moisturize their face at night.

Drinking lots of water. Water has been proven to wash away toxic substances in the body and being hydrated contributes to the health of the skin.

Vitamin E intake. Not only will vitamin E help maintain skin health, it also contributes to maintain the health of the hair. Vitamin E possesses antioxidants that help maintain healthy skin and keep it smooth and hydrated.

Eliminating stress. This is true, your overall health depends on how you respond to the stimulus around you. If you give in to stress and neglect the necessary activities you need to do to keep yourself happy and healthy, then it would gravely affect your skin, you will get more breakouts and wrinkles. Always make sure that you keep yourself happy and well-rested.

25Jan, 2017

Things to do in the Philippines

Philippines is truly a beautiful country made up of more than 7,000 islands found in Southeast Asia. It is a must-visit nation for its countless destinations and many adventures to try. Some things to do in the Philippines for a guaranteed unforgettable travel experience are:

Sightseeing. Visit Banaue Rice Terraces, a 2000-year old terraces carved into Ifugao Mountains by ancestors, which is also known for being the “Eighth Wonder of the World.”

Go to the well-preserved Spanish-style architecture in historic town of Vigan in Ilocos Sur. The place is definitely good for old time experience.

Visitors can also see the Taal Volcano found in Batangas. It is the smallest volcano and second most active in the world. What more interesting about it is that it is located on an island within a lake within an island.

While, Mount Mayon found in Legazpi, Albay, is a perfect cone-shaped volcano. It is also one of the most dangerous volcanoes because of its disastrous volcanic eruptions in the past.

Swimming. Be amazed with outstanding white beaches and white sand found in the famous island of Boracay. The beautiful island is surrounded with restaurants and hotels. There are fire shows and live music during evening.

Diving. For people who are diving enthusiast, Philippines is a must-go for a memorable underwater experience. Top diving destinations are Tubbataha Reef and Coron both found in Palawan.

Shopping. A variety of items in different brands are all found in the shopping places. “Bargaining” which means buying items with big discounts depending on bargaining skills is a unique experience especially in flea-markets. Mall of Asia is the largest shopping mall in the Philippines

Eat. What is better than satisfying cravings for food? In the Philippines, rice is a staple food. But, there are many Filipino dishes to choose from.

Relax. “Hilot” is a traditional Filipino healing massage which help relax tired muscles and joints. Try spa treatments as stress reliever.

24Jan, 2017

Eco-Friendly Energy

Our world today has advanced far enough than we could all ever imagine. Technology has played a vital role in the improvement of almost everything around us.

Our primary sources of energy, coal and fossil fuel, are scarce and so eco-friendly energy technology has evolved, examples are solar energy, energy from windmills, energy for waterfalls, and rechargeable energy. Here are further descriptions of a few of the sources of energy.

Tidal energy is generated either by tidal stream generators or by barrage generation. The power created though tidal generators is generally more environmentally friendly and causes less impact on established ecosystems. They rotate underwater and is driven by the fast moving dense water. It is still now yet widely used and subject to further studying and observation, but it definitely has potential for future electricity generation.

Wave power refers to the transport of energy by ocean surface waves and capturing of that energy to do useful work for electricity generation, water desalination, or the pumping of water. The use of this kind of energy requires tedious work and is difficult to utilize since it depends on the unpredictability of the ocean and wave direction.

Solar power, Photovoltaic (PV) solar power,generates energy through the sun’s energy to produce electricity. More and more people avail of the benefits of this kind of energy, thus, it is one of the fastest growing energy sources, Solar cells are becoming more efficient, transportable and easy, because it can be easilyinstalled that even local homes can use of it.

Wind power, like Ilocos Norte’s Bangui Windmills in the Philippines, is the conversion of wind energy by wind turbines into a useful form, such as electricity or mechanical energy. It is generated by large-scale wind farms connected to the local power transmission network with turbines to provide electricity to isolated areas. It is eco-friendly in a way that the use of these windmills have one of the lowest environmental impacts of all energy sources.

Hydro power is the production of power through use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water, like waterfalls. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy. Hydroelectric complex produces no direct waste. One example is the Maria Cristina Falls of the Agus River on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines which powers the Agus VI Hydroelectric Plant.

Geothermal energy is a way to extract renewable energy from the earth through natural processes and is cost effective, reliable, and environmentally friendly. But it has previously been geographically limited to areas near tectonic plate boundaries. A large plant can power entire cities while smaller power plants can supply rural villages or heat individual homes. It is currently generated in 24 countries around the world and a number of potential sites are being developed or evaluated.

Biomass is plant matter grown to generate electricity through the living and recently dead biological material like dead trees and branches, yard clippings and wood chips biofuel, and it also includes plant or animal matter to produce fibers, chemicals, heat, fuel or for industrial production.Biomass may also include biodegradable wastes that can be burnt as fuel.

23Jan, 2017

Bhutan’s King and Queen

King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck and Queen Jetsun Pema are the fifth king and queen of Bhutan. They are more known as the Dragon King and Dragon Queen and are also referred to as “William and Kate of the Himalayas”. They were married on October 13, 2011, born out of love rather than an arranged marriage which is a tradition in the country. Their five-hour fairytale-like wedding ceremony was televised and shown to the public. After the ceremony, the King and Queen sealed a kiss in front of a huge crowd who were very cheerful for them. Instead of spending time for honeymoon, the royal couple had a walking tour in Bhutan to meet the people. Although Bhutan allows polygamous relationships, the young King said he will remain monogamous despite the tradition.

King Jigme Singye Wangchuck (Bhutan’s Fourth King)

Jigme Singe Wangchuk, the Dragon King’s father, enacted many reforms in Bhutan. He introduced democracy to the country. King Jigme ascended the throne after his father in 2006, at the age of 26. Through the current king’s modern ways and worldwide appeal, he is doing state visits particularly in Thailand, Japan, England and India to raise the international profile of his country.

The Himalayan monarch and Queen Jetsun announced the birth of their son on February 19, 2015. As tradition, their son’s name was not revealed at first. He had only been known as “Royal Highness The Gyalsey” – a Buddhist word for prince. In April 2015, a colourful ceremony was held at Punakha palace in the Himalayan Kingdom. The name of the prince is Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck. Jigme means “fearless”.

The king and queen are beloved of Bhutan citizens because of their youthful spirit and sweet romantic union. The couple lives a simple life and often greet the public with a cup of tea which prove their humility.

22Jan, 2017

3 Simple ways to help the environment

3 Simple Ways to Help the Environment

We all have read articles about ways to help the environment. Most of them suggest that you plant more trees, take on conservation practices, reducing, reusing and recycling, but every day, there is a calling that we try harder and exert more effort, do more to live more, and everyone is expected to really cooperate and take environmental issues seriously. Just because we are not experiencing its effects firsthand, doesn’t mean we can take things for granted. For all we know, it might hit us in the face someday.

“WHAT SIMPLE WAYS CAN I TAKE TO CONTRIBUTE TO BRINGING EFFECTIVE CHANGE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT?”

If you haven’t asked this question to yourself, then you clearly don’t care about what’s going to happen to you, to your loved ones, and to everyone around you once Mother Earth heats up and collapses.

Remarkably, there are numerous ways to be of beneficial change that we can do every day, some are even activities we actually do but don’t appreciate the effects that they carry.

Take E-Waste as an example, everyone is using smartphones and other different gadgets. The problem on E-Waste comes in once a new model comes out, people tend to just dispose what they currently have and opt for the latest model, well because, it’s the LATEST, they can afford to buy anyway.So where does that old model go? Mostly, they go into waste since these products are already not in the trend and you can’t boast of it, some are usually phase out, people wouldn’t avail of an old model.

LIVE simply. If your phone, doesn’t require you to purchase a new one, then don’t purchase a new one. Of course, you wait until it gets defective and not just drop it on the floor and say “Oops, I need a new one.” Use your money in more charitable ways. Don’t change gadgets as often as you change your underwear.

Transportation is part of our lives, may it be to work, to school, to the mall, to your house, to the cemetery, or to just wherever Dora the Explorer would bring you, it’s is as essential as breathing nowadays.

For those driving every day, select days in a week (other than the Coding days) to use the public transportation vehicles. You may even avail of the services of carpooling, where you get to ride with other people towards the same destination. Not only will you save gasoline and contribute to controlling air pollution, you will also gain friends along the way, who knows, you may even meet your special someone in that bus ride.

Avail of those tumblers or mugs sold by your favorite coffee shops. This is crucial to those people who basically live in those coffee shops. If you’re part of the upper class people, then purchasing those pricey tumblers and mugs is just like throwing a coin in a wishing fountain. Or if you’re a bit tight on budget, then just save up a little enough to get one. If most of you are unaware, using said mugs or tumblers will entitle you to a discounted price (P5.00 off for Starbucks). You saved money, you even saved Mother Earth by not using plastic. Win-win situation.

1 2 3