I'm a 34-year-old man, married, lived in a nice house, and have a successful career as an educational consultant. But my life was not always so great. I had a learning disability from an early age. I went to a special school where I got plenty of extra help. Still, I suffered the rest of my school days in public schools.

       My life improved remarkably when I discovered art. The art world gave me a chance to express myself without words. I went to a workshop and gradually got good at making things with clay(黏土). Here I learned my first important lesson: disabled as I was in language. I could still be smart and well express myself with clay. And my confidence came along.

I got my next lesson from rock climbing. It was a fun thing but I was scared from the start. I soon noticed it wasn't a talent thing; it was practice. So I did it more. After about five years of climbing, I found myself in Yosemite Valley on a big wall. I learned that if you fall in love with something and do it all the time, you will get better at it.

       Later I decided to apply my previous experience to learning how to read and write. Every day I practiced reading and writing, which I used to avoid as much as possible. After two hard years, I was literate.

       Having gone through the long process with art, rock climbing, and reading and writing, now I've got to a point in my life where I know I am smart enough to dive into an area that is totally unknown, hard, but interesting.

    Most people would like to keep a healthy diet during the holiday season. There are many social events to celebrate—we love to look our best when we're there, and we don't always look our best with bloated(肿胀的) stomachs and pained expressions on our face after having too many cookies, candies and pies. We also need healthy food to provide us with the energy necessary to go to all of these parties with a big smile on our face, gift in hand, and enthusiastic attitude in heart. Starting the New Year with some healthy habits in place, rather than a long list of things to change, can also add momentum (动力) towards reaching other goals. The unfortunate reality is that many of us have a hard time with healthy eating during the holidays.

    The holiday season is when we bring out candies, cookies, and all the other party foods! It's easy to eat too much of the wrong thing. It's also the time of year when people cook really delicious food in abundance: turkeys, roasts, hams and other great foods are the centerpieces of feasts that tempt(引诱)us to eat more than we need. The holiday season is also a busy and stressful time of year. We're rushing too much, spending too much, and letting perfectionism and stress take hold of us all too often. This can lead to emotional eating.

    People who are celebrating often consume more than they would in their regular lives. When celebrating the holidays, there are several occasions where people might relax their dietary standards a little, in the name of celebration. These celebrations, however, can be rather plentiful during the holiday season, and the indulgence(放纵) can add up.

    Fortunately for all of us, there are some pretty effective ways to deal with holiday eating problems, and they're mostly under your control. For instance, adding certain spices (香料) to your foods can not only make them more flavorful which can lead you to feeling more satisfied as you eat, but these spices can bring added health benefits as well. Additionally, try mindful eating, a healthy eating strategy that has been gaining popularity lately. By eating mindfully, you can eat less and enjoy your food more, relieving stress in the process. It's win-win-win!

    Sometimes the best defense is a good offense. If you plan ahead, you can head off temptation for unhealthy holiday eating. For example. If you're going to a party or an event where you know you'll be tempted, eat some healthy food first so you won't show up starving. Learn your triggers(诱因), and have strategies for combating them.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}You probably think you will never be a top student. This is not necessarily so, however. Anyone can become a better student if he or she wants to. Here's how:

    Plan your time carefully. When planning your work, you should make a list of things that you have to do. After making this list, you should make a schedule of your time. First your time for eating, sleeping, dressing, etc. Then decide a good, regular time for studying. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}A weekly schedule may not solve all your problems, but it will force you realize what is happening to your time.

    Find a good place to study. Look around the house for a good study area. Keep this space, which may be a desk or simply a corner of your room, free of everything but study materials. No games, radios, or television. When you sit down to study, concentrate on the subject.

    Make good use of your time in class.  {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Listening carefully in class means less work later. Taking notes will help you remember what the teacher says.

    Study regularly. When you get home from school, go over your notes, review the important points that your teacher is going to discuss the next day, read that material.  {#blank#}4{#/blank#} If you do these things regularly, the material will become more meaningful, and you'll remember it longer.

    Develop a good attitude towards tests. The purpose of a test is to show what you have learned about a subject. They help you remember your new knowledge. The world won't end if you don't pass a test, so don't be over worried.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} You will probably discover them after you have tried these.

A. There are other methods that might help you with your studying.

B. Don't forget to set aside enough time for entertainment.

C. Take advantage of class time to listen to everything the teacher says.

D. No one can become a top student unless he or she works hard.

E. Maybe you are an average student.

F. Make full use of class time to take notes of what the teacher says in class.

G. This will help you understand the next class.

Learn to Manage Your Time in College

    A common view both among and of college students is that they are always short on money. While this may be true, many college students are also always running short on something else: time. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Here are a few things to consider:

    Manage your academic time.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}Consequently, your academic work should always come first when it comes to arranging your time in order of importance. When looking at your schedule for the week, figure out what your academic commitments look like. What time do you have classes? How much homework do you have to do? What assignments are due? When do you have major exams or quizzes?

    Manage your personal time. It's an unrealistic expectation to think that you can study, go to class, and work all day, every day.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}Make sure to allow yourself time to go to something fun in the yard, attend a meeting for your favorite club, and just hang out for an hour or so at night with friends over dinner. Doing things that make your personal time more enjoyable and not totally focused on school? can actually improve your productivity when working on projects later.

    Keep your health in mind. When people's schedules are tight, one of the first things to go is sleep. While it may be common among college students, a lack of sleep is more hurtful than you might think. It can throw everything into disorder: your mental health, your physical health, your stress level, and, of course, your schedule. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Use your technology. Nothing helps a college student stay organized more than a good calendar! Some students use the calendars on their phones; others use things like Google Calendar; others still use the classic paper-calendar model.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Just change and try again.

A. Try your best to keep a routine on a regular basis.

B. Remember that your brain needs to have a break, too.

C. If what you're using isn't working for you, don't give up.

D. How can you balance your time when there never seems to be enough of it?

E. It's important to remember why you're in college in the first place: to graduate.

F. Making a list and then crossing items off as they are completed can be satisfying.

G. Take moments to plan out the time for a week: your homework, social time and sleep.

Tired of having the same old travel experiences that leave you feeling unfulfilled (失望的) and disconnected? Mindful travel is offering a new way to explore the world that is meaningful and sustainable.

Mindful travel is a concept that encourages individuals to fully dive into the present moment while exploring new destinations. Individuals are aware of their surroundings, engaging all the senses, and enjoying the beauty of each experience. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

Mindful travel is not just about the destination but also the journey. The goal is to create a positive impact on both individuals and the world around them. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} It is an opportunity for people to positively contribute to the world.

Mindful travel provides an opportunity to disconnect from the stresses of everyday life. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Whether it's wandering through a busy market, hiking in nature, or simply sitting by the ocean, it allows us to let go of our worries and fully enjoy the beauty of our surroundings.

{#blank#}4{#/blank#} By stepping out of our comfort zones and experiencing new cultures, we gain a fresh viewpoint on life. We become more open-minded, adaptable, and caring. Through interactions with locals and fellow travelers, we learn about different ways of life and develop a greater understanding of the world.

Mindful travel also has a positive impact on the destinations we visit. Mindful travelers are aware of their impact on the environment. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} By choosing eco-friendly accommodations, supporting local businesses, and respecting cultural traditions, we can ensure that our travels leave a green footprint.

Do you want to learn the material you're studying—like, reallylearn it? {#blank#}1{#/blank#}One learning theory suggests that if you overlearn, you'll gain the ability to do something without having to think about it — and eventually obtain more knowledge. Here's what overlearning is and how to do it.

What is overlearning?

Simply put, overlearning means studying something even once you're sure you know it. Don't stop reviewing or studying just because you succeeded in memorizing something. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

The purpose of overlearning is to make the task easy to ensure it is completed to a high standard with no stress. For example, a student wants to pass their spelling test which has 10 words. Knowing about overlearning, she doesn't just memorize each word, but also learns about the origins of each word. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Similarly, a teacher wanting to learn about teaching strategies might not simply read one book — they may read ten books, watch videos, attend lectures (and maybe even write their own book).

How do you overlearn?

{#blank#}4{#/blank#} For instance, when using the Leitner method, always review all the flashcards you're assigned on a particular day, even if you feel like passing over them because you got them right last time. Repeatedly going over material you know well is the key to overlearning and eventual automatic recall.

Schedule blocks of time in your week for reviewing materials you've already mastered. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Continually reintroducing familiar ideas to yourself will dig them deeper into your long term memory.