| How to Introduce Yourself in Class Posted: 07 Sep 2018 01:00 AM PDT Introducing yourself in class, whether you are the student or the teacher, can feel daunting. Deciding what and how much to share, overcoming anxiety, and presenting yourself as an interesting and engaged person are steps that will help you introduce yourself with confidence, both in a physical classroom or in an online setting. EditGiving Your Introduction Speech - Stand up when it's your turn to introduce yourself. This will make you appear more confident and will help you speak more clearly than if you were to stay seated. It may feel awkward to stand up, but your introduction will be over more quickly than you think.[1]
- If you are sitting in the middle of the room, you may want to turn your head from side to side occasionally as you speak so you can address the entire class.
- Smile when you speak. Even if you are super nervous, smiling will make your voice sound calmer and will help you mask that nervousness. It also shows your classmates and your teacher that you are friendly and approachable. Also, smiling stimulates the production of endorphins, so you are helping yourself to feel a little happier, too![2]
- Scientific studies have shown that making yourself smile when publicly speaking endears others to you as they naturally will want to smile back.[3]
- Speak with confidence. Chances are that even if your voice is shaky, others won't notice that. You want everyone to be able to hear you, so when you introduce yourself, do so in a clear, loud voice. Don't mumble or stare down at the ground. It's perfectly okay to be nervous—lots of people are when speaking in front of others! But if you can take a steadying breath and project confidence, you'll be through your introduction before you know it.[4]
- Try practicing your introduction in a mirror to prepare yourself beforehand.
- A lot of the people in your class will be thinking about what they are going to say when it's their turn and may not even be watching you the entire time you're speaking.
- Give your name first. It's helpful to give your first name, pause, and then give your first and last name, like "Hello, my name is June, June Thompson." The repetition makes it more likely that others will remember your name.[5]
- If you prefer to go by a nickname, this is the time to give that detail. Say something like, "Hi, my name is Marcella, Marcella Smith, but I like to go by 'Marcie.'"
- Share why you are taking the class. If you're in a college course, you can share your intended major. Or if you're taking a class for a certification for a job, you could share what it is you do for work. For example, you could say, "Hi, I'm Mark, Mark Palmer. I'm an Economics major, and this class is helping me get a certification I need to graduate."[6]
- If you are only in the class because you have to be (like a general education course that all students are required to take), you don't need to say that—chances are a lot of other people are in the same boat.
- Offer personable details, like hobbies or interests you have. If you are involved in sports or have pets or like to travel, the end of your introduction is a good place to give this information. You could say something like, "When I'm not studying, I like to train for and run in half-marathons." This gives your classmates and teacher a memorable activity to tie to your name.[7]
- Avoid sharing overly personal details, like if you're going through a divorce or recently lost your job. Try to keep things positive and upbeat—you don't want your first impression to be negative or make other people uncomfortable.
EditWriting an Introduction for an Online Course - Add a photo if you haven't done so already. It's always nice to be able to put a face to a name, and in an online course the feeling of community has to form in a different way than in a traditional class. You can usually add a photo to your profile so it shows every time you post, or you could add an additional picture to your introduction post.[8]
- If you're uncomfortable with adding a photo for privacy reasons, that is okay! If it was a requested by your instructor, just send them an email about your reservations to let them know why you aren't adhering to their guidelines.
- Keep your tone friendly and professional. Because you're posting online, it can be tempting to slip into an informal way of "speaking" by using slang or loose grammar, so pay extra attention to your introduction post. Use full, complete sentences, proper grammar, and make sure to proofread before you hit "submit."[9]
- Try reading what you wrote out loud to hear how it sounds—this may help you reword or restructure your introduction for the best flow.
- Share personal and professional information. Include information about why you're in the class and about what you do during the rest of your time (either for work or for fun). For example, you could write "Hi, my name is Sharon Izzo, and I work during the day at a nursing home. When I'm not working or in class, I like to spend time with my spouse and our 3 rescue dogs."[10]
- You can also share what city you live in if you're comfortable with that—many students who are in online classes form study groups that either meet in person or online.
- Remember that less is more—your classmates will be less likely to read 5 paragraphs than they would 1 succinct paragraph.
- Respond to your classmates' posts. This is the best way to start building rapport with everyone. Reach out to others who live in the same area or who share the same interests as you. Chances are if you're in the same program, you might have multiple courses with them over the next 1 or 2 years.[11]
- Having an active presence in your online class will make your overall experience more gratifying, and it'll also help you engage more with the material.
EditIntroducing Yourself as a Teacher - Greet students and introduce yourself once everyone is seated. Include your name (what you would like them to address you by), your academic background, and your interests. You could say something like, "Good morning class, my name is John Smith, you can call me John or Professor Smith. I received my degree in Communications from XYZ College and my masters from ABC University. I just moved to the area recently and enjoy exploring downtown and going hiking with my dog, Bruce."[12]
- It's helpful to share details that students can identify with, but be wary of sharing overly personal information.
- This is also a time you could share any awards you have won, areas of study you are interested or involved in, publications, or boards you serve on. You want to establish as much credibility as possible.
- Smile and address the entire room as you speak. Be welcoming and warm, making sure to look around the room as you introduce yourself. If you are nervous, try looking above the heads of the students instead of making direct eye contact. Move your body and walk around the room if you feel comfortable.[13]
- Remember that your students see you as the person of authority in the room. Chances are, they won't notice if you are nervous or forget something you had planned to say. Be confident and know that there is always time to cover anything you may have forgotten.
- Pass out a syllabus/class instructions and answer questions. While you are giving your introduction, pass out the class syllabus so the students can begin looking it over. You can then refer to it after your personal introduction to share your expectations for the class (attendance, participation, structure, projects).[14]
- Setting the tone for the class on the first day is an important part of teaching a successful, engaged course. Practice several times before you actually are in front of your students.
- Avoid eating anything right before introducing yourself so you don't have to worry about having food stuck in your teeth.
- Try to be yourself rather than focusing on impressing other people—you'll come across as more genuine if you are honest and open, rather than bragging about your accomplishments when you introduce yourself.
EditSources and Citations
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| How to Promote a Clothing Brand Posted: 06 Sep 2018 05:00 PM PDT There are a number of dynamic ways that you can successfully advertise a clothing brand. Showcase the clothing line by taking fun, flattering pictures of the garments and then compose an attention-grabbing branding video. Create a website and social media accounts for the brand. Next, gain visibility by sharing pictures and posts through your online networks. Go the extra mile by producing an intriguing press kit and commissioning sponsored blog content to really promote the brand. EditCreating Your Brand Image - Create a unique logo. Popular clothing lines can be identified by signature logos. If you do not already have one, design a logo that is unique and personal. Choose an image that is important to you, letters that identify you, or an emblem that corresponds to what your clothing line is about.[1]
- For instance, if a four leaf clover is a personal symbol of luck for you, it may serve as an excellent logo for your brand.
- Create a unique visual theme. Associate your clothing with a particular aesthetic appeal. Make this a running theme for your brand. Plan photo shoots and promotional events that reflect this theme. For instance, if your clothing is well-suited for outdoor sports and activities, choose trees and nature as a common aesthetic feature and hold photo shoots and events outdoors.
- Take photos of your clothing. In today's world, even amateur photographers can take beautiful pictures with their smartphones, using apps and filters. Take photos of your clothing on a mannequin, dress form, or live model, so that online customers can see how the garment fits. Adjust the color balance, brightness and contrast of your photos to get the best possible results.[2]
- Download a free photo editing app for your smartphone, to touch up your pictures.
- Take wide angle shots so that you can crop the photos afterwards.
- Take pictures of each color variation of the items.
- If you clothing features special designs or embellishments, add additional close up photos of these details.
- Post the photos on your website, social media accounts, and advertisements to promote your brand.
- Hold a fashion show. Fashion shows are a great way to advertise your designs in a fun, interactive way. These events also attract professionals in the fashion industry, along with other fashion enthusiasts. To attract a greater crowd and help a good cause, hold your fashion show as a benefit for a local charity, to raise money and awareness for a worthy cause, while showcasing your work.[3]
- Promote your fashion show on social media sites to spread the word quickly and inexpensively.
- Create a printed or electronic press kit. A press kit is an informative presentation about your company that is sent to media and retailers to boost your design profile. The kit can be printed and sent by mail, hand delivered, or sent online as a PDF document. The press kit should feature a story page describing how your clothing line got started, as well as:[4]
- A personal note from the clothing line's creator and designer
- A condensed version of the online "lookbook", featuring a few select designs
- Press about your clothing line, if any already exists (e.g. articles or interviews)
- Quotes from the creator and designer about their clothing line that media sources can easily use in articles
- A FAQ (frequently asked questions) section addressing common inquiries about the clothing line
- Links to or listing of all of the clothing line's social media accounts
- Updated contact information
- High quality photos interspersed throughout the press kit
- Mail samples to fashion publications upon request. After you send out press kits to different publications, you may receive requests for sample clothing from the line. Download a fashion inventory software such as Fashion GPS that will let you print out loan forms for these publications to sign, guaranteeing that the sample will be returned by a specific date and in good condition. Send out samples after receiving the signed form back.[5]
- Keep track of your samples with fashion inventory software or a simple Excel spreadsheet.
EditSetting up an Online Presence - Create a website. To sell to a wide audience and reach new audiences, your clothing line should have a website that is appealing and easy to navigate. Create your own or enlist the help of a friend or loved one who is experienced with web site design and search engine optimization techniques. Your website should include a lookbook of your designs, an online store, and a clear breakdown of your contact information.[6]
- Ask friends and family to link to your website, to help advertise your clothing line.
- Set up an Instagram account. Creating an Instagram account for your clothing line is a great way to showcase pictures of your designs and gain followers. Instagram users prefer communication though shared images and may respond more quickly to pictures with a like than they would respond to other forms of media. Post colorful, interesting pictures of your clothing and follow new users frequently, to widen your network.
- This Instagram account should be separate from your personal account.
- Set up a Facebook page specifically for your clothing line. Facebook is a good platform to connect with people, share information, and connect to other social media platforms. Create a Facebook page for your clothing line and invite friends and relatives to like it and share it with others. Advertise events on your page and link to your website and other social media accounts.[7]
- Make a branded video for your clothing line and share it online. Viral video is a fast and powerful way to market your brand online. Shoot and edit a short video that presents the essence and visual theme of your brand in a memorable way. Share the video on a platform like Youtube, then link to it on your clothing brand's social media pages.[8]
- This video could show a behind-the-scenes view of how your designs come to life, or be a scripted with imaginative narrative that shows off some of your best designs.
- Sponsor promotional content on a fashion blog. Reach out to fashion bloggers to commission advertising for your clothing line in a blog feature. Send them your press kit and discuss the cost for this writing. Once a promotional blog for your brand is posted, add a link to the blog on your social media pages. [9]
EditBuilding a Good Reputation - Provide good customer service and easy returns. Aim to provide customers with a positive experience that will create loyalty to your brand. Address any complaints or concerns directly and quickly, through email or social media. Provide easy returns on items that customers are not happy with, even if this is not cost effective at first.[10]
- Give incentives for return customers. Once a customer makes a purchase from you, take steps to keep them as a customer. For instance, offer a discount on their next purchase after the initial transaction goes through. You can also offer a free item when they purchase $100 or more of your products.[11]
- Create a mailing list for customers. When customers order from your online store, ask if they would like to be added to your mailing list. Send out daily, weekly, or monthly emails with exclusive deals and sneak peeks at new products being added to your clothing line. Entice customers to join the mailing list by offering a small discount on their next order.[12]
EditSources and Citations
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| How to Feel Great in the Morning Posted: 06 Sep 2018 09:00 AM PDT If you find that it takes you forever to wake up, or that you feel like a zombie for the first few hours of the day, you're not alone. This is a common occurrence and is caused by reduced blood flow and oxygen circulation in the body after sleeping all night. Luckily, by taking care of your body before and after you go to sleep and doing light stretches in the morning, you can improve how you feel every morning and feel able to take on the world right away! EditDoing Morning Exercises - Start your day with some light stretches to loosen up your muscles. Your body will feel pretty stiff after sleeping for 8 hours. Do light to moderate stretches in the first 5 minutes after you wake up to get energized and motivated in the morning.[1]
- In a standing position, lift one leg up until it's parallel to the floor, then stretch your arms forward to touch your toes. Hold for 20 seconds then repeat with your other leg. This will stretch your hamstrings and legs.
- Rotate your arms like a windmill to stretch your arms and shoulders. Stretch your neck by tilting your chin downwards and upwards, then tilting your head to the left and to the right.
- You should push yourself to feel tension, but not pain. Stop performing a stretch if it starts to become painful.
- Do a set of push-ups and a set of sit-ups. Doing a few push-ups and sit-ups in the morning will help get your blood circulating and will also prime your muscles to make you more active throughout the day. Do 1 set each of push-ups and sit-ups, limiting yourself to completing as many as you feel comfortable doing without becoming exhausted.[2]
- Although push-ups are a great way to build muscle, you shouldn't worry about there in this context; just do enough to get your heart pumping and your muscles very slightly sore.
- There's no set guideline for how many sit-ups or push-ups to include in each set. If you feel comfortable, do 10 of each exercise.
- Do a set of jumping jacks to engage your legs and shoulders. Jumping jacks are a terrific cardiovascular exercise that amps up your heart rate and also gives your legs and shoulders a workout. Do 30 to 50 jumps after you wake up to kickstart your heart rate and get energized right away.[3]
- If you can't do 30 jumping jacks, consider doing 2 sets of 15 or 3 sets of 10 for the same end results.
- Make sure to do your jumping jacks after you've stretched to minimize the risk of injuring yourself.
- Perform a set of squats to kickstart your metabolism and build muscle. Squats work your largest muscle groups in your legs and thus have a tremendous boosting effect on your metabolism following a workout. Do squats after your morning stretches to get your body ready for the day and to improve your mobility, balance, and posture.[4]
- Squats are a great exercise for increasing the range of motion in your hips and ankles, which also helps to reduce lower back and knee pain. However, your knees should not cross the plane of your toes, otherwise it may damage the joints in your knees.
- Go for a run or walk. Running through the fresh air outside can refresh you and wake you up very quickly after you get out of bed. Consider going for a short 5-10 minute run in the morning to refresh yourself and feel energized for the rest of the day.[5]
- This doesn't have to be a very fast run; going for a light jog will still boost your metabolism and give you a nice workout.
- If you can't run, try walking for 30-40 minutes instead for roughly the same results.
EditRefreshing Your Body - Drink a glass of water first thing in the morning. You may or may not feel like drinking water when you wake up, but in either case your body needs it. Down an glass of water right after waking up to jump start your metabolism and to help you feel more alert.[6]
- If you leave early in the morning to go to work, try to drink a second glass of water as well before leaving your home. This will help you stay focused in the morning and encourage you to stay hydrated throughout the day.
- Consider filling a water bottle with a leak-proof top and leaving it on your night stand before going to bed.
- Eat a nutritious and filling breakfast. Starting off the day with a healthy breakfast will give you energy for the morning and prevent you from feeling groggy. Eat a breakfast that combines healthy carbs, fiber, and protein for an energizing start to your day.[7]
- Fruits, whole grain wheat, and simple proteins work best in the morning. Eggs, cheese, yogurt, or cottage cheese are also good options for morning meals.
- Avoid eating heavy carbs or large portions for breakfast; eating too much may cause you to feel more sluggish instead of energized.
- Meditate or perform breathing exercises to clear your mind. Doing breathing exercises or meditation in the morning can help give you a fresh mindset and get rid of anxiety or tension in your muscles. Meditate for 5 minutes each morning to start your day in a calm and relaxed state.[8]
- When doing deep breathing, take deep breaths into your stomach and hold them for 5-7 seconds before releasing them. You'll find that tension in your body relaxes as you exhale.
- Hold off on drinking coffee until later in the day. Many of us drink coffee first thing in the morning. However, drinking coffee right after you wake up actually reduces the caffeine's effect and makes you build a tolerance to the drug faster. Consider waiting a few hours before having your coffee to make sure you're getting the full effect of the caffeine.[9]
- For example, if you wake up at 7:00, consider waiting until around 10:00 before having coffee.
- For even better results, cut coffee entirely out of your regular morning routine and only drink it on the days when you really need to (e.g., when you have to wake up earlier than usual).
EditPreparing the Night Before - Relax and unwind for 1 hour before bedtime. If you're stressed or overactive right up until you go to bed, it will take your body longer to fall into a restful sleep state. Give yourself an hour before you go to bed to unwind and do relaxing activities to help your body go to sleep faster.[10]
- Examples of some relaxing activities might include reading, watching your favorite TV show, or listening to soothing music.
- Meditating or performing breathing exercises is also a good way to relax your body and your mind as you prepare to go to sleep.
- Refrain from eating right before bed to avoid digesting food all night. Your body uses a lot of energy to slowly digest food, so if you eat a big meal before bed, you'll digest that food all night and disrupt your sleep pattern. Eat your meals earlier in the evening to ensure your sleep is more restful.[11]
- If you absolutely can't avoid eating right before bed, try to only eat a light meal and stick to foods that are the least disruptive to your sleep. These include cherries, bananas, rice, and turkey.[12]
- You should definitely avoid eating dark chocolate or drinking coffee or wine before bed.
- Drink a glass of water before bed to stay hydrated. Even when you're asleep, your body is still carrying out a lot of its normal functions and will use up water in the process. Sip on some water before bed to keep your body hydrated, aid digestion, and help your body detox while you sleep.[13]
- Consider investing in a sports bottle with a sealable lid and keeping a filled one next to your bed. This will not only remind you to drink water before you go to bed, but will also give you a convenient source of water for after you wake up.
- Go to bed at the same time each night. Your body has its own internal clock that it naturally follows, so going to sleep and waking up at regular times every day will help it feel energized and efficient. Pick a bedtime and stick to it each night to avoid feeling sluggish in the morning.[14]
- No matter what bedtime you choose, aim to get 7-8 hours of sleep each night.
- Stick to this sleep schedule even on weekends and days when you don't have to wake up early. Your body will thank you for it!
- Wake up on time and don't allow yourself to oversleep. Oversleeping can leave you feeling drained and sluggish in much the same way that not getting enough sleep can. Set alarms to go off roughly 8 hours after your bedtime and don't let yourself sleep through them.[15]
- Consider using alarms that don't include a snooze option. If you know your alarm won't repeat itself, you'll be more inclined to get out of bed and start your day after it goes off the first time.
- Try to avoid sleeping for more than 9 hours, as this may negatively affect your mood the next day.
- Go to bed early enough to get a full 8 hours of sleep each night. One of the best ways to feel great in the morning is to ensure you feel refreshed and energized after you wake up!
- Take a hot shower soon after you wake up in the mornings. Not only is a hot shower refreshing and cleansing, but it's also a great way to get rid of any lingering "zombie" feelings.
EditSources and Citations EditQuick Summary
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