The Best Things that Happened in 2015

So here we are at the end of 2015. And man, what a time to be alive. The year was filled with amazing things: some big wins, some major losses. So as we wrap up the year in preparation for the new year, here are some of the best (and worst) things that happened in 2015. This was actually an idea I got from Instagram (#2015bestnine) where you can see the most liked nine pics on your gram. Please note, that this is listed in no particular order and obviously, we couldn’t include everything. But let us know if we missed anything!

McDonald’s All-day Breakfast

This is a major win. Now, you can order McDonald’s breakfast (honestly, the best part of McDonald’s) now at any time. This means you can get hash browns, break burritos, and McMuffins along with your BigMac and McNuggets. Unfortunately, McDonald’s has reported declining sales even with the new menu change. But, still awesome and revolutionary nonetheless.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens 

I mean, what can I say. As a fanboy, Star Wars Episode 7 was EPIC. And I know that there are some who still haven’t seen the movie (GO AND WATCH IT RIGHT NOW), all I’ll say is that it’ll make you feel like a child again and fill you with that awe-inspiring gasp just like you had when you watched the very first Star Wars.

Snapchat Lenses 

This was a huge update for Snapchat and I remember how much fun everyone had for about a month. These lenses are like masks that can change your face to anything: an android, a demon, or let you barf rainbows.

Google turns to Alphabet 

This was a huge organizational change for Google. This has allowed Google to become a large conglomerate and not be tied down to their popular search engine. This will hopefully allow more growth and innovation into new markets. Check it out at abc.xyz

 

Water on Mars

In mid-2015, NASA confirmed that they found water frozen at the poles of Mars. I’m no scientist so here are people smarter than me to explain it.

“What Are THOSE!” 

In reference to a police officer’s shoes, a guy asks…

Free Myesha fast

A video posted by Snapchat @youngbusco87 (@youngbusco) on Jun 14, 2015 at 10:55am PDT

 

This is has sparked into a crazy frenzy of remakes…

Global Poverty and Hunger rates Lowest Ever

The World Bank has reported that global poverty has fallen to a record low of 9.6% in 2015. This is incredible compared to even 30 years ago where almost 40% of the world was considered impoverished.

Donald Trump 

While we’re really not trying to be political but, I think it’s safe to say that Donald Trump running for president has given a few laughs to most people. I mean, the guy truly speaks his mind (albeit to the offense of some) and really owns up to it. It will be interesting to see how his campaign either comes to fruition or fails.

Finally, this has been a great year for The GIVEN. We’ve struggled with losses and celebrated over our wins. 2016 will be even better! Join us at http://www.thegiven.co to help the world become a smarter place. Students can come and ask questions and help their peers solve their questions. Tutors can join and make money buy helping students!

 

December 29, 2015December 29, 2015 by The GIVEN Categories: all nighter, books, business, college, college life, edtech, education, education technology, homework, library, math help, math hw, mathematics, money, online homework help, parenting, reading, school, startup, student, studying, test, The GIVEN, tutor, tutoring, Uncategorized, universityTags: college, edtech, education, high school, student, tutoring Leave a comment

The Holiday Spirit: A Season of GIVEN

Anywhere you go, you can feel the holiday season approaching. Malls are deck out with Christmas trees, cheerful jingle-belled songs blasting on the radio, and ads on the television or Instagram all offering special holiday sales and promotions. Despite the fact that Maryland is having an unseasonably warm December this year, the holidays are a coming. Here at The GIVEN, we believe that this is a great time and reason to give back and also support those who are in need.

Health Care for Homeless says that on almost any given night, 3,000 people will experience homelessness, summing to 30,000 a year. Moreover, this number is a pressing one because more than half of Maryland’s homeless population resides in Baltimore. So many people are homeless because of many reasons beyond the obvious. While many people are quick to judge homeless people as uneducated or addicted to drugs and alcohol, these are simply symptoms of a greater problem: a growing pool of impoverished people, an increasing wage/wealth gap, the prevalence of drugs and crime in the inner cities, and less attention from the government in schools.

Many have been bombarded with bad luck after bad luck and soon they were unable to even climb out of the hole that life dug them. Many have been saturated in a culture of crime and gang violence, so they were unable to receive the proper education and skills to receive jobs. The price of housing is also constantly on the rise, which also correlates with a high cost of living. Often, while homeless people may have a job, it could be too low paying to even afford a small studio apartment in the rough side of the city.

So what are some ways you can help?

1. Buy a hot meal for them: Often time, I’m concerned about how the money I donate is spent, this is a great way to help someone out and have peace of mind.
2. Volunteer at a homeless shelter: This could be a great growing experience, especially if you participate together with a group of friends or your family.
3. Have a conversation with them: While daunting at first, this is probably the most invaluable thing you can do. They have been hit with so much hardships and now they are alone on the streets. Many homeless people face depression because they lack human interaction. Ask them about where they’re from and even (carefully) ask them how they became homeless. They usually have truly insightful and interesting stories to tell.

So during this holiday season, let’s all remember that there are always people who are more in need than us and that we can always share with those who have less. The GIVEN wants to share knowledge with students who are less fortunate but what to succeed. We provide high quality, personally verified tutors to answer the questions that student outside of their classroom, where most homework and exam studying takes place.

 

December 17, 2015 by The GIVEN Categories: all nighter, books, business, college, college life, education, education technology, homework, library, math help, math hw, mathematics, money, online homework help, parenting, reading, school, startup, student, studying, test, The GIVEN, tutor, tutoring, Uncategorized Leave a comment

Strive for More than Success, Strive to Change the World

Hi, my name is Paul and I want to make the world a better place. To me, there is nothing more satisfying than creating something with purpose and function. As an entrepreneur, I am constantly searching for a better solution to our world’s most pressing problems. And boy, are there a lot of problems. There are roughly 7.3 billion people on God’s green earth and each has an unique story to tell and a specific problem they face. While some are born in privilege, others are born in poverty. There are extroverts and introverts. Some are smart; others are athletic. Some are both.

I always found this quote by Bill Gates quite profound: “If you were born poor, it’s not your mistake. But, if you die poor, that’s your mistake.” I think that is especially true for those who live in America. I remember as a child how my Korean parents fawned over the idea of the American dream and how it was the “land of opportunity.” However, the quote is biased in itself. Unfortunately, those of lower income are influenced by gang violence and drug trafficking even at a young age. Instead of having dreams of becoming a doctor, the President or, a star athlete, they are often negatively impacted by the situation they’re presented.

But, a child’s aspirations are learned and cultivated in school. The community of teachers, administrators, and counselors instill passion in students by identifying and growing their interests and talents. But, the education distribution in America is beyond unequal, something that I’ve seen so clearly while doing community service in Baltimore City schools. Schools in impoverished cities lack proper conditions for learning. Many lack new textbooks, class supplies, and calculators. Teachers are underprepared and underfunded so schools lack after-school activities and sports.

Surprisingly, something I did see was that almost every student had on them a smartphone. While their schools did not have the funds to buy new textbooks and school supplies, almost every student had access to Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Vine. Witnessing this power of technology, I created The GIVEN. I wanted a space for people of diverse backgrounds and situations to come together and share their knowledge. With the internet, we can connect people to a new level of learning where, collectively, we can help each other grow. This is how humans were made to learn and that is the future of education. I hope that, together, we can make a difference. Come join us at http://www.thegiven.co

Cheers,

Paul Kang
CEO and Co-Founder of The GIVEN

October 20, 2015October 20, 2015 by The GIVEN Categories: all nighter, books, business, college, college life, education, education technology, homework, library, math help, math hw, mathematics, money, online homework help, parenting, reading, school, startup, student, studying, test, The GIVEN, tutor, tutoring, universityTags: all nighter, baby, books, business, children, college, college life, dads, education, education technology, entrepreneur, fathers, high school, homework, jobs, library, math, mathematics, moms, money, mothers, online homework help, online tutoring, parenting, scholarship, school, startup, student, studying, test, The GIVEN, tutoring, university Leave a comment

A Letter to our Math Teachers

Dear Mr./Ms. Math Teacher,

Let’s have a quick chat. To be honest, I don’t really like math. I really don’t. Now, don’t take this personally, but none of these shapes and numbers make sense. It’s always equation after equation. If I see another proof, I might explode in sheer agony.

And the homework. Oh man, the homework. I’ve spent too many sleepless nights trying to finish that problem set. I mean, does getting an A really mean I have to sacrifice my beauty sleep?

Who knew that 5 questions took 5 hours? Look, I know that math is good for me, but math is kind of like vegetables, bland, unappetizing, and leaves a weird taste in your mouth. Nobody wants to eat veggies. We want our pizza.

Seriously, I want to do better in math. Trust me, I really do. But class is so confusing! We could be learning 1+1 but if I look away from the board for like a second, you’re already solving intense astrophysical-thermodynamic nuclear algorithmic equations. That’s what the rapper Drake calls, “0 to 100, real quick.”

But, as much I hate math, I want to thank you. Thank you for being supportive and there by my side to help me through the struggles. Thank you for getting me the extra help I needed whether it be a tutor or online math help.

You have shown me that there are many ways to learn math. There are so many options such as Khan Academy, after-school academies, private math tutors, YouTube, Wolfram Alpha, Chegg and The GIVEN. They’re all really awesome!

The GIVEN was especially helpful and it’s helping me do better on my math homework. I didn’t know how quickly I could get help from hundreds of tutors all over the globe. All I had to do was sign up at http://www.thegiven.co/studentsignup. Then, I just posted my question, set my deadline and budget range, and start learning! Through connecting with such a diverse array of people, I’ve really learned how universe the language of math is and how important math is for our society and for my career.

So, yeah I’m not the best at math but, I guess math can be pretty cool.

Sincerely,

Every Math Student Ever

October 15, 2015October 15, 2015 by The GIVEN Categories: all nighter, books, college, college life, education, homework, library, math help, math hw, mathematics, money, online homework help, parenting, reading, school, student, studying, test, The GIVEN, tutor, tutoring, universityTags: all nighter, baby, books, children, college, college life, dads, education, fathers, high school, homework, jobs, library, math, mathematics, moms, money, mothers, online homework help, online tutoring, parenting, scholarship, student, studying, test, The GIVEN, tutoring, university Leave a comment

What are the Best Tools to do Better in Math Class?

Mathematics. Already sounds boring right? Many actually start feeling pain when they hear the word. However, math is super important and is the fundamental tool for so many great career paths. Engineers, scientists, business men, investment bankers, astronauts, economists, politicians all use math in some form. Those with a mathematics degree also have a higher chance for employment and on average make more money! So we should all want to be better at math. Easier said than done, right? But, it doesn’t have to hard. In fact, with the internet and our outrageously smart technology, and a little bit of courage and discipline, you can become a math wiz too! Here are some tips and tools:

Khan Academy

So a common joke going around at Hopkins (the school I attend), is “Khan Academy and Chill”. But honestly, it’s true. Khan Academy is a list of videos that deal with all sorts of concepts and subjects. But, math seems to be one of the most popular. You can learn algebra, calculus, geometry, all the way up to more difficult college level math. This is a great tool to review material that you learned in class and even prepare for future concepts. Along the same lines, YouTube in general is a great resource for more math videos tutorials and guides.

Chegg 

Another popular resource is Chegg. Not only can you buy your textbooks but you can also get the answers (just the even numbered problems) for it too. If you pay for their premium membership, you can get all the answers as well as get live video chatting with a tutor.

Online Practice Tests

Using Google, you can get tons of practice tests that people from all over the world have collected. This is especially helpful for people trying to prepare for big standardized tests such as SAT, ACT, and AP tests. You should use these to test and review your knowledge and make sure that you are 100% prepared for your test.

Wolfram Alpha

It’s hard to describe what Wolfram Alpha. It’s a calculator. It’s a search engine. It’s… pretty much awesome. It’s basically a super smart calculator that solve most math problems. It also can teach other subjects such as biology, chemistry, and even astrology. Just type in what you want answered and it’ll do it for you.

The GIVEN

Finally, a great cost-effective solution to learning quickly is The GIVEN. The GIVEN is great because first, it’s cheap. You name your price and the time you need your online math help. There are no subscription fees and no gimmicks. You can ask basic questions for absolutely free and preferred for a couple of dollars. You’ll get answers for many tutors that you’ll be connected to personally. So come and check out http://www.thegiven.co to see how you can improve your math grades in school and be happier at school!

October 13, 2015October 13, 2015 by The GIVEN Categories: all nighter, books, college, college life, education, homework, library, math help, math hw, mathematics, money, online homework help, parenting, reading, school, student, studying, test, The GIVEN, tutor, tutoring, universityTags: all nighter, baby, books, children, college, college life, dads, education, fathers, high school, homework, jobs, library, math, mathematics, moms, money, mothers, online homework help, online tutoring, parenting, scholarship, student, studying, test, The GIVEN, tutoring, university Leave a comment