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

Merry Christmas Eve!

Today is December 24th, 2015. As today is Christmas Eve, many are busy. Maybe you’re finishing off your shopping list, maybe you’re prepping dinner ingredients for the holiday feast, or maybe you’re just relaxing in your home. But, regardless, this is one of the best times of the years to spend with your family and friends. Whether you’re in college or moved far away from home for professional reasons, this is the time when we’ll all migrate back to where we call home. Home is so important because that where we’ve made our memories, the food tastes better, and where the conversations are never dry. Home pulls at the heartstrings and reminds you that no matter how far you go, home will always be waiting for you to return.

So, on behalf of the The GIVEN Team, I would like to cordially wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy Holidays. I hope that everyone can spend this time with loved ones, whether it be with family or friend, and stay warm (albeit the unseasonably warm temperatures), happy, and healthy. We want to also thank all of our GIVEN members. Thank you to our tutors who so passionately share their knowledge with students. Thank you to our students who also crave to learn more and seek to better themselves better academically. Thank you to our GIVEN team. You guys are the best and I’m so thankful that we can support each other to work harder, stay positive, and dream big.

Merry Christmas to all!

From The GIVEN Team.

http://www.thegiven.co

December 24, 2015December 24, 2015 by The GIVEN Categories: Uncategorized 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

What Winter Break Feels Like…

The dreaded season of finals is slowly wading away and most students have either started or will start their winter vacation. With not a care in the world and the holidays drawing close, students are filled with joyous excitement. It probably looks like this:

Looking at your last final, you don’t know anything but there’s hope…

And you’re so happy once you’re all done… 

And your friends who haven’t finished are jealous 

And when you don’t know (or care) about what you got on your final exams… 

But you get to go home to your family (dogs are family too)…

When you can finally lay down and fall asleep on your bed…

Or go outside to play in a winter wonderland…

Or if you live in the west (or east) coast, December feels actually more like… 

But still the holidays are the best…

And there’s not a worry in the world!

Congrats to all of our students who just finished their last finals of the fall semester! Remember, The GIVEN is here, year-round, for all our students trying to do better in class, on their homework, and on their tests. Join us at http://www.thegiven.co/studentsignup to see how we can help you. We have hundreds of tutors ready to help you get better grades and achieve more!

December 15, 2015December 15, 2015 by The GIVEN Categories: Uncategorized Leave a comment

Weekly GIVENews: (Dogs, Cats, Wookies, Trumps, and Kanyes)

We’ve scavenged the internet in hopes of finding this week’s most interesting, weird, “shake my head”, cringe- in-pain , noteworthy, hilarious, and awesome articles, videos, news, and other things. Get updated on the most recent news in pop culture, politics, the world, and in tech.

Kanye and Kim Kardashian West name their newborn son, Saint West.

Unsurprisingly avant-garde, yet unequivocally pretentious. Welcome to life Kanye Jr.

Donald Trump is still the highest on the GOP polls. 
Even after being under scrutiny for his statements against Muslims and Syrian refugees, Trump is still popular.

New Star Wars: The Force Awakens Trailer (SPOILERS) 

All fanboys (and girls) rejoice! While it probably won’t be the same without George Lucas or Darth Vader, I can tell it’s going to be good.

 

Apple releases the most unappealing battery case for the iPhone 6s. 

Tim Cook calls it the “hump.” Android users jeer, scoff, and laugh. Apple users are hesitant, at most, defensive. Others just don’t understand.

The Golden State Warriors continue their record breaking win streak to now 23-0. 

Klay Thompson dropped 39 points and 10 long range 3-pointers, but ended up spraining his ankle in the 4th quarter.

Best holiday tech gifts under $50 

Good holiday gift ideas for your friends, family, and significant others. Plus, it won’t break the bank.

 

For the first time ever, dogs born via In Vitro fertilization 

And… here’s Channing Tatum being mean to the cutest kitten.

 

We wish all of our college readers good luck on their final exams and a restful winter vacation! Remember, for all your academic and homework help join us at http://www.thegiven.co.

 

December 10, 2015December 10, 2015 by The GIVEN Categories: Uncategorized Leave a comment

Educating Baltimore

When it comes to how to educate our children, scholars, professionals, and political leaders all have different answers. Some want to change the curriculum, others want to designate more funding, most want to simply motivate and push students. However, focusing on the microcosm of problems loses sight of the larger scope: America is one of the most academically disinclined countries in the world. This is an issue that requires more analysis and cannot be solved through simple solutions.

American students rank 25th in math, 17th in science, and 14th in reading. Countries like Finland, South Korea, China, and Singapore outscore the US in every academic category every single year. Is it the curriculum? Schools in Finland promote divergent thinking and often focus on a smaller range of subjects, but go into further depth. Schools in East Asia are standardized testing based, making competition extremely fierce and classes mainly geared to learn all the concepts on the college entrance exam.

Is it the quality of teaching? It is true that French or German schools require their teachers to go through rigorous exams and certifications to become teachers. However, teachers in European countries are paid almost 1.5x as much as American teachers, Swiss teachers making roughly 68.82K annually compared to American’s making an annual 41.46K.

Baltimore schools actually receive a high amount of funding both from the federal and state levels. In recent years, there have been a significant decrease in high-school dropouts as well. However, it is difficult to correlate the two together.

So what is the solution that saves us money, integrates into the current system, and actually improves students grades while fundamentally teaching them? The GIVEN believes that the answer is technology. Technology has been growing almost too quickly and there hasn’t been a top contender for education. Sure, there’s Khan Academy with their free online videos and other popular. However, these services are not personalized or on-demand. The modern student/consumer lives in a world where with a couple of clicks or taps, a pizza (taxi, clothes, games, apps, or anything purchasable) immediately shows up at their front door. Education should also follow suit. Students should be able to receive help whenever they require it and have tutors be willing to work on the student’s schedule. Join us at http://www.thegiven.co/studentsignup to see on-demand education services for students and higher education.

 

December 8, 2015December 8, 2015 by The GIVEN Categories: Uncategorized Leave a comment

The Implications of the Growing EdTech Industry

The future of education is valued at $8 billion dollars. That’s a lot of money to make American students smarter. But where exactly is this money going to? Who are the industry leaders? What does EdTech and the future of education look like? We’ll examine these questions further.

Essentially, the Ed-Tech industry is broken into non-profit organizations, for profit companies, and institutions affiliated with the public sector. More specifically, there are four main segments: MOOC, Educational Software, Educational Hardware, and EdTech Startups. A MOOC is short for a Massive Online Open Courses. This includes any online class or course. Educational software includes open forums, flash card apps, online study tools, and other educational apps. Educational hardware has become less popular in recent years, but include educational toys, computers, smartphones, and tablets.

Silicon Valley has also been a huge catalyst to new companies all in search of tapping the education industry goldmine. EdTech startups are an interesting mix of the three previous segments mentioned. These startups include online courses, tutoring services, and more innovative and intuitive ways to augment the learning experience inside and outside of classroom. On Angel.co there are almost 10,000 different companies all within the education industry.

The leaders in MOOCs include Udemy, Khan Academy, Kaplan University, and Pearson Learning. These companies have services that have open content, registration that is either for free or for a price, and possible certification or credits. Education software has been increasingly more popular through new apps on Android and iOS devices. These apps including study tools and planners. Good examples include Remind (formerly known as Remind101), Quizlet, and Studyblue. Moreover, never before has education been so undiscovered. Like health or technology, education has been relatively so primitive and antiquated that there is a fundamental need to innovate the way we think about learning. Through technology being quicker, more powerful, and more widespread, it is very possible that even school could look extremely different in the next decade.

Beyond institutionalized education, EdTech has already become promising for businesses. With almost $62 billion spent by companies hoping to train employees, EdTech becomes a blatant, cost-effective solution for companies. McAfee is a great example where they have saved both time and money during their corporate onboarding process by utilizing MOOCs. These online options are so effective because the learning process is personalized for each individual, scalable for the business, and accessible for anyone with a computer.

Likewise, The GIVEN provides an integrated network to business and schools, as well as solutions to consumers and students. Join us at http://www.thegiven.co.

 

December 3, 2015 by The GIVEN Categories: Uncategorized Leave a comment

Finals Got Me Like…

With finals season (either fast approaching or already ensuing), the screams of students all across the country can be heard. Their tears alone could save the Californian drought. So, while we can’t escape the inevitable, we can sure laugh about it. We’ve scavenged the internet in search of the funniest meme, picture, video, that really explains what it feels like to be lost in the abyss that is finals season. Visit http://www.thegiven.co for all your homework and exam prep help!

I wish I could Will Smith… I wish I could…

 

I’ve literally done this in front of my professor

 

Why can’t you do this for us Oprah….

Same. 

Wow. Me too.

Jigsaw ain’t nothing compared to my Organic Chemistry exam.

True. 

OMG THIS.

Finals are hard. But it doesn’t have to be. Come to The GIVEN, we have hundreds of qualified tutors to answer all of your homework and test questions. These questions can be asked for free or for a price that you can choose. It’s tutoring on-demand that’s quick, easy, and personalized just for you. Join us at http://www.thegiven.co

December 1, 2015December 3, 2015 by The GIVEN Categories: Uncategorized Leave a comment

A Time To Be Thankful

Hello everyone! My name is Ethan.

As the COO and Co-founder of The GIVEN, I am truly thankful for many things. And, since this is the week leading up to Thanksgiving, I thought that it would be a great time to share my gratitude.

Thank you students! 

Students are the reason why I wanted to create The GIVEN in the first place. Education is undoubtedly important, but it’s so disheartening to know that not all students receive the same quality of education here in America. The GIVEN was made accessibly for students to learn from quality tutors at a student-affordable price. Students give The GIVEN purpose!

Thank you teachers!

I remember growing up and never wanting to school. But when I was in the 7th grade, my math teacher encouraged me to be passionate about learning and to achieve! Teachers are the ones who inspire students to deep dig and work harder. Thank you so much for motivating and shaping our future leaders!

Thank you parents! 

Parents are so crucial to the growth of a student. They are the ones who stays up late finishing projects and homework with their children. They are the ones who want more from their son or daughter and for them to bring home better grades, join clubs, and go to a prestigious college. Without the time and resources invested, students could not possibly have the chance to succeed.

Thank you tutors! 

With the hundreds of new tutors that has joined our site, it is so amazing to see the tremendous amount of support we have received in such a small amount of time. Our tutors truly work hard to provide the best answers to our students. Thanks to them, our students are working hard than ever to succeed!

To our growing GIVEN family, the city of Baltimore, and our encouraging community, thank you for your loyal support and I hope to build The GIVEN into an educational haven for all students to come and learn, teachers to connect with their students outside of the classroom, and . Join us at http://www.thegiven.co and support our education revolution.

Happy Holidays!

Ethan,COO and Co-Founder of The GIVEN

November 19, 2015November 19, 2015 by The GIVEN Categories: Uncategorized Leave a comment

The “Uber for Everything”

A decade of change is, undeniably, a lot of change. In 10 years, we have created powerful computers that fit in the size of your palm. Society now stands in front of a grand intersection of technological advancement and business development. With the proliferation of technology, comes a shifting consumer landscape that businesses must adapt to. Cue startups. Cue smartphone apps. Lights, camera, action.

Never before in history have we seen such quick yet personalized services all probably stemming that drive-thru fast food restaurant and catching a Uber ride back home. The world is fast paced and consumers don’t like waiting. In fact, consumers are so impatient that most will pay premium prices to get jobs done quicker. In fact, businesses have been smart in riding on this on-demand wave and investors even keener on funding. There are now “Uber-esque” apps to receive massages, groceries, flowers, hairstyling, get car and home repairs, or book a babysitter or pet sitter.

Everyone has a skill and everyone would love to make money. If you’ve been keeping up so far and went to the first day of your Macroeconomics 101 class, you know that this is the exact recipe for a business to strive. Not only is there are huge demand, but also now a cost efficient method of providing a supply. This holds especially true in the education industry. Currently, the education rates in the USA are at the highest it has ever been. 90% of students is graduating high school and about 60% have attended college. Moreover, 30% of the US population 25 years or older will have at least a bachelors.

The GIVEN provides “on demand” tutoring. While the terminology may evoke Pay-per-view television shows and movies, on-demand should and will be the future of business. Students are in constant need of help and with such a small amount of time actually dedicated in class, they often need extra guidance outside of the classroom. The GIVEN is dedicated to students by connecting them with tutors who are top of their field and truly passionate about sharing knowledge with others. We believe that this is the future of how we use the internet and technology.

November 17, 2015 by The GIVEN Categories: Uncategorized Leave a comment