Archive | May, 2017

Word Nerd: 3 steps to writing a good paragraph

29 May

We’ve talked about how the secret to writing a respectable piece of prose is a good sentence. Today, we take another building block of quality prose – the humble paragraph. As with all great writing, paragraphs are shaped by a writer’s instinct. That said, paying attention to the paragraph, and how it works, can improve […]

A day in the life of an Indian journalism student at the University of Westminster

26 May

Let me describe to you a normal day in my life. I wake up fresh as a daisy at about 8am, pack lunch, and gear up for my day. I live in Raffles House, which is university accommodation located 10 minutes away from the Harrow campus where I study. Raffles House is situated right next […]

Word Nerd: 5 types of people with a big, black cloud over their head

22 May

Mondays – that manmade scourge – are the favorite day of no sane person. People who love Mondays usually fall somewhere between ‘annoyingly enthusiastic’ and ‘mentally disturbed’. The only reasonable response to Mondays is an ill-tempered grunt. So, without further ado, here are a few ways to describe most people on Mondays (unfortunately, some people […]

Special early ceremony for Indian student with cancer who may not make it to graduation day

18 May

Between June 6 and June 22, the University of Toronto’s Class of 2017 – nearly 14,000 students – will receive their degrees in one of 27 traditional ceremonies. Not Precilla Veigas. This student from India, who was diagnosed cancer two years ago, had a special convocation ceremony on May 9, because doctors warned her that […]

Word Nerd: 9 Whacky and Wonderful Words to Describe People

15 May

You know when to call someone a tattletale or a copycat. You also know when to brand someone a turncoat or a nerd, a babbler or a blueblood. But these are basics. In today’s Word Nerd, we bring you 9 words which are great for describing people in ways you never thought of before. Enjoy. […]

Advice from a girl who worked hard and got to choose between an Ivy League offer and a full scholarship

5 May

I remember bringing home my grade sheets when I was 12, and seeing the disappointment on my parents’ faces. They never explicitly said that they wanted me to achieve higher results, yet I could tell. They wouldn’t congratulate me, or smile and say ‘well done!’ I knew I wasn’t the best in my grade, and […]

With no date, girl who got into 7 Ivy League schools takes Harvard acceptance letter to prom

2 May

American teenager Priscilla Samey got into seven Ivy League schools, but couldn’t find a date for the senior prom. Instead of being disheartened, the 17-year-old took her acceptance letter from Harvard University to the dance. Last Saturday, she tweeted this picture with the message, “Couldn’t find a man to accept me for prom so I […]

Word Nerd: 4 Secrets to Writing a Good Sentence

1 May

A good sentence is key to writing a respectable piece of prose – whether it’s a letter, an essay, or a novel. We can entertain ambitions about writing epic novels, or A-grade essays, but, without a good hold on this building block, our ambitions are likely to remain pipe dreams. In this Word Nerd, we […]