Our favorite action movies often feature fast cars speeding through traffic, jumping off bridges, and often crashing into things. Behind the wheel of these daring stunts are highly trained professionals in stunt driving. Without them and their courage to pull these stunts off, our movies may be a lot less exciting. You may have never thought about what these drivers do for a living but each day involves taking some kind of risk.

It definitely takes a special kind of person to drive these cars through fire, explosions, and other daredevil situations. These stunt drivers are drawn to risk and often times seek the adrenaline from conquering a new skill on the set. However, this doesnt always come at no cost. Sadly, there have been many injuries and even fatalities during filming. Safely executing a stunt requires a team of trained personnel, designers, producers, and safety measures. Stunt careers arent for everyone, but we can all take away some advice on how risk-taking can benefit us.

Most of us avoid risks when it comes to our personal and professional life. Most of the time because the fear of failure holds us back from making any moves. Learning how to properly assess risk in any situation can help you take more chances and grow in ways you never thought possible.

This fun spin on risk-taking lessons shows us how stunt drivers step out of their comfort zone so that we can apply the same tips to our life, career, and finances.

Here are some ways you can take more risks in your personal life:

Make a move to a new city: Lived in the same town your whole life? Consider packing up your things and starting off fresh in a new city. This will challenge you to make new friends and explore your new surroundings.

Conquer your fears: Afraid of heights or have terrible flight anxiety? Try investing time into revealing the underlying reasons behind your fears and either seek help to conquer them or take small steps to facing them.

Invest in personal development: Try a new hobby that youve never tried before or take art lessons to develop new skills. You may surprise yourself with hidden talents yet to be discovered.

Here are some examples of how you can take risks in your career:

Pursue your passions: If you feel stuck in your current job, maybe its time to venture into a side hustle or look into other career paths. Youll find much more success in doing something you love.

Find your specialty: Once youve nailed down what you like to do, try to pinpoint what you excel at and how that sets you apart from others. This may take a lot of trial and error but its the best way to build confidence and value.

Accel at your own pace: We have to remind ourselves that not everyone follows the same path. Dont feel rushed to make a move. Instead, take time to perfect your skills so that youre fully prepared.

Otherwise, here are some of the takeaways you can learn about risk-taking in finances from stunt drivers:

Know your limits: Even professional stunt drivers have limits when it comes to stunts. In your finances, set hard cut off lines for what you feel comfortable losing so that if the time comes you can make decisions clearly.

Anticipate failure: Before taking risks, know that you have enough padding in your finances that you can stand to take some losses here and there. Having a solid backup plan is the best way to prepare.

Read next: The daily routines of 36 inspiring women

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How to Take Risks Like a Stunt Driver (infographic) - Digital Information World

The concept of identity

Careers Adviser. Writer. Volunteer. Runner. Reader. Listener. Partner. Brother. Son. Friend.

In an era where we are often defined by tags and labels that help us fit into the online world that we occupy both professionally and personally, the concept of identity can be a potentially thorny subject, particularly for young people growing up at a time where how we are perceived is not always completely within our control, as Kate Eichhorn noted in a recent article for the New Yorker.

With so many of our professional and personal interactions now taking place via social media platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat, are we all making the most of leveraging our identities to support with our career planning and development?

As a starting point, it is worth noting that many careers teams, support services, charitable organisations and employers around the country are already using the concept of identity to help young people with their career development or attract individuals to employment opportunities for employers, this may be an increased focus on diversity within their recruitment strategies or the use of strengths, motivations or values-based interviewing practices, whereas for careers teams and support services, this often involves helping students to understand their identity in relation to their cultural wealth, protected characteristics or position within an underrepresented group, as seen in initiatives like the WISE (Women in Science and Engineering) People Like Me/My Skills My Life campaign, or the recent project from the University of Nottingham that focused on increasing aspiration for female engineering students.

However, as Dr. Iwi Ugiagbe-Green noted in her recent keynote presentation at the AGCAS Annual Conference 2019, identity in a professional context is far from a linear concept and is something that requires the individual to take into account myriad variables that change over time, including personal motivations, cultural, economic and social capital, as well as what the labour market desires from its participants.

In universities, with students often informed of the significant presence of employers and recruiters on social media, there can be understandable anxieties about how to represent yourself online, particularly for individuals who are not regular users of any social media platform.

The prevalence of Googling as a first port of call for careers information can also lead web users to potentially suspect advice on the subject of professional identity, whether in the form of cookie-cutter CV templates or must-read articles on setting up a LinkedIn profile, all of which can lead individuals to play it safe in relation to the way they present themselves to employers.

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While employers and research organisations continuously tell us of the high industry demand for skills like Communication, Creativity and Confidence, this message does not necessarily filter down to young people, who in my experience often neglect to emphasise their involvement in opportunities like volunteering, charity work and the organisation of extra-curricular clubs and societies, despite this being something employers report that they are keen to hear about from applicants.

Whether this is due to the significant focus on academic accomplishments present within the secondary education system or a lack of understanding about how others can perceive you on social media from a professional rather than personal standpoint, many individuals (young and old) undersell themselves in relation to their involvement in extra-curricular pursuits, when often these experiences could be the very things that help them stand out in the eyes of employers.

So, how can we increase confidence for ourselves and others when approaching conversations about identity? One approach that many careers practitioners take is to encourage individuals to see themselves as the product of all of their experiences and not simply their education or work history.

Whether it is waxing lyrical about the discipline and leadership skills that have been instilled through working as a karate instructor or the effective communication, patience and empathy needed to work as a volunteer with the Samaritans, the causes and values that make up someones identity can provide a strong foundation for helping individuals to define themselves to employers in an authentic and engaging way.

For individuals who feel that they do not have a lot going on in their personal lives, conversations about identity can also lead to discussions on career ambitions and potential short-term goals to address this situation, for example taking small steps to enhance personal satisfaction and future employability, such as learning a new skill or taking up an activity or hobby they have always been interested in trying.

Identity is clearly not a concept that can ever be approached as a one-size-fits-all ideology many individuals feel the need to keep their professional and personal lives entirely separate in order to maintain a healthy work-life balance, whereas others yearn to develop a career where they can truly be themselves in the work they undertake, something a friend recently informed me that she had discovered through self-employment after a decade of career exploration.

By encouraging ourselves and the individuals we work with to reflect carefully on the concept of identity, both in relation to ourselves and the employers and organisations we interact with, we can begin to assess career opportunities on a more holistic level and appreciate not only our own agency in this process but also enhance our ability to articulate the things that make us unique as individuals, a skill that has clear benefits for everything from job interviews to online dating!

Although social media may have partially limited the control that we have over how others perceive us, starting a conversation about the importance of identity can open up valuable discussions about how we see ourselves and what steps we might take to ensure that others see us the way we wish to be seen, both professionally and personally.

Chris Webb , HE Careers Professional, currently working for Sheffield Hallam University but writing in a personal capacity.

A registered career development professional and member of the Career Development Institute (CDI) and Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (AGCAS), Chris has previously worked for education institutions in secondary education, FE and HE as a Careers Leader, Careers Adviser, Functional Skills Tutor and Study Programme Coordinator.

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The Torn Identity How can we utilise the professional and the personal in our career development? - FE News

Not long ago, Friscos booming growth earned it the title of Fastest Growing City in the U.S.

The suburb has been surpassed by others in recent years and is now among the top five fastest growing cities in 2019, according to an analysis by personal finance website WalletHub. Frisco, however, is still outshining other cities in one key metric job growth.

Frisco ranked No. 1 in job growth among cities with 100,000 to 300,000 residents. It was followed by Meridian, Idaho; McKinney; and Bend, Ore.

Frisco is home to the Dallas Cowboys headquarters and an expanding landscape of office campuses and will soon be the Silicon Valley of golf when PGA of America finishes moving its headquarters from Florida.

A recent study also named Frisco the most surprising city to live in if you want to make a lot of money.

WalletHub examined 515 cities and ranked them based on 17 different metrics, including job growth, unemployment, poverty rate decrease and median household income growth. It used data that spanned 2010 to 2018 from sources such as the U.S. Census Bureau, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Bureau of Economic Analysis.

In 2016, Frisco was the fastest growing city in America, according to WalletHubs annual analysis of government data. The city, a magnet for high-paying jobs and lucrative development in recent history, has since fallen from that nationwide pedestal.

This year, Frisco landed the No. 5 spot overall on WalletHubs list behind Lehigh Acres, Fla.; Mount Pleasant, S.C.; Bend, Ore.; and Enterprise, Nev. When broken down by size, Frisco looks even stronger, jumping to third among mid-size cities. Austin took the top spot for fastest growth among large U.S. cities (Dallas ranked 20th).

Unsurprisingly, Texas placed eight cities among WalletHubs top 30 the most of any state.

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Frisco may no longer be the fastest growing city in the US, but it ranked first in this key metric in 2019 - The Dallas Morning News

More than 77,000 students from 890 schools in New South Wales are participating in this years Higher School Certificate.

Overseen by the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA), the HSC is the highest level of attainment you can reach at school in NSW. Participating students with plans to attend university will also receive an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR), a number used by universities to help them select students for their courses.

With major projects and oral and performance exams already completed, 123 written exams will be sat over the next five weeks, starting this Thursday, October 17.

Personal exam timetables, with a list of written exams and where students will sit for them (usually at their school), as well as any oral or performance exams and submitted works, are available from Students Online.

Here are the key exam times students need to know for each subject.

RELATED: HSC dates, tips and tricks

WEEK 1

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17

English Studies: 9:50am 12:30pm

English Standard: 9:50am 11:30am

English Advanced: 9:50am 11:30am

English as an Additional Language or Dialect: 9:50am 11:30am

Primary Industries: 1:55pm 4pm

German Extension: 2pm 4pm

Japanese Beginners: 2pm 4:40pm

Japanese Extension: 2pm 4pm

Ja panese in Context: 2pm 4:40pm

Japanese and Literature: 2pm 5pm

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18

English Standard: 9:25am 11:30am

English Advanced: 9:25am 11:30am

English as an Additional Language or Dialect: 9:25am 11:10am

Music 1: 1:55pm 3pm

Music 2: 3:25pm 5pm

WEEK 2

MONDAY, OCTOBER 21

Automotive: 9:25am 11:30am

German Continuers: 9:30am 12:30pm

Investigating Science: 9:25am 12:30pm

Italian Beginners: 9:30am 12:10pm

Food Technology: 1:55pm 5pm

Chinese Beginners: 2pm 4:40pm

German Beginners: 2pm 4:40pm

Indonesian Extension: 2pm 4pm

Indonesian in Context: 2pm 4:40pm

Indonesian and Literature: 2pm 5pm

Italian Extension: 2pm 4pm

Korean Continuers: 2pm 5pm

Latin Continuers: 1:55pm 5pm

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22

Arabic Beginners: 9:30am 12:10pm

Dance Section 1: 9:25am 10:30am

Dance Section 2: 10:40am 12pm

Engineering Studies: 9:25am 12:30pm

Japanese Continuers: 9:30am 12:30pm

Business Services: 1:55pm 4pm

Earth and Environmental Science: 1:55pm 5pm

Tourism, Travel and Events: 1:55pm 4pm

Chinese in Context: 2pm 4:40pm

Indonesian Beginners: 2pm 4:40pm

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23

Modern History: 9:25am 12:30pm

Information and Digital Technology: 9:25am 11:30am

Aboriginal Studies: 1:55pm 5pm

Agriculture: 1:55pm 5pm

Financial Services: 1:55pm 4pm

Armenian Continuers: 2pm 4:40pm

Chinese Continuers: 2pm 5pm

Croatian Continuers: 2pm 4:40pm

Dutch Continuers: 2pm 4:40pm

Filipino Continuers: 2pm 4:40pm

Hindi Continuers: 2pm 4:40pm

Hungarian Continuers: 2pm 4:40pm

I ndonesian Continuers: 2pm 5pm

Khmer Continuers: 2pm 4:40pm

Korean Beginners: 2pm 4:40pm

Macedonian Continuers: 2pm 4:40pm

Malay Background Speakers: 2pm 5pm

Maltese Continuers: 2pm 4:40pm

P ersian Continuers: 2pm 4:40pm

Polish Continuers: 2pm 4:40pm

Portugese Continuers: 2pm 4:40pm

Punjabi Continuers: 2pm 4:40pm

Russian Continuers: 2pm 4:40pm

Serbian Continuers: 2pm 4:40pm

Swedish Continuers: 2pm 4:40pm

Tamil Continuers: 2pm 4:40pm

Turkish Continuers: 2pm 4:40pm

Vietnamese Continuers: 2pm 5pm

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24

Personal Development, Health and Physical Education: 9:25am 12:30pm

Latin Extension: 9:30am 11:40am

Entertainment Industry: 1:55pm 4pm

Software Design and Development: 1:55pm 5pm

Arabic Continuers: 2pm 5pm

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25

Mathematics Standard 2: 9:20am 12pm

Mathematics Standard 1: 9:20am 11:30am

Mathematics: 1:55pm 5pm

Mathematics Extension 2: 1:55pm 5pm

RELATED: Bid to ditch dreaded HSC number

WEEK 3

MONDAY, OCTOBER 28

Biology: 9:25am 12:30pm

Classical Hebrew Continuers: 9:25am 12:30pm

History Extension: 1:50pm 4pm

Arabic Extension: 2pm 4pm

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29

Business Studies: 9:25am 12:30pm

Drama: 1:55pm 3:30pm

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HSC exam timetable: What time and date is your written test? - NEWS.com.au

Every human has the power of intuition. Many of us have tuned this ability out over the years, but by simply realigning with our gut feeling, we can live a harmonious life with the body and the mind. Aligning mentally and emotionally with intuition gives humans the ability to be powerful creators.

Conscious Transformation is hosting free one-hour trainings to provide a firsthand experience of the power we wield through intentional creation. The sessions introduce an inspiring 12-week series called The Power of Intuition, which provides step-by-step instructions that help you tap into and develop your intuition, distinguish emotional patterns from intuition and connect to and trust yourself. The free session will provide an experience of how this occurs.

There are five session times between Vail and Edwards. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend one of these free introductory sessions.

About the instructors

Mandy Benedict: After years of personal development, focused meditation and a formal, extensive training program, Benedict is a certified Conscious Transformation trainer and energy practitioner. She leads transformative personal development classes regularly throughout the Vail Valley. Having grown up here, Benedict has a deep passion for supporting people in the community with the tools this work provides. She is also the owner of Ruggs Benedict in Edwards, which she helps thrive by creating a strong network of relationships.

Laina Eskin: She began her journey with Conscious Transformation in 2012 and the practices she has learned have taught her how to live with a sense of joy, peace, purpose and fulfillment beyond what she ever would have believed possible. Eskin brings the work of Conscious Transformation to the world of health through her physical therapy work, where she specializes in corrective movement therapy. She shares her passion through supporting others to create vitality, freedom and love in their mind, emotions, physical body and connection to their spiritual selves.

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Power of Intuition free workshops return to Edwards and Vail - Vail Daily News

Teaching is one of the most important jobs in the world, but often teachers working where they are most needed have little help, training or support. In many low and middle income countries, like Uganda, teachers are left isolated and unsupported in remote communities where they are responsible for overcrowded classrooms.

Often they have few teaching resources and may struggle to understand the content they teach. Despite this they are expected to improve learning outcomes and lay the foundation for the prosperity of both their communities and countries.

It doesnt have to be like this, with the right training, materials and support all teachers - like Ibrahim - can be empowered to succeed, no matter where they live.

Ibrahims story

Teacher Ibrahim explains how he learned to teach with anAcademy Manager, developing his confidence and ability.

"Over the last few years working as a teacher I have undergone an amazing transformation in the way I teach. The changes have been in the things I do when I am in the classroom, the ways that I motivate the children and instruct them.

"Before, I spent a lot of time expecting the children to just work from their textbook, reading and answering questions. I stood at the front of the class or sometimes just did marking in the corner. But now, after more training, I have a lot of interaction in the classroom, more discussion, more questions from them and from me as we go along.. I believe you must be ready to try new things as a teacher, in what you do and how you do it.

"When I joined this school, the first thing I did was go on a residential training course, to spend time thinking and learning about the best ways to teach. Not what to teach but how to teach.

"We were looking at the different ways children learn and how a good teacher can make a classroom a more powerful place to learn. It was all so new and interesting to me.

"I see the change in my pupils and know for sure I am a better teacher now because of the new approaches and techniques I have learnt. I can see it in the way the children respond to me.

"One of the most effective teaching techniques I have learnt through the training sessions provided is known as STRIVE.

"S requires pupils to sit down and be attentive, so they can absorb all of the information in the lesson. T requires pupils to track teachers with their eyes, preventing them from losing concentration and vital information. R requires pupils to respond whenever they are asked a question, so that the teacher can acknowledge whether the pupil has understood what is being taught. I requires pupils to inquire whenever they have any queries or may have a question about the content. V requires pupils to visualise success so that they can visibly see the improvements in their work. Finally, E requires pupils ears to be listening at all times, as this is the pathway to the brain.

"I believe that all of my pupils are better able to learn their lessons due to the teaching philosophy I was taught in my training. It sounds so simple: narrating the positive, giving children time to think before choosing someone to answer, watching the whole room. But before I didnt know all this and now I do. Through the training, I felt as though I was a student all over again.

"Every couple of weeks the Academy Manager will come and watch me teach. She has much more teaching experience than me. She watches how I do the lesson, and then after that she talks to me about how I could do better.

"I also have a leadership and development coach who comes to the school and do the same thing. It gives me fresh perspective. This simple thing - ongoing feedback - has made me grow, over the years, to be the best I have ever been.

"Teaching is a precious skill, that needs focus - I feel that more and more now.

"Some children here have parents who cannot read and write, so it is up to me to teach everything. I can do it, and it is wonderful to see. Many children can now help their parents on their stalls or to read some little information. We can all see that the children are learning new things and that they are excited for school to start and for my lessons.

"How you work in the classroom is not just how you teach the lessons but also how you manage the classroom to get the best out of the children.

"The training has boosted my confidence and ability. I feel stronger; that people are appreciating my work and that it is making a difference.

"I wish all teachers could have my experience so they know how to succeed.

"Teaching is a skill and we have a lot of responsibility. We need to be able to teach the best way possible and we need to be supported and to be helped to do that."

To learn more about the #TeachersTransformLives campaign to mark UN World Teachers Day please visit ourwebsite HERE.

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How to remove the padlock on children's minds - Bridge International Academies - PoliticsHome.com

Sport would be nothing without its participants. But are the rights of athletes still taking a back seat to commercial and political interests?

The iconic image of African-American athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos raising their black-gloved fists during the 1968 Olympics medal ceremony is perhaps the strongest image of athlete power. But in reality, Play the Game 2019 heard, many of todays competitors are afraid to express their opinions. The structures generated by sports organisations often create a power imbalance that allows the interests of sponsors and administrators to take precedence.

Rob Koehler, Director General of the athlete-led movement Global Athlete, said that many athletes are unable to speak openly due to the structure of global bodies like the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and toothless athletes commissions.

Retribution happens []Our structures are forcing athletes to do things they dont want to do, Koehler said. Attempts to prevent athletes from criticising Nikes Oregon project or the decision to reinstate Russia's anti-doping agency to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), he said, were two recent examples: If we want to empower the athletes, let us not silence them.

Kohler gave his backing to Brendan Schwab, Executive Director of the World Players Association, who said that progress will be best-achieved through independent player unions. To achieve real change, he said, athletes unions must be fully independent, including financially independent, have the right to enter into collective bargaining and be able to appoint representatives without interference.

The U.S. Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA), Schwab pointed out, was transformed into one of the nations strongest unions under the stewardship of Marvin Miller. Under his leadership, the union oversaw a huge investment in player health and safety, the abolition of the maximum wage, the introduction of collective bargaining, and allowed players a cut of TV rights money.

Play the Game 2019 also heard the views of athletes representatives, all of whom claimed that athletes power is increasing. Moritz Geisreiter, board member of the independent German athletes body Athleten Deutschland, pointed out that his organisation has now become the primary voice of German athletes in politics and the media.Personal development should be seen as just as important as athletic progress he said.

Han Xiao, Chair of the United States Olympic Committees Athletes' Advisory Council , said that an increasing number of athletes want to participate in sports governance, but those making lower and mid-level decisions need to learn to better engage with those on the field.Emma Terho, member of the IOC Athletes Commission, stressed that sport has great power to bring people together, and when athletes are given positions of power, they have a strong responsibility to use that power positively. Fellow Athletes Commission member James Tomkins said that athletes now enjoy good representation within the upper echelons of the IOC. Were trying to infiltrate those middle layers, he said.

In more than 40 sessions, over 170 speakers will present their thoughts and oponions on a wide range of the most topical questions in world sport during the 11th Play the Game conference, taking place in Colorado Springs, USA, 13-16 October 2019.

Read more about Play the Game 2019

Read more:
Athletes' voices: breakthrough or breakdown? - Play the Game

(MENAFN - GetNews) Gently Empowered's individual therapy sessions lets one client meets weekly with one therapist for traditional talk therapy and strategy sessions on either Zoom, Skype or Facebook Video Messenger.

North Lanarkshire, Scotland - October 14, 2019 - Gently Empowered provides professional therapy sessions for individuals, groups, and families who are survivors of domestic abuse and violence. In their individual therapy session, Gently Empowered's domestic abuse experts work closely with the individual using a range of methods to help the victim of domestic abuse experience inner healing and eventually unleash the best version of themselves faster. All sessions are done online, making it convenient and comfortable for victims of domestic abuse to seek help privately and from the comfort of their homes.

"With my online therapy sessions, you now have a Flexible and Stress-free Alternative to the traditional model of therapy, said Angela Murray, Founder of Gently Empowered.

Angela is a survivor of domestic violence, who developed strategies to build a successful life of her own as a psychotherapist and life coach. She provides online therapy sessions to individuals who are looking for flexibility, affordable options, as well as anonymity while dealing with their challenges. She's passionate about inspiring survivors of domestic violence to create the life of their dreams by helping them heal and develop strategies using motivational psychotherapy.

Individual therapy also called psychotherapy is a process through which clients work one-on-one with a trained and certified psychotherapist in a private setting. Individual therapy session provides an opportunity for a person to receive support and experience growth during challenging times in life. It can also help one deal with many personal challenges resulting from domestic abuse and violence.

'As a certified individual psychotherapist and life coach, I help individuals gain deep and sustainable healing so that they can start flourishing in every aspect of their life. Through my unique style in psychotherapy, I work with your mental health to find out about past occurrences and help you deal with present difficulties. Also, my coaching is focused on the future, providing support and encouragement for personal development, Angela commented.

Unlike many self-acclaimed psychotherapists, Angela is a trained and certified psychotherapist who is also a survivor of domestic violence. As someone who had experienced domestic violence and abuse, Angela has been able to identify twenty different types of domestic abuse, instead of the four popular known types, that victims encounter. Her deep understanding of the issue makes her an industry leader in domestic abuse and violence-related therapy. Having survived all twenty-four different types of domestic abuse, Angela is now passionate and well-positioned to help other victims of domestic abuse with her survival strategies to become better and stronger.

To learn more about Gently Empowered Motivational Therapy for Domestic Abuse, visithttps://www.gentlyempowered.comor book a one-on-one online session with Angela Murray by visitinghttps://www.gentlyempowered.com/therapy-services-master-pageand get help from an Expert Psychotherapist.

About Angela Murray

Angela Murray is a motivational psychotherapist specializing in helping survivors of domestic abuse overcome their trauma. Angela has 13 and a half years of personal experience of extreme domestic abuse and violence, so she knows first-hand the devastating impact abuse can have on a victim's life, health and wellbeing. After qualifying as a psychotherapist, Angela developed The Gently Empowered treatment program, free workbook, and worksheets which she promotes on her website specifically to help survivors of domestic abuse heal from their trauma and build the life of their dreams.

Media Contact Company Name: Gently Empowered Contact Person: Angela Murray Email: Send Email Phone: (+44) 07902172741 Country: United Kingdom Website: http://www.gentlyempowered.com

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Link:
Angela Murray of Gently Empowered Introduces Individual Therapy Sessions - MENAFN.COM

The uniforms may be intimidating at first, but are these camo-clad students really that different from the rest of the Vanderbilt community? The Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) is a program offered at colleges around the nation that provides students preparation to become U.S. military officers while obtaining a college education. With such a rigorous program, this college experience may seem daunting to most students.

To first-year Martayn Van de Wall, its an experience worth having. While being a first-year student majoring in economics, Van de Wall is an MS1, or first-year cadet, in Army ROTC.

ROTC at its core will allow me to become an officer in the army, which is something Ive always dreamed of being. Its putting me on a good path throughout college, and it gives me a sense of purpose in my classes and in my life, Van de Wall said.

First-year Mae Winglass is another MS1 at Vanderbilt. While Winglass wasnt involved in a similar program in high school, she has a grandfather who served in the Marine Corps and a sister who participated in Boston Colleges ROTC. Both of these ties influenced Winglass in her decision to join ROTC, she said. Furthermore, Winglass was intrigued by the workforce exposure provided by the program, such as the ability to practice military skills and be introduced to the various military branches.

I knew that it would be really nice to have a job right out of college that would give me applicable experience and the army is a really good networking organization, Winglass said .

So why Vanderbilt? Though Winglass was initially interested in programs at larger colleges, she was drawn to Vanderbilts community. She noted being impressed by the distinguished cadre, the officers responsible for training the unit, and motivated cadets on campus. During orientation, which began two days before move-in day, Winglass and her fellow cadets participated in activities such as canoe racing and paintball. In this setting, Winglass was able to connect with other ROTC members and ease into the training of the program.

Similarly, Van de Wall said the small program threw him with a group of people much similar to a sports team.

I think it provides a small community-type-feeling so you really get to know the other cadets well, and when I visited, you could feel that, Van de Wall said. With the people who guided me around, they gave me a good sense of what my experience was going to be like and definitely made me feel like a part of the program almost from the get go.

According to Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Mount, Assistant Professor of Military Science, there are a total of 78 students in the ROTC program, with 13 Vanderbilt students in the MS1 class. Along with Vanderbilt students, the ROTC program in Nashville consists of students from Belmont University, Tennessee State University, Lipscomb University, Trevecca Nazarene University, Fisk University and Welch College. As all cadets train together on Vanderbilts campus, Mount views the variety of people involved as a great benefit to the program.

They come from different backgrounds, different universities, different levels of scholastic achievement so they [the ROTC students] have a much more diverse opportunity to work with these other students, Mount said.

As a connected group of cadets, Van de Wall and Winglass complete rigorous training every week. For Winglass, physical training is from 5:50 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. every Monday, Wednesday and Friday in which she exercises with fellow cadets for roughly an hour. Winglass also has a Leadership and Personal Development class that teaches her techniques such as land navigation, military customs and courtesies, map reading and various military hand signals. Following this class, Winglass attends a two to three-hour lab in which she practices her newly-acquired skills. Other techniques the cadets practice are first aid training, setting up bases, tactical maneuvering and learning army conduct codes. These activities are led and organized by senior (MS4) and junior (MS3) cadets as well as by cadre members. Despite being in a teaching position, the older ROTC members and cadre members are still approachable and personal, Wineglass said.

Van de Wall is also part of the Ranger Challenge Team, which is often described as the varsity sport of ROTC. This means Van de Wall has physical training throughout the whole week, with an additional two days of training on Tuesdays and Thursdays. While its a huge time commitment, Van de Wall said he definitely finds many advantages to the program.

It inspires you to work hard, keeps you on a good schedule and teaches you a lot about time management and leadership, Van de Wall said. We havent really gotten into leadership positions yet as MS1s, but just going out and inspiring your fellow cadets to keep going despite having to get to bed early and wake up early while working with test schedules I think are the biggest pros, just the life skills that you learn.

Though Winglass admits the early mornings can be tough, she appreciates the structured schedule of her ROTC life. The program primarily trains cadets for a life in the military, but the ROTC also helps cadets plan their future in general. Mount noted that he often has interviews with his cadets in order to help them start looking forward to their futures.

I try to drive into these kids as freshmen and MS1s that the more planning you can do now for the future, the less surprise youll have in the future, Mount said. The decisions you are making today are either gonna open or close the doors of tomorrow.

Winglass has also been introduced to a breadth of opportunities through the ROTC program, such as the Cultural Understanding and Leadership Program (CULP). CULP is an international program through which ROTC students can explore jobs and studies abroad. Winglass has also been able to meet ROTC members who are involved in a variety of clubs across campus, reassuring her that shell easily be able to have a world of interests outside of ROTC.

Looking forward, Winglass will serve either four years active duty or eight years reserve commitment post graduation. She is considering going into military intelligence or logistics. Van de Wall intends to also join active duty post-graduation, most interested in joining active duty and going into infantry and aviation.

I think its nice in that its like a sorority: it helps you meet people and it helps you meet older people as well as students in your own grade, Winglass said. Ive obviously gotten to meet a lot of cool people, and I have learned some cool stuff. I get to run around in a uniform, and Im going to get field training.

So next time youre in the crowd at a football game and those students in uniform go out onto the field to do push-ups, theres a chance they are a fellow student in your class.

Were pretty much just like other students. Ive had people thank me for my service which is just pretty funny because we havent really done anything yet other than workout. Hopefully one day I will earn that honor, but people should treat us like anything else like their classmates and putting extra work on the side, Van de Wall said.

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A day in the life of ROTC first-years - The Vanderbilt Hustler

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The Germans are invading, and I for one am ready to welcome them. Don't be alarmed if their spartan, unsentimental fortresses start popping up in your neighborhood. It may take some time to adjust to the European-style management, but I think we'll find that it's worth the inconvenience. Shock troops from the Rhineland are just what America needs right now: brutally efficient, but surprisingly family-friendly. Willkommen, Deutschlanders!

No, I haven't been binge-watching Man in the High Castle. I've been shopping at Aldi.

Discount grocery stores are exploding here in the U.S., and for good reason. Millions of Americans have decided that it's time to small up and simple down. If that's your life goal, then Aldi is the grocery store for you.

What's so magical about these German outlets? In Aldi's case, the bottom line really is the bottom line. Its business model was developed in post-WWII Germany, when the company's founders, Theo and Karl Albrecht, worked aggressively to supply basic staples to a war-torn society at the lowest possible price. Aldi's customer base has expanded considerably since that time, both in size and in wealth. The obsession with price-slashing has remained, however, as the company's most defining feature. You'll notice it immediately just strolling through the aisles. Stuff is cheap at Aldi. This satisfied customer was able to trim her grocery bill without sacrificing her favorite groceries. For the mother of five hungry boys, that seems almost miraculous.

You might think, based on this description, that Aldi is mainly a refuge for enormous families and cheapskates. That's actually not the case. If you expect your local Aldi to feel like a used car lot, you haven't quite grasped the budget-grocery revolution. Aldi shoppers do like conserving their pennies, but we're also conserving our time, and attention. Many people are attracted to discount grocery shopping for the same reasons that they love Marie Kondo's decluttering, the tiny-house revolution, or Voluntary Simplicity. There's no need to think about brand selection, because they only offer one. Leave your phone in your pocket! Cross-checking prices is pointless, because it's Aldi. If they could sell the product for less, they probably would.

Fifty years ago, housewives like me would probably have rebelled against this model. In those days, budgeting was part of the vocation of a wife and mother. Men had most of the earning power, but women did most of the shopping. Corporations facilitated this arrangement by tailoring their brands to the sensibilities of domestic women, bolstering their sense of purpose and identity. As marketers clearly understood, consumption choices can be empowering, even when the products on offer are substantially similar. For a suburban soccer mom, the daily grind tends to revolve around mundane tasks that meet other people's needs. It's easy to feel that your dreams and personality have gotten lost somewhere between the crock pot and the 43rd spin cycle. Brand choices can help these shoppers recover some sense of individuality. Your hobbies and interests may have gone by the wayside, but as the lady of the household, you get to decide whether to be a Tide or a Cheer family. You pick your bologna's first name.

What changed? Women still do most of the shopping for American families, and we still struggle to maintain a sense of identity. Why do we suddenly want to shop like war-ravaged Germans? As an enthusiastic Aldi shopper, I think the change reflects two larger trends. One is worrisome, but the other is more positive.

The bad news is that cognitive overload is reaching epidemic levels in America today. Ordinary people are becoming overwhelmed by the number of things we're expected to worry about and manage. People have always worried about their health, finances, and voting habits. It's becoming more clear, though, that consumption itself can become quite burdensome, especially if we're feeling constant pressure to make informed and responsible choices. From the coffee shop to the grocery store to our TV streaming services, American adults today are bombarded with more information than we can comfortably process. We're getting burned out, which may be one reason that we're more stressed-out and anxious than the impoverished citizens of the developing world.

Choice can be pleasant, but it can also be exhausting if you're expending all your mental energy selecting a single outfit from an overstuffed closet, or choosing from thousands of tomato soup recipes. Our brains are becoming like offices in which every filing cabinet and desk drawer is hanging open. We're desperate to close some, so we find ourselves yearning for less stuff, smaller spaces, and fewer meaningless consumption choices. A wall of different pasta brands once felt like a luxury, but now it's just another source of stress. Is there a difference between Barilla and Buitoni? Am I a bad person if I don't check? Just sell me some spaghetti, please!

To some extent, corporations themselves have created this problem. They spent decades insinuating their way into our lives through commercial jingles, product placement, and logos plastered on every available surface. Eventually we rebelled, and started flocking to stores like Aldi, which promise to liberate us from the endless maze of trivial decisions.

Cognitive overload isn't just a product of empty consumerism, though. It also stems from more positive changes. Housewives today don't need to define themselves through detergent choices, because technology and cultural change have opened a much richer array of options. At-home mothers have endless opportunities for personal development and self-expression. We're keeping cooking blogs, running Etsy shops, and freelancing as musicians, photographers, or writers. Why invest yourself in brand selection when you could be learning sign language, getting SCUBA certified, or becoming a first-class pastry chef? It's good that we're finding more meaningful ways to express ourselves.

American grocery stores are struggling right now to compete with their German competitors. Expect some disorienting shake-ups in the market. Over the long run, though, American companies should be able to find ways to respond to the demand for high-value, low-stress shopping. Imagine a world in which you could enter your family's information (ages, dietary restrictions, food likes and dislikes) into a database, and allow a computer algorithm to generate your grocery list. Swing through a drive through on the way home from work each night, and peek inside your box to see what's for dinner. The computer has already chosen an appropriate wine pairing for you. You'll love it.

Even if automation doesn't appeal, get used to the idea that budget shopping is no longer just for poor people. People of all income levels are craving the simplicity of tiny stores with a few good products. Aldi may not be your grandmother's grocery store, but it's here to stay. Ich bin ein Berliner! Now, pass me a jelly donut.

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The refreshing simplicity of Aldi - The Week