New Year, New Me?

Now that all of those mince pies have firmly attached themselves to our midriffs, now that all of our pets are certifiably traumatised by the clock striking twelve, now that gym owners nationwide are expectantly rubbing their hands together in anticipation, now is the time we take an optimistic glimpse into the future – or more specifically, 2020, and all of its futuristic mystery.

The calendars are open, the clocks are reset, the page is turned. Everything is new. Exciting. Fresh.

But then, of course, it begins. A whisper at first, slowly but steadily rising to a fever-pitched screech in our heads. The inevitable whinge: those shrill, compulsory cries of self-improvement. Time to be better than last year!

The dreaded ‘New Year’s Resolution’ is a custom that most of us will give up on faster than that Rubik’s cube that was lovingly (and, let’s be honest, naively) stuffed deep inside our Christmas stockings. Yeah, I know it’s only been five minutes, mum, but I give up. This is too hard.

But we don’t always have to be so pessimistic.

If you do decide to join the avalanche of people deciding to participate in this cultural event, take our advice.

Read more this year.

It goes without saying that reading is an integral part of learning. It expands our knowledge of the world we inhabit. As we stay informed, we’re better placed to deal with trials and tribulations of life, be they school, relationships, jobs, our environment, our aspirations, our fears.

It doesn’t have to be Shakespeare or Wordsworth or Shelley or Keats, or that super-boring, prehistoric poet our English teacher has droned on about for months. It doesn’t even have to be academic. Just try to read more.

Find a topic that interests you.

It could be a band you like, a football team, an actor, a film. Maybe it’s wildlife that’s always appealed to you. Or history. Or science. Whatever it is, do some research and discover some material related to your interest. It could be a newspaper column, a magazine, a comic, hell, even audiobooks can be beneficial when you’re commuting, multitasking, or just plain bored of talking to your siblings. And no, social media messages don’t count, unless you’re reading a blog, or an article!

No matter your favoured subject, expanding your vocabulary is a crucial part of any educational journey. With more words at our disposal, we’re better placed to describe and articulate our feelings, and after all, communication, whether it be written or verbal, is perhaps the most essential ingredient of understanding our world.

So every time you squint and frown at the discovery of a new word, don’t fret. Grab a dictionary, learn the definition, then try and use it in a conversation, or in your writing. Repetition is indispensable (look it up) to increasing our word power. And don’t worry if you get disheartened, even our tutors are encountering new words every single day!

And of course, our tutors will be more than happy to assist you or your child in attaining your reading targets and goals. Regardless of subject, age or ability level,there’s a comprehensive selection of experienced teachers to choose from, so get in touch to kick-start your word-filled year now!

Here’s to 2020!

Our latest blog is written by Jake Pezzack who achieved a First Class Honours Degree from King’s College London. Jake is our Media Studies and English A level tutor who specialises in tutoring undergraduates and A level Students.