Modules For My LLB Degree

I have recently been informed of the modules which I will be studying throughout my three year course at university. Each year is split into two semesters, which are around 14 to 15 weeks of lectures, followed by 5 weeks of examinations. The first semester usually starts on the first Monday of September, which would be the September 5th for 2011. Below I will list the names of the modules which I will have to study, in what year and semester I will study them, and how many European Credits (EC) each is worth.

Year One Semester One:

• ·         Constitutional Law (7 EC)
• ·         English Language for IEL 1 (5 EC)
• ·         Introduction to Dutch Language and Culture (0 EC)
• ·         Introduction to Law and Legal Systems (7 EC)
• ·         Legal History (6 EC)
• ·         Legal skills (5 EC)

Year One Semester Two:

• ·         Administrative Law 1 (5 EC)
• ·         Criminal Law 1 (5 EC)      
• ·         English Language for IEL 2 (5 EC)
• ·         Introduction to Economics (5 EC)
• ·         Introduction to International and European Law (5 EC)
• ·         Private Law 1 (5 EC)

Year Two Semester One:

• ·         Economics of International Trade (4 EC)
• ·         European Law 1 (7 EC)
• ·         International Law, General Course (7 EC)
• ·         Law of International Organizations (6 EC)
• ·         Research Seminar International Law/Legal Writing (5 EC)

Year Two Semester Two:

• ·         Administrative Law 2 (5 EC)
• ·         Criminal Law 2 (5 EC)
• ·         European Law 2 (Law of Judicial Protection; 6 EC)
• ·         Introduction to Political Science (5 EC)
• ·         Private Law 2 (5 EC)
• ·         Research Seminar European Law/ Legal writing (5 EC)

Year Three Semester One:

• ·         Semester abroad (29 EC)

Year Three Semester Two:

• ·         Civil Procedural Law (4 EC)
• ·         English Language for IEL 3 (3 EC)
• ·         International Finance (4 EC)
• ·         Interdisciplinary Research Colloquium (10 EC)
• ·         Optional Compulsory Course (5 EC)
•  Decision-making in the European Union (6 EC)
• Theory of International Relations (5 EC)
• Introduction to Philosophy of Law (6 EC)
•  The Legal Heritage of Europe (5 EC)
•  Theory of International Relations (5 EC)

For a more detailed overview of these modules, please visit the university website:

www.rug.nl

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Why Did I Choose To Study Law?

A lot of people have asked me why I decided to study for a law degree, with many of them reciting horror stories they have heard from friends, relating to the long hours, hard work, lots of reading, and so on. My reply to which is that any degree is going to take a lot of work and effort, because if it isn’t challenging then it wouldn’t be worth doing as it wouldn’t show potential employers anything about the individual or qualification.

My main reason for studying law is that I believe the law plays a vital role in the society that we live in. Without law and order, we would live in a very different and unpleasant world. The law has been around for centuries, and the common laws which were created many, many moons ago still exist today, with some minor changes here and there. The fundamental point to this argument is that there will always be laws by which us citizens have to abide, and that means that the law is always relevant and gives everyone equal rights.

I also have a strong interest for criminal law and how it is applied in the court room. Everyone wants to read about the big criminal trials which are being argued in the courtroom, it is just an interesting subject to see how the court reacts to the people who do not wish to abide by the laws which are laid before them.  

Self-improvement is also a vital factor in my decision to study law. I want to be able to improve on my researching and communication skills and a law degree will certainly help me to achieve this. Lawyers and Attorneys have to research and draft briefs, make compelling arguments or cases and communicate clearly and accurately with clients, jurors and judges.

I also enjoy problem solving, and feel that a law degree will give me the chance to solve issues and dispute cases in a way that will help me to improve and gain experience. Compiling compelling arguments and supporting documents will also allow me to work on my reasoning skills, as I will have to learn about the law and then apply it to the case in which I am given.

Overall I feel that the skills required to successfully study for a law degree will provide me with a solid foundation for almost and workplace or job role. Studying law will improve my reading, writing, reasoning, research and communication skills – many of these can be applied to other areas of work, such as business or politics, however I would like to continue down the law route and become a qualified lawyer.

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My Hobbies

Hopefully this post will let you guys know a little more about me as a person, and allow you to indulge a little into my free time. My life isn’t the most fascinating so I’ll keep it short and sweet; hopefully you won’t have fallen asleep by the end.

In my free time I enjoy reading books and novels. My favourite types of novels are generally Crime Thrillers or Law Novels by John Grisham. I also enjoy the work of Tess Gerritsen and Tom Clancy, who are both appreciated and respected writers in their specific genres. I find that reading gives me something more to write about, and motivates me to get out there and write something – be it this blog, my unfinished novel or general articles for Helium.com.

As I just mentioned, I do enjoy sitting down and creating something new in the form of writing. It can almost be compared to an art form such as painting – being that you start with a blank page or canvas and draft out your work. Only at the end do you really see the finished product and appreciate the outcome.

Photography is another way that I can create something and express myself. I enjoy being outdoors just taking pictures of anything and everything. I think that photographs are great as they allow me to capture a moment in time, which can then never be forgotten, but also act as a way to see everyday things in a different light.

There are also a selection of television shows which I enjoy sitting down to watch, these include:

• ·         CSI
• ·         Law and Order (Brooklyn and SVU)
• ·         NCIS (Original not LA)
• ·         The Big Bang Theory
• ·         The Apprentice

I own an Xbox 360 and enjoy First Person Shooter’s, such as Call of Duty and Battlefield. My favourite Xbox 360 game is the original Gears of War, which I still own and play, however in my opinion the sequel was a real let down. My most recently purchased game would be Red Dead Redemption, a wild west action adventure, by Rockstar, with a great deal of role playing features.

So, I hope that this post has given you a bit of insight into my hobbies and how I spend my free time. If you have any questions then please feel free to leave a comment or post in the forum section. 

Thanks!

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How To Enhance Your Career Prospects

I am pretty sure that almost everyone wants to enhance or further their career in order to reach the top of the managerial ladder, but how many people actually know which steps will help them achieve this; and how many actually take those steps to progress? 

The first step that you need to take is to ensure that you are in working a job that you want to be in and that you enjoy. If you haven’t enjoyed the last few months in your job ask yourself why, and what you would rather do with your life. Being in a job that you don't enjoy or feel is a dead end is never going to make you happy or let you enjoy work so you should try to find a new job in a role that you would prefer, or perhaps get a similar job but with a different company – the people you work around can make all the difference to your job satisfaction.

To move forward in your current career or open new pathways to different careers you may need to gain extra qualifications – you can never be over qualified, so you have nothing to lose. You could study full time if you could afford it or you could even carry on working part time and studying in between. Gaining a new qualification can open many more doors for you including a new career path or a promotion in your current job.

Sometimes qualifications alone won’t get you the job or promotion that you were aiming for but your personality and personal skills will. Create a list of what you believe your strengths and weaknesses are; ask colleagues, friends and family for their input. When you have a list look at your weaknesses and try to improve on these areas – for example, if your weakness is teamwork and communication take up lessons that involve team building, this also looks good on your Curriculum Vitae and shows your future or current employer that you are addressing your weaknesses and are interested in improving your skills. 

Overall there are quite a few ways that you can enhance your career, however you must be prepared to adapt and learn new skills – this is one key thing that employers look for and can land you a job even if you aren’t as qualified as some of the other candidates. Even when you are settled in a job that you enjoy you must never stop trying to improve on the skills that you have – learning new things will also be useful and improving on your skills will help you later on in your career.

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What Defines A Leader?

What qualities define a leader…well whilst everyone may look for different traits in a leader, I look for specific things, and believe that a great leader is a natural leader, who uses their instincts and ‘gut feeling’. I believe that good leaders aren’t the leaders who are sent on managerial courses or training days – to me, a leader should have traits which come naturally.

These traits and skills may include:

• Being able to motivate a person or team
• Reaching goals
• Working under pressure
• Being honest
• Having courage
• Using their own initiative

There are many traits which can describe a leader, but personally I believe that the most important trait is being able to motivate a team in order to reach certain goals or objectives. To do this the leader must be able to work under pressure and be honest to the people around them.

People often underestimate teamwork – but when you have worked in a busy office where certain people don’t want to work together, you really do value the teamwork that you get from others. Co-operation is vital in most businesses and this is why so many companies send staff to team building activities or try to make a leader out of someone who doesn’t have the natural traits.

Being a good leader is not just something that you pick up and learn. It is a diverse thing and requires a specific ‘breed’ of person to handle the pressure whilst still doing a good job in charge. I am not saying that people cannot learn to be leaders, but sometimes specific traits may be needed that don’t come naturally – such as being charismatic, taking charge, motivating people and using their own initiative.

I have worked as part of a team for the majority of my working life, and sometimes our team leader just hasn’t been able to motivate me – either because they didn’t seem motivated themselves, they weren’t sure how we were going to meet our objectives or they just weren’t very charismatic and honest. People need to realise that being a team leader is not just a job title; it requires a lot of work and a lot of traits which many people may overlook.

A leader must realise that they are not just going to gain respect for their job title – they have to earn it, and that will take time. A team has to be able to trust their leader, rely on them to help when they need it and be motivated by them.

Being a great leader takes time, but you must listen to your team members, value their opinions, ask for input and make them feel valued as part of the team. No one wants to feel replaceable! Ensuring that a team is ‘close knit’ is vital as the work flow will increase greatly if there is trust and respect between each and every member. The leader should never think or feel that they are any higher or any better than any other member of the team – everyone plays their part and with one piece of a jigsaw missing, you will never be able to complete the picture!

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The Importance of Eye Contact During a Job Interview

Have you heard the saying – ‘a picture speaks a thousand words’? Well this is the same as your eyes. Your eyes say a lot about you; how you are feeling, if you are being honest and much more. This is why eye contact is a vital part of communication, even more so in a job interview because it shows your sincerity and honesty.

You may have told the interviewer everything that they want to hear, but if your eyes don’t tell the same story then the interviewer can easily tell that you were exaggerating or lying. Subconsciously your eyes will reflect how you are feeling – if you are nervous or unhappy for example. This means that when you lie your eyes will shift, normally to the top corner of the room, and the interviewer will pick up on this.

Your eyes can also say a lot about you – if you are a confident person or if you really want the job you are applying for. The interviewer will be able to tell by your eyes if you are confident or have the determination and drive to really succeed at the particular job. If your eyes are constantly looking down or looking around the room then the interviewer knows that you are nervous and uncomfortable. This could also show a lack of interest which could go down very bad in a job interview.

Many people feel that if they walk into an interview and say exactly what they think the interview wants to hear they will be fine – however your body has ways of telling the truth about how you really feel. Normally through your body language and eye contact, so bare this in mind when you go for a job interview.

Maintaining eye contact shows that you are confident and honest, this is the same as showing the palms of your hand instead of clenching your hands together. Another good tip is to really focus on what the interviewer is saying, nod your head slightly to show that you are following the conversation. Tilt your head slightly to the side if you are thinking for a longer period of time to show that you are taking an interest in the question and looking for the most suitable answer.

Being prepared for an interview is one thing however it is quite easy to be ‘over prepared’. Being ‘over prepared’ means that you will constantly anticipate what the interviewer is going to say or ask you and by doing this you will almost always have an instant answer. Whilst many people consider this a positive it is in fact a negative because it shows that you aren’t all that confident and that you are a little nervous and don’t want to give the ‘wrong answer’. An interviewer doesn’t want to have instant answers with very little detail or thought, they want to know who you are and get a feel for you. By taking the time to think about their questions and answer them in detail you will impress them a lot more than by rushing through the interview. Being able to answer questions on the spot is a huge positive because you can’t have an instant answer in the work place – you will have to implement and react to the situation; this is what the interviewer wants to see.

Remember to be yourself because the employer is looking for a person not a robot who says whatever they feel is best. They want a person who can fit into a team and adapt to situations. Lots of employers will employ people with better personalities than experience, so bare this in mind when approaching an interview. Be yourself and feel comfortable, the rest will come automatically!

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How To Improve Your Public Speaking Skills

Many people dread the day that they are selected to give a speech or presentation to a group. The experience can be nerve wrecking and everyone fears that they are going to make a mistake or embarrass themselves. Giving speeches with confidence takes a lot of practice and patience, the steps below will help you build up your confidence, allowing you to give more comfortable speeches and presentations.

• Read aloud – Read your speech out loud and in front of a mirror. Pace yourself correctly and don’t rush through your speech. When there is a comma, take a small break. Don’t ignore the punctuation; it is there to help give your speech the correct tone and pace, and is therefore an important part of your speech. Practicing your speech out loud will help you decide if you need to speak louder or if you are pronouncing words clearly and precisely. If you are struggling to pronounce a word then it may be best to change the word for a close alternative.

• Avoid reading – If you are giving a presentation or speech using a program such as PowerPoint then ensure that you aren’t just reading off of the screen. It may be best to put the key details on the presentation and when you talk about them you can then add as much detail as you feel is needed. It is important not to add too much detail because your audience won’t be able to take all of the relevant information onboard.

• Practice in front of friends – You could also practice in front of family or friends to build confidence. After your speech you can then ask them for feedback to help you improve. See how much of your speech they remember and if they thought it was effective. If they don’t remember much of your speech ensure that they remember the key points. Don’t feel the need to add lots of ‘bulk’ or ‘fluff’ words to make the speech seem longer as you will only be making it harder for your audience to take everything in.

• Keep eye contact – Try to look towards your audience whenever you can; keeping this eye contact will show that you are confident in what you are saying. Speaking with open palms also shows that you are honest and are not trying to deceive the audience. Make them feel that they are part of your speech and that you are willing to listen to them. Don’t spend your whole speech telling them that they need to do this or not do this, tell them why.

• Improvise – The vital step to giving a confident speech is to believe what you are saying and know it well. You don’t have to know the speech off by heart because sometimes it is easier to change words around and improvise on the spot. A speech should flow freely so don’t feel the need to stick exactly to a script.

• Ask for feedback – If you have given a speech previously then you may be able to ask your previous audience for feedback. You could use questionnaires to ask if they thought the presentation was effective, what they would have changed, what they liked, what they didn’t like and so on. Getting feedback is the best way to improve because feedback is targeted directly to help you and is personalised to show you exactly how you can improve.

Everyone knows how nerve wrecking giving a speech can be, so people won’t judge you if you make a few mistakes. Learning and improving means making mistakes and learning from them, so don’t be scared to make a few mistakes when you first start out. With every speech you give you will feel more comfortable and confident within yourself; everyone had to start somewhere and there are definitely lots more people who have been in your situation, so just practice, practice, practice!

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How To Write and Prepare a Curriculum Vitae (CV)

A Curriculum Vitae (CV) is a document which represents you to your potential employers. It is an important document because this will normally be the piece of paper which decides whether or not you will get an interview with the company that you have applied to. It is therefore important to ensure that your CV represents you in a positive and appropriate way.

• Word Processor – Your CV should be created or drafted using a word processing program that you are familiar with. Open up your choice of word processing software (Word, Open Office, etc) and check to see if the program you are using has any templates available. If you use a search engine such as Google, you should be able to find some CV or resume templates for Word and other processing programs.

• General Information – Enter your general information, such as your full name, local address, e-mail address and phone number under a subheading of ‘Personal’ or ‘General Information. Ensure that you include your country’s international dialling code if you are applying for a job abroad.

• Education – Create a new subheading to outline your education and qualifications. In this section you should write down the information regarding the education that you have received, including the name of your school, college or university. You should include the dates of when you started and left each school – years are fine; there is no need to worry about writing down the specific dates. Write down information about any qualifications you hold such as a degree or any A Levels or GCSE’s. You should write down the grades that you received for each subject and the year that you obtained the award next to the qualification.

• Work Experience – If you have completed any previous work experience (whether paid or not) you should write this down under a new heading. Here you should list where you worked, how long it was for and what tasks you had to carry out. Using action words such as ‘developed, planned and organised’ will make your tasks look much more worthwhile and more impressive to a potential employer. Mention any team work that you did and try to relate to the skills needed for the job in which you are applying. For example a finance job would involve lots of mathematics and numerals, so try to relate to this if you are applying for a job in finance or banking.

• Interests – The next section should be about your personal interests and achievements. It is best to keep this section short and to the point in order to keep interest. Try to show a range of interests to avoid coming across as narrow; you should also be wary not to note too many solitary hobbies as you may be perceived as lacking people or social skills. You can also mention any achievements that you have received outside of work or training hours, such as participating in charity events, having a book published or completing a marathon.

• Skills – Now that potential employers know about your history and qualifications, why not tell them about any skills that you posses which could help you in a work situation? Good skills to mention on a CV include language skills (basic French, fluent in Spanish, etc), computer skills (good knowledge of Microsoft Excel, efficient in HTML editing, etc) and also information about any licences you posses (full clean drivers licence, bike licence, etc) should also be included, especially for jobs where you may have to travel.

• References – Many employers will want to contact either your previous team leader or employer from your past job, or even your old school teachers to get to know a bit more about you. At the bottom of your CV you should include at least two referees who will represent you to a future employer. One referee should be from your academic background, maybe a previous tutor in a relevant subject or your year leader, and the other should be someone from your previous job; this could be your boss or colleague. When choosing a referee bear in mind that the person you choose could be speaking to your future employer, so be sure that you choose someone who is reliable and remembers the good traits that you showed. Another option is to tell your potential employer that references are available if required, instead of just putting them straight onto your CV.

• Spell Check – Be sure to spell check and proofread your CV for any mistakes. Having mistakes in your CV is almost guaranteed to get your job application rejected or overlooked. You should try and get a friend or family member to proofread your CV for you, just to be sure that you didn’t miss any details or mistakes.

• Addressee – Ensure that you know the name of the person who you should hand your CV to. Many CV’s and job applications end up being sent to the right company, but the wrong individual. This shows that you didn’t read the instructions on the application correctly and is certainly not professional.

Always remember to back up and update your Curriculum Vitae on a monthly basis to reflect any new milestones in your life, such as completing a new course. When sending a printed version of your CV it is important that you keep the document protected, so that it doesn’t bend or crease in the mail.

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How To Improve Your Leadership Skills

To be a great leader you must understand what your team or staff want in a leader. Many people describe a leader as someone who takes charge and hands out tasks to others, however being a leader is a very diverse skill which requires many traits. By reading this article you have made one of the biggest steps – understanding that your skills can be improved and wanting to improve them. By following these steps you can greatly increase the skills you need to be an effective leader:

• Understand your weaknesses – focus on improving your weakest areas first, as these are the ones that need improving the most. It is no good being great at a few things but severely lacking other important skills. Accept that no one is perfect and always look for ways to improve your skills as a leader. A great way to know what areas you have to improve on is to ask your staff what they would like to see changed or how you could improve – they are the people that really know how good of a leader you are, so never be afraid to ask them for feedback, you will gain their respect for being interested in becoming a better leader and really putting effort into changing and improving your skills.

• Listen and understand – part of being a leader is to listen to your staff and understand their concerns. Don’t dismiss their feelings or ideas – try to make your staff feel comfortable at work. If your staff feel valued and listened to they will work a lot harder and their work flow will increase – this will also lead to them taking less sick days in the long run.

• Build relationships – building working relationships with both staff and customers will increase the trust that people have in you. A leader should be a role model and someone that can trusted – building this takes time but will earn you respect. As a leader you have to try and make people follow your ideas and example – people will only follow you if they trust and respect you. Take the time to get to know everyone that you work closely with, ensure that they feel comfortable at work and ask for their input – value their ideas and take on board their feedback, by doing so you will make your staff feel valued and respected, in the long run this could increase their loyalty to your company.

• Never discriminate – don’t treat anyone differently to others, there should be no favourites in a team – everyone is equal and everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. Sometimes it is all too easy to assume that some with a much lower job title than you has very little experience, but what you must remember is that you were in his or her shoes at some point, and everyone has to start at the bottom and work their way up.

• Motivation – find out what motivates each of your team members. Being able to motivate people is a hard skill, but being able to motivate yourself can be even harder. A leader must be motivated even during stressful and difficult times; if a leader isn’t motivated then the staff certainly won’t be!

• Offer to help out with workloads – sometimes it is nice to be offered help rather than having to ask for it, and your staff will certainly respect you for the help you offer and give. Understand that staff may need additional help if they are struggling with a task or having difficulties outside of work – don’t be judgemental, just try to help however you can.

These are some of the main ways to improve your leadership skills and by getting feedback from your staff and colleagues you can see what areas really need improving, and where you have improved over time. The main part of being a leader is to ensure that your staff are comfortable and happy – they are the people that you are going to work with everyday so build relationships and treat them like real people without undervaluing them. Listen to your staff and always seek to improve your skills – the best piece of advice you can be given is to continue improving and never get complacent.

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How To Manage Time Effectively

As most people in business will tell you; time is money – so in order to make more money you need to use time effectively. Time management is just as important as money management but is often overlooked and people who have poor time keeping skills tend to think that it doesn’t matter and that being a little late won’t change anything – well they’re wrong!

• Microsoft Outlook – There are many simple steps that you can take to help you manage your time more efficiently. The first one would be to use a time management system, similar to the one used in Microsoft Outlook. Here you can access your emails, check the calendar, schedule alarms as well as make a schedule. Using a schedule helps you to know exactly where you should be at any given time. It maps your task for the whole day on a time basis – for example, you could allow ten minutes to check your email and then schedule to meet a client, the alarm will go off after ten minutes and tell you that you should be meeting someone. This is a great program as you can do many things with it and it will really save you a lot of time.

• Plan ahead – Ideally you should plan in advance, maybe just a day or two, but if you can plan ahead for a week then why not? Always knowing what to expect in the future is a great advantage and allows you to keep track of your time a lot easier. If something in your schedule changes, don’t forget to change it in your schedule or journal and then use any spare space which may have been created to catching up on any work that you have fell behind on.

• Keep a diary – You could also carry a diary or journal which states where you should be throughout the day and also take into account how long it would take you to get to each location if you had to travel – this means that you shouldn’t be late as your journey would already be planned out. Keeping a diary also allows you to look back and see if you could have managed your time more effectively, or if you were late on any given day. If you were late you can take a note and plan that journey or task more efficiently so that you are not late next time.

• Wear a watch – Always wear a watch or carry something which always allows you to see the time. Losing track of time is one of the main reasons that people are late or forget to do other tasks. If you set aside time for each task and stick to the schedule then you should be able to handle your work load a lot better and with more ease. Sometimes you might not have completed a task and think – ‘ah I’ll do a few more bits of paper work’ – but deadlines are made for a reason, so stick to your schedule. By taking longer on that task you will be late completing the rest of your task, and sometimes this may be negligible but if you have to meet a client and you show up late it really gives off an unprofessional image about you and your company.

• Allocate time – When you arrive at work, set aside ten minutes before your shift to organise what order your work should be completed – list all the tasks that need to be completed the same day and how long you will spend on each one, then put all other tasks that aren’t that important into order and set aside time for those. Prioritising is an important skill and is vital in being able to manage time efficiently. By arranging all the tasks that have to be completed the same day and leaving the tasks that don’t have to be completed urgently until later you will undoubtedly save time and meet all your deadlines.

• Ignore disruptions – Interruption in the work place happens all the time and can happen for any given reason. Sometimes it is just hard to concentrate in a busy environment – and I would advise taking lunch out of the office every time you have the chance. When the phone rings, or an email is received, many individuals rush to deal with that rather than finishing their sentence or part of their task – you should continue what you are doing until you are in a position to stop and deal with the ‘interruption’. If you are really busy then why not ask a colleague for help or to take the phone call? People are often afraid to ask for help, but by asking for help you lower your work load and stress levels, as well as saving your company time and money. Never be afraid to ask for help!

• Cut back on the office gossip – Another bad habit that people adapt (mainly people who work in an office environment) is taking on too much work. Maybe your colleague needs some help, but what you must remember is that you will fall behind with your work in the process, so if you do help out, make sure that the person you help is going to help you catch up with your work also. Many people will be glad that you help them out, but may put themselves first and refuse to help you out in return – so make sure you know what to expect and weigh up if you really have the time to help them.

Time management is a skill that is respected by all employers, and is a valued trait – employers know that effective time management means more money and more work flow. By reading this article you have taken the first step in trying to improve your time management, and that is a big step, now you have to understand where you can save time in your own routine. Analyse is and ask yourself, do I really need twenty minutes to check my email or can I do it more efficiently? Do I waste time? What can I do differently? By answering these questions you will have a clearer view on what you can do to save time and then you have to find ways which work for you. Not everyone can use a diary efficiently as they may forget to write things down, where as others may not have access to a computer schedule program. Find what works best for you and constantly look to see if you could complete tasks in a more effective manner.

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How To Boost Your Self-Esteem

Having little or no self-esteem is a problem which affects almost everyone at some point of their lives and this can be very difficult to live with or overcome. Many people just try to deal with the problem by simply living with it instead of trying to solve it – this can result in further issues and can even lead to suicide. So how can you increase your self-esteem?

• Free Time – Find a hobby which includes other people, such as a sport or attend a class for painting or knitting etc. This will help you build confidence by interacting with other people and feeling like you are part of a group or team.

• Social Network – Join social networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook and MySpace to talk to new people. This will help you feel comfortable when communicating with others and will allow you to meet new people who will talk to you.

• Self-Belief – You must believe in yourself before anyone else will be able to believe in you. Write down all the things that you think you are good at and then tell yourself that you are good at those things.

• Volunteer – Volunteer to help out in the local community by organising events or helping out at the community centre. Volunteering will make you feel better about yourself because you are giving something back to your community and helping others.

• Get out of the house – Take walks in the park and don’t be afraid to talk to the people around you. Meet new people, talk to them and be yourself.

• Feel comfortable about yourself – Never try to act like someone you are not, just be yourself and enjoy it. People will respect you much more if you be yourself rather than pretending to be someone else.

• Identify the cause – If you are still low in self-esteem and confidence work out what made you feel like this – is it the image you have of your body, abuse or an ex partner? Try to find professional help so that you can understand your feelings and conquer them.

• Look at the positives – Focus on the highlights of your life and your treasured memories rather than the bad parts. Take a look at your good traits and tell yourself that you are good at things you enjoy.

• Set Milestones – Set reasonable goals for yourself such as writing an autobiography or book, learning to cook a new meal for your friends or family, taking part in the local community and so on. When you achieved this goal set a new one. By meeting goals you will feel a sense of accomplishment which will motivate you to meet more of your targets.

• Consider changing employment – A change of job could be what is needed to motivate you and offer some new challenges in your life. Your old job may have become repetitive or you may need to get back to work instead of being stuck at home.

Self-esteem plays a huge role in our lives and we all want to feel comfortable with ourselves – so don’t just think that the problem is going to disappear; make it disappear! If you have been abused or had previous problems then you should see a professional who will then try to help you build up your confidence and move forward with your life. Don’t live your life in a shadow, take control and do what you enjoy.

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How To Improve Your Writing Skills

There are many different ways in which you can improve your writing skills; some will benefit you more than others but that is really all down to personal preference. Sometimes writers don’t look at the bigger picture and focus purely on one point such as spelling or grammar instead of focusing on all the aspects that they can improve upon. In this article I aim to show you some of the best methods which will help you improve your writing on numerous levels rather than just one subject area.

• Write – The key to improving your writing is to write. It sounds simple but it can be a lot harder in practice. Many writers will suffer from writer’s block; however this shouldn’t stop you from writing. In order to improve you must write when you want to as well as when you don’t. The more you write the more experience you will gain and you’ll be able to find your own style as well as which subjects you really enjoy writing about. It is also important to go back and reread over work which you have written a while ago. Can you see that your work has improved since you wrote an older piece?

• Read – Another great method is to read. Many aspiring writers stop reading or read a lot less when they start to write their own pieces. This may be because they have less time on their hands but either way you must realise that reading is an important step to improving your own work. Reading lets you see what other writers do, what techniques they use and also helps improve your vocabulary. After reading many different articles or books your brain will automatically try and repeat some of the techniques which have been used in your own writing. Reading will also allow you to explore new concepts and open your mind, thus allowing you to be more creative within your own writing.

• Vocabulary – Extending your vocabulary is vital because with words you choose how the reader should feel and what they should see in their minds when reading your piece. In order to involve your reader in your work you must vary your vocabulary. There are many words with could be used to describe a character or a location; however the ones you choose will dramatically change the readers perception of that person or place. By changing a few words you can change the whole atmosphere and this is why it is so important to build up a strong vocabulary. A good way to learn new words is to open a dictionary at a random place and choose a random word on the page. Once you have chosen a word you should then write for five or ten minutes about that word; this should include the words definition and a little story revolving around the word itself. There is also software such as Vocaboly which will test your knowledge and score you. Vocaboly is also useful because it shows you the meanings of words and allows you to build your own vocabulary on your computer. The program will also help you learn the spelling of words if you are having trouble.

• Critique – If you are unsure about something you have written or are not sure about a piece of work then you could join a Writer’s Group or forum to help get feedback and critiques. There are many groups online which will give you feedback on your work and help you improve. Critiques are also useful to receive if you are going to publish an article because you can get the feedback you need which will allow you to edit your article before you hand it over to a publisher. There are also programs such as AutoCrit which will check your work for spelling mistakes, repeated phrases or words and clichés. The program isn’t free but if you don’t have a critique partner then this is definitely worth investing in.

• Plan – Know where you want your writing to go. Have a plan. Whilst many writers’ can write an article off the top of their heads it is always best to know what direction you want your writing to go. Having a plan allows you to plan out the structure of your work, as well as to pace your piece properly and effectively. A piece of writing should be consistently strong; starting with a strong opening paragraph to hook the readers in and then enough information paced out to keep them interested. The end should never feel rushed or unplanned. Your writing should flow smoothly and be easy to follow.

• Effective Editing – When writing it can be all too easy to keep editing the same paragraph until it is ‘perfect’ rather than continuing your writing. Whilst editing is important, it is something which should be done near the end of the article. This way you can get the overall feel of the article and edit the parts which you still think should be changed. A sentence may look out of place as you are writing, but it may fit perfectly in the finished article, so don’t rush to edit your work! This is also why writers’ normally use drafts to edit their work and see which areas could be improved, and then they compare the edited draft to their first draft to see which they prefer. It is also important to read out loud as you are editing, this way you can really hear how each sentence sounds and work out if the pacing of your writing is how you had intended.

• Word Count – Writing to a publisher or website which has specific word limits may make you more prone to ‘fluffing’ your article with words that aren’t really needed. Don’t add words just to make up the number, look for words which will add something to your writing. If you are stuck trying to reach a certain word count why not try describing objects, places and people in more detail?

• Proofread – Many writers’ forget to proofread due to word processing programs. Writers’ are generally confident that if they made a mistake the software that they are using would highlight it or change it for them, however this isn’t always the case. Word processing programs are not perfect and will certainly not find every little mistake that you make. Programs are also incapable of telling you if a line should be rewritten or changed. You may reread your writing and realise that you could have made more of an impact by structuring your sentence differently or changing the choice of vocabulary. Writers’ have used drafts for many, many years, so don’t expect your writing to be perfect on your first try.

• Writing Course – If you are still struggling to see an improvement in your writing then you may wish to attend a short writing course. There may be writing courses offered in your local area but if not then you can find plenty of them online. You can even gain a qualification in creative writing or journalism if that is the road that you wish to go down. Many online courses are free, however for more in depth courses there may be a small fee.

Each day you write you are improving, whether you notice it or not. By reading you are picking up new words to use in your own work as well as analysing the techniques of other writers’ subconsciously. There are no set boundaries for writers’; there is no perfect way to write. Each writer has their own style, so don’t try to write like someone else, just be yourself and enjoy what you do!

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Holiday Gift Ideas for Law Students

Buying for law students may seem like a daunting task, especially if you aren’t particularly close to the person in question! However, there are many great and useful gifts for law students, many of which can be purchased for less than $25.


Formal Clothing:
Many university students are used to wearing casual clothes, such as jeans and standard t-shirts, but law school requires a much more formal kind of wear. Every law student should ensure that they possess at least one suit as you will need one when you are practicing court cases or attending job interviews. If a full suit doesn’t fit into your budget then you could buy a ‘piece’ of the suit instead. Law students can never have too many ties!

• Shirts
• Shoes
• Ties
• Trousers
• Waistcoats

Supplies:
There are many different types of supplies which are useful to law students, however you should first check what supplies the student already has! Pens, highlighters and other stationery are always needed throughout law school.
Useful computer supplies include:

• All-in-one Printers
• CD-ROMs
• Keyboards
• Mouse
• Mouse Mats
• Routers
• USB Devices

Other stationery items include:

• Folders
• Highlighters
• Paper
• Pencils
• Pens (different colours)
• Rulers

Books and DVD’s:
There are many great, famous law related films, many of which are based on books by the author, ‘John Grisham’.
Some of the most famous law based DVD’s include:

• ‘A Civil Action’
• ‘A Time To Kill’
• ‘The Associate’
• ‘The Client’
• ‘The Firm’
• ‘The Pelican Brief’
• ‘The Rainmaker’

Many of these are available in book format so if your law student friend or relative is more of a ‘bookworm’ then there is something for them too!


Personalised items:
There are many items which are now customisable to give a more personal touch and feel, these include:

• Bookmarks
• Briefcases
• Diaries
• Portfolios
• Stationery
• Ties

In conclusion, it is clear that you don’t have to spend a fortune in order to find a useful gift for your favourite law student, which will be sure to bring a smile to their face this Christmas. I hope that this article has given you some useful and relevent gift ideas for buying gifts this Christmas!

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Who is to more to blame for poor soccer team performances: Players or manager?

 Managers are the ones who get the sack when things turn bad for a club, however a manager can only have a certain amount of influence on and off the pitch. The manager can’t make the players work, he can only tell them what he expects of them and what he expects the opposition’s strengths and weaknesses are – it is up to the players to use this knowledge to exploit a team’s weakness.


Coaches and managers get a lot of abuse and are often in the firing line when the club they manage or coach has some bad results, but the manager can’t have a direct impact on the pitch, as he doesn’t play the football. Yes his decisions might change things a little, but it is all down to the players, and whether they want to win.

The players have to work as a team and listen to the advice of their manager, but also use their own creativity and experience on the pitch. The manager can’t constantly tell each player what to do next or where to move; this is all down to the player and the team. Team work is key in football, and although the manager can pick the line up for the squad, he can’t make them work well together – that is something that the players have to adjust to and work out.

Players don’t get fired or risk losing their job when they miss easy chances to score, or mess up a pass – no one thinks much of it, only the manager. Fact is that footballers make mistakes on the pitch, and this influences the game. Look at England’s last match against Holland in August 2009 – Rio Ferdinand gave the ball away and Holland scored, then Gareth Barry gave the ball away and Holland scored a second, yet no one got on the case of those two players because everyone just looked at the manager, Fabio Capello. Then when Jermain Defoe scored two goals for England to make it 2-2, no one really cared that we gave two goals away in the first half!

Footballers get paid a lot of money, and when things go well they take all the credit, however when things don’t go their way it is immediately the managers fault according to some players and the press, however this isn’t the case. If a player doesn’t perform well that is the players fault – the manager has no impact on that. The manager or coach may set training for the player but the player also has a say in what he trains. If he feels that his training isn’t benefiting him then he should speak to the coach or manager about it.

Managers can’t change the way players play when they are on the pitch; they can only prepare them as much as possible in training, but if the player chooses to play a different way or not use what they learnt in training, then that is not the manager’s fault. Training is not also just down to the manager to take care of – there are many coaches for different areas, yet they never get “bad press” or fired do they?

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Home decor: Do it yourself or hire a decorator?

Everyone at some point or another will have an experience where they need to decorate a new home, or redecorate to keep up with the times. Now, whilst some people may like decorating as it gives them a sense of achievement at the end or just simply something to do, other people absolutely despise it and would rather hire a professional. There are advantages and disadvantages to both of course, and I am going to pinpoint and discuss some of those within this article.


Let’s start with the advantages of doing the decorating yourself:
1) It is obviously significantly cheaper than hiring someone else as you are not paying someone for their time or expertise.
2) Some people may feel a sense of achievement when it is completed, as they know that they have done it all themselves and can feel proud of their work.
3) You know that you aren’t going to be conned or have a poor job done at the end as you aren’t relying on anyone else.

There are also disadvantages however, these include:
1) Decorating on your own takes a lot of time, and can be quite exhausting. Some people may simple not have the strength (the elderly) or the time if they have children or other commitments.
2) Unless you are a professional decorator then you don’t have the skills and the expertise that a professional would have and may not get the highest standard of work at the end.

Some people are unable to decorate themselves, or just don’t have the time, so what are the advantages of hiring a decorator? Here are some of them:
1) The work will look well done and professional in the end, as they have the expertise and training to deliver high quality standards.
2) You can get advice on colour schemes or layouts for your decorating from them. It doesn’t take up any of your time, and you are free to do other things in life.

There are quite a few disadvantages however:
1) It can cost a lot to get a reliable decorator.
2) Some decorators may over charge you or leave you with an unfinished job.
3) You don’t get the sense of achievement or to be proud of the work, as it isn’t yours.
4) Paying to hire a decorator every time you want to decorate is going to become a huge bill and most people wouldn’t be able to afford to do so.

Overall there are many advantages and disadvantages to both. I personally do the decorating myself and ask a few friends or family members to help me out if I need it. Whilst hiring a decorator is nice for people who don’t have the time or will to decorate, I don’t know many people that would or could afford to pay someone else to decorate. If I could afford to then I probably would hire a decorator, as I really don’t like decorating but unfortunately, we not all lucky enough to have the choice!

If you are going to hire a decorator, never fully pay them for a job before they have started. It’s normally best to agree terms with a decorator before hand, and give them a percentage of money up front so that they can get the correct tools if you don’t already have the paint and so on (however it is really recommended that you buy the wallpaper and paint yourself as it normally works out cheaper) and then pay another percentage when they are half way through, and the rest when it is completed. This significantly reduces the risk that you will be conned. You can also check for reviews on the decorating firm that you have employed. You should also ask them for any legal forms to show that they are a legitimate business.

All in all, if you do hire a decorator remember that most of the time…you get what you pay for so always read the contract, especially the small print – many people overlook this and some companies may be a bit cheeky as what they may offer you in person may not be what is written on paper.

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Which is the better video game platform: Console or PC?

As much as I love gaming on my Xbox 360, I am going to have to say that PC gaming is better. This is due to the fact that consoles get old and get replaced and costs a lot of money, where as you can just constantly upgrade a computer.


Another reason is that console games are so expensive. $60 recommended retail price? No thanks. I don’t see why console gamers have to pay more to play the same game as a PC gamer…On the most part televisions cost more than computer monitors, which is another expense for console gamers. PC games generally tend to look better than on a console, however this depends on the computer that is being used at the time. Xbox gamers also have to pay Microsoft Points for expansion packs or add ons, whereas for most games PC gamers get them for free.

I own an Xbox 360, and yes Xbox Live is the main reason that I brought one – to play with my friends, however why do Microsoft charge us to play online? PC gamers don’t pay to play online – neither do Playstation 3 users, so why just the Xbox? This is yet another cost that we have to pay in order to maintain an Xbox, the same as if your Xbox breaks you can’t just go and buy a certain piece to have it repaired, you have to buy a whole new Xbox, whereas a PC is much cheaper to repair and maintain because you can get the parts for cheap and just repair what you need.

In the ten or so years that I have owned a PC I rarely ever had a serious problem or error, where as in the two years I have had an Xbox I have been through six. I even upgraded to an Elite because they were supposed to have less chance of breaking…but nope, it still scratched my discs and red ringed on me. Typical. Not what you expect from a $300 console.

With a PC you are also not just limited to gaming, you can check the internet, send emails, complete coursework, and using many different programs. On the Xbox you can only really watch films and play games, and the Xbox is a bit loud when you are trying to watch a film, whereas a computer can have the fan speed and so on changed to make it quieter.

PC’s can also be upgraded for the future, with more hard drive space, or external hard drives, blue ray drives and many other features, where as consoles are limited and in order to upgrade the specifications you have to spend another 300+ on a new console every few years.

People say that PC’s take more effort to look after, however aslong as you don’t download illegal programs (because of viruses) then a PC generally will run fine. My computer was hit by lightening and it lasted another year even with the components melting, by the end of the year it was a bit slower but it still worked! Consoles (mainly the Xbox 360) will break on you even if you constantly keep it clean and take care of it; I brought my Xbox and I cleaned the dust from it everyday, made sure it was well ventilated, lay it down so it didn’t scratch discs, however none of this mattered because it still broke within the first few months.

I constantly hear that consoles have better graphics than PC’s – whilst this may be true for some PC’s, mid range or high specification PC’s really run rings around the consoles graphics. There is also much more custom content for PC users, such as maps for games like Quake which have been made by other users. You can also mod games on a PC – such as Fallout 3 – there are many ways to customize that game to add much more replay value, however this isn’t there on the Xbox.

Overall, even though I do love my Xbox 360, PC gaming is much cheaper and more reliable in the long run. A PC can be upgraded, it’s useful for many other applications, it can stream video to your TV, it’s quieter and there are many more advantages to owning a computer.

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Dog attacks: Should we punish the owner or the breed?

As I have stated before in my previous article about aggressive dog breeds, the dog is not born vicious or aggressive – it is the treatment from the owner that enforces and influences the dog’s behaviour.


Yes some dog breeds may be known as being ‘more vicious or prone to attack’ than other breeds – but why is this? This is because irresponsible breeders create them this way. They breed them to fight, because some owners – mainly younger males want to own a dog that is vicious and aggressive – they think that it makes them look ‘cool’ and is a way to show off to their friends. This really is irresponsible and these people should be banned from owning and breeding dogs.

Banning certain breeds of dogs would not be fair to the people who love specific breeds of dog and are responsible owners who really take care of their dogs. Why should people not be allowed to own the dog they want just because some people are too immature to take care of that specific breed?

I have been around many different breeds of dogs which were owned by my family and friends, none of which have been aggressive. All have been different breeds but are cared for and loved in the way that a dog should be treated, so they have no reason to be vicious.

I believe that when you go to buy or adopt a dog you should be made to do classes and lessons on how to care for the dog, and understanding what the dog needs. Whilst this wouldn’t completely remove the problem because there will always be idiots who don’t have the respect for others let alone animals, it would give people a lot of information that they may not have realised before. Giving potential owners a test to see how well they understand their dogs needs and behaviour would then show owners where they needed to get more information and guidance in order to really care for their pet.

Banning certain breeds of dogs for being aggressive is the same as trying to ban certain parents from having children. It just isn’t viable. The dog isn’t always responsible for his or her actions if they know no better and are mistreated. Targeting the people who breed dogs specifically for fighting would be effective and would limit the amount of vicious dogs that are bred intentionally to hurt and kill.

Regardless of what the media says about specific dog breeds and traits, you must remember that in most cases the dog only acts how he or she has been told or shown to act. If they are beaten and abused then they will get aggressive. If they don’t trust their master they won’t trust any other person.

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Is it better to work for an established employer or be self-employed?

There are many advantages to running your own business from the comfort of your home, and most of them are enough to make people really consider the idea, however some people lack the skills or motivation needed, or simply prefer the reassurance of a fixed annual salary.


Being self employed has a huge number of advantages but definitely doesn’t suit everyone. I would recommend starting a business whilst still working full or part time to see if it is right for you to reduce the risk involved.

Working from the comfort of your home might sound great to most and it can be a nice feature, as long as you don’t allow yourself to get distracted from doing important things relating to your business. Enjoy the privileges of being able to work from home, but don’t abuse it and take advantage by doing less important things like the housework.

Choosing the hours and days that you work is also great, especially for people with family commitments who may have certain schedules and need to work specific hours or days. Don’t allow yourself to ‘slide’ and think that you can afford to work for the minimum time each day. You must remember that now you have to work for your success and if you don’t, you aren’t going to get paid. There is no monthly or annual pay check to rely on, so it really is all down to yourself!

You can choose how much your services or products are worth and how much you will sell them for. On top of that you can have all of your ideas valued and listened to – if you think it’s a good and will work, it is your decision to try it! There is no one to tell you to stop or that your idea isn’t going to work. Just be sensible!
Your job security is always high as long as you are able to create enough money for you to live on and be happy with. Some people start a business and when it isn’t working they convince themselves that it will, just because they want it to and are too proud to let it go. Don’t fool yourself, if you aren’t making money you could run yourself into a lot of trouble and debt!

Being self employed can be a great experience and an exciting journey. You will get to look at things from a different perspective, take charge and be your own boss instead of working for someone else and truly feel ‘free’ to work when you want to work. Don’t expect success over night as it will take time, but it will be worth it in the long run!

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Should we be banning certain dog breeds?

Not all dogs are born violent – yes some may be – but most dogs are either bred that way or are just mistreated by their owner. Dog breeds  should not make a dog violent – that is all down to the treatment of the dog and the upbringing.


The real question here is, ‘Should irresponsible owners be banned from homing and breeding dogs?’, well of course; we can’t just ban certain dogs breeds because people are too irresponsible to raise them. Dog owners and breeders should have to have regular checks by Animal Police to ensure that the dog is being raised and bred properly – this way there is a lower chance that the dog will turn violent'.

We can’t just ban certain humans from breeding, so why can we with certain dog breeds? Dogs are not always responsible for how they act – if they are mistreated then they know no different than to be aggressive and on guard of humans. If dogs are treated correctly and with care then they are loyal, friendly and fun animals.

Dog owners should be made to go on courses with their dog which will teach them how to handle and care for a dog, as well as to make sure that the dog is social and doesn’t feel threatened by people. Dogs should also have to be fully registered to an owner – so that Animal Police can easily provide checks on what training the dog and owner are getting, as well as the medical history and condition of the animal.

If you were beaten as a child and for your whole life mistreated and looked down upon by people, then you wouldn’t know any better – but sooner or later you would get fed up and act in a way that you wouldn’t normally act – maybe aggressively or viciously. You wouldn’t want to be mistreated – especially not by people that you love and who are meant to care for you – a dog feels the exact same way but they can’t talk and tell people, so they try to show that they aren’t happy in other ways.

Irresponsible owners and breeders should not be able to have certain dog breeds banned. There are many people who would love to own specific breeds of dogs, such as a Pit Bull, even though they are associated with fighting, not every owner would like one just for that sole reason. Why should we prevent people from being able to raise a dog that they want, if they are capable of raising the animal properly?

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Which makes a better pet: A dog or a cat?

Dogs are loyal companions who love their masters and can get very protective. People are said to feel safer around a dog and more protected knowing that no one is going to break into your house with a dog there. Dogs also get on really well with children and can give your child a new companion and friend – especially if he or she is an only child.


I just love dogs – my boyfriend is a cat lover but I really don’t see a point to cats. I mean ok they are pets and they can cheer you up and keep your lap warm, but you have to buy litter trays, food and cat litter and what do they return? At least you can exercise with a dog, know that he will protect you and your home and have a loyal companion to be around.

Dogs not only make good pets but also are useful to Emergency Services around the world; fire fighters, police, paramedics and many more. They can help search for people in a wreckage, sniff out drugs on drug dealers, chase down criminals – what can a cat do? Blind people’s lives are changed by guide dogs; it’s amazing to think that a dog can change someone’s life and allow them to do things that they would struggle to do before like going to town alone.

Huskies are a way of life in places like Alaska, where sled dogs are used as transport to get around the city with ease. Without dogs it would be very difficult and very expensive for people to get to town. Sled dogs can travel over 90 miles in a 24 hour period while pulling 85 pounds each – now try walking that far whilst carrying the same amount of weight and see how far you get!

Dogs are very intellectual animals and it amazes me that people can treat them as badly as they do. Even though some dogs go through hell with their owners, they never stop loving them. A dog is a companion for life – but sometimes people forget this and don’t really think about the extra work or money and space needed to home a dog and it’s the dog who truly suffers.

As the saying goes – dogs are a man’s best friend – not just because of their loyalty and fun loving personalities, but also because of the effect that they have on people’s lives on a daily basis.

Just remember, it takes space, time and money to care for a dog. They might be little as puppies but they grow, they take time and patience to train. They need care and attention, as well as exercise. Dogs are not just for Christmas!

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