December 20, 2013

Calm is the perfect website to relieve stress, especially during finals week. This website has some great features, such as a reel of relaxing images and sounds to "calm timers". These make sure you practice calm for a certain amount of time. My favorite part about this website is that you can also do some “guided calm” sessions. First, you set your timer for how long you wish to practice calm. Next, you choose your preferred nature scene to have in the background while the session is going on. The goal of this website is to break away from any immediate distractions and just relax! I think I can speak for just about every high school student when I say that finals week is really stressful, and sometimes one of the best things you can do while preparing for that big test is take a short break and relax. So if you’re in need of a two minute break or a twenty minute break, then you should consider checking out this week’s web gem!

December 13, 2013

Ted Talks is a non-profit website that provides its viewers with current videos about the world today. The word "Ted" actually stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design. The majority of their videos are consistently shaped around these ideals as well. One of my favorite features on this website is the "Resize Me" bar off to the left hand side which refines what type of video you're looking for. Whether it's an informative lecture on Nelson Mandela, or the most popular video this month, you're bound to find a video that interests you. The videos they provide are relatively short, so it's not difficult to fit in a Ted Talk per day. This organization also hosts several conferences, events and fundraisers per year. Ted Talks is a very empowering and inspirational website that is sure to enlighten your day. You won't want to miss out on this Web Gem!

 

 

December 6, 2013

Pinterest is a website that allows people to view photos of products, events or articles and "pin" them to a board. As this is a form of social media, one can follow their friends to see what kinds of things they are pinning and others can follow you or particular boards. The type of things you can pin include but are not limited to: clothing, hobbies, humor, photography, recipes, craft ideas, fitness tips, room decor, etc. You can also create as many boards as you wish to categorize the items you pin (as the number grows very quickly). Although I highly recommend checking out this website, I give you all a fair warning as it can be highly addictive! Happy pinning!

 

 

November 26, 2013

Spotfiy has quickly become one of my favorite websites and for good reason. Spotify is a music streaming website/application that gives you access to just about every song ever created. Whether it be a song from the 80s or the new jam you just heard yesterday, Spotify is bound to have it at your disposal. In addition to creating that perfect playlist, or a hundred, you can also share music with your friends! Instead of saying, "You should really listen to this new song by so and so", you can now send it to them! Also, if you love your friend's music taste, you have the option to follow them and particular playlists created by them. If you have not become familiar with this site, I wouldn't wait another minute. Happy jamming!

 

 

November 22, 2013

College Results is a really helpful website for high school students, especially for those who will be applying to colleges within the next year. While other sites provided by the school, such as Naviance are very accurate and helpful, this website gives prospective students more information about the school they're interested in. Everything from acceptance rates, average test scores and retention rates to annual tuition, this website has all the goods! One of my favorite things about this website is that you can compare different colleges and universities side by side so you can visually see the differences between them. All you future college students should definitely check out this website!

 

 

November 15, 2013

Still looking for that perfect Christmas present for your best friend? Don't know what to get your parents for their anniversary? Still waiting to be inspired by the holidays for a great gift? Well look no further because this website has some great gift suggestions for everyone! With handy filters such as recipient type (i.e. Mom, Dad, Brother, Friend, etc), price range and occassion, you can't go wrong with any of these ideas! Each product that fits your search is unique and typically not found in average stores. You can see reviews of these products, brief descriptions and suggestions on other products you might enjoy (careful, this can be dangerous). Be sure to check out this website, especially around the holidays as various seasonal surprises may be in store. Happy shopping!

 

 

November 8, 2013

Instructables is a "do it yourself" website filled with great ideas that can be great in a pinch! Whether it's creating the perfect Halloween costume for you and your friends, or figuring out a way to revamp your bedroom and make it more unique, this website has all the answers! Instructables has great tips for fun food creations too! This website has information on everything from everyday living to new technology to outside play and decor. You can also explore seasonal creations under the "Featured" section for crafts that are perfect for this time of year. Check out this up and coming website for some great ideas! Enjoy!

 

 

November 1, 2013

Ozy is the perfect website to go to for the daily news report, not just on political affairs from around the world, but on popular culture too. Ozy.com is always changing as all of it's stories happened in the last twenty-four hours! In addition to the sleek and modern design of the website, Ozy.com provides insightful and interesting information on the happenings of today's world. The next time you want to find out what's going on in another country or what the bestselling book is this week, this is the website to check out. You don't want to miss this webgem!

 

 

October 23, 2013

Free Rice is a website that donates grains of rice through the World Food Programme to help end world hunger. How you donate the rice is the cool part; For each answer you get correct, this program will donate ten grains of rice. All the questions are multiple choice, and you can answer them in various subjects such as English, Math, Humanities, etc. This website also keeps track of how many grains of rice you have donated so far. You and your knowledge alone can make a difference!