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What was the Corfu incident of 1923?

Hi there literato! 

So sorry for the extremely late response. We only covered this the other day actually! 

Basically, It was a brief occupation of the Greek island Corfu by Italian forces. What happened? 5 Italians were assassinated in Greece, and Mussolini mobilised. The league of Nations condemned this and demanded their withdrawal, but Mussolini didn’t listen until Britain threatened them with their navy. But, Mussolini still demanded 50 million lire from Greece and an apology. It was seen as a great diplomatic victory for Italy but also showed Mussolini that while he could bully the smaller states, he couldn’t mess with the powerful states like Britain. This crisis also shows the weakness of the League of Nations. Whilst it was appealed to, it was ultimately unable to stop the aggression. 

Hope this helps, 

Anna 

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What are some good maths tutorial sites, just cuz edrolo sucks

Hey there literato,

Try Khan Academy! It’s really a great source and has virtually every high school maths topic in there.

Hope this helps,

Your admins

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Welcome back!

Hello 2020! The admins at Circle of Tchaik are wishing everyone a fantastic year, and all the best to your studies. 

It will take a few days to get into school-mode but take it easy and don’t stress out too much! You’ll get there ! 

-Your admins 

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Literature Challenge follow up!

Hello there literati,  

We hope your Summer holidays have gone reasonably well, and that you’ve had a chance to rest/recuperate whilst managing to be productive. 

Earlier last year in December, we put the Summer Holidays literature challenge to all of you. The admins challenged all fellow literati to learn 10 new words everyday. 

Here it is again: 

Hello fellow literati! Inviting you all to partake in the Summer Holidays Literature Challenge, of learning 10 new words every day. This is a great way to expand your vocabulary bank, and will be helpful to essay writing. 10 days consecutively means 100 words learnt. Or you can join me in the journey of doing this challenge for 21 days! Feel free to submit any questions regarding this challenge!

How do you find the words to learn?

What I have been doing is using a thesaurus, searching up a word I know. For example “obstinate” and then going through the synonyms until there is a foreign word. I then learn this word. It is good to have a phrase-book (I have one) of all the new words I learn and accumulate. I go through these words everyday, and eventually they become impressed within your vocab bank…they’ll come to your language repository quite naturally! In no time you’ll find yourselves using the new words, and equipped with a more extensive vocabulary!!

Did you manage to follow through? How many days did you manage to stay at it for? 

Two of the admins here at Circle of Tchaik attempted the challenge, and one of them kept at it for an entire 21 days. . . so that’s 210 new words attained in one holiday period! 

-Your admins 

[circleoftchaik]

International Day of Education

Today is the International Day of Education (also Chinese New Years’ Eve. .  . but the former is what we’ll talk about today!) On December 3, 2018, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution proclaiming January 24 as International Day of Education, in celebration of the role of education for bringing global peace and sustainable development. 

Education is a vital in everyone’s life. It is the process of gaining knowledge in different areas and understanding the surrounding world. Studying is not limited to what an individual gains from academic institutions; it also includes the knowledge one gets informally from life experience and older generations. Education offers a means to acquire knowledge regarding various topics and then implementing it to improve people’s lives. Education initially took on the form of oral tradition, the aim being to preserve the cultural knowledge from generation to generation. Though the transfer of knowledge from the older generation to the younger generation is still relevant, the process has changed over time. Nowadays, schools, colleges and universities are considered to be the main educational institutions. The medium through which education is provided is continuously evolving to make the process of learning easier for both learners and teachers.

The concept of education started way back in prehistoric times, and the primary intent was the same as it is today — to teach someone and to share knowledge. This approach included storytelling, imitation, paintings and various other things that ensured that the learner had understood the subject. As mentioned earlier, the most rudimentary aim of learning was to learn how to best preserve cultural and social knowledge; this knowledge would then be passed on to the younger generation, who will then forward it to the next generation and so on. Nowadays, society is highly influenced by the history of our ancestors, and the focus on preserving culture and sharing it with younger people remains the same.

With the increase in the dependence of human development on education, many countries around the world now make it mandatory for children under 18-years-old. This was made to ensure that future generations have enough knowledge to make reasonable choices that help their country’s overall growth. Even now, in some regions, women cannot get access to education, which results in a low literacy rate among women. Fortunately, the amount of girls who know at least how to write and read is continuously increasing. To uplift the country, education of the whole population is required. 

We hope you take the day to reflect on your educational past, and how you can cherish the blessing of education! Let’s make a difference together, one step at a time. 

Good luck!

-Your admins 

source 1

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Take breaks!

It’s so hard to stress how important taking study breaks are. In year 10, I used to be a I-will-study-for-5-hours-straight student, and although it did work well for me, it was quite destructive and I felt unmotivated a lot of the time. A lot of people have this misconception about me that because I have good grades, I spend all my time studying. This is such a myth! In order to do well, you really do need to give your brain some breaks. My rule is always 1-2 hours of study accompanied by a 15 minute break. Having breaks that are 15–20 minutes long are ideal but try to avoid them going for longer than that, as you will be more likely to lose the motivation to return to your studies. After slots of more arduous study (duration of 4 hours usually) I take an hour or two to recuperate. In this time, you should do something relaxing to take your mind off your work. For instance, I practice piano or organ as a break. But why is taking breaks so important?

•Study breaks breaks allow you to refresh your mind and improve your thinking, as well as helping you to maintain your attention and regain your motivation.

•Sitting at your desk for hours can be a strain on your body, leading to stiffness and tiredness. Exercising during your study breaks is an ideal way to prevent your body from becoming tired and sore. Stretching or taking a walk short walk will help get your blood flowing and re-energise you in the process. Getting out in the fresh air can help to clear your head and improve your mental well-being as well.

I also tend to take power naps in the 15-20 minutes (make SURE you set an alarm! Once I wanted to take a 20 minute power nap but ended up sleeping for 4 hours although when this happens, it’s also a sign you need to rest because your body is asking for rest!!) Done in short bursts, power naps offer an amazing (and relaxing) way to improve your productivity. You should aim for a 15–20 minute power nap, which will help to make you more alert, reduce stress and improve cognitive function. Just remember, if you nap for too long you will run the risk of sleep inertia, leaving you feeling disoriented and drowsy, so make sure to set your alarm!!

Hope you enjoy your last few days before commencing school , and remember not to burn yourself out. My study breaks are the only reason I never burn out!! If the admins at Circle of Tchaikovsky has one big piece of advice, is is that study breaks are extremely important because it empowers you to eventually return to your work, reinvigorated and ready to tackle all the tasks that come your way!

Good luck!

-Anna

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Can someone explain to me about the trade deal that trump signed with China ? Thanks

I’ll try my best to answer this, although I'm not an expert. The deal was been renewed a few times due to fluctuating relations and sudden power moves made by both sides. The latest one involves a commitment made by China to buy an additional $200 billion of American exports by 2021 and greater restraint on criticised Chinese business practices. China has agreed to loosen market access to US financial and car firms. In exchange, the US has agreed to reduce tariffs on $120 billion in Chinese goods and services from 15 to 7.5%. 

This new trade agreement signed on the 8th of January 2020, removes all most economic sanctions previously implemented, therefore putting behind the US-China trade war. This is called the “phase one” trade agreement, meaning it will be one of the first of many trade deals between China and US. Many people have been critical of this agreement, whilst some argue that it is a much better resolve than the previous trade war. 

This is an extremely short explanation of the situation, but I hope you found it helpful. All the best for your studies!

- Admin Chunghua

sources:

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/15/business/economy/china-trade-deal-text.html

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-51025464

https://www.ft.com/content/65557ec4-3851-11ea-a6d3-9a26f8c3cba4

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/01/16/business/us-china-phase-1-trade-deal-details/index.html

[circleoftchaik]

I feel like school is so draining, and I have no motivation anymore to do anything. When school starts I'll be sad again, and I don't know what to do but I feel like I will fail my vce

Hey there literato, 

It’s really great that you are reaching out.  We’re sorry to hear that you are finding things so difficult at the moment, and that school has become so much of a strain.  You are showing real courage and emotional maturity by reaching out to us, and we hope that things get better for you. Sometimes we feel hopeless, our emotions can take over and it can feel a bit like nothing will ever get better.  Getting demotivated can be hard to deal with and it is unfortunately super common. 

If you feel like things have become too difficult for you to manage alone, and you feel like it would be helpful, perhaps you can try to get support from a trusted adult like your parents, a teacher or even seeking a professional like a school counsellor, a GP or a mental health clinician. 

Online chat services are also available and you may find this helpful too! Headspace and kids helpline is a really good place to seek some help so don’t be afraid to give it a go.  https://headspace.org.au/eheadspace or https://kidshelpline.com.au/teens. 

Here are also a list of fun activities that may help you feel motivated again… don’t feel guilty for giving yourself a break sometimes. Here are some ideas :

-Indulge in some of your hobbies … do you like cooking or baking? Maybe reading something you enjoy rather than just your school books? 

- Distract yourself by watching TV, or netflix, or chatting with a friend, playing a game. 

- Go outside and get some fresh air.  Going for a short walk or run can really help clear your head. Exploring nature is super helpful as well, maybe go outside and take some nice photos of the nature or lie down somewhere calm. 

- Spend some time with yours pets, or watch cute animal videos on youtube! ( I do this heaps and it’s always a massive help to release stress and negative energy!) 

- Take a warm bath and drink herbal tea…. It really helps. 

Please don’t give up – you are worth trying and things will get better ! We hope this helps, and please look after yourself and seek help if you feel like you need it. We’re so proud of you for reaching out and we hope you take care of yourself < 3 

Admins at Circle of Tchaik 

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One of you is a musoooooo and I’m wondering how to balance school with practice because I want to do an exam this year but I’m starting year 11 and school is gonna be hectic

Hey there fellow literato!

Yes it’s very hard to manage! I remember at one time I went without practising piano for a week and did not practice organ for two weeks (don’t tell my teachers that!) Then I figured that I really needed to figure out a way to balance practice, work and extracurriculars.

Remember with music, it’s good to do some practice a day than to do nothing at all. So you can do 20 Minutes a day on weekdays , but EFFICIENT practice. When you’re practising, have strategies to target specific parts of the piece that you need to improve on, rather than running through your piece. Then on weekends you can find extra time to practice.

In terms of exams, if you want to do one , don’t let school hold you back. Finding the right balance is hard, but it is very doable. I did my LmusA last year in year 11, and whilst it was stressful, it’s certainly very manageable. How I did it was ensuring I did a little bit of playing each day (even if it was minimal) and spending any time that I have free, practising my instrument. Try to think of practising as a “break” rather than a “chore” on a to-do-list so it will be more relaxing and fun. I never really slotted in “practice” time for piano on my timetables because I just treated it like a study break.

Hope this works out for you, and good luck with your exam!

-Anna

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Hey , I have a bio question. Why can’t you heat an egg in the microwave? Tysm

Hey there literato!

So technically, heating an egg in a microwave is completely doable, however the consequences tend to result in explosions and half cooked eggs all over your microwave.

Let's start with the composition of the classic unfertilised chicken egg. There is the outer layer, a hard shell which is semi-permeable and protects the membrane sack of the egg white and the egg yolk, which also has a membrane preventing the nutrient rich yolk from spilling into the whites. Being semi-permeable, certain molecules can bypass the hard shell such as water molecules. Incidentally, the inner contents of an egg include a large amount of water along with proteins.

When heating an egg in a microwave, the waves which a microwave emits can excite the water within the egg, causing it to become steam rapidly and increasing the pressure within the egg until the shell along with the rest of the eggs contents splatter against the walls of your microwave. Although the shell is permeable to water and may seem to 'sweat' while being microwaved, the rate which pressure bulids up within the shell is greater than the rate in which water molecules can escape the shell, resulting in the mini grenade which can be made in your kitchen.

I highly recommend watching this video for a better understanding.

Although this question is less of a bio question and perhaps more physics, I hope your curiosity regarding the explosive qualities of eggs and microwave has been satisfied. For Biology VCE 3/4, knowledge of egg explosions isn't required, however you will be exploring concepts such as the permeability of the cell membrane!

Enjoy your day and keep questioning!

-Amy

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Why did you guys decide to start this page? ( I really like it, I'm just curious) ty ty ty

Hey there fellow literato!

Helping other students gain a better grasp of concepts and ideas is something I love to do. I’ve always been inspired by teachers in my life, being brought up surrounded by music teachers (I’m a pianist and organist) has really bolstered my love for disseminating knowledge and providing beyond that! However as I go up in year levels, work load does get more extensive so I figured tutoring was not something I could take on (as I have a vast number of other extracurriculars , and also academia is my number one priority) . I thought about creating an online forum where students could interact. Students across Victoria could interact(and beyond)and help each other out with homework problems and anything related to school , not limited by whether you attend a public, private or religious etc school. Many students simply feel like they need a forum to ask homework problems , whether it’s because their school teachers don’t have time, or anything other reasons. I remember always wanting something like this! Thus, the idea was rooted.

My previous school had a similar platform on Tumblr which I always loved, so at one stage, I did think about bringing it into my school too. However, the idea was unfortunately rejected, so for about 8 months is was abandoned. Until I decided if my school wouldn’t agree with it, I could always create a forum external from the school I attend! So here it is! I managed to get three brilliant admin to help out, and now we have a great platform running!

I hope Circle of Tchaikovsky is a useful platform for all those who view it and ask us questions! If you’re interested in helping out, don’t be afraid to shoot us a Direct Message. Circle of Tchaikovsky would be nothing without you!

Best,

-Anna

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gentle reminder

some of your tasks might be piling up, and i know that can be really stressful, especially with the expectation of being better in January is looming. please know that if you need to take your time, you can take as much as you have to. make to do lists, work bit by bit, take breaks. take it easy. you are not measured by your productivity. 

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To do lists don’t work for me...I get stuck on one thing and then do it for hours and hours and then I get tired and hate studying

Hey literato!

I used to be like this, and it would really stress me out. Trust me, I understand how tiring it gets even if you are extremely sedulous!

I would recommend planning out your time. One of my teachers recommended a really great platform to organise yourself on, which is called Google Calendar, and you can use a technique called “Block Scheduling”. This is extremely effective and it is what I do to keep myself running! This is how I do it:

I plan a day in advance. Basically you list out the subjects you need to study. For instance, I have to study history, maths and chemistry. I will allocate 75-120 mins of each with breaks. (How long these sessions are is totally up to you and depends on how you can focus) Then I put these in specific time slots. Here’s a little example:

When you use the block scheduling method, you create blocks of time for each item on your list rather than listing off appointments and to-do items with no timeframe. So there’s a specific start and end time for every task. Time blocking isn’t limited to appointments. Use this scheduling method for all the activities you want to accomplish during the day.

This only works if you do it consistently! For example, that 120 minutes of history revision isn’t enough for “History exam revision” (if written on a to do list) so I slot this in everyday. Now the question arises when you have to revise all your subjects before an exam. Then comes your priorities. For me, I do not need to revise as rigorously for subjects such as music and Chinese , so I spend less time on this, and use this time on other subjects like history or literature. Basically be consistent in your block scheduling. Block scheduling also means when you take breaks (that you schedule) you won’t feel guilty about taking them!

I think I will be doing a separate post on this in a few days time, because Google Calendar is really a fantastic resource and has been of invaluable help to me. I hope you find it equally useful and shoot us a direct message if you have other questions.

Good luck!

-Anna

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Hey literati!

Remember that motivation is the key to study

We can’t achieve to our greatest potential without our intrinsic motivation and determination to reach our desired outcome.

Just an example, motivation helps me to get up early and become productive. When we are inspired, excited, getting more than expected results from something, we get motivated. It’s a positive cycle! Such as it’s inspiring when you read stories and beliefs of successful people, it’s inspiring when you see someone achieving something great and feeling happy. That’s the way we feel motivated and it helps us to achieve our own goals.

Good luck!

-Your admins

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Hey so, I decided to do another masterpost. This time on exams. Some tips for studying at the very last minute if you are like me, disclaimer: I am not in any way supporting cramming but this is just to help you through if you are left with no choice other than cramming.

Cramming

Cramming tips that actually work by @optomstudies

The night before the exam

What to do the night before an exam by @beautifullearning

The night before your exam by @tiny-personal-university-thing

The night before exam and I didn’t study guide by @renaistudying

The night before test and I haven’t started studying by @getstudyblr

Revision methods

Revision methods that actually work by @alimastudies

The 5 Best Revision Methods by @bstudies

Study tips

More unconventional study tips by @minimaliststudy

A stash of tiny study tips by @justestjarchives

College study tips that actually help by @samsstudygram

Five tips for study marathons by @booksavolonte

General study tips by @plantednotes

More study tips

My study tips by @anatomyandcappuccini

My study tips

Personal study tips

Quickfire study tips by @annabaestudying

Rare study tips by @studybllog

Scientifically proven study tips by @swankiegrades

Secret study tips I wish someone would have told me by @fearlessroadtomd

Some rare study tips by @organisedorgana

Top 5 study tips by @studyign

Weird study tip by @artemissstudies

101 study tips by @study-early

Study tips by @howtohighschool

Study tips from someone who has already been there by @haylstudies

Study tips straight from my professor by @just-refuse-to-be-stopped

Study tips that helped me get back on my feet by @sillydaisies

Study tips that aren’t bullshit by @thebitchwhomadeit

Tips for effective study by @kimtented

How I write revision summaries by @athenastudying

Ways to study for exams that are actually productive

10 mistakes when studying by @howtostudyquick

Memorising information

How to memorise information by @monetstudy

How to memorise information faster by @qxzu

Memorization tips by @aescademic

Memorization tips by @determinationandcaffeine

Memorization tips by @studyquill

Exam tips

How to cope with exams by @uk-studying

How to revise for exams by @a-pro-s-studyblr

Studying for exams by @orangeblossomstudies

Tips for doing well on your exams by @aboysstudyblr

Tips for doing well on your exams by @thepeachystudies

Exam tips by @studywithmaggie

Exam guides

Finals: study guide for the brave by @educatier

Pennyfynotes guide to exam season by @pennyfynotes

Quick guide to doing the finals by @inkskinned

Test taking tips

How I revise for exams + tests

How to study for a test by @tbhstudying

My test taking tips by @55studies

Test taking tips

Exam preparation

How to make a stress free exam plan by @marias-studyblr

How to mentally prep yourself for a test by @eruditicn

Procrastination

How to beat procrastination by @eintsein

Types of procrastination and how to deal with them by @emmastudies

Time management

Time management by @academiceve

Time management tips for busy students

Motivation

My motivation tag

Other masterposts by me

Notetaking masterpost

College advice masterpost

Apps for students masterpost

Icon credits to @rhubarbstudies

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A motivational penguin reminder for you this Monday! Don’t give up today, you’re doing great! 🌟

Pre-order Loading Penguin Hugs | Instagram | Patreon

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Random tips/things I’ve learned as a university student

Believe it or not, your old notebook is enough. If you’re like me, you’re mostly tempted to buy new ones because AestheticTM and also because you’re worried that you will run out of pages. Trust me, your old notebook will be enough!! 

36458734 stationery and pens are not necessary because you will not get time to use them in class. However, if it helps you, you can buy 36458734 pens to rewrite your notes from home. 

 Rewrite your notes.  This always helps!! Even if you don’t have plans to make your notes aesthetic and colorful, you will need to rewrite your notes because  a) notes you take from class are 100% going to be scattered  b) when you rewrite your notes you can compare what your proff said in class and ppts/textbooks/google, etc c) rewriting helps you remember stuff better and helps you understand what topics are important and what are not.  Also, I generally rewrite my notes at the end of the week. This way I can join one or more topics together, do my extra research and put them in the notes as well. 

Google everything.  Learned a new topic in class today ? Great. Now google it and see what you find. You keep finding terms you don’t know on google ? Great. Google those terms as well. 

Sit in the first row.  I know, I know, if you sit in the first row you might be labelled as the “nerd” of the class or the teachers will keep asking you questions or back benchers have all the fun! But, sitting in the first row has helped me A LOT in ways that I can’t explain. I’m someone who has attention disorder and I find it extremely hard to pay attention when I have 2-3 hours of the same class, and sitting in the first row makes my attention span 10 times better. 

Prepare your CV.  If you are a new uni student then you definitely will not have much (if anything) to put in your CV but still DO IT! It will put in perspective where you stand and how far away from your goal you are. Don’t forget to keep updating your CV.  Here is a masterpost on making CV and resume that I think is very helpful. 

Learn outside your syllabus.  What I mean by this is that stick to your course but do don’t stick to your syllabus. I am a computer science student and in the first semester we only had Python (as a programming lang) to learn in class, but I went ahead and learned HTML as well (let’s not focus on how well I learned it) ………… because why not! 

Surround yourself by people who are hardworking and are a positive influence. Your friend group/squad will influence you in a huge way so make sure those influences and changes are actually good for you. 

Don’t be afraid to ask for help from teachers or your fellow students. And if you have a friend who is really good at a certain subject then make sure you sit with them during those classes. 

Make study plans a month prior to your exams. Even if you know that there is only 50% chance of you following the timetable, make it!! Visualizing your study journey will help maintain a mental sketch of it.