Nerdify Reviews: Most Helpful Apps for Students in 2018

Halloween is so old, we are not even sure who started celebrating it first. It probably began in Celtic speaking countries (modern United Kingdom) and has originated from ancient harvest rituals and the celebration of the Celtic New Year, which Celts believed to be a magical time, when the dead would “sneak in” from the spirit-realm and wander around the Earth, like so 😉 Celts used to lit huge bonfires to drive the dead spirits away.

When Romans invaded Britain, roughly 2000 years ago, they’ve merged this holiday with their own – Feralia (Roman festival celebrating the dead and deceased). It is interesting to note that other cultures, halfway around the globe, also celebrated their dead at this time of the year. For example – Day of the Dead in Mexico (Dia de Muertos). Last Bond movie portrays this holiday in the opening scene.

Merging these two traditions (evil spirits walking the streets and celebrating the dead) has given the modern Halloween such a colorful and playful character.

What is “trick or treat”?

Again, several versions on this one. Probably comes from a tradition from the medieval times, when poor would go from door to door asking for food or money in exchange for prayers honoring the dead (since Halloween was about celebrating the people who passed away).

Another version comes from an ancient belief that souls of the dead were wondering around in the night and needed to be appeased. Giving gifts and/or food was a way of doing that.

Halloween came to the USA during the immigration wave from Ireland and England in the late nineteenth century. It quickly became a popular holiday all across the USA.

Today, we celebrate Halloween as an opportunity to unwind and laugh, play jokes on our colleagues and have a good time. That’s precisely why Halloween has spread across the world – everyone can have fun in their own way.

Since sweet treats are such a big part of Halloween, we’d like to share an absolutely insane looking witch finger cookies recipe with you. It blew our minds at the office, made our celebrations that tiny bit more exciting 🙂 Enjoy!

P.S. Oh, right! We wanted to show you the real monster living at Nerdify 🙂 Well, here it is:

Yep, we have a giant spider living inside our office! This adorable beauty is called Nick (weird name for a spider, I know). That’s a tarantula and, theoretically, it can eat a small bird or a mouse! In reality, though, Nick is really shy and actually quite lazy. Pretty much sits all day in the corner and kills an unfortunate bug once a week (that part is exciting to watch). We have him in the office to keep our Nerds “on the edge” if you know what I mean 😛

Happy Halloween everyone!

Many girls dream of joining a sorority one day. Well, now you’re in college, and the time is finally here! Nerdify reviews team agrees that the sorority rush is an incredibly exciting time, but it can also be very stressful and intimidating. There are definitely ways to make this process easier on yourself and to keep a good head on your shoulders, you can see a lot of Reddit users sharing their advice. Keep reading to learn about how to approach sorority rush in the healthiest and most positive way possible!

1. Academics Matter!

If you are thinking about going through a sorority rush, make sure your grades are in order. Most schools have a GPA requirement that students must meet in order to rush and that GPA needs to be maintained in order to stay involved in Greek life. Some sororities even have a higher GPA requirement than the standard set by the university. Nerdify reviews experts remind you that academics are the reason you are there in the first place, and they need to remain your top priority.

2. Make Sure Your Online Presence Reflects Your Best Self

Sororities will look at your social media. It is your responsibility to make sure that you do not have anything posted online that would reflect poorly on you or your future sorority. This is a good rule of thumb anyways, as you will have employers looking at your social media in the future as well. A good principle to follow is that if you wouldn’t want your grandma to see it, it probably shouldn’t be posted online.

3. Keep an Open Mind About Rush

This is one of the most generic pieces of advice you will hear when you are rushing a sorority, but it really is so important. Remember, you are not just there to impress them, they need to impress you as well. Reddit users also state that sororities are all competing with each other for new members, so why not give them all a fair shot? So many girls end up going a completely different direction with their sorority choice than they expected to. You really don’t know which sorority you will mesh with the most until you get to know the girls and go in without expectations. If you do this, you will surely make friends in multiple organizations, like a lot of members of Nerdify reviews team did, which will only benefit you and boost your connections at your university.

4. Always Be Yourself, but Be the Best Version of Yourself

It is important to be authentic, but you are still trying to impress these girls at the same time. Reddit users say you present yourself in the best possible light. Identify what your strengths and weaknesses are, and focus on putting your strengths forward for the girls to see. Avoid saying anything negative about any of the other girls or organizations. A pro tip from Nerdify reviews experts: keep it positive! It’s best to avoid telling any stories that make you look bad, like how hammered you may have gotten the night before. This may be a funny story to tell your best friend, but it is not appropriate for sorority rush.

5. Be Outgoing, Have Quality Conversations

Try and be as outgoing as you possibly can be. The quiet girls in the background often get overlooked, not because they’re doing something wrong, but because a sorority is not going to give a bid to a girl that nobody got to know personally or had a meaningful conversation with. If nobody in the organization can even remember who you were because you were silent the whole time, you almost certainly won’t get a bid. So be willing to get out of your comfort zone and put yourself out there, don’t hesitate to navigate Reddit to find some stories you can relate to. Remember, you are trying to get to know them as well!

6. Be Willing to Go in a Different Direction Than Your Friends

Oftentimes girls will go through a rush with their friends, and this can get tricky if they want to stick together. Your best friend may get a bid somewhere and you won’t, or vice versa, and if your top priority was to stay together, this is going to feel really lousy. It’s okay to lean on your friends for support during the rush process, but consider keeping your preferences to yourself. It is a private process for a reason. Be willing to set a boundary with your friends if they want to know what your preferences are. You and your friends will not necessarily vibe with the same organization and that’s okay! You can be in different sororities and still maintain your friendship. In fact, it is preferable to have friends in multiple organizations.

7. Breathe and Have Fun

The sorority rush is a stressful process that can make you insecure and doubt yourself. But it’s also special and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. But, take this from Nerdify reviews team: at the end of the day, this is all about having fun and making friends. Try to be as sociable as possible, even if you are not extroverted by nature, and you will make friends regardless of the outcome. Use this as a time to laugh, make memories, and reflect on what you want out of your college experience.

Life success is dependent on numerous factors, such as intelligence, professionalism, and ability to communicate effectively. Strong social skills also help students enjoy their college years by ensuring easier interaction with peers and teachers. Today, many people stay at home for self-isolation from the coronavirus outbreak and find it challenging to entertain. Why not use this time for personal growth by improving your social skills? Here are the five strategies from Nerdify that can help.

1. Maintain Contact with People Through Social Media and Messengers
Coronavirus outbreak is the period, when people are limited in live communication. However, the modern world provides us with numerous media for distant communication, such as social media and messengers. Use these means to stay in touch with people you know. It is good to start the conversation by sharing some interesting material you find. Do not just resend it, as people are often annoyed by suggestions to study something they were not looking for. Instead, introduce that content by stating the most exciting points or giving your impression about it. It will help start a conversation.

2. Ask People About Things That Are Currently Important
Today, many people are anxious and frightened, and the best way to manage these emotions is to talk about them. Ask your friends and acquaintances about their health and the possible dangers they feel. Many of us have grandparents and other family members in the risk group. You could ask your friends about such relatives, as it is likely a topic of their concern. Think of the other problems your important ones could be facing and communicate them about these issues.

3. Formulate Questions in A Way That Demonstrates Your Real Interest
Often, people consider interest in their lives as a sort of politeness and conventional manners. Your task is persuading them in your real engagement. Give some introduction to the question, as it highlights your interest and provides a person with the context of the question, which is often missing during communication through social media. Prefer open-ended questions, which suggest a description of the situation in several sentences rather than words. For example, asking “They say that coronavirus is especially dangerous for older people. How is your granny doing these times?” is much better than “Is your granny ill?”

4. Avoid Emoji and Express Your Feelings in Words
Although emoji were designed to facilitate communication through social media, they actually reduce social skills and emotional intelligence. You just substitute your facial expression, tone of voice, and other non-verbal clues with a picture that still could be interpreted slightly differently by another person. After you have chosen some emoji, stop and think, what emotion it expresses. Now, substitute this symbol with the words describing your feelings and ideas.

5. Be Patient to Alternative Opinions
Coronavirus is an issue of current interest and importance, and many sources are trying to benefit by creating “fake” news. Some people could believe them, repost, and try to discuss it with you. It could be annoying, but do not get anxious. Try to listen to them and focus on their emotions rather than unrealistic information. It is excellent, if you are aware of the real situation and have facts that disprove the “fake” news. But do not give them solid knowledge. Instead, acknowledge the fears and emotions of the person, then give your opinion without neglecting the information they state. It will maintain a positive relationship and make your opponent open to your position.

Following these Nerdify tips will help you maintain and improve your social skills while staying at home, as well as make your personal relationships with other people better.