The use of a coach is, however, not limited to this field. A coach is simply a person who instructs and works with his or her students to prepare them for just about anything: from reaching peak performance in professional or recreational sports, to developing specific skills that will help them achieve their career and life goals.

It can be argued that for many people the priest is their spiritual coach. And a yoga instructor is in fact nothing else than a coach who teaches his or her students the inner workings of yoga.

If one of your hobbies is playing chess there is no reason why you should not get yourself a good coach, not only to improve your knowledge of the different strategies, but also to help prepare you mentally for a major contest. In fact, many famous chess players of yesteryear rose to fame because they had an excellent coach.

Another hobby where having a coach could have major benefits is photography, particularly if you are serious about becoming a really good photographer. It might take you years to stumble upon all the secrets of this trade, or you might never learn them. With a good coach, however, the learning process will be much less frustrating and much more rewarding.

Finally, if you think you can become a world class poker player by reading books and watching YouTube videos you are probably right – but it could take you a few lifetimes. With the right coach by your side you will learn many hidden tricks of the game which you might never have discovered on your own, and hugely increase your chances of becoming a successful player. A good site to find more information on this topic is The Poker Prophet.

The University of Edinburgh established in 1583, is ranked 23rd, in the top 50 list of World Universities for 2018. The University has nearly 40,000 students studying over 150 disciplines and attracts the brightest minds across the globe. J.R Rowling the author of Harry Potter is one of the luminary Alumni.

What to Expect Educationally

Edinburgh offers circa 500 undergraduate, over 300 masters and 150 research areas and is the recipient of the highest rating possible by the ”Quality Assurance Agency” for the ”quality of student learning experience”.

Masters Studies

There are 15 disciplines in the Master’s studies with nearly 500 courses being offered from Applied Sciences and Professions to Journalism and Media to Law, et al. Edinburgh, is known for its research, is ranked 4th in the UK for its breadth, depth and quality of its research.

Master’s Degree is the theory behind the nuts and bolts of undergraduate studies. The courses are divided between academic learning; tutorials, and project and team work oriented learning which depending on what you are studying may involve interacting and working with an entity; professional, commercial or institutional outside of the university.

To get your Master’s Degree you will need to specialize and to write your thesis on your chosen subject (this may also necessitate doing a practical application or project depending on the course you are taking). There are assignments; essentially papers you have to write every semester that will be graded and will count towards your degree.

Career

Edinburgh University for employability, the University ranks 6th in the UK and 32nd in the world. To give the students the edge in a very competitive job market the University provides lots of opportunities for students to develop their skills, knowledge and experience through the Careers Service, also on offer, as a free service through LAUNCH.ed. is assistance to students who want to set up their own businesses.

Place to Live and Study:

In the QS Best Student Cities 2017, Edinburgh came second as one of the best places to live and study.

Throughout our existence we’ve always yearned for ways to express ourselves and speak to the outside world of what we feel and think. At times it doesn’t even matter whether someone responds to the echo we transmit through writings, poems, stories and etc. Figuratively speaking, so long as the literary plethora stuck in our soul finds an outlet, it makes little difference whether the falling tree in the woods makes a sound for someone. We write for the love of it.

Brain in a vat

My love for writing began the moment I became consicous of putting my thoughts and emotions somewhere other than in my own brain. After all, writing and existence are both forms of substance creation without de facto superficial hindrances. Some, such as author Ayn Rand, pursue deeper forms of philosophical self-expressions whereas others vent for themselves in a locked and hidden diary. Who am I then?

Existence Writing

From early childhood I found immense pleasure in designing stories and conceptualizing them into a coherent form. A form, which I controlled, morphed and even destroyed at the whim of a pencil. Some might ponder whether creating alternative realities is the ultimate power aphrodisiac, congenial to perhaps divine creation. I cannot answer that, only admit that stopping the process writing a story is like holding one’s breath: eventually you’ll give in and do what is natural: breathe. Just like we cannot make the choice to stop breathing on our own, I cannot make the choice of ceasing to write.

The Never Ending Road

Then how does one know when he/she has achieved literary nirvana or when something that has been written would be considered a piece of perfection, the end of a road so to speak? I wish to never find out. Writing for me is like taking a never ending stroll with the greatest human minds, always finding something new to think and write about. An endless project to not only grasp the purpose of others, but most importantly ask whether you think and therefore are?

Hi and welcome to my blog page. I am a young student who lives and studies in the lively, cultural town of Edinburgh. I love being in a city which is so diverse, vibrant and cultural. I am currently studying for a Masters degree in English Language and English Literature and I cannot think of another place where I would rather live, work and study for this type of course. There is plenty going on here to support and inspire anybody studying along the Arts and Humanities side of education, for example we are the world’s leading city for festivals. Let me tell you more about these exciting events which bring our city to life on a regular basis.

Essential Festival Dates for your diary

Where to start, well, August is the festival party month with the Edinburgh Art Festival from 26th July – 26th August and the Edinburgh Book Festival which takes place from 11th-27th August and happily goes on the road globetrotting as well.  Also in August there is perhaps the most well known festival and I am proud to say the largest arts festival in the world – the Edinburgh Fringe Festival which takes place from the 3-27th August every year. This festival consists of just over 3 exciting weeks crammed full of amazing shows and street events which are brought to you from all over the globe along with two big arts and crafts street markets.  There is also the International Children’s Festival which is held from the 26th May – 3rd June followed closely by the Edinburgh Film Festival from 20th June – 1st July.

In October we have yet another fabulous festival which is the Scottish International Storytelling Festival. Again people convene from across the globe to share their stories and to inspire others with their creativity of the written word.

With all of this going on, what more could an English Language and Literature student ask for?

Picking a dress code

This was fairly simple because comfort is the only important details and as my older sister, cousin Denice my best friend David rang the doorbell it was the clear that they caught the memo as they had matched by simple and ”comfort is key” take on the fashion for the evening.  

What time to start

We had decided on starting our movie evening early simply because we wanted to get through each film we had all selected and have some time for short refreshments and bathroom breaks which seemed as an important matter to consider when planning on baking on the couch for several hours.

What to watch

Choosing what films to watch was the hardest thing to decide on with having to sift through films that none of us had seen or deciding which ones were worth watching again. In the end we had decided on each of us having a pick of a specific genre. I was given the comedy and Taryn was choosing the drama, Denice had the action and Dave the horror. We were to watch then in the following order; Central Intelligence, Changeling, Batman vs Superman (dawn of justice) and The Conjuring 2.

What else is needed?

Great comfort food is an important factor of a great movie evening and the obvious traditional movie snack, a lot of popcorn. We had also engaged in short conversations about the actors in the films and which ones we had found especially attractive right before every film was about to start causing us to pause the film for a good 10 minutes to express our desires.

Coach and Horses

Beginning the night for some nice low priced drinks (for London that is), is this long standing pub in Soho. Rather old school and definitely not pretentious like a lot of the bars and pubs in this area, the Coach and Horses sports a rather old timey atmosphere. Originally a writers’ watering hole, this delightful pub still clings to the remnants of its past complete with old carpet and pickled eggs behind the bar. Heading there on a Saturday night will afford visitors the fun a piano sing-along complete with current pop hits and some strange cockney classics. The perfect start to a night on the town.

Cross Keys

Another old school institution, this pub is found in Covent Garden. With a feeling of having just arrived in the Lake District, this makes this pub one of the most quintessentially English pubs in the city. Not just good for a night out, this pub is excellent during the day time when a chilled out pint can be enjoyed amid the flowers and greenery that decorate the front of the pub.

Jerusalem Tavern

Even though this pub has only been in operating since 1990, it still retains one of the most authentic pub feels in the whole of London. Created to look like an ancient brewery, the beer here is not to be missed. Try out the sweet St Peter’s Cream Stour for a truly exciting new experience, a great start for someone not used to dark brews. Perfect in all weathers, this pub even sports a large fire for those winter months, get in quick to nab a seat there.

Casinos

When it comes to casinos in London, we were spoilt for choice. With the Hippodrome, Empire and the Ritz always at the top of anyone’s list it does boil down to budget. In the end we plumped for the Hippodrome, the largest casino in the city as it comes not only with an exceptional array of games but also an excellent venue for drinks and the option of the theatre.

Stonehenge

One of the most visited spots in the whole of the UK, Stonehenge is located just two and a half hours from London in the South of England. Cared for by the English Heritage, Stonehenge has long been shrouded in mystery as to its actual function and also how it got there. The most well known of all prehistoric monuments in the whole of Europe it still remains a mystery as to how these giant blocks of stone were brought to the site and how the measurements were done with such precision. Combining a visit to this iconic site with a trip to the Neolithic exhibit and the visitors centre, makes this a trip never to be forgotten.

Hadrian’s Wall

Another ancient monument, the wall was begun in AD 122. The opposite end of the country to Stonehenge, Hadrian’s Wall was built with the express purpose of separating the land of the Roman Empire from the savagery of the Scots. Covering 80 miles it was built in less than six years by a force of 15,000 men. Complete with milecastles, barracks, forts and ramparts this is an architectural feat. Even now, visitors to Hadrian’s Wall can feel the ambience of this bygone era and even see fresh digs displaying newly discovered artifacts from Roman Britain.

Loch Ness

For some natural beauty, head further inland in Scotland to the High Lands. Just 37 kilometres south of Inverness, this famous lake is surrounded by its own legends. Supposedly home to the famous Loch Ness monster, many people flock here each year in the hopes of glimpsing this mythical beast. For those a little more skeptical, the scenery is stunning and the loch is something to behold simply for its visual splendor.

Snowdonia

Heading to Wales, Snowdonia is the place to go for breathtaking views amid sheer mountain peaks. Maybe not as tall as those in Scotland, Wales’ national park is an excellent place to visit for the peace and tranquility it brings. If you are a walker this is the place for you, endless rambles through pristine mountainside, just remember to take a map.

My palms were sweaty, throat was swelling and all of a sudden my mind despite of vainglorious confidence became mightily petty. Solemn uncertainty and self-inflicted suspicion of my ability to start and finish what I set out to do paralyzed me. This was to be my first and last first time. Will it be cherished as a fond memory or an experience to be shut out from the world and existence?

Creative Destruction

Are we talking about our first kiss, first job-interview or first time experience with two souls physically connecting? In all earnest one could say all the above. But I am talking about the ultimate form of creation; poetry. A language written in as many languages as there are living souls roaming on this mundane life called reality. Simultaneously ardeous and beautiful process of destroying and piecing together one’s thoughts and emotions, or lack of thereof.

Inspired by Inspiration

What drew me to the inexplicable world of poetry? The very same urge, which pulls two souls into one. For some time I yearned to surrender my poetical virginity, but failed to leave the port where my soul, heart and mind learned complacency and satisfactory comfort. I suppose my mind was not inspired enough to raise the anchor and set the sails to nowhere and everywhere. But like an itch that never quite leaves you alone, I seeked to understand inspiration itself.

Creating Inglorious Inspiration

And that’s when it hit me. One is not supposed to seek inspiration, but merely embrace it in anyway it might approach you. There is no Golden Rule for poetical inspiration! If there ever was, it would be called commercialized story-manufacturing, also known as ”Hollywood”. That’s why my first poem was to be an outreach to what inspiration inspires us to do.

After pouring my soul to a piece of paper and laying my pencil down, I embraced the silent guilt of satisfaction: the sense of inspired creation. I felt like the floodgates were flung open and I had finally left my anchored ship in the safe harbor.

I didn’t need a vessel. I am the vessel.

2. Make a List: Jot down all the ideas you want to explore. For each item, you can develop a paragraph or more explaining that idea.

3. Don’t be Wordy: Vary the length of your sentences and how each sentence begins. Avoid run-on sentences and using unnecessary adverbs and adjectives. Use strong verbs. Avoid using very, really, well, so. Don’t repeat yourself just to add more words. Try to make your subject interesting. Add a bit of humor, if appropriate.

4. Time and Place: Set a time of day to do your writing. Set a goal of X number of words to write each day. Choose a place that you find comfortable for you to write every day. Don’t allow distractions and interruptions. Some people like to have quiet while others enjoy background music. Some days you will have inspiration and write for a long time and easily. But there will be days when you may write almost nothing. On those days, reread your previous work and think about how to improve it. Let your mind wander and explore your thoughts. An inspiration may just come to you out of the blue.

5. Enjoy Writing: The worst thing you can do is to attack your writing with dread. You have to look forward to your time to sit down and write even if the subject you are writing about is sad or gloomy, wanting to write about it has to fill you will enthusiasm.