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Tips & Reviews

Do you like Coffee?

Written by Ryota If you are reading this article, you must be interested in coffee. And you probably have a coffee mug at hand. Wait, what. Don’t you have one? Now, get it ready. Hi, I’m a coffee addict. Recently, due to the influence of WFH, a lot of people are enjoying coffee at home. In this article, I will introduce the wonderfulness of coffee and my coffee brewing method. ・How I fell in love with coffee When I was a sophomore in college, I was addicted to coffee. I am not sure why, but my body was craving this black, bitter liquid. I drank two cups of coffee almost […]

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Productivity

日本語版 先延ばし - 良いか悪いか？

Written by Adrian Everyone procrastinates, including me. To be honest, I am kind of an expert in it. For years, I’ve been making an excuse that I work better under pressure. And, actually, I do. The more I embrace my inner procrastinator, the more I notice a few things about her that are actually beneficial. However, like what we are always told by parents or teachers, procrastination, indeed, has its negatives.  The Negatives Our minds can often deceive us, to the extent that we cannot know that we are delaying at all. Procrastination can be bad due to many reasons and in many ways.  One of the worst things about […]

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Japan Life

日本語のバーチャル習得

Written by Audrey Online classes are nothing new right? As students, most of us are taking classes online while some of us are gradually coming back to campus. But I’m pretty sure you know how it feels like to take online classes, including the good and the bad perks. Today, I would like to share my experiences and some tips on learning a completely new language online, in particular the Japanese language. Challenging would be an understatement, but it’s still fun! Before entering TIU, I only knew hiragana and katakana. I had zero knowledge of the Japanese language, and I never watched anime or listened to J-pop music. As a […]

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Productivity

30日間のソーシャルメディア・デトックスの効果

Written by Ryota Can You Quit Social Media for 30 Days? Most people say they think they could if they wanted to, but the reality is they can’t. A study found that people check their phones an average of 80 to 300 times a day, spending 3.5 hours a day on it. Social media can be as addictive as alcohol and drugs. The majority of users get a dopamine rush and feel happy when they receive likes and notifications. It’s a very organic phenomenon because there is a psychological component to it. Social media companies, whose business model is advertising, all have the same goals: to increase the number of […]

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Japan Life

日本でのアルバイト経験

Written by Adrian Doing part-time jobs is common among students who study abroad. They do it to gain experience and extra cash, or to enhance their foreign language skills. The same situation happens in Japan. In Japan, part-time employment is common, where many students try to get one as a secondary income. There are also many multiple languages job-searching sites in Japan which make it easier for foreign students. As a student at TIU, I’ve experienced some kinds of “arubaito” that leave me with deep impressions. In this blog post, I will talk about the part-time job requirements in general, and my baito experience in Japan. Salary and requirements The […]

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Self-improvement

人を喜ばせる人向け3つのコツ

Written by Audrey Are you one of those people who fear the displeasure of others? If yes, don’t worry! You are certainly not alone.  People who continuously put others’ needs first before their own tend to mold themselves into others’ expectations without acknowledging how they truly feel. Although it might seem like an angelic thing to do or a selfless behavior, people-pleasing will leave scars on both the perpetrator and the audience.  Here are some tips I found helpful to deal with the habit of people-pleasing Be honest. When you ignore your own needs to please others, you are not being honest to yourself and the other party. Isn’t it […]

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Productivity

フロー状態になる方法 - 5つの効率向上のtips

Written by Ryota Do you think you don’t have enough time? Everyone has their reasons for being productive, but the goal is the same for everyone. To produce a lot of output, you need to focus and get into a flow state. In this article, I’ll introduce 5 helpful tips on how to get into that state. 1. Establish daily priorities each morning A productive person establishes their top priorities before starting their workday. When you begin your morning by identifying three to five goals, you’re less likely to be distracted by the interruptions that come with working from home. You’re also more likely to stay on task and achieve […]

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Tips & Reviews

オーディオブックか従来の書籍か、その判断

Written by Adrian According to researchers, in the United States, audio book sales last year grew 16% and produced revenue of $1.2 billion, compared to just $940 million in 2018 and a 25% rise compared to 2017 (Source). The entire audio books publishing industry not only makes more revenue, but consumers also have more choices. However, some people may keep wondering, is listening to a book really the same as reading one? In order to make the final judgement, we can make a simple comparison in terms of multi-tasking, emotional response, memorizing the books, and most importantly, price. Multitasking: You can totally do something else while listening! Whether it is […]

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Self-improvement

ネガティブなセルフトークへの初心者向けガイド

Written by Audrey “I am never good enough.”  Does that sentence sound familiar to you? Many of us come up with that phrase easily, but is it actually harmless?  Definition of Negative Self-Talk Negative self-talk is when we accept and proclaim pessimistic thoughts about ourselves. Every person has inner-dialogues with themselves, but how much of our inner-dialogues are filled with negativity? Coming up with harsh critiques or worst-case scenarios inside our brain does not take that much effort. Some of us do not even realize that we constantly do negative self-talk because we do it all the time, unaware of the dangers it might bring. Examples of Negative Self-Talk  One […]

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Self-improvement

不安への4つの対処方法

Written by Ryota COVID-19 has drastically changed my lifestyle, disappointed me, and robbed me of my possibilities. However, at the same time, it has given me many hints. As a person who detests uncertainty and prefers stability, I was unable to adapt to such a big change. As soon as the pandemic began, my mental health dropped significantly, I felt a loss of motivation and purpose, and I turned away from reality. I have now emerged from that dark tunnel and am in my previous healthy state. In this article, I will introduce 4 methods that helped me in that dark place, based on scientific evidence. 1. Meditation Meditation is […]