5 Things to do to network better

 There are a few things in life we truly fear. One of them is going to the dentist, and the other is attending a networking event. People find networking so scary and intimidating that they straight-up avoid it. It also happens because few people approach networking events like any other party. They are fake or try to over-impress people, which rarely goes down well with people. Thus, networking is getting a reputation for not yielding results.

However, this is not true! Networking is an incredible opportunity. It helps you get leads, make connections, and further your career. To do this, you need to attend networking events and when you do, try these few tips.

 

1.      Be approachable and friendly

Even if you feel dreadful going into the event, do not show it on your face. Appear friendly and approachable so that people can come and talk to you. If you look stressed or are not smiling, how will people approach you?

Everyone feels as intimidated as you in the event, so don’t think you are alone. Just mask up and try to be friendly, and the rest of the evening will become incredible automatically

 

2.      Bring business cards with you

A business card is an essential marketing tool, and you shouldn’t approach an event without it. It is better to make a smart business card with you as it is functional. However, if you are still using paper business cards, ensure that it is up-to-date. Also, carry a stack of them.

Also, ask them to share their business cards with you as well, it is polite. Also, it can come in handy.

 

3.      You do not have to meet everyone

A 2-hour networking event doesn’t mean that you have to spend every last second of it making connections. You can also enjoy the event. It is best to go with the mindset that you are there to make quality connections with 2-3 people.

That means:

• Striking up a conversation. Start with an ice-breaker without launching into an elevator pitch

• Letting the other person talk

• Offering something in return and not making the whole meeting about yourself.

 

4.      Dress-up nicely to allude to confidence

Confidence is the key to success for any networking event. When you dress up nicely and professionally, you not only show confidence, you feel it too. Most of the time, you would know what to wear as the invite may mention it. If it doesn’t, go for formal wear. Wearing formals doesn’t mean that you cannot look incredible. It means being respectful towards the idea behind that day’s event.

Also, wear a smile as it makes you look confident, friendly, and someone people would love to know more about.

 

5.      Pay attention

Many times, it happens that you approach a person with intentions to talk but lose interest mid-way. Still, it is rude to stop paying attention or abruptly leave. You still need to listen to that person with rapt attention and try to make conversation.

Happy networking!

7 cool things to give to your niece or nephew

 The best part about being an aunt or uncle is to have fun with your nieces & nephews. That too, without all the other responsibilities. Isn’t it? You get to enjoy their cute tactics. Or be the cool aunt or uncle who gives them advice about love, romance, and friendship.

If you have a deep attachment and relationship with them, you understand how special this bond is. And you never leave a chance to spoil them. Isn't it? Well, you don’t need a reason to send gifts to your nieces/nephews. Still, occasions like their birthdays or holidays, like Halloween are perfect. They present the best reason to shower them with incredible presents.

Here are some unique gift ideas which I am sure they will love.

1.      Call of duty: Modern warfare for your teenage nephew/niece

If your nephew or niece is of age and loves playing video games, this is an excellent present for them. Modern warfare is the latest game in the franchise and it is a complete reboot of COD 4: modern warfare. It is an exciting game with new features and rules. If your niece or nephew plays video games, they will most certainly love this battle royale game. With so many modern warfare hacks available, they will play to win.

2.      A kindle

Is your niece of reading age and loves reading different stories? Then present her with a kindle. It is an excellent way to read, and reading makes you better. Figure out the right kindle edition for it and upload some books you think she will enjoy before giving it to her.

3.      Floor piano dance mat

For that toddler who always keeps their aunt or uncle on the toes, get this dancing mat. There are many designs in this, but a piano dance mat is special. It looks so cute when the toddler is jumping up & down on those floor pianos. It is a perfect gift as it will keep them happy, busy, and they will get to exercise along with it.

4.       Best niece/nephew ever mug

The right way to start their morning with a mug full of milk or coffee (age-appropriate) is with a personalized cup. A mug that says they are your favorite niece or nephew is always the best gift. Go for a ceramic mug so that it is easy to put in the microwave or the dishwasher. You can personalize it as per your choice, and it looks incredible.

5.      Harry Potter book set

My childhood and even adulthood were magical because of these books. Thus, I always try to get my nieces & nephews to try reading Harry Potter. If you want to get them started on reading, try gifting a Harry Potter book set. It is an incredible book and appropriate for young kids too.

6.      A jewelry set

For your little niece who loves dressing up. And is always partying with her barbies, a jewelry set is perfect. You will find amazing pieces on Amazon or other online sites that will suit her just fine.

Keep spoiling your nieces & nephews, it is the best thing ever!

Want to play rust solo? Try these tips out

 Rust is one of the best survival games out there. Recently, it came out on consoles, so multiplayer games of rust are even more exciting. However, if you want to try and survive rust in solo mode, you can do so. In the solo mode, you will need to be extra careful and intuitive to win this. Rust is an immersive game in which you will find yourself in a peninsula struggling to survive.

The game starts with the character having nothing. From finding a shelter to making food and fighting off wild animals, you will have to do it all. The scariest thing in the game is to fight off other players. Whether you are in solo mode or multiplayer mode, they are your biggest enemies.

In this blog, you can find a few rust hacks that will help you stay in this game solo. With these tips, you can survive till the end.

1.      Keep looting along the way

 As fishing villages are safe zones and players want to go there, it is best to mark it on the map and start the journey. When you are journeying towards the fishing village, do not forget to loot. It will help you collect all the basic things you need to create shelter, weapons, and clothes. Look for hemp, which is an incredible material for crafting clothes. It will help you protect yourself from the cold. With the help of stone or wood that you find, you can build a shelter and basic weapons. Crafting is part of the game, which will help you stay alive, and for that, you need to loot.

 

2.      Do not a server without PVP experience

There are numerous servers in rust, and one of them is the training server. If you are planning to win the game, you need to experience how the game is through one of these servers. It will help you survive the game, especially because Rust's PVP is unique from other games. If you enter this game without any experience or training, you will die pretty soon.

 

3.      Do not die prematurely while building shelter

If you do not want to die while building a shelter in rust, you need to train in the creative server. It will help you understand what materials you need to build a shelter and what you don’t. It will also ensure that you construct the shelter fast as it is the perfect time for attacks from other players.

 

4.      Be careful on the first night

Your first night on rust can be challenging. Opponents and animals will attack you outright. So, if you are new to this game, you should wait till the sun rises to go farming. If you are feeling daring, loot the scraps which you will find near the fishing camp. Also, when you go farming the next day, harvest a little food or hunt animals as it will help keep your health bar up.

Aren’t these tips incredible? Try them out, and they will undoubtedly help you improve your game.

5 Benefits of playing video games

Do you play video games? You don’t! Well, you should! There are numerous benefits of playing games like PUBG or Fortnight or rust. Yes, addiction to video games has taken lives or made things hellish for a lot of people. However, that is true for all addictions. If you are addicted to drinking, that can also cost you your life.

Do not dismiss a game without trying. Thinking that it is for couch potatoes or is a waste of time is not great. If several people are trying to win the chicken dinner in PUBG, there has to be something incredible about it. People are not searching for PUBG hacks for fun. The game gives them hope & adventure, and that is why they want to win it badly.

Thus, if you haven’t played any games before, you should now. Here are a few benefits of the same.

It enhances manual dexterity

When you play video games with hand-controls, it improves your hand motions. Several therapists use video games for patience with strokes. It helps them regain control of their wrists & hands. Also, studies show that surgeons who play video games are faster with their procedures.

It can improve your social life

When you picture a gamer, what do you see? A teen who is shy and escapes into the world of PUBG or Rust? Or someone who is smart but distant and wants to take over the world? Well, that is BS! Movies and TV shows have created this scenario in our mind that nerds play video games. That is not true! Sure, some introverts love playing video games. It gives them a chance to interact with others without meeting them. However, most gamers are popular and have a better social life. Why? Because they collaborate with other gamers to win all the time. Thus, they are better at making relationships and even in their academics.

It can get you to be more physical

Video games are becoming more interactive nowadays. They have the skills to get the couch potatoes out of the chair and start moving, like Pokémon. With the use of VR technology, the games are becoming immersive. So, gamers have to move physically to win the game. So, it can be great for people who otherwise lead a sedentary lifestyle.

It can relieve stress

Stress is part of everyone’s life. When you play games on a computer, you immerse yourself in it. You meet other gamers in multiplayer games, and you interact with them. Thus, video games do improve mood and release stress in people. It, in turn, leads to better mental health for all.

It makes you resilient

If you are into a game, you will not give up until you win. Right? Thus, several educators think that video games are a great way to teach consistency to kids. It teaches you to keep trying till you reach your goal.

 

Playing video games stimulates your brain amongst other things. It is entertaining and you should go for it. However, do keep an eye on kids and teens so that they don’t get addicted to it and harm themselves.

4 Popular coffees from Australia you should make at home

In Australia, you will find 75% of people drinking at least one cup of joe every day. During world war II, Greeks & Italian immigrants brought their coffee culture to Australia. Since then, Aussies love their coffee and take pride in their coffee culture. One unique thing about their coffee culture is that there are cozy cafes all over. You will not find big chains but small coffee shops with a colorful history.

Also, every coffee shop, no matter how old they are, uses the newest technology. They love their culture but also believe in the best technology. They train their baristas hard to ensure that every coffee that goes to the customer is perfect.

Here are the 4 most popular coffees from Australia.

1.      Flat white

Flat white is an iconic Australian drink as they were the ones who came up with this novel coffee drink. (New Zealand thinks differently, though!)

It is an espresso drink diluted with steamed milk that comes from the bottom of the jar. Why the bottom? Well, because it is creamier and not frothy, making the coffee rich in texture. The ratio of espresso to coffee is usually 1:8.

You can change the consistency of foam as per your choice, and yet the coffee tastes incredible. Use your caffitaly pod to brew a strong espresso at home. Then pour steamed milk from a jug’s bottom to brew flat white at home. Make sure that the pod has the best beans.

 

2.      Long Black

 Long Black is known as Americano in the rest of the world. It is a pure strong form of a double espresso shot with hot water. Australian’s love drinking this with their breakfast. The history of long black goes back to WWII. American soldiers brought this coffee drink to this country. In Australian cafes, they extract this from fresh beans using espresso machines. There is no diluting it with extra water or dairy.

 

3.      Latte

Latte is the most popular coffee drink in Australia. The best café latte in a glass tumbler is found in Australia. It is one shot of espresso with steamed milk and a bit of foam on the top. The ratio of coffee to milk is 1:3 with 1 cm of foam, but it can change if you wish.

In latte, milk dilutes the coffee, making it not as strong as long black or espresso. If you love sweeter coffee, you can try making this at home. Also, you can make a flavored latte using hazelnut or caramel, or vanilla syrups.

 

4.      Mocha

Mocha is another popular drink here and if you are trying coffee for the first time, go for it. Why? Well, because it uses chocolate syrup mixed with an espresso shot. Thus, it is a chocolate drink with a bit of coffee in it.

Try it hot or cold. It is a soothing drink with less caffeine and no bitterness. To make this at home:

Mix chocolate powder with hot water. Add espresso to it and whisk well. Then add steamed milk and a generous amount of foam to complete the drink.

 

Which one are you going to try at home first?

Make your morning cup of coffee healthy with these tips

Is coffee a part of your morning routine? Do you sleep thinking about your morning brew? And you get up and put your Nespresso compatible pod into the machine first thing in the morning? Are you nodding yes to all this? Great!

All this means that you are a true coffee lover like us. When you think about coffee so much, you also have a coffee-making routine. You use the same thing to make your morning cup, and that is great too. However, there is nothing wrong with making it a bit healthier. Isn’t it? Let us look at a few ways you can make your coffee healthy without compromising on the taste.

1.  Never put cream or milk without measuring in the coffee

 If you love to add milk or cream or half & half in your coffee, measure it. When we put it in the coffee without measuring it out first, it can be too much. We are okay with this, but that is not healthy especially when it comes to creamers. They are high in sugar, so measuring them out is the best thing. When you measure them, you will see that you were putting in extra, which you do not need.

 

2. Use plant-based milk

 We love using dairy in our milk. It is high in calories. Nowadays, you can get low-fat dairy milk as well, without compromising the taste. However, if you are checking calories or trying to lose weight, you can opt for vegan milk for your coffee.

There are many options to choose from, like oats milk, or soy, or almond milk. They will not froth that well, so your latte will taste a bit different, but no less delicious.

 

3. Measure the sugar

 You don’t always have to drink coffee without sugar. If you like sweet coffee, adding a bit of sugar is fine. The only thing you should do is measure them out. Without measuring if you add sugar, it will always be too much.

The same goes for any artificial sweetener you use. If you are not sure about using sugar, you can go for stevia. It is a plant-based sweetener. It is natural and has zero calories.

If you are using maple syrup or honey, please measure them. These sweeteners are a bit better than sugar, but still not best for people fighting chronic illnesses.

 

4. Use natural spices to add flavor to your coffee

 One of the best ways to infuse flavor into your coffee is to use natural spices. Spices like cardamom or cinnamon or lavender flowers, or nutmeg can add a distinct flavor to your coffee. You do not need to add sugar with these.

Tip: press the start button on the machine after you add these spices.

 

5. Never drink it on an empty stomach

 You are scoffing at this point because this is what you do every day. Right? Drinking coffee on an empty stomach leads to more acid, which gives heartburn. The best thing is to pair it with toast or bread.

Enjoy your healthy cup of joe with these tips 

Why you should try cold brew coffee? Recipe inside!

 Do you love coffee? Do you also love to experiment with your coffee? If yes, then you should undoubtedly try cold brew coffee. This coffee type doesn’t use hot water. But it takes time! Yes, you use your beans or Nespresso compatible pods and drown them in an appropriate amount of water. Now, you let it sit for a day or two. The more you let the coffee steep, the better it tastes. The steeping process draws the flavor out. At the same time, it also balances the acidity & bitterness of the coffee.

If you are still unsure and don’t understand the hype that cold brew gets, read on. The tips below will help you understand why cold brew is getting so popular.

1.      It can increase metabolism

Cold-brew has almost the same amount of caffeine as hot coffee. Numerous researches show that when you consume caffeine, it impacts your metabolism. It gives it a boost, which helps your body burn calories fast for energy consumption.

If you want to drink caffeine to aid weight loss, but hot coffee gives you acidity, try cold brew.

Note: Coffee doesn’t help in weight loss, it just supports it. If you aren’t working out or eating right, coffee cannot do a thing.

 

2.      It can improve your mood

If you are a coffee lover, you know what it can do for your mood. Right? The same thing is true for cold brew coffee. It also improves your mood and even helps you get out of the sadness phase that you are experiencing.

There are so many varieties of cold brew you can try. For instance, the Vietnamese one or cold brew with oats milk & brown sugar is awesome (Starbucks special).

 

3.      Is better for people with acidity

If you get acidity or heartburn due to the consumption of espresso, cold brew can help you. In cold-brew, the beans are steeped in water for a long time. Due to this process, the acidity level in it is quite low. Thus, it can be perfect for people who suffer from acidity.

However, the best thing for you would be to eat breakfast or toast with your espresso or cold brew. A bit of toast or bread can help with the acidity.

 

4.      It is quite strong

Even though cold brew is less acidic in nature, it is quite strong. Therefore, don’t worry about the caffeine kick even if you switch your espresso with the cold brew for a day.

 

How to make cold brew at home?

• Take your ground coffee and put it in a jar. Pour bottled water over the beans. For 1 cup of water, take 1 ounce of ground coffee.

• Put it in the fridge for over 12 hours. After 12-24 hours, take it out and enjoy your cold brew.

• Add milk & sugar or cream as per your choice.

Using coffee pods

To make cold brew using pods, make some hole in the coffee pod, put it in a glass, and pour water over it. Let it steep.

Cold-brew gives you a healthier & smoother version of coffee. Also, try these recipes to make cold brews in the comfort of your house.