Zalando

Zalando WHAT IS ZALANDO? © ZalandoZalando is one of Europe’s largest fashion retailers. In this article we will look at 1) what is Zalando?, 2) products, 3) business model and key components, and 4) learning from Zalando’s success.WHAT IS ZALANDO?The CompanyZalando is an ecommerce retailer in the fashion industry that sells shoes, clothes as well as other related fashion and lifestyle products. The company has operations in several countries across Europe including Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Poland, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway, and the UK.The company was created in Germany in 2008 by Robert Gentz and David Schneider. The founders received guidance from Rocket Internet, one of the world’s largest e-commerce centric venture capital firms and a startup incubator. Rocket was founded by the Samwer brothers in 2007. The company identifies and replicates successful ecommerce businesses from other countries in emerging markets. A similar situation was t he basis for the creation of Zalando’s which is often thought of as a European version of the successful and popular US online retailer, Zappos. © ZalandoWith Zappos as an inspiration, the Zalando founders created a company called fliptops.de and sold shoes from a Berlin basement. Fliptops eventually turned into Zalando with a $70,000 investment from Rocket. By 2010, the company had moved well beyond shoes into many different categories or products and started to achieve annual revenues of close to $200 million.ExpansionZalando began as a German company in 2008. It began its international expansion with deliveries to Austria in 2009. By the following year, the company launched local language websites in France and the Netherlands. In 2011, the company was well on its way to cementing its place as a multinational by expanding into the United Kingdom, Italy and Switzerland, as well as a separate site for Austria. The company further expanded to Belgium, Spain, Sweden, Denmark, Poland, Finland and Norway in 2012.The company shifted focus in 2013 to slow down entry into new markets and focus on growing in the existing ones. The company also aims to further improve its processes, systems and infrastructure to ensure that customers continue to receive the best customer service possible.IPO AnnouncementThe company has announced plans for its anticipated initial public offering on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange in the second half of 2014. The company has plans to sell ten or eleven percent stake and with its continued strong performance, it is expected that no current investors will sell out during the IPO. Instead, the IPO is expected to consist of only new shares. The IPO is set to be the biggest in the German technology sector since 2000, when Deutsche Telecom was listed on the stock exchange.Currently, the largest stakeholder is a Swedish Investment firm, Kinnevik with a share of 36 percent. Kinnevik remains convinced on Zalando’s promise.PRODUCTSZalando, arguably the largest online fashion retailer in Europe, offers over 1,500 labels and brands including sports brands, high street stores, accessories bran ds and home textile suppliers. Some of the popular brands include Calvin Klein, Escada, Pier One, Warehouse, Max Factor, and Agnes b makeup. Sports brands include Adidas, ASICS, and Nike. There are also some brands that sell exclusively on the website including Apepazza and Femme.BUSINESS MODEL KEY COMPONENTSThe Zalando business model is obviously hugely successful and continues to be the right way to do business for the company. Any business model is made up of several components that interact with each other. The Zalando’s business model has the following components. © ZalandoBusiness Model ComponentsKey PartnersSince the company manages its own customer service and logistics, its key partners are investors who have provided the required funding to grow and expand the business and the suppliers who stock their products on the online store.InvestorsZalando has many investors who have been with the company long term. These include:Rocket Internet (1%)European Founders Fund (Possibly 17%)Kinnevik (36%)Danish billionaire businessman Anders Holch Povlsen (10%)Investment firms DST Global (8%) Holtzbrinck Ventures (8%) Tengelmann Ventures (6%)Another 15 percent of the company is owned by ‘other’, unnamed shareholders, but these are likely to include J.P. Morgan and Quadrant CapitalSuppliers/Brands/LabelsThese partners include both high end brands as well as high street labels that sell their product to Zalando to be sold in turn to the customers.Key ActivitiesAny business performs hundreds of activities in their daily operations. However, the key a ctivities are those that form the core of the company. Key activities for Zalando include:Marketing Promoting the webpage and products to the current and new target customersSourcing â€" Buying from existing suppliers and identifying new ones, as well as the logistics or acquiring these productsFulfillment â€" Managing all logistics associated with getting the products to the buyerCustomer Service â€" Zalando prides itself on its excellent customer service that is available at all timesPlatform (IT) Management â€" The webstore is the only sales channel for the business and needs to be constantly maintained and updated to keep it functioning smoothly.Key ResourcesThe key resources that support the business include:Strong brandLoyal investorsEfficient logisticsMarketing expertise and experienceValue PropositionThe value proposition or the unique selling point of a company is what sets it apart from competition. Though inspired by its United States based counterpart Zappos, Zalando ha s managed to leverage its value proposition successfully in a very different market. The key elements of the Zalando value proposition are:Excellent customer serviceFree Shipping on all ordersFree returnsImmense variety within and among product categoriesCustomer RelationshipsSince strong customer relationships and support are a core element of the business, this aspect of the business model is extremely important for the company. There are anecdotes from the founders where they have spent time personally taking feedback from clients over the phone and using this feedback to make the business better. Key channels of communication with the clients include:Call centersOnline chat and emailSocial media communication and interactionCustomer SegmentsThough the website stocks for men, women and children, their primary market segment is female. Within these three segments, there are further divisions according to the nature of the brand. Some of Zalando’s broad market segments can includ e:WomenMenChildrenHigh End BrandsHigh Street BrandsSportswearChannelsThe company’s primary sales channel is the online store. The web based store needs to be remain clean, focused, easy to navigate and browse through. It also needs to be updated in real time and continue to work smoothly at the back end to ensure that customers face no hassle in navigating through while making purchases.Cost StructureCosts associated with the running of the business include the following:Human ResourcePlatform (IT)/Website Development MaintenanceMarketingLogisticsInventory ManagementAcquiring InventoryRevenue StreamsThe primary source of revenue for the firm is sales and hence margins from product sales from the online store. © ZalandoThe Zalando USPMuch like its inspiration, Zalando has built excellent customer service into the core of its business model. The company offers free shipping on all kinds of orders, as well as free returns. The reason behind this move is to encourage those shoppers who may be apprehensive about making purchases online because of potential extra charges or the inability to try a shoe or clothing item before buying.Zalando is also focused on making a complete shopping experience its priority. The website offers a range of items to customers including shoes, clothes and accessories according to the latest trends and fashion for women, men and children from a variety of brands and labels. The website also offers sports items, home and living products and beauty products making the shopping experience a holistic one.The European markets require a truly multinational brand to offer customized stores, products and service according to local sensibilities and preferences. Zalando ha s been successfully doing this with individual websites in all its markets. Items are curated perfectly to fit the requirements of that market’s customers.LEARNING FROM ZALANDO’S SUCCESSLessons for EntrepreneursFinding the NicheEntrepreneurs are increasingly advised to disrupt an industry and make this disruption the basis of their success. The disruption can be a new idea, a new product or a new way of doing things. This disruption questions the conventions of a particular field and hence allow a start up to achieve success.The Zalando story, however, is a different one. Rather than disruption, the company went down the more traditional business path of identifying a gap in the market, finding out the best way to fill this gap and then designing business practices to do this well. In addition, the company took its time with the investors’ money and slowly built up the business on the basis of a sound core principle of continued excellent customer service. From the very beginn ing, both the founders gave due importance to customer feedback and used this to design the business to where it stands today. This paid off when the company was awarded a “Best Grade A” in customer satisfaction and service by a German rating standard service just once year after it officially launched.The lesson Zalando teaches any startup is that disruption or not, the focus needs to be kept on the end goal or the consumer whose satisfaction will eventually form the basis of any company’s long term success.Tips from Oliver SamwerOliver Samwer is one of the somewhat controversial brothers behind the ecommerce venture capital giant and startup incubator, Rocket International. Zalando is among the many iconic businesses that the incubator has supported and funded. Samwer’s views are often polarizing and he often faces criticism but there is no doubt about his success and brilliant business acumen. There are a few things entrepreneurs can learn from Samwer however. These inclu de:Know Your Numbers: It is vital for any new business owner to know all their facts, figures and numbers down to the very last digit. Samwer is known for demanding micro level figures relating to any businesses that he is involved with and shows a good understanding of these no matter what the industry.Focus on Details: Beyond the numbers, there is no detail that the business owner should miss. Whether it relates to marketing or recruitment, PR or procurement, it is vital to have all the information to make sure any potential changes and their effects are understood in time.Don’t be Afraid of Trial and Error: No one is born knowing the right or wrong way of doing things. There should always be a willingness to try out an experiment or a new strategy. The important thing is to adjust quickly if an experiment does not work and make sure that a viable plan B exists to ensure that the situation is controlled. Samwer believes that the key to innovation lies in its implementation.Don†™t be Afraid of Making Tough Decisions: Whether positive or negative, all decisions must be approached with a proactive mindset and there should never be any avoidance of a difficult situation. Quick decisions can save a business and make the difference between success and failure. This often means being ruthless and disliked as an unpopular decision may not be taken well. The key here is to make sure that all decisions are strategic and based on rational thought and logic.Be Creative and Innovative: Oliver Samwer is known for his ingenuity and innovation. From marketing campaigns to other aspects of his businesses, he uses the methods that work and create successful outcomes.Be Persuasive: An entrepreneur wears many hats in a single day. These different roles mean different interactions and the need to convince different people of the right things. These people could be partners, suppliers, customers or new employees. A persuasive person will get things done and be able to assess i mmediately what the person in front of them wants.Be Flexible: A startup owner needs to know when to push, when to pull back and when to hold steady. Sometimes there may be a need to be aggressive and demanding while other times a more polite and personal approach is the way to get things done.Multitask: Given the roles that an entrepreneur needs to take on, it is vital to be particularly apt at multitasking. This means being on top of all aspects of the business.Work Hard: It is important to work hard yourself and then expect those around you to follow suit. A successful entrepreneur and leader is one who practices what he preaches and this often means being the first one in to work and the last one out.Be Stubborn when Needed: Though flexibility is a vital trait in an entrepreneur, it often needs a counterpoint in stubbornness. If you have a logical reason for a particular decision or action, then go ahead with it and convince others of its viability rather than giving in easily.S tay Away from Pointless Discussions: It is often a good idea to keep your head down and focus on the task at hand while ignoring the multitudes of opinions and conversations happening all around. It usually has more impact when you let success do the talking rather than just doing the talking with no results.Be Strategic: Sometimes, parts of whatever you are working on need to be let go rather than held on to. This sort of strategic thinking is vital for an entrepreneur when often scope may need to be narrowed to be successful.Using these tips smartly and taking the very best insights from how the company began and how it grew can help an entrepreneur glean best practices. These can then be applied to any type of business venture.Image credit: Zalando.

Artist Robert Indiana Facts and Biography

Robert Indiana, an American painter, sculptor, and printmaker, is frequently associated with Pop Art, though he has said he prefers calling himself a sign painter. Indiana is most famous for his Love sculpture series, which can be seen in more than 30 locations around the world. The original Love sculpture is located at the Indianapolis Museum of Art. Early Life Indiana was born Robert Earl Clark on September 13, 1928, in New Castle, Indiana. He once referred to Robert Indiana as his nom de brush, and said it was the only name by which he cared to go. The adopted name suits him, as his tumultuous childhood was spent moving frequently. Indiana says he lived in more than 20 different homes within the Hoosier State before the age of 17. He also served in the United States Army for three years, before attending the Art Institute of Chicago, the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture and Edinburgh College of Art. Indiana moved to New York in 1956 and quickly earned a name for himself with his hard-edge painting style and sculptural assemblages and became an early leader in the Pop Art movement. His Art Best known for sign-like paintings and sculpture, Robert Indiana worked with many numbers and short words in his work, including EAT, HUG, and LOVE. In 1964, he created a 20-foot EAT sign for the New York World’s Fair that was made of flashing lights. In 1966, he began experimenting with the word LOVE and the image of the letters arranged in a square, with LO and VE on top of each other, with O tilted on its side was soon featured in many paintings and sculptures that can still be seen today around the world. The first Love sculpture was made for the Indianapolis Museum of Art in 1970. The 1973 Love stamp was one of the most widely distributed Pop Art images ever (300 million were issued), but his subject matter is drawn from decidedly un-Pop American literature and poetry. In addition to the sign-like paintings and sculpture, Indiana has also done figurative painting, written poetry and collaborated on the film EAT with Andy Warhol. He reintroduced the iconic Love image, replacing it with the word HOPE, raising more than $1,000,000 for Barack Obamas 2008 presidential campaign. Important Works The Calumet, 1961Figure 5, 1963The Confederacy: Alabama, 1965LOVE series, 1966The Seventh American Dream, 1998 Sources and Further Reading Hobbs, Robert. Robert Indiana. Rizzoli International Publications; January 2005.Indiana, Robert. Love and the American Dream: The Art of Robert Indiana. Portland Museum of Art; 1999.Kernan, Nathan. Robert Indiana. Assouline; 2004.Robert Indiana. Prints: A Catalogue Raisonne 1951-1991. Susan Sheehan Gallery; 1992.Ryan, Susan Elizabeth; Indiana, Robert. Robert Indiana: Figures of Speech. Yale University Press; 2000.Weinhardt, Carl J. Robert Indiana. Harry N Abrams; 1990.​

Carol Karlsen s The Devil - 1692 Words

Name Class Professor June 22, 2015 Carol Karlsen s The Devil in the Shape of a Woman† Carol Karlsen s The Devil in the Shape of a Woman† was written to provide the reader with an understanding of the role of the â€Å"witch† in colonial New England. During the early colonial period, pilgrims lived in a male-dominated society and the classical witch hunts were conducted in an attempt to maintain this societal structure. Since these hunts were placed under a religious guise, it was simple for these individuals to act as if they were maintaining the safety and justice of society. Karlsen explains that in many instances, women who were labelled as witches were often females that had managed to acquire great economic and social status and society. In fear of these women, the neighborhood targeted them and called them witches to weaken their power. Independent of guilt, women who were accused of witchcraft could not possibly recovered. If they claimed their innocence, they would be stoned or burned to dea th because the counsel would decide that they were not being truthful. If they admitted to their guilt, their place in society would be marred and they would be embarrassed for partaking in these evil acts. Through this violence, men have been able to maintain their place in Puritan society. In her book, Karlsen aims to provide the reader new insight into the witch trials, demonstrating the societal, rather than religious causes for this well-known historic tragedy. KarlsenShow MoreRelatedThe Devil in the Shape of a Woman by Carol Karlsen Essay examples641 Words   |  3 PagesThe Devil in the Shape of a Woman by Carol Karlsen Carol Karlsen was born in 1940. She is currently a professor in the history department a the University of Michigan. A graduate of Yale University (Ph.D, 1980), she has taught history and women’s study courses at Union College and Bard College. In this book Carol Karlsen reveals the social construction of witchcraft in 17th century New England, and brings forth the portrait of gender in the New England Society. The books thesis is based onRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book The Devil On The Shape Of A Woman By Carol Karlsen Essay1637 Words   |  7 PagesConversely, Carol Karlsen who was a Professor of History and Women’s Studies at the University of Michigan had a different take on the trials. Karlsen wrote The Devil in the Shape of a Woman: Witchcraft in Colonial New England in 1987, a book examining the role of women in the Salem Witch Trials. Karlsen was â€Å"concerned with the meaning of witchcraft for New England’s first settlers†¦ and why most witches in early American society were women.† Karlsen obviously felt that there was a disparity ofRead More Salem Witchcraft Essay2617 Words   |  11 Pagesdecided to condemn the people around them as witches and why they did what they did to one another. Carol Karlsen in her book The Devil in the Shape of a Woman and Bernard Rosenthal in Salem Story give several factors, ranging from woman hunting to shear malice, that help explain why the Salem trials took place and why they reached the magnitude that they did. The theories put fourth by Karlsen of a society that accusations against women as witches explain the trail, and Rosenthals ideas of discourseRead MoreWitchcraft Hysteria By Laurie Winn Carlson1307 Words   |  6 PagesAs Peter S Beagle says, â€Å"You ever want to see real witchcraft, you watch people protecting their comfort, their beliefs.† This quote is saying if you want to truly understand someone, learn about what they believe in. It all began in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. The accusations toward people who were thought to be witches was on the rise. These would not be the kind of witches a person would think about in today s world, but women and men who were put on trial for witchcraft hysteria, which inRead MoreThe Hysteria of Salem Witchcraft Essay910 Words   |  4 PagesAmerican colonies alone there were over 100 witchcraft trials alone, were 40 percent of the accused were executed. Now two professors, Carol F. Karlsen of history and Kai T. Erikson of sociology, examine the Salem Witchcraft Hysteria to see if it was caused by a fear of women and give two entirely different interpretations. The first professor, Carol F. Karlsen, agreed that the Salem Witchcraft Hysteria was caused by a fear of women. She agrees that the belief in the Puritian culture, that Read MoreEssay about Gender Politics in the US Criminal Justice System1736 Words   |  7 Pagesof who was designated a witch was gender, in fact eighty percent of all those killed were women. Of those women, females who were spinsters or widows, rather than wives or mothers were represented disproportionately among the witches. In the 1800s, imprisoned women suffered the same terrible conditions as their male counterparts, yet they were not allowed to go to workshops, mess halls, or exercise yards , but rather were brought needlework and food and forced to remain in their cells. In theRead MoreThe Salem Witch Trials1297 Words   |  6 Pagesalongside her working the devil against the Puritans. As chaos spread through Salem and the rest of Massachusetts, a large number of others were accused (about 200 plus people were accused), including Martha Corey and Rebecca Nurse– who were highly respected members of the church and community–and the four-year-old daughter of Sarah Good. After Tituba’s alleged confession, many others of the accused witches had â€Å"confessed† to performing acts of witchcraft and to â€Å"signing the devil s book.† The trials againstRead MoreAnalysis of the Salem Witch Trials2099 Words   |  8 PagesPuritans that comprised the colony of Salem, Massachusetts, were extremely religious, attributing biblical meaning to all aspects of their lives and being accustomed to personify the devil (Kocić, 2010). Specifically, church elders strongly believed that their congregation was superlatively righteous and for this reason the devil would try to target it with attacks in all forms , hence it was impressed upon the community to be vigilant against any signs of his presence. Such signs were subject to interpretationRead MoreNineteenth Century Americ A Bleak Portrayal Of The Sociopolitical Scene3092 Words   |  13 Pagesconsidered sexless, the impression of the woman as the devil’s tool was inevitable. Women were expected to seek purification through the church, which was almost shielded by men. The result of sin was severe punishment, which often involved execution. Karlsen suggests that the execution of many women aged forty and above was connected to the notion that these women did not fit the ideal puritan society because they could not be groomed into obedient wives to their men (07). As a result, majority of theRead MoreIn Depth Research of Witchcraft Essay3980 Words   |  16 Pageswitchcraft, Meghan Lewis and Carol Karlsen. Witchcraft the religion is quite old. Practices have said to be dated back to Neolithic Stone Age cave painting, but it is hard to be completely certain if the pictures have been interpreted properly. Witchcraft is known to have grown out of pre-Christian pagan beliefs. The beliefs have developed over the years, being taken from various sources. The idea of witchcraft took a major turn around the end of the mid-evil period. Around the 1500s the religion of witchcraft

Hagia Sophia Free Essays

In chapter twelve the remarkable church known as The Hagia Sophia was discussed briefly and I find it fascinating. I first learned about the Hagia Sophia in my art history class in high school. I have always been interested in the fact that it started as a basilica, was then a mosque and is now a museum that functions as both a mosque and a cathedral. We will write a custom essay sample on Hagia Sophia or any similar topic only for you Order Now I think that this amazing structure is proof that different religions can coexist and come together to create things that we all can cherish. Hagia Sophia is in Istanbul, turkey which was part of the Byzantine Empire until it was conquered by the Ottoman Empire.It was originally built under the rule of Justinian to function as a church in 532 A. D. Justinian had material brought over from all over his empire. Large stones were brought from far-away quarries: porphyry from Egypt, green marble from Thessaly, black stone from the Bosporus region and yellow stone from Syria (â€Å"The Annotated Mona Lisa†). More than ten thousand people were employed during this construction. This new church was immediately recognized as a major work of architecture, showcasing the creative insights of the architects. Hagia Sophia is one of the greatest surviving examples of Byzantine architecture.The church’s decorated interior of mosaics and marble pillars and coverings is massive and takes ones breath away. The dome seems weightless as if held up by the unbroken row of 40 arched windows under it, which help flood the colorful interior with light. All interior surfaces are covered over with polychrome marbles, green and white with purple porphyry and gold mosaics, encrusted upon the brick. This covering hid the large pillars, giving them a brighter look. In 1453, the ottoman turks took over and the Sultan Mehmed II ordered the building to be converted into a mosque.The bells, altar, iconostasis, and sacrificial vessels were removed, and many of the original beautiful mosaics that Justinian put in were plastered over. The Islamic features — such as the mihrab, the minbar, and the four minarets outside — were added over the course of the Ottomans rule. It was used as a mosque until 1935, when it was converted into a museum by the Republic of Turkey. For almost 500 years the Hagia Sophia served as a model for many of the Ottoman mosques such as the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, the Sehzade Mosque, the Suleymaniye Mosque, and the Rustem Pasha Mosque. However the Hagia Sophia is still the most awe inspiring.I believe that if the ottomans had never converted the church or if the church hadn’t been built under Justinian we wouldn’t have the beautiful mix of architectural aspects that we have today. The fact that the church contains the beautiful gold inlayed mosaics of Justinian, the depictions of Christ, and the large medallions with the names of Muhammad and Islam’s first caliphs and that they all coexist beautifully is a perfect example of the harmony between the religions. People from all over the world from all backgrounds come to worship or just visit the beautiful structure. How to cite Hagia Sophia, Papers

Ferrari Case Study Essay Example

Ferrari Case Study Paper Case Study #3 Having an item that has a brand name has always been highly looked upon. Someone having a Ferrari would be looked at as being more wealthy or successful than someone driving a Buick, although that may not be true. The problem with brand name items is that they are very costly. This is exceptionally noticeable with the brand Ferrari due to the fact that most of their cars sell for over $200,000. Companies need brand recognition but need to get out there in a way that is affordable to their customers, which is exactly what Ferrari did. Ferarri took the initiative of selling their brand through products other than just their cars. The company started a line of different merchandise through brand extension. This was very good for the company, it made the average person feel as though they could be a part of Ferrari without having to have the money to spend on a car. With brand extension the company had a sales revenue of $725 million. There is not much more than the company can do, besides continuing to put their customers first. Ferrari has decided to expand through a theme park in Abu Dhabi. This is a similar move to what Walt Disney Company did when they opened Euro Disney outside of Paris. We will write a custom essay sample on Ferrari Case Study specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Ferrari Case Study specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Ferrari Case Study specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The fallback for Euro Disney was that they did not make a profit until three years after the theme park was opened. A way that Ferrari can make a better move than Disney did is to make sure that they have enough profit from other types of expansions before they decide to actually open the theme park, which is now open and running smoothly. If you go into a business transaction with the money needed, then you will make profit right away. Now that their theme park is open, they just need to keep up with their brand extensions and keep moving to become a better, higher quality, unique company. In conclusion, when running a company you need to be aware of the things that are going on all around you. Not only locally, but globally as well. The way that people live in one country is always going to be different than the way things are done in another country. Adjusting to your customers needs is the best thing that a company can do for itself. If a customer can’t afford your product than you are not going to be successful in the business world. People always want to be a part of something, and Ferrari gave their customers the chance to be a part of them, while keeping in mind the different budgets that each customer had.

50 Idioms About Roads and Paths

50 Idioms About Roads and Paths 50 Idioms About Roads and Paths 50 Idioms About Roads and Paths By Mark Nichol 1. all roads lead to Rome: an expression meaning that many methods will lead to the same result 2. get (back) on track: resume focus 3. get off track: lose focus 4. beat a path to [one’s] door: arrive in great numbers, with the implication that someone who offers a highly desirable good or service will attract much attention 5. blaze a trail: be the first to take a certain approach (from the Native American practice of signaling the course of a trail through a forest with burn marks) 6–7. down the road/track: at a later time 8–9. end of the line/road: a conclusion or outcome 10. fast track: a quick way to accomplish or manage something 11. go down that road: decide to take a particular action, with the implication that the decision starts one on a path that one cannot easily deviate from 12. high road: an easy or sure course to achieve a result 13–14. hit the road/trail: depart, or begin a journey 15. hot on the trail: about to discover something or catch up with someone 16. inside track: an advantage because of circumstances or connections 17. keep on track: maintain focus 18. kick the can down the road: put off a decision or action, with the idea that the decision or action is being pushed farther along the way but will be encountered again as one continues 19. lead [one] down the garden path: deceive someone 20. let’s get this show on the road: an exhortation to begin something promptly 21. lose track: fail to maintain focus, or become distracted 22. middle of the road: moderate or bland, suggesting that something is not at or near one extreme or the other 23–24. on the beaten path/track: busy, frequented, or well known 25–26. off the beaten path/track: not busy, frequented, or well known 27. on the right track: in progress toward a desired result 28. on the wrong track: misdirected 29. on the road to [blank]: used to indicate that someone is or was starting to achieve something, as in â€Å"on the road to recovery† 30. on the trail of [someone or something]: seeking a person or thing 31. on the warpath: angry, from an association with Native Americans heading for an attack 32. one for the road: a euphemism to refer to a final alcoholic drink consumed before departure 33. one-track mind: having a narrow focus 34. paper trail: documents that lead to a discovery or provide proof 35. path of least resistance: easiest approach or strategy 36. primrose path: a seductively attractive course that leads to disillusionment or a bad outcome 37–40. put/throw [one] off the track/trail: to cause someone’s attention to be misdirected, or to cause someone to lose his or her attention or place 41. road hog: a driver who does not allow other motorists to pass 42. road rash: an injury sustained when a bicyclist or motorcyclist falls on the road while moving and scrapes his or her skin 43. road show: a promotional tour, as for political campaigning; originally referred to traveling theatrical productions and similar entertainments 44. the road to hell is paved with good intentions: a proverb that states that well-meaning people make bad decisions 45. stop [one] dead in [one’s] tracks: halt or surprise someone completely 46. take the low road: do something underhanded or unscrupulous 47. high road: do something ethical or noble 48. there is no royal road to learning: learning takes work (with the implication that no special route exists for privileged people) 49. where the rubber meets the road: the point at which a challenge or problem becomes immediate or acute, from the idea of the point when a vehicle’s tires start rolling on the road beneath them 50. wide place in the road: a small town, with the implication that the increased width of a road as it passes through the town is the only distinguishing feature Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:20 Great Opening Lines to Inspire the Start of Your StoryWhen to Form a Plural with an ApostropheAppropriate vs. Apropos vs. Apt

Which Extracurricular Activities Should You Consider in College

Which Extracurricular Activities Should You Consider in College SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Are you a college student or starting college soon and wondering which extracurricular activities you should be involved in?Extracurriculars are an important part of college, and they are a great way to meet new people and try new activities. Read this guide to learn how to choose the best extracurricular activities to help you meet new people, learn about future careers, and explore new interests in college. What Are Extracurricular Activities? How Can You Find Your School's? An extracurricular activity is any activity not included in the normal curriculum of a school.Extracurricular activities can vary from official school sports teams to chapters of national organizations, to independent clubs.They cover a wide range of topics and interests, from politics to rock climbing to helping out the homeless and more. My own alma mater, Michigan State University, hasmore than 700 student organizations, and when I was a student, I found participating in them to be a great way to make new friends and spend more time participating in activities I enjoyed and cared about. Many colleges have a list of all the school’s clubs and organizations on their school website.Look atthe Student Resources page, search â€Å"clubs† â€Å"organizations† or â€Å"extracurriculars† on the school’s site, or do a simple Google search, for example, "UCLA clubs". Also, in the beginning of the year, many schoolsoffer a fair or open house when clubs and organizations set up booths for interested students to learn more about each extracurricular, sign up to receive more information on ones they are interested in, and ask current club members questions.These are a great way to learn about different extracurricular activities, and they are often a lot of fun to attend, with many groups offering free games and food. Which Extracurricular Activities Should You Consider? Most colleges offer a large number of extracurriculars, so the easiest way to start thinking about which ones to join is to separate them into categories.Below are four categories that cover almost all extracurriculars. Read through each category, and if somethingsounds interesting to you, see if your school offers some of those types of extracurriculars. Extracurriculars That Relate to Your Future Career It’s not just your classes that will help prepare you for your future career; there are many extracurriculars in college that give you job experience and help you make connections in your field.These extracurriculars are sometimes referred to as academic and pre-professional clubs.Some examples of professional organizations include the Academy of Law and Criminal Justice, Future Pharmacists Club, Nursing Students Association, Society of Women Engineers, and the Entrepreneurship Club. This category also includesextracurriculars that aren’t professional organizations but can help you develop skills needed for your future career. For example, if you want to be a journalist, you may consider joining the school newspaper, if you want a career in the medical field you could volunteer at a hospital, or if you want to improve your language skills you might join your school's French Club. Some of theseextracurriculars offer hands-on activities for specific career fields that you can include on your resume, and they can also offer field trips and job shadows for you to see what a typical day in the life is for certain jobs.Being involved in one of these extracurriculars can involve attending networking events, visiting potential places of employment, engaging in hands-on activities related to the career field, meeting socially with other members, andmore. How to Choose One of These Extracurriculars: First, think about what you plan to major in and what type of career you’d like to have, and see if your school has any extracurriculars that relate to it. These can be professional organizations or just clubs that let you do hands-on work in your field. Then, thinkabout skills you’d like to gain to increase your employability. This can include computer skills, knowing a second language, improving public speaking, or another skill, then look to see what extracurriculars would help you get those skills. Benefits of These Extracurriculars: Help you gain more professional experience. Provide a way to make connections in your field. Offer a way to test the water and see if you actually enjoy your envisioned career. Can include membership in a well-known professional organization that you can put on your resume. They can make you more employable by showing that you: Have interests and passions Are social and can interact well with others Are good at balancing your time and managing different priorities Have a strong work ethic Professional organizations offer a great way to network and meet other students interested in the same career field Extracurriculars That Introduce You to New Interests and People College is one of the absolute best times in your life to meet new people, and extracurriculars can expose you all sorts of other students. Collegeis also a great time for activism, and there are manyextracurriculars devoted to improving all kinds of issues in the world. Some examples of this includeclubs that promote recycling, reducing poverty, improving education or providing better medical care. Extracurriculars are a great, low-risk way to get involved in new activities or support new causes.Many colleges offer at least a few very unique clubs that let members try something they probably would never have come across before. A few examples of some of the unique extracurriculars that colleges offer are ablacksmith club, stargazing club, and beekeeping club. Some of my own college classmates joined the esteemed MSU Squirrel Watching Club. How to Choose One of These Extracurriculars: This can be as simple as reading through a list of your school’s extracurriculars and seeing which ones jump out at you.Choose your favorites among these and attend a meeting to see if you are still interested.Also, think about what skills you’d like to acquire or what movements you’d like to be a part of, and see if any extracurriculars match those interests. You should also consider trying out a club or activity you may not feel you'd enjoy right away, as a way to push your boundaries. Who knows, you may end up with a new interest! Benefits of These Extracurriculars: Meeting new people gives you the chance to start new friendships, and having a large group of acquaintances can also help you in the future when you’re looking for jobs. Joining clubs that expose you to different types of people can help improve your ability to consider different opinions and see things from a new perspective. Sometimes participating in an extracurricular is all it takes to develop a new passion. When I was in college, I joined the Outdoors Club on a whim, and even years after graduating I still regularly camp and kayak, using the skills I learned in that club. Extracurriculars That Allow You to Continue Current Hobbies and Interests You will probably come to college with some hobbies and interests already in place, and college is a great way to continue with them.You may also already belong to certain groups or communities, such as a religious group or cultural group, and wish to continue being a part of them. How to Choose One of These Extracurriculars: Think about your current activities and interests. These can be activities you were a part of in school, such as a sport or band, or they can be something you took part in outside of school or own your own.If there are any you'd like to continue with, check and see if your school offers any related clubs or groups. Benefits of These Extracurriculars: Give you a way to meet similar minded people who share your interests. Allow you to be part of a community you feel comfortable in. Give you the opportunity to continue to develop current skills and interests. Extracurriculars That Keep You Active In addition to helping you avoid the Freshman 15, joining a sports-related extracurricular can provide a way for you to meet new people, gain or improve athletic skills, and may even involve some travel if your team goes to conferences.These extracurriculars can be part of an official school team, such as hockey or basketball, or they can be a club sport, like ultimate frisbee. If you participated in sports in high school, this is a great way to stay active, but even if you don’t have any experience in the sport you want to join, many clubs are happy to take beginners.These extracurriculars range from traditional school sports like soccer and football, to less common ones like rugby and skiing.Some of the sports teams you school offers may even be very unusual: my college had both a Quidditch team and an underwater hockey team. You don’t always have to join a team either. There are lots of extracurriculars that keep you active in others ways as well, such as hiking or rock climbing clubs.These extracurriculars are often offered at a variety of competitiveness and skill levels, so you can choose a team or club based how experienced you are and how much free time you have. How to Choose One of These Extracurriculars: If you participated in sports in high school, consider whether you’d like to continue playing them in college. You should alsolook through your school’s extracurricular list and see if there are any new sports you’d like to try. Next, decide how much time you are willing and able to devote to your extracurriculars; many school teams, even some club and intramural sports, require a significant time commitment.If you are unable to devote a lot of time to a sport, consider less competitive extracurriculars. Remember to payattention to sign-up deadlines and try out dates because these often occur early in the school year. Benefits of These Extracurriculars: They give you a way to stay active. Being active increases endorphins which make you happier, and being active also helps take your mind off school which can help keep you from feeling stressed and overwhelmed. Being part of a team is a great way to foster friendships. They offer a way for you to improve or acquire new athletic skills. Final Thoughts If you signed up for an extracurricular but no longer enjoy it and don’t feel like it’s helping you, don’t feel the need to stick with it. It will just make you unhappy and likely won’t do much for you career-wise or social-wise if you hate it. You don’t need to join extracurriculars in every one of these groups. Choose a few based on your interests and time, and see how well you are able to manage them. You can always join or drop extracurriculars. If a club or organization sounds interesting, but you’re not sure if you want to join it, just drop by a meeting. You’ll get a taste ofwhat it’s like, without needing to commit immediately. Try to join an extracurricular you wouldn’t normally participate in, even if you only attend one meeting. College is maybe the best time in your life to try new things, and you could end up with new skills, a new passion, and new friends! What's Next? Do you want to see more examples of extracurriculars activities? You're in luck because we have a complete list of extracurriculars, with hundreds of examples! For a complete overview of the college search process, read our comprehensive guide on how to choose a college. Worried about paying for college? Read our step-by-step guide to getting a student loan. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: