The bliss of travelling alone

Travelling alone can be the most petrifying yet beautiful experience of one’s life. People have accepted for it to be life-changing. It is one the milestones in life that everyone should achieve or rather everyone should have this in their bucket list and if they don’t, well they should add this right at this exact instant. The ones who do it regularly find this addicting and just can’t ever get enough of it. The one’s who do it should at least give it a chance.

Certainly, being a female traveller in India can have lots of hurdles and hindrances but even for them a good combination of a bit of common sense and caution, travelling alone can be a wonderful experience for women smitten with wanderlust. 

Traveling on your own definitely gives you the headspace and focus to reflect on your self and ultimately, experience how it is to live with yourself - mood swings and all. Without anyone to turn to for immediate distraction and attention, traveling solo encourages us to find fulfilment in the simplest things that we take for granted. You will start to notice the most mundane things which actually turns out to be the greatest delights of traveling - a bright blue sky with the sun rays touching your face, buskers on the street singing your fave tune. 

Although, there might be times when you lose your patience and regaining it might seem like the toughest thing in the world but enjoying and thriving in your own company will be the greatest most important life lesson that you will ever learn. 

There are predominantly 2 types of people in the world, either introvert or extrovert. In order to cure some people’s public fright or anxiety the best way is to go out any meet new ones as much as possible. When you'll be travelling alone you will have no option but to meet and make friends with strangers almost everyday hence improving you’re virtues and will make you more and more comfortable in the company of others. You'll come across people from all parts of the world and learn a lot more about their culture and traditions hence, giving you a wider perspective of life in general.

Conclusively, going solo has something for every individual and your journey will change you in ways unimaginable. The freedom you experience when traveling solo is just different and awe-inspiring - from being able to go at your own pace and not feeling guilty about it, to the strength and confidence you discover within yourself. It’s a peaceful and calming experience you’ll likely to want to experience over and over again.

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Millennial’s addiction to substance abuse and it’s consequences

According to estimated data almost 49% of the college going students consume alcohol or abuse illegal drugs or prescription medication because of either giving in to “peer pressure” or to appear cool and be at par with the rest of the popular kids. We’ve learned so much about addiction, particularly in the past couple decades while rates of addiction have continued to climb across virtually all demographic groups. In theory, one might expect millennials to be less likely to abuse alcohol or use drugs since they’re taught about and so often exposed to the harsh realities of the disease. However, that has not been the case.

If we go by the statistics, the group with the most no. of binge drinkers consists of people in the age group of 18 to 34 which almost consists entirely of the millennials. Almost 60% of the college going students who are often over the age of legal drinking, per say abuse alcohol on at least a monthly basis.

It may be tempting to blame the social media or constant need of being at par with the virtual reality that we might assume to be the reason but in reality, this is due to a cumulative effect of a variety of factors. The fact that people of the adolescent and/or millennial age are more prone to taking reckless and impulsive decisions after getting under the influence of peer pressure resulting in an exaggerated reward response and behaviour that seems hedonistic and pleasure-driven. For this very reason, young people have been found to become addicted to things much more easily than adults. 

In order to have an attempt at solving this problem we could make addiction programs more available to adolescents, teens and young adults. Since stress is one of the biggest factors for millennial substance abuse, teaching young people how to better manage stress would be invaluable, especially at younger ages when they’re most impressionable and can put effective coping strategies to use as they mature. It would also be a good idea to engage with millennials rather than leaving them to their own devices. They’re unlikely to give up the technologies they’ve been using for their entire lives, but there’s certainly room to expand face-to-face interactivity.

For more such insights of Life, contact Life coach Vivek Gupta

Personal Coaching

Is the new Visa system introduced in Canada for Asian markets really speedy for Indians?

Recently, Canada’s Immigration division, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced a new immigration program called Student Direct Stream (SDS). SDS is open to four countries including India.

The program promises to fast-track the immigration process with fewer delays so students from these Asian counties do not have to miss semester intakes due to immigration hassles. But, will SDS really help speed up the process for all students?

Indian students who received study permits for Canada was 83,410 in 2017, This figure reflected a rise of 58% over 2016. In fact, the total number of Indian students in Canada rose to 100,000 in the same year. This number is steadily growing as Canada continues to be a welcoming nation to foreign students in contrast to the increasingly protectionist views of the UK and US.

What is Student Direct Stream (SDS)?
Under the SDS program, the student immigration process has been expedited, given that they meet 3 major criteria. Students are required to display above average language skills and provide proof of being capable to pay the tuition fees. They are required to have an overall 6.0 score in IELTS as well as a minimum 6.0 in all its sub-bands including reading, writing, listening and speaking. Further, students will need to present a Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) of CAN$10,000 as proof of ability to self-support through the course. A proof of tuition payment for the first year is also required.

As a solution, Indian families should plan their finances in keeping with the visa requirements while encouraging students to thoroughly prepare for IELTS. If parents are able to manage the financial aspect and students are able to push the envelope of excellence, SDS will actually end up really benefitting them and accelerating their dream of studying in Canada. While the debate on the merits of SDS and SPP can go on, it would be wisest to look at the merits of the new regime and do one’s best to ace it

For more info about study in canada, visit

Study and Settle in Canada

Habits that helps you become confident

Often people rely on their first impressions of other individuals as their basis to judge them either consciously or subconsciously. So, self image and personality are very important characteristics to give out who you are s a person. You aura, way of interacting and personality can give out a lot about you more than you could possibly decipher. So, you can just follow a few simple tricks to build confidence in yourself.

Research tells us that self-confident people earn more in comparison to their counterparts. You can see it in their walk, in the way they greet people, in the way they handle themselves at parties and in meetings. And others pay attention to them, because they just “seem” to exude a “presence”. People who have confidence habits have no problem with not knowing everything. It is those who lack the confidence habit hide their lack of understanding or inability to do something. Learn to be confident in your skin, be a good observer, be prepared about your field of work, be aware of the things happening in your surroundings; this will make you confident in public. Learn to be confident in your own accomplishments and stop looking for approval and appraisal from other people. Start taking risks, you wouldn't be able to achieve something extraordinary until you're ready to put yourself out on the line.

The key to be confident depends on your mental habits. Once you start winning and achieving on a mental and spiritual level; the physical changes will follow. Start rewarding with every considerable improvement that you achieve and you'll start observing considerable changes in a short span of time.

For more such insights, visit Personal Coaching

Would you stay in someone else’s home during your study abroad?

It should come as no surprise then that more and more universities are capitalising on homestays as an alternative accommodation option for incoming international students. One such institution is Canada’s Georgian College whose homestay program entails local families taking in an international student to stay with them.

Empty nesters Tom and Maureen Staples are one of the couples on this program. With six out of seven children grown up and moved away, it was the obvious choice to welcome international students into their home.

The perks of living with a Canadian family as an international student are many and varied. In addition to having a family to go home to, international students also get to experience local culture as well as see their English improve tremendously. Downsides do exist, such as the clash of cultures or that awkward feeling you get when you just met someone.

Yet, homestays can still be the better option compared to traditional student halls for the first-year international student.

International student Nu Nu at Trinity College in Australia said it’s a great choice for those looking for cheap and short-term accommodation, as “other options are expensive and they require students to stay for at least six months”.Furthermore, some homestays come with all three daily meals provided for seven days a week and on public transport routes close to the college or university. What’s not to love?

For more details on study abroad options, visit

Study and Settle Abroad

Millennial’s addiction to social media and how is it bad

Over the past 20 years we have seen an immense growth in the utilisation and evolution of technology and social media. Earlier when a landline phone no. is all the knowledge that you had of other people and that too if you decide to call them at all now-a-days we have all the knowledge of every person that would’ve lost contact from if it were not for the social media. But the issue is that people have started using it more as a pass-time than an item of innumerable benefits.

Social media has become a part of everyone’s life in the current situation. While the older generation – those born in the baby boom period shortly after World War II – had alcohol and drugs as their vice, the younger generation – the so-called millennials – have social media as theirs. They use digital age, using technology to relax and interact with others. Social media is a big deal for them; it is a lifeline to the outside world. 

Although people of all ages use social media, it is more harmful for younger users than it is for the older ones. Addiction may seem like a harsh and strong word to use in the context of social media but the term actually refers to any behaviour that is extremely pleasurable and is the only reason to help you get through the day. And it is much more of an addiction to the current generation. It has also been reported that the millennials have a compulsive need of checking their phone every few minutes. This makes them prone to living in a virtual reality thinking that is their actual life meanwhile cutting themselves from the real world.

Social media and other technologies are commodities and that is what they should be treated as, if we take it for the reality our world as well as our individual personal lives are going to get in a lot of problem in the near future.

For more such insights, contact Life coach Vivek Gupta

Personal Coaching

High MBBS fees leaving many doctors in debt

Soaring high prices for a seat in a private medical colleges leaves almost every student handicapped for the rest of their lives in terms of money with their future salaries barely covering the loan EMI that they have accumulated for themselves in their 4.5 years of study as a medical student.

Here’s how the maths works. The average annual tuition fees for a regular private medical college revolves around 10 Lakhs to 15 Lakhs. That's more than half a crore rupees for the entire course and touches nearly a crore if you involve charges for other things like hostel, mess, library, internet and examinations. The EMI on an education loan comes around for Rs. 60,000 latest and the average salary of a MBBS graduates working for the government ranges from Rs.45,000 to Rs. 60,000 depending on the area and starting salaries in private sector is even lower making it impossible to repay the loan while also financing for a fully  functional household. Just when they start having financial independence they start getting crushed under the debt that they have made for themselves. What’s wrong with MBBS in India is either you’re an exceptionally talented student and will make it through government medical colleges in India who has only about 3,000 seats in the All India and a few thousand more in your particular state quota and if you’re not; then you’ll have to pay a staggeringly high prices for the course. It’s either Rs. 20,000 for the year or Rs. 10 Lakh per annum, no in betweens.

With the current shortage of doctors in the country; it’s only the government at blame for the current scenario that they’ve made for themselves as well as the citizens. The only visible escape from this problem is to increase the number of government colleges hence increasing the no. of medical seats and giving the worthy students a bit more chance to be excellent doctors in the future and serve the nation with their talent.

Another way out for students is to go abroad to cost effective countries like Ukraine , China etc where a full MBBS course can be done under 20 lakhs budget including everything. Thus saving students and parents from deadly debt trap.

For more info on MBBS abroad options, visit

MBBS Admissions

Law of attraction: How to manifest everything you want in life?

Through time and again we are reminded about the power and potential of the Law of Attraction via various mediums be it novels like the critically acclaimed The Secret or through movies like Om Shanti Om which all revolves around the theme that the universe creates and provides for you that which your thoughts are focussed on.

The idea of positive thoughts leading to positive outcomes and similarly, negative thoughts having negative consequences. This theory is in complete contrast to that of a pragmatic one that’s why the validity or absurdity of it had also been in rounds. To the believers, questioning the validity of the LOA is akin to heresy and blasphemy; it creates religious fervour. To the uninitiated, it may seem silly to discuss even the possibility that such a law could exist. The only way to manifest your thoughts into things is to believe and live as if you’ve already accomplished your goal. LOA guru Esther Hicks said, “You did not come into this environment to create through action.” Action shows the Universe that you know you don’t have it and that you doubt its ability to manifest it for you. While it is obvious to most that action is a necessary component of goal achievement, it is completely inconsistent with a belief in a LOA. Often people’s prime manifestations involve material abundances and worldly possessions this is what provides as a hinderance towards the attraction of it, because according to the theory our goals should be based on our wants; not values and what we do or ask for is often the opposite of it.

But practically speaking you will not be able to achieve any goal without doing deeds in favour of it, the correct mixture of fighting against all the odds along with the irrevocable belief in the Law of Attraction will help you attain everything you want in life irrespective of all odds.

For more such insights, contact Life coach Vivek Gupta

Personal Coaching

Top tips to get accepted in Ivy League universities

·       Browse the class profile featured in the university’s portal and identify the average GRE/GMAT/SAT score

·       The scores are not always the deciding factor but they place your profile among the strongest candidates list when admission officers evaluate applications.

·       Having a high CGPA is very important but this again is not a deciding factor. Colleges are faced with the uncertainty of whether the admitted student will finally enroll, hence a demonstrated interest in the form of a visit to the college campus, an interaction with the admission officer will be very beneficial.

·        Take a tour, ask questions and if there is a sign in sheet enter your name. This provides an edge over other applicants. Early application carries a higher rate of admission which is backed by a survey that highlighted, Harvard admitted 21 per cent of applicants in the early round when the total rate of admission was 5.9 per cent.

·       This clearly demonstrates Harvard admitted just 3 per cent from the regular admission pool. However, a point to note is early admission decision is binding. It prevents the student from making an alternative choice.

·        Interaction with professors of the university and with current students or alumni provides a distinct advantage as it illustrates the deep interest in joining the college.

·       Sometimes the admission officer arranges an interview with the current students. Don’t forget to mention this information in the essay.

·       To create a successful essay one needs to brainstorm multiple ideas before finalizing one and then create an outline. Writing an essay then becomes an easy task.

For more details, visit

Study and settle abroad

Working abroad can boost your career

When people live in their home country, they are often surrounded by others who mostly behave in similar ways so they are not compelled to question whether their own behaviours reflect their core values or the values of the culture which they are embedded in. This changes when you live abroad, since exposure to newer values and beliefs forces you to re-examine yours.

Some cultures value conversations based on results and the future of the company, while others value the journey or the learning. You learn to tread these fine lines, customizing the message, and adapt quickly to situations, people and practices, becoming more effective in your communication and negotiation. In Switzerland, for example, the “respect” denotes valuing time and getting to the point without hesitation, while, in China, it means accepting authority.

The global stage also helps you stay updated with the latest developments in your field. it’s important to fully exploit the opportunity to learn something from the local culture, be open to new environments—and grow both professionally and personally.

For study and work options abroad, visit Study and work abroad

Ways to succeed in a business

Success in a startup business can be the most difficult yet self pleasing thing in the world. Succeeding in a business is all about risks, you’ll have to keep your patience and perseverance through the numerous years of highs and lows in your business before you finally attain stable growth.

As almost all the business tycoons from all around the world have shared their stories and experiences of how almost all of them have started from scratch and showcase their determination and discipline and finally making it in the top 1% of the world. Critical thinking is also fundamental to smart decision making. And that, in turn, is key to being successful at just about anything.Success is never easy, and in order to gain it, especially for your small business, you have to make sure that you have done and prepared your company for everything. Knowing the fundamentals when in comes to running your business and managing the daily grind will go a long way in ensuring that you not only survive but thrive during your first years in the business.

Other important aspects of improving your business consists of various factors like SEO, try to make your site as SEO friendly as possible, improve your site’s google visibility, learn about the psychology and importance of making your website as colourful and appealing as possible. Take care of your employees and improve their productivity by providing all the tools necessary for them to properly execute their roles and responsibilities. 

Do not just deliver what people need right now. In fact, try to create a product based on the future market. When you start first you definitely have the competitive advantage. When you are building a product, you need to know who your customers are. You need to price your stuff accordingly, not too low, not too high -just the right kind. There is no successful mantra for becoming successful at it by simple following a few steps but rather by being disciplined and passionate towards your work. If you believe in what you're doing, and are doing it with utmost determination no matter how many times you fail, you'll surely garner success one day

For more such insights, contact management consultant Vivek Gupta

Management Consulting

How to crack IELTS or TOEFL

The first step towards admission in your dream university is getting a good score in TOFEL and IELTS, but there is so much content on the net everyone has a different story to tell. Here we have tried to make it precise and to the point so that you get a clear idea of efforts needed for making a good score. If you're about to enroll in an English-speaking university, there's no skipping these examinations.

We have guided numerous candidates untill now and after so many success we are sure that all it requires is complex and lengthy preparation, there is no substitute for that.

But no fear—this article will give you a step by step guide to prepare for TOEFL/IELTS effectively with in-depth explanations surrounding the test format and helpful studying techniques.

Plus, we include Links in between do check them out

Steps to Prepare for the Test

Step 1: Set your target score

Remember that TOEFL and IELTS are not a pass or fail exam, but standardized tests to measure your ability to use and understand the English language as it's read, written, heard and spoken in the university classroom and the real world.

Try to judge your current English proficiency; Are you a basic? Intermediate? Advanced enough to understand common academic text? Advanced enough to interact with local speakers and understand their slangs?

Because to know where you stand right now will help you understand how much you have to cover and what are your strength and weakness and work on them precisely.

·        Then think about the kind of universities you're aiming for.

·        You've probably made a good list already. Every university has their own TOEFL and IELTS score requirements, so how high a student's score have to be depends on the university they choose to enrol in.

·        You can start setting your score target this way. Research a bit on your chosen universities and find out the minimum TOEFL and IELTS score each regulates. This way, you have a basis on how broad and how intense your studies need to be on the long run.

·        Of course, a desirable score is a score that exceeds the minimum—some universities will offer special benefits or opportunities for students with extra points, such as a teaching assistantship and on-campus work opportunities.

·        Also, not all universities specify the minimum TOEFL and IELTS score, so you may need to have a score that's in a certain range, depending on the university's ranking (upper, mid, or average-ranking). In this case, you can go through TOEFL and IELTS own range of scores, see what level each range represents, and set your target score to the one that standardizes with your chosen university's ranking.

A good TOEFL score is identified by the level of performance achieved. Each test section are broken down into three to four score range levels:

1. Reading and Listening: High (30-22), Intermediate (21-15), Low (14-0)
2. Speaking: Good (30-26), Fair (25-18), Limited (17-10), Weak (9-0)
3. Writing: Good (30-24), Fair (23-17), Limited (16-1)

As for IELTS, the overall score ranges between 1-9, where each scale corresponds to specified competencies in English:

1 = Non-user, 5 = Modest User, 7 = Good User, 9 = Expert User.

In conclusion, a good TOEFL and IELTS score depends on many things. If you're aiming for upper-ranking universities, student benefits, or your majors requires you to be actively communicative, then you need to aim the highest score possible. If you're aiming for mid to average-ranking universities, or your chosen major doesn't emphasize excellent English skills, then average scores might be enough.

Step 2: Gather all essential studying materials

A good preparation is very important, you cant take any part of the test for granted and that requires right studying materials.

If you google "studying materials for TOEFL/IELTS" or encounter the educational books section of a bookstore, you'll be flooded with a lot of references.

So, how to know which ones you truly need?

In essence, students need to be equipped with preparation books and practice tests. You can start with those created by some of the world's leading English program specialists:

• Kaplan TOEFL iBT Premier 2016-2017 with 4 Practice Tests
• ETS Official Guide to the TOEFL Test, Fourth Edition
• Kaplan TOEFL Vocabulary Prep
• Barron's TOEFL iBT with Audio CDs and CD-ROM
• Barron's TOEFL iBT Superpack, 2nd Edition
• Writing for the TOEFL iBT with MP3 CD, 5th Edition
• Essential Words for the TOEFL
• British Council How to Prepare for IELTS
• Official IELTS Practice Materials Volume 1 & 2
• Top Tips for IELTS Academic
• Vocabulary for IELTS

There also many TOEFL and IELTS study materials available online that you can use besides (or better yet, alongside) books. Sites such as 4tests and Exam English offers practice tests for free. YouTube videos are also sometimes helpful do go through http://gkworks.in/toefl-exam/ for more details and contact our experts for personalized guidance and preparation.

If you plan to self-study, you'll need studying materials that are more interactive. Online courses should be considered. But personal coaching is always more effective http://gkworks.in/ielts/ than any kind of online course.

Step 3: Make a studying plan

With all the materials you need to go through, no doubt it will stress and overwhelm you. For that you need to create a proper plan and follow it without fail.

When you're studying for TOEFL and/or IELTS, it's best to classify the time between studying each skill, doing the practice test and going over the answers of your practice test. Make a monthly or weekly to-do-list or make a mark in your calendar. Write in detail the subjects you want to study or tasks you want to work on and the time duration for each subject and task

There is no "correct" or "one-size-fits-all" study plan. When creating your personalized studying plan, you should ask yourself and analyze: Which subjects do I need to prioritize? How many free hours are available?

Step 4: Familiarize yourself with the test format

Once you've built a good foundation on all four skills—reading comprehension, academic level vocabulary, standard grammar—the next crucial step is to familiarize yourself with the test format.

Your TOEFL and IELTS studies will be a lot simpler and effective once you get the idea of the content of the test, the question and task types of each section, and also their rules and regulations.

The best way to do this is by regularly taking the practice test.

TOEFL takes about four hours long. The test is done orderly: Reading (36-70 questions, 60-100 minutes), listening (34-51 questions, 60-90 minutes), speaking (6 tasks. 20 minutes), and writing (2 tasks, 50 minutes).

IELTS test takes about two hours and 45 minutes long. The listening test consists of 40 questions (30 minutes), reading 40 questions (60 minutes), and writing 2 tasks (60 minutes). These three tests are done in one sitting. The speaking tests, consisting of three parts (11-14 minutes), may be on the same day or up to seven days before or after the other tests.

Another important thing to notice is that even though both tests the four language skills, TOEFL specifically spans around academic topics, while IELTS gives more of a real-world feel. Expect in TOEFL predominantly multiple choice questions, university lectures or conversations in a campus, and more analytical thinking — while in IELTS more short essay and gap-filling tasks, English spoken in a range of different accents, and broader comprehension skills.

Step 5: Join a Course or Hire an Expert

The more you take practice tests, the more you'll able to identify your weak spots. In this case, for a faster and more effective progress, it's best to have a tutor alongside your studying journey for that you can go to http://gkworks.in/personal-coaching/

You can join a TOEFL/IELTS course or work with a professional tutor in each of those fields. It's better to have tutors that are both English experts and are familiar with the test form rather than just hiring an English expert.

Generally, it's hard for self-learners to know where they stand: whether progress has been made, whether there's an unnoticed mistake committed over and over, or whether they are already well prepared for the exam. By hiring an expert tutor or teacher, you have someone alongside you with the eyes to identify the gaps in your learning process, pinpoint your weaknesses and give you the right guidance to hone each skill and tackle every section of the test.

Tips on Mastering the Four Language Skills

·       Reading

Gather as much English-written materials as you can: Academic books, novels, long articles, blog posts and so on. Be open to texts with different narrative styles, level of difficulty and subjects. The more diverse your reading materials are, the more you are able to familiarize yourself with different grammaric structures and the ways they are applied.

Throughout the learning process, have a dictionary and thesaurus in hand. Every time you encounter words or phrases you don't understand in a text, don't skip them. Circle or take notes of those words and look up for their meaning.

·        Listening

To improve your listening skills, you have to make general understanding of what is being talked about your goal. The mistake most language learners make is trying to understand every single uttered word. A good listening skill is actually more about having the ability to keep up with the conversation and comprehend the main idea.

You can practice with your favorite podcasts, documentaries, and even films. A great tip is to listen without reading the transcript and subtitles.

A good listening skill is also about understanding English vocabulary spoken in different pronunciation styles. This is also how you'll be tested when taking IELTS.

Challenge yourself to listen to English-spoken audios in multiple dialects. In the listening section of IELTS you'll be hearing English spoken in 10 accents: Northern British, Southern British, Scottish, Welsh, Northern US, Southern US, Canadian, Australian, Kiwi and South African.

·       Writing

In writing, you are challenged in the ability to interpret the main points of a text and express personal opinions on a specific subject in accurate use of written English. This includes the use of text symbols, capitalization and spelling.

You can start by using your reading and listening materials. Write down your opinions towards what is being talked about, summarize it in a few good paragraphs of five to six sentences.

The easiest way to improve your writing is to find examples of text and copy them. As you copy down sentence after sentence, you are internalizing sentence structures and word order—making them gradually second nature.

·       Speaking

You might've mastered the fine points of English grammar but is still at a loss when it comes to actually having a conversation in English. This is because you're required to be more spontaneous than you need to be compared to the other three skills.

The only way around it is to practice, practice, practice.

This goes the same with improving pronunciations. Have conversations with native speakers or an acquaintance with excellent English skills. Talk about your hobbies, interests, every day life, current events, dreams and aspirations.

 Think in English, imagine every conversation you have in English and how you could have made it mire effective with certain words.

Above all, the most important thing about studying a language is Persistent practice.

Thinking in English at all times can be a challenging yet fun way to quickly improve all those four skills. This way, you'll start developing the ability to think faster. Your mind will less spend time figuring out the meaning of a sentence or figuring out what grammar structure fits best for the sentence or what tense you should use. The right words will come out more naturally without you needing to be conscious about it. As you use English day-to-day, going back to your studies will be easier to follow up.

And in time, you'll see yourself ready to tackle the TOEFL or IELTS test.

Good luck!