Why I Get Involved in Extra-Curriculars and Volunteering

Ever since I was in middle school, I would love getting involved in activities. But when I went to my high school (Weston Collegiate Institute) and university (York University), I went into hyperdrive. There's several reasons why I do extra-curriculars and why everyone should engage in them as much as possible without going overboard:

-Extra-curriculars/Volunteering taught me how to time manage. This is one of the biggest lessons I could have learned from extra-curriculars. Especially because I overloaded myself, I had put myself into a corner. This forced me to learn how to be more efficient in order to complete all the tasks necessary while staying sane and alive.

-Extra-curriculars/Volunteering taught me how to become a leader. The amazing thing about this world is that there is potential for every person to make an impact on it, and there's a variety of activities one can engage in. The rule is to find something you are passionate about. Don't just do 'resume-filler' activities. Nobody wins when you do those kinds of activities; you don't enjoy it, you don't enjoy talking about it, employers/interviewers can sense you dislike the activity, and valuable time is wasted. Find something you can see yourself loving enough that you could take charge and make a difference in it.

-Extra-curriculars/Volunteering taught me how to communicate with people. I learned how to be diplomatic when speaking to administration, chill when talking to students, fun when I'm with groups/parties, and informative yet encouraging when speaking to younger people. This allows you to meet even more people. You then further learn how to talk to them. When I was younger, all I did was observe people. Nowadays, that's legally called stalking, but I do not think it counts if it's everyone. Like my hero Syndrome from 'The Incredibles' said, 'When everyone is super, no one is.' But by observing people's interactions with one another, I learned what people responded positively to and what they did not enjoy as well. Following the rules I learned, you gain a sense of how to engage with different kinds of people. Extra-curriculars helps solidify how you adapt your personality to different people much faster and more effectively than just regular day-to-day interactions.

-Extra-curriculars/Volunteering taught me how to run successful events; a great business asset. Because I am a student, volunteering is the best way to gain real world experience and skills within an academic environment. You learn how to hone your skills to become more organized, efficient, and logical. You also learn skills in other areas, such as promotion, obtaining permits, sponsorships, administrative skills, social media, and so much more. And it's fun!

-Extra-curriculars/Volunteering gave me a second/third home. I would spend more time and enjoy York University and Weston Collegiate Institute more than my own house. I worked hard to enjoy this privilege and hopefully one day you will understand the same joy of doing more than just academics and/or work. So get out there and do something!

Dance Crazes and How to Do Them

Here's a list of dances to do at house parties/clubs/social gatherings and the tutorial videos that teach you how to do them:

How to 'Soulja Boy':

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9vLYEkMTc4

How to dance 'Gangnam Style':

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjQKCLvtLN0

How to do the 'Wop':

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f00upW1eZP4

Here's how you can be taught how to 'Dougie':

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PYYaMJ6SfU

How to 'Cat Daddy':

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BZGgf4BtVY

As usual, let me know if I missed any, and I'll update the post.

Apps Every Smartphone Should Have

Now that I have a smartphone, it's time I enjoy in wonders of applications (apps; I like being official sometimes). After searching the Internet, I couldn't find a list of apps that works for every phone. I didn't want games or other useless apps that I'd never use. So I decided to make a general list of apps for either Android or iPhone that a person new to smartphones should get:

• Facebook: self-explanatory app.
• Twitter: To let the world know your short witty thoughts, download the Twitter app to unleash those amazing statements on the economy, politics and cats.
• Instagram: The picture app that makes everyone think they are a photographer. Upload pictures and run them through filters and make everyday life moments look like they matter.
• SnapChat: This app allows you to send quick pictures/videos to friends that are deleted at most 10 seconds. But be warned, the other person can print screen the pic. However, you'll be notified if they do print-screen it.
• Flashlight: 'Brightest LED Flashlight' is the name of the app for Androids and 'Flashlight' by iHandy Inc for iPhones. Use at night for safety if needed.
• Movie Apps: US-'Movies by Flixster', Canada-'Cineplex'/'TimePlay'. Use these apps to find theatres and movie times near you on the go. Also 'TimePlay' allows you to interact with your screen to get SCENE points to watch movies for free.
• iTriage: For those who like to diagnose themselves or are prepping for medical school, this app allows you to learn about diseases and disorders by virtue of symptoms. When bored, browse through this app to learn something new.
• Shazam: For those who hear a song and want to know the name of it, Shazam becomes your best friend. Use this app to find new songs after hearing them on the radio or in clubs.
• Zedge: Use this app to personalize your phone, from ringtones to wallpapers.
• Simple Mp3 Downloader (Androids)/ MP3 Music Downloader Free (iPhones): Download free music MP3 straight to your phone for free.
• Online Banking: Download your bank's app to do online banking and check your accounts. Be careful when lending your phone to others when using this app and make sure you log out.
• Tomorrow's Gas Price Today: Provides gas prices the day before they are posted. Very useful for motorists.

To delete apps, hold onto them and drag them to the 'Trash' bin that shows up.

If you have any apps that you think everyone should generally have that aren't mentioned, or better versions of this apps for Android/iPhone, let me know and I'll add it to this list.

Finally Got a Smartphone!

Maybe it was fate. Maybe it was luck. Maybe it was because I shouldn't wash my phone under the sink. For whatever reason, I was forced into getting a smartphone yesterday.

It's been a long time coming, with my younger brother and father getting smartphones much earlier than I did, with them insisting I get one. My main reason for not getting one earlier is because I do not want to be addicted to my phone. I see many people spending hours on apps and games that, in my opinion, will not lead to anything productive. Again, that's just my opinion; maybe Fruit Ninja preps doctors for surgery.

So I got the Samsung Galaxy Ace II X. And like Keven, my new official 'phone guy', warned, it would open a whole new world for me. Here's a list of things I can do now that I couldn't before.

• Facebook and Twitter
• Instagram: amarasooriya
• SnapChat: deathcheater
• INTERNET!: Wi-Fi and data now available, connecting my Android phone to my Google account.
• A camera to be proud of.
• A password lock on my phone: my previous phone had three ways to unlock it but none involved knowing a pattern, PIN, or a password.
• Music: This technology was invented? What a grand time to be alive!
• Not having to go back and forth between my Inbox and Sentbox to follow a conversation.
• Flashlight: it gets dangerous at night and useful in blackouts.
• Movies, video player.
• Read books and magazines (Cosmopolitan, get ready for a life-time subscrption!).
• Maps/GPS
• Cool background displays/wallpapers: You could use pictures? I thought blue, green or grey coloured backgrounds were the only option for everyone!
• Finally can download the York Safety App I have on my own poster.

So here I go into life with a smartphone. I've deleted multiple pages and only downloaded limited amount of apps. I hope my training with my first phone has prepared me to spend the same amount of time or less on my phone.

R.I.P. Samsung Gravity Touch.

May 2011-June 24 2013

How Young (and Old) can you Date? The Question is Finally Answered...Using Math?

This question has been asked by cougars, manthers (apparently the man equivalent to cougars), adult of all ages, rebellious teenagers, and curious University/College students. What's the acceptable age for dating younger? Well after being bored in class, I answer that question, and even answer two other philosophical questions: What's the oldest you can date and when should you start dating? And I validate my answers to these questions using math. Ready to get your mind blown? Here we go!

Now everyone knows the standard rule. It's been established in Barney Stinson's 'Bro Code' (How I Met Your Mother) and a variety of other sources. To know how young you can date, you divide your age by 2 and add 7. It's an easy rule. And the genius of it is, as you get older, the gap between your age and your young dater increases. For example if you're 20, the youngest you can date is 17 (3 year gap). But if you're 30, the youngest you can date is 22 (8 year gap). This doesn't excuse Hugh Hefner's choices though.

So to put this in simple math form, here's the formula version of that Golden Rule, which I call the 'Young Formula':

It might look complicated to some, but it's pretty easy to follow. 'X' represents your age. Once you input that number, you can figure out 'Y', which is the youngest age you can date.  So if you're 40, replace 'X' with 40, divide by 2 (20), and add 7 to get 'Y', which in this case is 27 (20+7). Easy to follow.

Now I took this an unnecessary step further. I wondered if it was possible to use the same rule/formula to find out the OLDEST you can date. If I used the Young Formula, my theory is that the same convenient properties would follow for this new formula.

So I used a little technique in math called inverse functions (shout-out to my Math peeps!). All that means is that I try to isolate 'X' by itself using math functions, until I get 'X' by itself and then I switch 'X' and 'Y' to get the new formula. Let me magically show you how it's done.

First I start with the 'Young' Formula:

My goal is to get 'X' by itself. To do this, I need to use the opposite functions while following BEDMAS rules. In basic terms, I must add 7 to both sides of the equation

so that this happens:

Notice how the ' + 7' on the right side is gone, since 7-7=0.

Now to get rid of the 2, we multiply both sides by 2 to go from this:

to this:

Now we got 'X' by itself. Once we switch them around, you get the final 'Older' Formula:

Now 'X' again is your age, while 'Y' is the age that is the oldest you can date. If you're 20, the oldest you can date is 26 (20-7=13. 13x2=26). And just like the 'Young' Formula, the gap increases as you get older. With both formula, you now have a dating range. For 20 year-olds, the range is 17-26. And as you age, the range also grows. For those who are lucky to make it to 100, your range becomes 57-186 (but in all honesty, if you can get it up at 100 years-old, I'm sure a 50 year-old might be impressed enough to sleep with you).

Now here's the icing on the cake. My masterpiece. My magnum opus.

When you graph both equations on a graph (use a simple graphing calculator if you have one), this is what it looks like:

The Red Line represents the Young Formula and the Blue Line represents the Old Formula. The bottom numbers (the X-axis) represents your age, as it does in the formula, and the numbers on the side (the Y-axis) represent the age you can date. Try it out; find your age on the bottom, and see what numbers you get when you follow the Red or Blue line to the side. What a coincidence! They match the ages you get from the formula.

Here's the last, and probably the most important point on why I got into the Dating Formula Industry. I would like to point out both lines cross at one point. This point is (14,14).

This has great significance. If you use both formula for the ages of 14, the oldest AND youngest you can date is 14. This makes sense since we know that the older you get, the biggest the range; therefore the younger you are, the smaller the range. If you go any younger than 14, something weird happens to the formula. Let's use the age of 10 as an example. If we input the age of 10 into the Young Formula, the youngest a 10 year old can date is 12 (10/2=5. 5+7-12). And the Old Formula shows that the oldest a 10-year old can date is 6 (10-7=3. 3x2=6). For those who are sober right now, you can see that there's a paradox. All of a sudden, the Young Formula produces ages higher than your age and vice-versa for the Old Formula. This paradox happens for ages 14 and below. So the universe has established this undeniable truth:

The EARLIEST a person can date is at least the age of 14.

When your child asks why they cannot date until after Grade 8, tell them that if they do, the Formula won't work and the universe will implode on itself due to the paradox. I'm sure they'll understand.

If you read all that, I thank you for reading my post.

I’m a Boss for Bethune College’s Frosh Week at York University!

So I have been chosen as a Boss for Bethune College. An incredible honor!

For those who are not familiar, Frosh Week is known as Orientation Week, where incoming students are introduced into the University environment. With the assistance of Leaders and Bosses, students who are 2nd year and higher, new students learn how to adapt to the unfamiliar campus while meeting future classmates/friends. 

Each College has an Orientation Chair(s) who is in charge of running Frosh Week the week before school starts. With the help from the President of the college, they choose interested students to become Leaders and assist in pumping up the week, getting ready and interacting with the Froshies (incoming students). For Bethune College, since we are one of the biggest colleges at York University. we have Bosses who are in charge of the many Leaders.

I was chosen as one of the 3 Bosses for the Blue Team. I have been a Blue Leader twice for Bethune College now, so being a Boss for Blue Team is a dream come true!

We just had our first training yesterday and it was live! It was great seeing everyone. A lot of new and old faces. Excited either way. Lost my voice which is a foreshadowing of the week to come. Not holding anything back. 

Highlights of the First training:

The Bosses, including myself, were introduced: https://vine.co/v/blHHmdiFPYA

The President of the College, Anil, got caked: https://vine.co/v/blHT7PbTq9j

We introduced some cheers: https://vine.co/v/blHP1Fx3VQX

I honestly can't tell the difference.

Dragon Week 2013 or #DWeek13. It's coming. Get Ready.

Any TV Shows-Turned-Movies Done Right?

In light of rumors of Entourage and Arrested Development , I have been thinking about movies that were based off TV Shows. After thinking about it, I question whether any good ones were made.

Here's a list of movies that would have been better off as TV shows:

The A Team

Bewitched

Dragonball Evolution

The Smurfs

One of the only good movies made from a TV show that kept true to the series was this one:

and Pokemon: The First Movie.

Star Trek, Mission Impossible and 21 Jump Street, while great movies, started over as reboot of the series.

l may be wrong but I do not believe there has been a non-animated movie that kept true to the source material and pleased the fans simultaneously. Here's hoping future movies can break the mold!

Current Songs With a 70s-80s Flavor

A lot of artists nowadays are using the beats from previous songs (Pitbull, Flo Rida, David Guetta). But these artists uniquely use rhythms and synths inspired by the 70s and 80s. Here's a shout-out to these great songs, which are sure to be Summer 2013 hits.

Bruno Mars - Treasure: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxXBL7wYjLI

Daft Punk feat. Pharrell Williams – Get Lucky: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NV6Rdv1a3I

Chris Brown – Fine China: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGs1gODLiSQ

Great Songs for an Intense Workout

These songs are what I use to work out. It's no surprise that a majority of the songs are from Dragonball Z, as nothing gets me riled up more than the songs of Super Saiyans.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2zk8UAG43g&list=PL57B90353125D1E1E&index=1

Electronic Dance Music Playlist

Here's a collection of songs I have on my YouTube playlist for electronic dance music. I hope to have captured current and past hits. It was made for hosting dance parties with minimal DJ mixing. Check it out and let me know if I'm missing some classics.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LF2daIOV6ns&list=PLF-ZCJjma3BvUalWNbNsartUKd6IPyiDd&index=1

Songs for Summer 2013

Here's a list of songs to add to your Summer 2013 playlist:

Daft Punk feat. Pharrell Williams - Get Lucky: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NV6Rdv1a3I

Chris Brown - Fine China: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGs1gODLiSQ

Macklemore and Ryan Lewis - Can't Hold Us: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zNSgSzhBfM

Calvin Harris feat. Ellie Goulding - I Need Your Love: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtKZKl7Bgu0

Afrojack feat. Chris Brown - As Your Friend: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stV2UD_vmxY

Go Skydiving!

For those who have not already, I recommend going skydiving at least once in your lifetime. Even if you are afraid of heights, like I am, go tandem (with an instructor on your back). In Toronto, the place I recommend is SkyDive Toronto, out in Cookstown; closest place in Toronto with a great view once you are up there. 12000 feet in the air, flipping and spiralling is no joke, but it is still an experience of a lifetime.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zN8zlR7gZx4

Here I Go!

This is the first post of my official blog(s). Because I could not decide between Blogger.com and Wordpress.com, I chose to make both. There will come a day where they can only be one, but today is not that day!

I'll also modify my older blogposts as I grow to add full thoughts on matters that may have been missing perspectives previously.

"There is nothing wrong with change, if it is in the right direction." -Winston Churchill

Here are the links for my blogs:

http://amarasooriya.blogspot.ca/

http://amarasooriya.wordpress.com/