Inspirational Quotes

Everyone faces those little periods of depression, whether it's related to academics or social life. Sometimes, just a smile someone passes, a sentence someone says or silent support someone offers that makes it all go away. Here are some quotes that I found very cheerful and worth sharing.

4 Books Of 2013 That We Can't Get Enough Of

2014 is finally here and everyone has been so excited what with all the celebrations, birthdays, upcoming book and movie releases. Me? I've got my own way to celebrate. :3 In honor of the year that has just finished, I've decided on doing a short post containing 4 books published in 2013, that I am insanely in love with (in no particular order). Let us know what your favorites from the year were. :)

4 Books Of 2013 That We Can't Get Enough Of

The Elite by Kiera Cass

-“True love is usually the most inconvenient kind.”

In a world where people are classified according to numbers, 35 girls of different race and positions were chosen for their talents as part of The Selection, but now only the 6 Elite remain. The competition is starting to look tricky for America Singer as only one of the six will be given the prize: Prince Maxon. The truth? America isn't sure where her heart lies. With her friend and lover Aspen, who is now a royal guard at the palace or with the stunning Prince Maxon. But when her best friend (also an elite) is punished in public for doing what she believes in, America must make her choices. Before the rebels destroy the hopes for any Princess of Ilea. 

In a world where people are known by their numbers, The Elite is a fun yet captivating read with plenty of laughs-definitely something you will be absorbed into. Just read it's prequel; The Selection first, and you are bound to love it!

Splintered by A.G. Howard

-“No one knows what he or she is capable of until things are at their darkest.” 

I will not lie to you by saying that Splintered is just another weird, warped version of Alice in Wonderland because that would be lying; it's not. As weird and warped (and somewhat creepy) as the story may be, it's anything but another reproduction of Lewis Carroll's well known novel. Splintered follows the story of young Alyssa Gardner, a descendant of Alice Liddell, the girl who originally inspired Lewis Carroll to write Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Everyone thinks Alyssa's mum is crazy because she talks to the bugs and flowers and this is what ultimately lands her in a mental house. It is a few years later when her mother's condition gets really serious that Alyssa finally decides to find her way to Wonderland in order to free her mother-and all her family members, of the terrible curse inflicted upon them. However it is when she sees Wonderland for herself that she realises how terrible a place it is. And to make things more complicated, Alyssa must choose who to trust; her loving best friend, or her mysteriously dark guide in Wonderland...

Allegiant by Veronica Roth

-"I suppose a fire that burns that bright is not meant to last.” 

Allegiant is the breath-taking conclusion to the series containing Divergent and Insurgent. But I feel it is my sole duty to warn you: be prepared. Do not, and I repeat do NOT read this book if you don't think you'll be able to handle an insane number of revelations which include a terrifying scheme involving a memory serum. Oops, I did not just say that out loud..did I? Brace yourself for a crazy roller coaster ride where you will face love, hate, betrayal, a rebel movement, as well as the unraveling truth. So get some chocolate, kick your feet up and get ready for the final book in the much loved Young Adult Post-Apocalypse Dystopian series.
(Psst!! In case you didn't already know, the movie is coming out in APRIL and Theo James has been picked to play Tobias!! I can barely contain my excitement-just 3 more months to go!) :D

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

-“We each survive in our own way.” 

If you've read my post on the greatest fictional heroines, you will already be familiar with the main character; Celeana Sardothien. Previously known as Adarlan's greatest assassin, Celeana has earned the title of the King's Champion. However it is only now that she realises that being the King's Champion isn't just a walk in the park. After serving the King for a certain period of time, she will be freed. Since this is the only way for her to earn her freedom, she isn't left with much of a choice. But Celeana has a secret: not all the bodies she brings to the King are the actual bodies of those she was ordered to kill. And when the King orders her to get rid of a former friend, Celeana must act. Featuring all the characters you fell in love with in Throne of Glass as well as many new characters including the spoilt Prince Hollin and the charming rebel Archer, Crown of Midnight will pull you once more into Celeana's world of magic and mystery.


Still hungry for more? Try Origin by Jennifer L. Armentrout, Requiem by Lauren Oliver, Sever by Lauren Destefano and The Essence by Kimberly Derting. They are all pretty amazing, too.

Well that's all for now but stay tuned for our next post-which mind you, will be pretty soon! ;)

What're your favorites from 2013?

-Sam

Welcome New Year

With New Year just around the corner, it would definitely be a good idea to sit down and evaluate the year before. One way to do that is to take out your checklist from last year. If you haven’t got last year’s checklist, make one this year!

The problem with many checklists, however, is that they may contain the ‘unrealistic’ factor. Decided to study 20 hours out of the 24? The resolution isn’t going to last more than a month or two(if even that long), let alone the rest of the year. What good is a resolution like that? (not that you shouldn’t study at all, I mean) The point is, resolutions should be small, simple and positive: they are changes that you can easily integrate into your life.

Some examples of ideal resolutions could be

• Staying in touch with old friends whether through the internet, phone or in person
• Eating healthy
• Quitting a named bad habit
• Being nice to other people, regardless of who they are
• Caring about yourself and being happy!

Of course, these are just examples. But here’s another suggestion if you happen to fall into this category.

If that’s the case, here’s one really nice suggestion I found on tumblr. Take a jar and keep it aside. Every time something good happens to you, write it down on a slip and put it into the jar. Throughout the year, your jar should slowly fill up and at the end, you can sit down and realize how fulfilling your year had been. If you ask me, this really sounds like an exciting and cheerful way to end your year!

-Riku

Stay Warm in Winter

AssalamuAlaikum and happy winter holidays! I hope everyone is enjoying their end of the year break from school, studies and exams! I’m sure this is a well-deserved break for many students!

This week’s article will be about different ways to combat the cold. With rumors in the air of drastic load shedding in the electricity and gas department, it wouldn’t hurt to know a couple of ways to keep warm without having to use your heater, whether it runs on gas or electricity.

First of all is dress warm. The human body gives off quite a lot of heat and it would definitely be a good idea to insulate yourself and thus keep warm. Try wearing turtlenecks and leg warmers, a hat wouldn’t hurt either. Dressing in layers would also efficiently keep the heat trapped in. Wearing a pair of socks is also good for staying warm.

If you feel that it is cold inside the house as compared to outside, the best thing would be to draw open your curtains and let the sunlight in. Sunlight is nature’s way of warming your house up. It would be ideal to remove any obstructions that block sunlight. Before dusk however, remember to put the curtains back because now you have to retain the heat absorbed during daylight.

Still feeling cold? Make yourself a nice cup of coffee to warm you up! It doesn’t have to be coffee, by the way. You can drink tea, hot chocolate, soup, whatever you like and it’ll keep your body warm by raising its temperature. So this is definitely a good past time for cold winter afternoons.

In case of black outs and no power for lighting, you can utilize candles. Not only are candles a source of light, but they’re also a source of heat, no matter how small. Buy several candles and enjoy a winter night in the candle light. Watch out where you place them though!

Do you enjoy cooking and baking? These two activities can keep you and your kitchen warm! However, watch out for steamy meals. Steam can increase humidity and thus make the environment colder since humid air has the ability to absorb heat efficiently from its surroundings!

Try out these tips and see what results you get. Not only would you be utilizing activities available to you, you’d also be saving energy and resources! Have a nice winter holiday and stay warm!

 -Riku

The Do’s and Don’ts of Studying

Yayy! My exams just finished and I am absolutely ecstatic with joy since I can finally get my nose out of my school books-well for the time being, anyway. In the meantime I’ve been celebrating in my own way by reading, writing my story, baking and watching a teensy bit of TV. At times I want to run back into the school building and go straight to the Headmistress’s office to shout “Wait, I need those exam papers back! “since I’m just so unsure of how my exams went. Well even if they didn’t go so well this time there’s always next time, right? Right!

This is why I have decided to enlighten you all with the dos and don’ts of studying before exams. I can’t guarantee you a brilliant grade; I’m no genie after all. But what I can guarantee you is more ease while you’re studying. Here goes!

 The Do’s and Don’ts of Studying

On Normal Days:

Do take notes in class-and not just the kind that your teacher dictates. Make your own notes in your own words. This way it will be easier for you to understand what you’re reading when you go over them.

Don’t miss out on classes. Bunking class to go to the cafeteria may seem attractive at first but you’re going to regret it in the long run. If you miss too many classes they’re going to pile up and you’ll have a lot of catching up to do. Make sure to borrow someone else’s notes (or better yet, get your teacher to explain what you missed out on if they have the time) so that you don’t get left behind.

Do revise daily. Go over your notes at least once before every next class so that what you actually understand what your teacher is saying.

Don’t leave all your studying until the last minute. Cramming does not work before exams-especially when it’s your finals and you have to learn the entire syllabus. Cramming only works on tests. Studying a bit daily keeps the load of studying from piling up on your shoulders.

Do attempt from the chapters you complete. If your teachers give you worksheets then even better! If you get stuck on any problem, move on. In the end discuss all your problems with your teacher.

Don’t procrastinate. Delaying only leads to it building up.
Do practice, practice, practice. Because practice makes perfect! :3

The Day before the Exam:

Do decide how many hours you plan on studying that day beforehand. A timetable really isn’t necessary just so long as you keep a fixed number of hours in your head. Then stick to that special number like your life depends on it. ;)

Don’t overburden yourself. Keep taking five minute breaks after every hour of studying to keep yourself from losing concentration. If you easily lose track of time, set an alarm.

Do turn off your mobile phone and sign out of all your social networking sites. And by this I do not mean that you should turn your phone on to see if your friend replied to your last text message every break. Try to minimise all the distractions.

Don’t skip out on meals. Especially breakfast as it is the most important meal of the day. According to studies, it helps to keep you energised throughout the day so that you can carry out your daily activities.

Do keep a water bottle on you at all times. Keeping hydrated helps to clear your mind and hey, a little water never hurts anyone.

Don’t leave your room a dump. Your exams aren’t an excuse for you to keep your room messy. The tidier your room, the less the distractions, and the easier for you to concentrate.

Do keep calm. This may contradict all the other things I mentioned but seriously, what are exams anyway? I mean they’re just sheets of paper with questions that are meant to mess with the student’s minds. No big deal-definitely not the end of the world. So keep your calm and give it all you've got! :D

On the day of the Exam:

Do have breakfast.

Don’t oversleep.

Don’t panic

Don’t have a nervous breakdown (remember what I told you-you survived 2012. You’ll survive this too!)

Do pack your stationery beforehand along with anything else you’ll be taking with you to the exam hall.

Don’t be late! The last thing you want is to not be in time for the exam you’ve been studying so hard for.

Do go over your notes if you have the time.

And then keep your head high as you walk into the exam hall. Give it all you’ve got and just pray for the best. Have faith in yourself and it will work out!

Good Luck! J

-Sam

The Guest Speaker Program at Agal

The first thing that came to my mind when I woke up this morning was “Its Blog Post Day yayyy!” Well okay, maybe that wasn't the first thing…but it was the second! The first thing that came to my mind was more along the lines of “I have GOT to stop falling asleep reading”. Lol. Nevertheless, I was pretty thoughtful of what I ought to write on-and that was when it hit me. Why not do a post that isn't extremely random but rather, is more concerned with something that actually happened at school. Hey, this is the Agal Blog after all. J Well, here we go!

The Agal Guest Speaker Program

Just yesterday Asad Umar came to Agal for a motivational talk. You can only imagine how excited everyone was. Especially all the PTI fans. A Council Meeting was held 2 hours before the actual event and for once, no one was tripping over chairs or yawning-everyone was ACTUALLY pretty wide awake. All the Council Members were given their assignments for the duration of the event (including being an usher, giving out refreshments and checking on the guests from time to time). AK was given the responsibility of being an usher. Ha! The halls were filled with teachers and students alike as they scurried from one room to the other, making sure that everything was in place. I once happened to walk into a group of girls testing over a hundred pens to make sure that they worked and another girl re-washing a tray! Talk about strange…

The talk itself was to be held in a huge tent that had been set up earlier in the front garden of the school. It looked lovely with the stage, chairs and decorations. A red carpet had been rolled out from the entrance, leading up to the stage. By 12:10, the head girl had “The Welcoming Committee” standing on either side of the red carpet outside the tent. The moment Asad Umar stepped into the school, all the talk of getting autographs and pictures died down. A bouquet of flowers was given to him and he was welcomed to the school. He was led to one of the two sofas at the front of the tent just as the headmistress and students of another Beaconhouse Branch also turned up. Everyone took their seats and the event began.

The Head Girl began by giving all the guests a warm welcome and expressing how pleased she was that everyone had taken out the time from their busy schedules to be there. Another Student was called upon for a brief intro on Asad Umar. The Student explained that Mr Umar was a graduate of one of Pakistan’s leading Universities and had won many awards. Not only had he been the CEO of Engro corporation, but once he realised that everything led back to the political stature of the country, he gave up his job (which he was being paid around 7 billion for) and instead stepped down into the busy battlefield of Politics. Whoa.

Mr Umar then began his talk. This being his first talk at a school since 1977 led him to admitting that he had been somewhat hesitant on how to keep teenagers interested. He had finally decided upon a talk on the topic of success as that is pretty much what everyone at high school is concerned with. He explained that his life had not always been perfect. In his childhood he had to face many tragedies including his mother being diagnosed with cancer and the death of his grandmother (who he happened to be very fond of).  Furthermore, he emphasised on the education he received as a young boy. Having attended an average school as a child, he had been blessed with teachers who believed in all their students and encouraged them to pursue their passions. All these reasons led up to his being who he is today.

Strangely enough, Mr Umar informed the audience that in Pakistan approximately only 1% of the total population receives a proper education. Being part of that 1%, he said that everyone ought to try their best our believe that they could do anything that they set their mind to. His advice was priceless; Make your own decisions and do what you are passionate of. Don’t do anything just because someone told you to. You grow from making decisions and learn from your mistakes.

The air seemed to change once the talk came to an end; as though everyone were still deep in thought. Having been fully prepared for an hour long bore of a speech, everyone was fascinated by his humorous talk that carried so much meaning. A short question and answer session followed, accompanied by the presentation of a shield to Mr Umar. Finally, The Headmistress of Agal thanked everyone for being there and had the refreshments served. Mr Umar then went to the Principal’s office for tea.

In the meantime, a group of us girls (including yours truly) waited outside the office to somehow get some autographs from him. Having been given the duty of doing the write up for the event, I had a pen and Diary on me. Sad as it was, everyone had me take out pieces of paper for them for their autographs (Luckily enough everyone had their own pens). Which is when it hit me; Mr Umar had said that he was in a hurry…wouldn’t a group picture be a better idea? Everyone agreed on the “Group Picture” Idea and in the end we even got it!

Overall, it was lots of fun and almost everyone was extremely pleased after the talk. (I say almost because there were many girls who didn’t get to be in the picture-technically it was their own fault though. They didn't have to rush up to the Cafeteria Area to finish their Lunch).

Well that’s all for today! The Midterm exams are starting on Tuesday so I need to get cracking…eek! Keep following us and leave us your feedback. See you around! ;)

-Sam

Perfect Weekend Desserts

The weekend is here at last and I can’t WAIT to get baking. To say I like desserts would be the understatement of the century; I LOVE desserts. Sugar will always make you feel better at the end of a long week. Always. If you don’t like baking just yet, allow me to bring to your attention some delicious dessert recipes that will leave you yearning for some more…literally.

And best of all, these are the recipes I use and they always turn out great! All the pictures I've included in this blog post are pictures of my own baking using the recipes mentioned.

1. Apple Pie

I cannot resist pies. That is probably why I absolutely had to bake one myself. People prefer to get the Pie Crust from the supermarket and then just do the filling and put it together. But believe me when I say that making an apple pie from scratch is easy peasy. What’s more, the recipe requires ingredients you probably have at home right now. Oh, and have I even mentioned how the short crust pastry is good enough to eat on its own? I’ll say it now, then: IT’S GOOD ENOUGH TO EAT ON ITS OWN.

For the crust you need all-purpose flour, butter, salt and cold water (though I like adding in sugar because hey, a little sugar never hurts anyone). For the filling you just use 3 large, stewed apples. I like my apples stewed in 1 tablespoon of water and 3 of sugar. You rub the butter into the flour and salt until it resembles bread crumbs and you then add in the ice water 1teaspoon at a time until its good enough to roll. I normally divide the dough into two parts, wrap the halves in cling film and refrigerate for half an hour-the dough is easier to work with that way.

Next you’ve got to roll one half of the dough out and then push it in to the aluminium plate, pour in the stewed apples, sprinkle in some cinnamon(if you like), and then cover it with the other half of the dough. Pop it in the oven for 20-30 minutes (I leave mine in longer so that the top browns a little) and let it cool before serving. You can do either a normal top or a lattice top.

Here's the recipe: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/maryhenrysproperappl_67463

2. Chocolate Fudge Cake

Up until last year, I was in love with the cake mix kind-not that there’s anything wrong with it of course! But then I found this recipe which is amazing. You will never go back to the box stuff. Like the apple pie recipe, it’s a BBC Recipe which you cannot go wrong with. The cake is moist, rich and everything you look for in a chocolate cake.

Isn’t it beautiful?

I always use Cadbury cocoa since I think it tastes best but feel free to use Hershey’s or any other kind that you like. Top it off with some chocolate butter cream and voila! You've got yourself a delicious chocolate cake to devour.

Here's the recipe: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/easy_chocolate_cake_31070

3. Red Velvet Cupcakes

I never really got red velvet cupcakes. I mean sure, they are pretty and all but I was never that big of a fan. Until my brother asked me to bake them on his Birthday for him. I think baking them myself made me really appreciate the cupcakes. They haven’t got too much vanilla or chocolate…they’re just right. Chocolate will always be my favorite since I’m a total chocoholic but my family prefers red velvet to any other cupcakes that I've baked.

The secret to red velvet cupcakes is the vanilla cream cheese frosting, the buttermilk and vinegar, which are responsible for their unique flavor. Oh and if you’re out of buttermilk, you can always substitute each cup of buttermilk with one tablespoon of vinegar mixed into a cup of whole milk. Leave it for 5 minutes before using it. Get the recipe here: http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2010/11/08/red-velvet-cupcakes-cream-cheese-frosting/

4. Carrot Cake

When I was younger my mum had a friend who used to make amazing carrot cake. She would have all the ingredients mixed and in the cake tin in under 5 minutes. As soon as it was done she’d give me a huge slice with two scoops of vanilla ice cream. Mmmm.

A while back my mum was just saying how much she missed that friend (because she moved away) so I decided to surprise my mum by baking her some carrot cake. I mixed the batter in the blender because that’s what I remembered her friend doing. Then I poured it all into a bowl and stirred in the Carrot before putting it in the oven.

What you really need to know is that the cake rises to more than twice its size so MAKE SURE YOU DON’T OVERFILL THE CAKE TINS. Also, I omitted the nuts and used 3 teaspoons of cinnamon instead of 2. Carrot cake and sprinkles make for a deadly combination. :3

Get the recipe here: http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/carrot-cake/64acd01e-14ad-4e03-9fe1-b62b03ff4667

5. Fluffy Pancakes

By now you’ve probably guessed that aside from being a chocoholic, I really love cinnamon. If you like cinnamon, you’re going to fall for these pancakes. Hard. For years I’d been trying various pancake recipes trying to find the right one. Just when I was about to give up, I found these babies. So good!!

They taste divine drenched in chocolate syrup…Especially THIS Chocolate Syrup. Don’t forget to quadruple the cinnamon though so that it’s one teaspoon! :Dhttp://allrecipes.com/recipe/chocolate-syrup/ on http://www.food.com/recipe/fluffy-egg-free-or-eggless-pancakes-354622

That’s all for today! Try out the recipes and let us know how they turn out. Follow us and check out our blog on Tuesday! Have a Happy (Sugary) Weekend! :)

-Sam