I Have New Lighting for My YouTube Videos

I recently got a powerful light source; therefore, I have new lighting for my videos. The quality of the my videos improved completely--as you can see from the thumbnail. The problem that the light causes is that it heats up my room like a sauna. Also, when I look to my right I get blinded by the beams of light. If you guys are new to YouTube I strongly recommend investing into some sort of light stand (or light box); you will notice a difference. Fortunately, I found this old dirty thing in my garage--I didn't have to pay a cent. Oh, I almost forgot. I f you don't want people to see your imperfections more clearly, I suggest not to get a super bright light. Unfortunately, now my viewers can see my acne scars and imperfect teeth. Overall you see more of my ugly face. Again, I recommend that you invest into something like if you're going to post a lot of content on YouTube--just saying. I hope you guys enjoy my videos, now!

How I Gained Subscribers on YouTube

My casting crew--also known as my imaginary friends--have told me that I acquired 100,000 subscribers. I now know that people have low expectations when it comes to videos. Unfortunately, I faced the true reality that I gained only one subscriber. When I was making the video, I made myself sad that I didn't have 100,000 subscribers. However, one subscriber is not bad for the week on YouTube. Recently I received three subscribers; not bad huh?If you're like me with a small fan base, don't get discouraged. In time you'll reach your goal on YouTube channel. My current goal is to acquire at least 100 subscribers by the end of this year. If you're new to this channel, you can, maybe, help me reach my goal--possibly? I hope you, newcomers to this channel, find entertainment or helpful advice from my videos and possibly subscribe! Thanks for your time.

How to Start Making YouTube Videos

So you want to start making YouTube videos? Well you're in luck because in this video I show you how to start making videos with simple house tools that you might already have.

Items:
- iPhone / Video Camera
- Designated Area to Shoot Your Video
- Red (Blue) Solo Cups

Optional Items
- Light Source / Flashlight
- Tripod (If you're using a video camera)
- Aluminum Foil

1. Firstly, you need a device to record your video. I use an iPhone 5s to record my videos. You don't necessarily need an iPhone, but you do need a smartphone that shoots HD video to record your video. If don't have a smartphone, then obtain one or a HD camera. If you're using a camera, I recommend getting a stand as well.

2. Next, you need to find an area to shoot your film. I use a corner in my room. I prefer to use a white background in my videos, but you can decorate your background however you want.

3. Now, if you're using a video camera, use your tripod to sett up your camera to make your videos stable. If you're using a smartphone, then acquire some red solo cups. You can stack up the cups to your preferred height because these are going to be your makeshift stand. You can use scissors to make cuts so you can firmly secure your phone on the cups (as seen in the video). I also recommend that you put some sort of paperweights with the cups to make the stand more stable.

4. Finally, I strongly recommend that you acquire an efficient light source (as seen from the video). However, if you don't have one lying in your garage, I came up with a way to light your videos--it's not recommended, but if you have to do it, then do it. Since I record next to my dresser, I taped some aluminum foil to the side of the dresser, and I placed a flashlight by my feet and directed the light to the foil; therefore, the light will be reflected to my face. This method is extremely ghetto and not the best way to light your face. Again, I recommend  that you invest in some lighting.

Now your videos are more professional than most YouTube noobs!

My SAT Scores 2014

Yesterday, I received my SAT scores of 2014 from College Board. I acquired an overall decent score of a 1760! In the subcategories I got a 500 for critical reading, 640 for math, and 620 for writing,

I'm personally disappointed on the math section; I really felt on test day that I got at least a 700 on the section. Unfortunately, I got 640. Although the score is not that far off. I realized that my weakest score on the test was the critical reading section. I would constantly receive 500s on the practice tests. Writing, however, surprised me. I usually receive somewhere around a 550 in the practice tests. Instead I got a 620! I think the thing that helped me was a YouTube video of a lady doing practice problems, and she showed all the grammar tricks that the exam employed.

Overall, I'm happy with my score. My goal was to get at least a 1800 or higher--I was only forty points shy. I believe a good score on the SAT exam is a 1800 or higher. Obviously, You should try to hit the 2000s or even the 2400!

I Gained a Subscriber on YouTube

AP Summer and Summer School are Pointless

AP summer work and summer work are completely pointless (Here's my video if you abhor reading).

AP summer work and summer school is not worth the time it needs to be completed. First of all, summer school is composed of tedious packets that need to be completed in order to take the lesson's test. Within the packet, it asks facile questions that require one's opinion. How is one suppose to learn if everything your answer is based on opinions or how one feels. This is not necessary especially when the work is independent study--no one cares about opinions. When it comes to AP summer work, the teacher wants to give work so he or she doesn't have to teach the introductory stuff. I looked up if college courses do this extra work in summer; they don't. In fact, college students learn material twice as fast as high school students. That means teachers can include the summer work within their regular teaching regime. Time won't be wasted if the first day or the first couple days of school were dedicated to the introductory material, and the class will ample time to learn the rest of the material. 

In fact, summer school, itself, proves that summer work is pointless. In summer school, a student learns a whole semester of education within a month. While a semester in high school lasts approximately three months. So then why do students need summer work? I don't know. It's just a waste of time.

What College Majors Matter?

Every high school senior faces the trembling question: what college major am I going study? Scary. I know. It's time to break away from guidance and to start making decisions by yourself. So what college major should you study? Are you going to college for enlightenment? Do you want a well-paid career from your major?

Here's my video (feel free to continue reading the blog).

Majority of the students who go to college, nowadays, are looking for lucrative careers after they graduate. Some believe that if they graduate with any major, they will acquire a well-paid job just because they went to college. Don't fall in this category and assume that this will happen. The truth is that a selective group of majors is far better (better means more lucrative), and this group is called STEM majors. STEM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering, and math. 

STEM majors are distinguished from other majors mostly by their larger salaries that people acquire after college. The reason why these majors obtain five to six digits in salaries is because these majors force people to gain an applicable skill that is useful in the real world. Science allows people to study the world and to generate innovations to save people or make the world efficient. Technology takes the scientists' discoveries and creates machines to make the world a better place. Engineering fixes, designs, and innovates many things--machines, planes, chemicals, civil projects, etc--to ultimately make things more efficient. Math goes with science, but it looks at abstractions to generate equations, so scientists can test their mathematical hypotheses. These majors are intertwined--they go hand to hand--and they're ultimate goal is to make the world efficient and to make people's lives easier.

An important factor when choosing a major--if you want a lucrative career--is to make sure that the major forces you to learn an actual skill. An actual skill is one that can be physically applied to an industry, so it can benefit the industry's product or to increase the industry's efficiency; therefore, it can benefit the world and people's lives. That's the goal of STEM majors and that's what other majors lack. 

English, history, psychology, art, etc. majors fail to gain a skill because more than likely a computer can replace their knowledge. However, some do make a lofty salary if a masters degree is acquired, but even with a masters degree some of these majors are useless (when it comes to making money). For example, the history major can easily be replaced by a computer science major who can develop a program to teach all the material that is necessary. English is worthless because majority of the population can write, read, and speak English fluently. Famous physicists--such as Michio Kaku--wrote books that were bestsellers, and he didn't major in English. Psychology can be lucrative, but it needs an extra two years of schooling. Art majors is a risky investment because it depends on the artist's product to obtain money like a business. The list goes on. My advice is to major in a STEM major if you want to make the big bucks.

I am going to study mechanical engineering when I enter college. I'm not studying it just because I want to make money, but also because I love math and science (here's my math and science blog: ), and I will love to innovate and make the world more efficient. Fortunately, my passions allow me to acquire a lucrative career that I will love to have. 

This blog is not to force you to study a STEM major, so you can make a lot of money. This blog is open your mind about college majors. I want you to not lose any money by majoring in a useless major because you expected a lucrative career from it. Maybe it's better to not go to college at all because you'll be better off getting a job right after high school. Now, if you really want study some major just because you love it, go for it. I'm not trying to stop you. I'm just forcing you to look at the harsh reality that you might not gain ample money from that major. It's AMERICA do whatever you want.

Adobe After Effects: The Essential Video Tool

I recently created a YouTube channel (here's a shameless plug to my YouTube channel), and I'm planning to grow my channel. I watched numerous videos to see how and what to do to make my videos a lot better, so I can grow my audience. I recently encountered a remarkable tool that will improve anyone's videos--Adobe After Effects. 

The editing software can do many special effects to your videos. For instance, I created a short video that demonstrates my new superpower.

I also created a holographic introduction to my channel.

The special effects do not end there. You can imitate any Hollywood special effects to your video; however, it does take some time to learn how to use After Effects. With the help of YouTube, you can learn everything you need to know from generous people on YouTube. 

If you want to generate more views like me by improving the quality of your videos, you should try to implement a new technique in every new video you post; therefore, overtime you will accumulate new and various skill sets to fully make your videos amazing. Since I'm new to creating simple animations and special effects, I know my videos display amateur effects, but I know overtime, if I follow my suggestion, that my videos will improve.

Acquiring a large audience takes time. Don't become frustrated if your videos seem poor or they don't acquire your wished amount of views. Instead look at your prospects. Imagine a couple of years or even months from now when you're on top of the YouTube kingdom, and you look at the inception of your channel. All your initial videos will ignite a session of reminiscence. You'll not only be laughing at your simple superpower video, but also be satiated that you have acquired skill sets that distinguish your novel videos from the past. Being YouTube famous takes time--trust me. 

For those who take my advice and want to learn how to use Adobe After Effects, here are some links that can help guide you through the software...

ECAbrams YouTube Channel

thevfxbro Youtube Channel

SimpleMograph YouTube Channel

Tara Arts Movie YouTube Channel

The SAT, a Life Changer

I love taking a test that is four hours long; there is nothing in the universe that can substitute it's entertainment. The test writers partition the SAT's three categories--math, critical reading, and writing--into ten sections, and each section is estimated to take about twenty-five minutes to complete. I love timed tests because they force pressure upon me, so I remain tense and challenged. When taking the SAT, reading is more fun than ever. You're like a mouse racing through a maze in hope to reach the golden prize, cheese, before it disappears into oblivion. I read like a madman as my eyes maneuver through the words. I read so fast that my eyes become unsynchronized with my lips, and I finish the passage before my lips spit the last words. The test is, truly, a masterpiece.

Although I haven't taken the SAT yet (I will in two days from now), I have done innumerable amounts of practice questions and tests. From those experiences, I concluded that the test is menial, tedious, boring, and all other synonyms that fall in that category. Since I love math, the only section that was somewhat bearable was the math section, but it's still not a day in an amusement park. This test, in my opinion, is worse than any exam.

From my practice test scores, I am expecting an SAT score ranging from 1700-1800. Now that's surprising to me because I consider myself an intelligent individual; I'm not trying to brag (seriously). In my junior year, I managed to jungle four AP courses and maintain A's in the classes. I even achieved an unimaginable weighted GPA--a 4.6. I even have a 3.8 unweighted GPA. Now you can see my frustration; I should easily achieve a SAT score above 2000.

Now this may be insightful for future students who are going to take the SAT. I came to a realization that education from school is unparalleled to the SAT. Majority of the education you obtain from high school is futile. You do an assignment, homework, or a project and receive credit for it. However, you don't do any actual thinking when doing your homework; you're just copying definitions or answers from YahooAnswers. The A you receive in class is acquired by putting in work--not brain power. It's like cutting grass with a pair a scissors. As long as you get it done you will receive an A, and you will have the false sense of ingenuity. However, the real genius is the engineer who created the lawnmower to do the same amount work in less time. So if you, future SAT takers, hear the phrase, "by doing well in school will prepare you for the SAT," don't believe it.

I'm not saying every high school is like what I stated. However there are few teachers that incorporate critical thinking into their classroom.

My advice for preparing for the SAT is to start thinking. The whole test is based on logical reasoning and critical thinking. There's no methodical or standardized steps that you can take to answer each question. Instead, you have to take what you hopefully learned from high school and apply that knowledge to the question. If you can do that, you are beginning to think and your score is inevitably proliferating.

Now that you know that actual thinking is involved (I know it's a shocker), do ample amounts of practice tests. The hardest task, in my opinion, is enduring the four hours. If you're a freshman or a sophomore, you have more potential to do well on the test because you can end the mindless game that your school plays with you earlier than others. Unfortunately, I learned this in my junior year.

The SAT can alter your life. You score determines what school you will go to, who you will meet, etc. Have you ever imagined how different your life could be if you went to a different high school? The same goes for college. You might meet your soul mate or a best friend at college because you obtained a good score on the SAT. Well, I guess that can still happen if you didn't do so well. Ignore that. I'm trying to inspire you to do well. I'm trying to end the zombie apocalypse before the real zombies arrive. Remember that you still have something in your head that makes you intelligent--don't waste it by being a zombie (wait until Halloween).

My Life on the Internet… Scary

According to Google, a blogger is anyone who states his or her opinions, links another website, etc.

There's nothing I like more than sharing my pretentious positions on the internet and sparking a huge conflagration of agruments. No. Who am I kidding? No one is going to take a young 17 year old seriously on the internet. Especially when age is a factor of entitlement (who believes that? I don't). I kind of like this blogging thing; I already stated my opinion on entitlement, (although I did not provide any legitimate explanation or evidence) and I feel like a bird escaping from its cage--unfettered. Well, on Blogger at least. 

Anyway, before I keep rambling about my  so important opinions, I should construct my personal background, so you, my beloved reader(s), can visualize me--don't get any ideas, virtual perverts. As I previously said, I am a 17 year old teenager who is going to be a senior in high school in a couple of months. Exciting, right? Wrong! Unfortunately, I am academically determined which means I will face a number of AP courses which equates to an ample amount of studying and homework. The only pleasing thing about high school is the social life--friends and sports. Call me weird because I like to run; trust me cross country isn't that bad. To add on to my boring activities (i.e. studying and running), I absolutely enjoy mathematics and science, and on my free time, I spend much of the fourth dimension watching and learning science and math stuff. Yes, I am a fan when it comes to wasting the fourth dimension--I doubt anyone will get that reference. On occasion, I read. Yupp. I read. I may portray myself as a boring person from what I enumerated, but I'm not. I like to think that I'm funny and exciting but who doesn't. The only way I can prove to you that I am is to display my personality through this blog. Oh, I hope you can detect when I am being sarcastic and serious because if you can't, you will conclude through my series of blogs that I'm a pompous individual--I'm not. 

I think that wraps it up. Oh yeah! If you're weird like me because you like math and science, be sure to follow my other blog which will be solely based on those two subjects. Okay, now I'm done. I don't know how to end blogs. Peace? No, that's cliche. See you next time… no that's even worse because I can't actually see you. Wow, this is going to end awkwardly…