Discover the world through your nearest library

The magic of books is their power to take you to places and put you in situations you may never have the chance to experience - and couldn't imagine were possible. Books open your mind to many, many worlds. This is why the love of reading is the greatest gift, and once you get into the habit you'll want to develop and maintain it all your life. Books are also an amazing tool for research. There are books written on anything and everything, which makes them a great way to learn and investigate theories and facts.

But because paper is so expensive, so are books - unless you take advantage of your nearest library. So how do you go about looking for a book in a library? There are three main things to know:

Firstly, you must decide whether you want written fiction - a made-up story, or non-fiction which is pure fact based on true information, or picture books or 'easy books'. Secondly, since these three types of books are on shelves in different areas, you need to learn where these areas are. Lastly, there is a 'call number' on each book's spine: this tells us where the book 'lives' on the library shelves. You'll find it helpful to make yourself familiar with the Dewey Decimal System for finding specific books, which any good librarian will help you with.

Once you've discovered how easy, and inexpensive, it is to take books out of your nearest library, you'll be amazed how your mind will open up and be more receptive to more and more new ideas and new thinking. You'll also find your ability to focus is greatly enhanced - at times you'll find it almost possible to put down a book that engrosses you. Reading also helps you tap into the extraordinary power of your imagination.

Discover your library - and change your life!

Protect yourself

Don't let yourself become a victim, if you let someone bully you, you are giving them power over you which makes you feel weak and helpless. This does not have to be the case. Always make sure you have an adult that you trust in your life, someone who you feel comfortable confiding in about your inner most deepest thoughts.

You have to make a friend, generally people who bully others tend to go for children who are alone as this makes it easier for them to dominate. When being tormented by a bully always maintain your composure as studies show that when they hear things like 'I've had enough' or 'leave' they become more determined to prove a point.

Make sure you are always with someone. Another good idea is to do activities that help you build confidence and self-esteem like dancing, sports and music. Always remember that you are your own person and nobody has the right to harm you in any way, all you have to do is break the silence!

Be smart about your education

Before you go and spend all of yours, your parents, or banks hard earned money on a tertiary qualification, do a bit of research. It is vital for you to collect all the information you need for you and your parents to make a good choice about what and where you choose to study. It is not only about how much you will spend on education, but rather how well you spend it.

What does spending well on education mean in practical terms? It means spending money on getting a qualification that is worth more than the paper it is printed on. The main reason you have to get a qualification is because it makes it possible for you to find work that will fulfill you and enable you to earn a living.

Don't let yourself be caught in a situation where after years of dedicated study you realise that employers in your field do not recognise your qualification or value it.

When considering furthering your studies, find out what your course entails, what qualification you will receive once you have completed your studies, the qualification's level on the National Qualifications Framework, what accreditation it enjoys and whether it is recognised by employers in the industry in which you wish to work.

Be smart and make the right decision for you!