Saturday, October 18, 2008

6 Fun Things For a College Student

By Tom Tessin

Are you a college student with not a lot of hobbies due to school? As a college student we tend to loose a lot of hobbies because school takes up so much time. It is important to get out and have fun as a college student. Since school brings so much stress we need some type of balance to have fun. Having fun is a big part of your health. When we have fun, laugh and get some fresh air our health is much better. We want to make sure we don't keep ourselves cooped up all day, staying up late studying and not having fun. There are a lot of fun things college students can do with friend or by themselves. Need some ideas? Find out some fun things to do by reading below.

Start a sports team - It is important that as college students we still get some type of exercise. We are required everyday to get at least 30 minutes of extreme exercise. Starting a sports team not only fulfills our daily exercise needs but it is a good time to have fun with friends. Play a few times a week and find yourself having less stress and having more fun!

Explore - Whether you're away at college or go to a community college explore your surroundings. Get some friends together and go to a restaurant you've never been to or a shopping place that has just gone up. Go up town and take a walk a few times a week. Getting fresh air and exploring your surroundings is a great way to get out of the house. Make this something you and your friends do a couple times a week or month.

Movies - Get together with some friends once a week and have a movie night. This is a very inexpensive way to have fun. You can rent a movie for just around $5 and have fun with your friends. This will keep you up to date with your movies and help keep your stress free by having fun.

Café - Get a few friends together once a week and just go to your local café. This will help you get everything off your mind that you want to and help you keep in touch with your close friends.

Board games - Have some friends over and play some board games once a week. Whether you play Twister, Pictionary or Monopoly it is also a guaranteed fun, and inexpensive night.

Family - Not only is it important to spend time with friends it is important to spend time with your family. College is a very busy time in a young adult's life but it is important to still make time for family. Family is very important and something everyone needs.

College can be very hectic but it is important to still have fun as a college student. We all want to have good grades and to get them it is important to study hard. Just make sure they you don't overdue yourself and take more classes than you can handle. Keep it to a comfortable amount and still make time to have fun with your friends and family.


Tom Tessin is an author for FINDcollegecards.com that is geared toward students looking for a student credit card

Always Look For a College Internship

By Violet Williams

What many college students do not understand is the value that is the internship. Not wanting to do more than they have to, college students often try to scrimp by on the bare minimum amount of work. This, unfortunately for the student, will later reflect on the now graduate's resume and eventually in their performance in the first few months to a year of their first real job.

There are many things a college internship can bring to the table for college students. Perhaps the most noticeable is a new outlook on the real world and the experience with real world situations that comes with having an internship. Internships that allow the student more responsibility are the best kind, as the student will quickly learn about business in just about any internship. This is important as the entire world runs on business and finance, regardless of the field. Having this expose to the real world through a college internship will become invaluable as the student looks for employment upon graduation.

In a job interview, possessing this knowledge and experience will reflect very favorably on the applicant/recent graduate. Interviewers and recruiters love applicants who speak with passion, knowledge and confidence in the interview. Having a college internship behind them, the applicant will be able to speak from experience, with adequate knowledge about certain subjects and project confidence that the interviewer is sure to pick up on. Employers grow tired of seeing the same, repetitive resumes and applicants and will delight in finding an applicant who can break from the mold and take a proactive approach to their lives and careers that will surely carry over into their company.


More information on College Works Painting internships for students like you in your area is just a click away.

Education Graph in India

By Sanjeev Pandey

With lot of learned men passing through the intellectual land of India, it would not be wrong to say that India is a gifted land of knowledge and learning. With the ancient Nalanda- the globally famous University in Bihar, the trend and necessity has now led to the birth of universities and institutions like Delhi University, IIT, IIM, NIIT, AIIMS and the like. Whereas earlier the high dignitary gurus used to oversee the functioning of education centers, we now have specially assigned education ministers to maintain educational law and order. In a nutshell, Education in India has changed, and mostly for the better. With a keen interest to achieve 100% literacy rate, few Indian states have achieved the benchmark and are raising the bar for imparting higher education to all. If we talk about the Indian Education System, it is divided in the following stages:


  • Nursery

  • Primary

  • Higher Secondary

  • Senior Secondary

  • Graduation

  • Post Graduation

These various stages of Education, set by the Indian Education Ministry, are instrumental in an individual's growth. Thus to ensure consistency in the overall development of the individual, first 12 years of education are made basic for all. Graduation and Post Graduation though depends upon person's academic interest. The various fields that are available for a graduate and/or post graduate are: - Engineering and technology, teaching, medicine, law, agriculture, veterinary, polytechnic and others. The crazes for education has become so much that students are learning the courses through distance learning and through various courses available online.

Many online coaching centers and institutions have built up to provide students with platforms that can hone their skills. Advanced degrees are available online, such as MA, MS, BA, BS, PhD. MBA, etc. The vogue/frenzy of getting educated is so much that many online universities/institutions have achieved government accreditation, so that scholars can be rest assured of the authenticity of their degrees. And with the subsequent rise in demand and supply of education, the colleges/ institutions/ universities are also trying their best to mark a nail in the fence and to live up to the competition, they are advertising in all extremes.

Various non-profit organizations like Teach India from The Times of India group have also come up with teaching campaigns. Their aim is to give a vision to each and every child of India to read, write and speak in their interest, and subsequently in the interest of the nation.


Indian Education: Computer education, yellow pages India, school education, college education are some of KRAs of Sanjeev Pandey who is associated with Bizedia.

How to Get an Athletic Scholarship That Possibly Can Give You Everything For Free!

By Islam Khalil Elsayed

How many young kids haven't dreamt about becoming a professional athlete? But we all know how difficult it is to make it to the top in the world of sports. But how about playing your sport in the USA for a university team. That's right; you can play College Sports in the USA and get paid for it.

And even the average-to-good athletes out there have a very good chance of making it. This is YOUR chance to become a "professional" athlete. You get more than a sports experience, you get:

  • An education
  • Improve your English skills
  • Travel
  • Adventure
  • Lots of fun

YOU GET AN EXPERIENCE FOR LIFE! It's an experience that normally only wealthy people can afford. We will show you how you can get this experience for free, and get paid for doing it.

It's expensive to go to school in the USA. There is no free education. Instead there are different ways to get so-called scholarships that will pay for your time in school. In the USA you play your sport for university teams rather than for club teams. Athletes are thus able to get very valuable Athletic Scholarships when they play for the university team.

A full-ride Athletic Scholarship covers the university's tuition fees, books, insurance, housing, and food money. A scholarship can thus easily have an annual value of US$10,000 to $50,000.

There are several hundred universities out there that offer Athletic Scholarships to talented athletes.

But how do you find these universities and how do you apply for the scholarships? What are the rules and restrictions on the scholarships? When should you apply? What are the coaches looking for? Where in the US should you go? There are a lot of issues that naturally leads to a lot of questions.

We prepared a guide that will answer all your questions The How to get an Athletic Scholarship Guide is written by other International student-athletes. The guide includes all the information you need to prepare properly for your USA adventure.

Requirements

You need to complete your High School (or equivalent degree) in your home country in order to enroll in a university in the US.

You also need to take the TOEFL test and possibly the SAT test. Read more about additional requirements in the Student handbook.

The sports guide covers the following:

  • Tips on how to convince the coach that you are the right player for the team
  • What to include in your application package
  • How to prepare a possible promo-video
  • Sample letters to make it easy for you to contact the US coaches
  • Lots of information about college sports, the teams, the season, the level of competition, etc.
  • Learn about the various rules and regulations and get tips on how to overcome them
  • How to search for a university sports team that fits you
  • Read about how other International Student-Athletes prepared for their USA adventures


Click here to go to Student Guide USA website and get the Study in USA ebook for FREE.

Tips to Alleviate Pre-College Anxiety

By Dr. Susanne Gaddis

College?

Been there, done that and have a B.A. an M.A. and a Ph.D. to prove it. What did I learn along the way? Plenty. And so will you, but, hopefully, not the hard way. So, as you dive in and begin to swim through your first semester, here are some "life preserving" tips.

When choosing a college, be sure to:

-Visit the Web site. Web sites provide detailed descriptions about the college's history, location, and areas of interest, student body, student services, and contact information. If you have questions about a particular university, their Web site should be the first place you visit.

-Find professors who specialize in your field of interests. It is important to find knowledgeable mentors to help you apply your interests to potential majors and careers. Each university boasts a talented array of professors in a variety of fields. Find a field you may be interested in pursuing, and locate a professor with similar interests.

-Find a college within your means - there's a big financial difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition. If you are interested in applying to out-of-state schools, make sure that you will be able to afford their increased tuition. If you receive any scholarship money, make sure that you will be permitted to use it to cover out-of-state tuition. Starting out at a community or technical college and then transferring to a four-year university may also save you thousands of dollars in student fees.

-Take the male-to-female ratio into account. Every university keeps records about their student population. If going to a college that has a balanced male-to-female ratio is important to you, make sure to look at their student profile records.

When Choosing Where to Live, Be Sure to:

-Determine what kind of climate you prefer to live in. Humidity, rain, snow, and sunshine often influence people differently. If you hate the cold, make sure you research climate!

-Do you have transportation?

-Are you interested in living in a fraternity/sorority house?

-Does your college provide on-campus housing?

-Are there plentiful apartments close to campus?

The early bird gets the worm.

Many college admission offices process applications in the order in which they are received. Once the semester's allocated number of students is met, the remaining applicants are put on a waiting list.

So what does that mean to you? The earlier you apply, the better.

Also, prior to sending your application to the university, carefully check the application for completeness. An incomplete application will not be processed, and cause unnecessary delays.

Request a college handbook.

All colleges have a student handbook that is updated on a regular basis. The handbook contains important information about schools and programs within the college, university rules and regulations, deadlines, course descriptions, faculty, and how to apply for graduation. The handbook is the student's bible and should be read carefully. It's also a good idea to save a copy of the handbook for future reference.

Be Aware that you may also need to apply to a school within the college.

This especially applies to transfer students. Often schools within a college (e.g., Business, Communications) will have their own requirements and deadlines for acceptance. Failing to meet the school's application deadline can delay you getting accepted into the school of your choice. This may prevent you from taking the required classes that you need and can potentially delay your graduation. If you do miss the deadline one option many schools offer is for you to enroll in the school as a special student. This allows you to take classes within the school for credit. Make sure to get good grades, as the school will weigh your grades in as a factor for admitting you to the following semester.

Register for classes early.

Once you are accepted to the university you will need to register for classes. Do this as soon as possible. To see the classes that are offered each semester you will need to request a class schedule. The earlier you register for classes the better your chance of getting those classes. Each course at the university has a maximum capacity. Once the capacity is reached, no additional students are allowed to register for that class until another student drops that course from his or her schedule. In the past few years, many colleges have added systems where you can register by phone. Some have added systems that allow students to register online. Avoid long lines by taking advantage of these services. When looking through the course schedule you will see the names of the professors that are teaching the class. When the schedule says that "staff" is teaching the course, more than likely, an adjunct or graduate student will be the instructor.

Apply for financial aid.

For all colleges there are a number of grants, loans and scholarships given to students based on financial need as well as other considerations such as academic standing, ethnic origin, area of study, etc. In order to be considered for financial aid you will need to complete and send in a new financial aid packet or re-apply. These packets can be obtained by request from the college's financial aid department. If you are unsure about whether or not you will qualify for financial aid, you may wish to speak to a financial aid advisor. Prompt submission of these forms to the necessary agency is important. Financial aid applications have strict deadlines.

Do not rely on financial aid being on time.

As hard as financial aid offices try to process all the necessary paperwork, there are still often kinks in the awarding and distribution of financial aid. Therefore, if you are a financial aid recipient, you will want to make sure that you have enough money to live on for at least a few months without funds from financial aid. Also, be aware that universities who award financial aid often give tuition deferments to students whose aid is not on time. Many institutions provide emergency loans for students who are having severe financial problems. Do yourself a favor, and find out about the special programs that are offered through the financial aid department.

Seek alternative forms of financial aid.

Many colleges and universities have a financial aid resource center. Financial aid officers usually operate these centers. These centers hold a multitude of books, files, videotapes, pamphlets, and flyers that contain valuable information on financial aid, as well as giving a wide range of potential financial resources.

Avoid the shuffle.

When corresponding via a letter, e-mail, or by telephone, keep a detailed record of the date, whom you talked with, what office they were in, and what their recommendations or comments were. It's a sad truth, but many times the advice given by the person on the other end of the line is no longer accurate or helpful. By keeping a detailed record, you will be able to back-track and avoid frustrating situations where you will need an answer when someone asks you, "Who on earth told you that?"

Attend orientation.

Whether its required by your university or not, make sure to attend orientation. It's a great way to learn about student organizations, classes to take/avoid, where things are on campus, and meet new people. Most orientations are run by current students who can give you a more holistic view of the university than a college handbook can.

Perform a campus walk-through the day before classes start.

Locate each building you have class in (in the order of your classes), to make sure you can find where you need to go. Keep track of how long it takes you to get to each class, so that you can schedule enough walking time and avoid being late on your first day.

The class that broke the camel's back.

Don't overload yourself your first semester. Too often students will overload themselves their first semester and find themselves struggling to get through. For many students, college life is a big adjustment. Don't compound the adjustment by overwhelming yourself with too many hours of coursework. Twelve semester hours is ample enough for anyone their first semester. Yes, twelve credit hours will even keep the high school straight "A" honor student busy. When starting out, be easy on yourself. Give yourself time to adapt. Consider taking three "hard" courses and one "easy" one just for fun. Early one, try to strike a balance in your academic life.

Don't overload yourself by working too many hours.

If at all possible, try to keep work to a minimum during your first semester. This is to give you time to adapt to college life. If you must work, try to keep your hours to a minimum. Ten to fifteen hours a week is plenty for a first semester full time student. If you find that you can work more, you can always increase your hours. Many colleges offer a work/study program for qualified students. Qualification is determined by financial need. The great thing about a work/study job is that they will often work around your schedule. Usually there is a center on campus that serves as a clearinghouse for on-campus jobs. Also many students with on-campus jobs find that they have time to study during the slow times on the job.

Get acquainted with campus and the surrounding area before school starts.

Prior to starting classes you should explore your new surroundings. Find out where your classes will be held. Locate the area post office and the nearest ATM machines. Find out where you can park, or where the nearest bus stop is and obtain a copy of the bus schedule. Get a campus map and explore the campus to find where you can make copies, purchase books, and buy tickets to campus events. Exploring your surroundings ahead of time will reduce frustration and stress.

Talk with students.

One of the best ways to learn the ropes at a university is to talk with other students who have attended the university. Just hanging out in the halls of the school you wish to attend and asking questions can give you a good feel for what is going on. Don?t be afraid to ask who the best professors are to take. And make sure to also ask which professor should be avoided. Almost always there will be a few names who will crop-up over and over again. Most students are glad to offer assistance and advice.

Talk to professors.

If you are having trouble registering for the classes that you want to take because they are full, consider talking directly with the professor that is teaching the course. By sharing why you wish to take the course and its importance to you, professors will often put you on a waiting list for the class. It is rare that every student who has applied for the course will actually take the class. Therefore, if you are on a waiting list your chances of being added to the course are increased.

Attend class the first day.

If you were unable to register for a class because of it being full, and you were unable to talk directly to the professor, often if you attend the class on the first day, you have a good chance of being added to the class. After role is called on the first day, the professor will usually ask, "Is there anyone who would like to drop or add this class?" Being present the first day of class is sometimes all it takes to get the class you want.

Read before you go to class.

In high school, most teachers teach students what the book says. In college, professors expect you to do the reading ahead of time, and will expand upon the reading in class. If you do not read before class, you may not be able to keep up during class!

Do a little each day. Look at your syllabus as soon as you get it.

Mark down all the important due dates in a calendar. Plan ahead! Do not wait until the day before something is due. Split up projects, and work on them in pieces, rather than doing the whole thing all at once.

Avoid cramming.

Your attention span is only 90 minutes long. Studying in small increments over a longer period of time has been proven to be more effective than running long study sessions the night before an exam. This is because increasing breaks increases productivity and retention.

Remember the first month rule.

If you can survive the first month, chances are you are going to be just fine. When waiting in long lines and filing out scores of seemingly endless paperwork, try to find the humor in it. Things will get better!

Join student organizations.

Joining student organizations allows you to meet people whom you would not normally meet people living in different dorms, majoring in different subjects than you, etc. Student Organizations expand your horizons by allowing you to meet new people, try new things, and gives you a sense of purpose outside of the classroom.

Beware of the freshman 15.

Beware of the freshman 15 by being aware of what you eat. Dining halls provide an unlimited amount of food, but that doesn't mean you have to eat it all! Be mindful not only of what you are eating, but while you are eating. Avoid eating in front of the T.V. and focus solely on your food. When you pay attention to what and how you are eating, you tend to eat less.

Walk to class!

Get your exercise in by walking rather than driving or taking the bus.

Take advantage of the school's gym.

In addition to free use of exercise equipment, many schools offer group exercise classes with instruction.

Join an intramural sports team, it's a great way to meet new people, get exercise, and participate in something you enjoy.

College can provide you with some of the best years of your life. Make sure not to get bogged down with the details, and go along for the ride. You'll be glad you did!


By Susanne Gaddis
Motivational Speaker

Susanne Gaddis, Ph.D.
-The Communications Doctor
Phone: (919) 933-3237
gaddis@communicationsdoctor.com

Young, Gifted and Broke? Money Saving Tips For College Students

By Ali Hale

If you're a student, chances are that you could do with a bit of spare money. Rather than taking on another part-time job, or begging your parents for extra cash, try some of these easy ways of saving money on what you buy. The old proverb a penny saved is a penny earned really is true.

Always ask for a discount

The top money-saving tip for every student is to always, always ask for a discount. Many shops offer 10% off for students, but they don't always advertise this - you need to ask. Some restaurants will also give discounts: have a hunt for student-specific online vouchers.

And don't forget the cinema and theatre; you can usually get tickets at the concession rate by showing a student card. Many theme parks and other attractions will also offer a discount.

Buy second-hand books

Most students spend a good percentage of their budget on textbooks. Before you buy another book, make sure you check Amazon first to see if it's available second-hand. Used text books are often in great condition (since many students barely open them during their studies), and will save you a good percentage of the cover price.

If you're looking for cheap fiction, try local library sales and charity shops.

Buy new or second-hand clothes cheaply

Clothes are another area where you can save a lot of money by not shopping on the high street. Ebay should be your first port of call for any garment - if you're iffy about buying something that's been worn by someone else, look for "BNWT" (Brand New With Tags) and "BNWOT" (Brand New WithOut Tags). You can pick up some amazing bargains.

Thrift stores or charity shops are also good sources of cheap clothes, though your choice will be more limited.

Carry limited cash with you

If you can never quite figure out where all the money goes, and if you put everything on plastic when you shop or go out, try spending cash instead. This is a great way to make sure you stick to a spending limit, and it really helps you to avoid buying things on impulse. Charging everything to a credit card can make you feel like the money isn't real - until you get the bill.

Shop for groceries at the end of the day

If you're buying fresh food, go shopping in the early evening. Any items with today's "sell by" or "best before" date will be considerably reduced. Foods which can be frozen are particularly good bargains here - look out for cheap chicken, sausages or mince. Vegetables are also often well reduced, but you'll need to use them within a day or two. If necessary, cook double or triple portions that evening, then put the rest in the fridge or freezer for tomorrow.


Ali Hale is a postgraduate student of Creative & Life Writing, and runs the blog Alpha Student ("Helping you make the most of your time at Uni"). Ali works as a freelance writer and website creator, and is on the staff of several large blogs. If you're looking for a writer or a website, you can hire her via Aliventures.

Plan Your Week - Time Management at College

By Ali Hale

Have you fallen into the common student trap of waking up each morning without a clue what you're going to be doing that day? Maybe you've got a couple of classes, but you'll end up spending the rest of your time playing computer games, hanging out in the refractory, and seeing what everyone's up to on Facebook. Sure, you have an assignment deadline looming, and you had a feeling there was a book you were supposed to read, but neither of those need doing today...

So, on Thursday night, you're up at one am - just like all your friends who've gone clubbing. But instead of having fun with them, you're stuck at your desk, frantically trying to finish the essay that's due the next morning.

Here's how to get yourself organised and make sure that doesn't happen!

Set aside half an hour to plan your week

Don't feel that time spent planning work is wasted - you'll be much more productive over the course of the week. Just thirty minutes of thinking ahead really will pay dividends. First thing Monday morning is a good time to plan out your week, and to make sure that you're on track to meet deadlines.

Write down classes, lectures and appointments

Many students have an uneven workload - perhaps with several classes on one day and none on another. Jot all your contact time down in your diary or spreadsheet, or on a bit of paper, when you're planning your week. You need to be able to look ahead and see when you've got a jam-packed day followed by an urgent deadline - then you can plan around it.

Schedule your personal study time

Work out when you're going to read that book, prepare for that seminar, or do the research for an upcoming assignment. Set yourself mini-deadlines on big projects, rather than leaving everything till the last minute. Remember, your professors are unlikely to object if you turn in an assignment a day or two early!

When you're planning out your time, be realistic. You're not going to be able to concentrate intensely for eight hours straight. Try to make sure each day includes some time for private work (outside set classes and lectures), but also make sure you've got some time to unwind.

Plan a variety of studying for each day

It also helps to avoid working solely on one task throughout a whole day. If you've got a clear day with no classes or appointments, try rotating between different subjects or activities. You might want to read for an hour, then do something active like planning an essay. You could alternate between studying on your own and meeting up with a friend to talk through a project.

Give yourself an afternoon off

If you plan your time well, you can afford to take an afternoon (or morning, or even a whole day) off. Looking forward to a complete break can really help you to stay motivated and productive - whereas if you try to work all day, every day, you'll quickly end up procrastinating. Having regular time away from the lecture theatre and the library helps keep you fresh, and your brain can sort out knotty problems more easily when you're not forcing yourself to sit and stare at a text book.


Ali Hale is a postgraduate student of Creative & Life Writing, and runs the blog Alpha Student ("Helping you make the most of your time at Uni"). Ali works as a freelance writer and website creator, and is on the staff of several large blogs. If you're looking for a writer or a website, you can hire her via Aliventures.

 

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