The price of college textbooks continues to rise, because many publishers are pushing updated editions and creating classroom packages with software and study materials so they can make more money selling books. The bad news is that these new, improved editions cost, on average, 58% more than the previous versions. While parents, colleges and students have voiced their complaints, the practice continues and text book prices have gone through the roof. Read the rest of this entry »
Tips for saving money on textbooks
September 4th, 2008Tips for dealing with a dorm RA
September 4th, 2008Every college does its best to screen and appoint resident advisors (RAs) for each dorm. Sometimes the school fails spectacularly and sometimes the students have an RA who can help them get anchored in school, resolve conflict in the dorm and keep the general peace and order in dorm life. The best RAs are friends, confidantes and good ‘superintendents’ who can organize, manage and remain objective. Read the rest of this entry »
Tips for Surviving Your Freshman Year
September 2nd, 2008A wise person once said “One day of college is like one week of high school”. You might have been your high school valedictorian, president of student council or the home coming queen. The differences between college and high school are numerous. Not only will this be the first time you will have this much independence, you will have to meet new people, make new friends, adjust to a different schedule and lifestyle AND take some tough courses too! Did you know that one out of every four students will leave college before they complete their second year? Read the rest of this entry »
The Easiest Classes in College
September 2nd, 2008Go to one popular college student website and you will find a discussion about the easiest classes each student has taken. Believe it or not, you will find course titles like: History of Baseball in American Society, Introductory Ice Hockey, Spain in the Golden Age, Greek and Roman Epics, Freshman Seminar (a course that is designed to help the students adjust to the culture and campus of the school), Rocks for Jocks (an Earth Sciences course), Read the rest of this entry »
Tips for spending money at school
August 26th, 2008It would not be wise to tell you how to weasel more money out of your mother and father. Chances are your parents are already paying for your education! They probably don’t have a lot of extra money to go around. Read the rest of this entry »
Dealing with Homesickness at College
August 26th, 2008If you anticipate some homesickness, you are going to be more prepared for the feelings that may overwhelm you during the first month or two of college life. Remember that you are adjusting to a new home, a new roommate, new classes and a new routine. Be patient with yourself. Resist the idea that you have to go home every weekend, but be kind enough to yourself to allow a trip or two to take the edge off your feelings of isolation and loneliness. Read the rest of this entry »
Doing Laundry in College
August 23rd, 2008Do the basics of laundry elude you? Are you sorry you weren’t paying attention when mom tried to teach you how to sort your clothes and how much detergent to use? You will be after your tidy whities turn pink for the first time and the guys in the common bathroom laugh you out the door. Don’t worry. Laundry really isn’t so hard. Read the rest of this entry »
Picking the Perfect College Roommate
August 22nd, 2008If you are lucky enough to have a friend who is going to the same school, you may have a built-in roommate. For the rest of you college students, the idea of rooming with a complete stranger is probably a little overwhelming. Today’s colleges and universities have gotten wiser about managing this process and they will usually Read the rest of this entry »
Stress Management How to Relax
August 19th, 2008If you are under a lot of stress at school, you are not alone! Still, you may FEEL alone in trying to handle that stress and find ways to relax and adjust to the pressures of college life. Be sure you are eating right (healthy diet) and getting enough. Exercise can help you relieve stress and make it easier to relax. You can also consider yoga, meditation and other ways to relax. Read the rest of this entry »
Cooking in the Dorm
August 19th, 2008Whether you are just sick and tired of cafeteria food, studying for an exam, or you just feel like having a snack, it is nice to be able to cook a little something in your dorm room on occasion. If you want to consider this option, you first need to check with the Office of Residential Life or your Residence Advisor (RA) to understand whether you can keep a hot plate or microwave in your room, or if there is a regular stove in the lounge of your dorm. Do not bring in any forbidden items, because if you start a fire, you may be held responsible. Read the rest of this entry »