Tag Archives: college students

Yes, It’s Possible. Decorate Your Dorm Room on a Budget

Posted in budget, college, college students, dorms, high school, saving money, school, universities by

By Stephen Collins

When headed off to college for the first time, there’s nothing more exciting and scary than getting your very first dorm room. Moving away from home, meeting and making new friends, even possibly sharing your living space with a roommate; all of these things can make a huge impact on your college life. But, the unfortunate truth is that most college freshman don’t have a huge budget for anything beyond school supplies and basic necessities. So, the question becomes, how can you decorate your new living quarters on a budget?

dorm room

Rearrange

It may sound small, but doing something as simple as changing the arrangement of the current furniture can have a huge impact on the room. Dorm furniture is usually pretty sparse, so moving things into a non-standard layout can both mix things up and create a unique flair and unexpected space. For example, try pushing beds against the walls instead of sticking into the middle of the room to make extra floor space.

Multitask

Dorm rooms aren’t known for their space. One of the best ways to overcome this deficiency is to make sure that nothing in your living area is just one thing. The back sides of doors make great storage spaces as do the spaces below beds. Companies like DormCo specialize in making the most of all the space in your dorm closet with items like hangers and shelf liners. For additional storage in the corner or under the bed, Dorm Trunks has a variety of trunks that can provide storage, security and—with a little design and creativity—additional seating.

Accessorize

Nothing is more boring that white walls, bare windows and plain floors. Consider mixing things up with a unique rug from Dorm Rugs. Add posters, pictures or easy-to-remove wallpaper to cover plain walls. Or, pick up custom blinds from The Shade Store to add add a personal flair to your windows. These also can provide lighting control and privacy for you and any possible roommates.

Personalize

Finding little ways to personalize your living space can add some style while continuously re-energizing you as you face the everyday struggles of college life. Custom bulletin boards from The Container Store can be regularly updated with your dreams and goals or pictures from home to keep you focused when times get difficult. And, for that additional little touch, consider putting a message board on the outside of your door for fun communication with all of your neighbors.

Illuminate

Lighting can make a huge difference on the personality of your dorm and doesn’t have to take a bite out of your wallet. Using Christmas lanterns and lights can highlight various wall decorations or add a unique flair to your ceiling and furniture. Plus, companies like IKEA have a huge selection of inexpensive lamps to fit every style and room decoration.

Whatever you do, keep it uniquely you. You are going to be living in this space, so make sure it is somewhere you want to go at the end of the day.

About the Author: Stephen Collins was born in Phoenix, Arizona and has spent most of his life in the Southwestern United States, playing among the cowboys and aliens. This admitted lover of sci-fi and fantasy developed a passion for the written word early in life and began writing at a young age, mostly for the thrill and joy of the experience. He is currently working on his second book while continuing to weave his wordsmithing magic as a freelance writer.

Heading off to college?  Give yourself the gift of good grades with The Secrets of Top Students!

Get Into These 4 Healthy Habits as You Head off to College

Posted in college, education, health by

By K.C. Dermody

For most college students, going off to school brings the first real sense of independence and freedom. You’ll experience an abundance of unfamiliarity as you’re exposed to a new learning environment and living arrangements filled with different types of people. With this new environment and people comes a host of germs and viruses that can easily be passed around, potentially keeping you from your studies and threatening to impact your grades. In fact, 68 percent of college students stated that they missed class due to illness, according to a survey conducted on behalf of global hygiene company SCA.

You’ll probably make every effort to look your best by taking frequent showers and wearing the latest fashions, but there are many aspects of hygiene that college students commonly overlook. Ensure you’re taking the proper steps for good health this semester with these four tips:

1. Wash your hands often

Mom probably reminded you every single day to wash your hands, but now that you’re out on your own, it’s easy to forget. Good hand hygiene habits are crucial for preventing the spread of cold and flu viruses. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention offers these startling facts about hand washing:

  • It is estimated that washing hands with soap and water could reduce diarrheal disease-associated deaths by up to 50 percent.
  • More than 50 percent of healthy people have Staphylococcus aureus living in or on their nasal passages, throats, hair, or skin.
  • Hand washing can reduce the risk of respiratory infections by 16 percent.

Germs are commonly passed along when shaking someone’s hand, touching a stair railing or door knob, and handling money among many other common activities. Protect yourself by washing your hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 to 30 seconds.

washing hands

2. Take care of your contact lenses

If you wear contact lenses, you should know that they carry a risk of eye infection, particularly if good hygiene practices aren’t followed. Be sure to carefully follow the lens care guidelines your optician or ophthalmologist prescribed, and replace contact lenses frequently in order to reduce the risk of infection. Save money by ordering them online from a company like VisionDirect.

3. Maintain good oral health

Taking good care of your mouth and teeth helps to ensure that you have a healthy, attractive smile in addition to eliminating bacteria that can cause bad breath, cavities, and gum disease. Brush at least twice a day, and replace your toothbrush every three to four months. If you notice the bristles becoming frayed, it’s time to get a new one. Proper daily flossing is also a must. Floss one tooth at a time by sliding the floss in the space between your tooth and gum, gently rubbing the side of the tooth in and up and down motion.

4. Launder bed linens frequently

Laundry may be inconvenient with your new packed schedule and your living accommodations, but make every effort to wash your pillow cases, comforters and sheets in hot water and detergent at least once a week. Dust mites are drawn to the dark, moist environment of a mattress, and mite infestations are known to cause allergies and rashes as well as exacerbating asthma, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.

 

About the author: K.C. Dermody is a freelance writer who has published work on numerous sites and in printed publications, including Yahoo Travel, Sports & News, RunLiveLearn and The Sherpa Report.

Going to college?  Give yourself the gift of good grades with The Secrets of Top Students!

 

Headed to College? Don’t Become a Victim of Identity Theft (Guest Post)

Posted in budget, college, education, high school, money, saving money, school by

If you’re going to college, you have lots of things on your mind: choosing the right classes, getting good grades, finding a place to live, making friends, etc.  You’re probably not thinking about identity theft, but according to the U.S. Department of Justice, about one out of 20 college age people will be a victim of identity theft. Losing everything that you own is not the college education that you are trying to get.

Colleges Give You Plastic

There was a time when the only purpose of a college ID card was to get you a discount at amusement parks. Now most college finances go through the student ID card. Often they are linked to a bank account and serve as a debit or credit card. Because all of the account information is linked, one slip can mean losing everything. Scambusters.org cites carelessness with financial aid information as one of the top reasons that students fall victim to identity fraud.

One of the ways to protect your credit is to never give your financial aid PIN to friends. With PIN information, a clever thief can get all of your other specific account information, including your Social Security number and residency data. The funds can also be diverted into the perpetrator’s account.

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Landing an Internship: 5 Tips for Distance Education Students

Posted in careers, college, education, school by

By Brady Tamblin
Brady is an HR consultant specializing in helping startups create hiring plans and bonus structures. In his free time he likes to fly fish.

As an intern, you have a one in two chance of landing a full-time job post-internship, per the National Association of Colleges and Employers annual survey. While a local college might have career experts who can help you identify and apply to local internships, as a distance education student you’ll have to do much of the legwork to find one. Use these five tips to streamline the internship process and find the right opportunity for you.

1. Virtual: OK or no way? As a starting point, decide whether you want to complete an in-person or online internship. Internships.com reports that 33 percent of companies hire virtual interns. If you’re hoping to treat your internship like your education, you’ll have a 1 in 3 shot at finding something virtual. On the other hand, if you want hands-on experience to supplement your distance education, decide that before you start looking at opportunities.

2. Use listservs to send jobs to you. Hunting for internships in your field can be a full-time job if you let it. Instead, automate much of the work by signing up for listservs and creating discipline-specific RSS feeds. Wake Forest University recommends resources such as Indeed, Internships.com, the University Career Action Network, CareerShift and The Internship Center. Automate internship alerts at these (or similar) sites, then set aside time each week to review opportunities sent via emails and RSS feeds.

3. Polish your resume and cover letter. These materials are crucial for any internship interview—virtual or place-based. CareerBuilder offers eight useful tips for writing strong cover letters and personalizing each one; these can help you draft your application materials. Your online school should have a career counselor who can review your materials and suggest helpful edits. Consider also having friends or family members review your materials for grammar, spelling and readability. You may think you’re being very clear about your desire to work for Consultant A, only to find that your logic doesn’t make sense to others.

4. Brush up on your skill set. While you’re polishing your application materials, review any internship requirements or preferred qualifications. Use this time to add (or brush up on) any skills you lack. For those who have pursued Web Design degrees online, you might not have used Flash in two semesters. If so, review tutorials and play around with the program if you find that internship opportunities require knowledge of the software.

5. Prepare for any interview with care. If you’re lucky enough to be granted an interview for an internship, take it seriously. Prepare well for the interview by learning as much as you can about the company and by mock interviewing. Again, your career center, family and friends can drill you with interview questions and offer constructive criticism. Practicing classic interview questions like “Tell me your greatest strength and weakness” not only gives you time to prepare a thoughtful answer ahead of time, it can relieve jitters. As part of the preparation, pick out (and iron) an appropriate interview outfit, review the office directions and make sure that you know where you need to be and have left enough time to get there. There’s nothing worse than getting to an interview late (and making a bad first impression) because you got stuck in a traffic jam or got lost.

Give yourself the gift of great grades.  Order your copy of The Secrets of Top Students today!

5 Smart Budgeting Strategies for College Students (Guest Post)

Posted in budget, careers, college, education, money, saving money, school by

By Robert Carr. Robert writes full-time for small business, finance and car repair how-to sites.

Some believe the most valuable life lessons are learned in grade school, like being polite, the importance of sharing, and always looking both ways before crossing the street. Others believe critical life knowledge comes from years spent in middle school and high school—useful skills like navigating diverse social landscapes and putting a winning wardrobe together.

College, though, is really when experience comes fast and furious: when you are on your own for the first time, interacting with new classmates and faculty, and completely in control of things such as when, where, and what you eat. Unfortunately, this level of independence can be a challenge for modern college students who enjoy having their own place but may not be ready for adult commitments, including paying the electric bill or creating a grocery budget.

In addition to be being prepared for the rigors of academic life, you’ll need solid financial habits while in college. Master these, and you’ll be the big man or woman on campus. If not, you’ll have a tough time and maybe, gulp, have to head back to the “real” world where your parents set the rules, budget and dinner menu.

College Planning

Here are five strategies for students to manage money while in college:

  • Paperwork is vital, whether you keep actual receipts or use software. This tells you not just how much you’re spending but what you’re spending it on. Bank of America’s Money Management site suggests keeping detailed track of everything for a couple of weeks, then comparing this to income from any jobs, parents, loans or other sources. The difference will be your general budget.
  • Be disciplined. Debt.org, a site dedicated to helping people of all ages reduce costs, reports that it’s not hard to create a budget on paper, but a bigger challenge is having the self-discipline to keep to it. This may mean forgoing regular nights out with friends, or watching TV and making a meal on a Friday night instead of going to dinner and a movie. Your financial institution may even have online or printable templates to help illustrate your planning in action.
  • Be flexible. Though you will have fixed costs like rent and tuition, you’ll have other varying expenses, like your utility bill. Beyond this, you’ll have other unexpected costs that need to be absorbed into your budget, such as repairs to your computer or car. Wells Fargo’s online student budget section points out that you should be ready for everything from a rise in the rent to approval for extra financial aid.
  • Look for ways to save. There are plenty of creative ways to reduce day-to-day costs. See if merchants in town offer a college discount. Consider a roommate or roommates to split costs. Check into ways to combine services, such as bundle.tv that offers Internet, TV and phone service for one monthly price—an attractive option for frugal students who still want all three services.
  • Learn effective credit habits. Creditcards.com suggests paying bills on time, using a credit card for emergencies and then paying it off quickly. Such behaviors will help you build good credit and minimize debt later in life.

Now that you’ve got your budget under control, learn how to maximize your GPA with The Secrets of Top Students.  Order your copy today!

3 Apps to Keep College Students’ Budgets on Track (Guest Post)

Posted in college, getting better grades, school by

As a college student, you’ve got a lot on your plate: tests, papers, classes, jobs, your social life. It’s easy to let mundane activities like paying bills and grocery shopping fall through the cracks. But you can’t ignore these basic tasks. Before you know it, you’ll find the negative domino effect in action if, say, you forget to pay your electric bill or neglect to make your Internet payment.

Taking control of your finances will allow you to handle academic essentials with ease and peace of mind.

Thanks to rapidly evolving technology, you can enlist smartphones and tablets to manage your everyday life, which will help you make the most of your college experience.

A college student on campus with smartphone

1. Toshl Finance Expense Tracker

Never miss a tuition or car loan payment, and stay in good standing with your landlord with this mobile app, compatible with iOS, Blackberry, Android and other platforms. Maintain consistent and accurate control of your checking account with this free app (or upgrade to the Pro Version for additional features) by creating budgetary guidelines for your spending, then adhering to those guidelines by monitoring your spending. You can rest easy because you know where your money is going.

2. OurGroceries Shopping List

Keep a healthy diet by making sure you don’t come home from work or class to an empty refrigerator. Planning ahead with this free Blackberry and iOS-friendly app will help keep your body trim. An empty fridge can lead to ordering takeout, which is bad for your wallet and your waistline – so making sure you buy healthy and cost-saving groceries with the help of this app will keep you on track and guilt-free. You can also enter in your favorite recipes, favorite ingredients, special trademark seasonings and decadent dessert items reserved for special occasions. Easily edit your grocery lists from your mobile device, laptop or desktop computer, then use your smartphone or tablet while shopping to adhere to your list. Create multiple grocery lists to plan for holidays and birthdays well in advance.

3. ValPak Local Coupons

A free app to save you money is a great double deal. As a college student, what better way to keep your expenses in check than to find useful coupons for everyday items? Just like the bulky envelope that once came in your mailbox, this app gives you the best local deals around. Find deals on dining out, grocery items, laundry essentials, clothing and more with this Blackberry-friendly app.

By creating a healthy budget structure with your mobile phone, you’ll get much more out of your college experience.

Post by Max Cruise
Max is a technology educator at his local community college. He loves nothing more than teaching the next generation about digital trends, and he writes about these trends often.

Now that your budget is under control, make sure you’ve got your grades covered too.  Order your copy of The Secrets of Top Students today!

Easy Part-Time Jobs for College Students (Guest Post)

Posted in careers, college, education, school by

We all know college can be a difficult adjustment. It’s hard enough to balance schoolwork with having a social life and getting enough sleep. How are you supposed to fit in a part-time job, too? The good news is that it can be done, and it may be easier than you think! There are plenty of jobs out there for the enterprising college student that can give you valuable experience as well as a little extra spending money, without taking up too much of your time. In my opinion, freshmen should hold off on working for at least a semester or two. But when you’ve settled into college life, here are some easy ways to earn money while still having enough time to study and play:

Summer jobs for students

Shh … You’re in the Library

Working on campus is ideal, but in the library it’s even better. If you’re worried that working won’t leave enough time for studying, this is the job for you. Duties of a study hall or library monitor usually include supervising, shelving and provide centralized access to some of the resources and services they provide. It’s a pretty easy job, and with lots of down time — meaning you’ll be in a quiet place with time to catch up on reading and homework.

It’s Tutor Time

If you’re especially strong in any subject, visit your university’s educational resource center to see if any tutoring positions are available. Even if you aren’t comfortable tutoring peers, there are many tutoring opportunities available at any education level. Visit middle school and high school settings to see if administrators are looking to hire outside help, or if parents need someone to help Junior with his math homework. Even if the work is easy for you, it’ll help keep you sharp on subject basics.

Remember Retail

Working in retail or in a fast food setting often gets a bad rap, but don’t assume flipping burgers is your only option. Frozen yogurt shops and smoothie-making joints are especially popular around college campuses. Visit job-applications.com to see if you can score a part-time job at either of these types of establishments, and you’ll likely find you aren’t only earning money but are also meeting a lot of people your age.

Live-in Help = Free Rent

Don’t worry about this job interfering with your study or social life, because there’ll be plenty of time for everything. Interested? Consider this: In college, many young people live with an elderly couple and help take care of the house and yard in exchange from room and board. As live-in help, you may be responsible for mowing the lawn, vacuuming bedrooms and preparing food — but they’ll be paying for it.

Donate Plasma for Gas Money

All around the country, people are getting $20-$30 a week for donating their plasma, and it’s not a black market deal. Plasma centers draw your blood, extract the plasma from it and return your blood back to you. It’s used to help hemophiliacs, burn victims and aid other ailments. Because it can take up to two hours, unlike donating blood, plasma centers pay you for your time and plasma.

Babysit & Study

Don’t dismiss the idea of babysitting just because you’re out of high school. Teachers, university employees and graduate students who have children often favor college students when choosing a sitter. Students may need you to stay home with their child while they run to class or work part-time themselves. Especially if it’s scheduled during nap time or in the evening, you may only be acting as a precautionary babysitter who’s there in case the child wakes up. In this case, you can get some good studying in while earning a few bucks.

Guest Post by Brad Long
Brad has a knack for writing and gardening. So far he’s managed to find a way to feed himself by being good at both of these activities and that’s good enough for him.

Going to college?  Give yourself the gift of good grades with The Secrets of Top Students!