Staying Healthy in the Residence Halls

It may be urban legend, it may be 100% true: Living in the residence halls often means you and all your fellow hall mates get sick at the exact same time. Once a bug hits the place, everyone seems to suffer.

As CNN reported earlier this week, a nasty outbreak of the stomach flu (I'll spare you the details) at Rider College (New Jersey) sent around 40 students to the hospital. So what can you do to make sure you stay as healthy as possible?

Kristina Duda, R.N., the About.com Guide to Cold and Flu has a great article on how to avoid getting the cold and flu that is definitely worth a quick read. Because wouldn't you rather spend 30 seconds reading an article and staying healthy than spend several days getting sick in your res. hall bathroom? Ugh!

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College Road Trip Ideas

Thinking about taking a college road trip? Not sure where to start? One of the best things about road trips is their flexibility. Your road trip will be what you make of it -- so set a goal in advance. (And don't forget to pack a camera other than the one in your phone!)

College Road Trip Ideas

Plan a sports-themed trip. Into baseball, football, or basketball? Plan a trip to visit some of the most famous parks. Find out what the options are for taking a tour of the ballpark and if there are any special games going on while you're in town.

Plan a food-themed trip. Love soul food? Interested in finding the best vegan fare out there? Want to visit the best seafood places? Plan a trip that focuses around classic American cuisine and get ready to eat your heart out. (Think creatively about this one, too: several college students at Birmingham-Southern College earned credit for taking a road trip and studying southern barbecue.)

Plan to visit places near your home or school. You don't have to drive far to have a road trip be a success. Find some amazing places in your state, grab an atlas, and hit the road.

Plan a trip around your interests. Are you and your friends really interested in American history? The dynamics of border towns? Particular figures in American literature? Cities with a strong history of supporting the gay or civil rights movements? With a little research and a little geek chic, you can have a fun and interesting Spring Break.

Plan a pick-up-you-friends themed trip. Have several high school friends scattered around the state? Plan a trip to pick them all up over several days, ultimately arriving in a city of everyone's choosing. Enjoy the time catching up without having to worry about everyone's travel plans.

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Campus Highlight: Malcolm Burnley at Brown University

(Each Monday during the academic year, I feature a "Campus Highlight": a unique, interesting, and noteworthy student organization, program, or initiative that demonstrates the amazing things college students do each and every day across the country.)

Although I usually highlight a student group or organization, this week I'm choosing to highlight one particular student: Malcolm Burnley at Brown University. His major accomplishment? He recently uncovered a long-forgotten speech by Malcolm X in his university archives. How's that for coming up with something new and exciting while doing research?!

As I've long complained about on this blog, college students often get a bad deal in the mass media. But Mr. Burnley's discovery has been picked up by several major media outlets, including MSNBC and The Huffington Post. Congrats, Mr. Burnley, not only on your discovery but for showing the amazing things college students do!

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Keep an Eye on Your Student Loan Interest Rates

As President Obama mentioned in his State of the Union address on Tuesday night, the interest rates on student loans are set to double this summer unless Congress takes action to keep rates at their current level.

This means, for example, that the Stafford loan you signed for last year was at 3.4%; the one you sign for this year will be at 6.8%. Let's imagine that last year (2011-2012), you took out a $10,000 loan at 3.4%. And this year (2012-2103), you take out another loan -- but this time at 6.8%. Here's the difference:

• $10,000, repaid over 10 years, at 3.4% interest = $11,810 total loan amount = $1,810 in interest
• $10,000, repaid over 10 years, at 6.8% interest = $13,809 total loan amount = $3,809 in interest

So ... what are your options if the interest rates go back up? Well, first and foremost, make sure you know the 5 basics of your financial aid package. After that, make sure you're informed about what exactly you're signing when it comes to your award letter. And lastly, make sure you know the email address of your local Congressperson so you can contact them about how important it is to keep interest rates where they are!

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College Plagiarism

Plagiarism -- the act of passing off someone else's work as your own, no matter where you found it -- is pretty common on college campuses. If one of your professors or an administrator realizes what you've done, you may be charged with plagiarism and put through some kind of campus judicial system.

1. Figure out what the process is. Do you have a hearing? Are you supposed to write a letter explaining your side of the story? Does your professor simply want to see you? Or could you be placed on academic probation? Figure out what you're supposed to do and by when -- and then make sure it gets done.

2. Make sure you understand the charges. You may have received a strongly worded letter accusing you of plagiarism, and yet you're not totally clear on what exactly it is you're being accused of. Talk with whoever sent you the letter or your professor about the specifics of your case. Either way, make sure you're crystal clear on what you're being charged with and what your options are.

3. Make sure you understand the consequences. In your mind, you may have been up late, writing your paper, and absentmindedly cut and pasted something from your research that you forgot to cite. In your professor's mind, however, you may have not taken the assignment very seriously, showed disrespect to him or her and your fellow classmates, and acted in a way that is unacceptable at the college level. What is not very serious to you may indeed be very serious to someone else. Make sure you understand what the consequence are, therefore, before you are unpleasantly surprised at how your sticky situation just got a lot worse.

4. Respect and participate in the process. You may not think the plagiarism charge is a big deal, so you toss the letter aside and forget about it. Unfortunately, however, plagiarism charges can be serious business. Respect and participate in the process so that you can explain your situation and reach a resolution.

5. Figure out what you've learned so that it doesn't happen again. Plagiarism charges in college can be dealt with lightly (essay rewrite) or severely (expulsion). Consequently, learn from your mistake so that you can prevent getting yourself into a similar situation again. Having a misunderstanding about plagiarism, after all, can only happen once. The next time you receive a letter, folks are much less likely to be understanding since you've already been through the system. Learn what you can and move forward toward your ultimate goal: your diploma (earned by you and your own work, of course!).

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Campus Highlight: University of Hawai'i at Manoa

(Each Monday during the academic year, I feature a "Campus Highlight": a unique, interesting, and noteworthy student organization, program, or initiative that demonstrates the amazing things college students do each and every day across the country.)

For this week's Campus Highlight, I'm featuring the University of Hawai'i at Manoa for their "The Genteel Sabai" performance. The show features Randai, "a folk dance-drama form of entertainment originating in West Sumatra and performed by the Minangkabau ethnic group of that region" that "is rarely seen outside of Indonesia." In fact, the University of Hawai'i at Manoa is "the only university program in the West to offer Randai performances." Awesome!

You don't have to be at the UHM campus to learn more. You can find out about Randai folk dance from their web page or do a little research yourself. Either way, I wanted to send some props to everyone involved in the performance for bringing something new, educational, and downright interesting to their campus. Keep up the great work!

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Partner Gifts that Are More Than Just Flowers

When it comes to Valentine's Day, your anniversary, birthdays, or any other special occasion that you and your romantic partner celebrate, giving flowers often seems like a safe bet. But what if you want something more ... exciting? After all, anyone can give flowers but not everyone can give a meaningful, personalized gift.

7 Partner Gifts that Are More Than Flowers

1. Breakfast and a movie. Why spend a small fortune on dinner and a movie when you can have just as much fun doing breakfast and a movie? Since saving money is especially important for college students, this option can be a fun way to approach a traditional date. If you both are feeling particularly brave, you can even wear your pajamas out.

2. Brunch and something physical. Getting out and doing something physical, like a hike, always leaves people feeling refreshed, recharged, and rejuvenated. Take your partner out to a nice brunch (even if it's just at a coffee shop near campus) and head for the great outdoors. You'll get exercise, some quiet time together, and an adrenalin boost. What's not to like?

3. Something low in cost but high in entertainment. While flowers are, of course, nice, they are also incredibly expensive (especially around Valentine's Day). And since most college students are short on funds, finding an alternative becomes even more important. Consider doing something that you both love -- like attending a poetry slam or going to an art museum -- that is low in cost but high in entertainment value. Added bonus: You'll have time to enjoy the show as well as each other's company, in contrast to a movie where you aren't supposed to talk much.

4. Buy a book by your partner's favorite author or poet or on a topic he or she is passionate about. Your Art History significant other may just love a certain painter; your Botany partner may love books that discuss the plant world in a format other than her traditional textbooks. Find a book that explores someone or something he or she is passionate about for a great, personalized gift that's sure to be a hit.

5. Volunteer together at a charity or organization that matters to one of you. Seriously, who doesn't feel good after volunteering? It may not sound like a traditional, romantic date, but grabbing a bit to eat before or after volunteering somewhere can leave you both buzzing with warm fuzzies. You'll feel good about the work you did, the people you met, the cause you helped, and the time you got to spend together.

6. Give your partner several small gifts throughout the day. A gift like flowers has a huge impact -- once. In contrast, surprise your significant other with several small gifts throughout the day. (For example, you could bring coffee and a muffin to their residence hall room as a kind of breakfast in bed, and then later surprise them with a book in the afternoon and a nice bottle of wine in the evening.) Because honestly, who doesn't like being showered with gifts all day? Remember, too, that they don't have to be expensive to be nice.

7. Gift something that blends your school with something you know about your partner's personality. Is your girlfriend always cold? Consider buying her a sweatshirt and some gloves from her campus bookstore. Is your boyfriend really into mountain biking? Get something school-spirited for his bike from a bike shop near campus. You'll give your partner something that reminds him or her of you throughout the year while also showing that you know and respect all the things that make your partner your partner.

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