Starting a New Semester

It may be the start of your first semester in college, or it may be the start of your last semester in college. Either way, the beginning of a new term means that you're back at square one, no matter how long you've been in school. What are the basics that you'll need to make sure you start off as strongly as possible?

New Semester Basics

1. Get a time management system. Managing your time just may be your biggest challenge while in college. Find something that works for you and use it from day one. (Not sure where to start? Learn 8 tips for managing your time in college.)
   
2. Take a reasonable course load. Taking 20 units (or more!) this semester may sound great in theory, but it most likely will come back to haunt you in the long run. Sure, it may seem like a good way to improve your transcript, but the lower grades you might get because your course load is too heavy is a sure way to bring your transcript down, not up. If you absolutely must carry a heavy course load for some reason, however, make sure that you've cut down on your other commitments so that you don't put too many unreasonable expectations on yourself.
   
3. Have your books purchased -- or at least on their way. Not having your books the first week of class can put you behind everyone else before you even had the chance to start. Even if you have to go to the library for the first week or two to get the reading done, make sure you're doing what you can to stay on top of your homework until your books arrive.
   
4. Have some -- but not too much -- co-curricular involvement. You don't want to be so over involved that you barely have time to eat and sleep, but you most likely do need to be involved in something other than your classes all day long. Join a club, get an on-campus job, volunteer somewhere, play on an intramural team: just do something to keep your brain (and personal life!) balanced.
   
5. Get your finances in order. You may be rocking your classes, but if your financial situation is a mess, you won't be able to finish the semester. Make sure your finances are in order when you start a new semester and that they'll still be that way as you head toward finals week.
   
6. Have your "life" logistics worked out. These are different for every college student, but having the basics -- like your housing/roommate situation, your food/dining options, and your transportation -- worked out in advance is critical to making it through the semester in a stress-free way.
   
7. Set up healthy outlets for fun and to relieve stress. You don't need to have a Ph.D. to know that college is stressful. Have things already in place -- like good groups of friends, exercise plans, hobbies, and smart ways to avoid pitfalls (like knowing how to avoid test anxiety) -- that will allow you to mentally check out and relax when things get intense.
   
8. Get information on where to go for help -- you know, just in case. When, and if, you find yourself juggling more than you can handle, trying to find help while under that kind of stress is nearly impossible. Learn where to go for help before your semester begins so that, just in case things get a little rough, your small speed bump doesn't turn into a major disaster zone.

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NEW! Readers' Choice Categories Announced!

The 2012 About.com Readers' Choice Awards are annual awards, chosen by readers, that recognize the best of the best. Here on the College Life site, the awards are meant to recognize those services and resources that make college students' lives better -- or at least a little easier.

The categories for the 2012 awards have been announced and are (drum roll please!):

• Favorite Website by College Students, for College Students
• Best Site for Renting College Textbooks
• Best Site for Buying College Textbooks
• Best Book on Adjusting to College Life

You can read more about each category or learn about the awards if you'd like more information. The nomination process begins on January 18 and I'm already looking forward to see what comes in!

Good luck!

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Wondering What Your Job Prospects Are?

You'd pretty much have to be living under a rock to know that the job market is, shall we say, far from ideal for college graduates. Those of you graduating this spring face a bit of a challenge -- not an impossibility, but a challenge -- when looking for your first official job as a college grad.

On January 5, MSN.com posted an interesting article -- using data compiled by Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce -- discussing how unemployment rates for recent college graduates vary by major. You can check out the article from MSN or read the full report from Georgetown. Whether you're reading it to know the unemployment rate for your own major or just to get a general feel of how majors influence employment, it's an interesting -- and worthwhile -- read.

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How to Reduce Stress

At any given point in time, most college students are stressed about something; it's just part of going to school. While having stress in your life is normal and often unavoidable, being stressed is something you can control. Follow these ten tips to learn how to keep your stress in check and how to relax when it gets to be too much.

Most Importantly: Don't Stress About Being Stressed

This may seem ridiculous at first, but it is listed first for a reason: when you're feeling stressed, you feel like you're on edge and everything is barely being held together. Don't beat yourself up too badly about it! It's all normal, and the best way to handle stress is to not get more stressed about . . . being stressed. If you're stressed out, admit it and figure out how to handle it. Focusing on it will only make things seem worse.

Get Some Sleep

Being in college means your sleep schedule is, most likely, far from ideal. Getting more sleep can help your mind refocus, recharge, and rebalance. This can mean a quick nap, a night when you go to bed early, or a promise to yourself to stick with a regular sleep schedule. Sometimes, one good night's sleep can be all you need to hit the ground running amidst a stressful time.

Get Some Food

Similar to your sleep habits, your eating habits may have gone by the wayside when you started school. Think about what -- and when -- you've eaten over the past few days. You may think your stress is psychological, but you could also be feeling physical stress (and the "Freshman 15") if you're not fueling your body appropriately. Go eat something balanced and healthy: fruits and veggies, whole grains, protein. Make your mama proud with what you choose for dinner tonight! Lastly, if your meal plan itself is one more thing making you stressed, learn how to pick a plan that's right for you.

Get Some Exercise

You may think that if you don't have the time to sleep and eat properly, you definitely don't have the time to exercise. Fair enough, but if you're feeling stressed, it may be that you need to squeeze it in somehow. Exercise doesn't necessarily have to involve a 2-hour, exhausting workout at the campus gym. It can mean a relaxing, 30-minute walk while listening to your favorite music. In fact, in a little over an hour, you can 1) walk 15 minutes to your favorite off-campus restaurant, 2) eat a quick and healthy meal, 3) walk back, and 4) take a power nap. Imagine how much better you'll feel!

Get Some Quiet Time

Take one moment and think: when was the last time you had some quality, quiet time alone? Personal space for students in college rarely exists. You may share your room, your bathroom, your classrooms, your dining hall, the gym, the bookstore, the library, and anywhere else you go during an average day. Finding a few moments of peace and quiet - with no cell phone, roommates, or crowds - might be just what you need. Stepping out from the crazy college environment for a few minutes can do wonders for reducing your stress.

Get Some Social Time

Have you been working on that English paper for 3 days straight? Can you even see what you're writing anymore for your Chemistry lab? You could be stressed because you're being too focused on getting things done. Don't forget that your brain is like a muscle, and even it needs a break every once in a while! Take a break and see a movie. Grab some friends and go out dancing. Hop a bus and hang out downtown for a few hours. Having a social life is an important part of your college experience, so don't be afraid to keep it in the picture when you're stressed. It could be when you need it most!

Get Some Fun

You may be stressed about one particular thing: a final paper due Monday, a class presentation due Thursday. You basically just need to sit down and plow through it. If this is the case, try to figure out how to make it a little more fun and enjoyable. Is everyone writing final papers? Agree to work together in your room for 2 hours and then order pizza together for dinner. Do a lot of your classmates have huge presentations to put together? See if you can reserve a classroom or room in the library where you can all work together and share supplies. You may just lower everyone's stress level.

Get Some Distance

You may be handling your own problems and trying to help others around you. While this can be nice for them, check in and be honest with yourself about how your helpful demeanor may be causing more stress in your life. It's okay to take a step back and focus on yourself for a little while, especially if you are stressed and your academics are at risk. After all, how can you keep helping others if you're not even in a state to help yourself? Figure out which things are causing you the most stress and how you can take a step back from each. And then, most importantly, take that step.

Get a Little Help

It can be hard to ask for help, and unless your friends are psychic, they may not know how stressed out you are. Most college students are going through the same things at the same thing, so don't feel silly if you need to just vent for 30 minutes over coffee with a friend. It may help you process out what you need to do, and help you realize that the things you are so stressed about are actually pretty manageable. If you're afraid of dumping too much on a friend, most colleges have counseling centers specifically for their students. Don't be afraid to make an appointment if you think it will help.

Get Some Perspective

College life can be overwhelming. You want to hang out with your friends, join clubs, explore off campus, join a fraternity or sorority, and be involved in the campus newspaper. It can sometimes feel like there aren't enough hours in the day . . . because there aren't. There's only so much any person can handle, but you need to remember the reason why you're in school: academics. No matter how exciting your co-curricular life can be, you won't be able to enjoy any of it if you don't pass your classes. Make sure to keep your eye on the prize and then head out and change the world!

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Meeting Professors

You may be totally intimidated by your professors, or you may be eager to meet them but not know what to do first. It's important to remember, however, that most professors are professors because they like teaching and interacting with college students. Talking with your professors outside of the lecture hall just may be one of the most rewarding aspects of your college career.

Difficulty: Easy

Time Required: Minimum

Here's How:

1. Go to class -- every day.

   Many students underestimate the importance of this. True, in a lecture hall of 500 students, your professor may not notice if you're not there. But if you are, your face will become familiar if you can make yourself noticed a bit.

2. Turn your assignments in on time.

   You don't want your professor to notice you because you're always asking for extensions and turning things in late. True, he or she will get to know you, but probably not in the way you want.

3. Ask questions and engage in discussion in class.

   This can be an easy way to have your professor get to know your voice, face, and name. Of course, only ask questions if you have a legitimate question (versus asking one just for the sake of asking) and contribute if you have something to say. Chances are, however, that you have plenty to add to a class and can use that to your advantage.

4. Go to your professor's office hours.

   Stop in to ask for help with your homework. Stop in to ask for advice on your research paper. Stop in to ask your professor's opinion about some of the research he is doing, or on the book she's talked about writing. Stop in to invite him or her to your poetry slam next week. But try to stop in!

5. Go to an event where your professor is speaking, or to a meeting for a club or organization your professor advises.

   Your professor is most likely involved in things on campus other than just your class. Go hear him or her lecture and stay afterward to ask a question or thank them for the speech.

6. Ask to sit in on another of your professor's classes.

   If you're trying to get to know your professor -- for a research opportunity, for advice, or just because he or she seems really engaging -- you most likely are interested in similar things. If they teach other classes that you might want to take, ask your professor if you can sit in on one of them this semester. It will indicate your interest in the field; additionally, it will undoubtedly lead to a conversation about why you're interested in the class, what your academic goals are while you're at school, and what interested you in the topic in the first place.

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Campus Highlight: Florida A & M Students

(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. Now that classes are back in session for many college students, the Campus Highlight feature will resume for the spring semester.)

Florida A&M has been in the news lately because of the suspected hazing death of one of its band members. And while I'm glad that the university is immediately investigating and working to halt an unacceptable culture where hazing existed, I also want to acknowledge the students on campus who are working at Florida A&M to create positive change.

As noted in a January 4 press release, over 100 Florida A&M students went to New Orleans over the winter break to help families who were affected by Hurricane Katrina. For three days, they participated in community service work (such as helping to rebuild and repair buildings) and "gave away hundreds of toys that were donated by FAMU's student body." Way to go, guys! It's great to see the fantastic work that college students do that often goes unappreciated, especially when other, more unfortunate incidents are hitting the headlines.

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Anti-Valentine's Day On Campus

Being single -- and in college -- with Valentine's Day approaching can be a special kind of torture. Everyone else may seem like they have big plans in the works for how to spend the evening, whereas your big plans might involve facebook and some homework (if you're lucky). Instead of letting a college Valentine's Day get you cranky, try these 5 tips of what to do on campus to make the day tolerable -- if not fun.

1. Plan a movie fest. Invite some friends over and plan a movie marathon. You can spend the entire night eating funky snacks, watching great (or even horrible) movies, and catching up with friends. Why not let yourself relax and enjoy a night off? You don't necessarily need a boyfriend or girlfriend to make it happen.

2. Cook yourself a nice dinner. You can use the kitchen in your residence hall, the kitchen at a friend's house, or any kitchen that you have access to. After spending an hour or so putting together a nice meal for yourself or friends, it's practically impossible not to feel good afterward. (Check out 12 Easy Meal Ideas for College Students for some suggestions.)

3. Throw an anti-Valentine's Day party. Chances are, you aren't the only person on campus to not be thrilled about the holiday. Plan an Anti-Valentine's Day Party -- for just a few friends or the entire campus -- that shows that those without boyfriends or girlfriends can have a good (if not better) time, too.

4. Get yourself together. It may sound strange, but when was the last time you woke up feeling totally put together? Instead of moping about being single, use the free time you have Valentine's Day evening to get yourself organized. Clean up your calendar, catch up on laundry, plan ahead for major papers and midterms, and get a head start on those assignments you've been avoiding. It may sound lame (okay, totally lame) at first, but you might be surprised at how good you feel after you're done. Who needs a date to go to bed feeling like a rock star?

5. Set up an online dating profile. Alright, you may be single, and you may be at peace with it -- but you may also be interested in changing that single status. Spend some time at your computer, setting up an online dating profile. Who knows what might happen?!

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