NEW! Articles for May

View the original article here

Reduce Stress During Finals Week

While college stress is constant throughout the semester, college stress during finals week takes it to a whole new level. These 6 easy ways to rest and relax during finals week can help you make it through the madness.

Difficulty: Easy

Time Required: Minimal

Here's How:

1. Get time away/alone. Chances are, everyone you know at school is stressed during finals week, too. Take a few minutes to take a walk off campus, treat yourself to a coffee in a place not full of stressed students, or find some other way/place that you can get yourself out of the finals-week environment, if even just for a few minutes.
2. Spend 3-5 minutes not doing anything. This is often more challenging than it sounds. But take a few minutes to turn off all of your technology and sit and relax -- even meditate, if you can. Those few minutes can calm your mind and your spirit while helping your refocus and recharge.
3. Spend 15-20 minutes doing something purely for fun. The break for your brain will do wonders for its productivity later. Watch silly YouTube videos, read a trashy magazine, play a video game, or Skype with a friend far away.
4. Get exercise in a low-stress situation. Translation: practice with your basketball team doesn't count. Go for a relaxing walk, ride your bike without knowing where you'll end up, or go for a quick jog. And if it's too cold outside, try something new in the gym. You might be surprised by how relaxed -- and energized! -- you feel afterward.
5. Attend a sporting event. If you're studying for finals at the end of the fall semester, chances are you can attend a football or basketball game during finals week. Leave your books in your room and really let yourself relax and enjoy, knowing that the time spent away will help your studying later.
6. Make a list -- and write down everything. For some people, making a list can really help reduce stress because it helps put things in perspective. The best way to get things organized, and to get a feeling of satisfaction, is to write down every single thing you need to do -- like eating breakfast/lunch/dinner, doing laundry, getting some sleep, and going to class. Getting things written down -- and then crossed off! -- can do wonders for your sense of control and accomplishment during a very busy time.

View the original article here

New Student Mondays: How to Meet People in College

One of the biggest concerns I hear from students about to start college deals with meeting people. How will I meet people? Will I like the other students there? Will I find friends? Will I find good friends? Will I like my roommate? How do I get to know people when I'm going somewhere where I know absolutely no one?

One simple -- but magical! -- fact that many students forget is that nearly everyone starting college with you is new and doesn't know anyone else, either. Fortunately, this simple fact totally changes the dynamics that usually exist in social situations. After all, it would take an exceptionally brave person to just walk up to everyone at a party where everyone knows each other and introduce himself or herself. When college first starts, however, everyone is new, so doing introductions and meeting people quickly becomes something you'll do 100 times a day. No matter how shy you are, it becomes difficult not to run into new folks or be involved in something where you have to talk to other students. So if you're worried about meeting people on campus, don't be! There are tons of ways to meet people in college and, better yet, tons of people in the exact same situation.

View the original article here

Father's Day Gift Ideas

True, you love your dad and admire all that he does for you and your family. And of course you want to get him something awesome for Father's Day. And yet ... the laws of mathematics and your bank account are severely limiting any grand plans you might have for Father's Day.

If you're still trying to figure out what to get dear ol' dad this Sunday, check out my list of college student Father's Day gifts. Because being a college student doesn't have to mean giving lame presents on major holidays, right? Right!

View the original article here

New Student Mondays: What to Do During Orientation

While each school does orientation differently, nearly every school does some kind of orientation program. It may be online; it may be for a day over the summer; it may be for a week in the fall, right before classes begin. No matter what it looks like, however, orientation is a critical part of making sure you start off on the right foot.

Fortunately, there are some basic rules to follow in order to make sure that you know how to make the most of orientation. Because who wants to be the meatball who doesn't know what's going on or where to go for help once the semester starts? Additionally, orientation is one of the best times to meet new people on your campus. Remember: Nearly everyone is new and trying to meet other people. Given that, trying to meet folks becomes a lot less awkward during orientation than it will be, say, two months from now.

Enjoy!

View the original article here

Are You Getting the College Life Newsletter?

One of the more enjoyable aspects of being the Guide to College Life here on About.com is writing a weekly newsletter. My main goal: Make your life easier. After all, you have enough to do without having to dig around online and spend time searching for help with, say, managing your stress or dealing with a bad roommate or finding out when your FAFSA is due. And, honestly, you get spammed with enough junk trying to take your time, energy, and money that, if I'm fortunate enough to be invited into your email inbox every Monday, I'm going to make sure I earn (and keep!) my spot there.

Registration is totally free and only takes a second. (There's no funky forms or questions; all you have to do is type in your email addy.) Additionally, I'm always open to suggestions if you have topics you want to see covered in the newsletter and/or elsewhere on the site. Feel free to email me!

View the original article here

50 College Summer Ideas

Your time in college -- during the academic year, that is -- is, of course, filled with stressors like classes, papers, lab reports, and exams. It is also happily filled with the fun stuff, like friends, parties, going out, and a seemingly endless schedule of upcoming events and activities. During the summer, however, the social scene in your life can drastically decrease, especially if you're no longer on campus and spend your days at a job or internship. What's a college student to do?

50 Ways to Stay Entertained Over a College Summer

1. Read a new release book. It can be science fiction, general fiction, trashy romance, murder mystery, historical fiction -- but it doesn't matter. Grab the latest release and let your brain take a break.
2. Read a classic. Always hearing about a classic book one of your friends or family members loves? Been curious about a novel you never read in high school? Summer is the perfect chance to finally sit down and read it.
3. Buy a magazine you don't usually read. It can be intellectual, like The Economist, or ridiculous and fun, like People. But when's the last time you just let yourself sit, veg out, and read a magazine?
4. Get an audio book. Fair enough: you may read enough during the year to not want your nose in another book over the summer. Consider buying (or getting from the library) an audio book that you can listen to while working out or driving around.
5. Volunteer. Think of the last time you volunteered. Didn't you feel great afterward? No matter where you leave, there's undoubtedly places that could use your time, energy, and smarts.
6. Try a new form of exercise. Been curious about yoga, pilates, spinning, or something else? The summer is a great time to explore something new and see if it's a fit.
7. Join a community sports team. Most places have community sports team that play in the summer; they can range from competitive baseball to completely silly kickball leagues. See what's in your area and what you can join for the few months you're free.
8. Take a class at the gym. Summer can be a great time to get in shape. Your local gym probably has classes you can join that will help you exercise your body -- and relax your brain.
9. Join a community group. Treat yourself to something fun that also gets you out into the community, like a running or hiking club.
10. Try a new video game. Seriously, it's summer. What better time is there to grab a new game and play it without worrying about that paper you'd have to write if it were the school year?
11. Watch a movie marathon. You can rent a ton of your faves or just watch a themed-marathon on a TV network.
12. Spend a weekend seeing all the new releases. Grab a friend and see if you can see all the new releases in one weekend. With food in the theater, there's no reason why you can just spend all day there, seeing movie after movie!
13. Try a new idea: breakfast and a movie. Just wake up? Call a friend and meet at a local place that serves 24/7 breakfasts ASAP. Then amble over to the theater and enjoy whatever movie is next playing. Added bonus: breakfast is cheaper than dinner, and matinees are cheaper than the later shows.
14. Take a bus or a train somewhere new. Flying can be so cheap these days that folks sometimes forget about the bus or train. But sometimes the journey is half the fun, and you'll see new parts of the country you'd never see from the air.
15. Take a quick flight somewhere new. Since flights, especially last-minute deals, can be so cheap, why not hop a flight this weekend and see a friend?
16. Learn an instrument. You may have always had a desire to play the piano, learn the flute, or even play the drums. Why not learn now when you have the time and freedom to really put your heart into it?
17. Get a head start on your fall classes. Alright, this one may sound lame, but it can do wonders for your mental health to look over your syllabi and perhaps get a head start on the reading -- especially for a class you might be geeked out about.
18. Set up systems for success for the new year. Okay, this also sounds lame, but think about it: Did you struggle with time management? Being organized? Spending a little time now, while you have it, may save you a lot of time and frustration once school starts.
19. Take an online class. You won't have to commute, you can save some cash, and you might even get ahead on the credits you'll need to graduate.
20. Build a personal website. If you're going to be graduating next year, a personal website can be a great way to advertise yourself to future employers and show them all your mad skills. Make sure to keep it clean and professional.
21. Do something that challenges your fears. Terrified of skydiving? Bungee jumping? And yet ... do you secretly also want to try them? Grab a friend and conquer your fears.
22. Go camping. Camping during the school year can be a challenge, both because of your workload and because of the weather. Utilize all that summer has to offer for the great outdoors.
23. Take an art class. Learning to make potter or how to paint, for example, can be a great way to learn how to release your creative side.
24. Try a new kind of food or restaurant. Heard people talk about how delicious Peruvian food is, for example? Or have you always been secretly afraid to try sushi? Challenge yourself to try something new (to you).
25. Experiment in the kitchen/Learn to cook. During school, you probably don't have much time to learn how to cook; you just need food, fast. Use some of your summer free time to learn how to cook.

View the original article here