TRCGB

By Elizabeth Cunningham for The Real College Guide

It’s natural to be a little anxious about the change of pace from summer to school — but if you take advantage of the beginning-of-the-school-year energy and lighter workload to get a jump on the year, you’ll feel ultra-prepared. From your social life to academics to settling into your new dorm or apartment, here’s how to get your place in order, social life on track and brain in gear from the moment you set foot on campus:

1. Get Settled
Dorm rooms and campus apartments are designed to be utilitarian, so getting organized and personalizing your space are key to feeling like you have a home.

• First things first Unpacking can be overwhelming, to say the least, but Vassar College senior Katie Hoople has this advice: “I always make my bed first. It’s really nice to have an oasis of calm in the middle of all the chaos.” There really is something about tidy bedding that makes the whole room seem more polished.
• Pull it together When it comes to dorm rooms and apartments with limited space, there isn’t enough praise in the world for closet organizers, available at most discount stores. If you’re driving to campus, you can even pack your clothes right into the organizers and just hang them when you arrive.
• Spiff up your space Late summer and early fall are prime time for yard sales — and are right in the college student’s price range. Plus, distinctive accessories will give your space a unique “decorator” touch. “Last fall, I found this awesome bedside table at a yard sale,” says University of Colorado junior Samantha Rosenberg. “It was shaped like an elephant and only cost me 50 cents!”

2. Be Social
Whether you’re a freshman searching Internet groups for friendly faces or an upperclassman whose friends have been scattered all summer, make some plans to socialize.

• Get involved Most campuses have activity fairs early in the year to drum up interest in extracurricular groups. “Extracurriculars are one of the easiest ways to find people you have something in common with, so you’re almost guaranteed to make some new friends when you join a group — and you can’t have too many friends,” says Hoople. Don’t be afraid to over-commit yourself at the beginning then drop activities as you figure out your schedule and priorities.
• Get out No doubt, there’ll be some crazy campus parties at night — especially before classes start. But when it comes to catching up with good friends (or making connections with friends-to-be), it’s way nicer to be in a calm atmosphere where you actually can hold a conversation. Check out options close to campus — look for things like ice skating, apple picking or bowling.
• Stay in Another great way to reconnect with your college friends is to have a night in. Says Roanoke College senior Madison Elliott: “Try a game night! Board games are great because you can talk the whole time. I try to stay away from TV activity when I’m meeting or catching up with friends because we talk through the whole thing.”
• Cook something up Hoople suggests getting reacquainted over some home cookin’: “My friends love to cook together, whether it’s a three-course meal or just a batch of cookies. If you have access to a kitchen, making food can be a great way to bond.”

3. Get Smart
It’s time to buckle down and get back into the habit of classes and homework. Natalie Friedman, visiting assistant professor of English and associate director of the Learning, Teaching and Research Center at Vassar College, has some advice for getting back into the academic swing of things:

• Take it easy “Professors know students need to get their heads in gear,” says Friedman, “so the beginning of the semester is a bit slower and lighter than the middle or end. Take it slow and easy, but don’t let things pile up. If you feel overwhelmed, try to do little assignments first. But don’t put them off, or you’ll never get to them.”
• Mind thy syllabus “It’s both a schedule and contract with your professor,” says Friedman. “She tells you what and when she expects from you; you agree to complete the reading and writing assignments and to be a good citizen in class. Don’t lose your syllabus — put it somewhere safe.” If it’s electronic, Friedman recommends keeping a version of it on your desktop or on a management program such as Microsoft Office.
• Buy your books “Don’t leave this errand for later,” advises Friedman. “Don’t promise yourself you’ll browse Amazon or other places for cheaper versions of the texts when you have time. You’ll never have more time than you do at the beginning of the semester. Do that task now.” Check out this site’s new Student Resource Directory for online book sources.
• Ask for help “If you find you’re really struggling with the transition, check out your campus resources. Many campuses have support services such as a writing center, notetaking service and even peer tutoring. Sometimes, all you need is someone else to be accountable to — try the buddy system with a friend, and be honest with each other about deadlines and the work you’re getting done.”

Crowdsourcing is still an experimental, controversial system that’s nevertheless taking hold in the business world. But it’s also gaining fast traction in academia and could create new opportunities on campus, at online universities and in the field. From IT help desks to scientific research to making job connections, here are 10 awesome examples of crowdsourcing in the college classroom and beyond.

1. GrouperEye: This “survival of the fittest” project was started by and for college students looking for contract gigs. Businesses post a case on GrouperEye’s website and leave it open to students to solve. The company picks the best solution, and the student who came up with the idea is paid.

Click Here To See The Rest…

via OnlineUniversities

By Nancy Mucciarone for The Real College Guide

After living in a cramped dorm room, coming home to your own bedroom can be a relief. But what happens if you open your bedroom door…to find that your old space is nothing like you left it?

When Syracuse University rising senior Aleecia Kaloustian got home from college, she found her room had become an art studio: “I walked in, and it was covered with drop cloths with my mom’s easels set up all over … I didn’t know where to sleep or put my stuff!” Getting home from college and finding you no longer have a bedroom is a stressful way to start your break, but there are ways to cope:

1. Don’t go into freak-out mode.
Panicking will only make things worse, so relax and assess the situation. “Keep in mind, the initial reaction getting home from college is not going to be the way things feel all summer,” says Marjorie Savage, Parent Program Director at the University of Minnesota and author of You’re on Your Own (But I’m Here If You Need Me): Mentoring Your Child During the College Years.

“When you first get home, you might be surprised at changes that contrast with how you remembered family life. This disappointment is complicated by the fact that you’ve just gone through finals, packing and leaving your college friends. Try to separate the leaving-school emotions from emotions about being back home.”

Once you’ve gotten over the initial shock, talk to your parents — calmly.
While Kaloustian was upset that her room was no longer hers, after she expressed her feelings to her mom, the situation was fixed: “She felt bad, so she moved everything quickly and doesn’t paint in my room anymore.”

2. Stake out another space.
Says Savage: “I typically tell parents, ‘Don’t change your student’s room until they get their first apartment.’ They still need permanent space in their lives, especially if they’re home for the entire summer. Having said that, I was one of those parents who sent her kids to college and then moved across the state — to a house too small to accommodate bedrooms for all — but I did help them find their own space. One took over a spare room; the other carved out a private space in the basement.”

Grace Brennan, rising junior at Syracuse, came home during freshman year to find her house in disarray as her parents were in the process of moving. Her sister had taken some things out of her room, and her mom had invaded her space: “Even though I still had my own room, it didn’t feel like my room anymore. All my pictures and decorative stuff were gone, and my sister took my full-sized bed so I had a twin. And my mom used my computer and desk all the time, so it wasn’t my own space.”

During spring break this year, the family moved to a new home, where Brennan has to share a room with her sister. “Feeling like there wasn’t a place I could go and be comfortable and not worry about being bothered by a younger sister or brother or mom was annoying,” she says. “But there is a loft area that is sort of part of my sister’s room. I just made that my own room.”

3. Get outta the house!
“Find things to do outside your room or outside the house,” advises Savage. “Don’t simply sit in front of your computer surfing the Net or playing video games.”

Brennan hangs out in her backyard during the summer: “I spend a lot of time on my deck or lawn relaxing and don’t need to be in my room. Going home feels more like a vacation now as opposed to going to school feeling like time away. Realizing that made it easier for me to accept that my room isn’t really mine anymore.”

4. Take it like an adult.
“Everyone in the family has made changes based on the student being gone,” explains Savage. “Students need to understand that just as they have changed since leaving for college, the rest of the family has changed as well. The student’s return, while generally a pleasant homecoming experience, actually juts into the parents’ and siblings’ comfort zones too.

“It’s a good bet that the younger sister who suddenly has a roommate is feeling cramped, and the parent who happily escaped into that art studio is probably feeling some loss of an important space. The returning student doesn’t have to feel guilty about those reactions, but it’s important to know it’s not ‘all about me.’ Your family did not intentionally set up the household in a new way to cause you discomfort. They’ve made adjustments based on changes that came naturally with your transition to college. Understanding that can be the basis for a calm discussion about how to meet the needs of all family members.”

American colleges and universities are built on the idea that higher education is a public right but also a privilege. With knowledge comes responsibility and accountability, and students, faculty members, administrators and counselors are all expected to act in a way that promotes these values. Unfortunately, the integrity of schools’ reputations are compromised after certain individuals act unethically and even illegally. As you complete your online classes, consider the stories of these top 10 con artists in academic history, and remember your commitment to the principles of higher education.

Read the full list here…

via OnlineClasses.org

Guest post from BookRenter.com

_________

School’s out for summer…or not. A recent poll of our Facebook fans showed that many students choose to take at least one class during summer. It’s not the most relaxing thing to do over break, but the benefits you reap are a good reason to keep those pencils sharpened.

Most schools offer multiple summer sessions, too, so if you’re not already registered for a class, it’s not too late.  Check out our quick and dirty list of why summer school is a good thing, it just might send you class shopping:

1. If you’re able to take classes at a school other than your own, there’s a good chance your letter grade will be converted to a pass or fail grade once you transfer your credit.  Although this keeps you from boosting your GPA by attending an easier college, it also gives you the freedom to slack off a bit.  Just think of how much less stressful it is to focus on getting a C rather than going for an A!
2. If your school allows you to transfer credits, you can take a summer class at a school that costs less money. Community colleges in particular are known for their low price per class unit.  Classes are so cheap that often times buying the textbook costs more than the class- another good reason for you to rent textbooks.
3. Some classes are only offered in summer or are so popular during the regular school year that you can’t get in.  Taking a class like this, or one that’s notoriously difficult, during summer helps you manage your regular schedule better and keeps you sharp for when you start back in fall.  Summer courses are also known to have a higher professor-student ratio, so you’ll get more interaction with your teacher and classmates.

Last, but not least, is the fact that taking summer school will help you graduate faster, and who doesn’t want that? That’s when school will really be out for summer.

By Eric Pilch for The Real College Guide

Sleeping until the wee hours of the afternoon and clocking in hours of TV marathons can seem tempting after a year’s worth of school work. However, a recent study conducted by the Johns Hopkins Center for Summer Learning found that students of all ages actually experience learning loss if they don’t engage in educational activities during the summer. We can’t make this stuff up. So, unless getting stupider is on your to-do list, consider slapping these suggestions on your summertime syllabus:

Play Games

If you have the keen intellect (or plain-old patience) to complete crossword puzzles and sudoku, but these brain-building bad boys are a great way to keep your mind in shape and build cognitive skills. For social smarts, call some friends over for a game of poker. And if you’re hesitant to leave your friends (on Facebook), take a stab at the site’s popular Geo Challenge, Word Challenge or Crazy Taxi. (OK, the last one’s just for fun.) Any more brain busters?

Gain Virtual Knowledge

For those with an unquenchable thirst for knowledge (and yes, we’re talking to you, Ivy Leaguers), Academic Earth and iTunes U are absolutely riveting resources. Academic Earth is an online collection of lectures and public events from many of the country’s most outstanding thinkers. Find everything from “Stellar Mass Black Holes” to “The Global Future” in high-quality video. Part of Apple’s popular music software, iTunes U has the best collection of audio and video materials from top universities, such as Harvard, Oxford and MIT. You can even catch President Obama’s recent commencement address at Notre Dame. The best part is that both services are free as long as you have a computer and Internet connection. And who doesn’t love free crap?

Write Stuff

Although there’s no need to sweat over all-night study sessions just yet, it’s a good idea to keep up on your writing skills. And just like counting birthday messages on your Facebook wall doesn’t count as brushing up on math, we’re not counting texting, BBMing or you plastering your BFF’s Facebook wall as “writing”. If you don’t already keep a diary, start one. Every night, you can record your deepest, darkest secrets or — if you fear you’re not that interesting — try writing a story about something that made you laugh or gawk or cry that day. And don’t get discouraged if you miss a day or two, although you will get a kick out of it when you can go back later and reminisce about your sa-weet summer.

Go by the Book

Want a get-smart shortcut? Of course you do: The easiest way to keep your mind on the mark is to pick a book and read it. Duh. Here are some suggestions if you want to read something that’s:

• Inspiring Brew a cup of herbal decaf (or be a contentious objector and grab a cup o’ joe) and sit down with Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace…One School at a Time. This best-selling memoir tells the inspiring story of Greg Mortenson, who was taken in by villagers after getting lost mountain-climbing in a remote part of Pakistan.
• Dramatic Barefoot: A Novel, by Elin Hilderbrand, is a story that’s perfect for curling up with during your summer escape, since it follows three women vacationing in Nantucket to escape marital problems, a career-ending mistake and a debilitating illness.
• Hilarious Check out When You Are Engulfed in Flames, a collection of essays (perfect for short attention spans) by the famously funny and oft-inappropriate David Sedaris, who will keep you laughing from cover to cover.