BSU Campus Center Blog

Being The First: Tips For First Generation College Students

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by ashleytwigg on October 6, 2010

Being the first in your family to go to college can be harder than it seems. You have this whole host of expectations for yourself and your family has expectations for you too. You want nothing more than to make them proud, do your best, and succeed. You will do all of these things and I promise you, your parents are already proud! However, there are a couple things that when I was first entering college I overlooked, so make sure to remember and consider these things.

College Costs Money
Obviously as a cheery senior graduating high school I did realize that college would cost money. However, I failed to think about such things as financial aid until about two days before school started. Silly me, forms need to be filled out prior to starting school. Your requests can be looked at, way before the semester starts.

You will be able to know exactly how much money you are getting in financial aid or how much money in loans you may need. It definitely beats scrambling around two weeks into the semester trying to fill out your FAFSA form two months after the deadline!

I Need What?
If you are the first in your family to go to college there are some things your parents just might not know you need. I recommend phoning a friend who attends college to see what you may need if you are living on campus. They can remind you that you’ll want some shower flip flops. They will also let you know that as ugly as rain boots can be you may want to invest in a pair.

They will tell you that eventually you may get a little sick of dining hall food so stock up on cereal and ramen noodles for the nights you are starving. Also, purchasing a decent pair of headphones to block out your noisy neighbors may be beneficial to your sleep and study habits.

I for one, was the sole person in my dorm room that came without some sort of mattress pad or egg crate cushion to put over my mattress. Trust me, You don’t want to be that guy.

Try It Out:

As you may know by now, I’m a big pusher on getting involved. Being the first in your family to go to college, you may not realize just how many organizations there are for you to join on campus or the events there are to attend. My advice: do it all! Go to events that sound different and visit club meetings that you may have some interest in.

Also, try not to head home on the weekends (and for commuters don’t leave campus right after class). Weekends and in between classes are chances to meet those who live on your floor or other students in your classes. By attending events and seeing everything the campus has to offer, you never know what you might like, where you will end up, or the great friends you could potentially make.

Ode To You:
Maybe as the first in your family to go to college you may not know everything there is to know about it yet. So What? You have four wonderful years to get it all down pat. Take your time! Some students may come from a long line of college goers but even for them- it is their first time going too! College is a brand new world for everyone. Be proud that you are going to school, because you deserve to be here, and this is just the beginning of a great series of successes in your life.

If you are the first in your family to go to college, what is it like for you? What are some tips you would have for incoming freshman?

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Make the MOST of your Columbus Day weekend!

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by HeidiFaith0 on October 5, 2010

I know it’s a little hard to believe, but we’ve been back to school for over a month! By now, I’m sure you’ve all had your first big projects/papers due or your first big exam of the semester, and you know you deserve a little mini vacation, right?

Now before you decide to dedicate the holiday to catching up on some sleep or holding a movie marathon, why not take advantage of the gorgeous autumn weather and take a day trip with some friends? New England is filled with fun, inexpensive local destinations that will turn your lazy Monday into a day that you’ll remember long after graduation.

HIT THE ROAD, JACK!

If you or someone you know has a reliable vehicle, pitch in a few bucks to cover gas money, and drive off to one of these great locations:

1) The Newport Mansions

Approximately 51 minutes southwest from Bridgewater State University, you will find the historic Newport mansions in Newport, RI. These gigantic homes were built and occupied by the big oil tycoons of the mid to late 19th century. Today, they are museums filled with antique furniture, art, and clothing. Newport was the “Beverly Hills” of the 1800′s and their owners spared no expense when it came to design.

If you’re looking for a fun Halloween twist, some of the mansions are rumored to be haunted. Ask around to the tour guides and you may learn a new ghost story to scare all your friends.

Until October 11, all of the 8 mansions are open from about 10AM to 4:30PM daily. Admission tickets can get a bit pricey, but most local libraries offer passes that will let you get in for a discounted price, or sometimes even free. For more info on the mansions, check out their website.

2) Apple Picking!

It’s officially THAT time of year in Massachusetts again! The apples are ripe and ready for harvesting. Tons of local “Pick-your-own” orchards will let you fill an entire basket with fresh apples for very little money. If you’re trying to eat healthier this semester, wouldn’t you rather keep a bag of fresh apples in your room to munch on when you get hungry instead of running down to the vending machine to grab a bag of chips?

Most of the local orchards offer much more than just apples. Visit a pumpkin patch, a petting zoo, or a farmer’s market to make the most out of your autumn harvest experience!

To find the orchard closest to you, check out Pick-Your-Own MA’s website. (Some of them are only a half hour drive from Bridgewater State University!)

3) Salem

Salem, MA is the place to be during the month of October. The city is best known for the historic, controversial “Salem Witch Trials” and, much to the early colonist’s dismay, those trials did nothing but secure the witch culture in Salem for the next three hundred years.

To start, check out the Salem Witch Museum to refresh your memory about what happened in 1692. Once you’ve gotten a feel for the supernatural flair of the city, go on a walking tour, participate in a re-enactment of one of the trials, or enjoy some live local music at one of the city’s restaurants.

For a complete schedule of all the events going on in Salem this month, click here.

NO CAR? NO PROBLEM!

Massachusetts is awesome in the sense that we know what we’re doing when it comes to public transportation. You can hop on one of the commuter rail lines and travel not just to Boston, but all over the state. If you do plan on going into the city for the day, here are some great ideas.

1) Museums, museums, museums!

Boston is blessed with tons of interesting museums- some of which you may not even know exist!

Check out: The Museum of Science, The New England Aquarium, The Museum of Fine Arts, The Old State House Museum, the JFK Presidential Museum & Library, The Institute of Contemporary Art, The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, or the USS Constitution Museum- just to name a few.

Local libraries offer free or discounted passes to most of these museums, and some of the museums offer a discount when you show a college ID, so don’t forget your Connect Card!

2) Boston Public Garden & Boston Common

The scenery this time of year is beautiful. The summer foliage is starting to turn over and it’s not dangerously cold out yet. Pack a bagged lunch and a big blanket and enjoy a nice fall picnic!

Once you finish, have a tourist moment and take a ride on one of the historic swan boats or simply do some people watching with your friends. Parks, walking trails, and other scenic outdoor destinations are always fun, unpredictable, and inexpensive. So, take advantage of all the nature Massachusetts has to offer and get outside!

So, now that you have some ideas, get planning! Enjoy your weekend!

What’s the best day trip you’ve ever been on? Have ever been anywhere that’s not on my list? Comment and let us know!

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5 Ways to Score an Amazing Internship

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by Courtney Cormier on October 4, 2010

So you’re in your senior year, taking a look back at the all the late nights studying, long weekends ‘networking’, and countless part time jobs. And a couple of road trips to the Cape sprinkled on top for panache.

But now, looking ahead, you have no idea what to do! Everyone your age has experience already and all you’ve got is working at McDonald’s for two months during the summer. Well I have good news and bad news.

Good News: There is always time to get an internship! Lots of work places take college grads as interns for the summer after they graduate, plus they are more likely to hire you full time come the fall!

Bad News: There are college seniors who have already had three internships and are applying for the same jobs as you. And sometimes, well most of the time, the experience on their resume will outshine your class work and other fluff you’ve put in to make it a page.

But have no fear! I’m here to help you find an award winning internship (or at least one to get by with) for the Spring. And who knows, maybe a potential job for after graduation!

1. There are a lot of websites out there to guide you in the right direction, one of my favorites is internshipratings.com. The website breaks the internships first by state, then major city and of course category. They have two rating systems, one involving questions on what type of work the internship involved and the other dealing with how the internship related to their school work. Also, they have a breakdown of what the internship can help with i.e., networking, salary compensation, fair hours etc. This website is best for the independent go get-er.

2. Career services, located on the ground floor of the Rondileau Campus Center, offers a wealth of knowledge for the unknowing. Not only will they edit your resume and give helpful suggestions, but if you are a senior you can schedule an appointment for Senior Recruiting. During Senior Recruiting they will let you in on all of the amazing events they host throughout the semester (found on their webpage) as well as talk to you about your future plans and how to make them happen!

3. Monster.com is an amazing resource for people looking for a job! It not only offers you a place to supply potential employers your resume, but it is all completely free! After signing up and uploading your resume, which has been critique by career services, you can begin searching through thousands of jobs in your industry as well as location. Although it may seem confusing at first, if you take a deep breath and just look around your first time on the site you’ll find your second visit is easy. By the third time you’ll have mastered it and be submitting you resume by the hundreds! And for people unsure of this- over the summer I was contacted by FMglobal‘s HR department who had found my resume on Monster and wanted to bring me in to interview for an editorial internship at headquarters! So remember not only are you able to submit your resume Employers are able to find you based on the qualities that they are looking for.

4. Create your own blog! A blog is an amazing way to put yourself out there. Not only can you share your own ideas about what is happening in your industry, but you can also create a name for yourself and showcase your writing ability. Another important tactic with blogs, is to add potential employer’s blogs to your google reader account, this way you can keep tabs on what is happening in your industry and be able to bring them up in your interview.

5. Up your Twitter game! Not only should you have a Twitter account, but you should also be tweeting..DAILY! Twitter is an important tool for college students, it not only gives them insight into the “real world”, in an easy to digest 140 characters, but it also shares current world events. My favorite part about twitter are hash tag chats. This is when a group of people get together and use the same hash-tag (#hashtag < that’s what you would put if you were in a chat talking about hash tags) to chat about something going on. You can usually jump into any chat, and can find them by following some industry leaders. Use these chats to network with the people you want to work for!

Hopefully this helps you on your way to finding your next, or first, internship!

Good Luck!

Have you had an Internship yet, Do you have other tips to finding one? How do you go about finding Internships/Jobs?

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