tips

4 Websites that Make College Easier

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by ChrisMedeiros on October 17, 2011

We students are practically required to be fully equipped with a laptop at all times for “schoolwork” purposes- which really means “aimlessly surfing the web.” While most of us tend to stick to the three essentials (Facebook, Youtube, and Wikipedia), there’s actually a whole bunch of sites out there that can make a student’s life much, much easier.

MEETING PROFESSORS IN PERSON IS SO 2010

So you have your schedule all picked out and your curious about what your professors will be like. Instead of taking a major risk and accidentally signing up for the hardest teacher on campus, check out Rate My Professor to find out what other students have to say. While it may seem a bit judgemental, the various ratings and comments definitely help you make better scheduling decisions.

STUDY HAXX0RZ

Back in the day, we had to use notebooks and pens to take down all the key information from textbooks and lectures, but popular online collaborate note services like WikiNotes and Sparknotes do all the work for you. And though it’s best NOT to use them as your primary study material, going over them will definitely help you to review and maybe even pick up a few things you didn’t notice.

KEEPING UP WITH YOUR CASH

The harsh reality for many of us as students is that it is extremely difficult to save money while trying to handle work, school, and your social life. Mint.com helps you keep track of all of your earnings, pay bills online, and lets you make personal budget plans to fit your lifestyle. They even have a mobile app!

BORED?

Ever just been sitting online for a crazy amount of time searching for something, but not sure what? College students usually have a lot of free time and rarely know how to use it. Hop on to Stumbleupon.com and you will see a whole new way to surf the web. This site will jump you to any sites you may find interesting and will change to your tendencies. Defintely useful- and fun!

 

What are some other helpful sites you use? Do you think Rate My Professor is a good or bad idea?

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The Elephant in the (Messy) Room

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by KellyWhelan on September 22, 2011

It’s one of the things dreaded most by college students everywhere: what if I get stuck with a roommate who’s an absolute slob? Now, some of you may be pretty laid back about cleanliness, but if your room starts to look like a bomb went off and smell like dirty gym sock, it might be time to put your foot down. So how do you deal with a messy roommate?

How OCD are you?

The first thing you need to do is figure out how much it bothers you. Maybe you’re super neat or maybe you’re someone who’s totally cool with everything until it comes to opened food containers buried underneath mountains of dirty clothes. If your roommate’s  giant pile of unfolded clothes at the foot of her bed is only slightly annoying to you, then maybe it’s not worth saying anything and potentially causing an argument. If, however, your roommate leaves his dirty underwear all over the floor and it’s keeping you up at night, you might want to speak up.

 

Break the Ice

Say something- and say something NOW. The sooner you bring it up the less awkward it will be. If you tell them about their messy habits beforehand in a calm manner (instead of at the last-minute when you’re just about to contact your RA), they’re going to be much cooler about it than if you were yelling and screaming at them. It sounds cliche, but if you ask nicely, chances are your roommate isn’t going to be a jerk about it.

 

What we have here is a failure to communicate…

So what happens if your roommate completely ignores your request- or, what it they promise to tidy up and then completely forget a week later? Well, you have a couple options. If you like your roommate and he seems to like you, you could nicely bring it up again. You don’t have to start lecturing her every time she forgets to close a drawer, but there’s nothing wrong with a friendly reminder now and then.

Another option is to tidy up what you can. By no means should you become the maid service for your dorm room, nor should you alphabetize his class notebooks without asking.  But, if your roommate ‘forgets’ to take out the trash-can that you guys share, would it really hurt for you to empty it when you notice it’s full?

 

Abandon Ship!

There are some cases where you’ll find yourself at a complete loss. If you politely made your request and you were met with open hostility, or a complete lack of respect then the only thing to do might be to involve the RAs, or maybe request a room transfer. It’s a shame, but some people just don’t mesh. Better save you and you’re incompatible roommate a lot of stress and get out of it while you still can.

 

What suggestions do you have for dealing with a messy roommate?

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Last-Minute Scheduling Tips

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by Patrick Simas on September 13, 2011

Summer is over and school is now here. Dorms are filled back up, friends are reminiscing about their summer adventures, and classes are being added and dropped for the upcoming semester. It’s during somewhat hectic the Add/Drop period that you can really work out the kinks and possibly create the ultimate schedule. Here are some last-minute tips to make sure you’re getting the most out of your semester.

  • FOOD : Make sure you have some gaps to grab some grub so you’re not running on an empty stomach. Also, this helps fit socializing with friends in a busy schedule by having lunches together.
  • BREAK IT UP : You might not be able to handle four classes in a day, so if you space everything out, then you can have a well-balanced schedule to fit other things in your week. Breaks between classes work wonders for studying, homework, and my personal favorite: napping.
  • AM OR PM? :  If you’re a night owl, then you might want to choose classes that are after 12PM. If you’re dreading that 8AM class, reconsider it so you don’t fail because you couldn’t get out of bed.
  •   THE REFRESH BUTTON : Trying desperately to get into a certain class? Repeatedly refresh InfoBear to snag that last seat. Students are constantly adding and dropping, so don’t lose hope! Keep on trying! It might help to shoot the professor an email as well- sometimes, they don’t mind having a 1-2 person overflow.
  • WANT AN EXTRA CREDIT? : Pick up a one credit course for three semesters straight, and you’ve already saved yourself from taking some ridiculous elective. There’s a bunch of different one0credit courses including basketball, swimming, yoga, film, and much more, so find one that tickles your fancy and go for it.
  • LOCATION : If your schedule is looking like a marathon back and forth across campus and you can afford to drop certain classes, then switch it up. Try and find some classes that are in the same area because you won’t want to walk 3 miles in the snow once December comes around.
  • FREE FRIDAYS! : Look for Monday/Wednesday classes and Tuesday/Thursday classes then you’ll have a very lovely friday morning/afternoon/whatever time you eventually wake up from a long night of “studying” on Thursday.
  • FALL/SPRING CLASSES ARE SO… MAINSTREAM : Want to lighten your course load? Find out if a course can be taken in the winter intercession or during summer break. Don’t overwhelm yourself!

Add/Drop period can be really stressful at times, but once you organize your schedule, little tweaks should be a breeze. Once you survive Add/Drop, then you just have to focus on your classes. Keep focused, don’t stress, and keep these tips in mind for whenever you choose classes.

Are you happy with your schedule for the fall or are you running around trying to add/drop just the right combination?

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