10 Reasons to Visit Home

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5. The Town: If you are anything like me, there issomehow a sweet comfort in returning to that place that you know like the back of your hand. The shops, the park, the food joints, the movies, and even the High School is fun to go back and visit. It's just cool to be back in that familiar air again.
4. No Pressure: Oh, this one is the best. Going home means a break from reality. No school, no class, no fellow students, no college buzz, no pressure! It is so relaxing to be able to go back and plop down on the couch with a non-school-related book and chill out while munching on that favorite snack mom always makes. If you ask me, it is needed every now and then. Just go home, chill out, have fun, and enjoy!

3. Be a kid again: Do you ever find yourself acting ten years younger when you go home? This is especially a problem for the baby of the family. You go home and it's just when you were a kid again. Of course, it doesn't help that mom waits on you hand and foot and you have no responsibilities. But that isn't necessarily a bad thing! I think it is ok to go home an be a kid again from time to time.

2. Money: Or should I say lack there of? Usually, going home means not having to worry about finances for a couple of days. Parents love to help out their kids. Coming home means they take you to dinner and pick up a few things you need while their at Walmart. It is really appreciated after a semester of scraping for change.

1. Love: Yes, I know it is mushy, but it's true. How nice is it to go home to be in a place where you are loved. Even if it is just for a little while, and bickering may happen, but feeling all the love of friends, family, animals and just the cozy comfort of home is simply a great feeling. You have to love it.

10 Registration Suggestions for Freshmen

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5. Be realistic: Schedule for class times you will go to. Avoid 8ams or night classes. Trust me on this one. If you are not a morning person now...don't pretend you'll be one next semester. This is the great thing about college! You don't have to take a class early if you don't want to. Same with night classes. It sounds like a good idea at first, but if you are a social person, it will be hard to choose going to class over hanging out with your friends.

4. Don’t overload: Unless you are fixed on taking the fast track out of here, don't try to do 18 hours every semester. If you did it at first, just remember that your classes will get harder. It is a lot harder to load up with work than it sounds. Just be wise when planning out how much you can handle.

3. Talk to friends: See what they’re taking. It makes it a lot easier to take a class with a friend. Not only does it make it more fun, but it is easier to go to. You will have accountability. Plus, if you miss a day, you will have someone to call to catch up. This also applies to needing help in class or if you forgot something about an assignment.

2. Spread out hard courses: This is just a suggestion. This isn't best for everyone, but most find it to be the best plan. If you know that there are several science or math courses coming up, spread them out. Try to keep them separate if you can. This goes along with being careful about how much pressure you plan for yourself.

1. Keep records: Hang on to your unofficial transcript, 8 semester graduation plan, and write down the requirements for your major. You will need these! Especially towards the end of your college career. Plus, it will make a huge difference to your adviser if you come in prepared every semester.

10 Howl-oween Ideas

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5. Trick or Treat: You can't forget the classic. I don't care how old you are, this age-old tradition never goes out of style. If you need something really great to do on Halloween, dress up and go door to door. If you need a really good excuse, take a niece, nephew, or neighbor. It'll be fun and you'll come out of it with a sweeeet treat.
4. Pumpkin Carving: This is so much fun. Although, this tradition is not as easy as it sounds or looks. First bit of advice, make sure you get an actual carving pumpkin. Small, pie pumpkins rot fast. Second bit of advice, be prepared for some work. If you are, it can be a load of fun. Get creative!
3. Haunted House: You won't catch me at a haunted house this time of year. Or ever. But I do know that most people get a strange kick out of being scared to death and chased around by men with chainsaws. SO, if that is you, look up some of the popular ones around town and have a frighteningly good time!
2. Scary Movie : Again, not a personal fave, but quite popular. There are a couple really scary movies in theater right now. Rumor has it, there's few better ways to get scared during this spooky season. Or there is also the renting options. Go out and rent some of the classic scary movies, make some snacks, and have yourself a freaky night.
1. Party: Number one for a reason. This is my favorite way to celebrate any holiday. Get a group of friends together and go at it. Include themed decor, food, music and dancing. It doesn't get much better than that. So go ahead and have a very spooky, frightening, scary, and of course happy HOWLoween!

10 Ways to Save

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5. Don’t waste anything! Save leftovers for later, use the backs of paper, reuse plastic cups and plates, and use Wal-mart sacks as bags as often as possible. Be creative and you’ll be surprised how less often you are in need of buying replenishments of this and that.
4. Use your flex: If you didn't know, you can use your flex dollars in the campus store to buy things like toilet paper or snacks. This fund is already paid for and you have to use it by the end of the year or it goes to waste. Use it to avoid spending real money at the store as often as possible.
3. Find less expensive activities: You can have just as much fun on the weekend playing cards with your friends than going to the movies or Memphis. Save coslty events for special occasions. On normal weekends go to the football game or just have a group over to hang out and watch some t.v. It will literally pay off.
2. Look for deals: When you do go out, take advantage of promotions. For example, there are several nights at the bowling alley in Jonesboro that offer special discounts. Pick nights like these to go out. Search online or make some calls to discover the cheapest way to spend your hard-earned money.
1. Practice self-control: Just don't! Think hard before you spend. Ask yourself three times...do I need this? Can I afford this? Is this worth the money? Counter these thoughts by some others. What else could I spend this on? Do I have any expenses coming up? Could I save this instead? These questions could save you more than you can imagine in the long run.

10 Ways to Make it to Class

5. Count down! Think to yourself, "Okay, after today there are only 15 more times I have to come to this class." Then be positive. "I can do that. Only 15 more." And so on. It will give yourself less of a hopeless "I can't do this anymore!" kind of attitude.

4. Motivate yourself: Think ahead. You are at college for a reason. This is a great opportunity. Think about your future and what you will do with your degree. Is it worth it? In order to get there, you must actually go to class. Then go.

3. Enjoy class: Find something, anything, about each class that you enjoy. Maybe it is a friend in there with you. Maybe it is the access to computers. Maybe it is the subject matter or class discussion. When you think you just can’t go to another one of these classes, remind yourself there is at least something small you don’t hate about it. And go for that.

2. Imagine the big picture: It may seem like forever away, but for most you have about four years before you graduate. That’s not forever, at least not in the long run. Just tell yourself that this is a small season of your life. It will pass. The days where you have to drag yourself to class will soon turn to days where you get up to go to that job you love every day. Just remember, it isn’t forever.

1. Your money: You are paying for an education. Or at lease someone is. Don’t waste those funds. If it is scholarship, think of how hard you worked to get it and how there are some who didn’t receive it and are paying out of pocket. Either way, it is expensive. So get the best out of it! Seek your education with a whole heart. Go to class!

10 Reasons to Befriend an International Student

5. Help them out: If you are familiar with how things work around the college environment, you know that it would be tough to survive without friends. Think about how often you call on others for help with school, rides, problems, etc. This is the case for internationals too. They have a lot of adjusting to do once they arrive at Astate. Be a part of helping them out.
4. Learn something: There are students from all over the world at our school! That is so cool. Think of all the things they know about that we don’t. Or even just interesting things that occur in their culture, but not ours. Not only small interesting facts, but true life lessons. These students have a lot to share.
3. Share your beliefs: Ever have the desire to take your thoughts or beliefs to the nations? You don’t have to wait until you can hop on a plane and travel world-round. Strike up a conversation with a Chinese or African student. You’ll be amazed at how interested they usually are in what Americans believe. Good luck finding an American that interested in what you have to say.
2. They are a big portion of our student body: How can we just ignore such a great percentage of our student body!? They are in the cafeteria, in your classes and maybe even your roommates. We have a multi-cultural population here. That is a really great thing. Don’t consider them the minority. Consider them your peers.
1. Why wouldn’t you?...: Finally, what is stopping you? These are real people. Do you intentionally exclude other American peers? If so, that seems very…high school. We are adults now. Chances are we are going to be working with a vast variety of cultures in just a few years in our full-time jobs. Embrace it. What are you waiting for?

Top Ten Time Management Skills

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5. Write things down: Make sure you write down any assignments or appointments. It is a lot easier to forget things than we let ourselves think. This is especially problematic as the semester goes on and our workload increases significantly. Don’t let yourself get behind because you relied on your memory. And once you write it down…remember where you wrote it!

4. Prioritize: Think about what is most important. Is it school? Which class? Which assignment? Then what? Work? Friends? Make sure you are not leaving the most important responsibilities for last, but also make sure they are orderly first. This helps a lot with school. I suggest doing what is hardest first. Next, move on to your major and minor work. Finish with the small assignments. There’s not much more stressful than having your biggest assignment left to do and not enough time left to do it.

3. Sleep counts: Don’t leave sleeping out of your schedule. Get rest. And make sure you are getting enough. More than that, it should be quality rest. Get on a healthy sleep pattern and adjust to it. This will be easier to do if you are managing your time wisely! Then, you will feel more refreshed and be more physically and mentally able to do what you need to do.

2. To-do lists: Most people have mental versions of these at least. Try to put it on paper. Not your schedule, but your tasks. Where you need to go, what you need to start and finish, etc. This will also help you put better thought into prioritizing things. For satisfaction sake, check off the tasks you complete. You will feel mightily rewarded when you fill in that last check!

1. Have you-time: Save time for you! Even if it seems like you are wasting time, make sure you have at least an hour a day to just chill. Read a non-academic book or go for a run. Just do something alone that you enjoy. It will give you the break you need to get everything else done. While it may seem like it is giving you less time in a day, it is actually enabling you to finish out the day feeling like you accomplished all you should.

10 Reasons Not To Go Home So Often

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5. Expensive: Making the drive home, even if it is only an hour, can take up quite a bit of funding if you make a habit of it. Not just the obvious gas expense, but also the money spent on snacking, packing and any other additional attention your trip may require. If you can just stay put and have a great time on a cheaper budget, why wouldn’t you?

4. Academic strain: Studies also show that students can make a lot better improvements on test scores and assignments if they are completing their work in the same atmosphere that it was assigned, as long as the same place where peers and tutoring sessions are offered.

3. Fun: There will always be stuff going on at home that you can return to, but here, there are great new opportunities to get involved! Typically, your adjustment at school and the amount of fun you have while on-campus will directly correlate to how often you stay and how often you leave. So stay! Or else you will never have time to adjust and learn to love the good times at your school.

2. Growing up: Going home all the time is going to keep you from experiencing the most important aspect of going off to college. It is growing up. You quickly learn how to make it on your own and how to be your own person. While this process could still occur with a person who frequently goes home, it will probably be much slower and less effective.

1. Missing the point: The whole idea of going away to college is to step out of the box and take that next step in life! Get away from what you are use to and embrace the point of the college experience! It is well worth the discomfort!

Ten Fitness Opportunities

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5. Fitness Assessment: (October 13 and 15; December 1 and 3) Participants are given a fitness assessment including testing of their flexibility, cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength and body composition. The assessment is followed by recommendations on how to improve or maintain their fitness level.

4. Bench Press Challenge: (October 20) A weight is assigned and participants are to bench press this as many times as possible. Men will be assigned to bench press their own body weight and women will be assigned half of their own body weight.

3. Get-A-Grip Challenge: (November 10) This entails hanging from a chinning bar for as long as the participant can with arms straight and hands not touching. This must be done without the use of artificial support such as chalk or wrist straps.

2. Fitness Challenge: (December 1) This challenge will include bar hanging, bench pressing and stretch running. Points for participation are accumulated for completing each activity. Performance points are also awarded for placing in the top five of each activity.

1. Daily Fitness Center Access: (DAILY) The fitness center is open often. Find a time in your schedule to visit and utilize the equipment. Just a little while a day can make a huge difference in your overall fitness and health.