Here it is! Finals week. Classes are over! But we still have those ever-anticipated finals. So, as a somewhat experienced students, here is my advice for handling the stress of five tests piled up all at once.
1. Sleep. This one should be easy. On the days you don't have tests, get extra rest. Don't go crazy and stay up or party all night every night. Be smart. Besides, college will teach you to appreciate sleep if it hasn't just yet.
2. Study methods. This is important. Take advantage of some online tips to help you study. These are particularly helpful when you have so many at once. Check out some of my previous blogs for some of my favorite methods.
3. Eat. Stay nourished and energized. The caf remains open through finals or just keep some snacks in your room. Make sure to get some fruit and granola in there, but don't totally neglect the fun salty sweet snacks either. And then, of course, there is the late night breakfast on Dead Day. Always a great way to store up for your upcoming week of stress and exams.
4. Finally, just have fun. I mean, it may be finals, but it's also a really fun week to hang out. This is a great way to relieve stress. Go hang out with people. After all, you may not see some of them all summer. Don't spend all week studying in the library. Take some time to chill. It'll pay off.
Well, I hope you enjoyed my rants for the past semester. Have a great summer!
Monday, April 27, 2009
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Five Things to Consider When Registering for Classes
It's that time of the semester. Time to pick and register for our Fall classes. Before you make anything official, try a few pre-registration tips that will help you assure a satisfying semester.
1. Think ahead. It's easy to think of next semester as very far away, but don't forget that you are setting up yourself. In only a few months, you will be faced with the way you set things up now. So, although it may seem doable to say now, "Yeah, I'll just sign up for an eight o'clock...," if you aren't the best at making those early classes now, you probably won't be in August either.
2. Trust your adviser. When you go in to meet with your adviser, don't just see it as a requirement that gets your hold lifted. Believe it or not, they know what they are talking about. They have experience with this sort of thing. Make sure your classes are lining up with your plan to graduate. You don't want to just make things easy until your senior year, when you have no choice left but to take a full load.
3. Try talking to upperclassmen. If you know someone older than you in your college, ask them for their advice. These students will be able to suggest classes, teachers, and even whether or not you will really need your books for certain classes, despite what the syllabus may say.
4. www.ratemyprofessors.com-This site, while controversial, really can be of service to students. Maybe you are about to enroll in a course that you are sure will be tough for you. If so, this site can give you an idea of how helpful the teacher may actually be. It can be of more use than seeing whether or not you actually have to attend class.
5. Even things out. Don't pile all your difficult major classes up for the end. Even if it is your freshmen year, it is smart to get some gen eds out of the way, as well as some of the harder classes if you can. Have a plan and write it out. Use one of the advising sheets for your major. Be smart about the way your collegiate career will begin and end.
1. Think ahead. It's easy to think of next semester as very far away, but don't forget that you are setting up yourself. In only a few months, you will be faced with the way you set things up now. So, although it may seem doable to say now, "Yeah, I'll just sign up for an eight o'clock...," if you aren't the best at making those early classes now, you probably won't be in August either.
2. Trust your adviser. When you go in to meet with your adviser, don't just see it as a requirement that gets your hold lifted. Believe it or not, they know what they are talking about. They have experience with this sort of thing. Make sure your classes are lining up with your plan to graduate. You don't want to just make things easy until your senior year, when you have no choice left but to take a full load.
3. Try talking to upperclassmen. If you know someone older than you in your college, ask them for their advice. These students will be able to suggest classes, teachers, and even whether or not you will really need your books for certain classes, despite what the syllabus may say.
4. www.ratemyprofessors.com-This site, while controversial, really can be of service to students. Maybe you are about to enroll in a course that you are sure will be tough for you. If so, this site can give you an idea of how helpful the teacher may actually be. It can be of more use than seeing whether or not you actually have to attend class.
5. Even things out. Don't pile all your difficult major classes up for the end. Even if it is your freshmen year, it is smart to get some gen eds out of the way, as well as some of the harder classes if you can. Have a plan and write it out. Use one of the advising sheets for your major. Be smart about the way your collegiate career will begin and end.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Three Fun Ways to Celebrate Easter in the Dorms
Easter is this weekend and as students, we may not have to opportunity to do something major with our families, especially if our homes are a distance away. We do, however, have some options of how to enjoy ourselves right here in the dorms on campus. Here are some of my favorite ideas...
1. Easter Egg Hunt. The Student Union supposedly held one of these this week, but I have yet to see any eggs on campus. I suggest a hunt between friends. Go buy some cheep eggs at WalMart and fill them with candy or little toys or even nothing as a joke. Hide them all around your dorm or apartment parking lot and around the buildings. Then have everyone take off in search of them. Maybe even make it a contest for whoever finds the most eggs and have some sort of a winning prize.
For ideas try: http://www.celebrating-easter.com/party/egg-hunt-ideas.shtml
2. Egg Toss. You know the traditional game. If you want to make it really interesting, use raw eggs. Grab a group of lively friends and head to a lot or field on campus. Put team members on each end and toss away, trying not to break too many. The person with the least broken wins. Feel free to incorporate fun rules such as standing on one leg or tossing backwards.
3. Egg dying. This one is my favorite! It can be messy of course, but still fun. Get a group together in your room or the lobby of your dorm. Have everyone bring a dozen or so eggs and have some colored dye ready. Bring napkins. Lots of napkins. There are even some fun designs and ideas you can research online to make it interesting. Go egg crazy.
Try: http://www.dltk-holidays.com/easter/dye.htm or http://www.celebrations.com/article/easter-activities-20-easter-egg-decorating-ideas
Happy Easter!
1. Easter Egg Hunt. The Student Union supposedly held one of these this week, but I have yet to see any eggs on campus. I suggest a hunt between friends. Go buy some cheep eggs at WalMart and fill them with candy or little toys or even nothing as a joke. Hide them all around your dorm or apartment parking lot and around the buildings. Then have everyone take off in search of them. Maybe even make it a contest for whoever finds the most eggs and have some sort of a winning prize.
For ideas try: http://www.celebrating-easter.com/party/egg-hunt-ideas.shtml
2. Egg Toss. You know the traditional game. If you want to make it really interesting, use raw eggs. Grab a group of lively friends and head to a lot or field on campus. Put team members on each end and toss away, trying not to break too many. The person with the least broken wins. Feel free to incorporate fun rules such as standing on one leg or tossing backwards.
3. Egg dying. This one is my favorite! It can be messy of course, but still fun. Get a group together in your room or the lobby of your dorm. Have everyone bring a dozen or so eggs and have some colored dye ready. Bring napkins. Lots of napkins. There are even some fun designs and ideas you can research online to make it interesting. Go egg crazy.
Try: http://www.dltk-holidays.com/easter/dye.htm or http://www.celebrations.com/article/easter-activities-20-easter-egg-decorating-ideas
Happy Easter!
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Three Words for Building Your Vocabulary part 5.
We are getting on through the alphabet here. Three more words to expand your vocab: here they are...use them! I dare you...
1. Matriculate. 200 (to enroll as a member of a group) This could come in really handy in our current status. This word applies especially to a school or college. How about the use even in the case of a greek organization? Try this as a verb in describing someone joining your group in the fall.
2. Nestor. (a leader in one's field) This is also quite pertinent to our season of life. As students, we are surrounded by leaders. Try this word in reference to one of your professors or the dean of your college. This could even apply to someone in your major who is especially gifted in leadership in your field of study.
3. Ostensible. 279 (shown in an outward way) A synonym for this word is apparent. Not as relevant as the first two words, but still useful. Usable in describing someone's work if it is outstanding. Perhaps this word could also describe the actions of one student or authority towards another.
1. Matriculate. 200 (to enroll as a member of a group) This could come in really handy in our current status. This word applies especially to a school or college. How about the use even in the case of a greek organization? Try this as a verb in describing someone joining your group in the fall.
2. Nestor. (a leader in one's field) This is also quite pertinent to our season of life. As students, we are surrounded by leaders. Try this word in reference to one of your professors or the dean of your college. This could even apply to someone in your major who is especially gifted in leadership in your field of study.
3. Ostensible. 279 (shown in an outward way) A synonym for this word is apparent. Not as relevant as the first two words, but still useful. Usable in describing someone's work if it is outstanding. Perhaps this word could also describe the actions of one student or authority towards another.
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