Tag Archives: college tips

February 1, 2011

Top 4 Strategies for Staying Awake in a Boring Class

Filed under: College Life - BookRenter Team
Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Guest Blogger Kayla

As a college student I have had my fair share of classes were it was near impossible to stay awake and listen to what the professor was saying. Now that I have a semester under my belt I thought it would be a great idea to share some of the ways I manage to stay alert in those classes that seem like a “waste of time.”

by Seabamirum

1.    Chew Gum – Sometimes for those early morning classes you may hit the snooze button one too many times and usually eating breakfast is what has to be sacrificed in order to get to class on time. This leaves you focusing on your rumbling stomach rather than what the professors have to say. So my recommended solution is chew gum or if you have a cool professor, eat the granola bar that you hopefully grabbed while running out the door.

2.    Facebook – There are also those classes when you already know the material that is being presented and it is hard to pay attention when you think it’s a waste of time for you to be there in the first place. My solution is to go on Facebook! While this is not the most productive way to spend your class time, at least you aren’t asleep and who knows, you may even absorb some information you didn’t already know just by being in class.

3.    Take Notes –Sometimes just going to class and sitting there isn’t enough because sadly most of us don’t have photographic memories. While it may seem that you understand the material in class, it would totally suck if you got home and suddenly realize you can’t remember anything. Suddenly having to stay awake until 3 in the morning reading the boring textbook to try and remember what the professor says isn’t as appealing anymore when you could have just written down what they said in the first place.

4.    Ask Questions –If the reason why you’re having a hard time paying attention on class has to deal with the fact you don’t understand the material being presented, then it’s best that you ask questions.  I totally understand that it can be hard to speak up, but the professors stop and ask if anyone has any questions for a reason. If you can’t speak up in class there are also other options like office hours. It’s important to take advantage of the resources around you in order to succeed.

While some of these solutions are better than others, these are designed as guidelines to figure out what works for you. There are plenty of other things you can do, but hopefully these are helpful in staying awake during some of your most tedious, dull and boring classes.

Twitt
View Comments | Add a Comment
Related Posts


January 31, 2011

College Pets and Plants

Filed under: College Life - BookRenter Team
Tags: , , , , ,

BookRenter Andy

Last night I was reading this article in the NY Times about record levels of stress and depression being found in College students. For a while, I got depressed myself. Fact is that (especially in the thick of winter), it can get lonely as a college student. You’re having a hard time getting up for your classes, you probably don’t have time to shower or do laundry because you’re late for class, people don’t want to sit next to you because you haven’t showered or done laundry – a seemingly endless downward spiral.

What’s the remedy? For me it was the addition on my cat Karl which helped brighten my outlook. I immediately understood why some people believe that pets help you live longer. (Note: your college may not allow you to have pets – that’s why we included the plants in the blog post. Something for everyone, that’s how we do it here at BookRenter).

Depending on your situation, having a college pet (or plant) around can be a great way to relax, de-stress, and find some easy old-fashioned companionship. Here are a few stories about college pets (and plants):

Story 1, Mike, friend: Mike wasn’t a lonely guy, but he lived in a single by himself. He felt like he needed more companionship, something low maintenance that would keep him company, but not necessarily demand much attention. The solution? FISH. Mike bought a fish tank and populated it with beautiful fish. One turned out to be a tadpole and grew into a frog. Mike, his fish, and his frog lived happily until graduation.

Story 2, Nate, friend: Nate and his roommate were regular wanderers of the night. One night while wandering they found a nice kitten and took it home with them. The kitten was soft and friendly, but also grew into a fierce protector of the dorm, affecting a huge dip in the local rodent population. A win, win for all parties save the rodents.

Story 3, Senior Girls: Some girls I knew senior year attempted to keep a dog in the dorms for a period of time. Although the dog was nice to pet, it chewed textbooks by day and terrorized the dorm inhabitants by night. They ended up trading their dog for a Chia pet that looked like a dog. Don’t get a dog, kids, get a dog-like plant.

To sum up, key points here in this blog post:

  1. Pets will help you de-stress and make you live to be 120.
  2. Fish are good college pets; don’t forget to keep the water filter on.
  3. Lost kittens double as an effective pest control tool.
  4. If you can’t have a pet, there are always plants.

If you haven’t had enough, here’s a funny post about college pets.

Twitt
View Comments | Add a Comment
Related Posts


January 28, 2011

Top 6 Tips for Preparing for Graduation

Filed under: College Life - BookRenter Team
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

By BookRenter Nicole

by Jason Bache

It’s your last semester of college, and graduation is right around the corner! But before you get a major case of Senioritis, here are a few things to keep in mind before the big day.

  • Schedule a meeting with your advisor to check up on your student record. You should have a chat with him/her to make sure that you’re even eligible to graduate. Some things you should bring up are: Did I meet all of the requirements to graduate? Do I still have outstanding credits? Did I transfer those study abroad credits to my current record? Did my transcripts from the other university transfer successfully?
  • Make sure there aren’t any discrepancies on your degree evaluation. If you notice something funky, make sure to investigate and correct it before it’s too late.
  • Keep in mind that walking and attending the Commencement exercises may be different. If you still have more units to complete, you could technically just be walking in the ceremony, not actually graduating…yet.
  • Double check that you don’t have any outstanding balances with your college/university that would prevent you from receiving your diploma or transcripts. You don’t want to have to go through the whole exciting process only to realize that your diploma can’t be sent to you until you pay off that year you dormed on campus.
  • APPLY FOR GRADUATION. (You’d be surprised at how many students don’t know that you actually have to apply to graduate.) The school’s registrar team basically audits your academic records to ensure that all of the institution’s obligations have been met. For some schools, there may be a separate application for each degree you’re applying for. Whether the application is online at your school’s website, or at the advisor’s office, or even in a folder on the 2nd shelf, in aisle 5 of the campus bookstore — make sure to apply for graduation.
  • Attend your school’s grad events! You can order personalized announcements, class rings, take professional pictures, order your cap and gown, and choose your diploma frame! It’s where you can get all of your fancy grad stuff!

These are just some ideas you may want to keep in mind. But what you really want to do is check your own school’s checklist. Get all of your graduation info together! Besides, once you get this all squared away, you can go back to enjoying Senior year!

Twitt
View Comments | Add a Comment
Related Posts


January 27, 2011

Top 4 Tips Finding Summer Internships

Filed under: Post Grad and Career - BookRenter Team
Tags: , , , , , , , ,

By BookRenter Eric

How to make your summer a real resume builder!

by SOCIALisBETTER

I know it’s only January but it can never be too early to start planning your summer.  Summer internships offer a unique opportunity for you to gain valuable work experience before you head out to into the job market for real. An internship can give you a leg-up on the competition in the job market post-graduation.  Challenge yourself, reach for the stars, and most importantly go out and impress some people with your hard work!

Here are my tips for finding an internship:

1.   Start with the people you know – Ask your parents, ask your friends, ask your uncle, ask anyone you know if they can help you get in contact with a potential gig.

2.    Visit your school’s career center – The career center is not just for graduates! Don’t be shy, take a visit and see what you might find…

3.     Check your favorite company’s websites – You never know, your dream internship could be waiting for you!  Just make sure you apply early because most likely you won’t be the only one applying.

4.    Know what you’re interested in – No, you’re not deciding on a life-long career, but knowing what industries interest you can help narrow your search.

A Few Online Resources for Summer Internships:
Monster.com College – A good starting place with a lot of available internships and interview tips
College Recruiter.com – Another good starting place with a lot of available internships and interview tips
College Magazine – Awesome site for students which includes a listing of internships and other goodies

Twitt
View Comments | Add a Comment
Related Posts


January 12, 2011

Top 10 Tips for Getting Along with Your Roommate

Filed under: College Life - BookRenter Team
Tags: , , , , , ,

By BookRenter Briana

Photo by moron noodle

Co-existing

We all know that living with roommates can be difficult and challenging at times, especially if you’re living in the same, tiny room. Being able to get along and create a fun living environment can relieve so much stress from school and make your college experience much better. Hopefully these tips can help you out when dealing with the roomies.

  1. Don’t live with your best friends. You may think that this is a great idea at first,  ‘cuz “We’re friends, how can we fight”, well, you will. You already have a relationship with that person. Why not try meeting new people and exploring different relationships? Plus, being around the same person 24/7 will bring new annoyances you never thought you had with your BFF.
  2. Try putting yourself in the other person’s shoes.
  3. Respect your roommates’ space. Don’t touch their things, and please, if your roommates are away it is not smart to lend their bed to your friends who want to pass out after a hard night of drinking. Would you really want someone stanky and gross in your bed? I really don’t think so.
  4. Spend time together – If you rarely see your roommates and actually want to spend time with them, try having dinners together where you can catch up on the things.
  5. Do activities outside of your place. Encourage them to get involved with activities so they get out of the house. Space is crucial when you live with roommates. Encourage not only them but yourself to explore different campus activities so everyone can have some alone time in the living room.
  6. Communicate! Trust me if something bothers you, tell them, because there is nothing like one huge emotional blow up where you tell them all their faults at once. Space it out – if not your roommate will feel attacked.
  7. If you’re throwing a party – make sure you consult with all roommates, and make sure you include them. Even though you might not want to party with them it will make them less irritated and make the house atmosphere a lot better to live in. And hey, there is nothing like taking funny pictures of them so you can laugh at them when you move out.
  8. Be organized – create some sort of ground rules for bills and groceries or house cleaning. It’ll avoid confusion and keep people in the know.
  9. If all else fails, try the best to co-exist. Don’t play pranks and move all your roommates’ clothes around, or mess with their valuables. It’s just not smart because it will cause more problems for all of you. Just focus on your when your lease is up and finding new roommates.
  10. Save Money – Money can be tight, instead of borrowing from your roommate, you can rent textbooks from us. It can save you a bundle (wink, wink).

Twitt
View Comments | Add a Comment
Related Posts