How to Manage Stress as a College Student

August 4, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Living independently with no parent rules,  party options at all hours of the day, unlimited dining card….sounds like a dream to a student leaving for his/her first year of college on campus.  However, after just a few weeks on campus some reality might kick in.  Many college freshmen living on campus will suffer from missing the comforts of home, lack of sleep, lonliness if their social life has not taken off on campus, finances quickly running low, payday cash advance racking up, and the biggest factor causing stress being the difficulty of their college level classes.

While feeling anxiety and stress is fairly common during the first year of college, there are many technigues to help decrease your level of stress.  First and most importantly is learning time management.  Be sure to map out your time wisely leaving plenty of time for each course assignment as well as some “down” time for yourself.  You will want to create a daily agenda to help you stick with your time management goal.  Make sure your agenda is realistic while productive.  Map out a week at a time, if not an entire month, taking into consideration project due dates, tests, a work schedule, social time, “down” time, etc.

Another key factor in lowering stress is to take care of your body. Be sure to get plenty of sleep on a regular basis.  The average first year college student tends to push their body to the max between partying and studying and doesn’t give their body enough rest.  Your body needs at least 7 hours of sleep per night and when achieved on a regular basis you will notice a big difference in your stress level.  Also be sure to eat 3 meals a day that have some nutritional value.  We would not run a car without fuel, think of your meals as your fuel.  Your body needs them!

Some other techniques to help lower stress are to create a journal, find a mentor you can confide in, as an elective take a Techniques of Relaxation class, excercise regularly, and always leave time for something you simply enjoy.

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Ways to Decrease College Stress

July 28, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Most students enrolled in college experience stress at some point during their college career due to the high pressure and difficult courses. There are a variety of ways to decrease stress associated with college.

1. Don’t Fret About Stress

The most important way to decrease college stress is to not worry about stress. Students must learn to accept the stress and come up with ways to combat the stress without making the situation worse. If you’re stressing about finances, you might want to get payday cash advance to help you out.

2. Get Adequate Sleep

Typically college students do not have a normal sleep schedule due to late night studying and early morning classes. Making sure to get enough sleep can help students focus better, improve energy, and develop a balance between schoolwork and other aspects of college life. Ways to help get enough sleep includes taking short naps, choosing nights to go to bed early, and committing to adhere to a regular sleep schedule.
3. Eat well

It is easy for college students to develop unhealthy eating habits due to college stress. An inadequate diet can contribute to physical stress such as weight gain or weight loss. Eating a healthy and balanced diet filled with whole grains, fruits and vegetables and protein will help reduce the physical effects of college stress.

4. Start an Exercise Routine

It is proven that regular exercise helps increase endorphins and help students feel better.  Exercise can involve a quick 30-minute walk while listening to music or rollerblading to class.

5. Work in Some Quiet Time

It is important for college students to set aside some quiet time without any distractions such as cell phones, roommates or large groups of people. Even just a few minutes a day can effectively reduce stress.

6. Make Time for Entertainment

Everyone needs a break from academics and it is important to set aside some time for entertainment or social experiences. If there is no time for long breaks, students can study or work together.

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Balancing Cost and Advantage to a Higher Education

July 24, 2011 by Leave a Comment

When choosing a major it is important to compare the cost of the education with the possible income of jobs you may get with your chosen degree. It is important to study something that you are interested and something you want to spend your life doing, but consider other aspects to your education as well. Here are some considerations when choosing a college major.

It is important to consider the starting salary of jobs you will get at graduation. There is only a limited period of time one can defer repaying their college loans upon graduation. And remember that many loans may continue to accrue interest even though the repayment of the loan is deferred. Nobody wants to be repaying loans for school for a long time. Visit your financial aid office and talk to them about your options and make sure you understand what you are getting into as you accept more school loans. If you want an easier loan to manage, you might want to visit PaydayOne.com too. If you are looking at a starting salary lower than a cost of living you want to live at, you will have to change expectations or your career path.

That brings us to cost of living.  Where do you want to live after graduation? Do you want a new car every couple of years or are you happy to continue driving the car you have for fifteen years? If you know how you want to live you will better understand what kind of salary you will require upon graduation.

Many students are having to face the facts of our current economy. Although well prepared to enter the job market in their chosen field, their are no available jobs for them. People are slower to retire, and the market is just not growing in many fields.  Be realistic as you take out loans. It is important to remember that one day, you will need to repay those loans.

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How to Choose a Major

July 22, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Choosing a major can be difficult. There are so many to choose from; you want a major that will bring you a profitable career, but you also want something you enjoy.

The first thing you’ll want to consider when choosing a major is what you love to do. Find something you’re truly passionate about and enjoy doing. Many people choose something very practical that they know they can have a career with. This is fine, but many find in the end that they hate their job. You don’t want to dread going in for work every day. Others don’t have a real direction and end up having to get a master’s degree in order to have the education for the career they decide on later. If you can figure out what you want to do that you love, choosing a major is easy.

The next thing you’ll want to do is figure out what education you need to succeed in what you love. Sometimes you might need a master’s degree in your chosen profession and having a complementary bachelor’s degree, rather than a bachelor’s degree in the same field, is preferable. By choosing your path before you begin, you will have a greater focus.

While you’re in college, be sure to find internships that relate to your chosen career as well. They will help you focus on what you really want to do and increase the chances for success. It will look good on your resume when you’re applying for jobs to show that you have real-world experience in that field.

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Landing Your Dream Job Made Easy

July 22, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Everyone has a dream job — with this job,  they wouldn’t mind going to work and almost wouldn’t mind not getting paid (though, of course, we all need to get paid in order to live). Here are some tips for landing your dream job.

Establish a Foundation

No one can just get a dream job. You must first gain the experience and education that is necessary to do that job effectively. This often means getting an education. For those who aren’t able to attend a traditional college, another possibility is to get a bachelor degree at EarnMyDegree.com. While in college, be sure to take advantage of networking opportunities and internships. These will help you make contacts you’ll need when trying to land your dream job.

Keep Focused on Your Career

Once you’ve graduated with the education needed to do your dream job, the next step is to work your way toward that goal. Typically, in order to get the job of your dreams, you’ll need a lot of experience. It can’t just be any sort of experience, however; you’ll need the right type of experience with the right companies. Be sure to stay focused and continually look for opportunities for advancement or jobs at other companies that will give you the right kind of experience.

Once you’ve gotten the experience needed, be sure to keep your eyes open for your dream job. This may require networking since these jobs are usually not advertised.

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Reaping the Benefits of Good Study Habits

July 11, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Being in school is a rewarding and stressful time. You know in the end that you will receive a degree in your chosen career field and possibly aspire to generate more income. However, in order to get to that point, there is much to do while you are taking online courses.

Having great study habits will provide many benefits, including the following ones:

  • The ability to complete assignments. Studying can help you to learn the information that you will need to finish your homework or projects.

 

  • A better report card. Believe it or not, some employers will consider your GPA before they hire you. Plus, good grades can help you if you decide to pursue a Master’s Degree or a doctorate degree.

 

  • The freedom to enjoy school. Proper study habits can reduce your stress level, boosting your health. Additionally, good study habits take the pressure off most people when it comes to testing because they avoid the panic associated with last-minute cramming.

 

  • Better organization. Part of developing good study habits is the ability to manage time. This will help you manage everything from your projects to your lectures to your work schedule.

Studying may not seem like an important element of your education, but it can make a difference in the aforementioned areas. If you want to have more time, less stress and better grades than your classmates, develop good study habits. When you land your dream job or get a scholarship to pursue other degrees, you’ll be glad you learned how to study.

Filed Under: Higher Education, Majors Tagged With: , ,

Choosing the Right College: What to Look For

June 18, 2011 by Leave a Comment

For hight school students it is a huge decision, one that can have an effect on the rest of their lives. What college should they go to? For some it is an easy decision, if they have a particular career in mind and there are only certain schools where they can get the education they need, the decision is made for them.

For most students though, there are hundreds of schools out there, so how do you decide which one is right for you? As students and parents start their search, here are a few things to consider.

 

Classic college campus scene 

Image by anneohirsch via Flickr

How far away from home do you want to be? Do you feel the need to be close to your family and want to go home on weekends? In this case you should target your search for schools with a fairly short ride. If you are looking to get away and make a fresh start for yourself, you can look anywhere in the country. Also take into consideration the location of the school. Do you want to be in the city or are you looking for a big rural campus?

Colleges come in all shapes and sizes. This is important to think about when searching. If you don’t want to be sitting in a class with hundreds of other students, you should narrow your search to smaller schools.

Cost is also a big factor for many students. You may be limited by schools that are less expensive or offer better financial assistance.

As you take all these things into consideration make a list of schools that fit. Then go visit and ask lots of questions to find out more.

 

 

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Launching a Career in Public Health

June 6, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Doctor, lawyer, dentist, engineer, teacher … there are just a few of the ideas students have as they head to college. Many think of nursing as well. Many of these fields have sub-fields that are hurting for qualified individuals. Public health is one of these!

Public Health a Viable Option

Nursing is a great field but the field is changing from what it used to be. The typical hospital job for a licensed nurse may consist of more paper work than patient care. It has a high burnout rate. Going into public health allows the nurse to have more variety in his or her job and more predictable hours as well. If you are already in nursing, you can click here to find out more about learning public health online.

Don’t Have to be a Nurse

The nice thing about public health is that you don’t have to be a nurse or medical professional to enter the field. You could be doing things such as research, making public policy, teaching and administration. There are many different things to keep you interested until retirement. Public health is really an under-explored field for college students. There are many opportunities for travel overseas as well, for those interested.

Learning Online

Public health is an educational option that is available online. There are many programs available to you while you are still working at your present job. You can explore the programs you find online and ask people in the field what programs they might recommend. You can also talk to people in the field!

Filed Under: Higher Education, Majors Tagged With: , ,

Finding an Affordable Apartment

May 26, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Tenement buildings in the Lower East Side of M... 

Image via Wikipedia

Finding an affordable apartment is not always an easy task.  After your acceptance to pursue your advanced degree, you are saddled with the task of finding housing to accommodate this new educational venture.  Students generally can’t afford to pay a large amount on rent, and finding a nice place with a small budget can cause a lot of stress. Here are a few tips that could help you find a nice affordable apartment.

Work out your budget and stick to it. Knowing exactly how much you are able to spend on rent makes it easier for you to find an apartment.  Determine how much financial aid you can allot to housing, books, school and so forth.

Also, If you are open to it, shared housing can be a good way to stick to a small budget while still getting a nice place.  Finding a roommate also pursuing their advanced degree is optimal.

Research the area (searching for “Atlanta apartments for rent” and similar). Find somewhere you would enjoy living and is in close proximity to your school. Make sure that it has everything you need. Don’t settle for an area you wouldn’t be comfortable living in, or an area which would be a difficult commute.

Visualize the amount of space you need. This way you will find a place which will accommodate you easily, instead of going for an apartment that is too small or too large.  If you will be studying a lot from home, it may be helpful to have a room or den dedicated to studying.

Get on the waiting list. The good, affordable apartments don’t take long to fill and there are usually waiting lists. The best bet is to meet with a realtor and get on the waiting list for apartments within your budget.

One of the best resources for finding affordable rentals is the Web. These days almost everything is listed online and there are usually photos to give you a look at the apartment without even having to leave the house.

Filed Under: Admissions, Higher Education
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