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What you shouldn’t be sharing on Social Media

admin — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 21:30:16 +0000

As the years go by, people are becoming more and more comfortable with social media. In 10 years time this is what all people will know – sharing their photos, connecting with others (and strangers) on a very personal level. The definition of privacy has been blurred by the use of Facebook and other social media portals and so we have written up a guide here to assure that your privacy is protected and that your actions don’t get the better of you and affect your future professional life.

#1 Don’t ‘check in’ or post where you are or where you are going

We know it is tempting to spread the word if you are going on Vacation or going somewhere fun and interesting. As tempting as it is – you should never advertise the fact that you will be away from your home. You may think that you are careful with who you have view your posts, but you don’t know who your friends are adding to their Facebook. These details can be shared with people you don’t even know.

#2 Don’t bring your personal relationship drama into Facebook

Look at it this way – would you want your personal intimate relationship details posted on Facebook? We didn’t think so. You should always respect other’s privacy and breaking up by placing a message on someone’s public wall is rude and disrespectful. It just makes you look bad in the end, so just don’t do it.

#3 Don’t over share

Don’t do it. It’s annoying. It clutters people’s newsfeeds and is unnecessary. Remember that no one needs to hear about your grooming habits or details that may seem interesting to you, but really, your entire circle of ‘friends’ don’t need to read about it.

#4 Don’t post embarrassing photos and enable your tagging settings

First of all, everyone needs to understand that once your photos are on Facebook, they will always be on Facebook. It doesn’t matter if you delete your account or not. This goes for most other social networking sites including Instagram & Twtter. Anyone can copy and save your photos as well and potentially end up in the wrong hands. Choose your photos wisely and remember that there may be consequences.

#5 Don’t vent about your work on Facebook

This may seem like common sense to many of you but there are still quite a few people who choose to vent about their boss or co-workers publicly over social media. Not only is this a bad idea, but this can also get you into serious trouble and ruin your reputation if you ever get caught — Just don’t do it. It’s unprofessional. If you need to vent to a friend about your day choose other means such as email or the good old fashioned telephone.

Letters of Recommendation: The Basics

admin — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 20:04:08 +0000

The college application process can be a stressful time with, potentially life changing decisions being made by students young and old. While acquiring a letter of recommendation may seem relatively trivial, it is still important to choose the right people and approach them in a way that will ensure you receive the letters, which are now required by almost all colleges.

Choose the right people

Be sure to think this part through and make the right choice. It may seem like a good idea to have a local celebrity, who is an old family friend, recommend you; however, this person will not be able to give a genuine account of what you are like as a person and this can backfire on you. It is much better for a coach, teacher or mentor to speak for you, as they know you personally and will be able to detail your strengths and character. It is usually clear if the person writing the letter has a relationship with you or not.

Plan ahead

Be sure to allow time for your recommender to write your letter. Remember they are taking time to do a favour for you. Ensure you have left enough time for the letter to be sent back to you. Depending on the person, you may be able to email your request. Your email should be no less polite than a letter. Be sure to let the person know exactly what you want and when you need it by. If you know them well you can explain the areas you would like them to cover in the letter, but be sure to suggest, rather than tell.

Be polite but keep your goals in mind

You are asking a favour but you should not be too shy to tell your recommenders what you are aiming for in college so they can write the letter and mention relevant issues. It is also fine to send reminders as long as you are polite.

Thank your recommenders

If you receive word that your recommender is writing you a letter, be sure to respond and show your gratitude. This reaffirms your character and progresses the positive relationship you have with the person who has recommended you.

7 Items to Cook in Your Microwave

admin — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 19:59:07 +0000

Microwave cooking is great when you do not have a full kitchen, which is usually the case when living in a university or college dorm. However, even off campus housing can give you limited kitchen options especially when you are trying to find a budget friendly rental.

Won’t this make my food taste horrible and I will have to eat the same slop day in and day out? The answer is no because there are several foods you can cook using a microwave.

Here are 15 food items you can cook conveniently in your microwave. You can even set and forget them until you hear the beep.

1) Yams – Before putting a yam in your microwave, wash it down and poke a few holes in it using a form. This will help keep the yam from exploding. Depending on the size of the yam, cook for about 2 minutes and 30 seconds on each side. You will want to check it after 5 minutes to see if it needs an additional time.

2) Eggs – One of the simplest items you can cook. Crack a few eggs in a microwavable dish or omelet container and stir them around. Heat on high for about 2 minutes and finish off with a few fluffs of your fork.

3) Bacon – You can read your package for instructions but you cover the bottom and top of your bacon (place on plate) with paper towel and heat for around 1 minute per slice of bacon on the plate.

4) Frozen dinners – It cannot get an easier than heating up a box of prepackaged food. Follow the directions on the box but this usually works out to 4 minutes.

5) Popcorn – Yes, popcorn is not really something you will eat for dinner but if you cannot give into your salt or butter craving pop a bag and sit back with your favorite movie. Who cares about the chemicals when convenience tastes so good?

6) Canned soup – The only requirement is you emptying the contents of the can into microwaveable dish and heating for 3 minutes. Remember to cover the bowl with a paper plate to prevent splashing.

7) Ramen noodles – Somewhat the same as soup but even cheaper. The total cost usually 50 cents per noodle pack. Take noodles out of package and place in a bowl of water and cook until the noodles are tender.

These 10 items are not gourmet foods but allow for some form of substance when you are feeling low on energy during an all-night study session. Combine this with a toaster oven and you could make a more appetizing dinner or lunch.

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How to Make Notes from Your Reading

admin — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 19:56:41 +0000

Note taking is a crucial and valued skill that is constantly honed throughout the academic process. It is essentially the ability to filter high volumes of information into precise and cohesive statements for review later so is to omit the large bulk of the information or “the fat”. If your note taking isn’t well defined and poignant, then you will most definitely find yourself struggling as you turn from freshman to sophomore.

Thankfully, there are habits you can get into that will help you become a better note taker and help you weed through all that scholastic jargon to the meat and potatoes of your class material.

Highlighters welcome but as means not ends

If you are taking notes for a reading, you may be compelled to start painting your textbook all sorts of bright colours as you highlight crucial information. This is a fine technique, but an even better one is to rewrite that information into your own notebook then highlight it. The act of writing information is an important step in memorization.

Leave out non-essential operatives

Academic writing is a beast onto itself. It’s thick, verbose, and perfect for describing very specific actions or observations without resorting to paragraphs of “common language”. For this reason it’s a powerful tool that, at first may seem like a chore, will help you weed out ineffective statements. When it comes time to take notes from academic writing, try chopping out words that do not directly give meaning to your notes. Proposition, for example, may do very little to help you remember the key elements in the points being made.

Re-work your notes

The best way to file your notes is in some sort of thematic manner. Keeping topics which are similar together will help you study and will make a lot more sense in the end. Sometimes that’s down right impossible. Professors have a habit of jumping curriculum around depending on how they want you to interpret the course. Try rewriting your notes every so often to keep them in order. Doing this has other benefits as well. As mentioned before the process of writing information out (in this case again) is a key factor in memorization. Another great benefit of this habit is, sometimes as we are writing notes ‘on the fly’ we may not leave ourselves enough room to add addition and crucial information later. Rewriting your notes gives you the opportunity to review what information belongs with what.

Having a solid plan of attack for note taking is just as important as showing up to class. We all know if you don’t show up, you’re going to fail. The same can be said with note taking, and with any skill the more you practice it, the better you become.

The Best Cities for New College Graduates in 2013

admin — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 23:59:28 +0000

If you remember back, we’ve all had experience working part-time jobs to pay our way through college or university, with prospects of leaving to get a full-time job and pursue a career in something you love or studied at college. However, nowadays, things have changed. Students are finding it difficult to let go of their part-time jobs as the career prospects in the current economic climate are bleak. You see or experience at first hand, the twenty-three year old business studies graduate working as a barman in a local pub unable to find work, the science major folding clothes in the local boutique and the geography graduate living with his parents because he can’t find a teaching job.

Certainly, your prospects are even worse if you only have a high school diploma. It’s not like the olden days where you can pick up a trade or a job on a building site. The unemployment rate for high school graduates age twenty to twenty-five with no college degree under their belts was 18.1% in 2012, compared to 7.5% for those with college degrees in the same year. However it’s still tough out there for recent college graduates with the burden of being unable to pay off their mounting student loans as their part-time wage won’t cover it the repayment expenses. Last year’s graduates are carrying a median of $25,950 in debt. However, it’s not all doom and gloom, wages for new graduates increased slightly in the last year; that is if you are able to find work.

In some cities across the United States, it’s easier for new college graduates to find both a job and affordable rental housing than others. This article will set out statistics and ranking of the most rental listings, compare figures for unemployment, cost of living and average annual wages. It will also illustrate list of ten cities where young grads would be most likely to find housing, work and a reasonable paycheck.

Here are our top ten cities for college graduates, with unemployment and wage figures:

Atlanta, Georgia
Average annual income: $45,500
Median price for a one bedroom apartment: $750
Unemployment rate: 10.9%

Boston, Massachusetts
Mean annual income: $57,750
Average price for a one bedroom apartment: $1,610
Unemployment rate: 6.2%

Dallas, Texas
Average annual income: $45,800
Median price for a one bedroom apartment: $875
Unemployment rate: 6.4%

Denver, Colorado
Mean annual income: $49,900
Average price for a one bedroom apartment: $950
Unemployment rate: 8%

Houston, Texas
Average annual income: $46,900
Median price for a one bedroom apartment: $850
Unemployment rate: 6.1%

Minneapolis, Minnesota
Mean annual income: $50,000
Average price for a one bedroom apartment: $920
Unemployment rate: 5%

Raleigh, North Carolina
Average annual income: $44,900
Median price for a one bedroom apartment: $750
Unemployment rate: 6.7%

Seattle, Washington.
Mean annual income: $55,200
Average price for a one bedroom apartment: $1,250
Unemployment rate: 5.6%

St. Louis, Missouri
Average annual income: $43,900
Median price for a one bedroom apartment: $975
Unemployment rate: 8.6%

Washington, D.C.
Mean annual income: $63,100
Average price for a one bedroom apartment: $1,550
Unemployment rate: 8.4%

To conclude, if you are a recent graduate, looking for work and not living in any of the above cities within the U.S., consider searching employment prospects and accommodation rates online. Classified sites such as Craigslist are a godsend. You never know, you might find your dream job in Minneapolis or even Seattle. Best of luck.

10 Study Tips that Actually Work

admin — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 23:56:09 +0000

School can be a stressful time of financial and mental management. It challenges us to be the best we can be under strain and teaches us skills about organization outside of our academic vocation. If you are currently enrolled in University or College and you find yourself having difficulties making the most out of your study time, it may be a good opportunity to revise your methods to help improve your outcome. Here are ten techniques, tips and habits that will drastically develop your study time.

Note taking

Taking good notes is an art. Always remember to write down what the professor writes on the blackboard. If he or she took the time to write it out, then it must be important enough for you to write out as well. Keep information pertaining to a certain topic together with other notes of the same topic. Don’t start mixing ideas and classes, because it’ll be confusing when trying to find them later. Get into the habit of dating your notes.

Review

You should be reviewing your assignments and notes on a daily basis, especially if you know tests are just around the corner. You will find it easier to memorise your notes when you see them all the time.

Be involved in class time

Taking an active role during class time is the best way to gain an upper hand on your material. Ask lots of questions and participate full-heartedly in discussions. The more you talk about your subjects, the better you can understand them.

Study Groups

Seeking out like-minded peers is a great way to improve your understanding of a subject. Through the power of study groups you can become more fluent in your topic as well as more critical of its processes, something that absolutely necessary in post secondary education.

Know when you’re in too deep

There comes a point when everyone is over his or her head. It’s nothing to be ashamed of because it’s a common problem. If you wait until the very last minute to find help, it may be too late. Instead, start looking for peers or tutors to help you as soon as you recognise you need help. That way you’ll have ample time to overcome any barriers you have with the curriculum.

Prioritize

Prioritizing your assignments is a crucial first step to success. Knowing when things are due and how long it’ll take you to complete them is the name of the game. If you know that you struggle with a specific type of academic writing, you may want to get to it before any exercise or formula based homework.

Organize

Being comfortable, yet not too comfortable is another important habit to get into. Making sure all your needs are met and having all your resources close by are all important steps to organization you should remember.

Knowing where to Study

If you wish to utilize your time spent studying effectively, you need to cultivate a healthy environment to study in. If you live with rambunctious roommates who party all the time, you may find your studies suffering. Finding a quiet and contemplative space to study will help foster your energies into learning the material.

No “All Nighters”

The iconic cram known as an “all nighter” is the cliché of a procrastinator. Pulling All Nighters is the worst approach to take while studying for an exam. During exams and tests, you need to be alert and mentally prepared and nothing destroys your focus like a poor night’s sleep. Remember to give yourself enough time before tests come around to study and understand the material so you don’t feel the need to cram all night.

Eat well

An important diet is another commonly overlooked key to success. Eating well and at proper intervals will ensure your brain is fully powered and ready for anything your professor will throw at you.

There you have it! Ten awesome tips that will help you get the most of you study time! Good luck to you.

Study Habits that could be Hurting your Grade

J. Gomes — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 20:58:54 +0000

Have you noticed that your grades have been slipping? Have you just begun College and can’t understand why you are not maintaining the grades as in high school? This may not mean that you are behind academically it could just be your body telling you that you need to take at easy and look at your lifestyle as it may not be as obvious as you may think. Life today moves pretty fast, it’s becoming natural for the younger generation to keep up with everything – multi-tasking as it were. Below we have listed the top reasons as to why your grades may be affected by purely your lifestyle habits alone. The great thing about this article is that once you know and have come to terms with the facts, you can easily make changes and get back on track.

1. Cramming for Exams

Yes, it is classic and over the test of time it has won as our top reason why student’s grades are slipping. When you’re young, life is exciting – College life is exciting. There are many distractions in the real world and it can be difficult to choose priorities. The problem with cramming for exams is simple. Your brain cannot naturally retain large amounts of information in one sitting. A solution to this problem is reviewing your lecture notes every day. Taking an hour or two each day to review can really help you retain the information and actually learn what you are studying. After all, knowledge is power.

2. Multitasking

This generation has mastered the art of multi-tasking. It has become the cultural norm. Facebooking, texting, emailing – constantly being plugged in and trying to manage study time is always a challenge. You think that you have a handle on it, but in reality all of these distractions are taking your undivided attention away and in turn will affect your grades. Even if your grades aren’t suffering right now, think of how well you do if you turned off your phone/television/computer for an hour and focus.

3. Studying in the Wrong Environment

As we just mentioned, Facebook, texting and television can all be distracting; however the environment you choose to study in can also put a damper on your general performance in school. Everyone has difference comfort levels, though the majority of students need a study area where they can focus and be free of distractions. Even the ol’ standby library can be distracting with keyboards clicking and students chattering. Choose a spot where you know you will not be distracted. Bring headphones so you are able to tune out outside noise if that’s what you are comfortable doing.

4. Submissive Reading

It is more affective for the brain to understand and retain information when your studying style is proactive. Simply reading the material in your textbook is not going to help remember. Try drawing images of the material you need to study by creating crafts, drawings, lists and discuss with a fellow student. You will find that this will help you learn and remember the material easily.

5. Sacrificing Sleep

This is the number one reason for bad grades. It all derives from your body being run down and unable to retain information as it should. We understand it can be difficult to keep up with school, work, friends etc but if you can try your best to get at least 7 hours sleep per night you will find yourself doing a lot better at school.

6. Not Taking Advantage of Resources Available to You

All campuses have numerous resources out there for you to utilize. It is wise to take advantage of them! There are many volunteer tutors available if you need assistance with a concept, project or preparing for an exam. Book some time in with these resources. This will also give you the time you need to study in the environment you need.

5 Things you should never Say to Your Professor

admin — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 17:51:43 +0000

Whether you are a new student or in your fourth year, there are certain things you should know about what you should and shouldn’t say to your professors. Remember, they have heard every excuse in the book – and creative ones as well. We compiled a list of what professors consider to be the top 5 things you should never say to them. So assure that you don’t!

1. “Did I miss anything Important in class?”

We hope this is a rhetorical question, but in most cases it is not. The answer is yes. The answer will always be yes – When Professors take the time to instruct a class, they consider every aspect of their lectures important. When you ask this question, even though you do not intend on insulting your instructor, it really is an insult to them so we suggest that you refrain from asking this. If you miss a class, your best bet is to contact a fellow student for updates.

2. “I just took your class for an easy A.”

Well we thought the first one was an insult. This one is just as bad, if not worse. You see, professors get into this profession because they truly love to teach. They value knowledge and care about how students learn and how they can improve their curriculum to benefit the student. Saying to your professor that you simply signed up for their class for an easy grade shows that you have absolute no interest in the material or the subject itself.

3. “I didn’t know we had a project due in this course”

Not only are you showing your professor that you weren’t paying attention in class, you also didn’t bother reading the course syllabus at the beginning of the course. All classes have introductory classes outlining what will be taught, exam dates/time and projects that will be due.

4. “I didn’t have time to do work for this class, due to course load”

Students may think that this is a valid excuse, but it really isn’t. If you are having a hard time keeping up with all of your classes, it really isn’t the instructor’s problem. Consider lowering your course load to make things more manageable.

5. “When will you answer my email?”

Be patient. Professor’s lives do not revolve around you. They are extremely busy preparing lectures, attending meetings and fulfilling research demands. They are professional and will get back to you as soon as they can.

Tips on Test Taking

J. Gomes — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 23:50:29 +0000

It’s not uncommon for students to feel uneasy or even nervous just before or during their test taking experience. There are some students who are fine with it, while many others feel nervous about the time constraint and the pressured environment.

There are many ways you can train yourself to keep calm and perform your absolute best during an exam. Here are the top test-taking tips that will help you along the way to rid your anxiety and ease the stress of performing well during this allotted time.

1. Study!

I know just a give-in right? You’d be surprised as to how many people pull all-nighters the night before the exam and expect to retain this information they’ve crammed into their brains. On top of it, if you have test anxiety, this will make the situation even worse for you. Be sure to review every day after your lectures and take small breaks to help retain the information.

2. Get Rest!

This is another obvious one, but it is essential that you get adequate rest to be able to be clearheaded for your exam. If you know that you will be struggling the night before in getting to sleep, make sure that you go to bed earlier to give yourself that time to fall asleep.

3. Read Directions Carefully

Take your time, relax and pay attention to what is asked on the exam. Nothing is worse than going through the test too quickly and missing out on the actual directions. It’s great to be confident, however if you are too confident you may miss some important details.

4. Dress Comfortably

Another giv-in but should be pointed out. If you need sweats and a t-shirt to be comfortable then by all means, wear it! There is nothing worse than trying to get through a 3 hour exam wearing uncomfortable clothing.

5. Answer Questions in a Particular Order

• Easy questions first

• Then the questions with most point value

• On objective exams, eliminate obvious incorrect answers

• On essay tests, broadly outline your answer and sequence of points

6. Review

I know you just what get out of there as soon as possible once you’ve finally completed the exam – but hold it right there! Resist this urge and check over your test to assure that you’ve answered the questions fully and have properly followed instructions – yes there is such thing as too much confidence!

The Benefits of Waking up Earlier and How to Achieve It

J. Gomes — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 20:49:37 +0000

You’re a night owl and have been for as long as you can remember – many of us are. It is one of the hardest habits to break, going from staying up until the late hours and waking up later, giving you just enough time to shower, eat and out the door you go. If you could only break this night owl mindset, you will find multiple benefits. The first step is getting there. If you’ve spent most of your adult life staying up late and waking up just when you absolutely need to, can be extremely challenging. We can help you with this conundrum – here are steps to get you to waking up earlier; keeping your mind fresh and also allowing more time to yourself.

What are the Benefits to Waking up Earlier?

Getting up earlier, as we mentioned gives you more time to spend alone in peaceful silence. If you have children, this is a great way to have time to yourself, check emails, read or whichever task you never have the time to do.

Getting up earlier also keeps you from frantically panicking to get all of your things together, resulting in running late. Having the time to put yourself together at your own pace makes all the difference. Not only will it put you in a better mood, but you will feel more content and sharp in the morning as you start your day at work or school.

Getting a head start in the morning also helps you prepare a proper breakfast, which you may or may not have time to make if you are waking up later. Taking your time to eat breakfast is also a lot healthier and keeping you fuller longer with more energy until lunch time.

As we mentioned previously, waking up earlier helps you become more productive, sharper and you will get a lot more accomplished throughout the day. Your life will become more balanced and less hectic.

Training Yourself to Wake Up Earlier

It takes time, but you can easily train your body to wake up earlier. The first step is getting yourself to bed earlier and setting your alarm to wake up 15 minutes earlier than your body is used to. Repeat this process for the next few two nights to give your body the chance to adjust. Then as the days continue set your clock back more for the next few days etc until you’ve reached the time you would like to wake up at.

Another tip is placing your alarm clock away from arm’s reach. Place your alarm clock on the other side of the room and make sure your alarm sound and volume level is at a good comfortable setting.