Tag: school tips

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College Campus Resources- And Some Off Campus!

college campus resources on and off campus

Hey college students! Are you living below your means when it comes to being enrolled in college? Typically as a full-time and even part-time student, you are entitled to so many different campus resources that you may not be taking full advantage of. Here are a few typical perks you can find: 

Gym membership- whether it’s to the school’s rec center or a discount at a local gym membership. They are great deals when you’re in school and you don’t get this perk once you graduate, so use it while you can! 

Sports events- Typically the school will either admit students to sports events for free, or make it incredibly affordable to go. They know the students are the lifeblood of cheering the school on and want to encourage as much support for their teams as possible. 

Printing offices- Schools often have a specific printing office or printing stations throughout campus because they understand that the luxury of a printer is not in every student’s budget. So they try to keep them accessible and as cheap as possible. 

Study sessions and tutoring rooms- There is a good chance, especially in your general classes, that you can find a study session or tutor room for the subject you are struggling in. In the school I attended, they had a whole room specifically for math tutoring. It didn’t matter which class you were in, there were plenty of students majoring in math or similar studies that were readily available to help assist you with your homework or teach you a concept you were struggling with. And the best part, it was FREE! 

Tech help- Utilizing technology is just about the only way you can gain a college degree anymore, so colleges have stepped up and offered tech help to students that cannot figure out why their computer is glitching or randomly deleting every download. They understand that you need functioning technology, so they are here to help! 

The library- And oldie but a goodie. Every school has a library to some extent, which typically is equipped with computers, desks for studying, comfy chairs for reading, and of course, BOOKS for research. 

Discounts at restaurants- In a college town, you may be surprised how many local restaurants offer discounts to enrolled college students. They may not advertise it every time, so asking is the best policy! It never hurts to ask if they offer a discount to college students. 

Have you been taking advantage of these great perks of being a college student? What else would you add to this list? 

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Never Ever Give Up

Someone shared this YouTube video with me of a group of 9 to 13 year olds singing a cover of this song to essential workers. They are thanking doctors, teachers, grocery store workers, and more, in the most tender-hearted way.

To all of you teachers out there on the front lines, sanitizing desks, iPads, and markers just to make it through the school day. The teachers navigating Zoom to teach students. To those early childhood educators working out creative ways to still make toys and play a part of the classroom. To the college professors doing everything they can to follow school protocol, and encouraging your students to do the same. The professors pre-recording lectures for students to watch online.

To those risking their lives.

To those who are starting their first year of teaching all over again (p.s. that’s all teacher’s this year).

To the overwhelmed and the underpaid.

Please listen to this song.

“No matter what you’re facing, you are my inspiration. You’re the fire that doesn’t know how to back down.”

Never. Ever. Give. Up.

These kids need you now more than ever. You’ve got this.

Please share with a teacher, a doctor, a nurse, a delivery driver, a grocery store worker, or anyone else on the front lines who may need to hear this.

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Back To School Fall 2020

I know I just wrote about my blog schedule and that Monday’s are dedicated to past teachers and the influence they had on me/ still have on me. However, I felt like this subject was important to write about and it has been on my mind for weeks and weeks. 

Schools going back in the fall. There are so many politics behind this that I will not get involved in, but I still have been thinking about so many other situations. 

I worry about teachers who are putting their health at risk by going back. 

I worry about teachers who financially rely on this income to support their families and do not have the flexibility to find a new job, especially in this economy. 

I worry about retired teachers and those who have chosen not to go back next year that feel guilty for not being on the front lines as a teacher, but shouldn’t feel this way. 

I worry about the students’ health. 

I worry about COVID outbreaks in schools. 

I worry about the parents’ mental health either with sending kids back to school and the stress that comes with that, or keeping them home and again, the stress that comes with that. 

I worry about the students that utilized school as their refuge from undesirable home life and will not have that in their life. 

There are worries left and right about going back to school, keeping kids home, and all of the inconsistency this Fall brings for us. 

But we do have one certainty we always know to be true- The teachers will show up. They will adapt to online learning, socially distant classrooms, and more. There may be anxiety and stress behind it, but they will show up. It has proven true time and time again, and with my own teacher friends I’ve followed on social media. Most of them have expressed their frustrations and concerns, but at the same time, I see them wearing masks and making their classrooms socially distant. They worry about their students too and how much they will miss if they are learning from home without the proper support. 

How is your school going back in the Fall? What are you worried about and what can you look forward to? 

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My Book Review on “College READY: Get The Most Out Of Your College Experience”

High school and college students, this post is for you! Teachers and professors of high school and college students, you’ll want to listen too. I recently read a book targeted toward high school seniors, but I believe is beneficial to any students, even those well into college. 

College READY: Get The Most Out Of Your College Experience by Mitchell Nicholes is a book written by a recent college graduate who takes apart different parts of college step by step in an easy to read and comprehend way. He covers topics such as discovering you why for college, setting SMART goals, and the ins and outs of funding and financial aid in college. The writing is fairly casual, making it a text that doesn’t need to be deciphered, the information comes across easy and sometimes in bullet points for ease. And with only 37 pages, putting this in the hands of students would not be overwhelming. By the end of the book, they should feel confident in knowing more about schooling, budgeting, and goal setting. 

It covers a vast audience, not just high school seniors. Researching college and the preparation it entails can start at younger ages before high school. And on the other end of the spectrum, students beyond their freshman year in college can benefit from this book too. I was well into my sophomore year of college before financial aid was even on my radar, and this book would have been a great tool in my research on what FAFSA was and the jargon it brings along with it, which is why this book needs to be in the hands of every student with undergrad and graduate schooling on their minds.

There is a whole chapter on career choice and progression, and that itself is why any college student at any level needs this as well. He covers everything from choosing the correct career for you to figuring out salary after graduation. If you won’t take my word for it that this book is worth your time, take it from a paragraph in the book itself: 

“The sole purpose of this book is to equip you with the knowledge and tools to get the most out of your college experience and set you up for success in life. So many people go through different journeys in their life without a plan, and essentially just end up “somewhere.” Think of this book as a guide. Utilize the knowledge you learned to discover what you need to do to get the most out of your college experience and set yourself up for success in life!’

-Mitchell Nicholes

You can buy the paperback or Kindle version of this book on Amazon. 

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Top 8 iOS/Android Apps for Students

Easily one of the most difficult things to get used to in school is getting organized. The top ten apps for productivity and general usefulness are listed below, available for both iOS and Android. Click the images for the app store!

iplanneriPlanner is an app made to help organize all your scheduling and assignments in one area. It’s available on iOS. The Android equivalent would be myHomework, a great app that has the same basic features and ideas.
AlgeoAlgeo is the perfect graphing calculator app, available at the Play Store for Android. Apple phones also have a good free graphing calculator app. This is much easier and better than taking around a bulky calculator.

WikipediaBetter than Google, finding articles with sources for every paper or presentation right at your fingertips. The photo link is to the Apple Store. Here is the link to the Android store version.

Google DriveA perfect place for keeping all your documents in one place. Also, if you are using anything but Gmail for your emailing, you are behind the times and missing out on a great userface. Simple, easy to use, and aesthetically pleasing. The link is to the Android. Click here for the Apple Store.

FlashThis is the premier flashcard app that makes studying easy and convenient no matter where you are. Click here for the Android version.

Mint appThe one-stop banking app that keeps all your finances in one place, helps you to set budgets and tracks your saving progress. A must-have for anyone who has multiple banking accounts or loans. Click here for Apple version.

EvernoteEvernote is the perfect app for keeping track of basically anything you want to remember. You can also search with keywords and find everything you’ve ever written from anywhere. The Android version is here.

duolingoDuoLingo helps you learn a language on the go! It’s perfect for practicing the language you’re taking for your Bachelors in Arts, or for helping to expand your cultural knowledge by learning on your own. You can never know too much! Bonne chance! (iOS version here)

Honorable Mentions:

TED talks (iOS / Android), great to listen to while you eat lunch to keep you involved in the innovations and top minds of today.

Al Jazeera (iOS / Android), one of the least biased news sites. Stream the audio while you drive, or watch first thing in the morning. Perfect for knowing what’s going on in the world and staying up-to-date with current events.

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Featured Image: Matt Cornock