18 Recommended College Blogs

Although I enjoy writing my College Life blog, I look at the following blogs quite often.  They all have some great advice, ideas, news, and stories to tell.  If you get the chance, check them out!

• Campus Grotto
• College Admissions Counseling
• CollegeTimes » Blog
• Get Schooled with CollegeBound.net's U. Got It? Blog
• Great College Advice
• My College Guide
• Student City
• Chegg Blog | College Topics for Students by Students
• The College Survival Handbook
• HackCollege
• College Fashion
• Study Hacks
• Innovation in College Media
• Free College Blog
• College Students are Poor!
• Every College Girl
• College Surfing
• Online College Blog and School Reviews

Like I said, these are a great read and have given me many ideas to write my own posts about with my opinions on each topic. 

Make The Most Of Your Summer

Summer is just around the corner, and I think I can speak for all college students when I say we cannot be more excited.  For the next week or so most of us will be buried in our textbooks and hyped up on coffee and red bull, but we can't let that stand in the way of the light at the end of the tunnel. So whether you're staying at school or at home for the summer, there are ways to make the most of it. 


Explore

Considering most of us are broke and living off of ramen, we don't have the money to travel anywhere far...but that doesn't mean you can't explore where you are.  Find things to do that are cheap, or even free nearby.  Go camping, or for a run on a route you've never gone before.  This gives you a chance to see all different aspects of where you live!  Personally, I would suggest a canoe trip with your friends. It's an inexpensive and great excuse to get drunk and weird with your friends in a swimsuit. 

Work

I know work doesn't sound like something you want to spend your whole summer doing, but we have to feed ourselves somehow!  This gives you more experience to put down on your resume, a wider network, and some beer money.  And chances are, you might meet some great people!  I loved my summer job and met some wonderful people.

Get Organized

Organize all your school supplies by throwing away what you don't want/need and put the stuff you're keeping in a certain spot as you're moving out.  This will save you a lot of time later! 


Good luck on your finals, everyone! Have a great summer!!!

What to Consider When Moving Out

Moving day is approaching!  This can be a stressful time for students since it's all right next to finals!  To make the moving process go a bit more smoothly, we should consider a few things.


Make yourself aware of what you agreed to in your lease

When you sign a lease, you agree to abide by the lessor's rules of the residence.  Although you may think you know all the rules stated in your lease, it is important to go through the contract again before moving out so you aren't being charged for anything.  This may include things like:

• Maintaining the upkeep of your room.  Vacuum, clean windows, no nails in wall, etc.
• All items must be out of your room and room must be cleaned.  This will cause less of an issue with cleaning costs with your leasing agent.
• Make sure to book a check-out inspection.  Turn in keys, etc.
• All roommates may be responsible to make sure the common areas are clean and that any damages are reported.

Follow the Check-Out Procedures

• Book an inspection for check-out, as mentioned above.  In most cases this is done within a day after finals.  So book early!
• Know what the inspection requires.  A lot of places require that your room is completely empty, so arrange a place to take your things! 
• Know where to put your garbage.  Some places may have an extra dumpster during move out periods, locate those.  Don't leave your trash outside or you may end up being charged for it!

Yoga Pants vs. Jeans

As college students, we put less effort in how we look going to class than we do studying and drinking (if we're going to be honest with ourselves).  

So the real question we're aiming for is... comfort or style?

Yoga Pants 

"Those yoga pants are hideous" -Said no one ever

Pros:

• Makes your butt look GREAT! And who doesn't want a great looking ass?
• Comfortable for classes, YOGA, working out and lounging 
• Room for small weight fluctuations (within reason...you still can't max out on chicken fingers and cheese fries)
• Less expensive than a good pair of jeans
• You don't HAVE to participate in yoga to wear yoga pants (I don't care what anyone says!)

Cons:

• Unprofessional looking
• Don't last incredibly long
• Buying yoga pants is addictive...GUILTY...there's just so many different kinds....capri, legging, flare, sparkly, pink, purple, OH MY! Endless possibilities. 

Jeans

Pros:

• Also makes your butt look decent. 
• More suitable to wear in public
• Warmer
• Pocket space
• Can dress up or dress down a pair of jeans. (jeans with a t-shirt, or with a nice blouse)

Cons:

• Not much room for weight fluctuation...unless you are buying jeggings...but that's a whole other category!
• More expensive
• More durable
• Less comfortable to be in all day
• AND they take much longer to dry!

In my opinion, yoga pants are great for lounging and class all week.  However, if you have a guest speaker for class, meeting with a professor, club meeting, etc., put on those jeans! (Or something more professional than that if necessary) 

Just keep this into consideration before walking out the door in the morning:  Who are you dressing to impress?

College Life Products

I have created a few products EVERY college student would enjoy.  All of these can be visited on my CafePress website.  My College Life logo is of a person studying, a mug of beer, and a person sleeping.  I like to think that these three things represent college life in a nutshell.  And if this DOESN'T describe your college life in a nutshell...you're not doing it right!

This deluxe hoodie is stylish, comfortable, and perfect to wear on an ordinary day going to class or lounging with your friends.  This hoodie is constructed with a cotton/polyester blend, build to last with comfort!  100% quality.  Available in multiple different colors (white and heather gray)! Don't miss out.  If you're interested, click here.

$41.99

Another late night of studying and need a nice blend of coffee to wake you up in the morning?  Get this College Life travel mug!  It is good for hot or cold beverages and it's snap-tight lid guarantees no spills! Perfect for at home or on the go.  Wanna buy? Click here!

$21.59

We all need to have some decent glassware in our homes, or in our case, a house cup for your parties!  This glass gives your drink a little personality and funk.  This pint-sized glass is easy to stack with existing glasses and a keepsake for your college career!  Interested? Click here.

$13.19

Feel free to visit my CafePress website for similar products with this logo!  Things like bags, ipad/iphone cases, buttons, hats, keychains, and much more!

• 30-Day Money Back Guarantee
• Shop for one-of-a-kind gifts
• Go crazy!

What To Consider When You Tan

Alright ladies, we all want to look our best for these upcoming summer months, but we must be aware of the dangers ultraviolet rays can do to our skin. We all know tanning increases our chances of getting skin cancer, but there are a few things many of us don't know about.

Dangers of tanning according to Tanning Booth Dangers:

• Sunburn- UV rays damage your epidermis.  When you get to the point that your skin starts blistering, the risk of you getting melanoma (deadliest skin cancer) doubles. 
• Tan Skin- Having tan skin isn't having healthy skin.  Skin has an SPF of 2-4, but it is recommended that our skin gets no less than 15 SPF.
• Skin cancer-  If you tan in a tanning bed before the age of 30, the risk of getting skin cancer goes up by 75%!  Although this can be treated if caught in an early stage, it isn't worth it!
• Pre-cancer- More than 5 million Americans are diagnosed with Solar Keratoses (form of pre-cancer) which can sometimes turn into full blown cancer.
• Premature aging- By tanning, you're making your skin age quicker than you would otherwise.  "Tan skin is nothing more than skin damage." 
• Eye damage- There is a reason you're required to wear goggles in the tanning bed.  Cataracts can be brought on from the UV exposure.  Other damages to your eyes may include: sunburn on your cornea and cancer around your eyes. 

With that in mind, evaluate whether a bronze, summer look is more important than your health.  Spend the summer months enjoying your friends and family! (NOT fake'n'baking!)

College Students and SLEEP

How much should we sleep?

We have always heard people tell us that we all need our 8 hours of sleep at night, but in most cases, that is an unrealistic amount of sleep for a typical college student.  According to "Do I Really Need to Sleep? Sleep Deprivation in College Students", that college students average less than six hours of sleep a night (2 hours less than scientifically recommended).  The truth is, everyone is different, so it is hard to put a number on how many hours of sleep we all "need".  Personally, I can function on only 4 hours of sleep a night, whereas my roommate needs double that to accomplish what she needs to the next day!

Sleeping Tips:

• Make your bed a place just for sleep.  Some people like to do homework or study in their beds, DON'T.  The moment your bed becomes a use for more than sleep, sex, and sickness, is when the hours you spend actually sleeping is limited. 
• Create a routine.  Although your classes may not start at the same time each morning, try to wake up around the same time everyday.  Regular schedules help with a healthy sleep routine. 
• Avoid long naps during the day (even though they feel wonderful!).  If you spend too long napping during the day, you won't sleep at night, which calls for a rough morning ahead. 
• Don't go to bed hungry. Eat your dinner at a reasonable time so you're not hungry when you go to sleep.  No one wants to go to bed with an angry stomach. 

9 Things I have Learned in ACC 255

1. How to develop a niche area with keywords
2. How to blog
3. How to manage my time to complete tasks
4. How to create a website
5. How to create a privacy page for a website
6. How to create products to sell on CafePress.com
7. How to post links on everything like crazy!
8. How to post blog posts that people actually read and get +1'd on Google
9. How to keep up with a fast paced, online life!

"College Life" Highlights

I would like to take a moment to revisit the past couple months of "College Life"'s blogs, starting with my favorite discussion topic so far.  So without further ado, lets reminisce! 

1. Ready for Spring Break?
• This is my favorite topic to talk about so far because only a couple tests stand from me and my spring break! Discussed into more detail are: Popular Destinations, Travel tips, and cheap travel options. 
2.  Importance of a budget
• This is my most recent post, but a helpful one.  Discussed, are reasons to budget with a link to my website about the steps to creating a budget.
3. Things Every College Student MUST Have
• These items include a flash drive and a laptop.  Links are provided with great options for each!
4. “The Collegebound Network”- Inspiration to my Blog
• Reasons why “The Collegebound Network” has inspired me to write this blog, as well as a few posts that I enjoyed!
• The Biggest College Stories and Trends of 2012
•  A Case for College: A Degree Has Economic Benefits
• Harlem Shake: The College Edition
5. Chegg.com Review
• Features, Customer Service satisfaction, as well as a comparison to Bookrenter.com
6. 10 Study Tips
• Advice on the most helpful ways to study and retain information.  Be prepared to ace your next exam!
7. Getting Involved
•  Offers a few ideas on organizations or other ways to get involved on campus.
8. Transition
• Tips on how to make a smooth transition from high school to college. 

Importance of a Budget

Although it's hard to resist the urge to blow the thousands of dollars of student loan money sitting in our checking accounts on booze, clothes, some cute boots, and McDonald’s, we do need to remember the items necessary for the every day life of a college student.  Part of becoming a financially independent adult is knowing and understanding how much money you have and where it is spent.

Reasons to budget:

·         Give yourself control

o  A budget helps resist impulse purchases and overspending

·         Prepares yourself for emergencies

o  Planning ahead could help you when you least expect it.  Having the extra money in your budget in case your car breaks down, you need medical attention, etc., is a good feeling.

·         Improves bad spending habits

o  With a limited budget, you become a more price conscious shopper.  It will also show you how to pay more attention to the consumption of resources in your home (electric, water, gas, food, etc.)

·         Reduces stress

o  A budget provides you with the peace of mind that your financial situation is under control.  It’s an extremely unsettling feeling not knowing if you can afford to pay your bills.

To learn more about budgeting and how to create a budget worksheet, you can visit my website, College Life, for more information.  In my article, “How to Make a Budget”, I discuss in more detail the steps you should go through in the process of creating a budget.  Feel free to leave suggestions if I missed anything important! 

Ready for Spring Break?

With final projects, papers, assignments, and midterms coming up, we're all ready for a break.  Take some time to reward yourself for your hard work so far this semester and go on a trip with your friends!  After a little research, here are a few things I came up with:

Popular Destinations

Some of the hot spots included in the Spring Break Guide are:

• Panama City Beach, Florida
• Spring break capital of the world
• Concerts, celebrity appearances, special events, etc.
• South Padre Island, Texas
• Texas-sized spring break party every year!
• Clubs, contests, concerts, etc.
• Daytona Beach, Florida
• Close to Walt Disney World, SeaWorld, Universal Studios, and DaytonaUSA
• One of the hottest nightclub scenes
• Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
• White sand beaches
• Perfect weather
• Clubs

Pictured: Panama City Beach, FL

For more spring break ideas, the HotelClub Travel Blog also offers a list of great destinations and hotel recommendations!

Traveling Tips

Planning a trip can be overwhelming so it is important to keep in mind a few things while traveling.  The Huffington Post includes these tips in their "Spring Break Travel Tips: 6 Rules For Stress-Free Travel To Popular Destinations":

1. Book early
2. Do your research
3. Safety precautions
4. Pack wisely
5. Drink wisely
6. Get off the beaten path

Cheap Travel Options

Many students choose not to go on spring break because of how expensive travel costs can be.  With Student Universe: Smart Deals for Students, this problem can be solved!  On this site, they offer flights, hotels, travel guides, group deals, and other cheap services just for being a student! 

HAVE FUN!

"The Collegebound Network" - Inspiration to my blog

Today, I would like to discuss the inspiration to my "College Life" blog.  When looking for this inspiration, I wanted a blog that was popular, modern, and credible, but with a great variety.  The Collegebound Network posts frequently about relatable topics ranging anywhere from financial aid, campus life, scholarships, just-for-fun posts, health, and simply college life in general (amongst many other categories to choose from!).  In addition to this variety, they offer the option to search by specific programs/majors, as well as by school.

A few of Collegebound Network's more recent blogs in particular that I found to be an interesting and helpful read were:

•  The Biggest College Stories and Trends of 2012
• This discusses certain events and stories that were a hit in the past year.  Things like: the Olympics, Obama's election, The Hunger Games, Penn State Scandal, amongst others. 
•  A Case for College: A Degree Has Economic Benefits
• In this interesting blog, it goes into detail about how and why people with college degrees make more money than those without.  Don't be a fool, and stay in school...seriously.
•   Harlem Shake: The College Edition
• The Harlem Shake has been a growing trend just in the past few weeks.  In this blog, they posted some of their personal favorite Harlem Shake videos from different colleges across the United States.

These are just a few of my recent favorites, however, there are many more great posts about budgeting, drinking, and other advice that is a good read!  They can be followed via Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, StumbleUpon, Pinterest, and LinkedIn.

Things Every College Student MUST Have

These days, EVERYTHING we do is online or with a computer. With that said, it is important to be somewhat tech savvy with reliable equipment.  These are a couple items a college student CANNOT go without:

Flash Drive: A USB flash drive is important to store all collections of your music, photos, videos, documents, and all other media content.  You never know when/if your computer will crash so having a backup file of any assignments, projects, pictures, etc., will definitely come in handy!  I use an 8 GB USB flash drive and haven't had a problem with storage and I've had it for 3 years (and use it frequently).  I would recommend the 8 GB SanDisk USB Flash Drive for $5.99 at Best Buy.  It is compatible with a PC and a Mac and for a reasonable price! To select a different memory storage size available at Best Buy, click here.

Laptop: A laptop will be primarily used for note-taking, assignments, research, and personal entertainment (photo, video, social media, etc.) while you are in school. A few considerations are necessary when choosing a laptop:

• Durability
• Portability
• Battery Life
• Preference of operating system

So the real question here is... Mac or PC?

Macs are stylish, durable, powerful, compact, and becoming very popular among many college students (myself included...I love it more than I love most people).  However, if you are used to Windows it will definitely take a while to get used to.  Most users enjoy it for its artistic and instinctive nature of an operating system.  Though it has it's  perks, you should expect to pay up to 15-20% more for an Apple Mac than you would a PC, but it is totally worth it.  I would recommend the 13' Apple Macbook Pro for $1499 from the Apple website. 

PCs are also a good option.  Though they are a little more flimsy than a Mac, most are compatible with a Windows OS (which most people are familiar with already) and for a decent price! Personally, I am most comfortable with a Dell computer, as they have been reliable in my home in the past.  I would recommend the '15.6 Dell Inspiron for $349.99 from the Dell website. Great deal for a reliable computer! 

Chegg.com Review

Trying to come up with close to $500 a semester for textbooks adds up quick, especially when we want to use that money for booze and junk food!  However, Chegg.com is a solution to this problem.  Chegg is a textbook rental website for students. They offer incredibly cheap prices for required textbooks for our classes (usually less than half of the listed price to purchase the book).  In particular, my Visual Basic 2010 How to Program textbook was listed at $131 and I got it for almost $30 (screenshot below).  Now, if that's not a good deal...I don't know what is!

Some features of Chegg.com:

• 21-Day satisfaction guarantee, 14-Day for eTextbook
• Option to sell textbooks back for cash or Chegg credit
• 24/7 Expert study help
• Reviews and ratings from other students
• Course reviews and planner

Not only is the price a perk, but using the website is easy.  All you need to do is copy and paste the ISBN number into the textbox.

In comparison to BookRenter.com, another book rental website, I was more satisfied with Chegg's service. My problem with BookRenter was their return service.  I had returned a book on time that had gotten lost in the mail (which happens!) and their customer service department failed to document my calls when they told me they had taken care of it (meaning I would no longer be getting overdue fees).

With all that said, Chegg.com is a great place for us broke college kids to save some serious money! 

10 Study Tips

Developing good study habits can be challenging. Here are some ways to get the most out of studying:

1. Go to the library- Find an alternative study space away from home.  It is an effective way to retain information and helps to motivate yourself to get something accomplished.
2. Study with a group- Get together with your classmates and study. Compare notes and help each other understand the information.
3. Start in advance- As hard as it is to get motivated to study for something you know is a ways away, it will make learning and retaining information much easier.  Review homework once it has been graded or fill out a study guide as you're learning a subject. 
4. Reward yourself- Reward yourself with a break from studying, or even a glass of wine! It's important to take a break from studying to regain some brain power.
5. Get some sleep!- A tired mind is a slow mind.  Don't stay up later than you would normally to study, or you'll be in a funk that is hard to get out of!
6. Ask for help- Don't hesitate to meet with your professor or the teaching assistant for help.  Send and email or make an appointment if there is any confusion on class material.
7. Make a study guide- Whether it's making notecards, filling out a study guide, or looking over notes...drill yourself!
8. Go to class- Get your butt to class, it will do nothing but help with your understanding of the material..and in some cases you get attendance point.  Take advantage!
9. Learn general concepts first- Understand key points before you go into more detail.  Baby steps.
10. Review material right after learning it- Do practice problems when you get home from class, refresh your memory!

Getting Involved

Getting involved in college is certainly hard to get motivated to do.  However, a degree isn't enough anymore.  A resume with nothing to show for doesn't appeal to employers.  Not only that, but it helps us to connect with the community and find our passions and strengths.  Here are some ways to get involved on campus:

Join a Club/Organization: Find a club or organization that fits your interests.  Most colleges offer clubs varying from interest-related groups, to activity-based groups, to political or social groups.  This is a good way to branch out and do what you enjoy doing.  If none of the available clubs fit your interests, start your own club!  You'd be surprised at how many people would like to join.  I mean, my school has a "Hot Sauce Tasting" club, so I assure you there is something out there for you!

Volunteer: Consider campus-related volunteer opportunities to give back to the community.  It is a great way to meet new people and feel good about yourself at the same time!

Intramural Sports: Get together with a group of your friends and join an intramural sports league.  These usually range from competitive to non-competitive as well as strictly boys, strictly girls, and coed teams.  Helps you to stay in [somewhat] decent shape and its a lot of fun! I would suggest coed volleyball, its a blast!

Attend Campus Events: Take advantage of campus events like internship fairs, career fairs, social events, speakers, etc.  Great way to network and become a part of your school.

Remember, you only get what you give!

Transistion

The transition from high school to college can be difficult.  I come from a town with a population of less than 1,000 people and only 20 kids in my graduating class, so you can imagine how incredibly different being at a state university is for me. Anyway, I'm going to give some tips about things that may help your transition from high school to college.

• Find Your Classes BEFORE Your First Class: Get out your campus map and walk to every building your classes are in so you aren't lost or walking into the wrong classroom on your first day!  People notice a freshmen when they see one, so give others the impression you're older by knowing where you're going!
• Be Yourself: Trying to meet new people might put you out of your comfort zone at times, but you should never change who you are to fit in with someone else.  Believe it or not, some of the friends you had in high school might not be as appealing to you once you meet people who are 100% your style. 
• Go to class!: You might think you can skip class because no one knows you and your parents can't yell at you....but you'll only dig yourself in a big hole that will be too late to dig yourself out of once you get your head out of your a**.  Everyone has a different way of learning, but going to class is a good way to network with other students about assignments, grades, similar classes, and just getting yourself out there! 
• Manage Your Time Wisely: In high school, the only time you manage is what time you wake up for school, when to eat, and when to sleep.  Having to walk across campus to get you your classes is a change of pace.  I like to make a To-Do List the night before I know I have a busy day, which I never in my entire life thought I would do.  Sometimes I even write down when I have time for a nap. ;)
• Have Fun: The stress of everything at once can be overwhelming at times, but don't forget to find time for fun and enjoy yourself.  There's a time to be studious and a time for entertainment, just learn a good balance between the two.  Go out, meet new people, make memories.

About Me

Hi, my name is Abby and I write the College Life blog to provide tips, advice, and share stories about how to deal with the challenges and successes of college.  This is my first blog, so I figured I would try to write about something that I could provide my readers with some truly meaningful posts, as I am a normal college student myself!  

As a junior at Illinois State University studying Business Information Systems, I have had my fair share of ups and downs throughout my college experience thus far.  Coming from an extremely small town like I did--graduating with only 20 kids in my senior class--, the transition to a university was somewhat overwhelming (but exciting!).  What I want to accomplish in my blog is to help other students with the transition and other important tips to know as we all grow into responsible adults.  We're only young once, so we might as well live it right!  It has been a great experience learning more and more about myself and others every day, and I plan to shed some light on a few topics that will hopefully be useful to my readers!

From studying, to the party scene, to getting involved, to budgeting, to relationships, to living a healthy lifestyle and much more...I would love to share my thoughts with you all!  Also, I would appreciate any feedback to my posts as to whether or not they are helpful!  To contact me, please email me at ajmean92@gmail.com.