Take My Advice

There is no shortage of advice out there for college students. And there are a whole host of websites offering advice about college life, classes and hobbies. Here are some you may find interesting.

College How2 is a great website with a variety of student specific articles covering How to Study Abroad, How to Stay Safe on Campus, Financial Aid 101 and more.

Campus Grotto has more than 1 million readers. That is probably because it is a very comprehensive website that talks about current issues of importance to students. It publishes annual ranking of the most expensive colleges. You can subscribe for email updates.

The Campus Life is a collection of articles about “what happens between classes,” focusing on the social aspects of college communities.

College Tips by Jen is includes all kinds of advice geared toward adult and online students. Recent articles include time management, home organization, and staying motivated.

CollegeTips is written by college students, with new articles added every week. There are dozens of categories including study tips, dorm tips, party tips, money tips, and tips by gender.

HackCollege is all about teaching students to work more effectively. Much of its content is about technology, but lots of other advice on a variety of topics is included as well.

ILTLearning is a resource for anyone majoring in computer science including teachers, computer analysts and software designers

Family and College and CollegeWife both offer all kinds of advice for married students, particularly women.

The Straight Dope has been “Fighting Ignorance Since 1973.” It features a question and answer each week on a wide range of topics like “How Do They Get the Ms on M&MS.” There is a message board and links to a podcast as well.

The International Student Blog is for anyone who wants to study abroad as well as for international students studying in the states.

The Student’s Blog is a syndicated blog from NextStudent that includes advice and tips for college students and tips on everything from beefing up your transfer application to finding the best caffeinated beverages.

Cleanup That Email

You didn’t realize all those emails had piled up until you went to find one you wanted, and then – wow, 2,342 unread messages are waiting for you! You’re email box may not be that out of control, but if you have more than 35 unread emails, or your inbox has more than 10 messages that you don’t need to keep, it is time to clean house. Become your own best administrative assistant, and get your emails under control with these tips.

The first rule of email is just like printed mail – try to touch each piece only once. When you open a new message, decide right then if you want to print it, save it, forward, delete or reply to it. If you decide to save it, leaving it languishing in your inbox is not the best choice. All email programs have the ability to setup folders. I treat these just like file cabinet folders. You might have a folder for each class you are taking, one for personal emails and one for financial information.

You can avoid having to move emails to folders altogether using filters. Gmail filters  are easy to set up. You identify types of email you receive frequently, or email from specific people, and set up a filter to intercept it before it hits your inbox, so it is routed to the correct folder. It will still show up as unread mail so you won’t miss anything.

The next thing you can do is to take a few minutes and unsubscribe to newsletters you aren’t reading. If they are no longer in your inbox, go to your trash folder. Each newsletter should have an unsubscribe link at the bottom.

Now on to whittling down what’s in your folders. First go to your Sent Folder. If you need to save some of the emails you have sent, put them in the correct folders. Otherwise, send them to Trash. Getting rid of emails with large file attachments will open up a lot of space.

Then go through your other folders, sorting and deleting. If you use Outlook, you can perform a Mailbox Cleanup by going to the Tools Menu. This will locate and archive emails for you.

When you are done with all the folders, go to your Trash or Recycle Bin and empty it. To keep things tidy, try to set aside 10-15 minutes each day, or twice a day if you get a lot of email, to process incoming messages so they don’t pile up.

The Comfy Computer

If you spend a lot of time online or using your computer for studying, it’s important to have a good spot arranged so that you can work easily and painlessly. Setting up a computer study area is easy, but there are a number of things that you should take into consideration.

The first is placement. Find a spot free from distractions. That usually means away from the television. If you have children who may also use your computer, it’s a good idea to keep your computer in a central location rather than behind closed doors, so you can monitor what they are looking at. Your computer should be in a comfortable spot where the temperature is right, away from drafts or direct sunlight. Look for nooks and crannies where a desk could fit – under a staircase, in an unused closet or a kitchen corner.

The next thing to pay attention to is lighting. The combination of an overhead light and a desk lamp will give you enough light to allow you to see without squinting. If you want to sit near a window, make sure you don’t have glare or reflections on your computer monitor. Turn off your monitor and see if there are any reflections on it.

Make sure your chair is comfortable and positioned so that your desktop is waist high. You should be able to rest your elbows on the table, and put your feet on the floor without slouching or stretching. Raise or lower your chair or use a pillow to get the right height. Ergonomic chairs  made especially for computer use can be found at any office supply store.

Make room for papers, books and supplies. Overhead shelving or storage bins will keep things out of sight but at hand when you need them. This also leaves room for your computer monitor to be centered in front of your chair so you don’t have to twist your head to see it.

Position your monitor an arm’s length away, with the top of the screen at eye level. Tilt the screen slightly toward the ceiling to make sure you can see it without twisting. Having to move your head forward or back can cause neck and shoulder pain.

10 Websites for Fun and Productivity

Somewhere right now there is a software engineer  creating “the next big thing” in websites for college students. A quick Google of “college student websites” nets thousands of entries. Here are 10 lesser known ones that are useful and fun.

1. Design your Dorm  is a 3D design tool with a database of dorm room layouts of more than 140 schools. You can move the virtual furniture around, and then purchase accessories online in one place. It’s free, but you do have to register. How else are they going to send you follow up emails from all the participating vendors?

2. Tuxpi.  Of absolutely no educational value, this website lets you put your friends on a wild west style wanted poster, motivational poster spoof, postage stamp or flag. The site also lets you do all kinds of fun photo editing that can then be downloaded to your computer or shared.

3. Slideserve  takes your PowerPoint presentation and converts it into a file that can be emailed or shared on Facebook or other websites or blogs.

4. Spreeder.  This harmless looking site is amazingly powerful. It will teach you to speed read in a nanosecond. Just running the demo is mind blowing.

5. Rate My Professors has collected student ratings of 1.5 millon college professors in 7,500 schools in the US, Canada and UK. Go there to check out a prof before signing up for class, or put in your two cents worth. It includes an iPhone app and has side lists for the hottest professors, top schools and other related lists.

6. Bookmooch.  For students who have never heard of a library, Bookmooch bills itself as a community for exchanging used books. The difference here is that you earn points whenever you share a book. And you don’t have to ever return the books. To stay in good standing, you will need to bank points. But if you over-mooch, you can give your points to charities such as children’s hospitals The Library Fund, and African Literacy.

7. Supercook.  If you like working with what you have on hand, but aren’t terribly creative, this website lets you enter the contents of your fridge and pantry and it will find recipes that fit what you have. The website does have a disclaimer: “The more ingredients you add, the better the results will be.”

8. SpeakLike provides instant messaging with instant translation when you are chatting with someone who speak a different language than you. You build a list of your contacts to see when they are online. You can chat in real time using an online translator. There is also a conference chat feature to translate between as many as three languages.

9. Huffington Post College is an offshoot of tThe popular politically-progressive Huffington Post, created a site just for college students. This online news and aggregated weblog is a one-stop shop for current event coverage.

10. Videojug is a tweaked version of YouTube, cataloguing a collection of instructional videos on any subject imageinable.

Start the Year With a Clean Computer

If your computer has been a little sluggish, or you know there are files you don’t need that are just taking up space, this is a great time to do a clean up on our laptop or PC. Computer experts estimate that the average user accesses less than 10 percent of the programs installed on their computer. And every time you go online, your machine picks up cookies and temporary files that are unnecessary, take up valuable space and can slow your computers performance.

Here is a list of things you can do to clear out all the junk and optimize your computer’s performance.

First of all, you should have an anti-virus program installed on your computer. McAfee and Norton Utilities are two of the most popular. Take a look at several programs until you find one that suits your needs and budget.

A second program you should have on your computer is one to eliminate spyware and computer hijacking software. Lavasoft’s AdAware, or Spybot are easy to follow and very effective.

Once your computer is protected, you need to back up your files so you can do a system restore if necessary. Make a habit of backing up files or keeping copies on flash drives.

Next you should delete programs and files you don’t need. Be sure to complete one step or run one system tool at a time, then move on to the next until you are done.

Start by running Disk Cleanup.  Click “Start” then “All Programs then “Accessories” then “System Tools.” Find “Disk Cleanup,” choose the “C” drive and click “OK” to start the analysis of the hard drive. Depending on how much junk is on your hard drive, this make take a few moments. A window will come up with a list of files that can be deleted. Click each blank check box and then “OK” to begin the cleanup. This can take awhile depending on the amount of files that need removed.

Next you will want to clear out cookies – the files that get dropped by websites you visit.  Open your internet browser. Click on Start, then Control Panel, then Internet Options. Click on “Delete Cookies,” click on that.

Take a look at the programs you have installed and delete those you do not use. If you don’t recognize a particular program, be careful – a good rule of thumb is if in doubt, leave it alone. To look at all of your programs, click “Start,” then “Control Panel,” then “Add/Remove Programs.” Scroll through the list and click “Delete” or “Uninstall” next to the programs you want to eliminate.

Now it’s time to Defrag. Defragging moves your files back to where they are supposed to be and cleans up fragmented sectors of your hard drive. This may take several hours, so wait until you don’t have to use your computer for awhile. Defragging overnight works well.  Click “Start,” then “Computer,” then right-click on the “C” drive and click “Properties.” Click “Defragment Now” under the “Tools” tab. Click on the “C” drive and click “Defragment Disk.” You can have the defrag program analyze your hard drive first and then defrag, or just go straight to defragging.

Repeat these steps on a regular basis to keep your computer running in top shape.

A Penny Saved Online

The end of the year is a great time to look at your expenses and retool your budget for next year. Do you have money left over from first semester? Did you come up short? Is it time to look for mid-year scholarships?  It’s a new year – time for a new improved budget. With a semester under your belt, you are better equipped to anticipate expenses. Take a few moments away from the merriment of the holiday and put a pencil to paper to work out your budget for next year. To help with that, here are some great websites that have to do with finding things cheaper, spending smarter and living within a budget.

Please Just Send Money,  FiscalU and Saving in College  are three good websites about budgeting and frugal living for college students. Others include Thrifty College Tips and Broke Buying.

Tips on saving money on school supplies can be found at Smart School Supplies.com 

For ideas on how to supplement your income from home while attending college during college, check out BrokenPoet.com

If you’re looking to cut down on car and gasoline expense, or you just want some company on your way into school, Zimride.com is a matchmaking service for car poolers.

Get tips and recipes on how to trim your grocery store budget at Cheap Budget Meals.

A number of websites feature coupons and deals. Favorites are Coupon Sherpa,  Coupon Cabin  and College Couponing.

Tips for improving your credit and managing your finances while going to school can be found at College Credit Tips, Educational Finance Management , and The Happy Wallet.

It’s never too early to start investing. Tips for college students who want to start putting money away for their future can be found at Smart Investment Ideas. 

Use this About.com site as a basis for drawing up your 2012 budget.

Student Bistro  has a variety of coupons, deals and offers from online, local and national retailers

Seasons Eatings From the Web

It’s winter break for college campuses and online schools.  Time to eat! There are some great websites out there for foodies. While you’re home on break, check out some of these spots with great recipes especially for students. Don’t worry – we will follow up in January with weight loss tips.

Baking Goodies – Just what it says, this site is all about baking goodies! The latest blog posts have killer Christmas cookie recipes.

Cocktails and Mocktails – I didn’t know there was such a thing as a “vegan cocktail” until I saw this website. Traditional drink recipes are here too, along with food recipes.

Dorm Room Menu – Written specifically for dorm-room cooking, this site is great for anyone with limited time or utensils. Current posts include “What to do with Thanksgiving leftovers” and “a 5-Minute Gluten Free Lunch”

Quick and healthy recipes for students – Even though the website says “Avoid the ‘freshman 15’ by preparing quick and nutritious snacks and meals to keep you satisfied throughout the day,” these recipes are good enough to eat!

TeachEatPlay – This isn’t a recipe website per se, but it does include ideas for food, along with other crafting, family activities and fun. Check out the amazing gingerbread house instructions and a list of creative side dishes for the holidays.

StudentRecipes – With 15 categories, this website is a one-stop shop for all that is student eatings. You can submit recipes to have featured on the site as well.

Beyond Baked Beans – Gotta love the name of this website. It says it’s about “cheap healthy food for students, single or anyone on a budget.” It also has money-saving tips, simple but tasty recipes and just a bit of health advice.

Good Food – Based on the magazine and UK-based television show of the same name, GoodFood is a huge website with all kinds of foodie fun. A special section has dozens of recipes perfect for students.

The Poor Student’s Cookbook – This site has a great “Getting Started” section for new cooks. You can also submit your recipes and find recipes for all kinds of inexpensive and yummy dishes.

Yum Yum – Speaking of yummy, take a look at recipes in 18 categories, plus tips for new cooks

Good Food Good – Written by contributors from five countries (U.S., Indonesia, Germany, Slovakia and India, this website has great recipes from around the world, along with advice and interesting stories.

Catch Up On Your Reading Online

With the first semester almost behind you, you might be yearning for a break from the books. But for those of you who are bookhounds and can’t get enough literature, or you need an escape from your family over winter break, here are some great websites for free book reading and downloading. If you’re pursuing a liberal arts degree, you can get ahead on some of your reading for next semester.

Bartleby – This site has everything from textbooks and reference guides to fiction and poetry.

Bibliomania – Bibliomania hosts more than 2,000 classic book texts online for you to read and download.

eBrary – Just like a university library, eBrary has more than 20,000 full books on every topic.

Literature.org – Great literature and classic books are yours for the downloading.

Open Book Project – The Open Book Project is designed specifically for the academic community with free textbooks and other open source education materials.

Open Library – This internet archiving project is aiming to put together a Web page for every book ever published. There are already 20 million books catalogued.

Project Gutenberg – More than 30,000 free electronic books to download to a computer, iPhone, Kindle, Sony Reader, or other portable device. Books are offered in a variety of file formats.

Questia – Calling itself ”the world’s largest online collection of books, articles, and other library resources,” Questia was compiled and edited by librarians. It has 76,000 full text books and millions of scholarly articles are great sources for research papers.

Shakespeare Online – If you’re into the Bard, this site is for you, with every play or poem from the world’s most celebrated writer. There is also a section for analysis and Old English language translation.

The Free Library – More than 18,000,000 books and articles make up the collection of The Free Library.

The Online Books Page – This University of Pennsylvania website has more than 30,000 books that anyone can read for free online.

A Great Tool to Manage Your Online Classes

When you are taking classes from home, it’s easy to get distracted and disorganized.  You need to keep on top of your reading, assignments, projects and deadlines.  You can find yourself swimming in a sea of disorganized class notes.

Ideal for use by students attending online schools,  a web-based software program called  Soshiku keeps all your information in one place and reminds you when things are due. It also includes a collaboration tool for group projects and class discussions.

The system is simple to use. When you sign up, there is a tutorial that walks you through everything.  The free version allows you to track five classes and input 20 assignments per class.. You can attach 10 files to each assignment and break each one into 20 tasks. The free version will send you email notifications and reminders. It also sends you ads.

For $5 a month, everything is unlimited. Along with email notifications, you can also get text messages, add recurring assignments and use a “quick-add” feature. And with the paid version, there are no ads.

You start with Soshiku by entering your classes. You then add assignments underneath each class.  For those of us who are visual learners, classes and everything that goes with them can be color coded.

When you set up an assignment, you can attach all your class notes, research and files for that assignment. You can break the assignment up into tasks and assign interim deadlines. If you are working on a group project, you can assign tasks to your group members and shire files with them online. Group members get email updates when you add a file or message. There is also a chat inside the system.

One of the best features of Soshiku is the reminder system. You can get an email or a text message on your Smartphone when an assignment deadline is approaching.  The program’s calendar lets you see all assignments – upcoming and overdue, along with the five most recent tasks you’ve been assigned. You can also search for tasks, assignments and notes.

Soshiku can be accessed via computer or Smartphone.  You can add assignments either way. If you want to try the basic plan, you can sign up for free. There is a seven-day free trial for the paid plan.

It Only Takes 30 Boxes

30 Boxes is an online calendar that is so simple that it makes you wonder if you missed the point. But take another look and you will find this great calendar service looks like a simple wall calendar but has the power of a Google calendar. The website can also be accessed on your Smartphone. It is a very easy-to-use calendar with one-click editing capabilities, plus a to do list. You can also access “Buddy Calendars” making it great for student collaboration in distance learning situations.

The website also can link with social networking sites, automatically feeding event data from Twitter, Blogger, MySpace, Facebook, WordPress, and Vox. If you pair it with Upcoming.org, it will generate a social timeline listing all of your recent online activity. You can create a calendar of photos. There is a special WordPress plug-in to create a timeline of your blog posts. A reminder feature sends you notifications via text or email.

And speaking of blogs, you can embed a 30 Boxes Calendar on your website and bookmark any page onto the calendar by dragging and dropping an icon into your browser toolbar. The widget application is real-time, so it automatically updates whenever you change what you have linked such as photos of Flickr. There are a number of theme choices for 30 Boxes, some that integrate with websites like Gmail and Flickr.

The application was developed by the creators of Webshots in 2005 and has become quite popular. You can test out a 30 Boxes calendar demo online or open an account with just a few clicks. All you need is an email address, password and a first and last name. And of course, you need to check the box for terms and agreements. Then you’re all set to go.