Five Mobile Apps Every College Student Needs

College is one of those paramount times in an individual’s life. Distinctly designating the time between adolescence and adulthood, there are many things that take place in college (some of which we never wish to visit again) to mold us into the responsible adults we will once become. Of course, while our time in college certainly is all of these grand things, it is also just another four years of school, another introduction to new people, and another new living situation. No doubt, however, college is most definitely a time of major transition and major self evaluation.

For most, this is the first time that students must manage their studies completely on their own, supervise their own finances, and monitor their own well-being without their parents’ watchful eye. These new challenges can be very difficult to adjust to for a new student. Thankfully, with today’s tech savvy society, there are numerous applications, tools, and gadgets to help us master every aspect of our lives. These five mobile applications can help college students better handle some of the new challenges and responsibilities they will encounter in the academic and adult world.

Dropbox

This mobile app is perfect for the busy college student. Dropbox allows you to safely store up to 2 gigs of all of your important files, documents, and data from your computer right within the application. There is nothing more aggravating or devastating than losing your hard work because of computer error. Dropbox is essentially just an external hard drive that operates in the cloud. So, you can upload any file or document you might need and then access it from any device anywhere that has internet. College students can use this app to take homework, papers, or assignments with them on the go.

Evernote

This mobile application allows you to take detailed notes and save them right in the palm of your hand. With the slogan “remember everything,” Evernote does just that. You can snap photos and save them in your Evernote account, jot down notes in the application, store contacts, keep your calendar here, and much more. Evernote is particularly useful for students because it is quick and easy to use. If you are sitting on the bus and you come up with the perfect thesis for that term paper or finally solve that math problem, Evernote is the perfect device to save that thought in.

Share Your Board

This award-winning application allows students to take a clear picture of a whiteboard, will adjust the image so that it is perfectly clear and legible, and then lets you share that photo with your friends and classmates. This is a wonderful way for college students to collaborate on their work and share notes from classes that might have been missed. While this app is beautifully simple, it is nonetheless extraordinarily useful.

CourseSmart

CourseSmart is a wonderful mobile app that allows students to find and store text books on their mobile devices. College textbooks can be labor some to lug around and are endlessly expensive. CourseSmart can help you save on some of the costs of purchasing a textbook for a semester long class. Furthermore, storing the book on your phone or iPad makes carrying your textbooks around much simpler. CourseSmart does not offer all textbooks needed by students, but the library is widening every day. CourseSmart also offers several different study tools and programs to help students make the most of their study time.

Mint

Finances are always a concern for young students. With impending college debt, no regular income, constant food expenses, and an inevitable alcohol budget that gets stretched each week, most college students can use any assistance they can get with their money management. Mint is one of the best personal finance apps on the market. With Mint, keep track of all of your financial accounts together in one place, categorize your transactions, create a budget, and make saving goals that it will help you stick to.

This guest post is contributed by Lauren Bailey. She welcomes your comments at her email Id: blauren99@gmail.com.

2 Comments

Is Online Learning an Effective Way of getting Educated?

Online learning without a doubt has come across as one of the most feasible alternative to traditional schooling. Now, the question that pings in everybody’s mind include is online learning an effective way of getting educated? With the focus of learning shifting from traditional schooling to distance learning, the questions certainly hold significance. Let me assure that this particular form of learning carries an equal weight to the traditional learning mode provided you meet certain conditions.

  • Prior to, discussing the advantages of distance learning, which witnessed a focus shift by going online, let me focus on the certain preconditions that offer it an acceptance in the present age –
  • The accreditation of the institute is very important, as it makes certifies your degree with recognition.

The accreditation of the course is also important alongside the institute.

A degree obtained online from a non-accredited institute holds no value and does not help in increasing your marketability. Therefore, if you would like to walk the road of effective education via online, make sure that your institute is globally accepted and recognized in the corporate world.

Coming back to the benefits, the turn of events in recent times focusing upon distance learning has led to such worldwide acceptance of the learning mode. Learning via distance that until sometime back relied upon postal services suddenly went online riding high on the successful inventions of information and communication technology. The online venture of education conveniently replaced the traditional classroom setting in the online virtual world. Classes are now held over the internet coupled with various tech tools that simplifies information exchange and communication.

Now, while answering the question what made this learning effective, my mind only tends to focus upon the blend of accessibility, convenience, and flexibility. It is considered to have created magic in favor of distance learning, which now has conveniently moved onto becoming net-based learning. Here is a look at some of the advantages that works in making it a viable alternative to traditional learning –

  • It delivers self-paced learning with the module designed in one’s own convenience
  • Balancing work or other family related commitments is easier in this learning mode
  • It enhances better learning experience ensuring rich communication and interactivity in class
  • The learning schedule is flexible that ensures an attendance to the class anytime anywhere

Distance learning in the present age of net-based learning is known to enhance productivity and motivation among students, as it blends visualization in the learning experience. Since, this is the age of professionalism and the demand is on career-oriented individuals, leveraging your skills alongside the existing knowledge always works in favor of the professionals and students on the run. In this line, you can conveniently say that online learning is an effective way of getting educated. Online education for many, if earned from a recognized institute increases the marketability thus building a strong sale bale profile in the corporate world.

For further references onto the subject, you can refer to the Wikipedia page on distance education detailing on the aspects of this flexible learning mode.

AUTHOR BIO – Melissa Spears holds an interest in producing thought-provoking information based content on various educational topics. Here she focuses on distance learning and the effectiveness of online education.

3 Comments

How To Avoid Colds and the Flu

Photo by Lance McCord

Living arrangements in college can be pretty awesome: sharing dorms or apartments with friends means always having a buddy around for a Lost marathon, power hour, or last minute pizza party. However, living in close quarters with other people also means that your chances of catching a cold or other bug are greatly increased. In order to stay healthy while in college, try following these tips:

1. Get plenty of sleep

Sleep deprivation lowers your immune system, i.e. your body’s natural defenses against illness. Make sure you are getting at least 8 hours of sleep a night, or take naps during the day if you miss a couple hours.

2. Keep hydrated

Drinking lots of water helps keep your nasal passages moist—kind of gross, but it’s important in warding off fevers, which tend to dry you out.

3. Eat a healthy diet

Eating wholesome foods helps increase your metabolism, which also amps up your immune system. Try eating plenty of whole grains, lean protein, and vegetables and fruits for maximum benefit.

4. Stock up on vitamin C and zinc

You may have heard this one before. Both vitamin C and zinc have been shown to increase the body’s immune system, so try to be sure you’re getting your RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance) of both. For vitamin C, this means a couple of servings of vitamin c rich foods a day (such as a glass of orange juice, some strawberries, etc.) and, for zinc, a serving of red meat, legumes, or seeds.

5. Don’t share food/straws if you can help it

You might feel a little mean not letting your wheezing friend take a sip of your Diet Coke, but it is in your best interest. Saliva is one of the most common mediums for virus transmission, so try not to share utensils, cups, or other dishes with your friends, especially during the colder months.

Follow these five tips and you may just avoid those cold and flu bugs this winter. After all, who wants to be sick in bed on a Saturday night?

This guest post was contributed by Kay Ehni of All Treatment.

View Comments

5 Things You Shouldn’t Bring to College

You’re going to have a laundry list of stuff that you need to bring with you when you head off to college, from your laptop and school supplies, to XL twin bedding, to clothing that’s appropriate for the climate you’ll now be living in. But while there are certain things you need (winter boots, a sturdy backpack) and items you’ll definitely want (mini fridge, your guitar), there’s plenty of bulky stuff that you should opt to leave at home. Not only are there many items you won’t have room for, but most of it you’ll find that you also don’t need. So when you make a beeline for the vaunted halls of learning, here are just a few things you shouldn’t bother schlepping along.

  1. Furniture. Forget it! Dorms will provide you with a bed, a desk (and chair), and generally an armoire of some sort. Nothing else is going to fit in your room. They really pack you in like sardines. And frankly, you’re not going to need any other furniture. If you want to stretch out on the couch and watch a movie you can go down to the common room. Anything you actually manage to squeeze into your room (bean bag chairs are the ever-popular choice) is just going to be in the way and will probably spend the majority of the year shoved under your bed.

  2. Your entire wardrobe. Have you seen dorm rooms? They’re small and they have very little storage space. So just bring a few mix-and-match pieces, plus whatever you’ll need to combat environmental concerns, and leave the rest at home. If you find that you’re missing certain pieces you can always have your mom send them to you. And while you could certainly bring a vacuum sealer and bags, the sealer itself will take up some space, potentially negating any benefits it might have brought you.

  3. Large electronics. The 50-inch flatscreen is nice, but there are a few problems with bringing it. First, it is bulky and breakable. Second, you won’t have any place to put it – likely you won’t be allowed to damage the walls by installing heavy-duty mounts to hold it. And finally, even if you could overcome the other problems, you’ll have to sit on your roommate’s bed to watch it and you’ll be too close to the screen. Save yourself a lot of time and heartache by simply using your laptop to enjoy media. Your TV will be waiting for you at home.

  4. Pets. You’ll no doubt see plenty of people on campus with their pets, but keep in mind that these people probably don’t live in dorms. In fact, most dorms don’t allow pets (and even then only small, caged pets like fish, reptiles, and so on). Plus, it’s really not fair to consign an animal to living in such a small space. And likely you’re roommate won’t take kindly to a litter box or occasional doggy mess in cramped living quarters.

  5. Your car. It’s true that to most teens, a car represents freedom. But considering all the obligations that come along with your car; maintenance items (oil pan, tools, 4 post lifts, and so on), the cost of insurance, registration, parking, and gas; it could really weigh you down on campus. Plus, you probably won’t have much use for it since most colleges are easy enough to navigate by walking, biking, or skating, and they generally have mass transit services that come right to the premises. So non-op your car and save some cash.

This guest post was written by Leon Harris.

View Comments

Dating Tips with Christopher Mendes

Below is an interview with our very own, editor-in-chief and master-of-seduction, Christopher Mendes. The interview was conducted by Tonya of datingsite.org.

Tonya: The days of going to college for your “MRS degree” were not so long ago. Many college students still intend to get married when they graduate. What should a college student do to make sure their college love is the love of their life? That being said, how common is it these days for a student to graduate without any plans for a wedding in the near future?

Christopher: If you have been together for a least a few years (i.e., most of college), you should know if the person you are dating is marriage-worthy or just a complete bum. But if they are a complete bum, it really says a lot about you…and you should probably go find someone else. Like right away. Do it. Now. Anyway, the average age for men to get married in the United States is 28 and for women it is 26-27. Most people wait until about half a decade after college to do it.

Tonya: Let’s be honest, if you don’t meet your friends in class, you meet them at parties or bars. While these are certainly great places to meet people, what would you say are the top places in college to meet quality, potentially relationship ready, people?

Christopher: From a man’s perspective: One of the best places to meet relationship-type girls is in class. Most of the typical places men hit on women are the worst places to do it. To meet good friends, pick an activity, club, or sport and go for it!

Tonya: What is your opinion on dating sites? More specifically, should college students look to dating sites to find love? Have they become that mainstream?

Christopher: Yes, dating sites have definitely become mainstream! A few good friends of mine tried them a few years back when they were starting to get more popular but today everybody is doing it and it is not weird any more.

Tonya: Should college students be concerned about finding love during college? What would you say to those who are graduating not only with no intention to get married anytime soon, but single?

Christopher: I think of college as more of a time to have fun. Thinking about a serious relationship may not be the best way to do it. Relationships are fun and it is definitely fun being in a relationship but that should not be someone’s priority. The intention to stay single, that definitely should not be anyone’s priority.

Tonya: College is often a mix of people from other countries and cultural backgrounds. When is it too soon to ask about the personal issues, like religion for example? Is the first date too soon?

Christopher: I don’t think so. Usually these ‘taboo’ or ‘hot’ topics like religion and politics will ruin relationships or make them stronger. It is best to know where you stand with your potential partner on the issues that are important to you, if they are that important to you.

Tonya: If you met someone while under the influence of alcohol, is it a good idea to call that person the next morning and express your interest in them?

Christopher: It is better than regretting not doing it later! Life’s short; do it!

Tonya: What about teachers? Perhaps professors are out of place, but teacher’s assistants and graduates students often assist in teaching classes and even grading papers. When is it and when isn’t it appropriate to pursue a relationship with these individuals?

Christopher: Relationships between students and TA’s are a lot more common than you think! The best policy is to always wait until the semester is over before starting the relationship.

Tonya: Another common scenario is that a freshman meets a senior student whom he or she is infatuated with. Is it okay to pursue that relationship? What are things freshmen should be cautious when dating a senior?

Christopher: In general if the freshman is the woman and the senior is the man, it is more widely acceptable. But that is not always the case. I would say go for it. What’s the worst that can happen (as long as both parties are over 18)? The potential problems with dating a senior: the senior will soon be graduating, looking for jobs or applying to graduate school, his/her friends will be significantly older and may look down on you for being ‘immature’.

Tonya: My last question is another common scenario, long distance relationships. Sometimes the lover is left in high school, is at another college or graduates and moves away. What is your best advice to maintaining a long distance relationship and keeping it strong?

Christopher: Buy two webcams, install Skype.

3 Comments

Next Entries »
« Previous Entries