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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
What is the most vital part of the process of applying for college? Some applicants would say it is passing all exams or making sure that your high-school transcript looks good. Others may state that the most important part is preparing all the needed documents and selecting the institution.
Each of these answers is true. However, there is one more thing that you might be missing out. Let’s discuss scholarships.
With tuition costs going up by leaps and bounds, an awarded scholarship can become a lucky ticket for many high-school graduates. College scholarships and grants can give you a good kick-start into adult life and help cope with a variety of financial issues.
Unfortunately, many young people are ignoring this opportunity, thinking that obtaining a scholarship is extremely hard or even impossible for them.
This judgment is not always true. Of course, it may be hard to find the right opportunity and prepare all the documents. Presenting a top-notch essay isn’t easy as well unless you turn to a professional write my essay online service. However, all it takes is a bit of dedication and work.
Besides, if you know exactly where to search for such opportunities, it is already halfway to success! In this article, we have prepared a list of top five scholarship websites that will help you get the financial help you need. Let’s dive in!
College Applicant’s Toolkit: Best Scholarship Sites to Keep at Hand
Despite a common belief, finding scholarships can be easy as A, B, C! Just a few decades ago, this process used to be much more complicated and time-consuming. Times have changed, and now, students can do the same quickly and easily.
The easiest way to discover available opportunities is to use specialized websites that have a database of various grants and scholarships. As a rule, applicants can search through a base with the help of multiple filters such as gender, country of origin, academic level, special interests, etc.
How to pick the right website? It could be hard if you’d have to do it on your own, but we’ve got you covered! Below, we have collected some of the best sites to help you fund your education.
1. Fastweb
Even if you haven’t heard of it yet, trust us, Fastweb is one of those must-have tools for all college applicants! This resource features a convenient tool for finding funding.
Also, here, you can discover tons of internships and jobs. Finally, at Fastweb, students can research different colleges and find up to date information about each institution with ease. Therefore, if you still haven’t used this platform, be sure to give it a try!
2. FinAid
Our next top pick is a widely known online resource for university applicants. Here you can find comprehensive information about different types of funding, including grants, financial aid, scholarships, and more.
One of the most significant benefits of FinAid is that it makes finding opportunities simple and helps you determine which ones are the right options!
3. CollegeBoard
For those of you who have never heard of it before, the College Board is one of the oldest educational organizations in the world. Thus, it is fair to say that the resources offered by this community are reliable and helpful.
The same applies to their extensive database of funding opportunities called CollegeBoard, where students from all across the globe can discover a variety of options.
4. Chegg Scholarships
This platform’s database contains over 25,000 options, so the chances that everyone will find something suitable are pretty high! The reason why we like this platform a lot is that Chegg Scholarships features an extremely intuitive and convenient searching tool. At the same time, it provides quite accurate matches based on the details you type in.
5. Peterson’s
The last but not least handy option on this list is Peterson’s. It is a smart online platform created to help young people find funding for their education quickly and easily.
The searching tool used at this service has pretty high filtering capabilities, allowing you to find a perfect match based on your needs!
Final Words
If you are starting off to university, be prepared to face a handful of various challenges daily. In most cases, life in a campus becomes a transition point from a teenager into an adult.
Clearly, this transition can’t pass unnoticed. You can’t avoid some hardships in the studying process. However, one thing you can do right now is to make sure that financial issues won’t be among those issues you may face!
Although obtaining high-quality education is much more available today, it is still expensive. And the cost keeps growing with each year. Applying for grants and scholarships, you can ease the financial burden and get more of your campus years.
Hopefully, this article will help future students find just the right opportunities for them. Using any of the websites mentioned above, you can save plenty of time and discover the most exciting scholarships available out there.
Now, all that’s left to do is to believe in yourself and do your best to get the funding you need!
