Halloween in College

It is that time of year again! You get to break the sweaters and ugg boots out from the back of you closet. Pumpkin spice is put into literally any and all possible food items and drinks. The days become a little bit shorter and the mornings are colder. Yup, you guessed it fall is upon your college campus.

Fall is a great time while you are away at school. You get to break out all those super comfy sweatshirts and sweatpants that you can wear for days on end without being judged. You get to order warm drinks again at Starbucks, at the football games there is a chill in the air and as a girl you get to steal as many sweatshirts from your guy friends as possible.

The beginning of Fall also means that Halloween is just around the corner! Now I know what you are thinking, “who cares about Halloween, that’s a children’s holiday”. Halloween might have been lame in high school because, well just everything seems lame in high school but Halloween in college becomes cool again.

Some tips for a good Halloween in college are:

• Actually dress up! Dressing up is fun and this is the one night(although in some colleges it can turn into a 4-day weekend) that you can dress up and pretend to be anything you want without being judged. Make sure your costume is creative though, being a cat or a mouse is so overrated. Group costumes are a great idea as well to get friends involved and spending time making costumes together can create some great memories.
• Do fun Halloween things with friends! Just because you are in college doesn’t mean you can’t still go to Halloween festivals. Go to haunt houses, go on haunted walks or visit local pumpkin patches. Take some time out of your weekend and have a pumpkin carving “get together” with friends. Decorating your house and carving pumpkins will get you in the spirit of the season.
• Be safe! Halloween is fun night to go out with friends but be responsible. Just because it is a holiday doesn’t mean that everyone will be courteous. Be aware of your surroundings and drink responsibly.
• Have fun! This is your night to pretend to be whatever you want so make it count! Dance your butt off and make it a night to remember!

Tips to Surviving Midterms

You are sitting in class, spaced out when the dreaded word “midterm” immediately pulls you out of your daze. What?! When did that happen?! Last time you checked it was only the first week of September! Don’t panic, here’s some tips and advice to survive the midterm week slump and make it through to the second half of the semester:

1.Start studying well before the date of your exam. As a procrastinator myself I can tell you that cramming does not work! Start looking at your class notes and power points about 1 to 2 weeks before the test date so that you have time to space out studying the material and ask the professor about any questions you might have.

2.Study each subject for a little bit everyday or every other day. If you only study one class for an extended period of time you might end up over studying and have a brain fart on the exam or end up slacking in another class. Studying the material bit by bit helps keep you focused on the material and not get too bored from reading the same material over and over again.

3.Pick healthy snacks over sugary snacks. Healthy snacks like apples, carrots and popcorn will have a better effect on your energy levels while studying than sugary ones. Sugary foods like chocolate, potato chips and energy drinks make you feel tired and crash half way through your study session.

4.Don’t be afraid to take a break while studying. Your brain needs breaks every so often like any other muscle in your body. If you overwork your brain you will not be able to study efficiently. Choose to take smart breaks like a 20-minute power nap to recharge or go for a run, but do not watch television or go on the internet as a break. The internet is a black hole that can suck you in for hours on end without you even realizing!

5. Figure out which ways that you study best. Some study techniques include flash cards, creating study guides or reading from the textbook. Finding out which ways are easiest for you to learn and remember the material so that you can study more efficiently.

6.Don’t panic! Do your best with studying! If you put in the time and the effort and your grades will reflect it. Go into your test with only positive thoughts about the amazing grade you are going to get. Negative thoughts will only cause you to mess up and second-guess yourself.

7.Celebrate! You made it through midterms! Only half the semester to go, so take a little break and celebrate the end is in sight!

Having “Those” Parents on Breaks. . .

Growing up I thought my parents were the best. They were always looking out for me and had my best interest in mind. I had an early curfew, I was always on time for things and they always had to know where I was going and who I was with. Only when I got to college did I realize I have helicopter parents. Helicopter parents are defined as “a parent who takes an overprotective or excessive interest in the life of their child or children.” Basically a parent who shelters their child just a little (*cough* A LOT *cough*) too much. Being away at college and living on your own gives you as much freedom as you want. You make your own rules. You can decide to eat cookies for breakfast or maybe have a liquid breakfast (if you catch my drift). There are no curfews when you are living by yourself, you are responsible for making sure you accomplish all the important tasks in life and the rest of your free time is yours to make of what you want.

After having this unbridled freedom for such an extended period of time, going home and living with your parents again can cause some issues. Going home for breaks is usually a great time to catch up with family, have a break from the stress of school and see old high school friends. You get to see you hometown, eat in your favorite hometown restaurants and make some new memories with old friends. Every once and a while, however, this bliss is broken by the fact that you remember when you go home you have to listen to those “house rules” again.

Parents make you eat full healthy meals (not just cookies or fermented grapes). Parents don’t like when you sleep in till 3 p.m. on a Saturday for some reason and when you are awake they want you to spend all of your time with them. Most of all helicopter parents love curfews. Most of your friends won’t have curfews but if you have helicopter parents you will forever be the first kid to leave a party just like in high school. It’s a fact that will not change no matter how old you get, so you may as well just accept it now.

I have been home on enough breaks to know that helicopter parents just want the best for you and they are still looking out for your best interest. It maybe hard to go home with all the “rules” and follow them after having so much freedom but breaks don’t last forever. Getting irritated and fighting over the rules will get you no where, parents will always see you as their little baby. Make your life easy by just listening to what your parents want you to do (they are probably paying for your tuition and food anyway) and you can get back to your rebellious lifestyle of cake for breakfast and cereal for dinner in no time.

7 Tips to Surviving the Week Before Going Home

It is the middle of the semester and you are loving life, you couldn’t imagine ever wanting to go home. . . Then the week before a break hits and you don’t think you have ever felt this homesick in your life!

You lose motivation for classes and homework and the only thing on your mind is counting down the minutes till you get to leave campus to go home. Your mind is filled with home cooked meals, your own bed and getting a mental break from the stresses of living at school. Mostly, you just can’t wait to sleep for a week straight and catch up on all the sleep you missed during the semester. Here are some tips to make sure you stay on track in school and don’t lose your mind the week before you go on break:

1. Get a head start on your homework the week before the week you are supposed to go home

This way when the lack of motivation hits you can spend that time day dreaming about home without your grades suffering. By starting you homework early, you also get more free time the week before you leave to hangout with friends!

2. Try to start any large assignments that will be due when you get back from break

The traveling home can be exhausting and you will want to catch up on some sleep when you get back, not pull all nighters doing last minute assignments. Use time management and work on some assignments before you leave, you will thank yourself in the long run.

3. Stay attentive in class

Think about all the hard work you have put in throughout the semester and tell yourself it is only a few more days until break. Try not to skip classes and use absences just because you have mentally checked-out. Teachers still have important information to teach the week before a break. Go to all your classes and before you know it, it will be break!

4. Don’t pack last minuteAs the queen of procrastination I can tell you that packing 5 minutes before you are supposed to leave is not ideal. Even though I tell myself to start packing earlier than the 5 minutes before I am supposed to leave I never do and I always end up forgetting things. Take some time during the week and concentrate on packing so that you don’t end up forgetting essential items!

5. Make a playlist Long flights or drives can make it seem like getting home is impossible, make yourself a playlist to keep you going through a long flight or drive with all your favorite songs. Playlists can make the trek home seem less exhausting and more like an adventure!

6.  Make sure if you are taking a long drive your car is up-to-date on inspections and oil changesOne of the worst feelings in the world is just wanting to get home and crawl into your own bed, then halfway through the drive your car breaks down. A car break down can cost a lot of money and waste a lot of time. You deserve a stress free break, so make sure to take your car into a shop and get the oil changed the week before a long drive or take it into be serviced if a service it due. It can save you stress, time and money in the long run.

7. Make sure to print out all travel and flight tickets ahead of timePrinting out tickets and flight information in advance can save you from any last minute scrambling and make you miss your flight. It is also a lot easier to print your ticket at home than wait and have to deal with the airport kiosks. While waiting for your flight, make sure to keep loved ones up-dated on any delays or cancellations that may delay your arrival time.

Try to survive the week before a break! If you stay on top of your work and travel plans it will make your break a lot less stressful! Travel safe!

5 Tips to Surviving a Day Off in College

Every once and a blue moon class will get canceled for a snow or rain day and it is imperative to be ready with all the necessary equipment to tough out the storm. A day off can be filled with memories you will never forget with friends and classmates if you are correctly prepared! These are some tips to help you make the best of an unexpected day off:

1. Stock up on food a few days before you know a storm is going to hit

It is really important to have a solid food stock in your pantry in case you get snowed or flooded in for a few days (plus snacks always make watching good movies better). I know you will probably only want to pick out your favorite junk food but try to throw some hearty foods in there like soup as well.

2. Make sure your Netflix queue has all your favorite classics and some new shows you have been dying to try

Now is your time to sit on the couch and do absolutely nothing without feeling guilty about it! Use that time wisely, you don’t want to be spending precious hours looking through all the possible Netflix options. Have a few shows and movies picked out and ready to watch.

3. Grab some board games

In the worst case scenario when the power goes out, make sure to have some board games or cards games around to keep yourself occupied. Plus if you go looking down the hall and ask people to join in you never know who you might meet! Board games on a snow day are a great way to make new friends and step away from all the electronics for a few hours.

4. Fully charge all electronics before the store hits

The worst part of a storm is having no cell phone to call if you need help. Make sure to charge your phone, computer, tablet and any other possible devices you might need in case the power goes out. Since no one learns phone numbers these days, a dead phone can be dangerous, so write down a few important emergency contacts on a piece of paper just in case.

5. Make the most of your day and hangout with friends

Call up all your buddies and spend the day hanging out with out the normal stresses of college. The homework can wait till tomorrow but the memories you might make on a day off can’t! Days off only happen once a year if you are lucky, so seize the moment!