Making the best of college
Making the best of college: majors, study abroad, internships, roommates, study tips, thesis writing, and more. For high school graduates and university students.
If at all possible, you should try to get a jumpstart on learning about the history and culture of the place you’re about to call your temporary home. Think about it as a kind of cultural acquaintance-making. You will by no means be able to learn everything about a country before you go. But some exploration ahead of time will mean you are better prepared and will have more context to understand the experiences in your new home.
Read MoreHere's another gem from Christine and Big John. They send the recommendation "Once again this is a flexible recipe and can be made in a big batch and eaten over several days or frozen." They include a variety of topping options, making the dish versatile and interesting over multiple meals.
Read MoreThis is a blog post about liberal arts, the United States system of higher education, and my brief experience studying in Northern Ireland. Specifically, about the difference witnessed between my “breadth” of educational experience in liberal arts and the “depth” of background evidenced by my peers in the law program.
Read MoreThe personal statement can be the hardest part of an application process. Whether it’s for a job or for continuing education, the personal statement is the part of the application that allows you to share your actual personality, thoughts, and journey in a narrative way.
Read MoreBefore you set off on a study abroad (or any prolonged travel), you will probably hear about culture shock time and time again. You’ll be warned that some aspects of culture or the mundane details of normal life will be different where you’re going, and that these differences will probably cause you to feel uncomfortable in ways you can’t anticipate before you go. When you travel, you encounter different expectations of “this is just how things are.”
What isn’t discussed so often is the reverse shock of returning home.
Read MoreColleges are no longer producing responsible citizens of the world. This is a damning testament, since the world, or at least America, is clearly evolving toward entitled lifestyles where people are informed by their own filters and become disconnected from any real world. Why is the college experience enabling students to remain on this path?
Read MoreAn undergraduate thesis is the culmination of a college experience, and if you have the opportunity (or obligation) to write one, you will probably approach it with a mix of anxiety and anticipation. It is your chance to write something that is almost entirely self-directed: it will bring together the information and skills that you have learned thus far on your academic journey and set you free to pursue a specific research topic of your choice.
Read MoreToday's recipe is perfect for mid-summer--light and healthy, but with a bonus crunch. This summer salad recipe comes from Christine and John, who have provided so many college comfort food favorites here on the blog.
Read MoreCollege is all about figuring out who you are and what you want to do. That’s a big deal, and while classes are an important part of the college experience, I would argue that taking advantage of the opportunities to get involved on campus is equally important. To back up this argument, I’ve created a list to help back up why student activities and branching out of your comfort zone are both a valuable part of the college experience...
Read MoreHere's another comfort food gem from the fabulous Christine and Big John who brought us the delightful chicken and dumplings and minestrone soup recipes. For an easy and delicious side dish, check out these simple oven-fried potatoes...
Read MoreOne of the weird things about leaving home to go to college is that there’s an awful lot you have to learn and acclimatize to all at once. Not only do you have to adapt to a new style of teaching and learning, but you also are thrown into being in charge of maintaining your own life. I grew up doing chores, but my folks did a lot of looking after me. So I arrived at college knowing how to vacuum and wash dishes, but not how to do a myriad of other “grown up” things. I had to learn on the fly… and with varying degrees of success.
Read MoreSome people enter college knowing exactly what path they will take, beginning freshman year and ending in a job. For many others, it's not such a direct route.
First, make sure you know that NOT knowing is completely acceptable. You just have to design a path for yourself that will allow you to explore your options. College is a huge investment in terms of time and money, so when you go, it’s better to be sure you have a solid idea of what you might want to do. Set goals for yourself, and if you don’t meet them, don’t be too hard on yourself. Just try again, and stay focused on finding what you can do for the long haul, and don’t sweat the small things.
Read MoreWhat is it like to attend a big sports college when you don't like sports? Or when you actively dislike all things sports-related? Sports culture was something I was worried about before I started college. I have never been a fan of team sports, and am 100% disinterested in being a spectator for any and all sporting events...
Read More"Life is not any good without fried pickles served with ranch dressing."
Well, friends, here it is: that which makes these summer days worth living.
Read MoreStaying with a friend of a friend is a great way to empower travel and gain some interesting insights about life in unfamiliar places…or simply in other houses. I won’t claim to be a perfect houseguest, or anything close to it. But I do have considerable practice, and have given this a lot of thought to how to do this well. Most of us probably slept over with friends at their houses growing up, but it’s different when crashing with someone as a “grown up.” Here are 8 tips on how to be a good houseguest...
1. Showing up at someone’s house with a gift in hand is a great way to start things off right. Even if the host is a friend of yours, it’s still a lovely gesture. They’re doing you a favor, so do one in return.
Read MoreToday's easy (and delicious) cheesy recipe is accompanied by a great bit of general advice for making sauce that will make you appear to be a great chef without a lot of effort. Enjoy!
Read MoreThis advice for crafting a college essay comes from a high school language arts teacher, who speaks from many years of helping high school students prepare for college. As you write your college application personal essay, keep this question in mind: Are you able to get beyond voiceless reporting to an engaging description which makes use of various stylistic devices so as to persuade?
Read MoreWhen she sent on today's Thai chicken satay recipe, Aunt Mish wrote
I know that this has a few less common ingredients but it is a great summer grilling recipe. You will find yourself making it just so you can eat the peanut sauce.
Try it out for yourself, and enjoy!
Read MoreTo do this kind of work, we have to be able to look after ourselves and our emotions. Every person will have a different way of coping, and a different set of triggers, challenges, and specific responses to what they learn. This is far from an exhaustive list, but it’s a starting place: how to cope with doing depressing research as an academic.
Read MoreGraduation can be a bit of a jolt. Suddenly you’re not a high school student anymore, and you’re not a college student yet. You’ve just accomplished one of life’s big milestones, and you have the next on the horizon. It’s the short-term future that’s tricky: it’s filling these next few months.
Read MoreAdvice for college and university students. Roommates, majors, study abroad, travel, essay writing, study tips, admissions, professors, internships, and mentoring. Make college an amazing experience.
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