Making the best of college
Making the best of college: majors, study abroad, internships, jobs, roommates, study tips, thesis writing, and more. For high school graduates and university students.
Here'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 MoreToday's comfort food recipe comes from my grandmother, the inestimable Gran Fran. It's a simple but decadent desert, perfect for a date in or an impressive contribution to a potluck meal. Chill and enjoy!
Read MoreI learned many lessons playing for a club team in college. The first and most important of these was the great amount of energy and commitment it takes to sublimate personal desires into a shared community goal. I wanted to be the best. But instead of learning that I could achieve this if I just worked hard enough, I learned my limitations.
Read MoreThis list of the five books you should read before college builds on two previous lists: one from me and another list by former philosophy major and frequent contributor to My College Advice, Miles Raymer. Professor X has more than 20 years of science teaching experience at the University of Oregon, and has previously written contributed an article entitled "The Transition From High School to College" on this site. Enjoy!
Read MoreFor all those vegetarians out there (or for the culinary adventurers), today's Sunday Dinner is a meatloaf of the meatless variety. It's brought to you by my friend Christina, who I met while studying Conflict Resolution at the University of Oregon. She is now pursuing a PhD in Nonprofit Leadership from the University of San Diego. When asked for culinary advice for college students, she answered "a crock pot is your best friend."
Enjoy this veggie comfort food classic, and look forward to future recipes from Christina!
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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