Campus Involvement Leads to So Much More--Guest Post by Rebecca Rothkopf

Campus Involvement Leads to So Much More--Guest Post by Rebecca Rothkopf

College 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...

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Things I Had to Learn in College: Grocery Shopping

Things I Had to Learn in College: Grocery Shopping

One 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.

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The Confused Graduate: Guest Post on the Complications of Life After College

The Confused Graduate: Guest Post on the Complications of Life After College

Some 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.

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Campus Sports Culture When You Don't Like Sports

Campus Sports Culture When You Don't Like Sports

What 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...

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8 Tips for Being a Houseguest

8 Tips for Being a Houseguest

Staying 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.

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Styling Your College Essay: Advice from a High School Language Arts Teacher

Styling Your College Essay: Advice from a High School Language Arts Teacher

This 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?

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7 Coping Strategies While Doing Depressing Research

7 Coping Strategies While Doing Depressing Research

To 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.

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High School Graduation: What Next?

High School Graduation: What Next?

Graduation 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.

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Playing Club Sports in College: an Experience with Ultimate Frisbee

Playing Club Sports in College: an Experience with Ultimate Frisbee

I 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. 

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