5 Tips To Help You Study While You Travel

BY KATE LARSON

 

Travel the world while you’re young, they say. Unfortunately, most people are studying when they’re young, which means they probably have to pick between seeing Florence or studying for their midterms.

However, clever students can get away with studying on their holiday if they follow a few simple steps. To help their students study without compromise, during one of my travels, in Australia, I met some students from JMC Academy, Australia’s leading private college offering creative courses and they gave me the following advice:

 

1.   Prepare before you leave

To study while travelling, preparation is key. Make sure you get all the notes and keep a track of the passwords you use to access your institution’s online portal. Plan out your trip and take books only for the subjects you intend to study for.

 

2.   Embrace disruptions

If you take a flight out to your destination, you could have hours of uninterrupted study on board. While travelling to a new destination you can spend all the time you are locked into your seat to catch up with your notes. However, embrace the disruptions that come with being on holiday with friends and family. If you plan to study but your friends really want to go down to the beach, make a concession and go. It’s important for you to take frequent breaks and enjoy yourself.

 

3.   Make sure the internet is available

Online courses and even university notes are all available online now, so it’s essential that you have a backup plan for when the hotel wifi isn’t working. Try to buy a mobile internet hotspot which you connect to anywhere. Make sure you understand roaming charges and the terms and conditions of free wifi at cafes. Stay connected as much as you can so you can quickly Google something if you need to.

 

4.   Schedule fixed hours for study

Perhaps the best thing you can do to balance work and play is to have fixed hours for study everyday. If you finish all your work early in the morning, you free up the entire day to see places and have fun.

 

5.   Don’t study too much

Don’t forget you’re on holiday. When you’re travelling and trying to see new parts of the world, keep aside your books and take the time to relax. If you spend most of your holiday with your nose buried in a book, what’s the point of travelling? Don’t let life pass you by.

These five simple tips should help you strike the perfect balance between studying and travelling.

Kate Larson is a college student and aspiring blogger, who has a strong interest in the environment and personal well-being. She enjoys travelling and reading, as well as writing novels.

 

 

 

Finding industry-specific jobs right after graduation

BY DAVID GUTIERREZ

 

A lot of fresh graduates are out of work today. If you are not currently out of work, you probably will be sooner or later. The ability to get the right job at the right wage is one of the most important skills to develop. In this article, I will show you some great ideas and job search platforms that will help you with your future career.

How to find a job if you are a fresh graduate

First of all, let everyone know you are looking for a job. You never know when an opportunity may arise, so by letting your friends and family know you are looking for work, you extend your reach beyond the opportunities you may see alone.

Fine-tune your resume. Make changes to highlight the right experiences for each position you’re applying for. Swap around skills and keywords for different industries. In fact, it may be helpful to have various versions of your resume, each tailored for a different position or field.

Make use of professional social media. I know that LinkedIn may not be the most exciting social media platform. However, their recent survey showed that 94% of recruiters use this social network. Give your profile a facelift before you begin to apply.

Don’t limit yourself to traditional job search websites. Don’t ignore applications and job postings online; sign up with a local employment agency and read online ads. Besides these traditional methods, networking and informational interviewing will help you to inform people in your industry that you are searching for a job.

Platforms for finding a job

It’s probably not the best idea to check every company website. It is not only tiring but also ineffective.

Whether you are looking for a job in finance or healthcare, the following websites are among the best.

Engineering

EngineerJobs is one of the most popular and largest engineering job sites. It offers a wide range of positions worldwide, including job openings from large corporations such as Canon, Mitsubishi, SpaceX, and others.

 

Engineering Daily is a platform that publishes articles about the industry and offers a lot of fun brain teasers for those who are looking for a job.

 

USA JOBS is a federal government job board, and it offers jobs solely in the public sector. You will find detailed job descriptions as well as salary ranges to help you make informed decisions.

HealthCare

Making a career in healthcare is not the easiest task to achieve. It requires both education and experience. However, there are several platforms that can connect job seekers and employers. Among them are Health Callings, Healthcare Job Site, and Snagajob. These platforms will help any entry-level professional to search for new opportunities and connect with top healthcare employers.

There are also a lot of specialized platforms that will help to narrow your search. For example, if you are a fresh graduate looking for a job as a dental hygienist or assistant, you can skip the general-purpose websites and go to a platform for dental hygienists and assistants such as Cloud Dentistry.

Hospitality

Hospitality jobs are infamous for the long working shifts, but this industry is still a dream job for many. Moreover hospitality management major becomes more popular higher education choice every year. The problem to find the job in this niche is that the number of options is so big, that one can barely get the idea of market needs. A good resource to find hospitality jobs is Hospitality Online. The resource has search options divided by more narrow hospitality business categories and position levels.

 Finance

Although the financial market is competitive, there are still a lot of opportunities and room for optimism. Among the platforms that focus solely on this industry is eFinancialCareers, which publishes job offers in North America, Europe, the Middle East and the Asia–Pacific regions. FinancialJobBank, which is more US-oriented, offers thousands of accounting jobs from entry-level opportunities for students to more advanced positions.

Additional Websites

In addition to the specialized sites, there are helpful general-purpose platforms such as LinkedIn and Indeed. Moreover, if you are close to graduation, don’t forget to visit your job-placement center to ask for entry-level opportunities and advice.

This is a challenging time for graduates to find a job they deserve. However, in spite of the economic changes, there a number of opportunities and possibilities. Persistent people can find great jobs and earn more.

David Gutierrez has worked in the field of web design since 2005. Right now he started learning Java in order to get second occupation. His professional interests defined major topics of his articles. David writes about new web design software, recently discovered professional tricks and also monitors the latest updates of the web development.

 

 

 

Pros and Cons of Taking a “Pointless” Elective

 

By Scott Hawksworth

You have the ultimate say in the value of your education. No class is inherently pointless, but let’s be real, we’ve all taken classes where a semester’s worth of knowledge seems to evaporate into thin air after finals. Or maybe you remember everything, but resent having taken the class. Ideally, you’ve enjoyed the majority of your courses, and you know they’ll stick with you for a lifetime.

College, especially your undergrad, is meant to help you become a more well-rounded individual, which why you’re required to take several types of classes to graduate. Undoubtedly you look forward to taking elective classes, and why shouldn’t you? It’s your chance to take virtually whatever you want, and it doesn’t always have to relate to your major. However, just because you can take almost any class you like, doesn’t necessarily mean you should.

With a multitude of electives at your disposal, how can you know which ones are “pointless,” which ones will have a lasting impact, or, at the very least, fall somewhere in between?

Really any class, elective or otherwise, could ultimately be “pointless,” and that largely depends on you. However, you have a bit more control over the electives you take. So here are a few points to consider before signing up for a class that can help you determine whether or not you’ll see it as an amazing or wasted experience.

Pros

Electives come in all shapes and sizes, from ones that relates to your Communication major (for example) like “Media Psychology,” to something off-the-wall like “Philosophy of Mind” or the “Lindy Hop 101” dance class.

To graduate, you need to take electives from your department. Once that requirement is fulfilled, you can usually choose to either take more department electives and have them count as outside/not degree-related electives, or you can choose to take “pointless” electives (ones from outside of your major). Here are a few reasons why those classes aren’t pointless, and why you should take advantage of the opportunity to take electives outside of your major:

 

• To Learn More About Yourself:

How do you know if you like are interested in something if you never learn about it? You don’t. College is the perfect time to get to find out more about your interests and what you excel in. Students have even switched majors because they connected with that elective subject far more than their original intended major.

 

• To Expand Your World:

Sticking to classes within your department keeps you in the same circle and with the same types of people. Engineering majors will likely have the same interests as other engineering majors, and thus, don’t really have the chance to be exposed to other viewpoints. However, if an engineering student decides to take an Acting 101 class as an elective, they are opening themselves up to the world of theatre.

By taking a course outside of your major you have the chance to learn about a new subject, and you’re also getting a taste of that culture. Who knows? You could end up making a lasting friendship from an elective class who you would’ve otherwise never met, or find that you can apply skills learned from an elective class to your current major.

 

• To Keep Those Full-Time Benefits:

Sometimes taking an elective course is purely practical. This is a more common issue for seniors who’ve already taken several classes from within their department, there aren’t any new ones being offered that semester, and/or they have fulfilled most of their other requirements and really only need to take a couple more classes.

So of course it just makes sense to take an outside elective and keep the benefits, like tuition assistance, that come with being a full-time student. Some schools even offer health insurance and public transit passes to full-time students, and no one wants to lose those. All the better if you can take an easier, 101-type of elective during your last semester (hello senioritis) too.

Cons

Yes, what you get out of a class is your choice, but making a hasty decision could be setting yourself up for failure. Outside electives can quickly become pointless classes if you’re not careful, and here’s why:

 

• Waste of Time:

Plan, plan, plan, and plan. Meet with your academic advisor at least once a semester. Don’t get to your last semester only to find out that the class you need to take to graduate is only offered every other semester, and you spent last semester taking a yoga class instead of taking that one. Now you’ll need to wait until the next semester, for just one class, in order to actually be done with your degree.

 

• Waste of Money:

Saying that school is expensive is like saying there are seven days in a week – everyone knows it. That’s why it’s important to not fail the elective class you decide to take. It may seem like an obvious point, but students often forget to apply it to electives because it can feel like they don’t matter. It’s still money, it still affects your GPA, and it still matters.

 

• Unnecessary Stress:

You can take an elective, pass it, have it not interfere with your graduation date, and it can still be pointless. Just because it’s an elective, even if it is an intro class, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s easy. Do some research; ask the professor or other students who have taken that class what the workload is like. As with any class, it’s important to avoid feeling overwhelmed and to know your limits. If you’re already taking 18 credit hours of classes, maybe hold off on the elective until you have a lighter semester.

Taking an elective outside your major is a great way to explore something completely new, just make sure you do your research, think it through, and make the most of it.

 

—————————About the Author

Scott Hawksworth is the CEO of Best Online Universities LLC, and he maintains a variety of websites that focus on connecting students with prospective colleges. Having been in the eLearning and edtech business since 2009, Scott remains convinced that a quality college education is the best way to have a career that is both fulfilling and financially rewarding.

7 Innovative Ways to Learn a New Language

BY PAMELA CURRIER

A lot of people think that learning a language has to be a difficult thing, or that you have to be immersed in the culture to really get to know the language. Actually, there are several other ways to learn a new language, and you don’t have to travel to a foreign country or spend several hours a day in study. Today, we are going to look at seven of the most innovative ways to learn a new language.

1. Conversation Exchange – They say that the best way to learn a new language is to jump right in and start speaking with others. You can do this through a conversation exchange online. All you need to do is find someone who speaks the language that you want to learn, and who wants to learn your language. It might take a while to find the right language partner, but once you do, you will be able to learn that new language, and possibly make a new friend while you are at it.
2. Learn New Words – Another trick to learning a new language is to find 1,000 common words in that language, and commit them to memory. Research shows that by doing this, you can understand up to 90% of the language. Of course, this is vocabulary only, and you don’t actually get to practice the words in conversation.
3. Watch Movies – If you have avoided watching foreign films with subtitles, now is the time to stop avoiding and start watching. This is a great way to learn a language, because you will be able to read in English what the actors are saying in any language. Obviously, you will need to look for films that are made in the language that you wish to learn.
4. Get New Tech – If you are going to study a new language online, you need a good, up-to-date computer that is going to let you use all of the functions of the language website. If yours doesn’t have all of the latest features, you can sell used laptop and use the money towards a new one that is going to make learning a lot easier. Your old laptop will be refurbished, and sold to someone who needs it but also can’t afford something brand new.
5. Study before Bedtime – Research shows that when you study anything just before going to bed, you are going to be able to retain it better than if you study at other hours in the day. Information taken in before sleeping goes into the brain’s long-term memory storage, and you will remember things easier, and longer. This technique goes hand in hand with the next one we are going to discuss.
6. Spaced Repetition – The more you do something, the more you are going to remember it. Using spaced repetition can help. Review words and phrases you have learned at spaced intervals of your choosing, such as one word a day, and then going over it again the next day. After a while, you will be able to remember the words and phrases for longer periods of time until you eventually have them totally committed to memory.
7. Concentrate on Content – Rather than worrying about studying the language, concentrate on the content. If you are interested in the content, it is going to make learning the language a lot easier. Read online articles, watch videos, listen to podcasts, etc. that are created in the language that you wish to learn, and it won’t be long before you are able to understand everything that is being said, and be able to repeat it in that language.

Pamela Currier helps recent grads land the jobs of their dreams, she is a career coach and educator.

 

How To Cope With a Serious Family Illness While in College

BY MELISSA BURNS

When a family member is dealing with a serious affliction, the stress can be hard to manage. When you’re dealing with final exams, essays, and a full class schedule on top of that, it can be doubly so. If a family member is afflicted with a serious illness in the middle of your college course, you may even doubt whether it’s possible to finish your academic studies.

Fortunately, there are helpful strategies you can use to secure the grades you need without neglecting your family.

Recognize the Struggle

The worst thing you can do for yourself, mentally and emotionally, is to deny what’s happening—yet, that’s often one of our first instincts when coping with grief. You may be tempted to downplay the seriousness of the illness to avoid some responsibilities or refuse to confront your feelings, or you may deny that taking care of your seriously ill family member is interfering with your studies.

Instead of running away from these realizations, you need to confront them head-on; be honest with yourself, and work to understand how this illness is affecting your life, both internally and externally.

Find a Support Group

If your family member is suffering from a chronic illness, you should both find a support group for ongoing therapy. If your loved one is receiving treatment from a hospital or specialist, the experts there will likely be able to make a recommendation for a support group to join. You’ll also likely find a support group at your own university. Make it a point to attend regularly, and be open about your feelings there; it’s a safe space, and you need to be around people you like and trust.

Be Upfront With Your Professors and Classmates

Professors frequently begin classes with an explanation of their zero-tolerance policy for lame excuses on missing assignments; accordingly, you might be scared to bring up the fact that a loved one’s illness is interfering with your ability to study or complete work.

Professors, for the most part, aren’t there to make your life more difficult; they just don’t want to be lied to, disrespected, or taken advantage of. The right way to approach professors is proactively and openly; explain your situation as soon as you know about it, detail how it’s going to affect your abilities, and ask what alternative work you can do (or what alternative schedule you can adopt) to complete the course satisfactorily. Most professors will be more than willing to help you out.

Reduce Your Class Load

Taking classes full-time is a difficult task for anyone. As soon as a new responsibility or load of stress enters your life, you may want to consider reducing that class load. Dropping even one class could be enough to give you the extra time to manage your hectic schedule—and get better grades in all your other classes. If it’s too late for this semester, consider making the move for next semester.

Attend Group Study Sessions

Studying in groups is inherently better than studying alone for a few different reasons; you’ll be held more accountable, you’ll remember things easier, and most importantly, you’ll get to socially interact with other people. As you cope with your family member’s illness, it’s important that you avoid isolating yourself; studying in a group can get you out of the house and help you achieve higher grades at the same time, so it’s an opportunity you don’t want to miss.

Make Time for Yourself

Between all your on-campus responsibilities and the time and effort you’ll spend taking care of your family, it’s easy to neglect your own health. You may start eating less frequently, losing sleep, and skipping basic forms of self-care like personal hygiene. However, it’s extremely important that you keep yourself in healthy condition; otherwise, you’re liable to suffer far more serious stress and symptoms. Make time to get plenty of sleep at night, eat full, healthy meals, exercise, and do some things that make you happy.

Managing a college workload when a family member is ill can be stressful and exhausting, but with the right approach, it is possible. If you feel you’ve been pushed to the brink, you can put your college education on hold and resume when things have settled down, but it’s better to keep your momentum—even if it means reducing your workload temporarily.

Melissa Burns graduated from the faculty of Journalism of Iowa State University. Nowadays she is an entrepreneur and independent journalist. Follow her @melissaaburns or contact at burns.melissaa@gmail.com

 

Career or Liberal Arts Courses : Which One is Best ?

BY SYLVIA KOHL

The debate whether narrow specialized or broad liberal arts education is better has been going on for years. It has taken a new level of importance now that the competition on the employment market has grown exponentially. Both types of education definitely have specific advantages and disadvantages. However, when one considers the conditions of the globalized world, liberal arts education seems to come out on top.

Specialized Professional Education: Pros and Cons

Specialized professional, also called ‘career-oriented’ education has been enjoying a higher profile over the last few years. The boost of popularity is mainly caused by the fact that these courses are ‘job-friendly.’ They produce graduates ready to join a specialized branch of workforce immediately.

This branch of education has also gotten a lot of political backing. Some officials even went as far as to ‘undermine’ liberal arts courses in their states. For example, Rick Perry, a governor from Texas, has initiated a ‘solution’ to develop $10,000 bachelor’s degrees in STEM fields. In essence, what Mr. Perry called for was supporting the students, who went for narrow specialized professional education. His ideas were supported and shared by many other officials throughout the US.

There can be no doubt that there are advantages to narrow education:

• Highly specialized professional knowledge
• High level of professional capability
• Knowledge and mastery of practical skills
• Ease of integrating into the workforce

On the other hand, the cons of this education include:

• Lack of adaptability
• Limited knowledge in general areas
• Limited job prospects

In simple terms, specialized professional education definitely produces top-quality experts in their field. However, these people struggle to adapt in the globalized world where the ability to multitask is vital.

Liberal Arts Education: Pros and Cons

Liberal arts education is vastly different from the specialized approach in that it tends to provide students with some knowledge in many areas. There is a common misconception about the term ‘liberal,’ which might be the reason why politicians are so opposed to this idea. It’s essential to understand that being a liberal arts student doesn’t mean that one has politically liberal views.

This type of education aims to give students a solid understanding of essential disciplines, such as English, math, science, and history. The main goal of such studies is to develop the skills of critical thinking and analysis. Liberal arts learning also encourages creative problem solving. This skill has a tremendous importance today.

All in all, the main pros of this education are:

• Well-rounded knowledge in many important subjects
• Developed critical thinking skills
• Ability to adapt to different situations
• Skills in finding solutions for a variety of problems in different areas

The main con of liberal arts education is that these students don’t have highly specialized proficiency in a single profession. However, as most of them go to major in one field after liberal arts solves this problem.

In the globalized world of today with its widespread use of outsourcing, this approach definitely works best. To succeed professionally, most people today require basic knowledge in a variety of areas. They also can easily find narrow experts to help them whenever necessary.

For example, a student planning their own startup needs to understand insurance practices. However, once they are ready to launch, they can hire specialized businesses, like Insurance BPO Solution to handle the actual policy. The knowledge provided by broad education will ensure that the young entrepreneur is able to choose the best business to outsource a task to.

What Is the Best Type of Education Today?

In the globalized world of today, having a solid grounding in many areas as well as the ability to think critically are most important. It’s true that being a narrow expert is also valuable as the world wouldn’t be able to run without those.

Therefore, the right answer is that both specialized and liberal education is ‘best’ is different situations. Therefore, a student should choose based on their personal preferences.

Sylvia Kohl is an IT teacher with more than 8 years of professional experience. Her main spheres of interest are e-education and she convinced that learning process doesn’t stop after years in school and university.

    

From Broke to Business- A Guide to Affiliate Marketing for College Students

BY LINDA ANDERSON

Every had that terrifying epiphany how much time you waste on social media! What if you got paid for that? If you are a college student who already spends a lot of time on social media, you can now earn money by affiliate marketing.

What is Affiliate marketing?
This is a form of advertisement, where a brand uses affiliates, or real-life people on internet, to advertise their products instead of using celebrities. It helps the brand reach out to a larger audience. It is more relatable as the affiliate is just another regular guy or girl, and has hence, gained immense popularity. You can use your time on the internet more fruitfully and make some money out of it too.

Why is it perfect for you?

If you are a college student who is conversant with social media, chances are that you spend quite a lot of time on it. You have probably got around a decade of social media experience on different platforms as the world of social media evolved. Therefore, you have some idea and probably some influence too. While you do spend your time on social media, sharing your life, it is likely that you have made some friends and followers who value your opinion. Now, this is all you need to become a successful affiliate. Dedicate some of time you already spend on the internet to advertising and you can earn money without having to do any extra work. This is perfect for a college student as you do not have to go out of your curriculum to earn money. And do you really want to guess how much you can earn? There are many reputable platforms, such as Lead Network that have leads selling from $2 up to $230. They constantly work to increase conversion, attract new buyers, and improve lead distribution to offer among the industry’s highest payouts.

Here are some tips on succeeding in affiliate marketing.

Pick what you endorse

You really should be careful about what you endorse because a wrong product or brand can ruin all the years of internet image that you have. Hence, it is wise to choose carefully. Firstly, consider what kind of image you have and whether the product goes with it. Secondly, do some research on the reputation of the brand. Thirdly, think of what message you might be giving.

Sell it well

When it comes to affiliate marketing, it is a huge untapped field of opportunity, so not do it half-heartedly. Spend some time on research and development of ideas before you do your marketing. Ask yourself, would you as an audience, be impressed enough with your advertising, to buy the product or service? Keep generating leads, and you will be able to earn quite well.

Test before you launch

This is extremely important, especially for beginners in the field of affiliate marketing. Do a trial run of your advertisement on a small test group before launching it for the public. This test group can comprise of your friends, family, colleagues or a professional group of testers. Take their opinions into consideration and work out all the kinks before the public sees it.

Be honest

Exaggeration is one thing and lying is another. Don’t let the charm of money sway your judgment. Do not pick a brand which makes you lie to sell its product. Don’t misuse the trust that your audience puts in you. Trying to sell lies will make you lose your credibility.

No place for mistakes

Before hitting the enter or ‘publish’ consider your post a billion times because once you hit that button, you cannot take it back without causing at least some damage to your reputation. One offensive post can ruin all the hard work and land you in legal trouble as well.

Affiliate marketing is a lucrative career option and done right, it can be viable and extremely high paying.

Linda Anderson is a  writer and musician residing in Boise, ID in the United States, although I spent a small amount of time (about three years) living in the UK growing up, due to my father’s occupation. I graduated from the College of Idaho with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business and a focus in marketing in 2014.

 

 

 

 

Thinking About Studying Abroad? Key Issues

BY DANIKA McCLURE

Studying abroad may be one of the most beneficial experiences a college student can have. International study programs provide a life-changing experience where students are immersed in new cultures, have the opportunity to learn a new language and see the world, and expand their worldview beyond that of what is offered at the traditional college campus. It may even inspire you to pursue a degree path you hadn’t yet considered.

According to experts at IES Abroad, traveling and studying in another country is one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences students can choose to do in their college years.

“It has been nearly ten years since I was a student in Vienna, but not a single day goes by where its impact is not felt in my life,” writes former study abroad student, Jason Thornberg. “My time there fundamentally changed how I view the world and has given me the ability to view the world, and its issues, from several perspectives.”

Others students have echoed his perspective, noting that their study abroad experience directly helped impact their careers years down the line.

“My semester [abroad] launched me into a personal involvement with Spain that has already lasted 25 years,” writes Gary Abramson. “A political science lecture in Madrid about U.S. and Spanish involvement in an obscure war in Sahara…led to a graduate fellowship to Spain and North Africa, which led to work as a foreign correspondent based in Spain.”

Although opportunities abound for those who choose to study abroad, it takes a lot of careful consideration, and requires a tremendous amount of foresight and planning. It can be nerve racking for students to consider all of the things they need to know when surrounded by strangers in a foreign country.

For students considering taking advantage of this unique and lucrative opportunity, here are a few essential steps to keep in mind.

Consider the cost

Cost should be a major factor in a student’s decision-making process, as the cost of studying abroad can be quite expensive. Prices vary for different programs and typically depends on where you’re from and where you’re going. As with attending college in the U.S. there are also fees to be considered, as well as the day-to-day living costs, and the cost associated with participating in cultural exchange.

Though price is a huge factor, it shouldn’t be the primary reason a student chooses not to travel abroad.

“Depending on the program, students may be able to apply financial aid from the university if they are affiliated,” notes Jeffrey Whitehead, director of the study abroad office at the University of Pittsburgh. “In addition, some schools offer scholarships that students can use in specific programs and some study abroad program providers offer scholarship assistance as well.”

There are also scholarships and grants that have been created to specifically help lower income students experience the benefits of studying abroad. Financial advisors at your university will be able to further help you prepare in the months before you leave the country.

Prepare your documentation

Studying abroad requires proper identification, which may take several weeks to process and require coordination as early as possible. All students traveling to and from another country will require a passport, and depending on your destination, a student visa.

 

For example, countries in the Schengen Area — a coalition of 26 European countries —allow tourists and visitors to visit for up to 90 days without a visa, so depending on the length of your study abroad program, you may or may not need to obtain one.

Still it is important to do the proper research ahead of time, as these documents may take time to obtain.

“Every college student should have a passport that’s up to date, whether they plan to study abroad [at some point] or it will happen in their immediate future,” writes Josh Irons of Studyabroad.com. “You never know when the opportunity is going to arise or when there is something going on outside of the country and you don’t want to be left high and dry and shocked that it takes a while to actually get one.”

Plan Properly for Packing and Arriving to your Destination

For many students, determining what to pack for their study abroad program is no easy task. In addition to packing the proper attire and toiletries for your chosen study environment, there are a number of essentials students should consider bringing as well. Remember, that you’ll essentially living out of two suitcases for the greater part of your time there, unless you plan on relocating for the long haul.

 

It’s also important that you have emergency money in your destination country’s currency. Important documents, a cell phone with an international phone plan, and an outlet adapter. If you are on prescription medications, be sure to pack enough for the entirety of your stay and have the proper documentation to bring them into the country. If you smoke or vape, be sure to research the international vaping laws.

When it comes to choosing your flights, it’s important that you know when to book your trip. Typically, travel experts advise booking 3 months in advance in order to receive the best deal.

Research the culture

Studying abroad may require some extra homework on the student’s part. Since you’ll be living and functioning within another culture, it is important that you learn the norms of the culture. This may impact the way you choose to dress, the way you speak to and interact with others, and the way you go about cultural exchange.

“It’s important for travelers to practice sensitivity throughout their journeys, as your behavior may otherwise offend others unnecessarily or bring a bad name upon all travelers,” writes Goabroad.com’s Megan Lee.

Studying the culture beforehand also prevents you from embarrassment and ostracism when you make cultural blunders, and will help you to better assimilate in the long run.

“The better you understand the cultural nuances of the host nation, the easier it will be for you to honor their way of life and fit in,” says Larry Kaminer, president of the Personal Safety Group.

As you are a guest in their country, be sure to put in the work to determine proper etiquette when traveling.

There are a number of factors students should consider before making the plunge into a new country. For students who want to partake in cultural exchange, gain meaningful and new experiences, and potentially change their careers for the better, studying abroad is a fantastic opportunity.

Danika McClure is a writer and musician from the Northwest who sometimes takes a 30 minute break from feminism to enjoy a tv show. You can follow her on Twitter @sadwhitegrrl

How to Be a Healthy College Vegetarian

BY LORRAINE McKINNEY

 

If you are a vegetarian, you may find that college life can really test you. There are always temptations, and there are not always a lot of vegetarian food options in school cafeterias. But, there are plenty of ways that you can make sure that you are following a meat-free diet, without feeling like you are missing out on anything and still getting all of the nutrients you need.

 

1. Eat Lots of Snacks 

You may think that snacking is not a good thing, and that may be true, for some people. But, if you are a vegetarian, you are not going to get as filled up on the foods you eat, so you need to munch on some high-protein snacks throughout the day. Keep a few protein bars on hands, as well as nuts and other vegetarian foods that are high in protein and portable.

 

2. Get Creative in the Dining Hall 

Just because not all stations have the foods you want to eat, it doesn’t mean that each of them doesn’t have something you can have on a vegetarian diet. Try mixing and matching foods from various stations to get a complete vegetarian meal that is both healthy and delicious.

 

3. Cook Your Own Food 

If you have kitchen facilities, try getting into the habit of cooking your own foods. That way, you will always know exactly what is in your meals, and you won’t be at risk of eating anything that is not vegetarian. You can get really creative in the kitchen, and make some pretty tasty meals that don’t have a trace of meat or meat by-products.

 

4. Stay Active 

“No matter what type of diet/lifestyle you follow, it is important to stay active. This can be difficult when you are in school, because you have so many other things going on. But, there are ways that you can add more activity to your daily schedule. Walk to classes instead of driving or taking the bus. Use the stairs instead of elevators,” says Dr. Shawn Khodadadian. You don’t have to get all of your exercise at once, as long as you are getting a combined one half hour of exercise daily.

 

5. Get a Mini Fridge 

Not all dorms have kitchen facilities, but you can put a mini fridge in your dorm room. Make sure that you keep it well-stocked with healthy fruits and vegetables. Whenever possible, get your produce at local farmers’ markets. You will find a great variety, and you will not only be helping local growers, but also saving money by not having to pay those high grocery store prices.

 

6. Supplement with Vitamins

You can’t always get all of the nutrients you need when you follow a vegetarian diet, so you will need to supplement your diet with vitamins. Get more calcium from dark, leafy greens. Beans, eggs, tofu, lentils, nuts, and seeds are high in protein, but you might still need to take a protein supplement if your diet is lacking.

 

7. Drink Lots of Water 

Whether you are a vegetarian or a meat eater, it is important to stay hydrated at all times. Get yourself a reusable water bottle that you can carry around with you so you always have water to drink. Instead of buying water, get a Brita water pitcher for your dorm room.

 

8. Use Meat and Dairy Substitutes

Just because you don’t eat meat, it doesn’t mean that you can’t eat food that tastes like meat, and that has a similar texture. For instance, you can enjoy meat substitutes such as soy and tofu. If you are a vegan and don’t consume dairy products, there are milks made from almonds and soy that are ideal for your diet.

 

Lorraine McKinney is an academic tutor and e learning specialist. 

9 Must-Have Items For Freshmen To Bring To College

BY MARTHA KARN

When packing to go away to college, freshmen students often think about the big things, but they tend to forget a lot of the little things. Then, when they need one of these items, it is not there for them to use. There are so many things to put on your packing list when you are getting ready to head off to college. Here is a list of nine important items that every college freshman needs to pack.

 

1. Sewing Kit – If you don’t know how to sew, now is a good time to learn. You never know when you are going to lose a button, or when a seam is going to come loose. When you can sew, and have a sewing kit handy, you will be prepared for any sewing emergency.
2. First-Aid Kit – You can’t always count on having first-aid supplies handy in your dorm, so make sure that you have your own. Your first-aid kit should include bandages, gauze, a bottle of ibuprofen, a tube of Neosporin, a bottle of peroxide, and a bottle of rubbing alcohol. You should also include cotton swabs.
3. Tool Kit – Even if you just want to hang a picture, you are going to need a hammer and a nail. Pack up a small tool kit that contains a hammer, a multi-tip screwdriver, nails, and screws. You can often find small tool kits available at your local hardware store, or you can make up your own.
4. Wet Weather Clothing – It is always a good idea to have clothing for all types of weather. Make sure that you have a raincoat, rubber boots, and an umbrella. You never know when you are going to need to walk in bad weather, but at least you will be prepared for it.
5. Extra Socks – It seems like socks just get up and walk away, and we are left with one instead of a pair. By the end of the year, you might be walking around barefoot. Stock up on a few packages of socks, so you will have plenty of extras when you need them. If you need extra money for the supplies you are taking to college, you can sell your Dell laptop for extra cash.
6. Detergent Pods – You will need to supply your own laundry supplies, and it is a lot easier to pack the detergent pods than bottles of laundry detergent. In fact, you can easily pack a whole year’s worth of pods, so you never run out of detergent. Don’t forget to get a sturdy laundry bag too, in case you have to walk several floors or even blocks to get to a laundry facility.
7. Water Bottle – Rather than wasting money on bottled water, and creating more waste, get yourself a BPA-free water bottle and a Brita water filter. You can always have healthy water, and you will be saving a lot of money in the long run. This is also going to help you to stay well-hydrated at all times.
8. Laptop Lock – Your laptop is something you can’t live without as a college student, so you need to take steps to protect it. Get yourself a good laptop lock, so you don’t have to worry about it begin stolen. If you leave it somewhere, you know it is going to be safe until you come back for it.
9. Disposable Dinnerware – Stock up on paper plates, plastic cutlery, etc. If you have a microwave in your dorm room, you will always have utensils, and something to eat off of. These are also a lot easier to pack and store than glass or plastic dinnerware, and you never have to worry about doing the dishes after you eat.

Bio:

Martha Karn develops online educational courses and writes for students.