Wednesday, March 18, 2020

The eNotes Blog For Students eNotes Intern Spills on the Other Ways to Prepare forCollege

For Students Intern Spills on the Other Ways to Prepare forCollege Your teachers and counselors may have all of your academic college-prep under control (or if not, is here to help), but we at know that theres a lot more to the adjustment of going off to university than pure schooling. Most of you will be moving away from home, and aside from the stress of taking your first midterms or deciding your major, youll have to deal with the daunting, albeit exciting, life change of surviving on your own for the first time. The thing is, a young mind isnt going to be able to function on a diet of MSG or amongst that mounting pile of laundry you double up as a bean bag. With that in mind we asked our intern, fresh out of UCLA, for some sound advice on how to survive and thrive in your first year.  Whether youre spending your last summer before becoming an undergraduate or youre several years into the college system (its not too late!), youll probably want to follow these useful tips: Learn basic life skills If you haven’t learned how to perform basic tasks like laundry and cooking, do it now. You would be amazed at the sheer numbers of kids who come to college and end up with a load of pink underwear because no one told them not to wash reds and whites together. And then there are those who rely on Febreze alone to do the job, but I wont go there Dont become a social pariah in your pink pants or smelly shirtsdo your laundry people! Learning how to cook may not seem important if you’re moving into a dorm, but once you decide you’re sick of living in a closet and sharing a bathroom with fifty other people, it will be nice to not have to survive off ramen and Marie Callenders pot pies. Watch your mom or dad. Give yourself that edge so you know how to function as an adult while others flounder around you. Trust me, beans on toast is not date night material. Keep to a schedule An 8 AM class may seem like nothing when you sign up for it. You’ll think to yourself that you did it every day in high school, that it won’t be a problem to do it again in college. However, there are a few factors that change this radically. First, most college classes do not require attendance. It is much easier to justify skipping class when you’re tired from studying (or partying) the night before and you know your professor won’t notice whether you’re there or not. Secondly, your parents won’t be around to make sure you’re out of bed and getting ready. If you’re lucky and you have a considerate roommate, they might wake you up if they notice you’re oversleeping, but that is extremely unlikely, as they will have their own schedule, their own problems, and their own Harry Potter FanLit following to worry about. Keeping a schedule over the summer means that you won’t have to readjust to waking up before noon and doing something other than playing video games in your underwear all day. You can still relax, but at the same time, try to wake up early and go for a bike ride or read a book. You’ll benefit from it later on. Attend orientation If your college offers an orientation program, attend it, whether it is mandatory or not. It will help you prepare for classes, get you familiar with the campus, and introduce you to fellow freshmen. Even if you have friends attending the same college as you, it can’t hurt to make some new friends before you plunge into the deep end in the fall. It’s also nice to revisit the campus in full knowledge that you will be going there in a couple of short months. It’s a good feeling. Orientation helps because, when fall rolls around, you won’t be feeling quite so out of your depth. Take a tour of your campus and housing If possible, taking tours and seeing where you will be going to classes and where you will be living helps out a lot. It will also assuage some of your parents’ fears. Again, it’s all about familiarization; it’s hard enough to adjust to a completely new lifestyle. If you already have some idea of how to get around campus without getting lost you’ll feel a lot more comfortable. In addition, touring the dorms will let you know just how small a space you will be living in, and maybe it’s not such a good idea to bring your giant flatscreen or your entire collection of books. Participate in social media sites belonging to your school I just graduated from UCLA, and I can easily name, off the top of my head, at least five websites actively used by a large portion of the student population that bring us closer together as a community. Some are informative, some are entertaining, and others are bizarre. Look into what your college’s online community is like; reddit.com is host to many lively college boards and may be a good place to start seeing what the people on campus are like. You might even find a place where you can ask any questions you might have, and get more advice that is specific to the college you will be attending. Connect with the students themselves; knowing the inside information on which dining hall to avoid, which professor is most likely to offer extra credit, or the best places to study on campus, is invaluable. Exercise The Freshman Fifteen is not a myth! Dining halls are enticingly convenient and often all-you-can-eat. Sometimes, it’s just easier to grab a basket of fries rather than assembling a salad of questionable freshness. Establish good habits now, rather than suffering later on. Want a dining commons trick? Mine offered grilled chicken breast sandwiches at one station, complete with sugary  barbecue  sauce and onion rings. Nice for a cheat day, sure, but not for everyday. One trick I learned was to ask one of the cafeteria servers for the chicken breast only. This I chopped up and mixed in with a salad from the greens station. Its a fact of college life that youll sometimes have to get creative with your DC food if you want to eat well. Most universities also hold intramural sports leagues every quarter. These are designed to be fun and a little bit silly (popular ones include indoor soccer, extreme frisbee, inner-tube water polo, and yes, even quidditch) but will help you work up a sweat nonetheless. Theyre also one of the best ways I know to meet new people and bond with your fellow dorm mates.

Monday, March 2, 2020

The most luxurious places for students to live

The most luxurious places for students to live Luxurious houses for students Many American universities do their best to attract the future students and make their student life unforgettable. The days of living in the cramped quarters are long gone, so now college housing has something different to offer. Students of the following universities can compare their living with a luxury vacation. They have everything for living in style while getting their degree. Let`s find out what makes the living experiences of students so unique. Osprey Fountains at The University of North Florida – Jacksonville, Florida Osprey Fountains at The University of North Florida is a new housing complex for students opened in 2009. Here you will find a convenience store, fitness center, library for studying, and video game room. But the best amenities are outside. You can take a rest in the outdoor pool or just spend some time in the volleyball, basketball or tennis courts. Osprey Fountains is the perfect place for students to come and relax after difficult classes. Price Range: $1,130 – $5,000 per semester The Metropolitan at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising – Los Angeles, California The Metropolitan is the closest housing complex to the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising which offers students the amenities of a 5 star hotel. This luxurious â€Å"dorm† is situated in the very heart of Los Angeles and is surrounded by nightlife and shopping. A heated pool, courtyard, community lounge, private theatre, sundeck and covered spa, design and drawing rooms – everything at your disposal. Each apartment has a kitchen with GE appliances, living space, a vanity, a private balcony, and large windows. Price Range: About $1,000 per month Sontag and Pomona Halls at Pomona College – Claremont, California Sontag and Pomona Halls are super eco-friendly housing complexes for students on Pomona College campus.   They are equipped with air conditioning, electrical cut-off switches, daylight sensors and low water use fixtures. You can also find the roof top garden patio which consists of solar panels that helps heat the water. Price Range: $4,275 per Semester The Lawn at the University of Virginia – Charlottesville,   VA It is an honor for a student to live on the Lawn at the University of Virginia. This place has a rich history and the long-standing traditions. You have to get used to that fact that the door of your room should be open. Only exemplary students who strive to become scholars and leaders can have the opportunity to live in such luxurious apartments. Price Range: $6,020 – $6,170 per year North Quadrangle Residential and Academic Complex at the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor, If you are a freshman – don`t even expect to get a room here as this housing complex is extremely coveted. North Quadrangle Residential and Academic Complex offers you the private and spacious rooms for luxurious student living. Learning communities, work areas, media facilities, bike routes, a TV studio, equipped conference rooms, and lounges on every floor are among the additional facilities. Price Range:  $5,978 – $8,204 per semester Mark Shenkman Hall (formerly Ivory Tower) at George Washington University – Washington, D.C. Mark Shenkman Hall gives you the opportunity to enjoy the opulence of living in Washington while studying. This building is conveniently located and has everything that students may need. Its apartments have full service kitchens, private baths, air conditioning, wireless internet, high speed internet, and elevators. Price Range: $13,760 – $14,670 per year Founders Hall at New York University – New York City, New York This building is the newest residence hall of New York University. It has 26 stories that gives students the opportunity to have the room with the amazing view on the city. Here you will find the spacious rooms with adjoining bathrooms, private libraries, open area communal rooms, and the courtyard. Due to the perfect location near the Union Square Subway, students can easily get to their classes and the rest of the city. Price Range: $6,792 per semester University Village Suites at Kennesaw State University – Kennesaw, Georgia Only freshmen can live in the University Village Suites. Each apartment has a shared bathroom, a mini kitchen, and a built in bar with stools. You will never find yourself starving as the in house Peace Cafà © and Hoot Restaurant always have something delicious to offer. An art gallery, a computer lab, community kitchens, study rooms, lounge areas, and laundry rooms are among the community amenities. Price Range: $585 – $660 per month The Units at the University of California, Berkeley – Berkeley, California The Units at UC Berkeley are the housing complex for undergraduate students. The apartments are equipped in the typical dorm style – beds, desks, and dressers. It is the view that makes this place really luxurious. Students can make use of a central fitness facility, a laundry facility, and a diner. Price Range: $6,363 – $8,512 Hub at Tuscon at The University of Arizona, Tuscon – Arizona The Hub at Tuscon is a luxurious place for students of The University of Arizona. Its building amenities are really spectacular – fully equipped rooms and kitchens, fitness, spa, gaming, executive meeting rooms, grilling gazebo, sand volleyball court, and hammocks. The rooftop pool is its main attraction. Price Range: $1,490 – $5,405 – per unit, per month