An Alternative Spring Break

If you’re a high school junior, chances are your inbox and mailbox have been filled with letters from the marketing departments of colleges across the country. I also received those one page letters. And if you do not feel like waiting until the summer before your senior year to figure out whether you should apply to these schools, even better. And so it was during the spring of my junior year in high school that My Dad and I decided to take a road trip and visit some schools in the area who had been so kind to send us boiler-plate introduction letters. This time, “in the area” referred to schools beyond the city limits of Los Angeles, namely UC Berkeley, UC Davis, Sonoma Sate, and UC Santa Barbara. Below you will find some observations and tips from our trip should you choose to visit some schools during your spring [...]

Facebook Faux Pas: Protecting ourselves online

Facebook is one of those amazing feats of technology that does great things—but also opens up the possibility for situations like the one in Florida. So what are we to do?

Rating the dating on college campuses

Dating in college is something that a) every college student has thought about and b) few college students/alumni want to discuss. It’s awkward. It’s uncomfortable.

Getting Sick at School

When you are a kid, getting sick is not too big of a deal.  You get to miss a day of school, your parents take care of you, and you get sympathy from your friends. At college, being sick is a totally different story. You have to take care of yourself, and missing a class means that you are behind schedule, and have to procure the notes from someone who did go to class. I thought I had it all figured out until this past weekend, when I awoke Sunday with severe pain in my throat.  I slept very little, and I had to study for a midterm and finish a paper while seriously under the weather.  It was not an easy experience for me, and I learned some important lessons: Get as much rest as you can When you are sick, sleep is your best friend.  Your primary focus [...]

When disaster strikes: connecting college campuses to the rest of the world

A college campus can also feel a bit stifling at times, especially when compared with significant real world events that put things into perspective. Many U.S. universities are taking action to aid the people of Haiti in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake.

Digital Bookbags

Last week, Elizabeth’s post about books that mattered in college was a poignant review of the lasting impression of books: both in our minds and in the groove cut into our shoulder from increasingly heavy over-the-shoulder book bags. While nothing will ever replace the tactile sensation of thumbing through hundreds of  highlighted pages, e-books are here to stay, whether librarians like it or not. Fortunately, physical book-loving culture is alive and well in the world, so the advent of digital texts doesn’t seem to be obliterating page-turning just yet. A recent article in The Chronicle of Higher Education discussed a new state law requiring that all post-secondary education textbooks be digitized by 2010. (Post-secondary education = all education after high school.) While not affecting the existence of tree-made textbooks, the law will force publishers to ensure that all of their material is available electronically. College textbooks are expensive. In fact, textbooks [...]

A decision you can sleep on

On Thursday, the New York Times ran an article describing a growing trend among senior citizens: sleep overs! After spending the daytime acquainting themselves with the facilities, retirement communities are offering prospective senior residents the opportunity to take in evening social events and the opportunity to spend the night. For senior citizens, this is a great way to gauge social life and other nuances associated with retirement homes that one could not glean from a brochure. Retirement communities are not the only institutions to offer this opportunity. Colleges do too! I dedicate this post to one of the great (and relatively uncelebrated) pre-college traditions: prospective student overnight visits! Why you should do it: College overnight visits offer prospective students (or more cutely known as, prospies) an unfiltered, in-your-face opportunity to experience collegiate social life in a way that guidebooks or facebook photos could never showcase. For example, such visits give [...]

More than words: Books that mattered to me in college

Sometimes when I look back on my four years of college, I see stretches of time and experience punctuated with what I read. None of these books were for classes in my field of study, politics. Of course several readings from courses in my major also stand out in my memory, but these are the peripheral three; a few volumes that formed a sort of cerebral border around the majority of my learning.

Advice from an RA

While trading ‘college memories’ with close friends I quickly realized a common theme surrounding these accounts—the dorms. Here endless hallways and rooms are haunted by the scent of stale Pop-Tarts and Hot Pockets while fluorescent lights burn late into the night. There is a continuous hum of activity that envelops the entire building, punctuated by moments of chaos and laughter. This rambunctious environment has become an integral part of ‘the college experience,’ which past students often reminisce. For the past three years I have lived and worked in the dorms, the last two years spent as a Resident Advisor a.k.a. ‘R.A.’ During that time, I worked with over 200 college freshman, an experience that has taught me much more than I could have ever imagined. For you college-bound folks, here are some helpful tips that will enhance your own dorm experiences: Avoid Lone Ranger Syndrome Arriving at an unfamiliar location [...]

Bettergrads Unplugged

Happy New Year! 2010 should be a great year for Bettergrads. I received a facebook message from the Bettergrads co-founder and social-entrepreneurship czar Kevin Adler, informing me that he would be spending the New Year’s weekend in the OC / LA area. Yesterday I met up with him, his brother Chris, and Emerald (Chris’ girlfriend) at Cross Roads Trading Company, a small consignment / thrift store in Santa Monica. It is always a treat to spend time with Kevin. The last time we were together, we spent the weekend making some hilarious videos for Bettergrads. It was a great bonding experience and a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the organization . Before returning to LA, I made sure to squeeze in a trip to a local Nordstrom’s Rack, as Kevin shared that he needed to update his wardrobe. Like most guys, Kevin does not like shopping as it is [...]