As a part of this year’s National Hazing Prevention Week taking place on September 20-24, 2010, Sigma Nu, the Interfraternity Council Member Fraternity, is spearheading a social media campaign. Over the course of 40 days, Sigma Nu will release via their Twitter channel a comprehensive list of arguments against the 40 most common heard excuses for sorority and fraternity hazing.

The project began on August 11, 2010 and since then a team of contributors have blogged, tweeted and Facebook posted a different excuse daily using the Twitter official hash tag #40Answers.

This is the first social media campaign to combat hazing in Greek Life and is slated to become a popular resource for Greeks against hazing to ensure a quality fraternity and sorority experience for organization members

Numerous organizations within Panhellenic, National-Panhellenic, Interfraternity and Diversified Greek Councils have committed to endorsing and supporting the campaign.

Here is the list of scheduled tweets:

•    August 11, 2010 Pledges must pay their dues to become a member.
•    August 12, 2010 Hazing teaches pledges to respect their elders.
•    August 13, 2010 Pledges must learn to appreciate the fraternity.
•    August 14, 2010 I don’t think _________ is hazing. Read the rest of this entry »

With so many Blackberry and iPhone applications out there, sometimes college students forget the real reason they have a cell phone: to actually call people. So as you embark on another semester of school, here are some handy numbers to keep in your phone to ensure safety on campus:

• Credit Card Cancellation Numbers: If your credit card gets lost or stolen it is imperative that you call to cancel all of your cards immediately. Most people realize in the heat of the situation that the number to report a lost or stolen card is inconveniently only on the back of the credit card itself, so have it handy on your phone to avoid any delay.
• ICE (In Case of Emergency): Emergency response teams and police officers are trained to look in phones for numbers stored under the alias ICE. In the case of an emergency, it is important for bystanders to be able to get a hold of someone to alert them of the situation you are in (such as a car accident). Read the rest of this entry »

I am absolutely in love with Sevilla, Spain: I love the people, the food, the atmosphere, the historical buildings. I love everything.

But, I also love my people back home, like my friends and family, whom I miss terribly.

Here are some of my (cheap or free) tips for keeping your relationship back home strong while you are living in a foreign country. They can be applied to any type of relationship – romantic, friendship, or family – and will help you stay connected to the people you care about the most.

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Society can place a lot of pressure on college students to find their future husband, wife or partner.

“I think there is a high expectation and strong pressure to find a husband in college, especially in the south. I am an elementary education major, but really sometimes I think I am just here for my MRS degree,” said Alabama State sophomore Kelly, referring to the term meaning a girl who attends college to meet their future husband and become a housewife in lieu a professional career.

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There is no argument that college students are constantly busy balancing classes, extracurricular activities, Greek life participation, social calendars, volunteer work, jobs, internships, relationships, etc.

One of the luxuries of attending college in the 21st century is the smart phone technology that allows students to use their wireless devices to compliment their lives through improved organization, test prep and resources.

Here is a list of some of the most popular and most helpful Blackberry applications for college students: Read the rest of this entry »

Teachers 4 Treasures

Every year teachers reach into their own pockets to pay for school supplies, arts, crafts and other items that they need to teach their students classroom lessons. Kids can’t learn without the necessary school supplies, like pencils, paper, pens and notebooks. But with recent school layoffs and salary cutbacks, it is getting harder and harder for cash-strapped teachers to dip into their own cash reserves for school supplies.

And in Arizona, the picture is not pretty.

More than half of all K-8 students cannot afford lunch, much less basic educational tools and supplies. On average, the state’s schools budget less than five cents per student daily for supplies.

But Treasures 4 Teachers, a grassroots non-profit organization is determined to change these sobering statistics. Here’s how.

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In the United States, an estimated 50,000 cases of alcohol poisoning are reported each year, and approximately once every week, someone dies from this preventable condition.

Excessive or binge drinking is the most common cause of alcohol poisoning, and it is one of the most dangerous activities a college student can do. Binge drinking is defined as drinking five or more drinks in a row. Drinking too much too quickly can affect your heart rate, your breathing pattern and your mental and physical coordination.

Whether it’s you who has consumed too much or your roommate, here is what you need to know about alcohol poisoning. Read the rest of this entry »

Searching for information on the Internet can be easy, especially if you are searching for something that is currently popular or in the news. For example, if you Google “Justin Bieber,” you are going to get pages and pages of useful information. However, if you search for something more obscure on many of the most popular search engine websites, you might not find anything relevant to your actual question. This becomes very frustrating.

A new search engine, SortFix, is here to help. SortFix was created in 2007 to do “all the hard work [of searching for information] and leaves you only the easy part.” Wow, what a concept: a search engine that actually finds the information you are searching for.

SortFix works by imitating a professional searcher. First, SortFix examines the results and compares them to the search query. This allows SortFix to determine the specific keywords that will help the user find the information he/she wants. Then, the user can modify his/her keywords to create a precise search question because “when you ask a precise question you usually get the right answer.” Read the rest of this entry »

The older you are, the more difficult it is to learn a foreign language. Luckily, Praxis Language has created a new program especially designed for adult students who want to learn a new language.

Praxis Language is different from other language-learning programs because it focuses on the everyday spoken language, which makes it easier to communicate with foreign-language-speakers. The Praxis Language method uses repetition, practice, and, finally, comprehension to help users master another language. Users have access to grammar guides, tests, vocabulary study tools, and much more.

Another nice benefit of the Praxis Language program is the convenience it offers users. Praxis programs rely more on mobile learning, as opposed to the traditional classroom and textbook setting. Praxis Language programs are available as podcasts for iPods and the Android phone. This allows users to practice whenever and wherever it is most convenient for them. However, Praxis also offers courses with teacher interaction. These courses are built around the user’s schedule, so it is still more convenient than going to a class. Read the rest of this entry »

Traveling is a great way to learn about the world around you. Unfortunately, it’s also usually pretty expensive as well. Unless you are booking your trip with STA Travel.

STA Travel is a travel agency that has been helping students travel around the world for 30 years. STA Travel offers more than just basic travel information; STA has everything you need to plan your student-budget-friendly vacation, including flights, tours, hotels and hostels, and information concerning how to get around when you are abroad.

In addition to everything you need to actually travel, STA offers other valuable products and services. For example, if you want to plan a side adventure during your vacation, STA can organize everything you need so that you do not have to. When I was in Europe, I tried to organize a side trip to Barcelona, Spain, and failed miserably because I just did not have enough information. If I had traveled through STA, I am sure they could have made it a much easier process. Read the rest of this entry »