As students across the country prepare to embark on their fall semester of college, many students are experiencing a range of emotions: fear, excitement, nervousness, confusion, overwhelmed, etc. A lot of students might find that while they have waited their whole high school careers for these next couple of months, there is the chance that they may actually hate college.

So, what do you do if you get to college and absolutely cannot stand it? Well, here are your options.

• Reflect. Ask yourself if you’re just having a rough couple of weeks or difficulty adjusting. Most students take 5-7 months to really get their bearings at a university and you may just need to stick it out and try a little harder.

• Join a club, sports team or go Greek. An organization can introduce you to a lot of potential new friends and fill your social calendar to distract you from any feelings of homesickness or loneliness. And while Greek recruitment can be difficult in and of itself, I promise it’s worth it in the end!

• Consider transferring to another school. Maybe it’s not the entire college experience you hate, it might just be your living situation, your campus or your professors. Half way through your second semester, if you are still unhappy, consider researching online about transferring to another school that will accept your credits so you don’t have to start all over. Read the rest of this entry »

The field of psychology is one that will forever be needed, and thus, there will always be jobs available. Psychology is the scientific study of human mental functions and behaviors. From therapists to counselors, a psychology degree can get you involved in the field of helping people by helping them to understand themselves.

Those that want to go into this field can choose to earn a psychology undergraduate degree or choose to continue their education all the way up to the doctoral level. The higher your education in this field, the more responsibility you’ll have with your employment. Those with a psychology bachelor’s degree can find careers in case management, as a career counselor, rehabilitation specialist or psychiatric technician. However, psychology is usually one of those fields where most students choose to get an undergraduate degree as a stepping stone to higher level degrees. Read the rest of this entry »

How do you tell your roommate that he or she needs to shower more, without hurting their feelings or creating a conflict? Dr. Fayr Barkley has some good advice.

There are several things to consider before you approach your roommate with a bar of soap. Take into account the closeness of your relationship, cultural differences and emotional sensitivity. “Think in terms of how you would like to hear it from someone,” Dr. Barkley writes for hercampus.com. “The words you would want to hear, the sincerity of the person, the benefits you would want to know about having good hygiene and some points on how to go about making the change.”

Read the rest of this entry »

Applying to college can seem like such a daunting and overwhelming task that many students don’t fully consider which school is really right for them. Students often obsess over getting into the “top school,” without finding out if that university or college has an academic and social environment that will suit them. College is Yours, in 600 Words or Less by Patrick O’Connor is the college guide that will help students find the college where they will actually be happy. Read the rest of this entry »

You just spent the last 13, 17, or 21 years of your life in school. You’ve graduated; you’re finished. Now what?! As much as most people look forward to this change, this rite of passage, it can be a major stressor that leaves many graduates feeling lost, depressed, overwhelmed, or afraid.

Some may not have looked forward to the “real world” and continued in school, at least partially to avoid this phase of life. For some people, school was just what they were expected to do, whether it was an expectation they handed to themselves or was handed to them by others. It is easy to feel lost when you don’t have a game plan or know what the next step is.

Here are five ways a college graduate can transition to the real world:

1. Be Realistic. Sometimes graduates place too much expectation on themselves to immediately achieve. Although some have immediate luck, it can take months to find your first professional job. Have a plan, but make your goals realistic. Read the rest of this entry »

If you’ve chosen a college in a different climate zone that your hometown, then adjusting to the weather is just one more college transition that’s going to take place. The south-bound northerners will relish the warm fall days and mild winters, while the north-bound southerners will realize quickly that long underwear are very real and very necessary.

Preparing your wardrobe for the climate change ahead is quite simple, and will afford you a back to school shopping spree!

Wardrobe needs for warmer climates:

• Swimsuits
• Shorts
• Cotton T-shirts (especially with the school logo or mascot) Read the rest of this entry »

As with everything else in a college student’s life, staying healthy and avoiding downtime due to illness is entirely possible when you choose to make your health a priority. Everything from taking regular medications to scheduling check-ups should be on your calendar or to-do list. While it may seem like a waste of time, the days you don’t spend with the flu, a cold or worse will be the reward.

Schedule Regular Check-Ups

Whether you continue seeing your physicians at home, or make use of the campus health facility, seeing the eye doctor, dentist, gynecologist and others are important to do so on time. Read the rest of this entry »

Today’s guest blog comes from Tarik B. Green, the Director of Marketing and Community Relations, and James C. D. Wahls, the President, of DetroitIntern.com, LLC, which operates the DetroitIntern Network, a national collection of regional sites that link students and young professionals to employers of all sizes.  Registration and all basic site services are free. See DetroitIntern Network at www.detroitintern.com.

With this tough economic market continuing to plague us, the importance of internships has risen dramatically for college students. These relatively short work experiences, many of which are unpaid, assist internship seekers beyond any monetary level. Internships enhance one’s resume and vital problem-solving skills. Students are able to apply critical thinking to real-life situations.

Internships provide college students a competitive edge in this tight economy. Because employers are embracing more conservative hiring practices as a result of the economic troubles, internships frequently serve as a direct entry into the workforce. If an employer is pleased with an intern’s work, upon graduation, that student may have a job offer waiting while others are starting their job search. Read the rest of this entry »

Every major change in your life is a stressor and requires adjustment, even the positive events. Transitioning from high school to college is an exciting time in your life. Whether you are going across town or across the country, there is a transition to living in a new place.

• The adjustment will go more smoothly if you give yourself time to join your new community.
• Give yourself a month or so before visiting home.
• Keep in contact with people from home who will support you.
• Don’t forget to participate in your new environment.

Some of the other ways you can embrace the new lifestyle include: Read the rest of this entry »

As you might be learning, high school and college are not the same. The demands, class schedules, teacher relationships and self-discipline are all completely different, and really for the better.

The same can be said about honors courses in college, versus those you took in high school. Advanced placement, honors courses and even IB classes are all great ways to prepare yourself for college, add some impressive bullets to your college application and broaden your academic horizons as a teen. However, in college, they can sometimes be an unnecessary burden, or can make college an even richer experience – it simply depends on your goals, major and time availability.

A few things to consider before enrolling in college honors courses: Read the rest of this entry »