It is no secret that some college students experiment with drugs and alcohol. It’s part of the college experience of discovering who you are and what you are or are not interested in.

I’d like to say that most students over-indulge once or twice, then realize they do not want to do that again, and move on with their lives. Unfortunately, that is not the case, as evidenced by two deaths within two years at Reed College from heroine overdoses.

Now, Colin Diver, Reed’s president, has been ordered by local law enforcement authorities to get the drug abuse at Reed College under control. This could prove to be quite a problem, since Reed College has long been known as a hot-spot for drug use.

“When you say Reed, two words often come to mind,” Diver said. “One is brains. One is drugs.”

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When I hear Peach Pit, it makes me think of frozen yogurt, one of my most favorite things in the world. And for those who are a few years older than me, the name is synonymous with the 90s television show, Beverly Hills 90210.

Turns out, Peach Pit is neither frozen yogurt nor is it Dylan, Brandon and Kelly’s favorite burger joint; it’s even cooler.

Peach Pit is a company that publishes “top-notch books on the latest in graphic design, desktop publishing, multimedia, web design and development, digital video, and general computing.”

In addition to their books, Peach Pit offers online video products, eBooks, and a conference series. Peach Pit guarantees their award-winning products will be easy to use, and have “time-saving techniques, savvy insider tips, and expert advice for computer users of all sorts.”

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Sometimes I really wish I could pay someone to go to my classes for me. Especially when it’s raining, and all I want to do is stay in bed and sleep through my alarm clock. But, I couldn’t really do that, could I? I mean, nobody would really pay someone else to take classes for them, right?

Wrong. Daniel Higgins, a California resident, was recently arrested for immigration fraud when it was discovered that he was attending classes and taking exams for Middle Eastern students who wanted to keep their visas. These students would pay Higgins up to $1,500 to pretend to be them in their classes. Higgins was attending classes for more than 100 students from Kuwait, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey.

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Science and math are two academic fields where the U.S.  faces tough challenges from other countries. Now, President Barack Obama, as part of his efforts to improve education in America, is striving to make these fields more appealing to students.

A new campaign called Educate to Innovate was announced in late November to promote science, technology, math, and engineering. The campaign will ask companies and nonprofit groups to donate time and money to encourage students to study in these fields.

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Microsoft has recently developed an online system designed to aid college students with everything from email and calendar support to group projects and communication tools. This system, which is know as Microsoft Live@edu, is one of the best programs to date for effectively managing the chaotic lives of college students. 

The services offered by Live@edu focus on information technology management and everything that comes with it. The following is a breakdown of the services as well as the negatives and benefits of each.  Read the rest of this entry »

Summer! It’s finally here! And I know you are looking forward to spending your days pool-side, seeing all those awesome summer movies and going out with your friends. Unfortunately, we don’t live in a barter economy and you need money to do all those fun things. So, how can you earn a few extra bucks without cramping your summer style? From personal experience, I would like to recommend the best 5 summer jobs for students!

1. Sonic Drive-In Carhop. Everyone loves going to a drive-in restaurant, ordering a burger, and sitting in their car while they eat it. And let me tell ya, they usually tip pretty well if you bring them their milk shake with a smile.  The hours are very flexible, and you will make a ton of cash in tips. It’s usually high school and college students, so you will be working with people your own age, which always makes it fun! Read the rest of this entry »

The times just keep getting tougher for Detroit. In a statement released Thursday, the district announced it planned to close 23 schools and layoff 600 teachers in an effort to close the gap on a more than $300 million defecit. The 195-school district is struggling. Enrollment is down by about half since the 1990s, probably in part due to a struggling auto industry forcing families out of the city. The district has been deemed to be in a state of financial emergency by Robert Bobb, a financial overseer put in place by the governor after the superintendent was let go in December.

What does this mean for the students? About 7,500 students will be re-organized to different schools. Read the rest of this entry »