How To Get Involved in Community Service in College

This podcast discusses how to get involved in community service and non-profit organizations like Americorps and Alternative breaks while in college. 

Top 5 Reasons Why Libraries are the Best (Post #12)

I'm a firm believer in libraries. Not just for the books, but for the entire environment. It's a place to kick back and get some work done, or to panic and get more work done. No matter what it is, the library is the place to be. Today I am going to give you more than enough reasons to go to the library to get your work done rather than to depend on yourself to focus in a louder location.

*DISCLAIMER* - I am in a library.

1. Silence 

At Mabee library, there are many different floors for many different students. My personal favorite is the quiet floor. There is no talking and I seem to get all of my work finished in half the time I usually do anywhere else. 

2. ResourcesAnything you could ever want is in this library. Need to find a book? You better believe they got them. Need to use a computer? They have those, too. What if you just want to use the internet on your phone or your tablet? Well, they have that also. 

3. Outside Help

The library also has many helpful resources for homework or paper help. There is the Tutoring Center where you can walk in and receive help on your homework. There is also a Writing Center where you can get advice on your paper. There are also librarians who are always ready to help you find exactly what book you are looking for. 

4. The Shop

I know what you are thinking. Sure, the library is nice for books and studying but I do need food. Well, the library has that, too. On the main floor there is a coffee shop with lots of drinks and snacks. 

5. Atmosphere

There is something about being around a lot of other kids are that studying that makes me want to study. It's an academic place to be, but it can also be fun at the same time. It's like taking a classroom and putting it in a giant coffee shop. There are so many people doing different things! 

Top 5 Thanksgiving Alternatives (Post #11)

As Thanksgiving quickly approaches with less than two weeks until the last day of class, it's that time to start thinking about where you will be going for Thanksgiving. It is common that a lot of students around campus will go home, whether home is in Topeka or far away. But, not everyone goes home. There are students that can't because of distances, finances, or circumstances out of their control. So today I want to spend a little time discussing some alternative ideas for students that aren't going to be able to make it home this Thanksgiving season.

1. Find a Friend

This may be awkward at first to ask a friend if you could attend their Thanksgiving meal, but usually the family would love to have you. 

2. Volunteer

There are LOTS of needy people around the Topeka area around Thanksgiving time. Many soup kitchens and other organizations set up times for those who do not have meals to receive a little something. You could volunteer your time to one of these organizations. 

3. Make Your Own

If you have other friends that will not be going home for Thanksgiving, think about setting up your own thanksgiving. You don't have to have any of the traditional foods like big turkeys and green bean casserole. Think about making it a potluck so there are many types of foods. 

4. Take the Day Off

Is there a movie you have really been wanting to see but haven't had time? Take Thanksgiving as a day for yourself and do whatever you want to do. Put down your homework and your planner and relax. 

5. Do Your Work

Maybe you do need another day to work on assignments and get stuff done. Catch up on homework and assignments so you are ready for finals when you go back to school! 

Top 5 Things to Consider When Planning Your Schedule (Post #10)

The second semester of the year is quickly approaching! With less than 5 weeks until the end of the Fall semester, it is now time to register for new classes. But what do you take? This can be overwhelming, even with help from an adviser. What class goes where? What do I absolutely need to take this year? Is there going to be any free time for me?

Hopefully after this post, you will know exactly what to do next semester!

1. Plan Your Years

This can be as stressful as your schedule, but you will figure out your entire class schedules and you'll know what you need to accomplish this Spring. Are you planning on studying abroad? Make sure you take that into consideration now rather than later. 

2. Know Your Life

If you have any preexisting plans or activities that you know that you will have to do, right them down and try to get your classes to revolve around them. This can make it easier on you in the long run when you are trying to go from class to class, activity to activity. 

3. Day or Night? 

Personally, I'm a morning person. I'd rather get up early and get all my classes done so I have the rest of the day and night for myself. Start out early if you want to make your day longer or plan classes later if you want to sleep in!

4. Plan in Chunks The worst thing that can happen during a weekday is wasted time. Try your best to keep all your classes in chunks so you aren't in the library or the student union for hours and hours

5. FRIDAYS
This tip is probably the most important tip I have ever said. DO NOT PLAN A CLASS ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON. You won't go. You think you will, but you won't. The temptation to skip class on a Friday is very strong, especially when your friends are out of class and want to hang out. Just stay away from Friday afternoon classes!

I hope these tips helped you find exactly what you need to take next semester. Happy Class Hunt! 

Top 5 Things to Do on the Weekend (no party version) (Post #9)

The most common question that makes its way across Washburn campus every Thursday is by far, "What are you doing this weekend?" The most common response to this is, "Uh..."

I never know what I'm doing during my time off. Personally, I don't go to parties or contribute to anything of the sort. I know there are many college students here at Washburn and all around the nation that feel the same as I do. So this blog today will help both you (the reader) and me (the writer) find out what there is to do on off days during the school year, other that go to parties! 

1. HOMEWORK

This is the most important thing, yet for me it seems to get done last. I urge you to do this first before you do anything else on the weekend. If you get this done first, you will lift a huge burden off your back! 

2. Relax, kid. 

Get some rest for the week. There will be time to socialize later! Personally, my entire week is a little off when I am busy all weekend without any down time. 

3. Gym. Gym. Gym. 

Gym's are fun...right? This is a chance for you to get out there and make some friends at the recreation center! 

4. Night Out of the Town

Get a group of friends together and plan a night around Topeka, going to the movies or a campus event. Sometimes finding your group of friends that don't party can result in a lot more fun than any party.

5. Game Night In 

The funds aren't there, I get it. Invite friends over to your dorm room or apartment  and tell them to bring a little snack each. Get a board game or a video game and go at it! This can be more fun than going out with your friends (and less expensive.)

Top 5 Ways to Find a Major (Post #8)

Recently, I had my semester advising appointment with my adviser. This is always a hectic time for two reasons; I never know what classes I want to take and I always wonder if I should be in a different major. Don't get me wrong, I love journalism. But just the thought of exploring another option or a different future career is always in the back of everyone's mind.

So what should you do if this happens to you? What if you aren't sure in the first place what you want to do? Today I want to give you a few tips in solving this mystery. 

1. Find a Majors/Minor Adviser

Most campuses have career advisers who help students figure out what they ultimately want to do with their lives. Take advantage of this! If you have no plans for the future, talk to these guys first. They will give you the best tips to finding out what you want to do. 

2. Find your Hobby

What do you like to do? How can you make that a job? Doing what you love to do (even like to do) can boost you in the right direction of finding a career. 

3. Find your Place on Campus

What are you involved in? Sometimes the best options in life are the ones right in front of us. Join a few clubs or activities. These don't have to be things you will do for the rest of college or even the rest of the school year. Just trying it out can trigger a future plan!

4. Find the Dough

We are all in college to find jobs that we love, but also jobs that pay well. How does money effect your life? If it is important to you, you may want to think of careers that can support your financial needs. 

5. Find your Friends

The people that you are around the most know you the best. Talk to them about what they are doing with their futures and ask what they think about yours. The honesty of that person may trigger either a spark for a career, or a petition against it all. 

I know first hand that finding your future in college is hard and it is bound to change at least once, whether it be the emphasis or the major in its entirely. But if you aim for a job that you enjoy and that you will make a living from, you'll ultimately find what you are meant to do.

Top 5 Ways to Stay Healthy in College (Post #7)

The other day, I went to the student union here on campus to buy a drink at the corner store. While there, I couldn't believe my eyes. Students of all kinds were grabbing big bags of chips, packages of cookies, over-sized sodas, and the tallest order of coffee available. Didn't these guys get it? The freshmen "15" (which actually applies to sophomores, juniors, and seniors) is an epidemic on campus, infecting all those students who invest in the cheapest junk food with the most amount of sugar to get them through long hours of studying.

But, it doesn't have to be like this! Although this food is cheap, it makes you want more, more often. So today I want to give you a few tips on how to stay healthy in college.

1. Eat Right

This may sound tough. Who has time to count calories when they can't even count their homework assignments? Calories aren't everything, however. If you replace cookies with fruit and chips with vegetables, an quick change will occur. 

2. Drink Right

Soda is tasty. Really tasty. It's borderline addicting, actually. Just taking this out of your diet (or better yet, limiting it to a few days a week) will keep the pounds off. 

3. Sleep, Sleep, and Sleep 

Exams are important. Sleep is more important. Schedule your time accordingly to allow you to get enough sleep to keep you energized during the day. 

Sleep=Energy. Energy=Study. Study=Success. Therefore, Sleep=Success 

4. Get to Know the Rec

This place is made for you. Literally. The recreation center on campus is made for you to come and work out as much as you want to. There are lots of things to do at a rec, if running isn't your thing. There are free classes for students, basketballs courts, and machines to work out on. Go check it out!

5. Don't Stress It

The number one way not to get sick is to limit your levels of stress. If you feel like you never get a moment to just rest, you should find that time! Even if it means you have to miss a meeting for one of your 50 clubs. 

I hope that these little tips get you started with either maintaining a good diet and weight or helping you in losing those few pounds that you have acquired here at Washburn. 

Top 5 Things To Do Around Town (Post #6)

One of the most important parts in going to college is getting involved on and off campus. The community around you is what supports the university activities, faculty, and students. There's one good way to get to know your community, and that is to explore!

 Today I'm going to give you five ways to connect with your town you are in. If you are not from Topeka, these events will help you become a little more familiar with the towns atmosphere. I am not from Topeka and before attending Washburn, had only visited Topeka a few times in my life. If you are from Topeka, or grew up near it, these places may be things that you haven't been to in a long time or maybe have never gotten around to going to.

  1. Capitol Building
Topeka is, after all, the capital of Kansas. This building is the center point of the city. It has a lot of different architectural art and styles, and is filled with history. It gives Topekans a background that you may need to know more about in order to find what the community is all about.
 2. Burger Stand on College Hill
 This is a restaurant near by campus that attracts a lot of different people from Topeka. Not only does it have great food, but a great crowd to be around.
 3. Westridge Mall
 Although malls have become somewhat of a thing of the past, the mall in Topeka is a good place to hang out, shop around, and a great place to go to get off campus.
4. Rees Fruit Farm
Since it is Fall after all, Rees Fruit Farm is the perfect place to go when you need a break from campus. There are all of events in the Fall, like pumpkin patches and hay rides. They also have the best apple cider and the best cider doughnuts in the area!
5. Gage Park
This park isn't just an average park-it is so much more than that! With flower gardens, playgrounds, ponds, and even a zoo right next door, it is a great place to go when you are wanting more from Topeka.

Top 4 Ways to Keep the Christmas Spirit (a few months early) (Post #5)

It's October. I know. Not only is it October, but it is early October. If anyone else is like me, they would already be in the Christmas spirit. It is my favorite time of the year, for many reasons. But as classes continue and the hustle and bustle of everyday life ensues, its hard to find that Christmas spirit.

So today, even though it is technically not the Christmas season, I want to give some ways to keep the holiday spirit in your life as a college student.

You definitely do not have to be a Christian to have this holiday cheer. No matter what religion you practice or lifestyle you lead, winter time is always a good season to spread cheer.

Here are some ways to keep this cheer!

1. Christmas Music
I will be the first one to admit that I have already began to listen to Christmas music. I am well aware that this is probably abnormal. But it is a good way to make this connection to the holidays that you could be lacking.

2. Go to Walmart
Lordy, lordy. The trees are already up and the smell of cinnamon and apples are in the air. If you are ever searching for the spirit of Christmas just walk into a Walmart.

3. Start Planning your Christmas break now
This could mean a lot of things. Sign up for an alternative break for a way to have a bigger holiday season impact.

4. Bother your friends with how  excited you really are
This is what I am doing. The words, "Christmas", "Break", and "after finals" come out of my mouth at least 20  times a day. You'll feed your own excitement, but will probably annoy your friends. The sacrifice may be worth it.

Christmas is around the corner (and down the street a little).

Top 4 Ways to Make Things Less Awkward (Post #4)

So far I have talked a lot about general things that lead a student to be successful in college. Today I want to change it up a bit and talk about an issue that has recently effected me, and I'm sure it effects many every day.
 The other day I was sitting in one of my classes waiting for class to start. Every one was filing in, taking their usual seats, and pulling out their usual notebooks. It was class time. But then, no professor came in. 5 minutes passed, nothing. Chatter began to spread in the room on whether we should leave or not. In a class of 25 kids without a professor, it's a total free for all. 10 minutes passed and still no professor. We were all so confused. After 20 minutes of sitting in a teacher-less classroom, we all got up and left, forming together as a unit just in case the professor happened to show up a little later, and only some of the students got points.
 So, what do you do when this happens? Here's a few things that you can do to avoid this feeling of fear, guilt, and freedom.
  1. Wait It Out
Some say that the amount of time you wait for a professor to come is the equivalent to the professors title (i.e. Doctor). I can't seem to find any evidence for this, and I do not think it has any grounds as being truth. If you think that you will get into trouble if the professor does so happen to come into the classroom and no one is there, just wait it out!
  2. Form Together
Like my group of classmates in our awkward situation, some decided to form together and leave the room as a team. Something about safety in numbers, I guess.
 3. Check The Office 
We did this, too. We went to his office the next floor up and searched around for him, but did not see him. If the office is closed with the lights off, it may mean that he is not there, or it may mean that he is hiding from us. Both very likely.
 4. Check Your Email 
This should actually be the first thing that you do. Sometimes professors get caught up in situations, and we as students should understand this. Usually an email is sent if this does happen. So make sure your phone is handy so you can be informed through out the day. In my situation, this did not help.

Ultimately, if your professor isn't going to show up, they aren't going to show up. It's nice to have a line of communication open just in case something like this does happen. In any case, follow at least one of these steps and an awkward situation will seem less awkward. Until the next class.

Top 5 Places to Study for an A (Post #3)

Since school has been going on for a month now, everyone has gotten into their routines for the semester. When they go to class, when they get up for their scheduled bathroom breaks, and where they go in between classes. There are millions of places to go study--but here are some of the most useful and popular

1. Quiet Floor of the Library
Magic really does happen here. If the quiet floor holds true to being a quiet floor, you can get so much done here. Something about not being able to make noise and distract yourself gets your paper written and your math homework done.

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2. The Union
Some people like more noise when they study, I understand that. Try the Union. There are different spots to call your study place with different noise levels. The chances of running into your buddy here are a lot greater, but its a convenient place if you want to grab a bite to eat and have a quick study session.

3. Computer Lab
Many campus buildings have computer labs where you are allowed to use the computers with a password. They are usually empty. Try it out! It's a quiet location, but provide a class-like setting.

4. Classroom
Like the computer lab, a lot of classrooms remain unlocked and empty when classes are not going on. Take advantage of these spots and study like you are actually in class! You get a lot done in a small amount of time.

5. Lobby of Dorm
If you live in the dorms, or even in an apartment, the lobby or living room is usually a great place to work on your studies. The only disadvantage to these places are that there are numerous distractions that can occur at anytime.

Studying in college is what it is all about. The grade you get in a class usually has a lot to do with how long you study. If you take advantage of these places, than you are sure to get an A!

Top 5 Ways to Make Friends (Post #2)

College. It's rough. On the very first day of every year you must ask yourself a question. This question is ever-changing and never-ending.

Who will I be?

Thankfully, you have the power to answer this.

You can be whoever you want. And when I say whoever you want, I mean whoever you want. College is a chance to not only find yourself, but redefine yourself as frequently as you want. But what if you don't know anything about yourself in the first place? The first thing to do is find people that can relate to you. Believe me when I say this, everyone is lost in college. Everyone. So getting involved is so simple its often overlooked. Here are a few tidbits to help you get involved.

1. Join a Club, Any Club
When you join a group of any sort, whether that be an intramural team or the math club, this is a way you will find your group of friends. Don't be afraid to go to a random club or activity that you would never go to or had no idea existed.

2. Go Greek
Many people say that joining a fraternity or sorority is a way to "buy your friends." But many Greek goers would disagree. This is a way to find a home away from home and to connect with people with some of the same interests you have. Greek Life isn't for everyone but it is there for anyone, whether you are in a sorority or fraternity or if you are looking for another way to reach out to your peers.

3. Be Social
This can happen anywhere. In class. In the cafeteria. In the library. Just be social. If you see someone else sitting alone, chances are they want a friend just as badly as you do. Take the initiative! It may be the start to a new friendship.

4. Be Out There
The people that stand out around campus are the ones that do the strangest things. Do you have a random   talent that you've always wanted to perform in public? Do it in the Quad! People will notice you. And when they notice you, they remember you. Being weird is the quickest way to someone's heart. Want to wear a cape around campus? You rock that cape. Be proud of that cape.

5. Be You
Cheesy, I know. But if you act like yourself, chances are someone will latch on to your personality and become an instant friend. You are most confident when you are you, and having confidence is half the battle when it comes to finding you and getting involved.

Here is a link for all you Washburn students wanting to get involved.
https://www2-prod.washburn.edu/services/studentlife/stuactivities/stuorg-registration/organization-listing.php

No matter if you join student media, go Greek, or break-dance at the Union, you will find your group of friends. More importantly, you will figure out things about yourself you never knew before. Go out there and get a friend.

Post #1: Orientation-Welcome Aboard!

Picking a college is hard. Going to that college is even harder. I'm here to give you advice on how to make your college experience next to painless while giving you tips and tricks for success along the way. All of my posts will be directed towards college students, especially those entering into college or struggling to find their place in a sea of students. Join me as I compose The Dean's List!