Tips for Every College Graduate

Are you graduating college this weekend? Congratulations!  The next few months can be scary and stressful.  However, with preparation and hard work, they can be a lot easier than everyone says.  Keep reading and check out Diploma Frame for more information.

Graduating college is not only stressful but can be an extremely overwhelming time in a person's life.  Aside from the fact that you have to move onto the 'real world' with a job, bills and responsibility, you are changing everything you have known for the past four years.  We have put together some tips for college graduation and hopefully how to make the next steps in your life a little easier. 
Preparing for Graduation - As the time nears closer to commencement there are a few things you are going to need to make sure you have taken care of:

1. Do You Have Enough Credits? – While this may seem like a silly question, I know several people who thought they had enough credits to graduate only to find out in the middle of their last semester they were one or two credits shy.  Make sure you talk to your advisor, check out your school’s website or visit the Registrar’s office so you aren’t left watching from the back on Commencement day.
   
2. Complete the Required Paperwork – One of the most commonly overlooked pieces when it comes to graduation is making sure you have all of your paperwork turned in.  Most colleges require you to submit a graduation application or an ‘Intent to graduate’ form before your last semester.  This usually includes the name you would like on your diploma along with the address you would like it sent to.  You should also check on whether or not you are required to attend an exit interview with the Admissions office. 
   
3. Pay Up! – One thing I learned in college is that schools do not mess around when it comes to money issues.  Whether it is for tuition, room and board or a simple parking ticket, the school will be sure they get their money.  Make certain all of your outstanding fees are paid along with any new ones associated with graduation. (Schools often require a small fee for diplomas)
   
4. Order Your Cap and Gown – This varies from school to school.  Some schools pay for each graduating senior’s cap and gown while other’s do not.  Check with the bookstore as this is usually where they are ordered from. 
   
5. Who is coming to Commencement? – Commencement ceremonies differ from university to university depending on size and tradition.  Larger schools tend to offer a general commencement ceremony for all students along with individual ceremonies for each program while smaller colleges may only have one ceremony.  Seats are likely limited and you will be given a certain number of tickets.  Determine who will be attending your graduation and how many tickets you will need.  Need more than you are allotted?  Ask around.  Most people don’t use all of theirs.   
   
6. Sending Invitations – Yes, this is one of the most tedious tasks there are but if you want people to attend your graduation then you are going to have to invite them.  Be sure to include their tickets in the invitation.  If it will require travel, provide them with information on hotels in the area.
   
7. Don’t Forget About Your Friends! – The last few weeks of school are extremely hectic.  Finals are wrapping up, people are packing to go home and you are trying to enjoy the last few weeks of college life.  Before all of this craziness begins, start gathering the contact information of those around you.  Telephone numbers, email addresses, IM names, Myspace profiles, whatever you need to stay in touch with them.

After College - When you leave college you are going to be starting a new life.  Before you graduate, here are some things you are going to need to think about:

8. Job or Grad School? – For some people four years of school is enough.  They are ready to go out, start working and never open another Accounting book for the rest of their lives.  For others, grad school is the only option.  You can’t very well be a doctor without attending med school now can you?  How do you decide whether grad school is for you?  Obviously there is no easy answer but there are questions you need to ask yourself.  Examples:
   
   • Where would you like your career to go?  Will it require more schooling?
   • Can you afford more school from a financial standpoint?
   • Are you going to school because you don’t want to get a job?

If you are in fact looking to go to Graduate school, here are a few resources to help you:
            - http://www.peterson.com/
            - http://www.gradschools.com
            - http://www.princetonreview.com/grad/

9. Do I Have to Get a Job Right Away? – You just attended college for four years, you are in debt, and everyone, including you, is expecting you to be on your way to a promising career.  Remember that you have your whole life to work.  Take some time to travel the country, work odd jobs and do something you love.  Working in a restaurant my first year out of college was the best decision I could have made.  I met new people, enjoyed life and also matured into someone who was actually ready to start a career.
   
10. Moving Back Home – After a few years of independence can you really bring yourself to move back in with Mom and Dad?  In reality, no one actually wants to move back into a place with rules, regulations and a watchful eye but it may be the best option.  Free food, no rent, no utilities and free laundry don’t sound so bad when you are making little to no money.  Before you immediately start apartment hunting, think about what is going to suit you best in the long run both personally and financially.
    
11. Health Insurance – Having health insurance my whole life I never thought twice about it.  When I went away to college Mom gave me a card and told me to hold onto it.  Only when I wasn’t living at home anymore and didn’t have health insurance did I realize I needed it.  Take a look at some health plans to see what is best for you and what you can afford.  Even if you are starting a job, there may be a grace period before you start receiving benefits.  Here is a link to a great student health insurance resource from the University of Washington.
12. Paying Your Student Loans – Now that you have graduated do you immediately have to start paying off the money that got you through school?  Well yes and no.  The best thing to do is start making payments as soon as you can.  However, the nice thing about student loans is that they are just that – for students.  You typically have a six month window before you have to start paying and if you are unable to start your payments then you can defer them for up to a year.  Find out about interest rates, consolidating and the best payment plan for you.
    
13. Establish Credit but Not Debt– You just graduated, you are living in a new apartment, you haven’t gotten your first paycheck and you need furniture, groceries and new work clothes.  It is very easy to take that credit card and start charging.  It is also very easy to accumulate credit card debt just like that.  Don’t spend more than you can afford to pay off.  Start small and pay it off monthly.

Getting a Job – Unless you are planning on winning the lottery, you are going to have to get a job.  I’m sure you will hear that the job search process isn’t ideal and it can be frustrating.  Here are some ways to make it a little easier:

14. Figure Out Where You Want to Live – Ignore the thought of living with mom and dad for a second and think about where you want to be.  Can you go back to your hometown?  Is there a city you have always dreamed of living in?  Where are the best opportunities for your career?  When you begin to look for jobs it can be much easier if you are open to living in a number of places.  If there is one place you know you want to live, focus your job search there. 
    
15. Putting Together Your Resume – How many times have you heard how important your resume is?  Well guess what?  Those people weren’t lying to you.  In the eyes of a company, your resume not only provides the first impression but also represents you as a person.  Visit your campus career center, talk to your advisor or check out our resume resources below (#20).
    
16. Dealing with Rejection – You may apply for 300 jobs in 35 different cities and only hear back from ten of them.  You may think that you had the best interview of your life and as it turns out they decided to go with someone else.  There are always going to be rejections and it will always be frustrating.  Try and take it with a grain of a salt and move on to the next opportunity.  You will find what is right for you.
    
17. Take An Interview – One of the best ways to become better at talking and interviewing with companies is…to talk and interview with companies!  If you are given the opportunity to come in and interview for a job, take it.  Even if you think that you may not want the position, go in, talk to the people who work there, speak with the HR person and practice your interviewing skills.  It will give you an idea of the questions you will be asked and also provide you with a better idea of what you are looking for.
    
18. A Job Isn’t a Job –You may be anxious to get a job and start your life but keep in mind that this is your life.  Don’t take a job just because it is the first one offered to you.  Find a job that you want and will enjoy.  Remember, you have to be there five days a week.

Resources – Here are some resources to help you through the job process:

19. Searching for a Job – Yes we all know about the big job search sites, Careerbuilder.com, Monster.com and Hotjobs.com and they are in fact very useful.  There are also a number of other sites dedicated to entry-level positions for college graduates:

             - http://www.collegegrad.com
             - http://www.collegerecruiter.com/
             - http://www.jobweb.com/
Don’t forget to work with your college’s career center and alumni department

20. Resume Writing – There are millions of sites out there that provide you with tips on how to write a resume and what makes a good resume.  Here a couple good ones geared towards college seniors:

             - Resume Writing Tips from Boston College's Career Center  
             - How to Write a Resume from Capital University
             - 10 Minute Resume - Resume Resource and Information

21. Interviewing Tips – Interviewing can be a bit nerve-wracking but it is much easier when you are prepared.  Learn about the business, go over common questions and be ready to answer just about anything.

             - http://www.msstate.edu/dept/Coop/interview/favq/html
             - http://www.western.edu.career/interview_virtual/virtual_interview.htm
             - http://content.monster.com

22. Enjoy the time you have! – While you need to make sure you are ready to move on you should also be enjoying the time you have now.  Hang out with your friends, enjoy only having to attend three classes a day and make the most of your last few months of college.  Just make sure to keep these tips in mind when you do start thinking about your future.

How to Live A Green College Life?

Do you try to live a green college life?  Check out these great tips on how to start a green life in college!  Recycling, reusing, and re purposing are all part of the plan to live a greener life style.  Check out these tips from thought catalog, and you can add your own in the comment section!

1. Wait until your hamper is full. Not only does this save how much water and energy you use, but also your detergent, which is expensive!
2. No lollygagging in the shower. Each second you’re in there wastes more water. Do what you need to do and get out into the real world!
3. Notes aren’t trash. The end of the semester is upon us, and there’s a few things you can do with your old notebooks: save them for future reference, let them sit around never to be looked at again, or recycle them! That’s a lot of paper. Also, make sure if you didn’t fill up the entire notebook, use it again next semester!
4. A textbook is a terrible thing to waste. Again, if you’re going to read it again, hang onto it, but in most cases, you aren’t. Sell them back, put them online, or lend them to a friend.  Someone else will appreciate it.
5. Use public transportation. It’s free! The local buses run all day, and have a ton of convenient routes.
6. Or just walk/bike/skateboard. Spring has sprung and most colleges are pedestrian-friendly. Get some fresh air!
7. Clean your plate. Why are entire burgers and sandwiches going down the conveyor belt in the dinning hall? Think about what you’re taking, and make sure you’ve got room for it!
8. Reusable bags are your friend. And there are constantly companies tabling on college campuses giving them away as freebies. They come in handy when you’re moving out of your dorm at the end of the year.
9. Take a lesson from Macklemore. Check out that thrift shop have may have always skeeved you out. You’ll be amazed at the fashionable finds you discover!
10. Less paper, less problems. Ask your professor if that 10 page final paper can be submitted by email. If they are opposed to this, suggest printing on both sides of the paper.

How to Save Cut Flowers?

Do you buy flowers from the store for your home?  Here are five great ways to make cut flowers last longer in your home display.  You can learn more great home tips from apartment therapy.

1. Put freshly picked flowers in water immediately and leave them for at least 5 hours before arranging them, a process calling conditioning. 
2. If your flowers come from your garden and not from the florist, make your own preservative, like this one from One Good thing by Jillee.  
3. Alternatively, add 2 tablespoons of white vinegar to the water and stir. The vinegar will help prevent the growth of bacteria.
4. If you have a favorite flower you use often, look online for a flower-specific tips. For example, hydrangeas last longer if you gently smash the end of each stem and immerse them in ice water before arranging. Hollow-stemmed flowers like delphiniums do well if you turn the flowers upside down, fill the stems with water, and seal them with a wet cotton ball before arranging. Poppies, and other flowers that ooze sap, last longer if you first immerse the bottom 2 inches of their stems in boiling water for 10 seconds.  
5. Have a gunky, narrow-necked vase that's hard to clean? Try this tip from Real Simple: fill it with crushed shells from hardboiled eggs, a drop of dishwashing soap, and warm water, and swirl. Rinse thoroughly with hot water, and the next arrangement you put in will last a bit longer.

Healthy Eating At College

Eating healthy in college can be a challenge.  The last few weeks of the semester can be stressful.  However, do not give up your good eating habits because of stress and a busy schedule.  Keep reading to learn ten tips to help you keep eating healthy the last few weeks of the semester.  Check out more tips at Clarke.

1. Eat a good breakfast - Studies show that skipping breakfast detracts from scholastic achievement. When there isn’t time to sit down and enjoy your morning meal, grab a bagel, piece of fruit, and some juice. Most of these items can be easily stored in your residence hall room.
2. If you must eat fast foods, choose wisely - Choose pizza with half the cheese, a regular size roast beef sandwich, baked potato, or green salad with reduced calorie dressing. Limit high fat offerings like French fries, fried chicken, or fish sandwiches and watch out for salad dressing!
3. Keep healthy snacks on hand - This way, if hunger strikes during a late night study session, you won’t be tempted by vending machine candy, chips, or ice cream. Possibilities include fresh or dried fruit, pretzels, unbuttered popcorn, rice cakes, or whole wheat crackers. If you have a refrigerator, consider raw vegetables with low-fat yogurt or cottage cheese dip.
4. Eat plenty of foods rich in calcium - People in their early twenties need to be building up stores of calcium in their bodies to prevent osteoporosis later in life. If you don’t like milk, try to include ample amounts of low-fat yogurt, low-fat cheese, and green leafy vegetables in your diet.
5. If you need to lose weight, do it sensibly - Starvation and/or diets that offer a quick fix usually backfire and are harmful. There is no truth to the theories that suggest eating foods in any particular combination will promote weight loss. The only safe way to lose weight, feel good while doing it, and keep it off, is to eat a balanced diet and exercise.
6. Limit your sugar intake - Sugar provides calories in your diet but few other nutrients, and it contributes significantly to tooth decay. Use it sparingly and consider sweetening coffee, tea, cereal, and fruit with diet sweeteners instead.
7. Visit the dining hall salad bar - The dining hall salad bar can be either an asset or a detriment to your diet depending on how you choose from it. Of course, leafy greens, raw vegetables, and fresh fruits are beneficial. But, if you choose a lot of creamy dressings, bacon bits, and mayonnaise-based salads, the calories and fat may equal or even exceed those of a burger and fries—so choose wisely!
8. Limit your alcohol intake - If you drink alcohol, keep in mind that it supplies calories but no nutritional value. A light beer, a glass of wine, or an ounce of liquor each has about 100 calories. There may also be health problems associated with drinking alcohol.
9. Drink lots of water - Your body needs at least eight glasses a day, and, if you exercise vigorously, you may need more. To remind yourself, carry a water bottle along to class and keep it handy during late night study sessions.
10. Enjoy your food - Food is a lot more than nourishment for our bodies, so take the time to enjoy and savor it!

De-Stress During Projects and Tests

Working and studying can stress anyone out.  These are four great items to help you de-stress while you are working on that last term paper or project at work.  You can learn more great health tips on apartment therapy. 

Everyone has to deal with stress at one time or another, so having a few tools inside the desk to pull out for a stress-break can be helpful (as well as giving your eyes a break from the computer screen). These are quick, easy, and not to mention fun ways to relax yourself throughout the day.




Knock Out Desktop Punching Bag
$29.99
We're not going to judge if you're imagining a horrible boss as you punch away. It's amazing how getting a little adrenaline going and hitting something (versus someone) can feel so liberating and help reduce your stress levels. Just be careful not to get too into it and start cursing out loud for all your coworkers to hear.




 

Resistance Bands
$15.79
These little resistance bands are so small you can keep them in your pocket and carry them throughout the work day. We would recommend taking your hands out of your pockets while you're working out your hands, fingers, and forearms. Comes in packs of 5 color coded resistance levels.




 

Thera-Flex Therapy Putty
$6.46
Squeeze away your stress, no matter the shape and pattern. Or make a putty figurine of your boss to squish at your command. Odorless and non-sticky, make sure to keep it fresh and clean by storing it in its air tight container. Comes in multiple sizes.







 

Chinese Medicine Balls
$13.68
Harness the power of the far east with a traditional Chinese stress reliever, hand exerciser, and agility builder. Fit the two balls in your hand and rotate them around in circles. The trick is to do so without the balls ever coming into contact with each other. Practice and work your way up in ball size and rotation speed until you're the (zen) master of your workspace.

Texas Tech has a New Basketball Coach

Texas Tech University has a new basketball coach. Tubby Smith was introduced Tuesday April 2nd as the new head coach.  He has made appearances in the sweet sixteen and the elite eight.  Learn more about Coach Smith below, or you can read more at Texas Tech.



Tubby Smith was introduced Tuesday (April 2) as the new head coach of the Texas Tech University men’s basketball program.

Smith become the 16th head coach in Red Raider history and brings an impressive resume to Lubbock. In his 22 years as head coach, he has amassed a 511-226 record, won a national championship (Kentucky, 1997-98), and made four Elite Eight and nine Sweet 16 appearances. He has posted 20 or more victories in 19 seasons and has advanced to the NCAA Tournament 17 times.

“The enthusiasm and the passion that the (Texas Tech) leadership showed was just off the charts,” Smith said. “We were really sold right away and were bitten by the bug of excitement and energy.”

“It’s my goal to build this program into one of the top programs, not just in the Big 12 but in the country.”

Graduate Expo at Texas Tech

Are you interested in graduate school?  Texas Tech University is having a Graduate Expo on April 6th.  This campus event will feature all of the masters and doctoral programs that Texas Tech has to offer.  You can also find out about scholarships and grants that are available for Fall 2013.

The Graduate School at Texas Tech University is hosting its first Red Raider Graduate Expo April 6 across the Texas Tech Campus.

“We are hard at work to make the graduate experience at Texas Tech the richest that it can be, and to provide opportunities that we hope will make a real difference in students’ quality of life,” said Interim Dean Dominick Casadonte.

The Texas Tech Graduate School offers 103 master’s programs and 59 doctoral programs within 65 specialized research centers and institutes. Texas Tech was elevated to National Research University status by the Texas State Legislature in 2012 and offers teaching and research opportunities to its graduate students.

The Red Raider Expo will allow potential students to get an in-depth preview of the offerings available at the Texas Tech Graduate School. Representatives from the nine colleges as well as Graduate School Admissions, University Housing, Hospitality, International Affairs, Student Health, Human Resources, the Graduate Student Association and other student academic service groups will be present.

The schedule is as follows:
8:30 a.m.-Check-in is in the Student Union Building (SUB) near the food court
9 a.m.-Welcome from university president and dean of graduate school at Allen Theatre in the SUB
10 a.m.-Campus tour
11 a.m.-Academic tour and information session
12:30 p.m.-Lunch
1:30 p.m.-Resource fair
2 p.m.-Optional tours, options include the Library, Housing, Wellness Center, Recreational Center

(Note: All afternoon events will be held in the Matador Room on the second floor of the SUB.)

Scholarships, grants and fellowships are currently available for the fall 2013 semester. Forbes magazine and the Fiske Guide to Colleges recently ranked Texas Tech among the best buys in American higher education.

“Whether you are pursuing an MBA degree, working on advancing quantum dynamics or solving the global energy problem, we believe that at Texas Tech you will find a home to do your best work,” said Interim President Lawrence Schovanec and Casadonte in a joint statement.

To register for the expo or to obtain more information about the Graduate School, visit http://www.ttu.edu/gradexpo or email Shannon Samson at shannon.samson@ttu.edu.
Are you interested in graduate school?  Texas Tech University is having a Graduate Expo on April 6th.  This campus event will feature all of the masters and doctoral programs that Texas Tech has to offer.  You can also find out about scholarships and grants that are available for Fall 2013.