Hello and welcome. This is the next section in the "how to:" series. Right now, it is raining outside, and so it seems as if it is a perfect time for a blog. Today's topic was actually inspired by the ridiculous time that I went to bed last night, so I decided to advise all of you the top 6 ways to stay up late and study. Purdue is dandy today, and I'm just living the college dream. Before we start, I have a quick story about something that happened on my dorm floor a couple of days ago that I would like to share.
It would seem appropriate that from time-to-time, I write about the adventures that my roommate and I are apart of; just to give you an insight to our college experience. The story I am about to paraphrase took place about three or four days ago. Anyways, we live in Meredith 333 NW, and right down the hall from us, is this kid named Adam. He is perpetually thirsty, and therefore he walks up and down the halls at least ten times a day. So my roommate decides to be funny, and while this kid goes to the bathroom, he sneaks in his room and puts a rotten banana on his pillow. Sick right? What's even worse is that my roommate didn't even do it, I just told everyone that he did, and for some reason they believed me. He now has a reputation as a class "A" prankster, and we always have to lock our door in fear of revenge. But anyways, on to the good stuff.
1. Be uncomfortable.
As awkward as this sounds, it is actually one of the best ways to physically make your body stay awake. Everyone knows that if we are comfortable. We are more prone to falling asleep; however, we are not willing to see the opposite end of that spectrum and make ourselves uncomfortable to stay awake. Some examples of this are:
-When you are in a cold room, do not bundle up with a sweatshirt and sweatpants. Being cold is a good thing because this makes your body alert and not comfortable.
-Sit on an unnaturally uncomfortable chair/table. Sitting on a relaxing, inviting couch is a most dangerous way of studying.
It is important to note that your body has the keen ability to become comfortable in almost any situation after a given amount of time. Because of this, never stay in one position for long amounts of time. Shift, wiggle, stretch, shake. Do anything to re-awaken your body.
2. Caffeine
This option can be left up to a personal preference. Some people don't want or need to drink caffeine to stay up. Others are simply addicted, and can't function without it. Regardless of whatever group you fall into, caffeine is proven to stimulate the cardiovascular and nervous systems, and therefore, it is a good option to help you stay awake and continue studying. My only advice regarding caffeine is to not drink too much too quickly. It is not smart to down two entire cans of pop and then sit down and attempt to do homework until three in the morning. Caffeine does wear off over time, so one major consumption isn't the smartest of ideas.
3. Music
Music can either make or break you. It is also, once again, a personal preference. Many students hate to have music on while studying or doing homework, and yet others can listen to their iPods on full blast and be fine. The main key about music as a stay-awake tool is your music selection. Playing soft, instrumental music is probably not the smartest idea at 2 a.m. I would also not recommend death metal, screamo, or any other type of music that makes you want to kill yourself. A happy medium is very reasonable, and if used correctly, music can be a great studying tool.
4. Light it up
A fairly obvious way to stay up, but it needs to be said. Study in an area that is well-lit. Do not study in the basement that has flickering lights. Do not study in your dorm room when your roommate is asleep and the only light on is your desk lamp. You will not be as productive and the odds are very high that you will end up falling asleep earlier than you would have had you studied in a well-lit room. So light it up. (I do not support drugs in any way)
5. Hide that Clock
This is a little game I like to call "Hide that Clock." You already know that it is late, but why in the world do we need to see what the time is every 5 minutes? We have some uncanny need to prove to ourselves that it really is as late as we know it is. Stop it! Continually checking the clock only makes us realize that it is way too late, and then we begin setting stopping points instead of just ending when we finish our work. We say: "I know it's late, but I am stopping at 1:30 a.m." etc. Putting limits on our study time puts caps on the amount of homework or studying that we can accomplish. We start to focus on this time, and even begin to countdown until we are finished. With this mindset, we begin to rush through whatever homework or studying we have left, often jeopardizing the quality of our work. So, before you start studying, hide all of your clocks. Those extra 10 minutes can be the difference from an A and a B.
6. Study Buddies
A great way to study is with a partner, friend, or classmate. If you can find someone that is working on the same material as you, and doesn't mind the lack of sleep, you have found the ultimate way to stay up late and study. Study Buddies provide someone to talk to, to interact with, and not to mention, if you are both working on the same material, it might not take as long. Like most seemingly "too good to be true" deals, there are some catches. While some partners make excellent stay-awake helpers, everyone has those friends that are amazing people; however, they are simply the most distracting individuals in the world. So pick your partners wisely. Find someone who has a similar level of desire towards academics as you do, and you have a perfect way to stay awake.
For some people, this blog has no meaning because you do not even know what the concept of studying is. But for others, I hope that this helps, either by reinforcing concepts you already know, or providing the methods to make you the best student. Remember, school isn't necessarily about what we learn, as much as it is about how we learn it, and what we do with this knowledge.
Closing thought for the day: “Some men grow mad by studying much to know, But who grows mad by studying good to grow.” ~Benjamin Franklin
Signing off,
JD
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
How to: Do all Kinds of Right
So it's Monday here at the beautiful campus of Purdue University. My last blog was a bit more on the serious side so just consider this it's counterpart. As I was sitting at lunch between my classes, I was thinking about the movie "Date Night" with Steve Carrell and Tina Fey (both of whom are fantastic actors), and there is a line during the movie where Tina Fey says, "I bet you do all kinds of right." I found this quite humorous, and I am sure you would agree if you have seen the movie. Anyways, based off of that quote, today's blog is going to be about how to "do all kinds of right." Below will be six ways to make sure you are living life, along with descriptions of how to do each of these. So, lets go:
1. Travel, travel, travel
Not everyone will agree with this statement, but I believe that to live life, you have to experience new cultures. Get out, whether it's to the city or town closest to you or to a city in a country that is halfway across the world. Traveling gives us an amazing appreciation of other lifestyles. There are so many lessons that can only be learned via travel. So take those road trips, flights, or train rides. Experience the world, one new place at a time and watch as your life becomes so much more vivid and exuberant.
2. Dump the stress ball
Life is way too short to be stressed out all of the time. This is so much easier said than done, but the sooner we realize the basic reality that life goes on regardless of what we do, the sooner we can start to live life to the full potential. Time never stops, and although it may feel like it slows down or speeds up, it always keeps ticking away. So, the only thing we are doing when we stress out about life is wasting seconds that we can never get back. Someone somewhere once said, "We will never have as much time as we have now." As scary as it is, the average life expectancy in the United States is 78.43902 years according to google. Sounds like a long time, but look at it this way. That is only around 942 months, but 318 of those months are taken away due to sleeping, because the average person sleeps for 1/3 of their life. All of these numbers are probably driving some of you crazy but that gives us a grand total of 624 months to live. That may seem like a long time, but with such a limited time as that, we better make the most of the valuable time we have left.
3. Fear Face-off
To really live, we must confront our fears. Those who hide behind their fears are cowards. We are all different and thus we are all afraid of different things, but it is only by standing up to those fears that we become stronger. Don't be afraid to try new things. When you are old, it will be the things that you didn't do that disappoint you more than the things that you did do. Make sure that you have no regrets when you get to end of your journey. Those opportunities that you missed will fester and eat you alive. So stand up and fight fear with confidence. Never let fear control your life.
4. Routines are for people with OCD
DO NOT get into the lifestyle of living one giant routine. Keep things fresh. Be you. We are not living if we do the same thing every day. We are simply walking zombies and that is definitely not good. Go to a different restaurant. Walk a different pathway. Who knows what you may find when you decide to live life spontaneously. Life is so diverse, with so many possibilities, and we only tap into a very slight amount of that infinite design. Talk to anyone and everyone. Ride the bus to work. Put yourself in other's shoes, if only to understand that life can be lived other ways than your little box you have limited yourself to. Go outside the lines, go around the lines, go through lines. Simply put, do all kinds of right. That is, your definition of right. So do it.
5. Learn New Skills
Although not all of us are trained with numchucks (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-15hTA8O7c) , we all have certain skills that separate us from others. Also, we all have things that we wish we could do or want to be better at. Well, personally I'm done waiting for my shooting star to fall. Go out and learn what you want, become better or master a certain skill just for the fact of being able to say you did it. Take pride in what makes you different. Continually improve yourself. Never be content with what you currently are, because we can all be so much more if we put our minds to it. Always be a student, not necessarily a school student, but a student of life.
6. Laugh, love, dance, sing
Laugh until you cry. Laughter is the world's best known medicine. When you laugh, it is impossible not to smile. Find joy in life, and be excited about the little things. Watch a sunset. Fly a kite. Get lost in life; in all of it's quirks and peculiarities. Be a romantic. Let love overtake your life and be overwhelmed by it. This doesn't necessarily have to be with a spouse as you can experience this love with your family, pet, or even with religion. Dance when nobody is watching and dance even harder when people are watching. For some of us, flail when people are watching. So what if you can't dance. That just makes it even funnier and more enjoyable. Same goes with singing. Sing in the rain. Sing in the shower, in the car, your dorm room, because singing is a great way to better a day and make life more enjoyable.
Basically, when summing up this advice, we should all arrive at the coup de grace that in order to "do all kinds of right," you must first and most importantly "do you." Life is a wild ride, enjoy it.
Closing thought for the day: "Life is like a mirror, we get the best results when we smile at it. "
Signing off,
JD
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Seven Seconds to Change a Life, How to: Make an Impact
Hello and welcome back. It has been a very eventful last two days, and as I was thinking about what should be the next blog topic, I got to thinking about everything that has been going on at Purdue since I moved in on August 14th. Looking back on these last two weeks, one question keeps popping into my mind: Have I made an impact? This blog is going to lay out the steps one can take to make an impact.
We usually view the people who make the biggest impact as the people with the highest positions of power, but many of us fail to realize the monumentous impact of the people behind the scenes, or the "everyday people." It only takes one person to make an impact on someone or something that can last a lifetime. That is an amazing idea to think about. Your one action today could change and mold the future of another without you even knowing it. Because of this, we all have potential to be life-changers, and you would be surprised at how small the difference is that separates the impacters and the impactees. These are four simple ways to make sure that you are making a positive impact.
1. Always Smile.
If a picture can be worth a thousand words, a smile can be worth a trillion paragraphs. On a day-to-day basis, we fail to realize just how important smiling is. A smile has the potential to completely change one's mood in a matter of seconds. A smile is reassuring, comforting, and highly contagious. Everyone always says that life is too short, so make the most out of it. A smile is a silent form of communication, but its impacts are far from quiet. It is single-handedly the easiest yet hardest thing to do in the entire world. It is human nature to worry and linger on things that bring us down. Smile more, and see how the world lights up around you.
2. Be Vocal
Probably the most important way to make an impact on those around you is to be vocal. This is by far the hardest area of focus, because there are some people who have absolutely no problem being the loudest, most talkative person in the state of Indiana. Yet there are others who enjoy peace and quiet, and you could spend an entire day with them and hear 25 words total. So being vocal, although difficult at times, is imperative. However, I must note that just because you talk loud or often, you are not necessarily being vocal, at least not by the standards of making an impact. The vocal person is the person that the group looks to, the person that you ask for advice, or that the person who is talks to anyone and everyone. The last of these is the greatest quality of an impacter. You cannot simply hope to impact people by your lifestyle. This only works to a certain extent. The person that is friends with everyone; that can strike up a conversation with the business associate or the worker at the local restaurant is the person that will make the most impact on others.
3. Be Polite
You don't need to have the best manners in the world, but do the small polite things. If someone asks you "how are you," respond by explaining how you are then asking them how they are back. Hold the door for a stranger. Listen to others. People want someone that they can talk to and tell their problems to. Be active in looking for ways to help people out. In the end, people are far less likely to remember your name, major, or where you are from as they are to remember how you were kind enough to help them.
4. Give Life Your "Best" Effort
People have a genuine appreciation for hard work. The people with the biggest impacts in life are the ones that put all of their efforts into every aspect of their lives. They live life to enjoy it, but they also realize the wonderful opportunity that they have been given, and they are sure not to waste it. If you really stopped and thought about it, how many daily tasks or activities do we kind-of just go through the motions with. If this continues, it will soon come to a point where we are drowning in a sea of "sameness." I made up a quote that I think of when I feel as if I'm slipping into a lifestyle of normality. It goes, "The tide cannot claim the standing as drowned." For some of us, we slip into a lifestyle of the same things over and over, and we get so good at living in this routine that we can practically do it asleep. If we walk through life sleeping, if we lay down and let the tide claim us, we have made no impact. Be spontaneous. Marvel at the impact each and every one of us can experience if we stand up against the tide.
Studies have recently shown that when meeting someone for the first time, the first impression of that person can be made in the first seven seconds. SEVEN SECONDS. By the time that it will have taken you to read this one short sentence, your time to make a first impression and to be an impacter has come and gone. When we break life down, it no longer becomes about how old you live, how much money you make, where you live, or what car you drive. It is about what connections you have, who your friends are, and what kind of impact did you make when you had the chance.
I recently went to one of my long time friend’s birthday parties. He turned 20 years old. There must have been over 100 people at that party, and it got me thinking. Right now, if I were to throw a birthday party, how many people would come to it? How many of my friends would find that I had impacted them in such a fashion that they would show up to my birthday party. I know this may be a silly example, but do some self-reflecting and ask yourself. How many people would come to your birthday party? Ten? Fifty? Maybe one hundred? What kind of impact are we having on the lives of the people around us?
Closing thought for the day: "Count to seven. That's how long it takes to change the world."
Signing off,
JD
We usually view the people who make the biggest impact as the people with the highest positions of power, but many of us fail to realize the monumentous impact of the people behind the scenes, or the "everyday people." It only takes one person to make an impact on someone or something that can last a lifetime. That is an amazing idea to think about. Your one action today could change and mold the future of another without you even knowing it. Because of this, we all have potential to be life-changers, and you would be surprised at how small the difference is that separates the impacters and the impactees. These are four simple ways to make sure that you are making a positive impact.
1. Always Smile.
If a picture can be worth a thousand words, a smile can be worth a trillion paragraphs. On a day-to-day basis, we fail to realize just how important smiling is. A smile has the potential to completely change one's mood in a matter of seconds. A smile is reassuring, comforting, and highly contagious. Everyone always says that life is too short, so make the most out of it. A smile is a silent form of communication, but its impacts are far from quiet. It is single-handedly the easiest yet hardest thing to do in the entire world. It is human nature to worry and linger on things that bring us down. Smile more, and see how the world lights up around you.
2. Be Vocal
Probably the most important way to make an impact on those around you is to be vocal. This is by far the hardest area of focus, because there are some people who have absolutely no problem being the loudest, most talkative person in the state of Indiana. Yet there are others who enjoy peace and quiet, and you could spend an entire day with them and hear 25 words total. So being vocal, although difficult at times, is imperative. However, I must note that just because you talk loud or often, you are not necessarily being vocal, at least not by the standards of making an impact. The vocal person is the person that the group looks to, the person that you ask for advice, or that the person who is talks to anyone and everyone. The last of these is the greatest quality of an impacter. You cannot simply hope to impact people by your lifestyle. This only works to a certain extent. The person that is friends with everyone; that can strike up a conversation with the business associate or the worker at the local restaurant is the person that will make the most impact on others.
3. Be Polite
You don't need to have the best manners in the world, but do the small polite things. If someone asks you "how are you," respond by explaining how you are then asking them how they are back. Hold the door for a stranger. Listen to others. People want someone that they can talk to and tell their problems to. Be active in looking for ways to help people out. In the end, people are far less likely to remember your name, major, or where you are from as they are to remember how you were kind enough to help them.
4. Give Life Your "Best" Effort
People have a genuine appreciation for hard work. The people with the biggest impacts in life are the ones that put all of their efforts into every aspect of their lives. They live life to enjoy it, but they also realize the wonderful opportunity that they have been given, and they are sure not to waste it. If you really stopped and thought about it, how many daily tasks or activities do we kind-of just go through the motions with. If this continues, it will soon come to a point where we are drowning in a sea of "sameness." I made up a quote that I think of when I feel as if I'm slipping into a lifestyle of normality. It goes, "The tide cannot claim the standing as drowned." For some of us, we slip into a lifestyle of the same things over and over, and we get so good at living in this routine that we can practically do it asleep. If we walk through life sleeping, if we lay down and let the tide claim us, we have made no impact. Be spontaneous. Marvel at the impact each and every one of us can experience if we stand up against the tide.
Studies have recently shown that when meeting someone for the first time, the first impression of that person can be made in the first seven seconds. SEVEN SECONDS. By the time that it will have taken you to read this one short sentence, your time to make a first impression and to be an impacter has come and gone. When we break life down, it no longer becomes about how old you live, how much money you make, where you live, or what car you drive. It is about what connections you have, who your friends are, and what kind of impact did you make when you had the chance.
I recently went to one of my long time friend’s birthday parties. He turned 20 years old. There must have been over 100 people at that party, and it got me thinking. Right now, if I were to throw a birthday party, how many people would come to it? How many of my friends would find that I had impacted them in such a fashion that they would show up to my birthday party. I know this may be a silly example, but do some self-reflecting and ask yourself. How many people would come to your birthday party? Ten? Fifty? Maybe one hundred? What kind of impact are we having on the lives of the people around us?
Closing thought for the day: "Count to seven. That's how long it takes to change the world."
Signing off,
JD
Thursday, August 26, 2010
How To: Be the Best Sports Fan
Hello everybody. I am going to start a new section in my blog that is titled: How to "fill in the blank." So, we will see where this takes us.
How to: Be the Best Sports Fan
If you have ever been to an athletic event, you know that there are obviously different levels of "fanship." There are the people who are simply there because it is something to do, the individuals who are there to socialize (and yes this is different from the first), the parents who come to support their children, the people who genuinely enjoy the sport and are supportive of the players/team, and finally there are the die-hard fans like Jimmy Fallon with his Red Sox's addiction in Fever Pitch (not saying I've seen it, I just know). Just about each and everyone can fit into one of these five categories in some fashion. But this blog isn't about the different levels of "fanship," it's about how to be the BEST sports fan.
What to do: First and foremost, you have to start with team colors. It may be cliché, but you aren't a true fan until you rep the team colors. Whether it's a jersey, t-shirt, or even body paint, showing off a little team pride is very important, and can go a long way in the eyes of your peers.
What not to do: Do not turn your entire life into one giant walking memorabilia. If you are so obsessed with a player/team that your car, house, office, etc. is a shrine, then you might need to contact a therapist because that is not healthy.
What to do: Go to games. The best fan would be the one with the season tickets, or for all of us at Purdue, the VIP card. The best fan doesn't go to games when he/she feels like it, but instead, it is a first priority to attend as many games as possible. True fans show their support at the game, not on their couch.
What not to do: First and foremost, just because the best fan wants to go to as many games as possible, do not miss important dates for games i.e. work conferences, weddings, babies being born. In most cases, there will always be another game, and therefore from time to time, the best fan will miss one for something that is REALLY important. Secondly, do not think that because you ordered the NFL or MLB package for your hi-def television that you are the best fan. The real best fan can show you the listing of tickets of the games he/she has been to, not the listing of games on TV.
What to do: Stay updated on how your player/team is doing. It is always important to know what place your team is in their league, conference, or division. It's also good to know the players, the history of the team, the schedule, and the rules of how the game is played (kind of obvious, but you would be surprised at how many people couldn't tell you what the referee at a football game is signaling when he moves both of his fists in a circular motion around each other.) cough*false start*cough. If you didn't know that, I'm afraid I'm going to have to give you the business! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eslz06J9hFw&feature=related). Just kidding, but seriously. The best fan knows his/her stuff and is happy to share it with anyone and everyone.
What not to do: Do not go home and memorize every statistic for every player on your favorite team. No one likes a bragger, and everyone especially doesn't like the middle-aged man who sits at baseball games and rattles off number after number of batting averages and on-base percentages like it's common knowledge. Know what your talking about, but don't come off in a "I am the master of all things sports" kind of way.
Finally, to be the best sports fan, you simply have to love the game. Go out and play that pick-up game with your friends. Start your own wiffle-ball game in your neighborhood, or jump in a soccer game every once in a while. The best sports fan not only is a master of the game, but he/she is also a student. Sports are always teaching us knew things, and when we realize that, we can call ourselves the best sports fans.
Thought for the day:
"In terms of popularity, what hobby compares to being a sports fan?"
~Christian End
Signing off,
JD
How to: Be the Best Sports Fan
If you have ever been to an athletic event, you know that there are obviously different levels of "fanship." There are the people who are simply there because it is something to do, the individuals who are there to socialize (and yes this is different from the first), the parents who come to support their children, the people who genuinely enjoy the sport and are supportive of the players/team, and finally there are the die-hard fans like Jimmy Fallon with his Red Sox's addiction in Fever Pitch (not saying I've seen it, I just know). Just about each and everyone can fit into one of these five categories in some fashion. But this blog isn't about the different levels of "fanship," it's about how to be the BEST sports fan.
What to do: First and foremost, you have to start with team colors. It may be cliché, but you aren't a true fan until you rep the team colors. Whether it's a jersey, t-shirt, or even body paint, showing off a little team pride is very important, and can go a long way in the eyes of your peers.
What not to do: Do not turn your entire life into one giant walking memorabilia. If you are so obsessed with a player/team that your car, house, office, etc. is a shrine, then you might need to contact a therapist because that is not healthy.
What to do: Go to games. The best fan would be the one with the season tickets, or for all of us at Purdue, the VIP card. The best fan doesn't go to games when he/she feels like it, but instead, it is a first priority to attend as many games as possible. True fans show their support at the game, not on their couch.
What not to do: First and foremost, just because the best fan wants to go to as many games as possible, do not miss important dates for games i.e. work conferences, weddings, babies being born. In most cases, there will always be another game, and therefore from time to time, the best fan will miss one for something that is REALLY important. Secondly, do not think that because you ordered the NFL or MLB package for your hi-def television that you are the best fan. The real best fan can show you the listing of tickets of the games he/she has been to, not the listing of games on TV.
What to do: Stay updated on how your player/team is doing. It is always important to know what place your team is in their league, conference, or division. It's also good to know the players, the history of the team, the schedule, and the rules of how the game is played (kind of obvious, but you would be surprised at how many people couldn't tell you what the referee at a football game is signaling when he moves both of his fists in a circular motion around each other.) cough*false start*cough. If you didn't know that, I'm afraid I'm going to have to give you the business! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eslz06J9hFw&feature=related). Just kidding, but seriously. The best fan knows his/her stuff and is happy to share it with anyone and everyone.
What not to do: Do not go home and memorize every statistic for every player on your favorite team. No one likes a bragger, and everyone especially doesn't like the middle-aged man who sits at baseball games and rattles off number after number of batting averages and on-base percentages like it's common knowledge. Know what your talking about, but don't come off in a "I am the master of all things sports" kind of way.
Finally, to be the best sports fan, you simply have to love the game. Go out and play that pick-up game with your friends. Start your own wiffle-ball game in your neighborhood, or jump in a soccer game every once in a while. The best sports fan not only is a master of the game, but he/she is also a student. Sports are always teaching us knew things, and when we realize that, we can call ourselves the best sports fans.
Thought for the day:
"In terms of popularity, what hobby compares to being a sports fan?"
~Christian End
Signing off,
JD
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
The Top 5 Ways to Slack off in College
For all of us who are just going to college, we are entering a whole new world, one full of mysteries and new opportunities. Whether classes have started or not, we are quick to realize the amount of "free time" that is entrusted to us. We have classes for a couple of hours each day, but besides that, we are pretty free. There are some students who have good time-management skills, and if you are one of them, then this post is not for you. Some students know what it takes to maintain the grades, and others feel like the college just punched them in the face (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-uBB62vvGg). This is the list of the top five ways that a college kid can and will slack off:
1. Sleeping
Although it may seem like nothing at all to take a quick nap, your body gets accustomed to those sleep intervals and soon you are hooked. You can't even function a whole day without taking a nap. That is the worst killer for college students. Most of the time, when you wake up from a nap, you feel even more tired than when you first started. Napping or sleeping in is the worst way to kill your free time that could be put to so many other good uses.
2. Videogames
This goes out for all of the COD players, the Madden Junkies, or RPG fiddlers. If you want to take college seriously, the gaming has got to be drastically reduced. No matter what your major is, no one has time to sit on a gaming console for 3 to 4 hours every day as your mind erodes and turns to mush. Sure, you may have all the emblems, or the best football record, and your avatar may be looking pretty fly, but your college transcript won't reflect any of those things, and that is what matters the most.
3. Social Networking
It's scary these days just how many people are absolutely addicted to social networking. Be it facebook, twitter, or MySpace for the little ones, social networking has completely taken over some of our lives and is seriously jeopardizing our abilities to get anything done. When I was at a convocation at Purdue that was focused around social networking safety, the speaker asked us to raise our hands if we spent more than an hour to two hours on facebook/twitter/myspace per day. Out of the 5,000 or so young adults at the convocation, well over half raised their hands. Students need to be more concerned with getting out and making friends in the real world and not in cyberspace.
4. Partying
Myth: If I don't party tonight, I am missing out on the college experience and I am not enjoying myself. There will always be parties and therefore we shouldn't feel the need to go out and get drunk every night. College is designed to be some of the best years of your life, but it's not all fun and games. There are multiple ways for students to have fun rather than partying, and many take advantage of these opportunities and have a great college experience. Once again, it comes down to our priorities. I am sure that you will not be having fun looking back and wishing that you wouldn't have been so reckless.
5. Boyfriend/Girlfriend
This is a tough one to write about because I am all for dating. There are some kids who take the boyfriend/girlfriend to the extreme though and this section is particularly for them. Guys and girls, seeing each other every night is not the most important thing in the entire world. You may think that you are in love, and that is absolutely fabulous if you know you are, but there are other things going on in your life that are of equal if not more importance. What we as students do in college will in some way have a direct impact on the rest of our lives. As hard as it may seem, stay in for a night and get some studying done. When you can walk across that stage receiving your college diploma, and still have the girl or guy of your dreams, that is when you have done it right.
And those are my top five ways for a college kid to slack off. I know college is about having fun, but it's also about doing what you came to do.
Thought for the day, "“College is like a fountain of knowledge - and the students are there to drink." Ironic.
Signing Off,
JD
1. Sleeping
Although it may seem like nothing at all to take a quick nap, your body gets accustomed to those sleep intervals and soon you are hooked. You can't even function a whole day without taking a nap. That is the worst killer for college students. Most of the time, when you wake up from a nap, you feel even more tired than when you first started. Napping or sleeping in is the worst way to kill your free time that could be put to so many other good uses.
2. Videogames
This goes out for all of the COD players, the Madden Junkies, or RPG fiddlers. If you want to take college seriously, the gaming has got to be drastically reduced. No matter what your major is, no one has time to sit on a gaming console for 3 to 4 hours every day as your mind erodes and turns to mush. Sure, you may have all the emblems, or the best football record, and your avatar may be looking pretty fly, but your college transcript won't reflect any of those things, and that is what matters the most.
3. Social Networking
It's scary these days just how many people are absolutely addicted to social networking. Be it facebook, twitter, or MySpace for the little ones, social networking has completely taken over some of our lives and is seriously jeopardizing our abilities to get anything done. When I was at a convocation at Purdue that was focused around social networking safety, the speaker asked us to raise our hands if we spent more than an hour to two hours on facebook/twitter/myspace per day. Out of the 5,000 or so young adults at the convocation, well over half raised their hands. Students need to be more concerned with getting out and making friends in the real world and not in cyberspace.
4. Partying
Myth: If I don't party tonight, I am missing out on the college experience and I am not enjoying myself. There will always be parties and therefore we shouldn't feel the need to go out and get drunk every night. College is designed to be some of the best years of your life, but it's not all fun and games. There are multiple ways for students to have fun rather than partying, and many take advantage of these opportunities and have a great college experience. Once again, it comes down to our priorities. I am sure that you will not be having fun looking back and wishing that you wouldn't have been so reckless.
5. Boyfriend/Girlfriend
This is a tough one to write about because I am all for dating. There are some kids who take the boyfriend/girlfriend to the extreme though and this section is particularly for them. Guys and girls, seeing each other every night is not the most important thing in the entire world. You may think that you are in love, and that is absolutely fabulous if you know you are, but there are other things going on in your life that are of equal if not more importance. What we as students do in college will in some way have a direct impact on the rest of our lives. As hard as it may seem, stay in for a night and get some studying done. When you can walk across that stage receiving your college diploma, and still have the girl or guy of your dreams, that is when you have done it right.
And those are my top five ways for a college kid to slack off. I know college is about having fun, but it's also about doing what you came to do.
Thought for the day, "“College is like a fountain of knowledge - and the students are there to drink." Ironic.
Signing Off,
JD
Sunday, August 22, 2010
The College Life
So, I have been at Purdue for the past week, and has it been an eye opening experience. When I first moved in last Saturday, I didn't really know anybody, but I was excited about starting over. I think that aspect is what makes college so appealing to young adults: the ability to start over and be whoever you want to be. There are "x" amount of students who have absolutely no idea who you are.. and unless you do something about it, it will probably stay that way. A friendship is like a garden, you get what you put into it. You have to plant the seeds, work the ground, then after time, you can sit back and reap the benefits of the friendships you have formed. There are a lot of people who think that college is all about getting the best grades, getting that internship, or even going to the most parties. These are common goals, but what every student should aim for from a college degree is to graduate with the most possible connections. College is all about making friends, meeting professors or faculty, and making connections that will last a lifetime. A college experience is truly unique when a student has an uncommon goal.
Closing thought for the week:
"It is the sick person who really knows what health is."
Signing off,
JD
Closing thought for the week:
"It is the sick person who really knows what health is."
Signing off,
JD
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