Welcome

Hi and welcome to Hacks for College!

My name is Alexandra and I am one of the editors for this blog. The other editor is Morgan and we are both students at the University of South Florida.

If you have not already guessed it, we are making this blog to help all college students. Throughout this blog there will be posts to help you with the things that should be easy but aren’t always.

We are creating and working on this blog as an assignment for our Writing for the Mass Media class. All of the post you read have been created and written by our fellow classmates.

We hope this helps you  get through college with a little more ease, because who couldn’t use a hack every now and then.

Hope you enjoy everything that is to come!

Sincerely,

Alexandra & Morgan

Dealing with social anxiety at college

 

 

Photo by PeteLinforth,CC.

College can be the best time in a young person’s life, but for those who suffer from social anxiety, it can be a four-year nightmare. If you find yourself freezing up in social situations, try some of these tips to ease the anxiety:

• Join a club

Find a club on campus that you enjoy, this will help you meet and interact with people who have the same interests as you.

• Start or attend a study group

A study group is a perfect situation for someone who finds it difficult to talk to others, because there is already a topic at hand to discuss.

• Participate in class

Most smaller sized college classes count participation as part of your grade, but the thought of speaking up in class makes your heart and head race. Take notes while studying and  use those notes as talking points for in-class discussions.

Photo by johnhain,CC.

• Practice makes perfect

Practice speaking  multiple times before giving a speech in class. This will help you to memorize the content of the speech and make you more comfortable with the material so you feel more confident saying it in front of others.

• Don’t use alcohol as a crutch

You may think that drinking excessively or getting drunk will help make you more social. Make sure to monitor you alcohol content at social events, you may not know your drinking limit yet and  might go overboard.

• Don’t over compensate

People will like you for you, so don’t try too hard to be something you’re not to win people over. Just be yourself and the rest will come naturally.

For these and other good tips check out this BuzzFeed post.

Goodbye and good luck

Dear reader,

Over the course of the past two weeks, we have given you a variety of topics to help make your life easier. From car care, to breakfast ideas, how to have an effective tailgate, to what to bring with you, where to shop, and using your microwave to its full potential. The subjects of these posts have been as wide and varied as you might find your college experience to be.

As you go through your college career, things may not be as easy as they should or could be, you may find yourself pressed between a rock and a hard place, without a way or a hack to get out. In those situations, you might become overwhelmed and worried, but remember that help is never farther than the student sitting beside you.

When we started this blog a group of students in a class at the University of South Florida, located in Tampa, Florida, we knew each other as classmates. When this project ended, we knew each other as our best resource to make our collective lives a little easier.

The thought of living on your own in college is something that’s scary to a lot of students, as it should be, it is incredibly different from anything you’ve ever known. It doesn’t have to be, though and as you flip through these articles, know that the authors who wrote them have nothing but your best interest in mind, we’ve been there.

So, reader, this is to you, the final post on the blog, the last thing you’ll see from this group of students. We hope you enjoyed the time we had together, got some good tips and felt a little more at ease.  When in doubt, ask. You never know what your classmates may say.

Sincerely,

Morgan

our header can be found here

Five things to always keep in your bag

photo credit: Alexandra Petit via polyvore

Many of us often find ourselves searching and digging in our backpacks or purses for the simplest things that we should always have with us in the first place. How many times has someone asked us for a pen that we didn’t have? Or the times when we accidentally spilled coffee, or sauce on our clothes?

If we just carried these five small things, all those tragic moments could have been prevented.

I know there’s been a couple times when you’ve licked your lips and quickly realized how dry and crispy they were. But, it’s okay, we’ve all been there. Carrying a small lip Burt’s Bees lip balm or  an  EOS lip balm can lessen those moments.

Many of us have  experienced taking a big, fat bite from that delicious sandwich and dripping its sauces on your shirt, where everyone can see. Tragic, I know. But, why don’t we take advantage of one of the best inventions ever?

The Tide To-Go Pen was created to help those who are challenged in that area. It’s the No. 1 stain remover and it only costs around $6.

No one really thinks about this one, but it’s so important. Always carry a pen! Wow! How many times have we found ourselves asking someone for a pen? It’s necessary to carry a pen because you  never know what situation you’ll find yourself in.

We love it when someone compliments us on the way we smell. It makes us feel good inside, it can even change our entire mood. Have you ever hugged someone hello and never wanted to let go because they smelled so good?

By always keeping a small bottle of hand lotion with you, you’ll be able to prevent the times you felt the dryness after washing your hands.

Thanks for reading.

Five rules to have a successful college tailgate

For those students who have never been to a college tailgate, there are five rules to make sure you have a good time and survive.

Rule No. 1:  arriving early is always a good thing to get the best spots, whether they’re close to the restrooms or the entry gate. Depending on the time of the game, it’s always good to arrive and secure your parking space six or seven hours before the start of the game.

Once you’re  done setting up your area, you always want to make sure you  have enough to eat for the whole day.

Rule No.  2:  Make sure you load up on food,  remember to get a mixed sorting  from veggie platters, to burgers and hot dogs.

Rule No.3 : This one is pretty basic, because you can’t have a proper tailgate without alcohol.  Beer is the most appropriate choice. When it comes to  purchasing  beer, you can go one of two ways. The cheap way,  with Pabst Blue Ribbon,  or pay a little more for good taste with Guinness or Corona.

Since people normally consume large amounts of alcohol throughout the course of the day during a tailgate,  it’s always good to have plenty of water.

Rule No. 4:  Always have more water than beer, you can’t function too well after spending an entire day in the sun drinking, so always stay hydrated. Security wont allow you into the stadium if you look too intoxicated and the last thing anyone wants to do is stay in a drunk tent.

(This is my picture)

Rule No. 5: This rule is the most important, it simply is to wear the team colors with pride.

Whether you wear a shirt or throw body paint on yourself, be proud of the school you go to and have a good time.

 

 

The how and why to downsizing your life

Whether you live in student living, a dormitory on campus, with your parents,  or on your own in an apartment, chances are you’re set to move more than once in the next few years.

This is by no means abnormal. According to the U.S. Census, the average number of times a person will move in the U.S. is 11.4. Based on particular age groups, expectancy to move increases.

According to U.S. Census data as reported by FiveThirtyEight, the average 30 year old will have moved six times in their life, with more moves to come. At age 20, the number of projected moves for an individual is above eight.

In order to make these moves easier on yourself, it is important to downsize.

Downsizing does not mean becoming ascetic. It does, however, mean embracing the idea of minimalism. It is important in a life that is constantly on the move to consider downsizing.

There are three basic principles to downsizing.

The first is to get organized. Organization allows you to see how much you have and what you don’t need.

The second step is to determine your necessities. Take a mental note of all of the things you need to survive and live comfortably.

The third step is to determine, of the items left, what holds a degree of sentimental value large enough to justify it taking up space in your home. If you wouldn’t care if you left it behind at a hotel, you don’t need it.

According to Lifehack, leading the minimalist lifestyle that comes with downsizing is helpful for more than just moving, it can also improve mental health. If downsizing has helped you in the past or you’re thinking about doing it, post about your experience in the comments below.

For more downsizing benefits

For information on how many times people move in their lifetimes

The best go-to shoe every student should have

Being college students we’re constantly on the go. Many of us, if not all of us, don’t always have time to come up with nice outfits for the day. Many of us just throw on a pair sweats, a t-shirt, sneakers and go. However, there is one shoe that everyone should have in their closet: the Doc Marten black boot. This shoe is versatile and will match with everything.

I know what you’re thinking, the price point is way out there. However, it should be seen as an investment, all the times you’ll be reaching for it will make them worth the price.

The fact that it’s unisex is already awesome. The boot can be paired with your most basic outfit and still add a little spice to it. It gives the effortlessly stylist look without the actual effort.

What exactly can you wear this boot with? You can pair this boot with everything! You can wear this with a business casual outfit. For example a nice white button-up shirt, some dress pants, a basic black blazer and your Docs. That outfit can be worn for a class presentation as well.

If you like to use your imagination and experiment with different looks, the Doc Marten’s are perfect for you. Even if you’re always on the go and don’t want to look basic, throwing on some Docs will add that extra something to your outfit.

If the price is the only reason holding you back from buying these bad boys then below are some links to cheaper Dr. Marten’s and also duplicates of them.

Duplicates:

• Ebay
• Zulily 
• Sammy Dress

Real Deal:

• Jet
• Zappos
• Dress Code Clothing

Don’t be afraid to add these to your shoe collection!

How to keep your dorm room smelling fresh and clean

Living in student housing, on or off campus isn’t always the most luxurious living situation. If the buildings aren’t brand spanking new that means a handful of others have lived there before you. Let me be the first to tell you that people aren’t always the cleanest.

Most campus dorm rooms don’t allow you to burn candles, so what do you do if you move into your dorm or student living apartment and it doesn’t smell so good? Years ago, someone invented these little scented sheets that you stick in your dyer to make your clothes small nice and boy do they work wonders.

I’m talking about these amazing things:

Dryer sheets.

So here is what you do, grab a few of these bad boys and stick them in your air vent or a portable fan, turn on the air and boom. Within the day, your room will be smelling fresh and clean.

(Idea retrieved from Buzzfeed.com)

If the dryer sheets don’t work here is another idea. Go out and buy some carpet freshener, any brand will do. Then sprinkle the powder all over your carpet and vacuum it up. It is that easy and leaves your room smelling magically clean.

If neither of these ideas work, which they should, I suggest you request a room change and get out of there ASAP.

BuzzFeed Life Hacks

 

Helping you get to sleep

Photo source: lifehacker.com

It can be a struggle to fall asleep at night while in college. Whether it is obnoxious roommates keeping you up all night or the stress of assignments lurking in the back of your head, many students struggle to catch a quality night’s sleep.

Here are some tips that might help you catch more z’s at night!

• Melatonin- a manmade hormone produced in the brain that helps regulate your sleep and wake cycle. It comes in a little pill that you can purchase at any convince store. Take 30 minutes before bed and it will help you get to sleep.
• Ambient noise- having soothing music playing quietly in the background is a great way to help you fall asleep. Try natural sounds like thunderstorms or water in a creek, avoid music with lyrics and high tempo. You can purchase noise maker or even download apps for your phone.
• Stretch- stretching your entire body will not only feel great but help ease your brain before trying to fall asleep. After a good stretch you will feel more relaxed and will be able to fall into a deeper slumber.
• Read- reading a book while in bed can relax your mind from your day. Eventually after a chapter or two you will start falling asleep.

Try using these methods in combination for the best results. If all else fails just turn on Netflix and watch an entire season of Friends and be happy with life.

sources: Melatonin Article

 

Hacks for commuters

Commuting can save a college student a lot of money, but it can also be a real pain. That being said, here are a couple of useful hacks for all of the college commuters out there.

Do not schedule all of your classes on the same day:
It seems like a good idea in theory until you’re at school for 12 hours a day. Trust me when I say, spacing out your classes will be much less stressful and give you a lot more time to get some z’s.

Bring a lunch, your wallet will thank you:
It becomes so easy to spend money at the food court everyday. Eventually, it is going to add up. Try packing a lunch instead (hint: it will leave more money for going out).

Be outgoing in your classes:
Making friends during class can be a little awkward. Just put yourself out there and be friendly.

Leave early! Parking is no joke:
Trying to park on any college campus is a struggle and will definitely take at least 15 to 20 minutes every day. Give yourself enough time to both park and walk to class.

Explore campus and be a part of the student body:
It is easy to get into the routine of simply going to school and heading home at the end of the day. Try to get involved and make your college experience more memorable.
http://involvement.usf.edu/orgs.htm

Enjoy your experience! Make some memories and be more than just a commuter student.