Image courtesy of Bhgrealestate.com

One thing about college life I took for granted was having my own room. My mom, who shared a room through her whole childhood, college and then marriage, tells me I had it good for 18 years. For the past three years, I’ve shared a bedroom with a roommate. But soon, my roommates and I are going to be moving into a new apartment where we’ll have our own rooms. I’ve been dreaming about creating my own space, and my new room is just the place.

The downside to all of this is I’m still on a college-student budget. My parents always find ways to help me out, but they’re thrifty too. As move-out gets closer, I’m also closer to achieving my dream room. If you’re getting your own room like me or looking to spruce your space with the same budget limitations, here are some tips I’ve picked up along the way:

• Find inspiration. Before I even got started, I looked at magazines, online articles and blogs for inspiration on color and design. (I really love Lovelyundergrad.com for design ideas.) This gives a starting point to decide what you like and how to go forward.
• Brainstorm. After you have ideas, start thinking of ways you can get the same aesthetic without breaking the bank. Maybe you can make something more cheaply than buying it or another retailer has something that looks designer but costs less.
• Garage sales and Craigslist. I’m currently looking for some furniture so my mom has been helping me scope out garage sales and search for people in the area selling on Craigslist. And used furniture doesn’t mean it’s bad. I found a nightstand and dresser in good condition for $50!
• Be your own handyman. I thankfully have a dad who is great at all things maintenance. I have him enlisted to paint any furniture I find, and he’s also making me a headboard. If you don’t have a “handyman,” many sites offer step-by-step instructions on how to make almost anything. I actually found directions for the headboard at the Better Homes and Gardens Web site.
• Revamp what you have. Sometimes, the things you already have just need a change here or there to fit in with your new room. The desk I have now was a color I didn’t like so I asked my dad (of course) to spray paint it so it fit with the other furniture. Also, I really don’t want to waste money on new artwork. So, I’m taking photos I already have and using Photoshop to change them up so they’re like my own little works of art.

Just because you’re on a budget, doesn’t mean you can’t have a space you love. There are many ways to keep it inexpensive. It also feels so much better when you’ve contributed to the space. I know I’m going to love that my room was my creation from the beginning idea to colors to furniture.

Ashley Thill, Better Homes and Gardens, budget, college, decorate, design Hide

Image of Queen Rania of Jordan courtesy of Comminit.com

I have always dreaded waking up early in the morning to get ready for school, yet the literal act of going to school is something I never really think twice about. It’s always been just another errand on my daily to-do list. Even when I was little I had plans of attending college. I would play make believe, and pretend I was living in my university dorm where my friends and family would come visit me. I always knew school was part of my life, and it was going to remain that way for quite some time.

A common misconception among many U.S. citizens is that the majority of people receive some sort of secondary schooling and eventually go on to college to receive a degree. Sadly, a startling statistic reveals only about five out of every 100 people in the world earn a college degree let alone receive a substantial education.

Kuwait is a small and oil-rich state where women are said to be among the most emancipated in the Gulf region, which is considered to be largely conservative. Women in Kuwait can travel, drive, and work without their fathers’ or husbands’ consent. They are even allowed to hold a few senior government positions. However, women in Kuwait have yet to gain the one right that most of them truly desire: the right to vote. Kuwaiti-born Queen Rania of Jordan believes that equal access to education is the crucial first step in the building process. Women in poor countries have less schooling and fewer economic opportunities. According to a new paper published by the UIS, globally, there are approximately 72 million secondary school-age adolescents who are denied access from basic levels of education. Recently, Her Majesty Queen Rania announced her joint efforts with the 1GOAL: Education for All mobile campaign, the world’s largest cause-related campaign.

In 2000, 164 world governments collaborated to create the UN Millennium Development Goals, eight international development goals that have been agreed to be achieved by 2015. Two of the goals cite ending poverty through providing education for all. 1GOAL is motivated to ensure that all boys and girls complete primary school, and that girls everywhere will have the opportunity to further their educations at all levels by 2015. Since the meeting in 2000, many countries have abolished school fees, and an extra 40 million children are now going to school.

The mobile campaign will be comprised of a multitude of mobile communication tools, including mobile advertising, apps and messaging. It will enable millions of people to sign up, via various mobile responses, hopefully demonstrating to leaders around the globe and the UN that universal education is a universal demand. World leaders are meeting throughout 2010 and the coming years to discuss their ongoing commitment to education for all. The 1GOAL mobile campaign will enable tens of millions of people globally to let those leaders know that education for all is the stepping stone that can help end world poverty.

1GOAL: Education for All mobile campaign, college, Danielle Francis, education, Queen Rania of Jordan Hide

A recent e-mail reminded me of the fast-approaching reality of my last semester of college. I received the message from the Registrar’s office at my university, giving me the date I’ll pick my classes and a reminder to apply for graduation. “I’m Not A Girl, Not Yet A Woman” by Britney Spears immediately ran through my head. (I’m not entirely sure why since Crossroads was a terrible movie and the song always felt a little hokey.) Nonetheless, here I am at the edge of that last bit of childhood (we can still get away with some immature stuff in college) and on the threshold of adulthood.

I realize I’ve taken college for granted. It’s busy and challenging, but life is never going to be the same. Instead of a few hours of class a day or work, it’ll be a 9-to-5 day with bills, rent, car payments, insurance, benefits, and a whole lot of other things I can’t fully grasp yet. It’s a little overwhelming. There’s security and comfort in my campus life.

When I’m overwhelmed now, I make to-do lists to help me look ahead and know what to expect. I feel like I have some order and control when I can visualize what needs to be done and then cross it off (that’s the best part). My lists now consist of classes, work, readings, the occasional paper and miscellaneous club meetings. But what will my real world to-do list look like? Here’s my guess:

• Start the day fully showered and in appropriate attire. Rolling out of bed an hour before needing to be somewhere isn’t advisable and sweat pants do not make a wardrobe.
• Make actual dinners. Ramen noodles, frozen pizza and instant mac-n-cheese are not the best diet staples.
• Be the friend/co-worker/partner I would like to have. If you send good karma into the world, it will all come back eventually
• Eliminate the constant use of the word “like.” It’s fine when giving an example or expressing an enjoyment for something. It’s not OK when it is said every few words.
• Caffeine is great – in moderation. Four cups of coffee in the morning, a soda at lunch and an iced vanilla latte in the afternoon is probably excessive.
• Call Mom at least once a week. This can’t be sacrificed because moms have a power to make you feel better without having to do much.
• Achieve self-actualization. (Self-actualization: the achievement of one’s full potential through creativity, independence, spontaneity and a grasp of the real world.)
• Be OK with the fact that all of life is a journey to reach self-actualization. I’m just one step closer with every experience.

This may not be the most thorough list, but I know it will probably change as life changes. I’ll accomplish things or realize I may never accomplish them and that can be OK, too. For now though, it seems to be the right to-do list for the next step.

Ashley Thill, college, graduation, Real Life, self-actualization, to-do lists Hide

Image of Dayle (far right) with her friends, Chelsie and Bee courtesy of Rebecca Hohmann

Most college students know that long nights, little sleep and daily stresses are all part of college life. Few of these students can imagine, however, what it would be like if they got sick from ordinary things. For Dayle Hover, those stressors can lead to days of illness.

Hover is a 20-year-old college student. She attends UW-Platteville and wants to be an elementary teacher. She grew up in the small town of Friendship, Wisconsin. She loves fishing, sports, shopping and running. In fact, she has participated in numerous triathlons the past six years and will be doing a half-marathon in May. Dayle also has lupus.

Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease that can affect the major organs of the body. It doesn’t allow the body to distinguish harmful invaders and healthy tissue so antibodies sometimes attack the healthy tissue. Those who have lupus aren’t always sick because the disease often goes in cycles. Flares occur when symptoms are prevalent, while in remission symptoms seem to disappear. Lupus is different for each person.

Hover has a mild form of lupus which is normally easily treated. But flares still happen.

“When I don’t get enough sleep for a few days, I become violently ill and the only fix is to sleep…I get so physically drained that I can’t stay awake long enough to eat and walking to the bathroom physically hurts,” she explains.

She also can get sick from being in the sun too long. To keep flares in check, Hover keeps regular appointments with a variety of specialists. These include a rheumatologist, neurologist, dermatologist, cardiologist and pulmonary specialist.

She was diagnosed at 15 after getting a bruise that wouldn’t go away. She admits it took a few years to realize what would stop her symptoms from getting too severe. In high school, she sometimes couldn’t do things with her friends because she didn’t tell herself when to rest. She learned this lesson so now she can enjoy her time in college.

“When I was younger, I didn’t think about getting eight hours of sleep a night, staying out of the sun when it’s strongest, or worrying about taking my medications every day,” says Hover. “I also started to listen to my body. If I feel stressed or tired, I make time for a nap. I give up stuff like watching T.V. or working out, so that I don’t get sick.”

Teaching others about lupus also has proven to be therapeutic. She says it’s a great feeling to explain what lupus is and spread awareness. One of her friends thought lupus was an STD. She laughed this off and explained what it really is.

Despite everything, Hover still keeps a positive attitude.

“You are a person with a chronic illness, not a chronically ill person,” she states encouragingly. “If you see yourself as a chronically ill person you are letting the disease take over your life and define you. You have lupus, lupus doesn’t have you!”

Ashley Thill, college, lupus, stress, UW-Platteville Hide

I spent the past week in Minnesota for no other reason than my brother graduated from law school and the entire family flew into town to support and celebrate his endeavors. Like any graduation weekend, it was complete chaos. Between the 15 of us, there were five hotel rooms, four rental cars, and two kids under the age of three. You can imagine that choosing a restaurant alone necessitated an event planner.

The weekend was a ball of confusion, miscommunication, who’s riding in whose car, and why isn’t so-and-so answering his phone? For those of you who have big families, you know that it’s absolute mayhem trying to coordinate plans, to arrive anywhere on time, to have everyone happy at the same time and the frustration of our mother wanting to “keep everything running smoothly.”

However, despite the overwhelming stress, the lack of sleep (because nieces and nephews insist on waking you up two hours earlier than you would like), the 10 year sibling fires that get rekindled, and the unprecedented patience required for the molasses like progress we make, no matter what, we’re family and that’s what family does. The definition of family varies for everyone; it can be your closest friends, your teammates, or your coworkers but either way, it’s your “crew” and, for them, you’d do anything.

The beauty of my family is that at the end of the day we’re on the same team and when my brother walked across that stage, all the chaos, annoyance and frustration it took to get us to the graduation in the first place melted away and the Jones clan jumped to our feet, with tears running down our cheeks and cheered for Josh with more pride than if we’d just cured cancer. Suddenly, everything else became irrelevant and we were able to focus on the reason we were there in the first place.

That’s when it occurred to me that we put up with all the other stuff in life because we know that, when push comes to shove, we have a group of people who would do anything for us. The Jones family certainly isn’t perfect, we are a blend of half’s, step’s, and blurred lines that would make our family tree more of a spider web than anything remotely linear, but we have the one ingredient that supersedes everything else. We have unwavering, unconditional love for each other.

Relationships, in general, are not about being perfect or never butting heads; they’re about knowing that, in spite of all the imperfections, the ego, pride, mistakes, and hurt feelings, no one is going anywhere. My family certainly has our flaws, but when it’s time to rally, the Jones crew is willing to weather any storm because we know all hands will be on deck and if we lose someone overboard, you better believe we aren’t leaving that man behind.

Because, at the end of the day, relationships are messy, dramatic and, at times, can make you want to commit a homicide, but my goodness they are worth it when you’re sick and need someone to bring you soup and crackers. The people who can push your buttons like no one else are the same people who can cheer you up during life’s greatest disappointments and believe in you when it seems like everyone in world has turned their backs on you.

Regardless of who I “grow up to be,” of what contributions I leave this world (big or small) and despite what mistakes I’m sure to make, the foundation of who I am and my self worth remains unaffected because it’s made of unbreakable titanium: my family.

While I enjoy the uninterrupted sleep, the simplicity of my own schedule and the peacefulness of my beautiful apartment, I wouldn’t trade a minute of Jones drama – for they are and always will be the best part of who I am. Thank you, family, for an incredible weekend and reminding me of what really matters in life, something easily forgotten here in La La Land.

alexis jones, college, communication, conflict, family, graduation, love, minnesota, schedule Hide

For many of us, when we’re 21, we are looking forward to celebrating and partying away our final year of college before we head out into the real world. We’re focused on our futures and enjoying the present.  But imagine that your life had been exactly how it had until you were 21, at which point you were shocked to discover you were pregnant. You have one more year of school to go. One more year to the real world and, suddenly, the real world is here and it’s surreal.

This is the story of Elizabeth Williams after she turned 21 and was staring down her senior year at University of Northern Colorado. The decisions she’d hoped to be dealing with at that time, weren’t quite as important as she now had to plan around a future that included someone else’s future, too. Elizabeth, pregnant through her senior year, would graduate and give birth in June to a beautiful little boy.

Now, five years later, Elizabeth and her son, Micah, lead a very full life. Elizabeth determined to live out her dreams, which now include her son, completed an online Masters degree in 2007 and works as a Children’s librarian in the Denver area.  She wouldn’t have it any other way. As a single mom, Elizabeth often appears to be running around crazy, and may sometimes even feel she is, but deep within knows she’s got a grip on her life, help from her nearby family, and the love of her life sleeping in the room next to hers.

Surely, it wasn’t her original plan. When she’d figured out her future, she’d expected it to include a strong man before any little man came along.  But things turned out differently for Elizabeth and she adapted to them. She embraces the way things are, loving and living in the moment – because, with a 5-year-old son, it’s hard to bank on predictability. There have been some curves in her road of life, but Elizabeth has used them to enjoy the breeze from a different angle and see the sun in a different way.

children, college, education, elizabeth williams, graduate, librarian, life's curves, pregnant, the plan, university of northern colorado Hide

No one I know jumps for joy at the thought of college admissions, but there are plenty I know who would give an arm and a leg to go back to their alma mater.  Aside from the social aspects (parties, friends and maybe some illicit activities that we won’t mention), college educates your mind and soul.  As someone who has been there –  trust me –  it’s one experience that you don’t want to miss. Unfortunately, there are those pesky little things called standardized tests in the way.  Not to worry; we’ve mapped out the basic facts about those annoying collegiate gatekeepers.

SAT –Scored on a 2400-point scale, the SAT tests critical reading, math, and writing. While the SAT supposedly assesses students’ analytical skills, we all know that standardized tests are less about your intellect and more about your ability to take standardized tests, which means…practice, practice, practice! The College Board publishes its own study guide, so get your practice tests from the test-makers themselves. Most students take the SAT in their junior or senior year of high school, so research tutors, classes and other prep books when it’s your time to shine.

ACT – Similar to the SAT, the ACT is a beast of its own. It spans a wider gamut of knowledge than the SAT covering English, reading, math and science. Each section is graded on a scale of 1 to 36, and your score is the average of those marks. Know that the ACT has an optional essay required by certain colleges – so read up on your fave school beforehand. Most universities accept either an ACT or SAT score, though the ACT is more popular in the South and the Midwest. But just in case, check which one your ideal college prefers so you can determine which test is better for you.

Already have a Bachelor’s degree but want more? Here’s the low down on graduate school admissions tests.

GRE – Think of the GRE as the SAT for grad school. Evaluating math, verbal and writing, it’s the most general of the grad school exams. Note that the GRE is computer adaptive –  so not only is the test administered via computer, but the questions change in difficulty as you take the test depending on how many you’ve answered correctly. This format trips up test-takers, so get accustomed to it before you delve in on test day. Some courses of study require a GRE subject test; so even before you get into school, do your homework and find out what you need to complete.

GMAT – Have aspirations to start your own company? Then the GMAT is your hill to climb. This is the exam to get into that top-notch business school so you can rub elbows with other entrepreneurial minds. Also computer adaptive, the GMAT is your key to a MBA.

LSAT – If the Supreme Court or becoming a lawyer is your calling, brush up on your logic for the LSAT. Make sure that your reading comprehension, logical reasoning, and analytical skills are up to par since this exam tests your ability to argue your way in the courtroom.

MCAT – Planning to don surgical scrubs in the future? Study for the MCAT, stat! An extensive 5-hour test, the MCAT wracks your brain of its knowledge of biology and physics, as well as its capacity for verbal reasoning and essay writing. This one’s a doozy!

Study hard and good luck!

college, education, grad school Hide

It was Spring Semester of my freshman year at college and I was going on a date with Andrew, an older guy whom I’d met at a fraternity/sorority function. I waited anxiously in the lobby of my dorm, checking myself out in the mirror that lined the back wall, making sure that my hair was in place and my dress wasn’t on backwards. Andrew picked me up and we embarked on a magical evening of intimate glances over dinner, waves breaking on the sand, and a lingering goodnight kiss when he finally delivered me back to my door.

The night had been perfect except for one thing – that’s not how it really happened. In truth, while I did meet Andrew at the fraternity/sorority function, I had also made out with him that night, and while he did pick me up at my dorm, he was twenty minutes late. When I got in the car he said something about how “awesome” the other night had been, and while the dinner was delicious, the conversation was far from thought provoking and the kiss goodnight was more of a full-on attack of the tongue.

Needless to say, that was the last time I went on a date with Andrew. What surprises me is that in all four years of college that was the last time I went on an actual date, period.

That’s not to say I didn’t have my fair share of flirty fun. Guys bought me drinks, but it wasn’t over dinner; I was taken on weekend getaways, but it was with twenty other “couples” and our “chariot” was a yellow school bus; guys asked me to dance at the local bars, but as a form of foreplay, setting the stage to boogie down between the sheets later that night. Looking back, courtship in college was well, a sinking vessel. In the world of dorm rooms, dining halls, TAs, and “Thirsty Thursdays,” has traditional romance fallen off the radar?

Maybe our antennae are simply tuned to a different channel. The idea of going to college with husband hunting on the brain is about as passé as the Partridges. The courtship rituals of our parents’ youths have evolved past recognition, so consider college as your chance to learn the new rules. It’s true that handwritten letters have been replaced by text messaging, and it’s likely that all stages of any relationships will be broadcast on Facebook. With love in a whole new ballpark, it’s no surprise that graduating unwed, unengaged, and even unattached, is the norm.

Now cynics, postpone your victory party – romance is not dead. Rather, the four years that were once used to find your husband are now the four years used to find yourself.  So don’t waste your time being disappointed that Prince Charming hasn’t ridden his white horse into your cafeteria hall. He’s out there somewhere but, for the time being, he’s probably boozing it up with his frat brothers, which gives you plenty of time to live it up with your girlfriends until he’s slept off his massive four-year hangover called college.

college, college life, courtship, dating, relationship, romance Hide

If you’re searching for college financing, whether for a BA, MA, etc., you may suffer giant stress headaches, erratic sleep and night sweats. Fear not. These are normal symptoms.  It all seems like an endless sea of boxes to check and forms to fill out and enough fine print to fill a bottomless pit.  I’d rather clean my toilet, scrub the grout between the tiles of my shower, or do anything other than reading the dry repetitive material about student loans and scholarships.

I asked myself how on earth a high school student is supposed to navigate these rocky waters and make wise financial decisions that will affect them for the next 15-20 years of their lives. How are teenagers supposed to wrap their minds around loans and interest rates on tens of thousands of dollars when they’ve never had anything other than a minimum wage job? It seems socially irresponsible to be merrily waving the next generation down the drain of debt.

I sound depressingly pessimistic; I know. That’s how I felt when I first googled the word “scholarship” and started sifting through the search results. I left a message for my editor, ready to cry “uncle!” The websites seemed so interested in gathering information about me that I was certain they would sell my name to every mailing list imaginable. They were difficult to navigate and reduced me to describing myself in means of ethnicities and grade point averages. I was frustrated and discouraged by the fact that I didn’t seem to possess any qualities worth receiving money as each search offered alarmingly slim leads.

Before my editor called me back and before I officially threw in the towel, a divine beam of light shone down on me. I came upon www.scholarshiphelp.org. I swear the angels started singing as I gleaned a brand new understanding of grants, financial aid, and scholarships written in a comprehensible way and on a website that is simple to navigate. This is where you should begin your search in order to help you understand the basics and beyond. (They are willing to guide you in everything from searching for schools to writing your essays.)

What this experience illuminated for me was that this is not a topic meant to fit into a 500 word article. Rather, this is the gigantic elephant in the room that every student is ignoring because it happens to be a very boring elephant. Unfortunately, it’s also a very important elephant so we all better get used to its monotonous voice and confusing legal terms and figure out how to be friends. I’m pledging to you, readers, to tackle this subject with you and address as many questions and concerns about this process as humanly possible. In other words, there is much more to come on this topic. (Thank goodness it is finally becoming more enjoyable than cleaning my toilet.)

If you have any tips, websites recommendations, questions, concerns, or just need to vent about how you don’t even want to go to college anymore because you can’t figure out how to pay for it, shoot me an email at Diane@iamthatgirl.com.

college, finances, financial aid, interst rates, loan, scholarship, school Hide

What can make you gain weight, get sick, and possibly even do better on finals? Stress! You’ve heard it, felt it, and said it before: “I’m so stressed out.” In college there are various factors that stress us out and unfortunately linger on during our academic lives. You’ve probably heard of all the ways to cope with stress effectively, but how often do you follow them yourself? Furthermore, what are you doing to yourself by not dealing with stress well? The answer may stress you more than you think.

Our bodies are designed to deal with stress; it is a natural part of life. When your body doesn’t deal with stress effectively and your stress continues without relief, it can lead to distress – the negative form of stress. Distress affects us much differently than regular stress. Your body’s energy is drained and your immune system can weaken significantly. This can cause headaches, upset stomach, elevated blood pressure, chest pain, difficulty sleeping, moodiness and weight gain. Distress can also worsen symptoms or diseases that you are predisposed to.

Turning to unhealthy remedies for stress can be dangerous. College students, for example, often rely on parties, alcohol, drugs or tobacco as a form of stress management. Such tactics actually make things worse. Even though alcohol is a depressant, it disturbs sleep and proper functioning – both of which lead to increased stress. Such practices may cause addiction and serious, even life threatening, illness.

Now that I’ve totally stressed you out, what can you do to combat negative stress? The best way is to do whatever possible to prevent it. Examine your life to determine what areas stress you most and what you can do to improve those situations. But not all stress can be avoided. Incorporating some form of meditation has proven beneficial, as has deep breathing, healthy eating, moderate daily activity, good relationships with friends and family and an overall positive attitude. Find what works for you – something that you can enjoy and adhere to long-term. If stress is overwhelming you, professional counseling is a great option. As for me, with the stress of college finals coming up, I plan to take a yoga class instead of going out partying and will hit up a healthy, yummy salad instead of Ben & Jerry’s. It doesn’t sound easy, but it sure sounds worth it!

Learn more about Stress Health from Web MD.

college, distress, finals, health, stress, stress symptoms, stressed out Hide