As if entering college wasn’t nerve-wrecking enough, many incoming college students fear what they probably hear about the most – the freshman fifteen. Rumor has it that the average student will gain fifteen pounds during their first year in college. Some say it’s just a legend, while others believe it is inevitable. It may by perplexing to some as to how an individual could gain so much weight in the course of one year, but the freshman fifteen can be caused by a variety of factors. The two main factors that contribute to weight gain are the lack of exercise and an unhealthy diet. Whether you believe in it or not, there are definitely ways to help you avoid the legendary freshman fifteen.

It is extremely important to stay active while in school. Students often get overwhelmed with the amount of studying that is involved in college that they forget to set time aside for exercise. Even the most athletic students in high school may neglect to stay fit once they begin college. Keep in mind that “staying active” does not necessary mean devoting hours each day at the gym. You can easily stay active at school by taking advantage of your campus. Walk wherever you can, taking the long way if possible. If you live nearby, walk or bike to school instead of driving. Choose to take the stairs to class instead of the elevator. Exploring your campus is a simple, yet efficient way of ensuring that you are active on a daily basis.

In addition, many universities include the campus’ student gym fees in their tuition. Take advantage of what you are paying for! Dress up in work out clothing to class to give you incentive to hit the gym right afterwards. As a student, it may be difficult to cut time out of your studying to go to the gym, but you can definitely treat it as a study break. Plan ahead! Decide how much time you are going to spend studying, and then include a 30-minute to one-hour gym break in between. Alternatively, if the gym just isn’t for you, your school may have some fitness classes available to fulfill credit requirements. These classes can range from basketball, to weight lifting, to yoga. This way, you can burn calories while earning credits! Finding the right way to efficiently manage your time between studying and exercising will help you stay fit and healthy.

Another method of avoiding weight gain is to maintain healthy eating habits, which students may struggle with the most. Especially for students that live on campus, the almost endless amount of food at the campus’ dining hall offers many temptations. It is important to establish a regular eating routine – meaning breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Keeping your body fueled throughout the day will help you keep focused on your studies. When choosing a meal, watch the size of your portions and only take what you can finish. After finishing your meal, it is recommended to wait 20 minutes for your stomach to tell your brain that it’s full before deciding to have seconds. It is also ideal to eat your last meal three hours before bed and avoid those “midnight snack” temptations. Your metabolic rate tends to slow while you sleep, causing your body to store more calories. Knowing how much to eat and when it is appropriate to will help you maintain a healthy eating schedule.

It is also important to be aware of what you consume to help you avoid eating unhealthy foods. Yes, it is possible to have “too much” of a good thing! Avoid eating fast food when going out. Choose to stock up on healthy snacks such as fruits, yogurt, or veggies. You won’t have the temptation of cookies or chips if they aren’t in your reach! In addition, it is important to be aware of the amount of calories or grams of fat you are consuming. For students that dorm, many universities post their dining hall’s menus with nutritional information online for your reference. Avoid liquid calories! Those that consume coffee, soda, or alcohol often are more susceptible to weight gain. Instead, substitute these high-calorie drinks with water or unsweetened ice tea. Choosing what you eat wisely will help you avoid food that is bad for you.

The freshman fifteen is widely spoken about between college students, and incoming students often fear about it the most. However, it is ultimately your choice whether to be affected by it or not. Staying active and being aware of what you consume will lead to a happy, healthy body. With these healthy habits in mind, anyone can easily conquer the freshman fifteen and prove that it is just a rumor.

Author Biography: My name is Cindy Do and I was born and raised in San Diego, CA. I am Chinese and Vietnamese and my native language is Cantonese. I graduated from Mira Mesa High School in 2012, where I was a member of the dance/drill team for four years. I am currently a second year at California State University, Fullerton, with a major in Business Administration. When I am not at school or dance rehearsal, I like to try new foods and find new places to explore. In the future, I hope to pursue a career in marketing or finance.

You’ve been accepted into college. Congratulation! Now, you need to decide where you will live. Do you want to live off campus in an apartment or on campus in a dorm? Both options have their advantages and disadvantages. But as a new college student, I would highly recommend choosing to live in a dorm for at least your first year of school. Here are five top reasons why:

1. Make New Friends – College is nothing without new friends. Living in a dorm provides numerous opportunities to meet all kinds of people. As a freshman, you will have a roommate (or maybe even three roommates!), in addition other students on your floor. From walking down the hallway, to showering in the bathroom, to doing laundry, you are bound to run into students who may become your study buddy or lunch date. In addition, meeting people provides a great way to make connections, which can benefit you during your college career or later on in life.

2. Easier to get involved – You don’t have to study 24/7. You come to college to not only get an education, but to make lasting memories. So join a club or two—and living in a dorm makes it easier to get involve. All student organizations meet on campus (with a lot of events and socials taking place around the school) so you do not have to worry about driving from afar to get to campus. Most dorms have a bulletin board with a list of activities happening around school so you can be sure you always have something fun to do.

3. Convenience – In college, proximity is key to making students’ life easier and less stressful. Living in a dorm provides easy commute to classes, libraries, dining halls, and other campus resources. No need to worry about public transportation (who wants to wait for a bus?). If you have a car, you will save lots of money on gas!

4. Cheaper in a dorm – College is expensive and no doubt every student and parent wants to save money. Choosing to live in a dorm will be a lot cheaper than living in an apartment. In an apartment, you have to pay for maintenance fees, electric and water bill, cable, Internet etc. But living in a dorm provides all that services, and much more, at a lower, lump sum rate! You even get daily cleaning services at no cost! So go ahead and pull that all-nighter for your exams, as you do not have to worry about overages.

5. The Experience – Hands down, this is the number one reason why you should consider living in a dorm. You will create fond memories of your life as an on-campus resident. You will make life-long friends, stay up late with your roommate(s) gossiping, enjoy all kinds of school activities, and so much more. You will have crazy stories to reminisce on. Whether you like living in a dorm, you will nonetheless had the experience of living in one.

Not everyone can have the chance to say they lived in a dorm while in college. Even if you decide to live in a dorm for one year or one semester, it is worth it. Take advantage of this wonderful opportunity and live in a dorm for the full college experience.

Author Bio: My name is Quang Ly and I am a second year law student at Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Tampa Bay, Florida. I graduated from the University of Florida with my B.A. in English (cum laude). During my spare time, I write non-fiction stories; I recently finished my first manuscript and I am working on the sequel. My hobbies include (a) reading books/textbooks on writing and composition and (b) spending time with family and friends.

The SAT also has a stronger emphasis on vocabulary. If someone feels that they are well-versed in their literature and diction, then the SAT would be a good choice.

Author Biography: Kalmina Wu is a poet, photographer, musician, carbon copy, cartographer, bicyclist, endangered species, writer, and human being. She will be attending UC Berkeley in the fall as a freshman. She plans to double major in business and economics. Her passions lie in music and the arts, and she periodically rotates her focus on the drums, piano, saxophone, and guitar. She also enjoys literature, and her work has appeared in some online publications and magazines. She has played golf for six years, and has competed as varsity captain of the school team, and as an individual nationally. In what little spare time she manages to find, she can be found hiding under the pier docks looking for bottles, hiking through the forest, or asleep in a café somewhere. You can find her quiet insights on life at http://www.kawky.tumblr.com.

One of the main factors colleges consider when accepting applicants is the SAT score. Unlike high school transcripts, SAT scores provide a universal way of assessing a student’s academic ability. Because some high schools are more rigorous than others, it is often difficult to truly evaluate a student’s academic performance based purely on school grades. Thus, colleges will often use the SAT score as a basis of comparison for students from different high schools.

The SAT is typically subdivided into two main categories – the SAT reasoning test and the SAT subject tests. The SAT reasoning test is an assessment of general knowledge that requires no factual memorization. ­­The total score is 2400 and it has three components – writing, reading, and math. The SAT subject test, on the other hand, is a more specialized test that assesses a student’s knowledge in a specific field of knowledge. For example, there are SAT subject tests for Biology, Chemistry, Physics, History, Literature, etc. Although the SAT reasoning test has a greater weight, it is also important to excel in as many SAT subject tests as possible to be competitive for the top colleges.

Improving your scores on your SAT tests is largely a process of hard work and gradual improvement. For the SAT reasoning test, you will need consistent and intensive practice to raise your score. Carefully analyze your mistakes from practice tests and make sure you learn from them when you take your next test. Building a stronger vocabulary will also improve your score on the SAT reasoning test. Your best bet is to buy practice SAT books from a local bookstore or to enroll in SAT classes.

Your knowledge for your SAT subject tests will come largely through the material that you learn in school. For example, if you are prepping for the SAT II Biology exam, then make sure to pay attention in your school’s biology course and refresh your knowledge from time to time. An SAT II prep book, complemented with the material you learn at school, should be enough to prepare you for the subject test.

The jump from middle school to high school is often a drastic one and it takes time and patience to fully adapt to this new environment. Luckily, high school can be a place to reinvent yourself – to rectify bad habits and start with a fresh, clean slate. Everyone begins high school on a level playing field for college admissions.

1.       It’s important to start off high school with a strong emphasis on school grades. Without high grades in challenging courses, it is difficult to compete with the thousands and thousands of applicants who are applying to the same colleges. Academic excellence is almost always necessary to be qualified for the top colleges.

2.       In addition to getting good grades, you want to show that you’re actively involved on your school campus with clubs and student organizations. At most high schools, there is typically a fair where student clubs advertise themselves. Be sure to join clubs that you may have interest in or are passionate about. As you continue your involvement with these clubs and organizations, you should apply for leadership positions in the upcoming years. If your school does not have a club that you are interested in, be a pioneer and create your own. Colleges love to see that their applicants are taking the initiative to be leaders on campus.

3.       Forging strong relationships with your teachers is a crucial skill to have. Although your freshmen teachers will not be writing your letters of recommendation, it is always good to get in a habit of being an active participant in class. Spend time to get to know your teachers well. This will come a long way when it comes to succeeding in the course or getting help for tests.

Taking these tips into account, it is also important to remember that your first year is a time of exploration and novelty. Figure out what you’re passionate about and forge strong study habits that will guide you to academic success.

Young people today are looking for tutorials on how to make videos, read articles about video games or regularly visit blogs on issues of ecology on their own initiative, and that is something that teachers should exploit. Do you agree?

Moreover, many want to learn about methods of developing outstanding essays assigned in school. Luckily, there are multiple online databases that provide essay examples and term paper samples. If anything, you can ask around to find the top samples. Keep reading to learn more!

Interactive communication

Something that many teachers are beginning to incorporate into their teaching strategies is to use a blog to communicate with students. Such initiatives are very positive because they make the student, digital native, set a greater bond with the teacher immigrant who is making the effort to “speak their language.”

Moreover, our high tech society somehow demands everyone to write at a fast speed. The Internet is helpful in many ways, even to write and perform optimal academic papers. Yet, what if you don’t have enough time? Simply reach sample papers online. You can download quality papers but try to find the best sources ever. If you want to study for a midterm, sample essays online and quality educational sources may be helpful.

Much remains to most blogs; teachers are up to many websites that capture students’ attention and keep them nailed to the chair as if by magic, but what you are getting is that students feel more motivated, more committed to their learning, to ask and to exchange ideas with their teacher and their peers. However, students must understand that plagiarism is a problem. According to EssayTask.com, when finding essay examples online, they should try getting inspired instead of using them as their own.

Therefore, more and more teachers are encouraged to use new technologies, incorporating blogging platforms or educational classes. This can help in many ways, students will be encouraged to work on their own papers, too. However, online databases with quality essay examples and term paper samples are definitely a magnificent development. It is all about going with the latest trend.

As Internet is growing at rapid pace, it is changing the way we live and interact to teach and learn. So it’s very interesting to study how students use these resources to build new learning at the same time, learn about how they can build new knowledge more deeply and rapidly. Moreover, the growing number of people studying online is huge! Most of them find tutorials and/or online databases with sample papers to stay motivated. At times, they change a few words and develop an essay.

The advantages of intercommunication by means of virtual interfaces are notoriously an advantage for education. Studying online and accessing databases with sample essays on the Internet is now an alternative that responds to the nuances of everyday life. Midterm results appear to be much better. However, is it important to look carefully through virtual options, as the fraud niche has also expanded.

Many experts have also warned about the deceptions offered in this mode of online writing services. The first recommendation is to look for educational sources that are based on legitimate websites. Ensure a reliable source of input information; this will promote real data!

In just a few months, current high school juniors will familiarize themselves with the “Common App” and begin the yearlong process of applications, interviews, and admissions results. It is no secret that high school transcripts, SAT scores and AP scores are extremely important, but what students often neglect is the significance of the “story” behind their applications. To be a competitive applicant for the top colleges in the nation, you must amount to more than just a series of numbers. Scores like 2400, 800, and 5 on an application don’t mean as much if there isn’t a well-crafted story behind them.

Your story is told through your essays and extracurricular activities. Unlike the numbers behind an application, your story allows the admissions officer to connect with you on a personal level – to understand your thoughts, character, and personality. This is when it becomes crucial to showcase who you are behind the scores and awards.

When crafting your story, it is important to think of a guiding theme for your application. For example, if you enjoy volunteering, spending time at soup kitchens, and addressing humanitarian issues, then you can convey a theme of compassion and altruism through your essays. If you love taking charge of school projects, starting new clubs, and brainstorming new ideas, then you can create a theme of innovation and initiative in your application. Remember there is no right or wrong when it comes to creating your story. Pick something you are genuinely passionate about and convey it eloquently to your reader.

For current juniors who are applying to college in a few months, it is important to reflect upon your extracurricular activities and establish an underlying theme. Your story will be much stronger if you have tangible activities to support the guiding theme of your application. On the other hand, if your extracurricular activities appear to be scattered without a coherent trend, you can always present yourself as an “explorer” or a student with well-rounded, diverse interests. Start early and take the proper time to think about yourself. Writing personal essays is a long introspective process that allows you to learn more about who you are.

The essay component of your application can often be the deciding factor for admissions. If your grades and standardized testing scores are subpar, the essays provide another chance to enhance the quality of your application. Likewise, even if your grades and SAT scores are high, you will still need strong essays to be admitted into the nation’s top colleges.

At the end of the day, colleges are looking for bright-minded students with the potential to grow and mature in college. The numbers are only one half of the equation. Your intangible qualities, as showcased through essays and extracurricular activities, constitute the other half.

During the summer, high school students get some much-needed time off from college. However, many students lose their productivity and focus towards things that may help them with college admissions.

This blog article will share some fun and exciting ways for students to build up credit for college while enjoying their summer:

1. Take a class at the community college for fun.

2. Get a job (part-time) or an internship for the summer.

3. Join a sports league for fun.

4. Read some books for fun over the summer and see how many you can finish.

5. Coach a youth sports team.

6. Tutor kids.

7. Volunteer at a local hospital or non-profit.

8. Read to the blind, spend time with elders at a retirement home, or help out at the local library.

9. Build a business with your friends.

10. Learn sign language.

11. Take an emergency preparedness class for things like CPR.

12. Pick up an instrument.

13. Learn karate.

14. Join a book or reading club.

15. Build a mobile application.

16. Start a blog/journal.

17. Run a marathon or triathlon.

18. Have a garage sale.

19. Visit college campuses.

20. Organize a charity event.

21. Donate blood.

22. Learn something new that you can master in 3 months.

23. Make new friends by doing things out of the norm.

24. Work out and develop a healthier body.

25. Learn about a subject or topic you’ve been passionate about.

26. Change your hairstyle or appearance.

27. Beef up your ACT and SAT skills by taking practice courses.

28. Go on a hike.

29. Go bike riding.

30. Take a trip with family and friends somewhere new.

31. Spend time on the beach or on the lake sides.

32. Join a summer camp.

33. Visit family that you haven’t connected with in a long time.

34. Spend zero time watching television or participating on time-wasting activities on the computer.

35. Adopt a pet from an animal shelter.

These are some fun, but exciting activities high school students can do during the summer to keep their minds engaged. If you have any other ideas or suggestions, feel free to comment them below.

With spring just around the corner, it’s very tough for seniors in high school to stay focused on academics. Students want to graduate as soon as possible and start preparing for college in the Fall.

However, senior year is extremely important as it confirms your status to college. It’s very crucial that students have fun, but not too much fun. In this article, we will share tips on what seniors can do to successfully ward off senioritis.

Take Breaks Not Gaps

Homework is very tough to do during your senior year. All you can think about is having fun, participating in senior pranks, and graduation. However, seniors have to take breaks but not gaps from studying.

It’s okay to take a break between homework assignments for 30-45 minutes, but make sure you do not take a gap from studying completely. Many seniors have been noted for missing tons of assignments and simply skipping school work.

Don’t Take Hard Classes

Seniors start the year off wanting to tackle difficult classes, but many of them fail. It’s extremely important to focus on classes that you can manage.

Seniors shouldn’t take hard classes, but should rather take fun classes they’re passionate about. Then, they’ll have an incentive to study hard and pass those classes whereas rigorous classes might stress them out.

Talk About It With Others

If you’re struggling to stay on track with your high school work, I highly recommend talking about it with teachers, counselors, and parents.

These are people who can truly help you get back on track. It’s not worth having a bad semester that can really ruin your college admission chances. Find people you can trust that can help you get back on track once things get out of hand.

Stay Active With School

Seniors often drop out of clubs and forget about extracurricular activities. Students should really focus on staying active with school activities outside the classroom.

Staying active with school activities keeps you on track for your high school classes and it enables you to successfully maintain the grades you have had.

Look Ahead

Remember, you have worked 3-4 years of your high school life simply to get accepted into the college of your dreams. Now that you have received that acceptance, you don’t want to ruin it.

Look ahead and think about how great the transition to college will be so you have motivation to successfully finish everything.

Imagine you have a paper that your entire grade depends on and it’s due in 3 hours. The problem is you haven’t even started on it. Only 2 things can happen at this point, either you fail the class or you find a way to BS your essay. Here are some things you can do to get through a college essay.

1. Never panic. One of the biggest problems that students have is they a don’t remain calm and don’t have a clear outlook on what they are writing. Tell yourself that you can do this and stay determined and you’ll be able to finish your paper. Another important part of being calm is realizing that you aren’t writing a novel. Most college papers and high school papers require double spacing so you’re actually doing less work.

2. Turn off all distractions. Whether you are studying at the library or at your house remove anything that can make your eyes wander. Put away all the iPods, cell phones, games or anything else that can be distracting. Distractions throw people off guard, when you’re trying to get something finished it may take longer.

3. Take Breaks. Don’t just sit there for hours writing a paper, it’s always good to take occasional breaks and stretches. It’s really important to stay active and maybe even do some jumping jacks instead of just sitting there for 5 hours trying to focus. Also, always take every single paper like an exam just assumes that you can’t make any changes and that there are no rough drafts. Doing it this way will make a heavy impact on your focus.

4. Think Broadly. When you are actually writing your essay you should really concentrate on the basic points. Make statements that are going to be true, but that also aren’t really obvious. Write down every generalization for that specific topic and some how link it together with the story. To get help you should refer to study aids that give information about the plot, ideas, facts, outcomes, and characters. This is always something helpful to use since it speeds up the process and you don’t have to do much reading.

5. Focus on conflict. Academic writing is all about proving a point, and that point requires arguing your case persuasively. Conflict can be boiled down to agreeing with some aspects and not agreeing with other aspects. If you don’t want to deal with conflict, compare or summarize the topic instead. In each case, find a minimum of three conflicts, comparisons or summaries to fill out the body of your paper. If you can’t progress beyond three, at least you’ve got the body of the paper sorted.

6. If you’re not sure don’t include it. By this stage you would be able to understand what you’re writing and if its something that makes sense or not. Sometimes you may get away by writing some short paragraph, which doesn’t explain the story, but other times it may not work in your favor. Make sure everything you put in your paper makes sense and goes with the story you are trying to tell.