In college, the housing issue is complicated. Who should you room with? What if you get stuck with a bad roommate? What dorm should you try to get into? Will all your stuff fit into this third-choice room you ended up with? Sometimes one of the most complicated questions: how are you going to pay for this? Dorm life can be expensive, sometimes just as much or more than living in an apartment off-campus. Can they really charge that much when you’re already paying so much for tuition? They can and they do. So you’re considering becoming an RA to save some money. Here’s what you need to know.
A lot about being an RA is give and take: depending on your personality, your experience can be doused with positives and negatives. For starters, you get your own room, which can be nice or lonely. If you’re someone who has had trouble in the past with roommates or just really enjoys your privacy, this is perfect for you. But just because you have your own room doesn’t mean you should necessarily expect to have a lot of alone time. As someone on duty, your door has to be open for your residents basically all the time. Sometimes people will come in just to hang out because they’re lonely. Now and then you’ll have to advise someone facing an issue, like a freshman who’s homesick. So, if you’re a complete loner this may not be the job for you. You have to be helpful and caring toward your residents—even when they annoy you at 3 am.
Another aspect to consider is cutting your summer short. Generally, it is required for RA’s to move in early, possibly go through some training and helps all the newbies move in. If you have an internship that’s lined up to last right up until an average student is returning or a family vacation schedule for right before school, this can certainly put a damper on your plans. So, if you’re considering RA-dom, be prepared for compromise on time—even before the school year officially starts. This will also change your travel plans during the school year. You can’t leave every weekend or even every other weekend; depending on your school, you may get only one weekend every month to travel home…so plan wisely!
Now it’s time to think about your resume. There are positives and negatives being an RA can provide. Obviously, an RA is a leader and it will definitely present you as a take-charge kind of person who can handle difficult situations on their own. Your communication skills will improve considerably—as will your understanding of strange campus lingo. You’ll also be shown as a problem solver, someone who can truly care for another and act to find the best solution. Being an RA can also hurt your resume a bit if it cuts into time you could otherwise spend on other organizations or studying. With a lot on your plate for your RA responsibilities, something else will likely have to give. This won’t necessarily hurt you, to stop attending recreational volleyball, but it is something to consider.
Finally, think of the responsibilities you’ll have and consider if it’s something you’ll actually enjoy. RA’s often correspond activities for their hall, set up meetings, enforce the rules, and have a knowledge of the university to help guide students (especially freshmen) to the people they need to talk to. Also, consider your personality. If you generally don’t like hanging out with people regularly or listening to their problems, this probably isn’t the right choice for you. If you’re really shy and don’t think you’ll be able to come out of your shell enough to help your residents, consider other cheaper housing options.
Ultimately, the job isn’t just about you. It’s about what your residents need you to be and need your help with. Just like an internship or any other job, you have to think about whether or not you’re the best one for the position, beyond the money factor. With the job comes a lot of benefits and a lot of responsibilities, so if you decide being an RA is something you can do, be prepared to take the good with the bad.
As always, best of luck!
-Toony Toon
I’m reading Introduction to Geography
Crap that paper is due when? Okay, let me add it to the list. So I’ve got class these days, a presentation here, a term paper due then, my friend’s graduation party that weekend. Alright, my calendar is complete. Unfortunately, I’ve got one more thing to add to your list.
In all the craziness, please do not let your poor mother go unappreciated on SUNDAY, MAY 13, this year’s Mother’s Day. While you think to yourself you don’t have the time to do anything, remind yourself that she experienced nine months of pregnancy than hours of labour for you. No matter if you have an hour, five minutes, or thirty seconds to spare, use that time to send some love to Mama. Even if your relationship with your mom or grandmother is not the best, this could be an opportunity to taking a step toward clearing the air.
No idea what to do? Well, if you are already at the library working on papers, it doesn’t take much to print out a card to mail or hand deliver. If trying to be environmentally friendly, there are always e-Cards although they have their lameness factor. A handwritten card would be best. If unsure what to write, look up what those print out cards or eCards say (this is the one time plagiarism might go unnoticed).
While procrastinating on your paper or final, check out 1800Flowers.com to order a bouquet (ranging from $25 to $200).
EdibleArrangements.com is another way to go for Mother’s Day with chocolate covered fruit boxes, fruit bouquets with and without stuffed animals and balloons are available (also ranging in price from $25 to $100).
If you’re looking for something a little different for Mom, consider ordering her some gourmet cupcakes or cake pops from a local bakery.
Day’s at the spa never go unnoticed either! Although massages can get pricy, a gift card or treating your mom in person to a manicure or pedicure, especially if she does not get them regularly, can help her relax (which can lead to less nagging).
Simply spending some time with Mom on mother’s day is the cheapest, most heartfelt which seems to be most appreciated by moms everywhere. If you’ve got a final, making a point to talking with her and making a plan for after you are out of school for the semester is sure to bring a smile to her face.
-TravelBug
I’m reading Biology: Science for Life
Depending on where you go to school, living can be a sticky situation. If you go to a big school your options might consist of freshmen dorms, off campus apartments or houses, and potentially Greek Sorority or Fraternity houses. You may get to choose where you live—and make the tough call of staying put, or venturing off on your own. However if you go to a smaller school, your options start to change.
Smaller schools can accommodate more students because of smaller numbers—instead of 33,000 beds, you may only need a few thousand—if that. Small scale universities have large commuter, day time, and evening populations. Dormitories can be built to hold fewer students than state schools would need to, and often guarantee housing for all four years instead of offering a less than desirable lottery system.
But how do you choose where to live? If it’s mandatory to live on campus, is that a bad thing? If you can choose whether or not to live on campus, should you? Or if you have the option to move off campus, what factors should you consider? Where does benefit vs. cost analysis kick in?
Before you toss and turn trying to figure out all of you housing worries, consider the facts. Make a pros and cons list and really weigh your options. Most campuses are different, so what may make more sense for friends studying at other schools, may not necessarily make the most sense for you!
So why live on campus? Here are my reasons: I go to a small, private institution in Philadelphia. It’s centered in an urban area, 15 minutes from center city. Housing options are limited off campus—you have to rent, buy or sublet. However, students are fortunate enough to be guaranteed housing on campus for all four years. And that’s not all! Your start in the dorms, but as you move through semesters and classes (and start to accumulate credits!) you can move up on the housing ladder. Dorms turn into apartments, and eventually your apartment turns into a townhouse with three floors. Now this isn’t the case everywhere, but you get the point. There are options for students who want to stay close, and stay put right on campus! The upkeep is taking care of, you don’t pay water and electric, you have options and space to room. Really, campus is your new backyard. The only downside? Your room and board receipt. Maybe it’s covered in your financial aid, scholarships or loan, or maybe not. Just consider the numbers and decide if adding this portion to your bill makes sense.
If on campus isn’t for you, what else can you try? Here is my perspective– On the flip side of our cozy campus community, is the off-campus living. Students who are local, or who want slightly more freedom than dorms allow, make the move off campus. There are houses and apartments close by with owners looking to rent, or sublet to desirable students. There are factors that go into this move that students don’t often consider—safety, upkeep, costs, etc. However, when all is said and done, those who decided to become “college home owners” do okay. You can make your own rules, decorate however you want, and eat on your own plan. However, don’t forget to consider the time commitment you are signing up for! You are signing a lease or contract and become responsible for property. You are paying bills (that may or may not be cheaper than on campus alternatives), and managing the upkeep of your place. You have to cook, clean, and monitor aspects of your living life that you may not have even noticed when you were in the dorms.
Unfortunately there is no right or wrong answer when it comes to where you should live on campus. It’s mixing bowl of factors, time, and costs. You need to decide what makes the most sense for you individually and how you want to spend your time when you don’t have your head buried in a book. Do you want to share a room, are you comfortable with roommates? Can you remember to take on the trash? Will you remember to turn off lights and lock your door? Will you remember to grab your keys?
Take your time and do your research. Check out every available outlet of information on housing in your college area and decide what makes the most sense—also check requirements. Some scholarships stipulate that you live on campus, so does some financial aid! Or your campus may have a “first year” rule making it mandatory to live on campus. After that, it’s up to you! You can also choose how you decorate your room and what furniture to have—now you just have to decide where that room will be!
-Ring Queen
The Economic Policy Institute reported in early March that entry-level wages of male and female college graduates have fallen in recent years; no surprise there. The average hourly wage for graduates aged 23-29 has fallen to $21.68 for men (a whooping 11% decrease in the past ten years) and $18.80 for women, which is a 6.7% decrease.
So where can recent graduates go for jobs? The US Bureau of Labor Statistics has data showing the unemployment rate dropping from September 2011 to March 2012, but where are those jobs? Utilizing the articles and databases of the US Bureau of Labor Statistics is a great place to start informing yourself about where the jobs are in your field.
Forbes has released an article naming ten cities to be the Best Cities For New College Grads. The cities to win the lowest unemployment rate of the ten is tied, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minn. and Washington, D.C., including Arlington and Alexandria, Va. at 5.5%. The latter also has the highest mean wages hourly as of May 2010 at $29.95. Other cities to make the list are Boston, Seattle, Houston, Baltimore, Dallas, Kansas City, Raleign/Durham, and Austin.
MSNBC released an article in September of 2011, which would add Hartford-New Haven, Cleveland, Denver, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Atlanta, and St. Louis to the list of best metropolitan areas to start out in.
So what are these cities ranked on? What makes a city great enough to make the cut? These lists are based on job markets and local economies, but there are many other factors that you should consider. Is there a metropolitan area that has a growing job market that is within commuting distance to a family’s house? Living at home is not always ideal, but spending a year or two crashing with Mom and Dad can save you enough money to put a down payment on a place of your own, or at least help you save enough to get you on your feet.
Coed Magazine posted an interesting infographic in the beginning of the year that is worth checking out:
Moving to an area based on statistics without a job prospect can lead to a great adventure, but not always a great career. Start your job hunt within these areas first before packing up and jumping in.
-TravelBug
I'm reading Advertising and Promotion: An Integrated Marketing Communications Perspective
Summer is nearly upon us, meaning the box office will be jam packed with new releases. After a long day of interning or on a not-so-beachy weekend, here are some must-see movies to pass the summer days away (and spend some of that hard-earned cash!).
1. The Avengers
Is anybody not excited to see this film, set to release on May 4th? Honestly, what more can you want? We get some dreamy actors, like Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Hemsworth, a creepy bad guy trying to take over the world, and a ton of action. It’s the summer’s ultimate must-see!
2. The Amazing Spiderman
This movie makes Tobey Maguire’s Spiderman look lame. In a re-make of the series, adorable off-screen couple Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield work to save the world from an evil lizard man. At the very least, you should check out this flick on July 3rd to see which Spidey you prefer.
3. The Dark Knight Rises
Yet another comic book hero making the list, but you all know you’re dying to see this one! Christian Bale takes on Batman for his final film of the trilogy, facing Bane (played by Tom Hardy) and a new identity as the enemy of Gotham City after he took the blame for Two Face’s Crime. Christopher Nolan surely has another epic film on his hands, hitting theaters July 20th.
4. Prometheus
Prometheus is for those of you looking for a new, chilling alien flick. A team of explorers, including Charlize Theron and Noomi Rapace, find clues to the origins of mankind that leads them to a race to save Earth. Legendary Ridley Scott directs what looks to be one of the most intense, jaw dropping, action packed movies of the summer. Find Prometheus in theaters near you on June 8th.
5. Brave
Looking for some animated fun? Brave is Pixar’s latest masterpiece, following the story of Princess Merida whose bravery and profound archery skills (like Katniss Everdeen!) are the only hope to break her kingdom’s curse. This redheaded heroine is sure to capture our hearts. Brave comes to theaters on June 22nd.
6. Dark Shadows
Tim Burton and Johnny Depp have teamed up again for a vampire movie that has nothing to do with Twilight. Barnabas Collins, a man turned into an imprisoned vampire by a jealous witch seeking his love, is finally set free into the 1970s. While the witch continues to vie for his affections, Barnabas must protect his family against her evil ways. Catch this flick on May 11th!
7. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
Did you know the 16th President of the United States found vampires lurking around and took it upon himself to hunt them down? Another film by Tim Burton, we’ll surely see good old Abe in a new light with some magical twists and turns. See history like never before on June 22nd.
8. Men in Black III
Ten years later and we have a new installment! This 3-D alien loving flick will bring Will Smith to the past looking for his beloved side kick, Agent K, who mysteriously disappears/dies. New weapons, new aliens, and the same old mind swiping will be a nice blast to the past, coming to you on May 25th.
9. Snow White and the Huntsman
Sure it’s not original, but it looks much better than its counterpart Mirror Mirror. Charlize Theron takes center stage as the evil queen, who hires huntsman Chris Hemsworth to get Kristen Stewart’s heart so she can live forever. Before you know it, there’s a crazy war scene going on. This is definitely more intense than the cartoon. You can see it June 1st.
10. The Odd Life of Timothy Green
A more original movie, a couple desperate for a child buries a box in their backyard with wishes of an infant. Presto, Timothy Green is born, and since he sprouts out of the earth, it’s pretty much guaranteed this movie will be full of magic and weird happenings. Learn about Timothy on August 15th.
-ToonyToon
I’m reading New Perspectives on Microsoft Excel 2010
