Getting Started

The point of college isn’t necessarily to be an information sponge and absorb a bunch of names, dates or random facts and theories as much as it is to broaden your academic and creative horizons (And to mingle with the opposite sex, obviously). When scheduling classes, adhere to your major and stay on track; however, you’d be surprised at what types of classes can meet your requirements. Don’t be afraid to try something new; just make sure you understand the workload and are prepared for the assignments and always remember to ask for help when you smell smoke, not when you see fire.

DO: Get electives, general studies and out-of-major requirements done as soon as possible. The quicker these are completed, the sooner you’ll be able to take the classes that you want to take. Nobody wants to be the senior in the freshman-level math class.

DON’T: Wait until the last minute to make your schedule. Classes fill up quickly and the longer you wait, the higher the risk you run of having to wait another semester to find an open section for a requisite class. Meet with advisors frequently to make sure you’re on track. Tuition fees are constantly on the rise, and there’s nothing worse than being forced to pay for an extra semester or year because you forgot about that foreign language requirement. No bueno!

DO: Make study dates. The amount of studying that actually goes down is up to you but what better way to prepare for the test and make new friends?

DON’T: Overpay for your books. Most classes offer a book list weeks before classes start and are available to order through your school bookstore. Before shelling out the dough or offering your roommate as collateral, ALWAYS check for cheaper options. Used books, rental sites, your local Barnes & Noble or Amazon.com usually have some good finds.

Pro Tip: While it’s good to be prepared, sometimes the best plan of action is waiting until the first day of classes to see if you even need to purchase the book at all. More often than not, teachers might deviate from the syllabus and opt for a different text.

Life of the Party

College campuses are their own self-sustaining communities. It’s like summer camp if activities like canoeing and craft-making were replaced with upper-division literature surveys, organic chemistry labs, sex and drugs (bad). There’s a certain code of conduct to abide by if you want to avoid committing social faux pas or needlessly upsetting the upperclassmen both on campus and at social functions. We’re not saying you shouldn’t have fun, but remember that seeing your picture on TheDirty.com is never something to strive for.

DO: Follow the golden rule. A college campus is a diverse place where people of all types come together in an attempt to answer the age-old question of why we’re all here and educate themselves in a higher setting. It almost goes without saying, but treat others as you’d like to be treated. Besides, partying is more fun if everyone looks different.

DON’T: Think for one second that you’re the first person that’s ever gotten drunk. The excuse, “I didn’t remember being an ass; I drank too much,” falls short of justification somewhere between offensive but admittedly funny jokes about the frat-bro in the Affliction t-shirt and ruining everyone’s good time by being, “that guy.”

DO: Take it all in. Ben Bator, founder of the popular website “Texts From Last Night,” told College Candy.com, “College is an experience so live it up. Find extracurriculars (bonus points if said extracurricular involves a disproportionately favorable ratio of your favorite gender), talk to randoms in class, and ditch your friends occasionally in search of different experiences.”

DON’T: Walk of shame. Just don’t do it. This was almost a Do titled, “Exercise the buddy system at all times!” 

Dollars and Sense

Balancing a budget could potentially be one of the most challenging parts about beginning college. It’s especially hard to save money when you’re on a limited income (And when you’ve paid tens of thousands of dollars plus your right arm in tuition expenses). However, online banking has made this process much more easy and user-friendly, and if you can operate a Facebook page, balancing that checking account should be a breeze.

DO: Keep track of all of your purchases on a daily basis. Can you imagine the disappointment of ordering a Chipotle burrito and being denied because of an over drafted debit card? We’d prefer not to. But, by monitoring your checking account or billing statement you can see where and what you spend the most money on and eliminate the stuff you don’t need.

DON’T: Spend unnecessarily. You’d be surprised how much you save by not eating out every day. Cooking just three nights a week could mean a new pair of shoes, some extra cash for the weekends or bail money for when your roommate convinces you that streaking across the field during the football home opener is actually a great idea.

DO: Get a job. If you think you can handle it on top of your schoolwork, a part-time job is a great place to meet new friends while making some money. It also puts a bit less strain on The Bank of Mom & Dad and gives you experience in juggling multiple responsibilities.

DON’T: Get tricked into signing up for a credit card. Sometimes credit card companies send out campus reps who can sign you up for a card literally from a table under a tent. (These schemes usually involve free pizza– be wary.) Credit cards are a major responsibility and you should only apply for one after carefully looking over all of the small print.

Pro Tip: In his article “10 Tips For Saving Money in College,” John Fuller of HowStuffWorks.Com offers some insight on organization. “It might seem like a hassle, but saving receipts of everything you purchase is a great way to monitor your spending habits.”

Your Home Away From Home

Having a place to call home even when you’re away from home is the foundation for scholastic success. Whether you’re living on or off campus, it’s important to be comfortable and have somewhere to study or simply chill out. A roommate is a great way to share costs associated with living on your own; however, things can go south quick if you’re not careful.

DO: COMMUNICATE! Communication is key for a harmonious residence. If it bothers you that your roommate clips his/her toenails in the middle of the room, speak up! Be open and respectful with roommates and things will probably go a lot smoother.

DON’T: Go in to this blind. Having to move mid-semester or worse—being evicted or losing a deposit- is just about the quickest way to stall your scholastic progress and well, just ruin any good day. Be discriminate when searching for a roommate. Don’t be rude obviously, but just because you need a roomy, doesn’t mean there’s room to settle.

DO: Put your own spin on things. Get together with your roommate or just tackle your half of the living space and be creative. You’re going to be spending a majority of your time between these walls; make them fun to look at! (Bob Marley posters don’t count as décor.)

DON’T: Live with your best friend. We don’t know why, but this never seems to work out.

Final Exam

Ultimately the freshman experience isn’t something that can be taught and it’s different for us all. By no means is this list exhaustive or all inclusive and we’re not suggesting you live and die by it; think of these more-so as guidelines by which you should weigh the pros and cons of various situations. Remember that in the end, there are thousands of other freshmen (as well as those on the brink of graduation about to tackle this bleak job market) at universities all across the country, and they’re just as confused and scared as you are.

The post Surviving Freshman Year: The DOs and DON’Ts appeared first on NextGen Journal.

I’d like to think it’s because I grew up on Ray Bradbury and George Orwell that when I walk past the News Corp. building in Manhattan I feel like a character in some sci-fi novel or dystopian future where media moguls rule all and no information is safe. It’s really not that far off- it’s shocking what you can learn just from someone’s Facebook or Twitter page, our personal information is out there for the taking and most of the time, we make it available to anyone, on our own.

But what about the stuff that we don’t want people to know, what about the times when we do indeed value privacy: is that really even an option anymore? I haven’t been to New York City in months, but when I read about the recent Murdoch phone-tapping scandal—involving allegations of intercepted information and the invasion of the phone lines of 9/11 victims by employees of the News Corp. publication, News of the World —I’m Winston Smith, right back there on the sidewalk looking up at Big Brother.

Last week, Rupert Murdoch and his son James were summoned before Parliament in order to answer some questions regarding a major invasion of privacy and perhaps criminal activity that has been going on since 2007. As reported by SFgate.com, “The scandal centers on revelations that journalists at his (Rupert Murdoch’s) top-selling British tabloid, News of the World, gathered information through a variety of possibly illegal endeavors that included phone hacking and bribery of police officers.” This news was followed by the resignation of two of Murdoch’s top News Corp. executives: Rebekah Brooks, who ran News International, the holding that controlled News of the World amongst other British publications and also the resignation of Deputy Commissioner of the London Metropolitan Police (Scotland Yard) John Yates who faced harsh criticism on his handling of the investigation into the phone-hacking scandal.

Now, there’s a number of ways to look at this.

As of Monday July 18, 2011, the first journalist to speak up on the phone-hacking allegations in a New York Times investigation, Sean Hoare, was found dead in his Watford flat. While this reeks of Stieg Larsson, I assure you, Lisbeth Salander (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) isn’t going to track down his killer. Hetfordshire police have been quoted by The Guardian, “The death is currently being treated as unexplained but not thought to be suspicious. Police investigations into this incident are ongoing.” Who knows how the Hetfordshire Police define the word “suspicious,” but turning up dead after ousting the biggest news and media conglomerate in the world as a scandalous enterprise at least straddles the line between questionable and out-of-the-norm.

Aside from being front page news, this scandal is also a classic case of the “haves and have nots.” After the initial summons to speak before Parliament, Rupert Murdoch and son James denied appearances and made attempts to push back their meeting with the Parliamentary Committee on Culture, Media and Sport. The reach of the Murdochs wealth, power and influence is almost indescribable. It could be months or years before Rupert or James face any real repercussions. Try not paying a speeding ticket on time and see how fast your registration is frozen or how long it takes before the collections agencies are on the phone threatening to ruin your credit over a $175 piece of paper that says you were going 70 in a 65 zone. Kind of chilling when you think about it like that. Tom Watson of the committee had this to say to BBC Radio 4, “They have misled parliament egregiously over time, they have misled the country, they’ve misled their readers and its incumbent. We will be sitting next Tuesday and we expect them to be there.”

Hereafter all is said and done, and probably even hours after this article is published, rest assured there will be more to come on this scandal. It is a journalistic dream, a continually developing story where the end really is nowhere in sight. I’m sure the flood of accusations, resignations, incarcerations and media-fueled investigations has only just begun. Perhaps Drew Grant will write something for Salon about how this is some defining moment in pop culture, Glenn Beck will come out in Murdoch’s corner saying that phone-tapping is a necessary tool in the fight against terror and some other paranoid Vonnegut fan like myself will no doubt paint Rupert Murdoch as the new face of evil. (At least until the Republicans choose a candidate for 2012.) So it goes.

The post A Dystopian Future, Not So Far Away: appeared first on NextGen Journal.

Arizona State University begs to differ.

According to the Arizona Board of Regents and the members of the tribunal that reviewed my application for residency at ASU, I will still be paying what they call in the education biz, out-of-state tuition. (I believe the technical term is “an arm and a leg.”) So, to put it in numbers, my final year at ASU will cost me $22,319 (and that is solely my tuition bill.) Had my application gotten accepted, I’d be paying $8,740 as an Arizona resident.

In a CNN Money article by Blake Ellis, independent policy analyst at The College Board, Sandy Baum is quoted as saying, “prices are continuing to rise more rapidly than the rate of inflation, particularly in the public sector.” Baum is referring to the price of college tuition for public universities. This is nothing new; students and the parents of those students have just had to accept the fact that if they plan on attending a four-year institution, it’s going to cost them.

Does the term “starving college student” transcend the archetype of the ramen-eating, penny-pinching freshman in favor of a new breed of young, post-graduates now knee-deep in debt and student loans? Well, yes. (Insert sad face as you try to pawn the frame holding your diploma.)

I suppose the biggest question that has gone unanswered is as follows: Why is the price of tuition for non-residents so high and why is Arizona so strict on who it grants residency? I literally met every one of their requirements, yet because I listed “student” as my full time occupation on a 2009 Tax Report, my letter of denial stated that my intent to establish a permanent domicile within the state after I graduate is questionable.

While yes, technically I am a full-time student in the sense that each semester I am enrolled in more than 12 credit hours, I also work more than 30 hours a week for the university, write for a local publication and have paid thousands of dollars in taxes to the state of Arizona.

I have overheard conversations of classmates where they boast and brag about listing their parent’s Arizona vacation homes as their permanent residence in order to “beat the system” and get residency status. Isn’t that a felony? It’s sad when the policies enacted might force students to commit fraudulent crimes in order to afford an education.

In her article, “How to Get In-State Tuition,” Kim Clark lists different ways that students might earn tuition waivers and schools that give breaks to students based on ACT scores and grades. “Southern Illinois University, Washburn University in Kansas, and Northern Michigan University, to name a few, allow students to apply for in-state tuition after living on campus for just six months (and taking other steps such as registering to vote and paying local taxes).”

At the end of the day, I was one who made the expensive decision to venture out of my comfort zone and leave the “bubble” of Ohio for school. At its core, the purpose of attending college is to broaden one’s horizons, build a network of professional contacts and give the student a little taste of the real world, and that’s exactly what I’ve signed up for. However, I digress and find much discomfort in the fact that the president of my university earns well over $700,000 a year as part of his incentive package of a salary, and yet myself and thousands of other “out-of-staters” are left out in the cold (heat) with an enormous tuition bill that only gets larger year after year. The country already knows that Arizona takes a tough stance on allowing immigrants to cross its borders; it might come as a shock that they have similar feelings for those pesky mid-western college students as well.

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My mother has been employed with a major airline for the past twenty years, and, because of her position, I have been afforded the privilege of free flights.  Therefore, traveling is a big part of my life; one might say that I am continually “en route.” Which is why I can’t say that it surprises me that when something of epic proportions happens—news on a global scale—chances are, I’m not only coming to terms with the brevity of what may have happened, I’m also taking into consideration how it might affect my travel plans.

Ten years ago, my family was getting ready for a trip to New York to celebrate my parent’s wedding anniversary. Our flight was scheduled to leave on September 12, 2001. Needless to say, we didn’t go,but my memories of that horrible day might always hold on some deeper level a juvenile disappointment of a canceled vacation. In December of 2004, when tsunami-sized waves struck the coast of Sumatra, I remember watching the story develop on television monitors in some airport terminal during a layover on our way home from a Christmas in Mexico. Today, the tradition held true.

I had gone to Jacksonville, FL over the weekend on assignment to cover a rollerblading competition for ONE magazine. As I landed back in Phoenix, my phone began to buzz with a barrage of Facebook and Twitter updates, and I opened a text message from my mother that read: “Bin Laden is dead and his body is in U.S. Custody.” I couldn’t believe what I was reading; I thought of that Friday morning in 1963 and imagined how it must have felt to learn that President Kennedy had just been assassinated. This was one of those generational moments that later become stories we tell our grandchildren, and here I was sitting on the curb of Sky Harbor Airport waiting to be picked up.

After leaving the airport, I went to a sports bar for some dinner and to watch the President’s speech. The place which is normally a loud, lively hangout for the local ASU crowd was dead silent. There were no cheers, chants or rounds of applause (well, that is until the President finished his speech).  However, in the air hung an implicit, yet temporary, understanding; a collective sense of closure. If only momentary before the flood of questions began. Does this mean the war is over? How did it happen? What happens next? I think I am right to assume that, in that very moment, everyone in the restaurant was silently and internally reflecting on where they were on 9/11 and committing this night to the same vaulted memory. The face that we have been taught to associate with evil is nothing but a corpse, and yet I think the death of Osama Bin Laden poses more questions than it does answers.

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