Students blog

Finals are looming and summer plans are beginning. Are you one of the many students planning to remain in your college town for the summer? If so, be aware that the activity slows and boredom can rise. Being in a small town for the summer has its benefits. I’ll be spending my summer taking classes, working, meeting new people, and exploring my town. Here are a few tips for making the most of your summer in a college town.

Seize opportunities to meet new people

Whether you’re staying to take summer classes or to work, it can be difficult to find friends who have also stayed in town. There are a collection of people also facing classes, so it’s an excellent opportunity to make friends. Rather than going home, go get lunch with someone you see in your class! I have had the opportunity to meet people in my major I likely would not have talked to in the regular semester classes.

Get outside!

Outside of class and homework, it is important to be creative. Take time for exploration. During the school year, it may be difficult to find time to really explore the area. Take a drive, or go to a beach. With the summer sun shining, find a lake, river, or beachfront nearby. I have enjoyed many sunny afternoons with friends at the nearby river. Whether hiking, swimming, or playing a friendly game of frisbee, summertime brings opportunity for many activities. Keep a lookout for school events, or even host a potluck barbeque.

 Get ahead

Finally, spending the summer in a college town provides the chance to get ahead. Rather than sitting around with nothing to do, use the time to learn skills that may be useful in the upcoming school year. While campus may be quiet, it will be active again in the fall. Use quiet time now to prepare for the future, so more time can be spent having fun in the school year.

With the right people, and new friends, simple activities become a blast. Even a simple trip to the grocery store can be entertaining. With the proper level of creativity and some new friends, empty college towns can become the foundation for an epic summer.

How are you planning to spend your summer? Share your ideas when you retweet my blog!

Right now, I am both a high school senior and a student at my local community college. I am pursuing a pre-health associate’s degree and hope to one day major in dentistry.  My life can get hectic balancing classwork, clubs, and activities at both schools, but it is all worth it.  I have constantly taken classes that have continued to challenge and push me to perform my best.  That is part of the reason why I am a dual enrolled student.  

Sisters in college

I am also one of four daughters who all happen to be attending college at the same time.  My motto is, “the faster I get through school, the more money I can save.”  This is big because there are a lot of expenses for a higher education.  If you multiply that number by four, it might give you an idea of how my parents feel as they work to pay for all of us to complete college. My parents have always been very supportive of all of us.  They taught me to always work hard to stand out.  

Have you ever started off a semester by making a goal that you would go workout every day, even if it was for 15 minutes? I sure have. In the first few weeks, when homework is light, I make it to the gym daily. My goal starts to slip through my fingers when the first set of exams rolls around. This is also the time when the unhealthy eating begins. I look for things that are convenient so I can focus a majority of my time on studying. However, when it comes to health, there are two important thing you need to keep in mind: nutritional and physical. This last semester, I have made significant progress in keeping my goal of being healthy, and I want to share some tips I have learned.

Make a schedule

I started to make a strict schedule that would detail everything I need to do per day and week. With all this laid out, I knew what I needed to be doing at every moment of the day. I would start the week off by going to get groceries on Sunday morning. This allowed me to carry out my next tip.

Prep your food for the week

Meal prepping can be hard at times but think of it as saving you loads of time throughout the week. One of my favorite things to do is prep and marinate several chicken breasts at once and then freeze individual servings in plastic bags. When I’m hungry and in a hurry I can simply dump out a bag and toss a serving into the oven to cook while I focus on my school work. I also prep snacks to take to campus. They’ll hold me over until I can make it home for lunch. There are always options on campus that aren’t the healthiest, so this really helps curb any temptations I may have. I also carry a water bottle around so I can stay hydrated throughout the day. I even use an app to remind me when to drink water.

Make exercise part of your schedule

I try to go to the gym on my way home from class. If I go home and sit on my couch, it will be tough to motivate myself to come back to the campus gym. As students, we have access to amazing fitness facilities and classes. Most people do not want to workout towards the end of the day, so you will most likely find an empty gym in which you can feel comfortable working out at your own pace.

Work out at home

On the days I cannot make it to the gym, I use a high intensity interval training (HIIT) workout video. This is super simple, and it requires little to no equipment. These videos that are available online are so incredible that they even provide substitutes for equipment. For example, if you do not have three-pound hand weights, you can easily use two water bottles.  

Reward yourself

There is nothing wrong with having a cheat meal when you feel the need. At the end of the day, you need to think of this as a lifestyle change instead of something you must do and feel forced to do. I have days that aren’t the healthiest, but I don’t give up there. Even one small change such as drinking more water or taking the stairs to class are changes that can make a difference. If you have a mindset and are true to it, you will be successful!

How do you stay healthy throughout the semester? What healthy habits to you incorporate into your daily schedule? Share your thoughts with students by commenting below!

When you first hear the phrase, “you need to put yourself first,” you might have a voice in your head telling you that this is a selfish thought.  Throughout your day, your friends, co-workers, and family rely on you for help and support.  You are pulled in hundreds of different directions which often forces you to put your own priorities and goals on the back burner. While it is extremely important to be there for others, your level of stress can elevate if you are not there for yourself!  Here are a few benefits that will come from allowing yourself to value YOU!

Your health depends on it.

Reflect on a time when you had a busy week filled with meetings, tests, long hours of studying or work.  Now, remember the way your body felt after that week.  Most likely, the feeling you remember is depletion and exhaustion.  Avoid reaching this point by making sure you allow yourself to relax and take breaks when needed.  Your immune system and general health will thank you, trust me!

Happiness will come from it.

There is nothing wrong with prioritizing your happiness. Taking time in your week to read your favorite book, go to a workout class you enjoy, or watch your favorite show will ultimately help your overall energy levels.  Everyone needs a break, so do not feel guilty about saying ‘no’ to a few events throughout the week if your body is telling you to lay low for a bit!

Your friends, family, and coworkers will benefit.

It’s simple.  If you give to yourself, then you will in turn have more to give others.  Recharging your mind and body will give you more energy for the responsibilities that you are accountable for!  This is a key to success in your school work, relationships, and occupation.

Balance is everything, and becoming more self-aware in your daily tasks will help you lower stress and put yourself, your happiness, and your health first.  So next time your body is telling you to step back and take a break, please listen!  

Why do you volunteer? What motivates you to go out and do something in your community – without monetary compensation? The encouragement to make a difference is unique for everyone. I realized this when I was recently asked:  “what would make you feel appreciated as a volunteer?” Gift cards? Plaques? Thank you notes? At first I didn’t know how to respond. Then I started looking around my room and seeing everything I have collected from volunteering over the years. I have emails from coaches, thank you notes from students, a coffee cup from a Girl Scout event last year. So what did I want as a volunteer?

Watching eyes light up

That’s when it hit me. I don’t look for a thank you email in my inbox or a note at the end of the day. I look for the moment when a student finally solves a problem and their eyes light up. I watch 20 little faces glued to the experiment I’m doing at the front of the room, and I wait for the questions they ask once their walls come down and their imaginations run wild.

Finding answers together

A few months ago at a FIRST LEGO League meeting, one of my students asked me a question that I didn’t have the answer to. I told the classroom full of 5th graders that we will learn together! We brainstormed ideas on why the question was important and possible alternatives to answers. It was exciting to see everyone engaged, and eager to participate! Together, we came up with what we thought to be the answer to the girl’s intriguing question. It may not have been perfect or scientific, but it was a good experience for everyone in the room – myself included.

Exploring new experiences

Similarly, when working with preschoolers at a STEMfest, I came across a girl who was afraid of the Sphero, a remote control robot. She was three years old and had never experienced anything like the rainbow ball currently rolling around in front of her. I brought her the iPad and asked if she wanted to drive the robot. As she pushed around the control pad, the Sphero began to go wild across the room – bumping into things and changing colors. By the time we got around to doing the actual session, she was no longer afraid of the robot and instead became a pro at running it through the maze we created.

Embracing and building on new ideas

So, when it came time to answer the question: “what would make you feel appreciated as a volunteer?”, I clicked “Other”. No plaque or gift card could mean as much as the experience I have as a volunteer. I do cherish the thank you notes hanging around my room, but the notes themselves don’t mean anything to me. They are reminders of the places I’ve been, the memories I’ve made, and the mountains I’ve helped conquer. But I can remember my students without that reminder. I can picture every hand and every shocking question. What I want as a volunteer is to continue creating atmospheres where children can ask questions and not be judged by the complexity of their answers. An environment that embraces ideas and builds upon them. As a volunteer, I want to learn as much from my students as they learn from me.

What makes you feel appreciated as a volunteer? Share your thoughts when you comment on my blog!

It’s amazing what a few hours a week of community service from a dedicated group of people can accomplish! My team, Xi Pi – the Phi Theta Kappa chapter at Polk State College – recently had such an experience. We spent some time volunteering in our on-campus greenhouse, making it beautiful and functional once again. The project was a great example of why volunteering can enrich our lives as well as the lives of others.

Rolling up our sleeves

The greenhouse had been built years before, but due to lack of manpower and general disinterest it had fallen into heavy disrepair. We selected it for our service project because it sat directly in the center of the campus for all to see. It had so much potential. Our first step was to remove what seemed like tons of depleted dirt from around the established plants. Bucket after bucket was hauled slowly out, because maneuvering carts was impossible in the enclosed quarters. We started many different food plants from seeds, like carrots, broccoli, tomatoes of all varieties, papaya, and peppers. We replaced the old soil with nutritious compost and rich peat moss. Then we installed our new plants around the ornamental plants that were already growing strong in the existing beds.

A greater payoff

One of the main goals of volunteering in the greenhouse was to raise fresh, organic food to be donated directly to our on-campus student assistance program. However the raised awareness for our hungry and homeless students was by far a greater payoff. By having a presence around campus as we completed our volunteer work, we were able to explain the issues that so many of the college’s students were facing.  Our work demonstrated that such hardship could be occurring where we don’t even expect it to.

Strong connections

This was a great project, not simply for our cause, but also for the enrichment of all the members who volunteered with us. We developed important skills such as practicing communication, networking within the community, and pitching and presenting concrete solutions to problems within our community. It was also a priceless chance for our members to learn about the actual hands-on aspects of working with plants and in a greenhouse.  The connections we made with each other are strong after so many hours collaborating in the hot Florida sun. The connections we made to our school, local businesses, and local charitable organizations are irreplaceable.

This project is just one example of volunteering at its finest. It was an activity that developed and improved not only the people that it is done for or the community, but also the volunteers themselves.  Did I mention that we were also able to write about this experience for a competition and even won sixth in the entire nation? Everyone should try volunteering. Find an organization or activity that truly speaks to you, so that you can have an impact and opportunity to grow, too!

Where are you going to volunteer and make an impact? Share with the Pearson Students community by commenting below!

Career fairs can be overwhelming, especially if you’re not sure what to expect. It can be intimidating to talk to recruiters, making sure you’ve got the right handshake and the right thing to say. Recently the Pearson Student Insiders hosted a webinar discussion on career fairs. Student experts Mai Nguyen and Avni Ball shared tips and advice on how to prepare, what to bring, how to talk to recruiters, and how to follow-up afterwards.

How to prepare for the fair

What research do you do beforehand to make sure you’re prepared?

My story begins in a city on the coast of the East African country of Kenya. Being the eldest of 5 siblings and the daughter of two very hard working Somali parents, I was always considered the hope of the family. From grade school to college, I have always been the one on whom the family’s future rested. My parents continually strive to give me and my siblings the tools we need to succeed in the world. I went to the best schools my parents could afford in Kenya, starting from The Nyali School to Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Secondary and Technical School. Coming to the United States was a continuation of my parents’ life goal of giving me the best opportunity achieve success.

Finding Resources for Success

At Southwestern College in Chula Vista, California, I managed to find my place in the Associated Student Organization and Phi Theta Kappa. From the first day I was welcomed and supported by strangers who would soon turn into close friends, mentors and confidantes. In the first few weeks I struggled to adjust my knowledge to fit what was being introduced in my classes. Then I found my school’s MESA (Mathematics, Engineering, and Science Achievement) program. MESA is a California statewide academic enrichment program that supports economically and educationally disadvantaged students to prepare for and excel in STEM majors. In MESA I found a safe space with tutors, computers, printers and everything else I needed to succeed. As soon as I could, I started tutoring and doing my best to give back to the center that helped me excel academically.  With all of these resources and great people so invested in my success I really have no reason not to reach my full potential.

Scholarship increased self-confidence

Receiving the Pearson Scholarship has also given me the motivation to go after goals that initially seemed unreachable. Being honored in this way has made me believe in myself and has increased my self-confidence. The scholarship has helped alleviate some of the load my expenses in the United States have on my parents. With the first disbursement I have been able to apply to more transfer schools and comfortably pay off the application fees without imposing on my parents. The scholarship has also reduced the cost of textbooks because of the complimentary educational materials Pearson has so graciously added to the scholarship.

A mentor to help shape my future

As part of the scholarship, I have also been matched with a Pearson employee mentor. My awesome mentor, Sherri, has been a great motivator and supporter. She has helped me improve myself in ways I hadn’t thought of. A mentor is a teacher and a guide to the young and inexperienced like me. Mentors help in shaping us and who we become as professionals and future leaders. They motivate us to pursue our dreams even when we think they’re too far out of reach. They also provide a different perspective on issues we face in our daily lives and our pursuit of education and excellence.

With the support of my family, friends, campus resources, Pearson and a great mentor to guide me, my dreams are now definitely within reach.

Organizing volunteer service is work: creating informational brochures, planning speakers, scheduling, and carrying out the business of public relations. But it’s worth it! Through collaborating with members of my Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society chapter, two successful awareness events informed my classmates and community that the conversation about campus sexual assault will not be silenced.

Compassionate action

Nudging people into service evokes a peaceful place that dwells inside, a place that allows listening with the heart while engendering a strength of spirit that follows through with action. As Tenzin Gyatso, the Fourteenth Dahlia Lama instructs, “It is not enough to be compassionate. You must act.”

It was compassionate action that led me to perform my most significant accomplishment as a student leader. I was introduced to the “It’s on Us” campaign to stop sexual assault on campus while researching for an English essay. My findings inspired me. From April 2015 until June 2016, I advocated for survivors, for prevention, and to promote awareness at my college.

A team of citizens

Realizing that the more people I could persuade to join me the better, I turned immediately to my Phi Theta Kappa chapter. They had the heart and the spirit. I only needed to share the facts. College students are most likely to be victims of sexual assault, typically by someone they know. Campus police departments are vulnerable to manipulating the statistics. In fact, our school newspaper had confirmed those things were happening on my campus. We must act! I explained “It’s on Us” campaign and read them the pledge: to intervene, to be observant, to believe survivors. That’s all it took. A team of citizen students formed.

Service is challenging

After sharing my vision of hosting an awareness event, the work began. I spent time with student organizations, campus administration, faculty, staff, and regional and national community support groups.  I was busy. Continuing to share my passion for the facts, I scheduled appointments to gain resources. The most creative part was designing informational brochures. Those had to be just right because more than 19,000 students would have access to them.