Student Life

5 ESSENTIAL TIPS FOR FINALS

It’s getting dangerously close to that time in the semester when your classes are going to end and you’ll have to take final exams.  You certainly don’t want to go into this part of the semester unprepared.  This is why we’ve put together some tips to get your prepped for the dreaded finals time.

Study for the most difficult exams the most.  You should avoid devoting equal time to each class, as not all your classes are going to be the most difficult for you.  Divide your time up so that you’re expending the most effort on the most difficult classes.

Study early and often.  You want to avoid just studying for your exam the night before.  It will not only overload you, but you also won’t retain as much information. According to Colin Gruenwald of Kaplan Test Prep, it’s best to stop studying 12 to 24 hours before the test, as you aren’t going retain new content and you’ll be much more stressed.  Therefore it is best to start now (if you haven’t already) and to take some time each day to devote to studying for your finals.

Alternate study spots.    According to the New York Times, you should switch the locations where you study to increase retention.  So instead of studying in the same coffee shop or in the library every day, try a alternating between a few different study spots.

Get a good night’s sleep before the exam.  Avoid staying up the night of the exam to cram.  Like Gruenwald says, it isn’t going to help you, and it is really just going to stress you out more.  It is best to get some sleep so that you’ll be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed in the morning.

Take your time on the test.  It’s best to pace yourself while you’re working on your exam.  Try taking a break between sections or portions of the exam so that you don’t get too stressed or overwhelmed.  It’s also a good idea to stay as long as you have to, and you can.  Most people will tend to leave as soon as they have finished answering the last question, however, it is best to finish and then your review your answers before turning in the exam.

We hope these few little tips help you with the dreaded final exam week.  Just don’t forget to relax and breathe.

Good luck on exams!

 

References

“Forget What You Know About Good Study Habits” by Benedict Carey

“Top 15 Hot Tips for Finals” by Jeremy Hyman and Lynn Jacobs

“Ten Essential Study Tips for Final Exams” by Sierra Tishgart

 

 

 

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Student Life

4 Inexpensive Gift Ideas for the Holiday Season

Especially as a student, finding the right gift (and enough time to find one) for your friends and family can be difficult.  Being on a limited budget makes the process even harder.  This is why we’ve come up with a list of some inexpensive gift ideas to help you find that perfect gift for your loved one.

A photobook.  Photos can last forever, and this is why putting together a photobook of times with your loved ones can be a great gift for the holiday season.  It can even be a conversation piece that you and your loved one can enjoy while looking at all of the photos you’ve included in the book.  The DIY photobook is always a great idea as you can personalize it to the person, however, there are a myriad of services that will do it for you.  Sites like Snapfish and Shutterfly make photobooks easy and decorative (even if you aren’t super artistically inclined).

Board games.  Board games are always a great gift, in that once the person opens the gift, you can spend the next few hours playing the game together.

Holiday Tree Ornament.  Holiday tree ornaments are a great gift for loved ones, especially those who you may be unsure what to get them.  Hallmark makes a lot of great little ornaments that can easily fit the interests of any receiver.

Homemade baked goods.  They do say that the way to a person’s heart is through their stomach.  Making your own homemade cookies or other baked goods for your loved ones can be a really simple and inexpensive idea.

As a student, it can be difficult finding the perfect present for your loved one, especially with such limited time (you have to factor in studying for finals) and a limited budget.  However, photobooks, board games, ornaments, and homemade baked goods are some really inexpensive ideas that will help you find the right present for this upcoming holiday season.

Reference:

“Cheap Gifts:  53 Inexpensive Gift Ideas” by David Weliver

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Student Life

4 Budget-Friendly Holiday Decorations for College Students

If you’re living on a budget, it can be a little difficult finding inexpensive decorating for the holidays.  However, we’ve found some awesome ideas to prep your pad for the holidays that won’t break the bank.

Festive Paper Chains

These may bring you back to your elementary school projects, however, they can certainly make your place just a little more festive.  All you have to do is cut out strips of paper and glue the ends together so that the strips interlock with one another.  Hang these chains up anywhere and it will certainly get you into the holiday spirit.

Tree of Lights

This was a pretty cool idea we found at Reader’s Digest.   Simply by taking a strand of lights and a few thumbtacks, you can make yourself a tree right on your wall.  It doesn’t even necessarily have to be a tree either.  Maybe a snowflake or a snowman suits you better!

Candy Wreaths

This was a pretty cool idea we found.  All you have to do is cut out a ring of cardboard in the shape of a wreath.  Then glue wrapped candies onto the ring, and hang.

Pillow Presents

Simply by taking ribbon and bows, you can wrap up your throw pillows to look like gifts!

 

 

 

 

References

“32 Budget-Friendly Christmas Decorating Ideas” by Cynthia Dermody and Rachel Hofstetter

“11 Cheap (and Easy) Holiday Decorating Ideas for Your Home” by Kathy Wilson

 

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Roommates

What Do I Do If My Roommate Steals My Food?

You head to the fridge and notice that your milk is almost gone, that someone ate your chips, or that somehow your entire carton of ice cream has completely disappeared.  If you know it isn’t you, there can really only be one reason why everything is almost/completely gone:  Your roommate.

The first thing to do is assess the situation.  How much are they snagging?  If it’s only a little, maybe you just want to let it slide.  In a lot of ways, it’s not worth confronting your roommate over a few chips.  However, if it is a constant problem, or they are stealing all or almost all of your food, it’s really time to say something.

Like with many other situations with your roommate, it is best to speak with them about any issues rather than not saying anything or just letting things slide.  This is because your roommate won’t know that what they’re doing bothers you, whether you think they should or not, and it will just make you more and more upset as time goes on.

It’s also not a good idea to immediately confront your roommate about any situation like this.  In most cases you will say something you don’t mean, and your roommate may react poorly.  Therefore, it’s best to plan out what you’re going to say before you say it and figure out a good time to sit down to talk with your roommate.

It’s a good idea to keep your talk about the behaviors that your roommate is doing, rather than attributing the problem to personality flaws.  It also best to work on ways that you can both get what you want.  Maybe the problem is that you two should be splitting the grocery bill a little bit more!

Overall, handling your roommate stealing your food, or any other roommate problem, doesn’t have to be terrifying or frustrating.  All it takes is a cool head, a plan, and a workable solution for both you and your roommate.

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Student Life

Happy Thanksgiving!

Photo from cuindependent.com

As everyone heads home for the Thanksgiving holiday, we wanted to make sure that you didn’t forget anything.  Here are some things to remember BEFORE you head out:

  • Take out the garbage.
  • Turn the heat on low.
  • Unplug lamps, computers, etc.
  • Make sure that all flammable materials are away from any heaters.
  • Make sure to lock all doors and windows.
  • Throw out any food items that are going to go bad while you’re away.
  • Make sure to bring any homework with you that you’ll need to do for when you get back.
  • Make sure to bring any chargers you’ll need for phones, laptops, etc.
  • Make sure to bring any medications you take.
  • Make sure to bring enough sets of clothes with you.
  • Make sure to bring toiletries.

It’s important to remember that before you leave that you close up your place for a few days.  It’s also a good idea to check that you have all the essentials before you head out, so you aren’t kicking yourself when you realize you’ve forgotten something.

Overall, we hope that you all have a safe trip home and a wonderful Thanksgiving.

References:

“Going on Vacation or Closing Up a House” by Pressed4Time.com

 

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Student Life

3 Ways To Get Through College Crunch Time

It’s getting to that point in the semester when you’ll be getting more and more work piled on to you, and/or you have to catch up on everything you’ve been procrastinating on.  We’ve certainly been through it, and isn’t easy.  However, there are some things you can do to get through this crunch time in the semester.

Make a to-do list.  Writing down a list of things you need to get done by the end of the day, the end of the week, and/or the end of the month can be really helpful.  It not only helps you to organize your thoughts, but it will also help you to remember everything.  It’s really easy to forget when you have a lot of stuff on your plate.  Writing everything down like this, in an organized list, can also help you to de-stress, because you may just realize that you really don’t have that much more to do.
Prioritize.  This is probably the most important you can do to get through this time in the semester.  You may even want to prioritize your to-do lists and make yourself a note of the things that you should get done first and what things can wait.

Take small breaks.  It’s a good idea to take small breaks in between working, as it can help you keep focused and give you time to collect your thoughts while you do your work.  Maybe you want to work for 30 minutes, and then take a 5-minute break.  Or, maybe you want to work for an hour and take a 10-minute break.  It’s completely up to you.

We know that it’s coming to be a difficult time in the semester when you’ve got a lot of stuff going on.  However, it’s important to make sure that you get through this time so you can finish off the semester on a good note.  By making a to-do list, prioritizing, and taking small breaks in between your work, you can help ensure that you successfully make it through this crunch time in the semester.

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Housing Advice, Renting

Our New Sample Sublet Agreement

For students, subletting can be a great way to finance your apartment while you study abroad or take that internship that you’ve been dreaming of.  It’s also really beneficial for landlords, too.  We spoke with Diane St. Laurent, a property manager in Rhode Island and our expert, who tells us that if a tenant is no longer able to pay or needs to leave early, a sublet agreement can be a great idea, as a subtenant can take over and ensure that the landlord is still getting paid even when the original tenant has left.

However, putting together a sublet agreement can be confusing, especially if you’ve never done it before.  At JumpOffCampus, we try to make the off-campus experience as easy as possible, and this is why we’ve put together a sample agreement for you.

To put together this resource, we reviewed tons of different lease agreements, and drew upon the best elements of each.  Why re-invent the wheel, after all?  Our agreement outlines the basics of what you’ll need to consider when subletting, including things like liability and your landlord’s approval.   It ensures that you don’t forget the essentials, and makes room for all the provisions you and your landlord need.

Dealing with sublets doesn’t have to be stressful, and with the Official JumpOffCampus Sublet Agreement, it can be even easier.  It’s only one click away!

Added Considerations for Subletting:

For student tenants:  We strongly urge you to talk to your landlord before subletting, as your lease may not allow for it and/or your landlord may require specific accommodations for subletting in a new/revised lease.

For landlords:  St. Laurent explains that sublets will only be legally possible under specific conditions:

a)    The original lease makes provisions for subletting.

b)   If the original lease does not have a provision for subletting, the original lease is terminated and a new lease with the new tenant is made, or

c)    The original lease has a provision for modifications, in which a sublet clause could be added to legalize the sublet.

St. Laurent also explains that sublet agreements should establish proper liability for damage and payments.  She explains that with longer sublets, it is a good idea to have the new tenant liable for damages, and with shorter sublets, it is best to have the original tenant held liable.  In this way, the appropriate individuals are held accountable.

 

The material and information contained in this agreement are for general information purposes only. You should not rely upon the material or information on the website as a basis for making any business, legal or any other decisions. JumpOffCampus assumes no legal liability (to the extent permitted by law) or responsibility for any loss of damage (including, without limitation, damage for the loss of business of profits) arising directly or indirectly from the use of the agreement, or any of the material contained in it.

References for Our Sublet Agreement:

Tenant Resource Center in Madison, Wisconsin

REALTECH Real Estate Services, Inc. in Pleasanton, California

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Student Life

The Four Most Essential Pieces of Clothing for Winter on Campus

Walking around campus during the winter can be . . . shall we say . . . less than fun.  It’s often slippery, cold, and windy.  It also seems like everything you wear gets drenched whenever it snows.  This is because college is different; you are constantly walking in between buildings to get to your classes.  You need the right gear to make it through your day without getting cold and drenched.  This is why we’ve put together a list of the four most essential pieces of clothing for getting through winter on campus.

Photo from buffalostate.edu

Snow boots.  Your best friends will be snow boots when it gets to be really snowy.  We suggest picking boots that are not only waterproof, but also have a warm lining and have treads on the bottom so you don’t face plant on your way to class.

A waterproof snow jacket.  Like we said, it seems like every time it snows on campus, everything you wear seems to get wet.  This is why a warm, waterproof snow jacket is a great idea for getting through those cold, snowy days.

Gloves.  Gloves are pretty much a give in, however, we don’t just recommend any gloves.  We specifically recommend getting gloves that have some sort of traction so that you’ll still be able to use your phone while you’re wearing them.  It can be a pain if you have to make a phone call and you have to remove your gloves.  The best thing is to either find gloves that just naturally work well enough so that you can still use your phone, or find gloves that can do that (they actually make them, which is cool).

A hat.  Like gloves, a hat is kind of a give in.  However, we really recommend a thick knit hat that will cover your ears.  This way you won’t get that searing pain in your ears that you get when it’s really cold and windy outside.  This will also prevent you from getting too soaked when it’s snowing out.

While some of this stuff may seem like a no-brainer, prepping for your trek across campus can sometimes feel like a science that you have to learn and perfect.  It really comes down to what is going to keep you the warmest and the driest when it gets really nasty outside.

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Student Life

The Must-Haves for Your College Medicine Cabinet

Photo from http://www.scrubs123.com

It’s really easy to realize the things you’ve forgotten as soon as you need it.  It’s especially easy to do this with your medicine cabinet, because you don’t notice you need things like bandages or alcohol until you hurt yourself.

It’s best to keep some sort of first aid kit in your place, so you have all your necessities in one place.  In your first aid kit you’ll want to keep band-aids of varying sizes, sterile gauze dressings, tweezers, antibiotic ointment, burn ointment, and isopropyl alcohol.  Other things you may want to include in your first aid kit are things like q-tips and an over-the-counter allergy medicine (in case of allergic reaction).  It’s good to have these things all in one place so if someone gets hurt, all you have to do is grab the kit that you put together.

You should avoid using the products in your first aid kit, as these are only for emergencies.  Therefore it’s a good idea to keep a supply of all of these products on hand, aside from the ones you keep in your first aid kit.

Some other suggestions for your medicine cabinet include a thermometer, antacids, cough syrup, and anti-itch medicine.  It’s also a great idea to have some sort of over-the counter-pain medicine, either with acetaminophen or ibuprofen as the active ingredient.

It’s best to keep your medicine cabinet well stocked, even if you don’t need it now.  This way you’ll have something on hand should someone get hurt, or you just need something for your headache.

 

References:

Medicine Cabinet Must-Haves

6 Important Items for Your Medicine Cabinet

5 Must-Have Home Safety Products

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Student Life

Winter Weather Prep

Photo from http://saturdaybriefing.outrigger.com/

Especially if this is your first time living off-campus, there are certainly some things you need to know about getting yourself prepped for the snow and ice that comes around this time of the year.  Particularly with the recent Nor’easter, this seems particularly appropriate.

The first thing you need to consider is essential supplies to keep on hand.  Of course you’ll need basics like a snow shovel (ideally for both your car and your apartment), road salt or de-icer, and an ice scraper for your car.  However, you also want to consider putting together an emergency kit in case you get snowed in.  A home emergency kit should include:

  • Canned goods
  • Bottles of water
  • Batteries
  • Flashlights
  • Battery-operated radio
  • Extra blankets (in case the power goes out and you don’t have heat)

You’ll also want to make sure that you have an emergency kit in your car in case you get stuck somewhere.  A car emergency kit should include:

  • Sleeping bag (preferably a camping sleeping bag, as that will be able to keep you warm)
  • Extra winter boots
  • Additional warm clothing
  • Non-perishable or semi non-perishable snacks
  • Bottled water
  • Flashlight
  • Extra batteries

These types of kits, although you may feel like you don’t need them, could save your life in the event you get stuck with no electricity or you get stuck in your car.

We also recommend getting proper snow attire, especially when you’re walking around campus (because class isn’t cancelled when it snows).  Some great winter gear we’ve learned to keep on hand are

  • A winter jacket that is waterproof
  • Waterproof snow boots with a tread
  • Long underwear or spandex to put on underneath your clothes
  • Winter hats
  • Scarves
  • Waterproof gloves or mittens

Take it from us:  These are some of the essentials for getting through winter both on- and off-campus.

Overall, the best thing you can do is to get prepared for winter before it gets here, as the snow and the ice can often come way before the first day of winter.

References:

“Top 10 Winter Survival Tools and Tactics” by Roby Ferrari

“Put Together a Winter Home Emergency Kit” by Jason Fitzpatrick

“Put Together a Winter Car Emergency Kit” by Jason Fitzpatrick

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