Should I Take a Summer Course?

With summer break right around the corner, you may find yourself debating on whether or a summer course is right for you. Check out the pros and cons listed below, you may come up with your own ideas to add to the lists!

Pros:

• Gets general education courses/electives out of the way

• Keeps you in the rhythm of school

• Smaller course loads during the fall and spring to focus on more difficult classes

• Shorter classes since the summer courses do not last the same length as a full semester

Cons:

• Less downtime in the summer to unwind/relax

• Harder to get a summer job because it affects your availability

• Less variety in the selection of courses to take

• Shorter classes can make the course fast paced potentially causing you to fall behind

Who Doesn't Want Free Money?

Finding and applying for scholarships can be tedious, time consuming, and straight up annoying. It doesn't have to be that way though! Below are a few tips to make your scholarship search smoother and more effective.

1. Start searching ASAP. Begin your searching in the summer, and continue throughout the school year.
2. Answer any and all optional questions on scholarship matching websites- it makes it easier to find one to match your needs.
3. Use free scholarship matching services! It allows you to use a little less effort.
4. Keep an eye out for local scholarships or any scholarships through a parent's employer.
5. Tailor your application responses to the sponsor's goal of the scholarship.
6. Create a special calendar just for scholarships in order to keep deadlines organized.
7. Apply to ALL scholarships that you are eligible for, especially less competitive ones. It doesn't matter if they are for a smaller amount of money. Anything will help, and multiple scholarships will add up.
8. Personalize your essay and be passionate about whatever you're talking about-even if the passion is a little far-fetched.
9. Create an email address specifically for scholarships.
10. Keep copies of your applications.

Seeing is Believing! The Law of Attraction and Outcome Visualization.

The law of attraction is easy to understand; whatever thoughts you allow to manifest in your brain, and which thoughts you choose to feed into, can determine your reality.  Think positively, and positive things will come your way, think negatively, and the world will give you negativity. Maya Angelou once said, "A solitary fantasy can transform a million realities."

Outcome visualization works like this: Your brain is the command center of your body, as you know. Every thought you have affects your body in some way. By visualizing yourself accomplishing your goals, it actually gives you more confidence and primes your body to take action on your goal. It is most effective if your vision is detailed and involves all the senses. Furthermore, don't just visualize the end goal, visualize the process. Say you want to run a marathon. Visualize yourself crossing that finish line, but also visualize your legs pumping, your arms relaxed, your breathing steady, the wind whipping past you.

Now, obviously, you cant just think about something and expect it to fall in your lap. Visualize, then TAKE ACTION!

 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/frank-niles-phd/visualization-goals_b_878424.html.

"Goal" for the Gold!

I get it - By this point in the semester, all you can think about is summer vacation! Although warmer weather is right around the corner, it's important not to lose sight of the tasks you will be facing during the remainder of the school year. Setting goals gives you short-term motivation to achieve your long-term visions. Here are some goal-setting strategies to get the ball rolling:

1) Keep Them Few in Number - Productivity studies who that you really can't focus on more than 5 - 7 tasks at one given time.

2) Make Them SMART - Strive to make your goals specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound.

3) Write Them Down - When you write something down, you are stating your intention and setting things into motion.

4) Review Them Frequently - You can review them daily, weekly, or monthly - It's up to you - They key is to let them inspire and populate your daily tasks.

5) Share Them Selectively - Try not to share you goals with anyone who isn't committed to helping you achieve them.



Find Your Motivation

It's that time of year when it is super easy to slack off. Don't get lost in the lack of motivation! Below are a few strategies to help you combat the lack of motivation!

Just 5 Minutes: 5 minutes of apathy is usually enough time to break through your apathy. Get through the first 5 minutes and find yourself making process!


Use Your Body to Trick Your Brain: Stop slouching, start moving, and laugh!


Chase the Flow: Don't put off a challenging task. Simply get started and you'll find yourself in a flow of productivity.


Plan Tomorrow Tonight: Create a to-do list the night before to start your morning off strong!


Get the Right Tools: Some tools can overwhelm you and make work harder. Find tools you enjoy using in order to prevent procrastination.


Use Inspiring Quotes: Cheesy motivational posters exist for a reason. Hang some up in your work space!


Rock Out: Playing music can eliminate distractions and put you in a good mood. That increases your productivity!


Don't Be a Perfectionist: Impossible standards guarantee stress and procrastination.


Remind Yourself of Your Goals: Once you have your goals in mind, post them somewhere that you will see them every day. Looking at them will inspire you to work hard.


Turn to TED Talks: Watch a TED Talk to help understand yourself. Learn why we are prone to procrastination.


Help others: Teaching others helps you practice the material and find out how much you actually know. It also helps you gain confidence.


Don't Force It: Motivation only lasts so long. When you start to feel tired, don't fight it. Go get something to eat, take a nap, or just relax. Allow your body to refuel.


Rethink Your Process: Motivation isn't always the problem. Maybe you dislike a particular way of doing something-try to do it a different way!


Picture Yourself Succeeding: Doing this give your brain a rush of dopamine. Dopamine is directly related to motivation.


Get a Pep Talk: Watch a Kid President video or talk to someone close to you. Pep talks can be very encouraging to get you pumped to be productive.
 
Celebrate Your Achievements: At the end of each day, review your accomplishments. It's easy to get overwhelmed, and doing this will help you see how far you have come.

Read more at https://www.wrike.com/blog/simple-motivation-tips-infographic/

Sell Yourself with Your Resume

Building your resume can be tricky! The key to a great resume is using descriptive words to display your strengths. Different action words are more appropriate for some jobs rather than others. The following link displays lists of words that work better for the type of job you are searching for.

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/selling-yourself-in-a-resume-with-action-words.html

Use the above link to find the best words to spice up your resume!

If you're unsure of how to format or get started with your resume, there are many templates that can also be found online!

Food For Thought

Eating healthy is good for both your mental and physical health! The brain requires nutrients, just like your heart, lungs, or muscles. Here are some foods that will keep your grey matter happy and healthy!

1) Binge on Blueberries - Evidence suggests that blueberries may be effective in improving or delaying short-term memory loss.


2) Eat More Tomatoes - There is good evidence to suggest that lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found in tomatoes, could help protect against the kind of free radical damage to cells which occurs in the development of dementia, particularly Alzheimer's.


3) Pick Up Pumpkin Seeds - Just a handful of pumpkin seeds a day is all you need to get your recommended daily amount of zinc, vital for enhancing memory and thinking skills.


4) Bet On Broccoli - A great source of vitamin K, which is known to enhance cognitive function and improve brainpower.


5) Sprinkle On Sage - Sage has long had a reputation for improving memory and although most studies focus on sage as an essential oil, it could be worth adding fresh sage to your diet too.


6) Eat Oily Fish - Oily fish contains EPA and DHA in a ready-made form, which enables the body to use it easily. The main sources of oily fish include salmon, trout, mackerel, herring, sardines, pilchards and kippers. Low DHA levels have been linked to a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and memory loss.


7) Opt for Whole Grains - The ability to concentrate and focus comes from the adequate, steady supply of energy - in the form of glucose in our blood to the brain. Achieve this by choosing whole grains with a low-GI which release glucose slowly into the bloodstream, keeping you mentally alert throughout the day.

Having a nourishing, well rounded diet gives our brain the best chance of avoiding disease. Incorporate these foods into your diet and you'll be on your way to a better brain!

Baby steps!

Motivation comes from the confidence gained when accomplishing small goals towards a dream!

Making more smaller, attainable goals that add up to a larger goal is much more beneficial that just setting one big goal. This is because you are continuously attaining those smaller goals and feeling your progress as you go. Seeing progress is where the motivation stems from; if you work out for a month and cant see any improvement, you may quit because you feel discouraged, but if you set small goals like going an extra 5 miles on the treadmill, you can see the outcome of the work you are putting in! 

Basic Rules of Setting Goals:

*Be real with yourself in how long your big dream will take to achieve. 

Measure the trajectory of someone who has already accomplished the goal you wish to achieve to get an accurate prediction of the time needed. 

*Determine milestones, or steps, in the process of achieving your goal. 

If you want to get an A on your biology test, you should start studying for a half hour, then raise the bar to one hour, and increases days of studying the closer you get to your test. 

Remember to set SMART goals!

Specific

Measurable

Attainable

Relevant/Realistic

Time-bound

5 Hobbies to Make You SMARTER

Although our weather lately has been remarkable considering that is it January, you may find yourself stuck inside with nothing to do. Below is a link to an info graphic that displays five different hobbies that engage your brain ultimately making you smarter. Take a look!

http://proessaywriter.net/5-hobbies-that-can-make-you-smarter/

-ASM Meghan :)

STOP! You're reading that textbook all wrong!

What if I told you, that you should be reading your textbooks BACKWARDS!?


How many hours have you spent reading your textbook chapter front to back, word for word, and when you get to the end, you have no idea what you just read? Well, I'm about to change you life. Textbooks don't usually have a plot leading up to a big dramatic ending, their purpose is to inform and educate, not entertain; different purposes, mean different methods of reading. Here's how you should tackle that chapter:


step 1. flip right to the back and read over those chapter questions. Answer some if you can. This will prep your brain and help you sort out what is important.


step 2. Read the summary. Get the big ideas and main jist of what the chapter is about.


step 3. Read the introduction. This may add some context to what you are about to read.


step 4. Pick out the main ideas. This is easy because they are usually big and bold!


step 5. Scan the section for important supporting details of the big bold heading.


Step 6. Make sure you have those key terms down. THIS IS KEY!


Happy Reading!

A Survival Guide to Finals Week

Finals week often ends up feeling like dead week - Social lives, sleep habits, and healthy eating habits get tossed out the window in exchange for all nighters, stress, and study guides. In the midst of all this chaos, it can be difficult to focus on the task at hand, so here are some tips to help you through finals week.

1. Do Not Disturb - One look at your phone and you’re immediately sucked into the endless world of texting, Facebook, and Twitter. Every time your phone lights up or vibrates, it distracts you and takes even more time to get your mind back into concentration mode. Turn it completely off or put it in “Do Not Disturb” mode to minimize distractions. 

2. Set Goals & Rewards - Challenge yourself by setting a goal. Once you reach that goal, set aside a reward for yourself. For example, tell yourself that if you finish reading the entire chapter, you can take a ten-minute Facebook break. 


3. Allocate Your Time - You don’t have to spend an equal amount on every subject. If you know some topics better than others, focus on those that need the most preparation first. Also, if you can finish your final papers before Dead Week, you will have that much more free time to really focus on studying. 


4. Hydrate - Water, agua, H2O, whatever you call it, DRINK IT! When forced to choose between an energy drink and water, always choose water. Energy drinks are packed with caffeine, sugar and sodium, which can lead to dehydration, which can then impair memory and focus. 


5. Go Bananas - Pick a fruit, any fruit, and put it in your backpack. Fruit is easy to take on the go, and also a super-filling snack. 


6. Study With a Group, But Only If It Makes Sense - Many students believe (mistakenly) that a study group always affords an advantage: more brain power plus peer pressure to crack the books. This works well when your study buddies are at least as smart as you. Exam time isn't charity time.


7. 4-Star Tip - Don't waste too much time outlining your answers, writing down formulas you've memorized, or (when given a choice) starting a question and then stopping and starting another question. You're being graded on the quality of your answer, not on notes to yourself or false starts.

8. Be Sure To Develop Your Answers Fully -  Many students don't realize that, on essay exams, part of what's being graded is how well you develop and explain your answer, not just how correct it is. Consider explaining your points in more detail so that someone unfamiliar with the answer would know, just from what you say, what the answer is.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding finals, or if you just need someone to talk to, stop in to the Ruddock office Monday from 3-5pm, Tuesday from 12:30-2:30pm, or Friday from 10am-12pm!


- ASM Katie :)

Be Successful in a Winter Class

With winter break right around the corner, you may find yourself signing up for an online class in order to get a little bit ahead. Online classes certainly have their perks to them, but there are a few steps you should take to solidify your chances of successfully completing the class.

Here are some quick tips to remain successful over winter break:

1. Understand the required materials

• Do you need to purchase a book?
• Do you have access to a computer/laptop?
• Do you have trustworthy internet access?

2. Communicate with the professor

• Send an email prior to the start of the class to introduce yourself.
• Don't be afraid to email the professor with any questions - that's what he/she is there for!

3. Create a schedule

• Some online courses may give you all the work from the start and allow you to work at your own pace.
• Know when the due dates are. You may not receive reminders about upcoming assignments.

4. Stay organized and focused

• Know the due dates.
• Complete the assignments.
• It is easy to forget about an online class when you are at home relaxing. Make yourself reminders to complete the work.

5. Have a consistent workspace

• Do your work at a local library or coffee shop.
• Designate a part of your bedroom or living room strictly as a workspace.
• Pick a place with limited distractions.

Best of luck!

-ASM Meghan

Change your habits...but not today.

What are some habits you would like to change about yourself? Would you like to exercise more? Eat better? What about going to all your classes? Being more organized. Don't procrastinate as much. 


With the winter breaks coming up, it is a perfect time to access yourself and decide on one habit you would like to change. Instead of focusing on too many habits and getting overwhelmed, focus on the ONE that is most important to you. You can add on later once you have successfully accomplished your first goal. Furthermore, Don't expect to change anything about yourself in just a day. The only way to make a true change is to take baby steps and gradually improve.


 Believe it or not,our habits are determined by our cerebral cortex, which involves muscle memory. Our habits are literally engrained into our brains through synapse connections. It is impossible for us to change those connections one day, instead we need to gradually carve out new pathways for our synapses to make a permanent change.


Lets take an example. Say you want to be more organized for the Spring semester.
Start out with small steps. Get yourself a planner. When your teachers give you your syllabus, go ahead and write down all your known homework for that semester in your planner. If you're on a roll, you can even color highlight different activities, events, or classes.
Next, create a weekly set schedule. I have a chart above my desk that tells me where I absolutely need to be and at what times for every day of the week. That way I can see where my free time and utilize it properly.
Finally, Its time to clean out those files from your high school English class on your computer that you're never going to need again. Do a clean sweep of everything you don't need on your computer and organize the things you do need into folders. My personal computer has folders in folders in folders. Keep up with your organization by always saving your work to the correct folder. This way, you will never lose anything!

Whatever you're goal is, don't forget: Pick 1 and take it slow! Don't be afraid to reward yourself either!

Improve Your Study Habits

As motivation decreases, the ambition you may have had to study also decreases. Prevent yourself from slacking off, and find out the best strategies to study! Here are 8 tips that can help you get through the last few weeks of the semester:

1. Review content within 24 hours.

2. Refrain from multitasking while studying.

3. Recite information from memory.

4. Take practice tests.

5. Listen to classical music.

6. Use flashcards.

7. Make connections between ideas.

8. Exercise prior to studying.

Good luck as you finish this semester strong!               

-ASM Meghan



Only 5 Weeks Left in the Semester? Spooky! Here's Some Tips to Stay Motivated As the Semester Comes to an End.

Week 10 of the fall semester has just come to an end... Spooky, right? Do you know what else is spooky? The fact that there's only 5 more weeks left in the whole semester! Where has the time gone!? With Halloween and Thanksgiving celebrations on everyone's mind at this time of the year, it's important to stay on track and keep yourself motivated with your school work and obligations (as hard as that may be). Here are just a few tips to peak your motivation just when you seem to be losing it:


1. Set Small Goals - Focus on progress, no matter how big or small, to keep your motivation from dwindling; take things one-step-at-a-time.

2. Organize Your Time - Doing well academically should be a top priority; set some time aside to plan out the week ahead of you.

3. Develop a Support Group - Finding friends and family that support your goals can make a world of difference when it comes to staying motivated.

4. Be Realistic, But Always Strive for Improvement - Be realistic in undertaking your pursuits; nothing happens overnight and nothing comes easy.

5. Believe in Yourself! - Always work to be the best you can be and never give up on goals that are important to you, regardless of how frustrated or exhausted you may become.

I hope these tips help you to push through the last couple weeks of the semester when you're being bombarded with work, exams, and projects. Remember to always strive for greatness. Stop into my office if you have any questions, concerns, or if you just need to talk!

Have a HAPPY and SAFE Halloween!

- ASM Katie :)

personalize your study habits

"If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”

Everyone is unique, therefore everyone has there own unique ways of learning. Some people learn simply by sitting in class and listening to the teachers lecture, others are more hands on and need to physically practice. Some people are visual learners and grasp concepts using charts and visual aids. Below is a great diagram to help you pinpoint your unique style of learning.

Now that you have seen which learning style fits your personality the best, you can get the most benefit out of this knowledge by tweaking your study habits to fit your learning style. The chart above also provides some great study tips for all of the different learning styles. Find what works best for you!



It's the Most Stressful Time of the Year

Hang in there!
At this point in the semester, it is common for stress levels to increase all across the campus. It is important to have an awareness of how much stress you can handle before you reach your breaking point. Luckily for all of you, you live in a community that has two different meditation rooms! Stop into the meditation room in either Maple or Ruddock to take a step back and just breathe. The rooms will provide you with a computer to play soothing music or instructional yoga videos as well as a variety of pillows. Take advantage of the resources right around you and take care of your mental health. Always remember: This too shall pass:)

Didn't Do So Well On Your Midterms? Never Fear - There's Room for Recovery!

With week seven of the semester coming to a close, you all know what that means: MIDTERM EXAMS. Sure you've had other tests and quizzes prior to this, but midterms are some serious business; they're a way of testing what you've learned during your first seven weeks here at IUP and they usually weigh a pretty hefty influence on your final grade. Stressful, right? Some of you may be in the process of preparing for you midterm exams now, but what about those of you who've taken them already? Did you do well? Was the score you received the one you were expecting? For those of you who didn't do as well as you wanted to (or as well as you thought you were going to do) here are some tips for midterm recovery.

1) Take A Deep Breath - We all make mistakes. Try to accept this one and move forward onto bigger and better things. You were born to be real, not perfect.

2) Contact Your Professor - Creating relationships with your professor can completely change your classroom experience and understanding. They will notice and respect your effort, and in return, you'll get the help that you need.

3) Front And Center - It's time to sit in the front row and turn off your phone. If you didn't do well on your midterm, that means you need to crush the final exam, and scrolling through Twitter in the back of the classroom simply won't help you. Don't just go to class - be present.

4) Implement A Plan - Okay, so you didn't do well on the midterm - What are you going do about it? Write down your personal goals. What will you do differently the second half of the semester? Execute your plan! A bad grade on a midterm doesn't define you, how you bounce back does.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your academic standing, or your stressed and need someone to talk to, feel free to stop by my office in Ruddock on Mondays 3-5, Tuesdays 12:30-2:30 & Fridays 10-12.

- ASM Katie :)

To begin, just start: 5 steps to writing a research paper

I won't lie to you, I am a procrastinator. Not because I would rather be laying on my bed watching Netflix, or because I have many other things to do, but because I just don't know where to start!


Step 1: Coffee.


Step 2: Decide on your topic. Make it specific, make sure you can get the required page limit out of that topic, and stick to it!


Step 3: Make a web. Put your topic in the middle and on the outside write at least 5 main areas of interest to expand upon.


Step 4: Make an outline. Here we will get more detailed. Use your "outside web" ideas as main topics for paragraphs or sections of your paper, then expand on those more in your outline, becoming more detailed. By this point you should be able to see your paper unfolding in front of you!


Step 5: Research what you don't know. Get the research topics from your outline!


Step 6: Write a CRAPPY first draft. Sit down, take a deep breath, and type away! The hard part is
over!


Most Important Step!
Step 7: Take that crappy first draft to the writing center! Located in Eicher hall. Peer tutors are there ready to read your paper and help you in any way they can! They can even tell your professor that you went to them (Professors like seeing that you are trying ;)).


Step 8: Revise your paper with the corrections from the writing center.

Get Involved!

Becoming involved on campus has a ton of benefits. Are you feeling
lonely and homesick? Do you find yourself sitting in your room bored?
Do you need a way to build your resume? Now is prime time to check out
all of your opportunities! Joining an organization can cause you to
form life long friendships and a sense of belonging...all while doing
something you love! Log onto Crimson Connect to see what your options
are. If you need extra guidance, stop into the ASM office. We'd love
to help you!


-ASM Meghan :)