So here in My Kind Of College world we’re working hard to not only add content to the site, but promote the website as well. It’s not always easy, but anything worth working hard for never is.

It’s been awhile since I’ve taken to the blog… in fact too long! I’m working hard to get more articles organized and working on taking MKOC(My Kind Of College) to the next level. I can feel the creative juices within and they’re working overtime.

Let me just say that MKOC has been an incredible journey. About a week ago we had the wonderful pleasure of speaking to approximately 100 AVID students. We talked about College, MKOC, making and accomplishing goals. It’s so reinvigorating to have the opportunity to speak to the very students that MKOC is here to help. The passion in these students eyes is amazing and all of us here are inspired by their dedication and hard work. Students of all ages are definitely interested in learning more about college and how to best prepare themselves; all they really need is for someone to take the time to help them along the way. That’s why MKOC exists and why we use cartoons. There’s no need to intimidate students with lengthy articles, just give them what they need to know in simple, easy to understand language. And you know what? Why not use a few pictures along the way. Who doesn’t love looking pictures?

Getting the word out on MKOC is definitely hard work, but it’s also incredibly rewarding. Kids love the site. Parents love the site. Teachers love the site. Now we need to get the word out on a more national level!

I’m so grateful that many of you out there are using our ‘Spread the Word’ feature to tell friends, fellow parents, and other teachers about MKOC! Let’s keep the word spreading and tell as many friends as possible.

Thanks for the support! We’ll continue to work hard for every student out there that needs a little encouragement to pursue their college dreams!

Anne

I’m super excited about this! Cara Newman, editor of Young Money Magazine, interviewed me about My Kind Of College. She asked me about the cartoons, what inspired the site, and other really great questions! Check out the feature here:

Young Money Magazine Article

Say what? That’s right, you read the title correctly, text-books are the greatest gift of all. Lets think about it. Textbooks are expensive. Some students can spend close to $1,000 in books for ONE semester! That’s crazy. So what can you do about it? Ever heard of a gift-exchange? Why not have a text-book exchange? This year, instead of buying Christmas presents for your friends, exchange text-books. Chances are some of your friends will be taking classes next semester that you’ve already been in and vice versa. This is a great way to save money and have the textbooks you need for next semester.

There are even some great websites online that allow you to do text-book swaps. Search for the books you need and exchange them for textbooks you don’t need anymore.

I know for a lot of you out there money can get tight, especially in this economy. So hopefully this will provide you with an alternate solution to get the textbooks you need, while being able to save a little money at the same time.

Happy Holidays!
Anne

Mp3 player…. check.
Game console…. check.
Laptop…. check.
WiFi…. check.
Cell phone…. check

This isn’t your typical checklist. It’s the checklist of our generation. When it comes to technology, it’s at our fingertips. Wanna play a game of tennis? No need to leave the house, just play the video game simulation. Want access to thousands of different songs? No need to burn any gas to get to the store, just log on. We’ve got it all and in the comforts of our bedroom.

But…

It’s soo distracting! How can your average student even cope with homework when they’ve got all of these technological toys to amuse themselves with? Is it even possible?

It is when you learn to combine the technology you love with the school work you’re obligated to do. It’s easy really; you’ve just got to be a little creative.

1. Podcasts

Professors are now offering their lectures via podcasts, which is very cool. So instead of downloading that music video, take some time to get a few of your professor’s podcasts. You’ll be using your gadget and learning at the same time.

2. Online Meetings

Forget about schlepping to the library at 9pm to meet with your group, use the internet instead. There are some great websites out there that let you use the internet and a webcam to conduct group meetings. Combine that with AIM and you’re good to go!

3. Online tutorials

Thought watching that online video with the polar bear riding the tricycle was funny? How about watching an online cartoon all about the laws of motion? There are seriously hundreds of videos on the internet right now on the subject you’re studying. Put that search engine to good use and take advantage of this great learning tool.

4. Educational Video Games

Can the words educational and video game be used in the same sentence? Why yes they can! Have you seen the commercials for all sorts of new video games that test your memory and your brain power? They are seriously awesome. It’s a great way to pass the time and work your brain all at once!

There are seriously tons of other ways to integrate technology into your school work. You can post questions on forums, get live homework help on specialty chats, and of course there’s always email. Be creative with your gadgets. Use them to your advantage, but don’t let them use you. We literally have the world at our fingertips. Maybe we should try using it to get an A on that exam instead of trying to get the high score on a video game… just a thought

It happens to almost everyone. Those that avoid it are either very lucky or very organized. Some love it. Others dread it. I’m talking about the all-nighter.

What would college be like without having to stay up all night studying for an exam? Well, a whole lot less stressful!

To those of you still in high school or middle school, and even those of you in college now, all-nighters are not necessary! I repeat, they are completely and totally avoidable.

So how can someone avoid those horrible all-nighters? Lets break it down step by step:

Step 1: Study your lecture notes when class is over.
Step 2: Devote 2-3 hours each day to reviewing your notes
Step 3: Repeat Steps 1 and 2 everyday!

See how easy that was??? Now I know what you’re saying, “Hey, that’s totally easier said than done!” And you know what, I completely agree with you. It’s so much easier to tell someone to just study than it is to actually study. But the real reason why it’s so hard to study is because we aren’t really motivated to do so.

I mean, grades come at the end of the semester - and to many that’s like light-years away. We aren’t given any real rewards for doing well on an exam… so what’s our motivation? Well, there is no instant gratification when it comes to studying for exams, unless we create it.

When I was in school I used to reward myself for studying on time and on a regular basis. Why not try the same? Tell yourself that for everyday you study you’ll give yourself a cupcake (or whatever your favorite dessert is). Give yourself an incentive for studying! Make studying exciting! Remember when we were in grade school and we got gold stars every time we did really well on an assignment? Why don’t you try doing the same thing now? I know it may sound kinda lame initially, but I think that everyone loves receiving praise, so creating a fun little gold-star chart just may work. After all, it worked back when we were kids!

We have to motivate ourselves to study, if we don’t no one else will. Keep your eye on the prize. Study everyday. And give yourself a gold star. Sometimes we all need a push to keep going… and it doesn’t hurt to push yourself a little bit each day.

Take Care,
Anne

I’m a believer in doing what you love and loving what you do. The only way to avoid being miserable in life is to feel passionately about something. I think it’s most people’s hope to pursue something that they are passionate about while in college. If this is the case, then why do some students feel empty? … Is it because they’re not following their hearts? Do they not understand themselves? Or are some confused? I personally don’t think it’s any of those reasons.

A lot of us may feel as though we are not fulfilling our passions in life. But I believe that the reason we feel this way is because we are afraid. Maybe the reason why so many college students “don’t know” what they want to do in life is because they’re afraid that if they go after what they’re truly passionate about, they’ll fail. I mean, who really wants to fail at something they love? No one.

Some may say that we only use 10% of our brains, but what if we’re only pursuing our dreams with 10% passion? If all of us pursued our dreams to our complete abilities, then I think many of us would be leading the lives we dreamed about as children.

As you begin your college endeavors, choose your path wisely. Don’t let others decide for you. And never pursue a career because you feel obligated to do so. If you create your own path, your own destiny, then you will truly be successful in life.

Yes! Oh wait, I mean Ohhhh Noooo!!! It’s time to write those college applications! College applications, especially the dreaded college essay are frightening for many, many students. Emphasis on the word many. I was there. And yes I was very scared. Colleges will be looking at your college essay to evaluate YOU - to figure out if you’re the right person for their school. It’s an incredibly daunting task to pour your life story into an essay, much less into 250 words. So what can you do? How can you write the best essay out there that will hopefully lead to the much sought after letter of acceptance?
Read more…

In college it’s hard to not feel as though who you are right now isn’t good enough. I think a lot of students go off to college with the belief that as soon as they step onto their college campus they’re going to be instantly transformed into the person that they were “meant” to be. But what’s wrong with who you are right now? The person you are at this moment is the exact same person that applied to and was accepted into college, so why should you change? As the old saying goes, “If it ain’t broke, why fix it?”

Too often we feel as though we aren’t good enough, aren’t smart enough, aren’t capable enough… but why? As many of you begin to plan your path onto adulthood and into college, don’t forget who you are. It’s your selling point. And the very reason why colleges will want you. Don’t feel tempted to change your personality or anything else about you because some college upperclassmen, or anyone for that matter, tried to make you feel inferior. Be strong. Be courageous. And most importantly, Be Yourself.

So with Barack Obama as our President, what will happen to higher education in America? Plenty! And for the better. Although Barack Obama’s educational plans have yet to be made into law, we do have a lot to look forward to:

First of all, Obama seeks to make obtaining a higher education more affordable. He’ll do so through the American Opportunity Tax Credit which would provide a $4,000 refundable tax credit towards a college education in exchange for 100 hours of community service. According to the Obama website, the $4,000 tax credit should cover 2/3 of the cost of tuition for your average public college or university and make attendance at a community college virtually free. This is great for students who saw the rising cost of tuition as a major obstacle to pursuing a higher education.

Under a Barack Obama presidency we can also look forward to a much more streamlined financial aid process. When your parents fill out their tax forms there will be a box that they can check that will allow their tax forms to be used for financial aid purposes without the need for filling out any additional forms. As some of us already know, filling out those FASFA forms can be tedious, confusing, and time-consuming. This new approach to financial aid will surely save us and our parents’ time in addition to providing a great deal of peace of mind.

So what do you guys think about the new changes in education legislation??? Leave a comment!

Hi everyone, this is my blog. I know the blog design is totally different from what you would expect a “college blog” to look like, but this is no ordinary college blog. I really wanted to let my imagination run wild and create a design that would be fun and creative. As you already know, My Kind Of College is no ordinary college website! We’re constantly adding fun cartoons and articles - and we are always looking for better ways to help you get ready for college & college life. I know this first post may seem kind of blah, but believe me, it will get more exciting!