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Besides the sights, food, and sense of adventure that comes with the appeal of studying abroad, there are other elements to the program that can be beneficial to a student’s future. If you are a student, and money is not the main issue that you consider before studying abroad, perhaps you should think about these other facts about studying abroad that will help broaden and nourish your education. You will notice that each point builds off of another.

#1 Become Cultured

Being cultured does not mean that a person becomes snooty. It is becoming well-versed and knowledgeable with other’s surroundings, becoming aware that there are other cultures and people who live different lives than your own. Being cultured is a form of education because you are learning about other people, which actually make you also learn more about yourself.

#2 Learn Independence

This may actually be the immediate appeal of studying abroad for some people – getting away from authority figures. Depending on whether it is a foreign exchange or a group study abroad program, there are still people who you have to check-in with and answer to. However, being without your ordinary care-givers and learning the rules of another chaperone actually forces you to depend on yourself to deal with the changes around you. You may need to go shopping for yourself, get used to the foreign transportation, and learn to communicate with new people. Adjusting to the different lifestyle and regimen makes you depend on your own ability to mature with an ever-changing life, whether it is in a foreign country or when you eventually go back to your own home soil.

#3 Become a Better Student

Learning independence can greatly improve your study habits, which in effect creates a better student. Although there is much to offer with the surroundings in a foreign country, a study abroad program forces students to study hard. If you believe that you are traveling to a foreign country to slack off, you are under the wrong impression. Study abroad programs keep their students busy with classes and homework. A friend of mine told me that his trip to Spain kept him so busy with his school work that he only had time to sight-see on the weekend. And, having spent the money as well as the effort of getting into the program, students feel more inclined to do a good job, and learn to depend on themselves to get a good grade since there isn’t really anyone else to force you to do your homework except for you. But, with all of your new friends around you studying hard, you can feel inspired to try just as hard as everyone else.

#4 Learn a Second Language

Usually, students who study abroad visit with a country that speaks another language. Although this is not always the case, since students could easily study in England, Ireland, or Scotland where they speak English, if you do go to a country with a different language, you are forced to pick up some of it. Even if you do not become fluent in the language, you will at least learn enough to have broken conversations or get by. Knowing a second language is extremely beneficial in regards to your education since schools want students to learn a second language anyway, and speaking at least two languages is even beneficial to your career since most jobs are impressed with applicants who speak more than one language.

#5 Improves Resume

Learning a second language, earning independence, and become cultured are all parts of studying abroad that impress employers. Everything that you can gain from a study abroad program will help you be a better worker in the future, and employers recognize that. Putting your study abroad program on your resume is a great addition to the skills and education you have earned.

Study, study, study… it’s what students do almost every day of their life. And, if they aren’t studying, then they are worried about when they have to start studying again after their short break. Unfortunately, that is just the way of the student. There are good and bad ways to study though. If you are a student who wants to improve your grades, then there are simple tricks and tips to keep in mind that will not only improve your grades, but possibly make your own studying habits a little simpler on yourself.

Overall, it comes down to planning. Think ahead a little bit and try out these 7 things to help improve your study skills and, ultimately, your grades.

#1 Get Rest

Although this has been gone over many times, it is never said enough – Get enough rest before you go to school. Showing up to school tired means that you are not focused on the material that your teacher is lecturing or on what you are reading. If you are having trouble focusing in class while you yawn every ten minutes or more, chances are that you are not getting enough sleep during the night. If you are still skeptical on the importance of getting sleep, there is an entire blog on Eduify that is dedicated to the detrimental effects of sleep deprivation.

#2 Eat Before an Exam, (but don’t drink much)

Food is fuel. When people do not eat properly they become tired, weak, and grumpy. None of those symptoms of hunger are conducive to proper concentration while you try to study or attend class. If you are in class and you stomach is grumbling because you skipped breakfast again, you are going to end up daydreaming about food rather than listen to the lecture. Do yourself a favor and eat something that will tide you over while attending class. However, you may not want to drink anything in excess. The feeling of a full bladder and needing to run to the bathroom in the middle of class can be just as distracting as an empty stomach.

#3 Arrive to Class Early

When students are showing up to class late they are often out of breath or are interrupting the instructor’s lesson. A late entrance not only distracts the students, but it distracts the teacher, which is no way to get on a teacher’s good side. Being late also means that you have missed some material that was first given in the beginning of class, which may leave you a bit frazzled and possibly missing even more information as you ask a fellow student, “What did I miss?” I recommend showing up five or ten minutes early to class, so you have time to take your seat and set up your books without disturbing anyone with your backpack’s zipper or adjustments of your chair. An early student is prepared and in a ready state-of-mind to be taught.

#4 Make Flash Cards

Many students make flash cards when they are preparing for a test. I suggest making flash cards even before your test. Make early preparations for your test. If there is some information that you feel will be difficult to remember, you should put it on a flash card, that way when it is time to take your test, most of your flashcards will already be set for you, which should make you more relaxed than having to prepare cards last minute for your test.

#5 Record Lectures

If you happen to have a teacher who goes over material quickly or does not seem to stay on a topic long enough for you in class, ask the instructor if he or she would mind that you record the lecture. With a copy of the lecture in your pocket, you can later rewind and listen to any important parts that you may have missed jotting down in your notes. Most teachers do allow students to bring a recorder in to class, as long as they are warned ahead of time. It is not ethical to record a person talking who is not aware of it, so be sure to ask your teacher for permission before doing so.

#6 Read the Material after the Lecture

It may seem simple, but there are far too many students who only listen to the teacher lecture over a subject, but never actually read the material in the book. After the lecture, make time to read over the same material your instructor went over. Going over a lesson twice will help solidify the information in your memory better.

#7 Discuss Material with Friends

Although most students do not want to talk about their homework, having a discussion about the material you are studying is a great way to help remember information. If you are reading something confusing or interesting, relay that exact information to a friend or family member. When you force yourself to repeat the material and think about the topics in a conversation, you help yourself remember the information better. Since I had trouble remembering dates in history, I used to spout off facts to my brother with, “Did you know…?” He would usually roll his eyes or ignore me because he didn’t want a history lesson, but I just continued talking at him and it was a lot of help for me to remember the facts easier.

Picking an outfit for the first day of class is harder than you think

We have always been taught that first impressions are the most important impressions we make. There is only one shot at it, and if it’s messed up, people have a hard time changing their initial opinion of us. This rule still applies over the course of the semester, as the student. You may believe that you can disappear among the rest of the class-full of students, but this is not true. Instructors observe their students from the very first day, trying to figure out what kind of people they will be dealing with throughout the semester or year. And, since students rarely get to speak the first day of class, the way teachers surmise a student’s character is by observing the way that they dress. Here are some tips on making a good impression with your teachers by dressing in an appropriate manner.

Avoid Wearing Crude T-Shirts

It is very popular to wear shirts with slogans across the chest or back, or to even have large pictures of people or jokes. There may be nothing wrong with this, as long as you are not wearing anything that could be interpreted as offensive, immature, or sleazy. T-shirts displaying girls in bikinis could make your teachers uncomfortable, as well as the other female classmates. Similarly, you can easily lose your teachers and some classmates’ respect by wearing shirts with foul language or inappropriate jokes. I once had a friend who wore a shirt displaying the best ways to avoid taking a test. Although his friends were amused, the teacher was not. If a teacher loses respect for you, it is less likely that that teacher will be able to give you the benefit of the doubt when you need assistance or tell him or her that you need an extension on some homework.

Don’t Wear Provocative Clothing

Skimpy clothing on men or women is not appropriate in the classroom. Young ladies in low-cut tops and young men who wear thin undershirts with nothing else can make the professors feel uncomfortable. Provocative clothing can be distracting to other students or teachers by constantly drawing other people’s eyes towards you. It can also make professors feel that you are disrespecting the class by trying to use the classroom as a time to pick up a date instead of learning from the lecture. Getting an education can be looked at as a form of a job, so dressing in a more serious manner than clubbing attire should be taken into consideration.

Take Off Your Sunglasses During Class

Students who wear sunglasses appear as if they are trying to ignore everyone around them. This is disrespectful to a teacher, who may feel as if the student is not listening to the lecture. Having witnessed one student who always came to class with sunglasses, I know first-hand that both the teacher and the other students would comment how unfriendly and rude the sunglass-wearing student appeared.

Do Not Overdress for Class

Some students think that they need to come to class looking as if they are dressed for the office. Showing up in button up shirts or high heels cannot be comfortable as you sit at a desk for over an hour. Yes, you want to make a good impression, but wearing clothing that is stiff or stuffy could make you so uncomfortable that you are distracted from the lecture and hinder your learning ability.

Wear Something Appropriate to Your Style

It is important to make a good impression, but it is also important that your fashion choices also show some of the real you. You don’t need to go out and buy new clothes just because you need to make a good impression. Use what is in your closet, but just keep in mind that the clothes you wear will be what the teacher uses to profile you with over the course of the school year. Dressing nice the first day and then changing your style completely in the next few weeks will not maintain a good impression.

Finding the right internship is not as tricky as it seems.

By Amelia Anderson

Although internships are like taking on a part-time job while students are finishing their education, they are actually very beneficial to future goals. Internships will not only give you experience in the field you are interested in pursuing, but they usually act as some form of school credit, can potentially open a possible permanent position within that same company in the future, and some will actually offer a small payment or stipend. All in all, internships are great ways to get you on the right career path. Even if you find that you no longer hold interest in your field, then the internship has served the purpose of showing you whether you would feel compatible with that career or not. Whether you are in high school or college, here are some tips on finding the internship that will be beneficial for you.

Ask Your Teachers

Teachers are a great source of information when it comes to your school and whatever jobs might be available in it. Chances are, at least one of your teachers will know of an internship at the school, which will make it easy for you to get to your job and classes on time. And, since your teachers have gotten to know you pretty well over the course of months or years, they are inclined to have your best interests in mind with your future plans. If you are interested in becoming an editor, ask your writing teacher if he or she knows of any internships that are related to the editing field. In my own experience, I had a teacher who referred me to taking an internship in a Writing Center because I was interested in becoming a writer.

Browse Online

There are plenty of job-listings that actually list available internships, as well. Just punch in the word “internship” into your search engine and plenty of helpful sites will pop up. Websites like http://www.craigslist.org, www.internships.com, and http://college.monster.com are great resources for finding internships for a specific field. Be sure that you are dealing with a legitimate company for your internship, though. Some internships are offered that do not provide school credit or any compensation, which is not a productive use of your time. Get another individual’s opinion, like one of your professor’s, to see whether or not the internship you have found online will benefit your career goals.

Check the School’s Career Center

Schools are meant to help people earn a better career, so college campuses provide a career center for their students as an extra step in those future plans. Career centers will not only help you find an internship that is suitable for you, but they will also help you prepare a resume and possible even provide some coaching and tips for your interviews. Yes, even an internship requires an interview. Internships not only provide experience, but they help prepare students to deal with the pressures of a regular job, which also requires an interview and resume.

Ask Friend and Family

There is no shame in asking the people who are closest to you for help in finding an internship. These days, jobs can be hard to come by, and internships are not an exception to this. It is very common for people to network, using the people they are close with as resources for inside information on job and intern openings. If you know someone who is working in a field that is related to your own future goals, then ask that friend or family member about any internship openings. If that person can recommend you to his or her boss, then you are already ahead of the game by having a personal reference within the company.

Check the Newspaper’s Classifieds

It may seem old fashioned to some people, but leafing through a newspaper can be useful in finding an internship. It not only lists available jobs, but it lists available internships, too. Although most people prefer to search for their information online, sometimes when the cyber world of searching lets people down, it is helpful to use a different resource and open up the black and white pages of the classified section of the newspaper. If you ever feel stumped with your searches, try a different source. There is always more than one.

By Julia H. Jackson

When I was a freshman, I was stressing through my first college exams when my brother,  who was three years above me and had already learned the ins and outs of college life, took me aside and said: “Find the Egg Chair. Trust me.”

Mystified, I followed his directions to the Counseling Center on campus, where I found a room called Stress Services. The room was dimly lit, and soft music was playing in the background.

“Um, excuse me?” I asked the student receptionist. “Is this where I can find the Egg Chair?”

The student nodded, and asked for my student ID card. “Come this way,” he said, and I followed him into a small room, where a massive massage chair lay waiting. I could see why they called it the Egg Chair—it had a circular seat and a little white dome overhead. “You can turn on the music if you want,” he said, gesturing to a stereo behind the chair. “You’re entitled to thirty minutes,” and then he left the room.

I was awestruck. How was it that, halfway through dead week, I was somehow entitled to my own personal massage chair? Just how many university students knew about the magical Egg Chair? And what other equivalent services could I cash in on with my school ID card?

As it turns out, most colleges and universities offer a plethora of student services. Believe it or not, but schools are not just for classes. Now that your semester is winding down, here’s a list of the Top 5 Campus Resources You Forgot Were There. You never know, there might be an Egg Chair out there for you.

5. Drop-in Tutoring

The transition from high school to college can be a big academic jump. For this reason, most schools have an on-campus tutoring center where students can make appointments or drop in to get help with their homework.  Depending on the class, your professors might be able to direct you to a specific extracurricular workshop that corresponds with your field. Many of these tutoring services are also linked to programs such as the Economic Opportunity Program (EOP) and the National Collegiate Athlete Association (NCSA), so if you qualify for those scholarships, you are usually guaranteed a certain number of tutoring hours per semester.

If you can’t make the tutoring times, you can always get help here on Eduify with writing. We offer a whole group of great writing tutors that are standing by 24×7.

4. Counseling Services

As my experience with the Egg Chair shows, Counseling Services can apply to a variety of different things. For many students, starting college can be a surprising life change, and sometimes it can be hard to ask for help away from home. It is also common for certain health conditions, such as depression or bipolar disorder, to emerge in late adolescence, so it’s always a good idea to check in with counselors if you feel the need. Most colleges will offer a series of counseling sessions with a therapist, and can refer you to other resources if necessary.

3. Career Services:

Here’s a service I wish I’d utilized more as an undergrad. Most colleges have programs in place to help students meet with career counselors, take aptitude tests, research grad schools and internships, and attend resume and job skills workshops. These are amazing resources that are pretty hard to find once you leave school. Many career centers also offer a service where students can save letters of recommendation from their professors on file, in the event they want to apply to grad school. This is great because professors can write your recommendations while your work is still fresh in their minds, and also helpful if you plan to take time off before applying to graduate school.

2. Study Abroad Services:

The opportunity to study in another country is a privilege that might not interest everyone. That said, it is an incredible opportunity to immerse yourself in another country, and, sometimes, language. Even if you have no plans to leave the country, it is worth visiting your school’s study abroad center, if only to meet exchange students on your campus and learn about school and internship opportunities beyond your college. Many majors and departments have affiliated programs in other countries, especially foreign languages. Given the state our economy is in these days, many companies value students who have lived, studied, or worked abroad. ¿Por qué no?

1. Recreation Services:

Most colleges these days support athletics programs in a huge range of sports: football, basketball, soccer, swimming, water polo, volleyball…sailing. That said, you don’t have to be on a college team to use the facilities and equipment on campus. As a student, I often registered for half-unit recreation classes such as weight lifting, aerobics, or swimming, just to become familiar with the facilities. Of course, you don’t need to take a class to use a Stairmaster. Take advantage of these services while you’re enrolled; they get a lot pricier once you graduate!

Believe it or not, but universities offer a lot more than simply classes. Regardless if this is your first semester or your last, you still have time to take advantage of some of the student services on campus. Many students might not realize just how many programs help universities run, as well as how many services they qualify for. So what are you waiting for?