Reintroducing: Emily L, Classy CoEd Intern

Name: Emily Longeretta

School: SUNY Oswego

Major: Journalism

Year in studies: Senior!

I have been with College Lifestyles since: August 2011

Organizational Involvement: Interned with Elle magazine, emcblue, InternQueen, SUNY Oswego Alumni Magazine.

Pets: Mag!

My friends say I am: Driven, funny, caring, real

Astrological sign: libra

My personal style is: Comfy, Cute, but sometimes love to get really dressed up!

Favorite clothing stores: Express, Forever 21, H&M.

Favorite movie: Pretty Woman

Favorite book/author: Probably Twilight, it’s kind of a weakness!

Favorite quote: “Everything happens for a reason.”

My screensaver is: Currently this pipes screensaver on my computer?

On my iPod you will find: Britney, Eminem, Kid Rock, Garth, Sugarland.

Must have beauty product: Sephora powder Cover Up, blush, and Mascara.

I have a slight obsession with: Sylvester Stallone, E!, & the Kardashians

I dislike: traffic, movies with unhappy endings, & when people hide their emotions.

Last movie I watched: In theaters, “Breaking Dawn: Part I,” On my TV, “Just Friends”

Last book I read: “Snuff’ by Chuck Palahniuk

My definition of a classy co-ed: A real girl who is honest with the person that she is, and proud of it! A classy co-ed is someone who, no matter what, believes in herself, and helps others when she can, always staying classy at heart. And, she never forgets who she is, and what she stands for.

Why I am excited about being an intern with College Lifestyles: This is my second semester interning with CL, and I loved it last semester. College Lifestyles is a trustworthy website that every classy co-ed can depend on for tips on careers, fashion, nutrition, and all around classy etiquette! Who wouldn’t be excited to be a part of that?

 

Emily Longeretta is an etquitte and fashion editorial intern for College Lifestyles (TM). She spent last semester living in New York City and can’t wait to go back after graduation in May. One day, she is determined to work for a big magazine or Entertainment industry.

A CL Intern’s Guide to Desk Organization

Whether your desk functions as a quiet study sanctuary, a social gathering spot or a place to remember all your friends and family from home, it’s important to organize it based on your specific needs and how you want it to function.

When I moved into a sorority house this fall, it was important for me to create a desk space that could balance my study demands with other personal interests. I knew that finding a quiet, solitary spot in a house with 50 other women would prove extremely difficult, so I was dedicated to making this space my own.

Keep your desk neat and organized this year with a few helpful tips from a college student herself!

1. Keep your cosmetics and beauty essentials close by. It’s helpful to keep products like make-up, perfume and lotion all together so you can be out the door in a moment’s notice. Check www.storables.com for cute and affordable storage options!

2. Pictures of family and friends from home can keep you connected even when you’re miles away. High school pictures in cute frames not only spice up your desktop, but they also remind you of great times and bring back old memories.

3. Keeping up with your favorite weekly television shows may not be easy in college, but there always seems to be time to pop in a good chick flick or TV series on DVD. Keep your favorites on hand for the inevitable study break or girl’s night in.

4. Store several folders and binders with essential personal information in a place they won’t get lost. It helps to keep these documents separate from schoolwork, so you can find them quickly when they are needed and store them when they are not.

5. Keep space open on your desktop for a computer or homework. There has to be plenty of room for you to spread out and comfortably study! Computers are another great way to personalize your space—choose a cute desktop background to compliment your desk accessories.

6. It’s important to hydrate in between classes, homework and social gatherings. Store a water bottle on your desk to remind you to drink plenty of water. Water is great for your health and helps fight off sugar cravings!

7. Drawers on your desktop are perfect for random storage. Tuck small items that tend to float on your desktop into drawers to create more space. It can also be a great place to store other miscellaneous school supplies such as tape, a stapler or paperclips.

Meaghan O’Connor is a Writer/Social Media intern at College Lifestyles (TM) and is a Communications/International Relations major at the University of Michigan. She is a proud member of Alpha Chi Omega Sorority and is known for her big heart and big dreams.

Meet a New Classy CL Intern- Meaghan

Name: Meaghan Taylor O’Connor

School: University of Michigan

Major: Communications & International Relations

Year in studies: Sophomore

I have been a College Lifestyles Intern since: I’m an excited, new intern for Fall 2011!

Greek Affiliation: Alpha Chi Omega- Theta Chapter

Organizational Involvement: Younglife College, Younglife Leadership, Ed2010, The Forum Greek Newspaper and College Gloss Magazine

Pets: Addie (Maltese/Shih-Tzu mix puppy)

My friends would say I am: A focused, hard-working, optimistic, caring and friendly perfectionist who has big dreams and never settles for less than her best.

My style is: Simple, elegant and refined- but always comfortable. I love mixing solid colors with fun patterns, dressing up with high-waisted skirts and lounging in sweatshirts & jeans.

My go-to accessory: My long strand of J. Crew pearls and fun, floral headbands.

My favorite snacks: My mother’s stovetop popcorn, fresh fruit, Special K granola bars and old-school animal crackers.

My hobbies include: Writing, reading romance novels and women’s magazines, watching sappy chick-flicks, baking, speed-walking and bargain shopping.

Favorite movies: 27 Dresses, She’s The Man, Dear John, The Last Song, The Holiday and A Walk to Remember

I have a slight obsession with: Women’s gossip/fashion magazines (especially Seventeen and Teen Vogue), romantic comedies, television dramas (Pretty Little Liars, Gossip Girl and Grey’s Anatomy) and Starbucks coffee.

I dislike: Mushrooms & spaghetti, scary movies and being away from friends and family.

On my desk you will find: Tons of pictures of friends and family, a bible, my writing portfolio, a Victoria’s Secret PINK dog and a MacBook Pro.

My favorite form of social media: I like to balance my time on Facebook and Twitter. I love all of the personalized features of Facebook, but I also love the speedy and quick-witted Twitter feed- there’s always something new!

MAC vs PC: A die-hard PC fan until college, I can’t imagine giving up my MacBook Pro for a PC ever again. There’s so much to love about MAC software.

Coffee vs Tea: Coffee has captured my heart and proven its worth in college.

Coke vs Pepsi: I’m a Diet Coke fan.

My definition of a classy co-ed: A highly motivated young woman, focused on pursuing her dreams and living a healthy lifestyle. She enjoys interacting with her peers and taking on new challenges- all while keeping a fun, upbeat and positive outlook on life.

Why I am excited about being an intern with College Lifestyles: I love meeting so many new, classy ladies across the country, writing articles that can relate to women nationwide and sharing tips and advice that can positively impact young women in our society. I truly value people and places to go for current, helpful tips on staying classy in an environment that often encourages un-classy behavior.

Meaghan O’Connor is a Writer/Social Media intern at College Lifestyles (TM) and is a Communications/International Relations major at the University of Michigan. She is a proud member of Alpha Chi Omega Sorority and is known for her big heart and big dreams.

A Few of My Favorite Things

As a new intern here at College Lifestyles, I thought it might be nice to kind of introduce myself to everyone with the short list of the things that I love the most (because the long list would never be finished).

1. My mom- I have the most wonderful relationship with my mom, and I’m so glad to have such a strong, positive, graceful, and classy woman to look up to. If you’ve ever seen the show Gilmore Girls (another one of my favorite things), we’re actually not unlike Lorelai and Rory.2. Music- I love all kinds of music. On a bad day, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, or the music from Glee can almost always cheer me up. On the flip side, when I’m in a good mood, there’s nothing better than an upbeat tune to keep me pumped up. I love to dance and to sing along to all my favorite songs (especially during impromtu dance parties with my sisters and on the car ride home from school to do laundry).
3. TV on DVD and on the internet- I love tons of TV shows, but because I’m extremely busy (double major, Greek life, early graduation, June LSAT, other campus activities, social life, etc.), I almost never get the chance to watch them on TV. Therefore, I have become a Hulu.com addict. I can watch current shows on my own time, anywhere I can get an internet connection. Also, I can watch shows that are off the air now (Will and Grace, Gilmore Girls, Friends, and Sex and the City mostly) and shows that come on cable channels that I don’t get at school (True Blood and Dexter) whenever I want to and over and over again.

4. My best friends- In addition to some of the best sisters in the world, I have the most incredible group of best friends back home and from living in the dorms last year. While sisterhood is a friendship unlike any other, having best friends outside of my letters isn’t something I would ever give up.

5. Wild Cherry Pepsi, Dr. Pepper, Soy White Chocolate Mochas, and Pumpkin spice lattes- As much as I love to sleep, I find it happens a lot less often than I’d like, so I am also pretty heavily caffiennated most of the time. I love Starbucks coffee (and my new RED tumbler that donates a percentage of my coffee purchase to charity) and around lunch, I usually choose one of my guilty pleasure sodas.
6. My planner, dry erase calendars, and other organizational type stuff- I love, love, love the feeling I get when all of my stuff is in the right place and easy to find when I need it to study, write papers, take notes, or whatever. My planner and dry erase calendars (one weekly and one monthly) help me keep track of due dates, fun sorority events, meetings, and plans with friends. With a schedule as busy as mine, writing every little thing down is one of the only ways to stay sane.

7. My wonderful sorority sisters- Here at Mizzou, home of the Tigers, we just finished formal recruitment, and I’m so excited to welcome our new members into our fantastic sisterhood. My sisters are always there for me when I need a laugh or a hug or a shoulder to cry on. Going through sisterhood week and recruitment week with them since I moved in to our lovely house in early August has been an absolute blast.

8. Jewelry- I love to dress up my preppy (think Sperry boat shoes, Miss Me jeans, and Hollister graphic tees and polos) style with fun, romantic, and vintage-y jewelry whenever possible.

9. Magazines- I love to just curl up listening to Lady Antebellum or Justin Beiber (yes, I have the fever) reading Cosmopolitan or Glamour from cover to cover. It’s a nice way to relax and unwind from a stressful day or recover from a big test. I love reading the style, hair, and make-up tips (although I’m usually too timid to try most of them).

10. Flowers and butterflies- I am allergic to pollen, but I absolutely adore receiving flowers. I love red carnations (my sorority’s flower), peonies, roses, lilies, orchids, and Gerber daisies especially. Butterflies remind me that things really do change, since all butterflies start out as caterpillars and then transform into something beautiful with just a little bit of hard work. Flowers and butterflies remind me that there really is so much beauty in the world even on my worst days.

I hope that was a fun little insight into my personality and I’m so excited to be writing for College Lifestyles. Hopefully you’re excited to read more too.

XOXO,

Kat =)

Kat McClain is an intern at College Lifestyles (TM). She is also a junior at the University of Missouri-Columbia, studying psychology and communications. She is currently obsessed with the song “Teenage Dream” and the new student center on Mizzou’s campus.

CL’s Guide to Freshmen Year Fun: Name Hunt!

One thing to remember when you’re a freshman is this: you are not alone.  All of the other freshmen are in the same boat; they are away from home, they don’t know many people and they are just as nervous about starting college as you.  Take this opportunity to be the outgoing, fun, friendly co-ed in your suite or on your dorm floor.  Get a small group or the whole floor together and go snap pictures on a fun camera phone scavenger hunt!

Here’s how it works:

1. Divide everyone into two groups (if you have more than 10 people, divide into more groups with even numbers).
2. Put everyone’s names and phone numbers in each other’s cell phones.
3. Designate a specific time and place to meet back with all the groups.
4. Find a place on campus that corresponds with the first letter of everyone in your group’s first name. For example, Becky found the Bursar’s Office.
5. Have another member of the group take a picture of that person with their cell phone, and then send the picture to the other group(s)! Once one group has found that place, the other groups cannot use it, so be quick!
6. The first team back with all of their pictures wins!

Didn’t win? Not possible! Everyone is a winner! Not only do you get to find your way around campus while meeting new people, but you also have a fun way to remember names and get everyone’s numbers so you can plan more fun activities!

Are you an upcoming freshman? What are you looking forward to most? Are you an upperclassman? What fun things did you do when you were a freshman? Tell us your favorite dorm activities! Tweet at us: @collegelifestyl!

Becky Alberico is an intern at College Lifestyles ™. She is a Communication Studies major at Edinboro University of PA, and a member of Alpha Sigma Tau! Becky remembers her freshman year like it was yesterday- full of interesting people, movie marathons and new experiences!

Need snacks to eat after your scavenger hunt? Check out Emily H’s latest post here!

CL’s Ultimate Cover Song Playlist

Are you in need of some new music?  I am too.  I love my old tunes, but I’ve been getting a little bored, and need an update.  What a better way than to put a new twist on your old favorites?  I asked my friends and followers and came up with a list of cover songs that every classy co-ed can enjoy! Check out CL’s Ultimate Cover Song Playlist.

1. Adele – Make You Feel My Love (by Bob Dylan suggested by Rachel)
2. John Mayer – Free Fallin’ (by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers suggested by Kristy)
3. Allison Crowe – Hallelujah (by Leonard Cohen suggested by Briana)
4. Ben Folds – Golden Slumbers (by The Beatles)
5. The Wallflowers – Heroes (by David Bowie suggested by Christina)
6. Jimmy Robbins – You’re Not Sorry (by Taylor Swift)
7. Fuel – Daniel (by Elton John)
8. Kelly Osbourne – Papa Don’t Preach (by Madonna suggested by Shelly)
   

   Adele

9. The Cast of Glee – Poker Face (by Lady Gaga suggested by Karen)
10. Bettie Serveert – Lover I Don’t Have to Love (by Bright Eyes)
11. Dave Matthews Band – Down By the River (by Neil Young suggested by Branden)
12. Fall Out Boy – Beat It (by Michael Jackson suggested by Emily)
13. Kathryn McPhee – Somewhere Over the Rainbow (by Judy Garland suggested by Lucy)
14. Ron Pope – Little Wing (by Jimi Hendrix suggested by Ron Pope)
15. Melissa Rebronja – Wonderwall (by Oasis suggested by Nicci)
16. Jem – Yellow (by Coldplay)
17. Alicia Keys & Adam Levine – Wild Horses (by Rolling Stones)
18. Regina Spektor – Chelsea Hotel #2 (by Leonard Cohen suggested by Backseat Goodbye)

There you have it! Go to itunes and download these classics with twists!  I hope this helps your iPod get a breath of fresh air!

Did your favorite cover songs make the list? What would you have put on this playlist?  Let us know! Tweet at us: @collegelifestyl!

For more new music, take a look at my last post: CL’s Ultimate Summer Road Trip Playlist!

Becky Alberico is an intern at College Lifestyles ™. She is a Communication Studies major at Edinboro University of PA, and a member of Alpha Sigma Tau! Becky likes the original versions of these songs, but LOVES these remakes! She thinks her iPod will be very happy with these new additions!

The Dish on a CL Intern: Patrice’s 15!

1. Name: Patrice Basso

2. Dream job: I want to be a modern-day Carrie Bradshaw! I LOVE her & her writing is so brilliant! I basically want to be my own version of her! I wouldn’t mind raiding her closet, too! I hope we wear the same shoe size
   

   I could totally pull this off...!

3. One word to describe me: generous
   
   
4. Favorite movie(s): Breakfast at Tiffany’s, The Notebook, Sex & the City, Confessions of A Shopaholic, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, I Love You Man. I’ll stop there! lol

5. Favorite TV Show(s): 90210, Gossip Girl, Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, One Tree Hill, Desperate Housewives, Jon & Kate +8 (pre divorce/craziness!)
   

   I loved this show back in the good days! The kids are SO CUTE!

6. Favorite Color: Pink!
   
   
7. Coke or Pepsi: Pepsi, but really neither.I go to Starbucks for my caffeine fix!
   

   I'll take this over Coke or Pepsi any day!

8. I can’t live without: My iPhone! or Facebook! lol And of course my family & friends.
   

   What did we do before iPhones!?

9. Pet peeve(s): Negativity (even though I am sometimes guilty of this myself!), bubblegum (I can’t stand the smell, weird I know).

10. This makes me smile: My amazing Alpha Chi Omega sisters!
    

    Me & some of my beautiful sisters & best friends! (I'm kind of hiding in the back lol)

11. If I had 1 million dollars I would: Donate to the American Cancer Society to find a cure, donate to the Alpha Chi Omega Foundation, and put a lot in savings!

12. Cats or dogs: dogs, but I’m not really an animal person.

13. When I feel blue I: talk to my mom or one of my sorority sisters or blog. Sometimes writing my feelings makes me feel better!
    
    
14. My friends say I am: funny, sweet, fun to be around, a great writer.

15. Anything else to add: I have my own personal blog, Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman. My family, friends and sorority sisters are the most important people to me & they are the reason I am who I am today! I LOVE being a part of the College Lifestyles family, and am excited to watch it grow even more than it already has!
    

Patrice is an intern with College Lifestyles (TM). She is a journalism major at William Woods University and is a member of Alpha Chi Omega. She LOVES being a part of the College Lifestyles family & is excited about our new additions to the family!

You Had Me at Hello!

To be honest, my first recruitment week was kind of disappointing. Not just because of the crazy busy schedule and the lack of sleep. Overall, I was disappointed in the whole process. I didn’t get to participate like I wanted to, it wasn’t what I expected, and it had me questioning at times my decision to join the sorority in the first place.

However, everyone kept saying throughout the whole week how in the end it would all be worth it; all the tears, the disappointment, the frustration, the lack of sleep, all of it wouldn’t matter by the end of the week. I had my speculations; I didn’t know if I could just forget about all the disappointment and move on. But they were right. The last night, pref night, it was like someone flipped a switch and suddenly nothing else from the previous week mattered anymore. When I looked around the room and my saw my sorority sisters I was reminded of how much I loved them despite it all. When we performed our ceremony, and I looked around the room at my sisters with tears in their eyes,  I couldn’t help but tear up as well. This is the place I’m supposed to be; these are the people who I’m supposed to be with for my four years of college. It was great to be reminded of that unique, very special bond we share.

Bid Day the next morning was even better. Gaining 29 new sisters in one day is so amazing. I was so proud when they were running out to us, in our shirt. I was proud to be an Alpha Chi, proud that these fabulous 29 women chose us because they saw something great in us. It’s a really unique experience, and it’s something really special.

Our Bid Day shirts this year said “You had me at hello” on the back. While this may be a stretch (they didn’t quite have me at just hello!), it was a great reminder of how special our bond is. Later, when we were taking pictures of our class, I looked around at my sisters who joined with me and thought about all that we’ve been through in the past year together. There have been ups and downs and good times and bad, and these are the women who have seen it all. They’ve been there for me when I was sad, and me for them. And that is worth more than words.

These pictures are really special because in the first picture, we hardly knew each other. Most of us had just met hours before. And this year, I can call each one of these girls my sisters and my friends.

Patrice is an intern with College Lifestyles (TM). She is a journalism major at William Woods University and is a member of Alpha Chi Omega.

“Love the people who treat you right, forget about the ones who don’t, and believe that everything happens for a reason. If you get a chance, take it. If it changes your life, let it. Nobody said that it’d be easy, they just promised it’d be worth it.”

To all the nervous newbies: Advice from a college graduate.

Four years of mixed emotions, new experiences, lessons learned …

First for some brief background:

Fall 2005 seems so long ago, but I remember exactly how I was feeling when I moved on to the William Paterson University campus.  It was a season for a lot of firsts; first time on my own, first time with a roommate, first time only relying on myself to wake up for classes, etc.  I was nervous, excited, apprehensive, unsure, and pretty much every other descriptive term for emotions you can find in the dictionary.  I unloaded my car, set up my room, went out to eat with my parents, and then said our goodbyes.  When I got back to school, I walked down the hall, up the stairs, and into my room – and thought to myself, “what do I do now?”

Piece of advice # 1:

Everyone that is there for the first time is going through these feelings!  Don’t think you’re alone, in fact, use this to make some friends.  Use those nervous butterflies in your stomach, and turn them into social butterflies!

I lucked out with my roommate, Joelle.  We had met at freshman orientation, and pretty much decided we were meant to be roommates.  We wore the same size clothes, used the same hair products, and had extremely similar tastes in a lot of different things.  When Joelle showed up with her stuff (and, there was a ton of it!), I felt a little relieved that I had someone there to ride the emotional roller coaster with me.

There was a lot to figure out … things like, what the heck does my schedule mean? Where is this building located? Am I going to get there in time? Will I make friends in my classes?  What do you wear to the first day of class? …And most importantly… how the heck am I going to wake up for my 8 a.m, Friday class?!

Piece of advice # 2:

Surround yourselves with amazing people.  The people you get involved with are the people that will help you make or break your college career.  Make great friends who you know will do nothing but be there for you, whenever you need them.  Your college friends, the people you are living with, sort of become like family.

I met an extremely awesome group of friends my first week of school, all of which made my college career a perfect one.  I met Rac (whose name is really Chris, but he was a Resident Assistant so, therefore he was dubbed R.A.C), Coop, Matt, Billy, and Dave (Numbers).  They became my best friends, and introduced me to Hermen, Carlos, Chrissy, Heather, and pretty much everyone else I knew for the first half of my freshman year.  They showed me around, helped me figure out what to, and what not to eat in the dining hall, gave me the ins and the outs of Willy P, and basically became my life lines for anything and everything… Because of these friends, I got involved in the William Paterson Dance Team, learned how to make the best schedules ever, became a Resident Assistant, and  got involved in every aspect of school.

Piece of advice # 3:

Get yourself involved with anything and everything you are interested in.  The more things you do, the more people you meet, and the more fun you have!

My second semester, freshman year, I did something I never thought I would do.  I pledged a sorority.  My motto now is “never say never”. At my freshman orientation, before school had even started, I met an orientation leader named Faith.  Now, at that time all I thought was that she was fun, energetic, and just an all around cool person … little did I know she would be the person who would change my life the most throughout college.  Faith was an orientation leader, in SGA, involved with the Greek Senate, president of her sorority, and everyone on campus knew her.  She was friendly, smart, and involved… you really can’t find a better role model.  Faith eventually talked to me about coming out to recruitment – and I gave in.  I went out, and met the girls who today I refer to as my family.  It wasn’t the catty, ridiculousness that TV portrayed … and I liked it.  At the time of recruitment I was president of the dance team, applying to be an R.A, and looking to get myself out there and do something new.  Spring of 2006, I became a sister of Alpha Sigma Tau National Sorority.  My big sister, Katelyn, was a huge inspiration to me …. she would help me through anything, and I looked up to her… not only because she was hard working, and all around amazing, but also because the whole sorority looked up to her.  I wanted to be that, I wanted to help my sorority the way she did.  I pushed to be the best sister I could be.  I was Assistant New Member Director (a class of 7) , New Member Director (a class of 5) , got my little sister, and eventually became President.  My sisters always have been, and always will be a HUGE part of my life …. all because I decided to try something new, something I never thought I would do.  The sisters before me (Faith… Kate…. and so many more), inspired me to be a better, more hard working person.  Surround yourselves with those people!

Although this has been mildly long winded, I hope you all take this entry and run with it.  Sure, college can be intimidating, but the most important thing that I hope you all take from this entry is this:

Live it up, give it your all, try new things, and open your eyes.  College really can be the best 4 years of your life.  Surround yourself with great people, experience all that you can,  and you’ll come out on top …. promise!

Kristin Marie is a recent graduate from William Paterson University, a College Lifestyles (TM) intern, a sister of Alpha Sigma Tau Sorority, and just recently became employed by  Special Olympics New Jersey!

Off to College Check-List Part 3 – School Supplies

Welcome to Part 3 of the ” Off To College Check List “.

School Supplies

Besides shopping for new things to decorate my room with, this was my favorite part of getting ready to go back… shopping for school supplies.  Who knows, maybe that makes me crazy – but to me it signified a new start, a way to organize myself and get ready for another successful year!

Speaking from personal experience, I love being organized.  Every year for Christmas my parents give me a gift card so I can buy a brand new planner (again, call me crazy, but it definitely helps me out throughout the year) !  This will be your ultimate shopping list for school supplies, without the hassle of spending hundreds of dollars!

This is what I would like to call,  “Rumor has it”.  When you get to school, the students around campus will tell you some things about the beginning of school… but remember, what they think and what the professors think are two totally different ideas.

________________________________

1)

Rumor has it: “You don’t need anything for the first few weeks of school, nothing really happens and you can just write on the sheets they give you.”

The truth: First impressions are everything!  If you walk into a class, the first day, with nothing in hand, how will that look the the professor?  You want to come across as cool, composed, and ready to learn!  The better the first impression, the better chance you have of doing well in the class!  Make sure you have:

2)

Rumor has it: “Don’t carry a backpack around campus, you’ll look like a stupid freshman.”

The truth: If you don’t carry a back pack around, you’ll be lugging books all over the place!  Normally, the people who don’t have the backpack are the ones who don’t bring anything to class… and the ones who aren’t so successful!  Get something comfortable, and cute (no one said it had to be bulky and bland) !

________________________________

With those things being said, here are a list of good finds that you can purchase

to make the beginning of college life successful!

• A 3-ring binder
• Filler Paper
  
• A 2-pocket folder for each class
  • Each folder can contain the syllabus for the class, and any papers that are handed out.
• Dividers
  • If you’re taking more than 12 credits, sperate your binders so you’re not carrying around a huge binder… Make a M/W/F and  T/TH… it will be much easier on you!
• At least 2 pens, and 2 pencils
  • You know someone will forget one, and it’s a good way to strike up an conversation with a new person!

________________________________

These Wilson Jones Basic Round Ring 2″ Binders can be found at Office Depot for $4.89 a piece!

These Mead 5-Star folders are 3-hole-punched and contain 4 pockets, around $1.89 a folder.

You can match your folders for class with these colored dividers, found at Office Depot, to make your organization even better (and more fun!)

$.99 for 5 Divider

Depending on the type of pen you like to use, you could either purchase :

Pilot Precise Pens # 3 for $3.27 @ Target

Or

Ballpoint Stick Pen from Target @ $.99 for 20

In addition to being prepared for class, having some extra supplies in your dorm room doesn’t hurt.  Here are a few things that I felt helped me out:

Post It Notes

These were my favorite… you could find them all over the place in my dorm.  Anytime I received a reminder I would write it down on a post it note and stick it on my computer screen or keyboard so I wouldn’t forget.

A Wall Calendar

In addition to a planner, a wall calendar is good because you can write down all of the dates again and have it fresh in your mind AND in your face.  Place it somewhere in your room where you will never be able to miss it.

Highlighters

As much as people try to avoid highlighting in books, I recommend it.  Highlight the main points throughout the chapters that way, when it comes to test time, you don’t have to reread the ENTIRE chapter – just the things you thought were important the first time through!

There is less than a month left for some of you heading off to school, so good luck with the rest of your shopping … and remember, have fun with it!!

Kristin Marie is a College Lifestyles (TM) Intern, who just graduated from William Paterson University with a B.A in Journalism and Public Relations.  She is a sister of Alpha Sigma Tau Sorority and a huge fan of random road trips and Dave Matthews Band.

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