Category Archives: Uncategorized

mom approved tips, parenting, Uncategorized

Mom-Approved Tips: Dealing with separation anxiety

 

separation anxietyIt’s that time of year. Parents are dropping kids off at school and there are always tears—sometimes from both parents and students. It’s the inevitable separation anxiety.

When I was a kid, my mom told me that she was afraid my brother would hang on to her skirt until he left for college. I, on the other hand, let go with confidence and excitement. My brother never really liked school (or being away from my mom), but I thrived when the school year began.

No matter what type of kid you have—a clinger or an over-achiever, you are dealing with your own brand of anxiety. There are all kinds of parent anxieties and quite honestly, the parents fair worse than the kids when school starts. We never really get over those feelings that overwhelm us; even when they are adults and headed to college or graduate and begin living on their own. My mom used to tell me you never stop being a parent.

I’ve been reading parent forums lately and some common threads of emotion seem to resonate with varying groups of parents. From grade school to college, parents look to other parents to find ways of coping. For some reason, we find comfort in knowing that we aren’t the only ones feeling those feelings of fear and concern. Facing those feelings might make it easier when they leave for college; however, I can’t promise you will ever stop feeling like they are your little boys and girls.

It’s a sure bet that these fears and anxieties are experienced by every parent at some time in their kid’s lives:

Will they be safe?

Boy how things have changed since we went to school in the 50’s and 60’s. They’ve even changed since my kids went in the 80’s and 90’s. It’s a scary world out there and you would be crazy not to be anxious when your kids leave your care every day. But don’t let them see it; they need to feel safe and secure at school. Even though we know they are at risk, we have to trust that the teachers, staff, and administration will do their utmost to assure their safety.

Will they be bullied?

It’s sad to say, but there will always be bullies. I had my bouts with as did my own kids. But it seems that bullying has gotten more common and more vicious. Social media has escalated it to an art form and parents aren’t teaching their kids to treat others with respect. Before they ever walk out the door (from grade school to college) let your kids know that you are their advocate. Encourage them to come to you if they ever feel bullied. You’re in a much better place to judge the level of harassment and act accordingly.

Will they play well with others?

No matter how much you have taught them to share and be kind to others, you still worry that they won’t be accepted or accept others. School is the first place we all learn to get along with people other than our families. It’s where we learn to compromise and collaborate. Odds are they will take away the lessons they have learned into college and into the workforce. Have faith that they grasp this concept and grow in their ability to get along with others.

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technology, Uncategorized

Carbonite Giveaway

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Giveaway

It’s back-to-school time and a perfect time to take care of the files on your student’s laptop or desktop computer. You know the drill: something happens and they forgot to backup their files. They lose that important research they have done for a term paper or the notes they took in Chemistry class. Or worse yet, they lose that precious college essay they have been working on for months.

Panic ensues and there is absolutely nothing you can do except take it to a repair shop and hope they can recover the data. Not if you have Carbonite! The program automatically backs up your files so you don’t have to. No more worrying about backing up files. With Carbonite you get:

  • carboniteCloud Backup: Cloud backup not only protects your data so you can get it back in the event of data loss, but it also provides remote access to files when you’re away from your computer. Carbonite’s cloud backup plans start at just $59.99 per year, and runs in the background so new and changed files are backed up automatically. And for the student who always forgets to print out their homework or loses papers before they’re due, Anytime, Anywhere Access ensures they can download, print or email their backed up files from any computer, iOS or Android device.
  • Virus Protection: While back-to-school virus protection generally consists of stocking up on tissues and hand sanitizer, the threat of computer viruses shouldn’t be ignored. Millions of computer viruses can allow someone to access your data, collect billing information, or take control of your computer, and can also slow down your computer and interfere with your programs.
  • Password Protocol: Today’s youth are more connected than ever – 78 percent have cell phones, nearly one quarter have their own tablet, and more than nine in 10 teenagers have a computer or access to one. With many schools relaxing their technology policies to allow students to bring devices to school, it’s important to make sure students implement security measures like passwords to make sure that your family’s data doesn’t get into the wrong hands.
  • Mobile Data Usage: Nearly three in four teens say they access the internet from their phones, tablets and other mobile devices. While on-the-go internet allows students to remotely access files, quickly look up a fact for a history paper and connect with peers, data usage fees can be expensive. Review your family’s cellular data plan to ensure your package fits your needs, and ask your family to use Wi-Fi to connect whenever possible to avoid overage fees.

Carbonite

I installed it on my Mac and it works fabulously. I no longer have to worry about forgetting to back up my files. Installation was easy and leaving it on overnight and my computer was backed up when I got up in the morning. It worked like a charm!

You can enter once a day for the duration of the contest. This is a $59.99 value and it’s yours if you have the most entries when the contest ends.

GIVEAWAY ENDS SEPTEMBER 1, 2013

Enter using Rafflecopter below. Please allow extra time for it to load. Good luck!

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Uncategorized

Study tips for students

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students studying

College can be a shock to high school students. The new sense of freedom alone can be overwhelming, which is why strong study habits are best learned now. Without reinforcement, it’s easy to botch time management and amplify poor study habits through the age-old adage of “idle hands.”

In college your son or daughter will have much more freedom over where and how they study. The decision to go to college should not be taken lightly either. With tuition prices rising, it’s important to reinforce the behaviors that will lead to a bright future. Following are some study tips for students:

Identify Learning Goals

Look objectively with your teen at a report card and identify areas that need improvement. It can be difficult to keep patience with an “F” on a report card. That stress is only amplified on your son or daughter. Instead, ask them how they feel about those subjects and get them to understand that getting help is not a bad thing.

Discuss college majors to get a feel for what your child wants to do in school. Review job placements and form a realistic picture of the future. The Bureau of Labor Statistics is a great place to search for potential careers, with data on expected growth and potential earnings per year.

Gamify Study Methods

Create achievable goals with realistic rewards. Reward an hour of study with a walk outside, or points toward something larger. Divide study sessions into “checkpoints” where students must read for a certain amount of time before taking small breaks.

Games are great about rewarding the player for doing something right, so create rewards that help them along the way. Buying books from iBooks, Kindle or Nook is like feeding candy to the brain. Reward students with high quality notebooks for hitting goals. Use these rewards to create a sense of pride in your teen’s accomplishments.

Seek Outside Tutoring

Reinforce high aptitude with advanced tutoring, or help your teen better grasp topics they find challenging. Look for one-on-one tutoring with college preparatory instructors like Huntington learning tutors; sessions are often conducted in a distraction free environment outside of school or home. Sessions like these can help prepare for specific college testing, or personal essay writing and general college applications.

Tutoring also reinforces strong study habits and can help students move from a “B” to an “A.” Teaching good research habits is another benefit that you might not get in school. Learning where and how to acquire information dramatically cuts down on study time and allows a student to retain more valuable knowledge.

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Rising college costs = student loan debt

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student loan debtRising college costs put the student loan debt at an all time high. Paying for college is one of the greatest challenges when it comes to securing a college education for your children. While it seems that getting accepted into a college is the biggest hurdle, once they have received the acceptance letter, you can stop worrying about that and start worrying about how to pay for it. With tuition costs rising every year (nearly 500 percent in the last 60 years), most families find it difficult to cover college expenses. Financial assistance from the college is available to a lucky few, as are private and federal grants and scholarships. However, the vast majority of students will end up taking out student loans in order to pay for their education.

Picking which loan to take out is key. A loan, regardless of what kind, is something that will need to be repaid—which means your children will be in debt before they even start working. So, before you start applying for any and all student loans, find out more about the reality of the debt management post-graduation. This infographic clearly lays out the past, present and future of student loans and consider how it would impact your children’s financial outlook.

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Uncategorized

Students and stress

 

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students and stressStudents and stress seem to go hand in hand. It goes without saying that students today are under a great deal of pressure to achieve, which creates stress; especially with the college application process becoming more and more competitive. Once students graduate from college, the stress of job hunting is added to the pressure to succeed. According to the American College Health Association’s health assessment survey in 2012, 86.8% of students felt they were overwhelmed with what they had to do. The survey sited some alarming statistics:

  • 46.5% of students felt hopeless.
  • 86.1% felt like they were exhausted.
  • 57.3% felt very lonely.
  • 61.0% felt very sad.
  • 31.3% felt so depressed that they found it difficult to function.
  • 7.1% seriously thought about committing suicide.
  • 1.2% attempted suicide.
  • 5.5% intentionally bruised, burned, cut or physically hurt themselves.

With school starting in the fall, seniors especially will begin to feel the pressure and the looming deadlines ahead of them. Standardized tests and college applications weigh heavy on them, along with striving to keep their grades up and their social life consistent. Becoming overly stressed will weigh on them emotionally and physically.

What can you do as a parent to alleviate some of the stress?

Don’t put added pressure on them and expect them to do things they are simply unable to do. For instance, don’t encourage them to go to a college just because it’s your choice. Or ask them to apply to colleges that aren’t good fits. Ease their stress by helping them to stay organized and take some the tedious tasks, like keeping track of deadlines, away from them. Remind them but don’t harass, nag or badger them in any way. You can also make sure that they make time for family and friends, which will help them decompress and relax.

 

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The college application personal statement

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college application personal statementPart of the college application is the personal statement. Basically, colleges ask you to tell them a little about yourself in a short statement. It seems easy in theory but difficult when you begin to craft it. Since the college application personal statement is the first thing colleges read, you want to make a good fresh impression.

What do you want to say about yourself? How will you communicate in a few short sentences who you really are? These are just a few questions you should ask yourself before crafting the statement. Taking a few minutes to brainstorm and get your thoughts down on paper will help you write a memorable personal statement.

Here are some brainstorming tips to help with the college application personal statement.

 

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10 student networking tips-BlogHer style

 

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student networking

This past week I attended a conference in Chicago specifically for bloggers—BlogHer 2013. It was my first blogger conference and to say the least, I was petrified. I don’t consider myself an extrovert and meeting new people and connecting with them on a professional level has never been easy for me. But I packed my nerve and hid away my fears and went to my first conference session. Over the next few days I learned some things about networking: some I knew, some I didn’t know. And it occurred to me that these new found realizations could apply to the college admissions process and even as students enter college. Following are 10 student networking tips that I learned at Blogher:

1. Remember that there are others feeling just as insecure as you do.

When you enter an unknown situation and you feel like you are all alone, remember that there are others feeling the same way you do. They will most likely be sitting alone, walking alone, or not speaking to anyone. Keep your eyes open for those signs and pay attention to others around you. This applies to relationships in high school and college.

2. Don’t be afraid to make the first move.

If you see someone standing or sitting alone, walk up to them and say, “Can I join you?” You will be surprised how relieved and welcoming they will be. The first day in high school or college can be a bit scary, especially if you don’t know anyone. Take a chance and approach those who seem like they are in the same boat.

3. Know what you want to say before you say it.

When meeting with an admissions officer or college recruiter, know what you want to say before you say it. Be prepared to define who you are and what you want from your college experience. Know what you are looking for and communicate it clearly.

4. Sell yourself but don’t be obnoxious.

Nobody likes a braggart. Be able to talk about yourself without spewing out a list of accomplishments and/or name dropping. Let your personality shine through and just be yourself.

5. Listen, listen, listen.

Don’t talk over anyone. If they are speaking to you, let them finish. Ask questions and pay attention to their responses. Pay attention to what they are saying and pick up on conversation topics. Most importantly, act interested.

Continue reading 10 student networking tips-BlogHer style →

tech gadgets, technology, Uncategorized

Safeguarding your college laptop against viruses

 

college laptopIn general, a computer virus is a piece of malicious software that infects and causes damage, changes, or copies files on your computer or other software. Hackers create viruses for different purposes including stealing credit card information, intellectual property, login details used by site visitors, as well as spying on unsuspecting laptop users. According to a report published by Kaspersky Lab, the company’s antivirus software detected more than three billion attacks from infected files. If you use your laptop to surf the Internet, you run the risk of downloading malicious software unknowingly. Read on to learn how to safeguard your college laptop from malicious software.

The Email Threat

Email is one of the most widely used forms of Internet communication. However, cyber criminals have turned email into a tool for spreading computer viruses. The rule of thumb is to avoid opening unsolicited email attachments or links. Even if the email seems to come from a trusted source, be careful when opening it. For example, you might get an email that says you need to verify your bank account details by clicking open a given link.

It is advisable not to open that link straight from your email. Instead, open another browser tab and use it to visit your bank’s website. Most banks have teams of representatives ready to answer client queries via web chat, phone, or instant messaging. Find out if the information in the email is genuine.

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How will the Affordable Care Act affect you and your student

 

Affordable Care ActCollege life isn’t always associated with the best of health practices. Between socializing, studying, and the occasional all night cram session, for most college students their health is an afterthought. Still, when it comes down to it, like everyone else, students and their parents want to pay a fair and reasonable price for healthcare that works for them, instead of the other way around.

With the implementation of the Affordable Care Act’s major provisions just around the corner on Jan. 1, 2014, there are more options than ever for students’ health insurance.

Let’s examine some of these options.

Mom and Dad: Healthcare Providers

Believe it or not, it’s been three years since one of the ACA’s landmark provisions became law. This provision has so far done the most to increase insurance coverage for the country as a whole. It allows children to stay on their parent’s healthcare plan, until the age of 26, even if they have a pre-existing condition.

For parents weighing the costs and benefits of student health insurance plans, this is by and large the best options for their child’s health insurance. It saves time, money, and resources during college and those crucial post-college years where your child is getting financially situated in the world.

As your child nears the age of 26 though, the ACA will give them plenty of options for solid, affordable health insurance at a good price.

SHP’s: The Benefits of College Life

SHP stands for Student Health Plan, and most accredited colleges and universities have them. SHP’s are healthcare plans offered to students at reduced rates until graduation.

SHP’s have benefitted millions of U.S. students by offering them healthcare, often in conjunction with extensive on-campus health facilities.

Medical services related to pre-existing conditions are normally not covered under SHP’s. However, with the ACA, these plans will have to cover such medical services, as well as a host of other health services mandated by the ACA, such as emergency medical treatment, prescription drug coverage, and coverage for mental health.

The Affordable Care Act will be fully implemented in January of next year, and it looks like students will be all the better because of it.

Continue reading How will the Affordable Care Act affect you and your student →

financial aid, scholarships, Uncategorized

Yes you can (win that scholarship)!

 

yes you canYes you can (win that scholarship)! “Yes you can” are the call words for many motivational speakers, school programs, political campaigns and even song lyricists. The scholarship hunt requires that type of motivation: perseverance, attention to detail, and the desire to succeed. We all know that success requires attention to the goal and focusing on the prize. The scholarship search is no different.

“If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again!” That pretty much sums up the search process. Scholarships are the icing on the cake in the college admissions process–get into the right school and fund it with free money. Winning a scholarship to pay for college is every parent’s dream and the scholarship search process is every student’s nightmare. But with a little effort and some good advice on how and where to search, the effort will be worth their time. There is money out there for every type of student and every area of interest. Yes you can (win that scholarship)!

Read about five cliches that apply to the search for scholarship bucks>>