����app

Spooky season is just around the corner, and October 14th is National Dessert Day! This means that stores everywhere are stocking up on candy to celebrate this sweet holiday. While fun sized candy is easy to grab, it can be harder to find those classic and fun desserts that filled many of our childhoods. Luckily, there are plenty of dessert recipes that are accessible to college students!

Mug Cakes!

Mug cakes are so easy and fun to make! They can easily be purchased at a local grocery store and often don’t require more than a mug, microwave, water, and the pre-mixed mug cake powder. With easy-to-follow instructions, a simple mug cake is a late-night MUST. Feel free to add some fun to your cake as well. Whipped cream, icing, or some sprinkles can spice up any cake.

��’m�ǰ����!

Another simple and easy microwave recipe is an old fireside classic: s’mores! Everyone knows the recipe. Gooey marshmallows roasted over a fire, paired with chocolate, and sandwiched between two sweet gram cracker pieces. What everyone may not know is that these can easily be replicated within a microwave – no campfire needed! Just 20-25 seconds later and you’ve got a treat that’ll remind you of those fun summer campfires under the stars. A disclaimer, however, those that love burnt or crispy marshmallows on their s’mores should wait until they’re outside with a real fire. Unless, that is, they want to set off their dorm or house’s fire alarm.

Chocolate Covered... Anything!

Pretzels, marshmallows, crispy rice treats, strawberries, etc.! The possibilities are endless when you’ve got a bowl of melted chocolate. You can melt down your favorite brand or pick out a bag of “melting chocolates” at a local shop. Typically, chocolate should be melted for 30 second intervals and stirred between these intervals. If you’d like to try making something spooky for the holidays, try adding some orange and black sprinkles, purple and green icing, or even some spooky eyes for the occasion!

Single Serve Cookies!

A personal favorite of mine, single serve cookies probably require the most ingredients out of any of these desserts. The payoff is so worth the extra effort, however. While there are plenty of recipes, a favorite of mine is a mug cookie recipe! It requires 2 tbsp unsalted butter, 1 tbsp granulated white sugar, 1 tbsp brown sugar, 1/8 tsp vanilla extract, 5 tbsp all-purpose flour, ¼ tsp baking powder, a pinch of salt, and 2 tbsp of chocolate chips. Butter is melted, ingredients are mixed within the mug and cooked in the microwave for 1 minute. The full recipe can be found here.

Ice Cream Night!

An amazing way to get together with friends, an ice cream night doesn’t even require the usage of a microwave! The sky’s the limit of what you can do. Everyone can bring a small pint and some toppings to create a Frankenstein's monster of ice cream or have some fun making ice cream cookie sandwiches and rolling them in some cookie crumbs or fun sprinkles.

College, Halloween, and life in general can be scary. Luckily, making fun sweet treats doesn’t have to be!

Do you have a compelling story or student success tips you’d like to see published on the ����app Students blog?  If you are a college student and interested in writing for us –����to pitch your idea and get started! 

Searching for an internship or a job as a college student can certainly be very stressful. There are many moving parts from building a perfect resume, marketing yourself, meeting the right people, and sometimes being lucky enough. While considering all factors that are supposed to go right to land a position, it is hard to stay mentally sane. Do not feel alienated if you feel pressure, it is common to get stressed when starting your career.

I am a college senior, and I have been down the “applying to a job” road several times before. One thing that all jobs have in common is interviewing. Interviewing is one of the important steps to landing a job. So here are some tips on how to stay poised while applying and interviewing!

1. Identify What You Want

There are an astonishing number of jobs out there; meaning that there are many paths for you to choose. When applying you need to list out your goals and intentions. Do you want something to make some money? Do you want an educational experience that relates to the industry that you are interested in? Do you want to meet new people and network? There are no right or wrong answers, all you need to do is sit down and brainstorm a list of your priorities.

2. “The Perfect” Resume

Many people may apply for the same opening you did, especially if it is a huge corporation. To make the hiring process manageable, many firms tend to process resumes through a “software”. This is not a reason to be intimidated; all you need to do is make sure you use keywords in your resume that demonstrate both hard and soft skills. And the last thing you want is for your resume to be thrown out because of spelling errors, so make sure your grammar and formatting are a hundred percent accurate. Run your resume by a friend or a family member to make sure it is the perfect version of your resume.

3. Research The Role

After you submit your resume, you may get a call for an interview. This is an achievement itself, but now the real work begins. Make sure you research your firm and the role. This helps you better formulate your answers and tie them back to why you are interested in the role to begin with. It shows the employer that you are interested in the job because you spent time learning about it.

4. Prep

Interview prepping can be difficult as it is impossible to know what questions you will be asked. However, good preparation is simply knowing yourself. Think about all the times when you had to be a leader or made an impact, take these stories, and convert them into potential answers that demonstrate various desirable skills. Interviewing is all about marketing yourself; the better you tell your story, the more memorable you will be.

5. Stay Poised

In addition to preparing for the interview make sure you eat well and get a good night's rest. It is important to take care of yourself physically and mentally because it reduces stress and nervousness.

Interviewing for a job or internship is daunting, but with enough preparation, you will be able to speak eloquently in front of your future employer. When you are familiar with what stories you want to tell and ideas you want to express, the interview will start to feel more like a conversation.

Want to read more on this topic from other students? Check out these blogs on finding and securing an internship, making the most of your internship experience, and more advice on interview prep.

Do you have a compelling story or student success tips you’d like to see published on the ����app Students blog?  If you are a college student and interested in writing for us –����to pitch your idea and get started! 

Organization skills are vital for college students, but sometimes can be a little difficult to maintain. Whether it is making a schedule for the week or finishing and turning in assignments on time, there are so many tasks that require organization. There are plenty of ways to be organized, and not everyone has to use the same method. The way someone keeps organized usually differs from person to person. If one way does not work for you try another way! Here are some different tips to try on how to be organized and stay organized.

Organize Your Time

Staying on top of commitments and due dates is a required skill in college, and it can be a little difficult for some. Many students find using a planner or calendar, either hard-copy or digital, to be the best solution. However, it is not the correct way for everyone. Instead of using a planner or calendar, try using something else to keep track of what is coming up that day and that week. I have found that using sticky notes is very helpful. Every time I know there is something I need to do or remember, I write it on a sticky note. Then I stick them together somewhere I can easily see. When I am finished with whatever is on the sticky note, I crumple it up and throw it away. This helps me keep track of what I have coming up.

Organize Your Stuff

Another thing students might find a little difficult to organize is their possessions and belongings. This is especially true for people living in dorms. Even though dorms are, as a rule, pretty small, that doesn’t mean it will be easy to find what you are looking for every time you need it. It might sound cliche, but putting stuff in the same place every time makes finding it when you need it much easier. Another useful tip is to put things close to where you might need them. For example, I usually only need my keys when I leave. So, I have a spot close to the door where I put my keys every time I enter. I find that this helps me to remember where my keys are and to not forget my keys in the room when I leave.

Building solid organizational skills now will pay off for your future. There are many things in life that require a person to be organized. Everyone must find their own way to get and stay organized. A way that works to keep a friend organized might not work for you. These tips are the ways that I have found to help keep me organized. If they don’t work for you, keep exploring! The thing that matters is that you find a way that works for you.

Do you have a compelling story or student success tips you’d like to see published on the ����app Students blog?  If you are a college student and interested in writing for us –����to pitch your idea and get started! 

October 10th is a day extremely important in bringing awareness to mental health. Over the years, this topic has become increasingly important as more and more people have been affected by issues surrounding mental health. If you haven’t been affected by mental health issues, chances are you know someone who has been. Each year, many college students experience mental health challenges that can be crippling to their quality of life. Raising awareness can help end the stigma surrounding mental health challenges.

Mental Health Is Hard to See

When you have a physical injury like a broken arm, it is usually visible to everyone; you can easily go to the doctor and get it fixed. However, it can be much more difficult to notice and fix a mental “injury”. Mental illness is often not noticeable to someone from the outside. This is why it is so important that more awareness is brought to mental health so that people will become more comfortable with speaking up about their struggles.

It Can’t Stay “All in Our Head”

Being self-aware can help you better assess your own mental health so that you can seek help when you feel less like yourself. Therapy is a great way to get started and can help you deal with life changes and better understand why you feel the way that you do. Someone who isn’t your friend or family member may be able to provide more objective feedback. Additionally, it is important to look out for your friends and family and make sure they’re okay when you notice them acting different. It is vital that your loved ones know that you care about them and that there are resources there for them if they need help.

Destigmatize Mental Health by Building Awareness

Overall, mental health is something that is still very stigmatized and oftentimes overlooked. The consequences of untreated mental health conditions can be severe which is why it is critical that people educate themselves on the matter and seek help when necessary. Showing the people around you that you care about them along with being understanding when someone comes to you with their struggles can make a world of a difference. World Mental Health Day is a great day to start becoming an advocate for mental health awareness.

Do you have a compelling story or student success tips you’d like to see published on the ����app Students blog?  If you are a college student and interested in writing for us –����to pitch your idea and get started! 

Inferior. Insignificant. Lacking. All feelings that we know all too well. Almost everyone on earth has felt they are not good enough at one point. We have all doubted ourselves.

Scoring Myself

When I graduated #3 in my high school class, I believed the curriculum was too easy. When I got accepted into my university's Honors College, I thought the required ACT score was too low even though I scored a 28. And when I scored that 28, I convinced myself it was only because I scored well in one area and above a 30 was an acceptable score. And when I got accepted to all 12 colleges I applied to, I managed to convince myself that it was only because their acceptance rate was high. I was not being true to myself, and instead letting my own negative self-talk break me down.

Breaking Free

This endless cycle of being your own worst enemy is tiring and even damaging to your mental health. I had proved to myself time and time again that I was capable of breaking barriers and achieving remarkable goals, so it was time I started to believe in myself. The moment I decided to break free of this harmful thought process, it seemed as if countless doors of opportunities started to open.

I started to receive internship offers. I was offered a spot on a huge research project in my university. Not only was I offered that spot, but I was the only freshman participating among upperclassmen and graduate students! I began to get more involved on campus, building those connections that we have all heard are so essential in college years! I felt renewed.

Believe

You are the only person holding yourself back. Once you break free of that mental prison and start to believe you can do anything, the sky is the limit. In fact, there are no limits! Stop doubting yourself! You are capable. You are worthy. You are you! You were made to do great things that only you can do. Go make the world better by being yourself.

Do you have a compelling story or student success tips you’d like to see published on the ����app Students blog?  If you are a college student and interested in writing for us –����to pitch your idea and get started! 

When hearing the word “write”, what comes to mind? Is it a five-to-twenty-page academic essay or dissertation that leads one to dread or procrastination? Beyond academic aspects, writing is the gift of communication that is good for the health, proves or documents that events took place or feelings existed, and creates art. Writing is inevitable, so as college students it is necessary to develop this skill for career and life success.

Writing In Any Form Improves Mental Health

As college students, it’s easy to become stressed about a work-life balance, maintaining relationships, acquiring internships and career opportunities, and managing financial circumstances. When used effectively, writing is a remedy to alleviate levels of depression and anxiety by lowering cortisol (a hormone released from stress that can suppress the immune system at consistently elevated levels). Writing can help to bring your dreams and vision into focus. A tip for effective writing for mental health includes documenting positive moments or events that take place in your life and refer back to them for encouragement when experiencing rough circumstances.

Writing Clarifies Goals

Writing down goals or life plans can help you maintain discipline and confirm your capability to achieve success. A useful way to set goals is to form a timeline ranging from one to seven years and specify the extent of a goal as short-term or long-term. For example, a student desiring to become a counselor could set the short-term goal of passing all university psychology exams and graduating. Longer-term goals would be to pass a certification exam and attain all hours required to become a licensed counselor. The important aspect of writing for improved mental health is that it serves as a confirmation that conquered challenges bring success, and hardships won’t always last.

Communication is Key

The phrase, “if it isn’t written down it doesn’t matter”, highlights the importance of communicating or documenting circumstances or events in the workplace, educational institutions, or any legal matter. In a college students’ perspective, it is important to communicate with your professors, especially when there is a lack of understanding. For example, a student attends a class with approximately 150 students, and the professor is teaching a complex subject that is difficult to comprehend. Putting pride aside by sending an email to the professor explaining where the misunderstanding is, asking for an explanation, and seeking resources for knowledge is the first step in learning to communicate for success.

Another example of the importance of writing can be seen in legal scenarios. When a victim of the sequences of unethical or criminal acts writes down the accumulation of the events (specifying dates from start to finish), the process to attain justice from legal or managerial authority is made clear, understandable, and easier. Becoming competent in writing skills is important for college students, as it will aid in self-advocacy, career success, and communication for clarification and causation.

Writing As a Coping Skill Has the Potential to Create Art

A thirteen-year-old girl was faced with the inevitable and hospitalized for several weeks as she processed her new life. She wrote inspirational and optimistic songs that prophesized the brighter, prosperous, and impactful future that she had desired. Singing was a habit that she had adopted at an earlier age, so it complemented her ability to write. Those songs have allowed her to step out of her comfort zone by sharing and encouraging others to not give up during life’s hardships.

You may have guessed that the young woman mentioned above is me. Though writing is inevitable, it is also one of our greatest gifts. The ability to communicate is a skill that constantly must be refined and sharpened throughout one’s whole life. Perhaps you have to write a memo at work, an essay, or even notes in class or in a meeting. Beyond work and school, writing can be an artistic outlet that is used to reduce stress. No matter the type of writing you are doing, it is a gift in all its forms if we recognize it as such.

Do you have a compelling story or student success tips you’d like to see published on the ����app Students blog?  If you are a college student and interested in writing for us –����to pitch your idea and get started! 

When I got to college, I remembered the countless times I heard an older adult or other family member say to me “college was the most fun time in my life, I would go back if I could”. I decided to take it as motivation to have the best college experience possible. I came up with three ingredients to make my college experience sweet; prioritizing what is important, managing my time, and getting involved in order to new people. These simple rules are something that college students hear all the time but why are they so important for us to actually follow?

Prioritize Your Work First

The biggest reason we all go to college is to pursue an education and eventually earn a degree that will hopefully lead to a job. But simply attending classes won’t lead to doing well and achieving a good GPA. Poor grades lead to negative feelings and stress; no one has fun failing. This is where prioritizing your work can help. Make sure you are on top of your schoolwork before participating in any other plans such as hanging with friends or going to sporting events.

My own example of this occurred last semester when I really wanted to join some friends on a trip to California to watch my university play in the NCAA basketball tournament. The day we were to leave, I had two exams I needed to take. I prioritized preparing for and taking those exams over anything else – even packing. Everything ended up a success with two great grades on the exams and I made it on time to my flight later that day. Knowing I prioritized my tests and scored well on them made my time in California so much more fun because I knew I had been successful.

Plan for Work and Play

Learning how to manage your time on a day-to-day basis while in college is important. I manage my time by having a calendar with dates for not only all my schoolwork but also my personal commitments, like setting aside time to make meals, extra studying besides just homework, and time for personal hobbies. Having this organization has aided me in being a successful student while also building in time for fun activities, like hanging out with friends, spending time with my family, playing golf, and babysitting. These outside activities are what makes college fun for me and makes me happiest.

It’s Who You Know, Not What You Know

Besides just being on campus and in the classroom, it is very important to get out of your comfort zone and meet new people. Campus involvement plays a huge role in making your college experience the best because you get to meet so many new people who could be an ally for you in the future. A close family member has always said to me, “it’s who you know, not what you know”, and those words have proved to be true. Building emotional intelligence and social skills can make you so much more of a successful person no matter how smart you are in the classroom. People need people and we rely on each other so much. Getting involved within your college or university will just make your experience even more sweet.

All in all, I know I have made my college experience worth way more than I ever thought I could, and I think everyone else should be able to as well by following my three ingredients to become a successful and happy student.

Do you have a compelling story or student success tips you’d like to see published on the ����app Students blog?  If you are a college student and interested in writing for us –����to pitch your idea and get started! 

When I came to college, I was told there are three S’s: school, sleep, and social life… but the catch is you can only have two. While there are times that certainly feel like the case, creating good organization and time management skills can help you maximize your college experience. What I have found to be most helpful throughout college is creating a calendar system that works for me, scheduling times to do certain projects that are during my peak hours of performance, and realizing the importance of intentional rest even in the midst of crazy schedules. 

Find The Best Calendar for You

How many times have you gotten a physical calendar and after one month you stop writing in it? We have all been there. Finding the right kind of calendar for you is key to keeping on track. If you know you are prone to stop using a physical calendar, try a digital one like Google Calendar or Outlook. At the beginning of the semester type in all of your deadlines for assignments along with known events like club meetings, classes, concerts, or trips. Set alerts that will automatically pop up on your home screen to ensure that you actually have to take a look at your calendar. What I have found to be most helpful is at the beginning of every month briefly reviewing my calendar for that month to make sure I'm aware of all upcoming dates and plan accordingly.

Personally, I like to use two calendars. One is a monthly calendar on my desk that I use to add all of my assignment deadlines as well as any holidays or upcoming events. The other is a small physical calendar that has a weekly view that allows me to plan out what I will do on each day. 

Strategize Your Studying

Scheduling times to do certain projects that are during your peak hours of performance will help you with mental fatigue. For example, if you have a textbook chapter you have to read, a discussion post, and a quantitative assignment to do, be strategic on planning when to do these assignments. It takes a lot more focus to read a textbook chapter or to do a quantitative assignment than to write a discussion post. If you find you are able to focus the most in the morning, try knocking out the textbook chapter or quantitative assignment first, take a break, and save the discussion post for a time in the day you aren't as alert.

Additionally, I know I get overwhelmed by the number of tasks that are on my to-do list, which easily leads to procrastination. Try setting an alarm on your phone for a short period of time like 30 minutes and just start a task. It will make it seem smaller and easier to start when you know you only are going to work on it for a brief amount of time. Moreover, this can also help when you have other tasks like cleaning your room or folding laundry. By setting a 5–10-minute timer you know that you are dedicating that specific time to it, which gives you more incentive to complete it within that time.

Rest Is Productive

Lastly, rest! Unfortunately, burnout is very common among college students, especially towards the end of the semester. The best way to avoid burnout is by taking time to intentionally rest throughout your week. This means finding ways to recharge, which looks different for everyone! Some examples might be to read a book, go on a walk, work out, listen to music, hang out with friends, journal, or cook. Finding times in your schedule to incorporate breaks like this is essential. It might seem like there is no time for this, but by adding rest into your schedule you will be more productive and have more energy throughout your week. Maybe you have an hour chunk during the week or split up that hour throughout your week. Find what works for you and make sure you prioritize it!

Start early in the semester to establish effective time management balanced with plenty of rest. This will lay the foundation to productive habits that will help you maintain student success throughout the school year!

Do you have a compelling story or student success tips you’d like to see published on the ����app Students blog?  If you are a college student and interested in writing for us –����to pitch your idea and get started! 

Student loan debt has been a newsworthy topic recently. There are definitely pros and cons to borrowing money to pay for college. Here’s my experience with how taking out loans can provide both a path to greater learning as well as greater student debt.

As part of the first generation in my family to go to college, I knew it would be no easy feat — let alone a small bill. I sometimes think back to who I was when I was choosing a college. I was just an 18-year-old kid eager to get out of Chicago, make new friends, and take the world by storm. I did not know what new roads college would lead me down, but I did know that I wanted a fresh change of scenery. I got just that by taking out loans and heading up to Wisconsin.

After getting sent home in the middle of my second semester due to the pandemic, I realized my student debt was turning out to be more of a mountain than a hill. I was very fortunate to have received grants and scholarships that put going out-of-state on my radar. But still, the loans I did have were enough to create a panic that was starting to set in. I had trouble sleeping and could think of nothing else for weeks.

How will I pay all this money back? Will my quality of life be worse than my peers who did not need loans? Did I make the right choices? — These are questions I asked and still ask myself.

At 19 years old with no clue what I wanted to do to earn money after graduating, I did not know how I would deal with this money mess I had created. Not knowing how I would solve this problem scared me and watching many of my peers not have this same fear frustrated me.

But over time, I have found that the best way to cope is by changing my perspective. I am learning to look at student debt as much more than a bill on the kitchen table. Instead, it is a representation of my stepping into adulthood and taking control of my education, my career, and my life. Some days the stress still gets me down, but most days I feel as though it is fueling me to succeed even more.

I do not intend for this piece to serve as any kind of financial advice. I certainly did not make my college choice based on what was most financially sound. However, I did make my college choice based on what I wanted. I chose the option that was right for my future and that felt right becoming my second home.

I cannot go back in time and undo what I have done, but I like to think that if I did go back, knowing what I know now, I would not have chosen differently. I firmly believe that everything happens for a reason. If I had not chosen to take out loans and go to the school I did, I would not be the person I am today. And I would not be as responsible or as grateful for every minute of my college experience.

I don’t want financial worries of the future tainting my experiences in the present. When I start to feel the pressure like I did freshman year, I take a deep breath and look at pictures from all my happy memories at school these last few years. I could not imagine them being taken anywhere else, and that keeps me grateful and reminds me that everything is going to work out.

Do you have a compelling story or student success tips you’d like to see published on the ����app Students blog?  If you are a college student and interested in writing for us –����to pitch your idea and get started!