Design Your Dorm

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It’s not completely uncommon for a college student to be the victim of identity theft. Generally they are targeted because they are thought to be easier ‘marks’. Hopefully with these tips you will learn how to prevent being the victim of identity theft.

Never give your SSN out

Do not give your Social Security Number out to anybody. The only time you should ever be required to present your SSN is in your initial papers to your university and when you first go to the student medical center. After this time they usually accept either the last 4 digits of your SSN or your Student ID.

Student ID

Generally you will get your Student ID number before you even get to school. They will assign it to you by snail mail or email. Although the ramifications of having your Student ID # stolen are not nearly as great as for your SSN it is still a good idea to keep it somewhat private. Grades are often posted outside classrooms and you may not want other people to be able to know what your grades are. Your student ID number can also be used to access a number of school databases that you will likely not want to share out.

Email

Be careful with your college e-mail account. You will use this to send e-mails to professors and TA’s and the like. The last thing that you want is to be the victim of a prank in which one of your friends sends some horrible e-mail to one of your professors. Your friends may not realize how seriously detrimental this could be. So be careful as to not check the box that allows your computer to remember your password for this one.

Computer

Take a minute to think about all the personal and important information you store on your computer. Now imagine how horrible it would be if somebody else were to access all of that information. To prevent this you should password protect your computer by allowing access only after the password has been entered. That way nobody can get on your computer.

Facebook and other social media networks

This is a very touchy subject for a lot of people. The types of things you put up on your Facebook account can come back to bite you. Be wise with what pictures you keep on your profile, a lot of people have access to see these pictures. It is also a good idea to make your Facebook profile private so that only people who you are friends with can see it. There are millions of people on Facebook and you probably don’t want all of them to be able to see what you are up to.

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Today we have a guest post by Chandra, the author of FSU Fashion Girl blog. Check her blog out!

1. Rate My Professors – this site is a great way for you to find out what you are getting yourself into when signing up for a particular class. Past students can rate the professor on easiness, helpfulness, clarity and rater interest. They can also write comments about the professor so you can decide if this is the right class for you or not.

2. Evernote – Evernote is a very useful site that will help you to keep every aspect of your life organized. For a college student, it is great when you are working on a class project. Instead of keeping a million tabs open on your web browser, you can store all of the information you need on Evernote. The best part about Evernote is that you don’t need to always be on the computer or internet to access your notebooks. Evernote can be used on the web, your desktop, Blackberry, Palm Pre and iPhone/iPod Touch.

3. Half.com – Half.com makes surfing Ebay even easier. Simply search for the item you are looking for and instantly find the BEST price being offered. They also categorize the items based on the condition of the item. Definitely a great way to save money on textbooks!

4. Craigslist – you can find anything and everything you need on craigslist. This site allows people to post items that they no longer want and its basically a first-come, first-serve. You can find furniture, DVDs, textbooks, pets and so much more!

5. Twitter – if you haven’t gotten into twitter yet, I would highly suggest that you do. It is a great way not only to keep in touch with friends and family but also to network with other people and businesses. Depending on where you live, you may find that local businesses have twitters and give away free stuff or special deals to people that follow them. What college student doesn’t like FREE stuff?

6. Student Universe – find great flight deals just for being a college student.

7. UrbanSpoon – whether you have an iPhone/iPod Touch or not, UrbanSpoon is a great way to find the best restaraunts in town. You can find restaraunts, where they are located, what other people think about them and more through this site. Great for those late night cravings when you know exactly what you want but have no idea where to go!

8. Quarterlife – interning is a HUGE part of the college experience. Most majors encourage you to get an internship and others force you. Either way, Quarter Life makes it easy to find the internship you are looking for.

9. Internship Ratings – debating between a few different internships? Not sure which company is right for you? This site may help. People who have interned with the company before can rate and review their experience which may make your decision a lot easier.

10. Unigo – are you about to head off to college for the first time in the fall? Get a feel for what the university is like ahead of time. On this site people can post their experiences and what they love/hate about the campus. It is also a good source on how you can get involved on
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Most college dorm rooms are smaller than students would like them to be. This can often leave students messy and unorganized, especially if they are not fully utilizing their space. However, with a few additions the space can be optimized to fit a lot more than one would think.

Wall and Door Hooks

Hooks that you can mount on your door or wall are great. Hang towels, jackets, or keys on them instead of just throwing these things on your couch or bed. The hooks will help keep your room organized and clean. Standard hooks come with glue on the back so that you can mount them to the wall. If your school will allow you to drill into the wall then you can opt for ones that screw into the wall, which will ensure they don’t fall out

Bed Risers

If you decide that you don’t want to loft your bed then getting bed risers could be a good choice. They are generally black sturdy plastic cubes that go under each leg of the bed. They should raise your bed by 6 inches, enough so that you can store some larger items under there. Make sure that you don’t just toss a bunch of stuff under your bed because you will regret this later.

Storage Tubs

These plastic carts can help you save a lot of space. If you chose to get the bed risers then you can now fit these things under your bed. You can also choose to put them in your closet, or you can even just leave them out. These are great for storing clothes when you run out of dresser space, and they are good for school supplies as well.

Shelves

Shelves are often overlooked, but they can be a huge help. You will acquire books for classes in college and you don’t want to damage them because you’ll probably want to sell them back at the end of the semester. Shelves are also nice for putting those random things that you just cant seem to find any place for: toiletries, electronics, papers, etc…

Shoe Organizers

If you have nice shoes then you probably don’t want them getting damaged, which is exactly what will happen if you leave them on the floor all year. Shoe racks can be hung on the back of doors or in the closet. They will really keep your room looking clean and prevent your shoes from getting lost and damaged.

By using these items you can utilize your available space and thus allow yourself the feeling of living in a more spacious environment.

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In a recent article on the Online Wall Street Journal, author Sue Shellenbarger documents her preparation for the SAT. The back story is that she is a 57 mom and her son challenged her to take the SAT and she obliged.

Here’s the story: High-School Senior: I Took the SAT Again After 41 Years

The author poses the question that perhaps today’s kids have it tougher than they used to. She tells the audience her original SAT scores from 1967 were 1440, however these scores are adjusted to fit today’s rising SAT scores. But on her initial practice test she scored in the 1120-1280 range. Both the practice scores and the original scores were achieved with absolutely no studying. In 1967 that was the norm, but today kids study before the SAT. She hopped on the bandwagon and bought an SAT study guide. After six weeks of hard studying she took the test and scored a 1400, 40 points less than her original score.

But does this mean that today’s kids have it harder than they used to?

When you look Sue’s test scores from her original 1967 test and her first practice test in 2009, it becomes clear that the test has indeed become harder. But why is it harder? Some might be quick to say that today’s kids are just simply smarter due to survival of the fittest. But I say that today’s kids aren’t necessarily smarter, but just more competitive. In 1967 students didn’t study, and now they do. Thus, after one person decides to start studying everybody must follow suit, because the SAT is based on a bell shaped curve. So does this mean that today’s kids have it harder? I say yes, because they are being forced to be more competitive, and not just in the SAT.

Does this breed success or failure?

Many people point out that being more competitive is not a bad thing, and that kids should embrace the fact that they have it tougher, because it will only make the world better… because competition, after all, breeds innovation. I have trouble fully agreeing with this. Although it may be true that competition breeds innovation, I think that at such a young age competition causes tremendous amounts of stress. It’s not uncommon for college students to have mental breakdowns, just do a google search for ‘suicide bridge cornell’.

But stress isn’t the only negative aspect of over-competition. Kids are being bred for success at a very young age. Instead of having leisure time with friends, they are inside studying or learning some kind of trade. Unfortunately when this happens the development of social skills are overlooked, and social skills are very important in becoming successful, personally and financially.

I’m not here telling you that competition is bad, because that would be false. I’m here saying that over-competition at a young age is very detrimental to the young leaders of tomorrow. The reason is that all of this over-competition leads to today’s kids living their lives motivated by fear. They want to get into the right schools so that they can get the right jobs so that they can make the right income. They fear failure and they fear being left in the dust of life’s bell shaped curve.

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Now that you are going to be a college freshman, it might be a good idea to start building good credit. A good way to do this is get a credit card, but be careful.

Picking the right credit card

Some university and alumni associations will send you to credit card companies that will smother you with offers and spam mail. These cards are not always the best choice. They may start with a low interest rate and then after a few months the rates will skyrocket

Do some research and find out which cards will work best for you. Don’t get suckered in by rewards programs and low introductory rates. You want a card that does not charge application fees or annual fees. You also need it to have a decent interest rate (15%-18% is normal) and most importantly it must report to all three credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion).

Now that you have your card

Don’t take cash advances. They come with very high interest rates that apply immediately. If you need cash, this is not the way to get it.

Don’t pay late. Not only will you be assessed a late fee, but you could get a higher interest rate for the future. If you completely skip a payment, your credit score will go off the deep end. One skipped payment could even drop your credit score by 100 points. This is not the type of hit you want to take, and it could take quite some time to rebuild.

Don’t get too close to you’re credit limit. If you charge too much your credit score can take a hit. This is especially so if you go above 80% of your limit. So be careful, the less you charge the better.

Do set up automatic payments. Life can get crazy when you’re in college and it’s not uncommon to forget to do things. Most credit card companies can arrange to have your monthly balance taken directly from your checking account. Make sure you set a reminder every month to ensure that there is enough money in your checking account to pay off your balance.

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1. Take out the trash
   Pizza boxes, water bottles, crumpled papers, get rid of them. Trash smells people don’t want to hang out in a room that smells. Gather it all up and take it out to the dumpster.
2. Wipe Down
   Go over all of your dusty surfaces with a wet paper towel. Also make sure you wipe up spills and crumbs. There’s no need to hit the surfaces that people won’t see, but it is a plus.
3. Make the bed
   A well made bed can always make your room look clean. Smooth out the wrinkles and tuck the sheets in. Also make sure they are clean, students in the dorms don’t change their sheets as much.
4. Put your laundry away
   It’s very easy to let your laundry pile up on your couch, bed or floor. Get a large laundry basket to help avoid this. Throw all your clothes in the basket and you can pack it down if you have to. The more often that you do laundry, the less this will be a problem.
5. The Floor
6. Buy or borrow a vacuum and clean up the dirt and crumbs. There’s nothing worse than walking around your room barefoot and getting dirt stuck to the bottom of your feet. It’s also a good idea to get rid of the all of the sticky spots.
7. Now that your room is clean, invite your friends over and enjoy!

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1. Mini Fridge
   Quite possibly the most essential item you can have. Eating and drinking things that are warm is not always desirable. A mini fridge will also pay for itself with the money you save from not having to eat out or order in as often, since you can store food. Opting for one that has an attached freezer is a plus, a frozen meal can be a life saver when they are serving something in the dining hall that you are not a fan of.
2. Microwave
   Microwaves are another essential, and they go quite well with a mini fridge. Obviously they are necessary for heating up frozen meals, but they also come in handy when you want to heat up water for instant coffee or tea for those late study nights.
3. Water Filter
   It can’t be stressed enough how important it is to have a water filter. Too many people living in the dorms don’t drink nearly enough water, which contributes to them getting sick and being tired often. Those that do drink enough water end up spending tons of money on bottled water and they also end up with half empty water bottles scattered throughout their room (or at least I did).
4. Shower Sandals
   This is purely a sanitary issue. If you are using communal showers then shower sandals are a must. You have no idea what kind of fungi grow on the floor of those showers, and depending on what school you are going to, they might only clean them once or twice a week. Do yourself a favor and pick up a pair of completely plastic or rubber flip-flops, you won’t regret it.
5. Toaster Oven (if they are allowed)
   Now if your residence hall allows you to have a toaster oven, then it is highly recommended that you get one. Microwaves are great on their own, but some things are better toasted. Bagels, toast, and English muffins are more obvious, but you can get more inventive by heating sandwiches and leftover pizza. This is a good way to help prevent from getting sick of the dining hall food.
6. Electric Fan
   Most dorms don’t have air conditioning, and even if they do it almost never works very well. A simple electric fan can solve this problem. It will also help circulate bad smells out of your room, just in case you don’t take your trash out as often as you should.
7. Computer Lock
   A simple computer lock that can be attached to your desk and then to your laptop should do fine. Computers are a very common theft among college campuses and it can’t hurt to protect yourself from theft.
8. Noise Canceling Headphones
   These are more optional, but they are still strongly recommended. When you are studying for that big exam and your hall mates are having a huge Mario-kart tournament, you will be glad that you brought these. They were a complete life saver to me.

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1. Socialize
   Socializing around your dorm is a great idea. You don’t want to be known as that guy or girl who always stays in their room and never talks to anybody. Some of the people you meet will be your friends throughout college and then some.
2. Accept your roommate
   You might not be best friends with your roommate, but try to at least be cordial. You are stuck with him or her for a year, so you might as well make the best of it.
3. Get off campus
   Go out and get off campus from time to time. The weekends are a great time for doing this. Make sure to have a good time while staying safe.
4. Get a part-time job
   It might be a good idea to get a part-time job. Even if your parents supply you with enough money it could be nice to have some savings on the side, or perhaps to pay for things that your parents won’t pay for.
5. Separate
   Sometimes it’s a good idea to get away from the people in your residence hall. Go out and meet new people and do new things. But don’t completely forget about your hall-mates, you still have to come home to them every night.
6. Be safe
   If you plan on going out on the weekends to do some drinking and partying, know your limits. Make sure you have a friend with you if you are going out, especially if you’re a girl.
7. Go to class
   It is very easy to get into the habit of skipping class often. Try to avoid this. It might seem easy to get away with, but at the end of the semester you will regret it when your GPA begins to suffer.
8. Keep in touch
   Don’t forget about your high school friends. These are the people that you will go home to over breaks, and many of them are life long friends. Also make sure to keep in touch with your parents, you don’t need to talk to them everyday but they will appreciate it if you speak with them once a week.

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1. Plastic wrap on the toilet
   This one is a classic. If you have a communal bathroom then you can wrap plastic wrap between the seat and the toilet bowl. The next morning before the 8am classes, at least one tired and unsuspecting student will be in for a very unpleasant surprise.
2. Rotting food trick
   This should only be reserved for your most hated nemesis. Get a few of those disposable Tupperware containers and poke a few holes in the top lid. Then locate something that perishes quickly; raw fish works well. Then place the container under your target’s bed or in his closet. Wait a few days, and watch as his room is overrun by a horrid smell.
3. Hidden alarm clock
   Get a cheap, battery powered alarm clock and set it for a later hour in the middle of the night. Then place it somewhere in your target’s room where he will be able to hear it, but not see it; under the bed works as long as it is a loud alarm. In the middle of the night he will be startled, and likely very upset.
4. Dismantled bed
   This one is truly awesome, but you will probably have to get your target’s roommate to lend you his room key. Wait until a Friday or Saturday night when your target plans on going out for the night and stay for an extra 15 minutes. Sneak into his room and dismantle his bed. When he arrives at 2am he will be disgruntled and exhausted and he will probably be forced to sleep on the floor. For an added twist, you can reassemble his bed in the hallway in front of his room.
5. Stealing towel/robe
   This is simple yet effective if you have communal bathrooms. Wait for your target to walk into the bathroom to shower. Then once they are mid shower steal their towel and or bathrobe and put it someplace where they will have to walk exposed for a short distance. This one never gets old.