Buff up Your Back-to-School Body

The Real College Guide: Health & Fitness

From the Editors of The Real College Guide


photo credit: ©iStockphoto.com/huaxiadragon

If you’ve spent your summer break lying by the pool -- instead of swimming laps in it -- chances are you’ve lost some of your all-star collegiate athlete muscle. Want to buff up your back-to-school bod? Meghan Hamacher, exercise instructor at the student recreation center at University of North Carolina Wilmington, stresses that you need both cardiovascular and strength training to really maximize body toning and fat burn.

“If you increase your muscle, you will increase your metabolism and maximize your fat-burning potential,” says Hamacher. So while cardio exercises are great for shedding fat, a muscular person burns more calories during rest than does a flabby person. “Ideally, you should work out at least 30 minutes a day, five days a week, to lose weight and tone quickly.” For cardio, Hamacher says good choices are biking, swimming, running, skating or even walking at a brisk pace for 30 minutes. Below are her instructions for strength-training exercises, along with a recommended fitness routine.

Exercises to Get Buff Now
If you’re a beginner or pretty much have been idle all summer, start by doing half the recommended repetitions the first week before gradually easing your way up to the suggested amount of reps. For maximum toning, the courageous can try working up to doing each day’s circuit twice.

V-ups: Lie on your back on the floor, arms at your sides, then lift your legs and chest at the same time to form a V shape with your body, extending arms in front of you for balance. Hold for a count of one before lowering yourself back to the floor. To make it harder, only lower your legs and chest about halfway (so your feet and shoulders never touch the floor). This will really challenge your legs and abs! Try four sets of 15 reps.

5 Move-in Mistakes That Rob You of Space

The Real College Guide: Campus Life

By Maria Moy for The Real College Guide



Losing sleep over the dimensions of your dorm room? Rest assured, you can survive -- and thrive -- in close living quarters. We tell you how.

Unless you were raised in a jail cell, your dorm room is going to seem way too small for storing all your stuff -- and yourself -- without frequent fits of claustrophobia. Upon moving in, you’ll inevitably find that your closet is too small and that you have to make hard decisions about what will actually fit in your room this semester (big-screen TV or roommate? Hmmm ...).

Here are the top five mistakes to avoid when stuffing your stuff into a small space:

1. Leaving furniture as is By far, the biggest mistake you can make on move-in day is to leave the furniture where it is. You are totally allowed -- with your roommate’s blessings, of course -- to move it! And don’t be shy about trying out a few different arrangements. Often, there is a better way to position your furniture to at least give the illusion of more space and even privacy. Typically, pushing your bed and desk against the walls leaves an open area in the center of the room. Pushing bureaus back to back can create private nooks for dressing or sleeping (so you never have to wake up to eye contact with your creepy roommate).

2. Not using vertical space The sky (OK, ceiling) is the limit when you are organizing your room. Even if your desk doesn’t come with shelves, you can pick up cost-effective shelving units at places like Kmart and Target. Be sure your shelves are durable enough to support the considerable weight of your textbooks or whatever else you plan to keep on them -- clothes, shoes or even people if the shelves are waist-high. If you have room, a full-out bookcase is great for storing groceries, cooking supplies and other dorm miscellanea. Or opt for wall shelves, which free up floor space but might not be as sturdy. Hint: Buildable cube shelving gives you sturdy flexibility and can be recycled for whatever space you find yourself living in next year. And you can shove a single cube at the bottom of your closet or on your desk for additional organization.

Getting Back to the College Mindset

By Elizabeth Cunningham for The Real College Guide



It’s natural to be a little anxious about the change of pace from summer to school -- but if you take advantage of the beginning-of-the-school-year energy and lighter workload to get a jump on the year, you’ll feel ultra-prepared. From your social life to academics to settling into your new dorm or apartment, here’s how to get your place in order, social life on track and brain in gear from the moment you set foot on campus:

1. Get Settled
Dorm rooms and campus apartments are designed to be utilitarian, so getting organized and personalizing your space are key to feeling like you have a home.

• First things first Unpacking can be overwhelming, to say the least, but Vassar College senior Katie Hoople has this advice: “I always make my bed first. It’s really nice to have an oasis of calm in the middle of all the chaos.” There really is something about tidy bedding that makes the whole room seem more polished.
• Pull it together When it comes to dorm rooms and apartments with limited space, there isn’t enough praise in the world for closet organizers, available at most discount stores. If you’re driving to campus, you can even pack your clothes right into the organizers and just hang them when you arrive.
• Spiff up your space Late summer and early fall are prime time for yard sales -- and are right in the college student’s price range. Plus, distinctive accessories will give your space a unique “decorator” touch. “Last fall, I found this awesome bedside table at a yard sale,” says University of Colorado junior Samantha Rosenberg. “It was shaped like an elephant and only cost me 50 cents!”

2. Be Social
Whether you’re a freshman searching Internet groups for friendly faces or an upperclassman whose friends have been scattered all summer, make some plans to socialize.

Get Career Goals in Gear This Summer

From the Editors of The Real College Guide


Summertime … it’s for relaxing by the pool, road-tripping and -- if you’re lucky -- making some money. But summer is also a good time to chill out and think about your future career goals. We help put it in perspective, starting now, with eight simple rules:



Career Goal Rule No. 1: Figure out What You Enjoy
Do what you love. It’s a phrase undergrads hear all the time -- because those four little words pack a lot of punch. “I definitely believe students should look for subjects and careers they love,” says Leslie Stevenson, director of the Career Development Center at the University of Richmond. “When you love something, your natural interest in the topic translates to enthusiasm and a willingness to invest more time in the area.” Don’t know what you love? More on that later, so read on. …



Career Goal Rule No. 2: Keep It Real
While most would agree that it is important to be passionate about your career, reel in your expectations to align with reality. Your hopes of being a professional athlete could be lofty, but consider segueing that passion into an area such as sports medicine or broadcasting. And even if the job of your dreams is attainable, it’s doubtful you’ll rise to the top of your field right out the gate. You want to be the next great American author? You might have to write your share of press releases, for example, before ever getting published.



Career Goal Rule No. 3: Be Forward-thinking
Prediction is an imperfect science. Just ask Wall Street. You never know what the future will hold after four years in college, but sometimes it doesn’t hurt to look ahead. “In conjunction with pursuing something you’re passionate about, it also helps to pick a career with potential to grow -- especially in this current job market,” says former Fox News Channel entertainment editor and film critic Bill McCuddy. “Never hurts to be one step ahead of the game.”

Top Ten Majors Most Likely To Get You Hired

By Lauren Joffe for The Real College Guide

For students entering a somewhat bleak hiring market, your college major could be the biggest factor in determining your likelihood of securing a job. Based on a survey from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), here are the majors that offer students the best chances of getting hired upon graduation:

10. Communications/Journalism
And so we reach the final major most likely to get you hired out of college -- communications and journalism majors today have just above a 35 percent chance of getting hired upon graduation -- which may not be the highest of the bunch, but certainly lands them on this list.

9. Liberal Arts/Humanities
Liberal arts and humanities have always garnered heat from parents, grandparents and employers regarding hiring attractiveness come May. But not to worry -- you just make the cut, receiving a somewhat unexpected 37-percent chance of landing that job.

8. Health Sciences
Health sciences majors, ranging from physical therapy to audiology, might not fare as well at the accounting majors out there, but still rake in impressive hiring stats at 38.7 percent. And with graduate coursework almost always required in health sciences fields, we don’t doubt you’ll secure employment.

7. Mathematics
Well, maybe not as easy as 1, 2, 3 … but mathematics majors should be counting their lucky stars. Yes -- math majors show a close percentage rate with their VPA counterparts, reaching just below the 40 percent mark with a 37.5-percent chance of getting hired.

Another great article from our partners at The Real College Guide

17 Smart Ways to Live Cheaper on Campus

By David Replogle for The Real College Guide

Living on a shoestring budget? Whether your parents float you funds or you’re pulling a part-time paying gig, here’s how to stre-------tch every precious penny.


Broke -- it’s a common catch in student jargon. “OMG, I broke my phone at that rager last night” or “I just broke up with my girlfriend ’cause she was cheating on me with my best bud.” But when used as an adjective, the word describes the financial status of most college kids.

Unless Dad is handing over his preferred platinum card or you strike it rich selling those musty ol’ Pokemon cards, you’ll have to get by on meager means. Here are some painless ways to get major bang for your buck … even if it’s your last buck.

Put the "Eat" in Creativity

Whether you’re craving a change from the monotonous glop of the dining hall, celebrating a friend’s birthday at a nearby bistro or taking a study break to go for a late-night munch, your wallet will take a hit. Cutting back on these extravagances means getting clever.

1. Buy in bulk When stashing snacks in your room, think long term. Talk to your roommates about pitching in for some grub, then head to the nearest warehouse retail chain to stock up on industrial-sized cheaper-in-the-long-run crates of Ramen packets and other non-perishables. Many discount clubs offer collegiate membership rates, and some give free introductory one-time shopping passes for non-members to bypass the annual fee altogether.

2. Use the student discount Grocery stores, restaurants and even places on campus usually have discounts for students. Even if you don’t see it advertised, it doesn’t hurt to ask. Have your student ID at all times. It could save 15 percent on that panini or score you a free dessert!

3. Sniff out free food Complimentary chow is almost as popular on campus as the latest gossip on CollegeACB. “Club meetings and churches are always looking to give out food to potential new members,” says Robby Panos, a University of Virginia junior. Philanthropic bashes and school-sponsored speaker events are also prime time for gratis grubs. Grab a slice of pizza and take in a lecture.

4. Have a drink on me Students pour beaucoup bucks down the drain when indulging in conveniences like Starbucks and bottled water. Invest in a coffeemaker so you can brew your own, and get yourself a travel mug. Pick up a refillable water bottle too if your college’s tap is tolerable. Bonus: It’s better for the environment.

Campus Suicides: Reality Check

Here is a informative article written by Elizabeth Cunningham from our partners at The Real College Guide which outlines the harsh epidemic reality that is campus suicides.

The Real College Guide: Health & Fitness

Campus Suicides: Reality Check
By Elizabeth Cunningham for The Real College Guide


The tragic story of Rutgers University freshman Tyler Clementi’s suicide has resonated throughout the academic community. The student’s death was the first of a string of recent suicides by other gay teens, including four high school students and Johnson and Wales University sophomore Raymond Chase.

In early 2010, Cornell University experienced three suicides in less than a month -- after three others during the fall semester of 2009. Other campuses that have lost students to suspected suicides this year include Yale University, University of Illinois and Washington University.

But this does not even begin to paint an accurate picture of the scope of the campus suicide problem. According to the American Association of Suicidology, it’s estimated that more than 1,000 suicides occur on college campuses every year. ...

Campus Suicides Reality Check No. 1: This is a BIG problem.
First, the good news: Several studies have concluded that the suicide rate among college students is about half the rate of non-students of the same age. Still, the statistics on campus suicides remain grim.

A study from the University of Texas at Austin, published last year in Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, looked at a cross section of students enrolled in 70 U.S. colleges and universities. According to the study:

• Eighteen percent of undergraduates reported that they’d seriously considered attempting suicide.