No Limits Magazine Blog

Growing up in a household where dogs and kids are equal, I went to college feeling lost without a pet. Dorms don’t allow anything furry in but my friends down the hall went a different path, fish. After deciding their beta fish wasn’t manly enough with his pink coloring, the boys bought two sharp toothed, ornery, piranhas fondly named Marcus and Aurelius. After rescuing the beta fish from disaster, Carlos came to live with my friends and me. But as the year ended and we got our apartment, something was still missing. Filling the gap, I researched and decided on getting Sheldon- the hedgehog. Perfect for my no large pet apartment, Sheldon fit my qualifications. He’s hypoallergenic—to save my poor roommate—litter trained, and eats easy to buy kitten food. In my search I wanted something that I could cuddle but also would know who I was, unlike mice and hamsters. Apartment pets are tricky, and it is important to look at one that fits your lifestyle.

Dorms: Many colleges have strict no pet rules. Learn what they are and talk with your Resident Heads before purchasing anything just to be sure. In this type of situation, fish are the easiest to allow. Goldfish and beta fish are pretty self-sufficient and require only a change of water once a week and food. If those fish are “too mellow” as my friends claimed, there are also piranhas and the more flashy salt-water fish. These, however, require a larger amount of attention, more expensive care and food. Most likely furry critters are out of the question because of allergies, but sometimes dorms will allow hermit crabs (minimum amount of care), and other small reptiles like frogs, snakes, and some lizards. Again, it is important to understand how much the animal and its care will cost, and the amount of space it will take up.

Apartment Pets: If dogs and cats are out, as was my case, it is first important to access what is allowed and how much space you can give it. Small mammals such as mice, rats, and hamsters would require limited amount of space, time, care, and the cheapest food. Negatives are that they are not very responsive, cannot be litter trained, and may have a slight odor. Going up a bit in size and care are bunnies and gerbils. Benefits are that they respond more to their caretakers, don’t necessarily require a lot of time or care, and have accessible, inexpensive food. They do require more space and care, but if you’re looking for an inexpensive pet, these are the best options. Bordering the exotic side are ferrets, chinchillas, birds, larger reptiles, and of course my favorite, the hedgehog. These guys will demand more space, more time, and more money than the latter. In exchange, they are more attached to their owners and can be trained: tricks, games, and the litter box. Again, these are pets that are easily accessible in both maintenance and food requirements. Finally, the truly exotic pets: domestic skunk (need a license), sugar glider, tarantula, pot-bellied pigs, and newts. Like the bordering pets, these guys are all very unique and demand different types and amounts of attention. They will be the most expensive to purchased and the most difficult to feed. But many say that it is worth it.

Questions to ask Before Buying

1. How much time do I have to spend?

2. How much money can I afford to spend on food, cage, toys and the pet itself?

3. How accessible is its food? Can I buy it at a local pet shop?

4. Will it need a cage? A kennel? A terrarium?

5. Does it need shots? Vitamins?

6. What about traveling?

And if in the end, pets just seem to much work, get a cactus.

Many people complain about the influence college rankings have over the application process.  Google college rankings and quickly one will discover that there are over 30 million options, each one with a different formula or focus. The goal is to be able to sort through riff-raff and find the one that’s right for you. You can search by major and by categories: business, agriculture or something broad like economics. Or one can search based on general academics, school size, diversity, and pretty much any other statistic one can think of.

Be specific in the search. By understanding how the formula determined the rank one can better grasp what the ranking is trying to show.  Are they looking at perceived quality, empirical statistics or are they showing surveys of educators, scholars and students? A good place to start is by looking over two well-accepted rankings: The Academic World Ranking and the Times Higher Education World University Rankings. The first ranks the universities on alumni and staff Nobel and Field Medal winners, highly citied researchers, articles published and per capita academic performance. The second ranks more on economic activity or research income, international diversity, institutional indicators such as awards, and research indicators.

Sometimes, however, all this academic mumbo jumbo gets in the way of what many prospective students really want to know. A website more helpful in giving all types of information—both of empirical and opinion form—is College Prowler. From best food to worst looking guys, College Prowler expanded from the generic Princeton review and could influence a prospective student in a positive way. Not only do its rankings have a broad range, they also take into account technical, community, and career schools. Pick any school and immediately you have a report card that grades multiple aspects of college life as well as quick empirical stats on the school.

The point of ranking is to give prospective students a brief glance at what the colleges and universities have to offer. As long as one goes into this type of research with an idea of what is important to him or her, the rankings should help, not hinder in the decision making process.

Many of us enter college with little to no cooking skills. We can maybe toast some bread, or boil some pasta. But what about when the cafeteria just isn’t cutting it, or the penny jar is down to just that- a penny. A dorm room can only have a refrigerator, a microwave, and maybe a hot plate or weber grill held illegally but what is there to make that is cheap and easy?

Well here are some web sites to help you figure that out:

www.barcharts.com/system/…/free/Dorm%20Recipes%20(QT).pdf

http://www.chow.com/stories/10680

http://abcnews.go.com/WNN/story?id=132839&page=1

http://www.squidoo.com/goactivism

And for those of you that have a stove but not the cash, try these:

http://thedormchef.com/category/healthy-recipes/

http://brokeassgourmet.com/

We’ve all heard it. Our mothers spurting advice about sticking together when going out, always having a phone, an extra key, a mace can on us at all times. Our fathers remind us to watch our red cups, to never trust smooth talking boys or too much showing girls, and to always have a party escape plan. But what is the truth; how worried should we be?

When it comes to parties and dorm rooms, alcohol and unlocked doors, there are many twists and turns that could bring you and your things down a dangerous slope. The trick is protecting without taking away. You shouldn’t hide in your room afraid of getting roofied or mugged, or lock up everything remotely valuable to ward off thieves. What to understand is that college is a different world with different rules. Learn them, study them, and make a few mistakes:

First, and most importantly, be aware. Learn your surroundings and listen to what the older students have to say about certain fraternity houses, apartment parties, buses or parts of town. They’ve been there and done that. It is also important to be aware of where you are on or off campus in relation to where you have to go, or where you need to end up. As long as you have a hold on that, no matter what (ahem) may happen during the day or night, you should be able to at least ask for directions, if not walk/ride back with someone. Awareness is the first step to understanding what you should be afraid of, and how to avoid it.

Next, know how to use your resources. Every campus has specific safety requirements and devices that help to protect their students. Look for benefits like Safe ride (or named something similar) which is generally a college owned bus or van that will pick up and drop off anyone on or near campus any time after dark. Another common safety tool are the emergency phones and cameras that light up campus sidewalks. These are linked directly to campus police and have a wide enough range that they can follow you between the phone stations until you’ve reached safety. Put the campus police, safe ride, and nearest hospital numbers into your phone and know how to use them if necessary.

Third, listen to dorm rules. I know many of them will sound pointless and anti-social, but many are that way because they had to be made in response to past occurrences. So if a dorm requests closed doors between certain hours know they are attempting to protect your privacy, and if they say double lock, it’s because the locks could be easy to pick open. If you are like the thousands of students who claim they don’t care, then there are other options. Now there are lockboxes that can be attached to bunk beds, designed for protecting laptops. Keep cash hidden and fancy jewelry at home.

Finally, use your head. Alone at a party where you don’t know anyone? Leave. Left your cup by itself for a while…Get a new one. It’s three a.m. and you want go back and sleep? Find a buddy to walk with. These are situations where bad things rarely happen, but do you really want the exception to be you? Think about the consequence and decide if it’s worth the risk.

All of these rules seem easy enough, but they are dependent on the follow through. We all have half-heartedly listened to our parents ramblings, but to us they seem foreign, like a concept that only fits in the real world. Remember that college is different and we need to respect that. Here are some sites to further benefit the protection of you and your things:

http://www.aware.org/

http://www.defendu.com/questions/quest13.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07jnqD8wvyE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qb0OoV96yZo&feature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1m0bkr5oepU&feature=channel

These demos are courtesy of youtube and should only be used in response to a threatening or violent situation. Remember it is easier to avoid trouble than to get yourself out of it.

In college, one of the best ways to impress a professor is to incorporate something you already learned into his or her class. This shows that you have the ability to use outside resources and connect the professor’s lectures to the real world. Most schools require their students to take freshman English courses, maybe history or some other social science as a general education requirement. It is in these type of classes that the opportunity to impress comes about, and if that seems unimportant, remember that professors are more likely to write a recommendation (a good one) for students they remember, and having interesting comments, in class and in essays, make you stand out from the group giving you the extra push that makes a B+ an A— its all about standing out in a large group.

So how can you do this? Although it sounds contrite, to impress you need to know more, and to know more, you need to read. Read everything. Books, newspapers, comic books, magazines – every type of discourse has something important to say. But as far as classes go, here is what I would consider the top 10 books to have read in order to blow your professor away and get a head start in class.

1. The Odyssey and/or The Iliad-Homer:

Many of you have already read at least one of these epic poems, but I suggest you read or at least skim both. As one of my English teachers said in high school, every book in the world will have an element from either these famous Greek epics or the Bible. One way or another, they will follow you into any English/Literature class you could ever take.

2. Hamlet- Shakespeare:

Though this is technically a play, the themes from Hamlet and other famous Shakespeare plays are timeless . I chose Hamlet because it is probably the most well-known, but if insanity is not something you would want to read about try Macbeth for a little magic, Romeo and Juliet for tragic love, or A Midsummer’s Night Dream for comedy. It’s important to understand why Shakespeare is still studied and appreciate the literary advances he created.

3. Three Lives- Gertrude Stein:

If you are not into literature it is doubtful that you have ever heard of Gertrude Stein, but it is possible that you have heard of at least Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, Picasso and/or other famous modern writers and painters. But it was Ms. Stein who started the modern revolution, and she began it with this novel. It is incredibly difficult to get through and I suggest buying a guide to fully comprehend what it is she created in this book. (She influenced novels such as The Great Gatsby, The Sound and the Fury, and The Sun also Rises if you are interested.)

4. Pride and Prejudice- Jane Austen:

Always a common part of the cannon, Pride and Prejudice is a book that far surpasses a simple love story. The novel represents a period of time making Austen an example for women writers of the future.

5. On the Road- Jack Kerouac:

Similar to the others, On the Road is a novel that created a new type of writing, a new type of reading. Written in a personal style, the novel is an example of the counter-culture from the 1950’s. Based on autobiographical accounts of Kerouac and his friends traveling across America, the novel is considered a defining book of the postwar Beat Generation.

6. Brave New World- Aldous Huxley:

Written about a potential future society, this novel is a critique on modernism and the embodiment of ideals in futurism. The book is a little out there, but is a fast and interesting read. Referencing multiple different disciplines and authors, Brave New World is referenced itself in hundreds of different discourses because of its unique approach and design.

7. The Stranger- Albert Camus:

As an example of existentialism, once again this book is a pioneer of a new style of writing and philosophy. A short novel, Camus challenges a reader to become unfeeling, and passive against the usual exploration of human emotion.

8. A Russian Novel:

Being one of the largest and once super powered nations, the Russians wrote many novels that exemplify revolution, poverty and societal change. This golden age of Russian literature began with Alexander Pushkin and involved two of the greatest authors of all time, Leo Tolstoy and Fyodor Dostoyevsky. Tolstoy: War and Peace, Anna Karenina. Dostoyevsky: Crime and Punishment, The Brothers Karamazov.

9. A Current American Novel:

It is always important to have some handle on current American literature when entering college. Knowing a few of these will help in interviews, conversing with professors, and simply writing essays. Try to know a few of these authors: Toni Morrison, Margaret Atwood, John Updike, Cormac McCarthy, Stephan King, and Don Ayn Rand. Books I recommend are Beloved, The Handmaids Tale, Rabbit Angstrom, The Road, The Stand, and The Fountainhead.

10. Cultural Study:

Cultural Studies majors are becoming more and more popular at Universities across the country and therefore it is important to have a grounding is post-colonialism/cultural literature. Post-colonialism represents the immigration of many countries to the U.S. and describes the feelings of alienation, of cultural assimilation and the American dream. Or one can look into cultural literature based on anywhere in the U.S or world. For examples of post-colonialism and cultural studies: Lucy by Jamaica Kincaid, Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, and In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez.

More and more young people today are participating in what some are calling the “gap-years.” These being a time period either before college, work, or military or between college and work, or graduate school that allows for a break in academic and work effort. There are multiple reasons for wanting to post-pone the future; the trick is finding what’s right for you.

For the Academics:

Academically, there are two ways to go about taking time off, it just depends on your final destination. Say you have already been accepted into college but are unsure whether you want to attend right away. The choice is deferment. Check the college’s specifics, but for most places deferment means that you defer your admission for between a semester and possibly two years. Normally what is required is a letter of intent, stating what you hope to do during the year that their university cannot provide. Most schools accept language/cultural programs, volunteer services, travel, work, and internship opportunities. The important things to be aware of are deadlines, deposits and playing by your university’s rules. The second way to take academics into account is by attending a study abroad program for a year. Maybe you didn’t get into the school of your choice, or maybe you simply weren’t ready, but either way taking a year off for study abroad will give you time to re-organize and re-apply, while still doing something academically productive. While many colleges will not accept you into their programs without college acceptance, there are multiple programs you can apply to without that restriction.

Another academic choice available is to take what is called a post-graduate year. This is for students who want to re-take their senior year to improve gpa.

www.semesteratsea.org

www.seamester.com

http://www.afsusa.org/usa_en/home

www.goabroad.com

For the Volunteers:

Volunteering is always a great choice for those who want to go into the work force, college, military, or really anything. The benefits range from leadership skills, to just personal satisfaction.  It also really allows young people to gain knowledge about themselves and the world around them. While choosing your program, the most distinguishing factor is how much time you are willing to dedicate.

Peace Corps: This famous program requires 27 months of hard work and could place you anywhere around the world. They offer volunteer opportunities in education, health, business, agriculture, environment, and youth development.  The prestige that goes along with this organization has helped multiple “gap-year-ers” become famous members of congress, diplomats, professors etc.

www.peacecorps.gov

AmeriCorps: Lesser known, AmeriCorps offers three different types of programs: National and state programs, Vista, and the National Civilian Community Corps. The first suggestion, when on their website, allows for a person to pick an interest and a state and from there can pick a specific regional program. Most, if not all, of these programs provide housing, an allowance, and sometimes-even pay. Benefits are that the programs are localized, creating a tight community connection. AmeriCorps Vista is a one-year program dedicated to helping poverty through non-profit and local government agencies. Finally, they offer the NCCC, a program that is run similarly to the Peace Corps, offering work between 9-12 months with placement in many different parts of the country.

www.americorps.gov

For Those Who Want to Work:

Going straight from high school to the working world is no easy choice. Many young people are forced into this position (again choosing deferment) in order to pay for their higher education or training. The best choice for these situations is to find a job close to your living quarters and create a budget. Saving money can be easy as long as you are willing to stick to it. If money is not the issue, start looking for internships and apprenticeships that could benefit you in the future. Mechanics, electricians, plumbing, construction, many hands-on jobs are always looking for people to train. The money might not be great at first, and sometimes may be even nonexistent. Remember that it is for your future, and will eventually be worth it.

For Those Who Want to Play:

The limbo area is time for a break from academics, from work, and really from the real world. What better time is there to go exploring? For young people who are still trying to figure everything out, traveling is the best option. If money is tight, go for a road trip around the U.S. and Canada. There are hundreds of ways of making quick cash and saving a buck or two that will make the trip memorable. Europe is always a good, stereotypical choice, which, besides the plane ticket, is also relatively cheap. Either way, travel is something every career looks at positively. It shows a sense of adventure, of risk, but also the idea of ambition. You could have sat on your butt in small town U.S.A., but instead took the initiative to see the world.

Its finally summer but you’re in a sort of limbo right? Somewhere between being psyched about college and nervous about leaving everything else. People keep throwing suggestions out about getting ready: find a job, get an internship, maybe study up for placement testing. But all any new graduate wants to do is hang out at a beach or go to a club, essentially hoping to erase the idea of school and work for three months. When stuck in this type of bind, you have to work the compromise.

If the authority figures are pushing for you to get a job, try getting a part-time one working at a place you enjoy. There are often a lot of small jobs to be found at daycare centers, kids camps and other small retail stores that only require coming in a few days a week. The setback with these types of jobs, however, is that they require consistency. Prepare to have a set schedule every week and formal requests for days off. On the positive side, the jobs themselves are generally laid back and fun, like being in charge of games or coordinating five year old football. Another option is to ask your parents if you can be self-employed. Tell them you would like to be more in charge of your schedule and offer up a business plan. Putting out flyers for babysitting, pet sitting, lawn mowing, cleaning services, yard work, etc are all easy jobs that can be advertised locally. Most parents will push for something more so prove to them that you are ambitious and dedicated to your “business.” Make flyers, even business cards and get them out there. You’ll be surprised at the response.

Internships are becoming a popular demand by parents who are concerned about their child’s future. But normally they are demanding in time, hard to get, and often are unpaid. For the newly graduated, being stuck inside for hours each week entering research data is not worth the space on their resume. To comprise with the folks, ask if instead of having a formal internship, you could volunteer instead. Colleges and workplaces prefer students who show a strong work ethic and are passionate about a cause. Volunteering also shows a willingness to work towards a united goal, something highly valued in the common work place. Like internships, you can volunteer doing activities that promote what you hope to do in the future. If you want to work with animals, volunteer at a local animal shelter or hospital; like working with your hands? Work for habitat for humanity. Most communities have food pantries, soup kitchens, and other welfare programs that can always use a helping hand. Volunteering not only has flexible hours, but also adds to your resume and your character.

Many parents encourage their grads to continue studying into the summer in order to do better on their placement tests for college classes. The problem is motivation, no one wants to do school in summer. The compromise here falls under what to study and for how long. Negotiate down to only studying a language or math- those two being the most worthwhile endeavors. Give proof of your studying methods and show them that sitting alone in your room for a whole day is not as productive as a focused study a few times a weeks. If parents insist upon more, create a book list. Reading is a way to constantly improve vocabulary and knowledge. Besides, if they see you reading Anna Karenina at the same time as studying for calculus they will probably give you a little bit of a break.

The Where: If one is willing to put in time, there is absolutely no reason a person cannot find a scholarship. The problem that occurs is that most students believe they have to be spectacular at something: sports, theatre, music or grades. But in reality there are millions of scholarships in every genre. The trick is finding them. First, identify yourself with either wide or narrow approach.

If going big is your thing, start your search on-line. There are multiple web sites that allow students—free of charge—to create a profile that focuses on strengths and goals which then filters the scholarships. For example, if a person claimed they were going to a four-year college with a main interest in environmental science, scholarships would appear garnered for that interest, making the application process easier on the participant. Remember, scholarships are a competitive process based off of qualifications, resumes, and generally an essay or two. But if you put in the work, you’ll be surprised at how well it works out.

www.FastWeb.com

www.scholarships.com

www.studentscholarshipsearch.com/

If clutter and research is not your thing, go small. First things first, visit your high school guidance counselor. One of their jobs is to know what scholarships are available in the local community and at the state level. From there they should be able to steer you in the right direction. Other places to look for scholarship opportunity are from local churches, your school web site and workplaces. At the town level it is important to keep your eyes and ears open, you never know when a scholarship will appear.

Last but not least: Be aware of scholarships such as the National Merit Scholarship and for Wisconsin citizens, the Kohl scholarship. To win one of these prestigious scholarships is more than financial aid; it’s an honor.

www.nationalmerit.org

www.kohleducation.org

The How: Here are the main two items you will need to be successful: either a list of extracurricular or a resume, and one essay that briefly outlines where you are going (college, tech school, internship apprenticeship), what you are hoping to study or work on, and what you hope to be doing in your future (own a business, graduate school, med school etc.). This essay should be personal, making the applicant readers see you as more than your application. Exemplify the things that make you unique or special and tell them what you are good at. You may need to tailor the essay to certain application specifics, but think of it as a cover letter. You are applying for their money, and they want to make sure that you are not only qualified, but that the money will make an impact in the your future.

Sometimes the application process is quite simple, only requiring the above two items and having the student meet the qualifications of the scholarship. Other times, most often at the state and national level, the requirements expand to written essays and/or portfolios.

More tips can be found at:

www.scholarshiphelp.org

www.collegeboard.com

www.scholarshipworkshop.com/tips.html

Welcome to No Limits!

New as an on-line source we want to be able to attend to all and any questions posed by up-coming, current, and even past high school grads. We are here to make the transition into the real world as smooth and simple as possible. Please leave questions so that we can better accommodate your wants and needs.

Best of Luck!

First Step: Compile information. It is important to understand where you want to go, and where you are coming from. From there, learn what your options are: federal, state, college aid, grants, loans and work-study programs.

Second Step: Make the decision. Applying for financial aid takes a lot of time so prepare to work for your money.

1. Federal Aid: In order to apply for Federal aid one has to submit a FAFSA (Federal Application for Federal Student Aid). The form takes a lot of work, so much in fact that eight million students claim they don’t apply merely because of the pain of the red-tape. Fortunately, for those of you who stick with it, the United States Department of Education allocates over $170 billion dollars for students that meet the criteria. The analysis process bases its appropriations on the Expected Family Contribution rate that is created out of your application.

-FAFSA is required for most state and college financial aid programs

-Eligibility can sometimes be hard to determine on paper. If you feel you have to explain the family monetary situation, do it. It can’t hurt.

- http://www.fafsa.ed.gov.

2. State Aid: The State of Wisconsin Higher Education Aid requires the student to be a resident of the state of Wisconsin, have a high school diploma, GED, or equivalent, be enrolled in an undergraduate degree or certificate program, and be attending a non-profit college or university based in Wisconsin. Eligibility is determined by the need based assessment found in your FAFSA data. If eligible, grant will be no less than $250, no greater than $3000.

- http://heab.state.wi.us/programs.html

3. College Aid: Once again, for University of Wisconsin colleges, FAFSA is required to determine a student’s eligibility. From there students will receive an award offer that will explain how much they will receive and how the loans work.

- http://www.uwc.edu/financial-aid/apply-how/

-Please Note that if attending a private college a student will have to access the college’s specific financial aid program.

4. Other Options: If the offer is not quite what you were hoping, know that there are other avenues to head down. Please check out our scholarship blog to learn more.

Welcome to the new No Limits Magazine blog!