DropBox

Sign up at Dropbox.com to get 2 GB free of storage. I wish that this had been around while I was in college because I would have used it - majorly. Instead of keeping your files separate on your computer/laptop and your profile on the school server (in which you probably have to use a VPN in order to access it), store ALL your files on DROPBOX.

Just to let you know, by clicking that link you will add 250 MB to my 2 GB base. I'm not saying you have to do it, but I would appreciate. If you share with multiple people, you will be eligible for gains as well.

I've also shared my collection of recipes with multiple people and used this website to back up important files that I don't want to lose (like I lost all my pictures from Singapore...).

I think that this will save you a lot of stress and be a great tool for sharing resources among classmates/teams/friends.

Good luck!

Try your best to avoid all nighters

My friend B. told me that he accidentally pulled an all nighter just two days ago. I shook my head and reminded myself to post about it. He told me that he was studying for Inorganic Chemistry until 4 AM and after 2 more hours of playing video games (boys will be boys), he looked at the clock and finally went to bed and woke up at 11 AM. Nice work, but you're not getting enough sleep (naughty!).

All nighters usually mean that you're typing up a paper due the next day (or a few hours later...at 8:30 AM) or studying like crazy. Try to manage your time a TINY bit better to avoid be cranky and running on Red Bull/Coffee/Ritalin/Chocolate(??? j/k)/etc. By the way, illegal means of staying up is never a good idea. And do I even need to repeat that you should avoid anything illegal? I'll say it again: AVOID ILLEGAL THINGS.

OK anyways, your body will be quite upset with you, and lack of sleep leads to a weakened immune system, crankiness, and bags under your eyes. No one wants to be near you (let alone smell you).

Just use your time wisely, and if you have a big 30 page paper to write, try to space it over a few days or at least dedicate an entire day (that is not RIGHT before the due date) to hammering it out. Most of my Saturdays while everyone is recovering from hang overs (or other things, I suppose) was spent being a good girl and earning my A's. Booyeah! Ok fine, A's and B's. I hate you.

By the way, pulling an all nighter usually means academically-related stress due to procrastination. If you spend the entire night playing DOTA or Halo 3 and are grumpy the next day, no one is going to feel sorry for you. One of my ex-boyfriends plays video games enough that it affects his school work. Use your common sense!! If you don't have any, get someone to smack you and then ask for advice.

GMAT, MCAT, LSAT, DAT, GRE, etc.

If you're reading this post, it means you're considering going to graduate school! Congratulations!

A lot of people wonder when to start studying for this test, and there is no right answer.

Some people start too early, some people (most) start too late [and yell at themselves for procrastinating too much].

I asked a few of my friends who started to study for all these tests and got into good schools, and they told me that they started to study the summer before starting school. There are plenty of preparation courses, self-help books, etc. available to you. My friend has even joked that his girlfriend's name is Kaplan (who is a nice, big book).

However, I would beg to differ, seeing that MCAT is quite a thorough test. I would highly encourage that you buy a preparatory book before even starting school. For example:

MCAT basically holds you accountable for anything and everything you learned in your first two years studying science (biology, chemistry, physics). Though there are things that you do not learn in some of these courses, it is better to see what you're learning in class at the time and refer to your book to learn things that may not have been mentioned in class at the same time. Thus, you don't need to actually learn anything and simply refreshing yourself when you begin to date Kaplan.

Best of luck!

Modus Operandi: Studying Effectively

Of course, everyone has his own mode of studying. To be honest, I never felt like I had to study half as much in high school as I did in college. High school didn't prepare me for that much, though I did manage my time especially well.

Here are some techniques that I've seen or helped me:

• Flashcards (e.g. vocabulary/phrases for biology, languages, business-related)
• Lots and lots of practice problems (e.g. physics, mechanics, accounting)
• Memorization (including mneumonic devices)
• Creating powerpoints to allow you to teach someone younger everything for which you're accountable on the exam (being able to teach someone else ensures that you will know the material)
• Lots of praying :) and lucky charms (people at Purdue rub Lincoln's nose in the Purdue Memorial Union)
• Having study groups that review past materials (e.g. old exams, past homeworks, and past quizzes) or just a group that talks through all the topics and makes sure than everyone understands

I have a lot of common sense things about things not to do, namely:

• Don't cheat (duh).
• Don't give up the night before your final because you've procrastinated studying and go for a run. Don't be an idiot. I know someone who did this and was astounded at how dumb some people are. Instead, clear your head by taking 10 deep breaths, covering your face with your hands and breathing deeply for a few seconds, or go for a cup of coffee.
  Some people go for a smoke, but I know you won't.

Just practice good judgment. If you're not sure what to do, call me. If you don't have my number, then call someone who loves you and ask them what you should do.

Listening to music or TV while studying

A lot of parents just don't get this, so I'm going to try to explain.

Back in their generation, they got to study in peace and quiet. Distractions were unwanted. In today's universities, your neighbors are snoring, having sex, or talking loudly (gossiping or arguing). You don't want to hear these things! (No one does!)

So what do you do? You turn on the TV or you put in those headphones to drown out the distractions. Listening to music actually helped me focus more because it blocked out everything else, and I only had to block one thing out instead of 10 things.