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.

Maximize your sleeping!

There are important lessons on being realistic and time management. Getting enough sleep is another lesson. Most of the college students I know get 4-6 hours. I think that people around this age are supposed to get 8-10 hours of sleep.

If you know that you prefer staying up late at night (as most college students are night owls), then schedule your courses so that you don't have morning classes. If you aspire to do extraordinarily well, throw away your night life during the week and force yourself to become a morning person. Morning people usually need lots and lots of (ok fine. I exaggerate. enough) sleep. You wake up refreshed and ready to tackle the homework you didn't do the night before.

Go to sleep when you are tired. To avoid all nighters, try not to procrastinate too much. :)

Lack of sleep leads to terrible things like : grumpiness, people telling you that you're PMSing, quick to anger, and dark circles under your eyes. If I wanted to sound like your mom, it also de-optimizes your immune system.

Anyways, sleeping is a fabulous thing. Do it justice so that you can wake up feeling great.

It is possible to survive a semester with 24 credit hours.

But only if 9 of those credit hours are language or one of those other GPA-boosters.

We always excelled at language, for some abnormal reason. 

If you look at my Google Calendar post, you will see my 24-credit hour schedule.

Jacob K. promised me a candy bar if I made it out alive from 3 science classes my junior year in high school - and I'm still waiting!!! lol Compared to this, it was nothing.

Google Calendar Saved My Life

I first discovered the miracle called Google Calendar in my sophomore year. I wish I had it in freshman year.

Every Monday I would print out the agenda for the next week and carry it around in a binder, making notes, writing down homework, and making adjustments accordingly - then going home and keying it into the computer.

This picture is not meant to scare you, yet it does anyways. It scares me even now:

I don't expect you to be insane like me and enroll in 24 credit hours, but I found that once I scheduled dinners or lunches with friends, made appointments, planned out homework time and study groups, I actually slept more than everyone else.

I had a separate calendar for all my courses. At the beginning of the semester, once I received the syllabus with a calendar, I would input all the exam, quiz, and project due dates.  

Google Calendar is so easy to use!!

I also input club/society meetings, study/homework times on the weekends, and even social outings. 

I don't think this is considered OCD, but it sure was close to it. If you can manage your time, you can show your college that you, like I once did, own it.