© Jose Fernando Carli

How many of you are just approaching the end of the academic year? I’ve finished a couple of weeks ago, and many students are starting to break up for summer in the coming weeks. You’re all imagining it already, the great (or not so great) weather, the BBQs, the parties and proms. With all these temptations, it’s easy to put off those essential tasks that make summer more relaxing and getting back to work next year a lot easier to stomach. Although it might seem like a pain now, you’ll be thankful for it later. The list below should cover the basics.

Things to Do

Return all textbooks borrowed from School

The last thing you want to deal with over summer is letters and invoices for textbooks that you’ve borrowed and should have returned. Do yourself a favor and return them to the right people after you’ve finished using them.

Cancel any subscriptions you’ll no longer need

Perhaps you’re dropping a subject next year and you’ve got a subscription to a journal related to it. Make sure you cancel these and save yourself a bit of cash!

Tidy your workspace

This exam period can be a stressful period and unfortunately, for many of us, with stress comes mess. Make sure your work area is tidy, filing systems sorted (see below) and that you could work at it if you needed to. The last thing you want is a messy workspace cluttering your home when it isn’t even being used.

Sort out filing systems

Get all of your notes organized now, making sure everything is ready for next year. This includes throwing out notes you really don’t need (remember, if re-sits are likely etc. – keep the notes) and making sure they are all in the correct places.

Sort out computer files

Almost the same as the above on sorting filing systems out; make sure your computer system is not neglected. Archive files that you aren’t going to need to refer to regularly and make sure you have a clear file structure in place. Now might also be time to do some computer maintenance you should have been doing.

And finally…

Enjoy summer

I’ve got 11 weeks off this summer, and I’m sure going to take a break after the stressful exam period has finished. For some tips on how to make summer worthwhile, see Maria’s post on “Summer Goals” and check out my post published next Tuesday entitled “Things to do during summer”.

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This list isn’t exhaustive, if you’ve got any other tips for things you do to wind down for summer, please share them in the comments section below.

The power music has to get us in a particular mood is pretty, well, powerful.I’m a big believer in music. When Madonna’s 4 Minutes comes on the radio, I can’t help but dance. Obnoxiously. When T.I.’s Hurtis playing, it makes me really want to jump behind the wheel of a low rider and cruise through the streets of suburbia and disturb the peace by playing it as loudly as possible. When Magenta Lane’s Broken Plates is playing, it’s pretty hard to resist picking up some ceramic-ware and chucking it at the wall. Am I exaggerating? Always! But music does have the ability to get you in a particular mood. Why not use that to your advantage and use these songs I’ve hunted down to the the soundtrack to various moments in your academic life?

Browsing the Library Desperately Looking for A Book You Can’t Find: Mystified- Max Greene

Celebrating an A+: Makes Me Smile- Kid Galahad

Your Boy/Girl Friend Broke Up With You The Night Before a Dance (classic high school moment, no?): I Don’t Want To Go To The Party- The Marvelous Darlings

Failling a Test: Killjoy- Clair De Lune

Cheering Up After Failing A Test: The Bright Side- It’s Not Not

Getting Motivated to Write An Essay: In Dream We Make Different Plan- Coem

Going to Summer School: Summer School- The Kung Fu Monkeys

Organizing Your Dorm Room: IKEA- Jonathan Coulton

Making A New Friend On The First Day Of School: O Hello- The Wes Hollywood Show

Driving To University for the First Time: Get In The Car- Hail Social (turn it up really loud and wind down your windows for the best effect)

Sitting Through a Boring Lecture: The Irrationality of Rationality- NOFX

Doing OK on a test: Seventy-four, seventy-five- Shearwater

The Night Before An Exam: Toss and Turn- Pedestrian

Sneaking out of class to go do something more interesting: Coast Is Clear- Inflight Safety

Finally(!) Graduating: Here’s Your Future- The Thermals

I know a lot of you are current going through the end-of-the-school-year stress of exams and summatives and essays and such. So I hope this at least brought a small smile to your face with all the whitty song titles! Good luck on your exams everybody. (Mine are in 3 weeks, so it’s getting to crunch time for me too. *Gulp*)

I used to think asking for help was a sign of weakness. And that saying No to people was mean and hurtful. And that if I was happy, I was doing something wrong. But then again, I also used to think Dutch people came from a country called Dutchland and spent years wondering why I could never find it on a map. (True story!)

When you’re using a Windows computer program, if you get stuck, you can press F1 to get help. It’s a convenient little button that can really help solve your problems. Guess what, ya’ll? Life comes with an F1 as well. It’s called “asking for help.”

In further thinking about F1 buttons, I also got to thinking about my life. I come from a well off family, so I guess my life can seem materially easy and I probably come off as a really spoiled child. And you know, I won’t kid you. My life ismaterially easy. My friends often call me “spoiled”. To them, all the clothes and cell phones and vacations were just given to me by the Bank of Mom and Dad. Perhaps my head is fully in the sand here, or that supposed silver spoon in my mouth blocked off air to my lungs for too long. Because last I checked, gifts do not rain down from the sky for anyone but heiresses and celebrities, and I am neither. I have because I ask. I ask for all the things I have and they were given to me. My parents know the things I want, because I tell them that I want those things. Repeatedly, day in and day out until I have them. If I didn’t ask, they wouldn’t know what I wanted. And if you don’t ask for help, no one will help you. We’re not mind readers here.

Do you remember that scene in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire where Harry’s in the dragon’s den/cave thingy? Harry struggled and fought with the dragon until he sent up a red flare with his wand and someone was sent in after him. Or perhaps I’m thinking of the end where he retrieves Cedric Diggory’s dead body and needs help carrying it. Either way, no one came to help him until he let it be known that he needed help. He struggled in fighting that dragon/lugging around a corpse until he was able to admit that it was too big a task for him to handle on his own. I saw this parallel in my own life. My parents would have no idea what to get me if I didn’t ever let them know what I wanted. Ask, and you shall receive my friends. That’s the secret to getting help.

The point is, it doesn’t matter what you need help with. Be it solving the quadratic formula, or determining the fundamental reasons for the American Civil War, if you don’t get it, you need to ask for help with it. You get?

So, where do you go about asking for this help? Well, if you go to Hogwarts, a quick drop by Dumbledore’s office would probably be quite helpful (before the end last book, obviously.) But since none of you go to Hogwarts, there are a few more realistic options for you.

• Facebook.We live in the 21st century here people. Instead of fighting technology and saying Facebook is the root of all evil, why don’t we just embrace it and use it to out advantage. Especially since MSN is now dead, and Facebook chat has come to the rescue. Check you list of online friends and message one who you think could help you. Or, put what you need help with in your status, along with your cell phone number so they can cal you with the answer. Example: Jessica is…working on math homework. (calculus) HELP! (123) 456-7890 That way, anyone who knows calculus can either call you, or post on your wall. Of course, this is most useful if you have a large friend count.
• Ask the teacher of your course. Not always possible, but try. Schedule a meeting with them if you have too. They’re too busy? Then ask another teacher of the same subject. Or ask your student teacher/TA depending on if you’re in high school/university.
• The guidance department/student services people.These people are a goldmine of information if you need help organizing/de-stressing your life. The sheer volume of information they can arm you with is mind blowing. Drop by and just ask if there are any in-house books or pamphlets on getting you act together.
• Friends.This is an iffy one. If you know for certain that your friend knows more than you, ask away. But don’t fall into the trap of “Sheep syndrome.” You’ve probably experienced some sort of sheep syndrome before. You walk into a test that you haven’t studied for. Glancing over at a friend, you frantically ask them to quickly explain a key concept to you. “Psh, yo. I didn’t study either!” they say. Oh, you think. Well, if someone else didn’t study, then I guess it’s okay that I didn’t study either. NO! It’s not okay. Don’t allow yourself to validate your procrastination with other people’s inadequacies. It’s a dangerous slippery slope that will throw you down real fast. Only borrow from those with something to offer. Ask someone else for help if you encounter this. (After your test of course.)
• Internet. ’Nuff said. I won’t even talk about “make sure your sources are reputable.” You’ve heard this to death, and I’m sure you picked up on the importance of this well before any teacher made a rule against Wikipedia. 
• The library. Libraries used to be the information super highway of the world, eh? I’ll be honest here though. The last place I go for any information is the library’s book shelves. They’re online databases are brilliant though, and then I need more information on anything, I go there first. Don’t get me wrong here. I love to read and fall asleep with a book in my hands every night. But I was born just two years before the internet was invented, so I don’t even remembera time in my life when I didn’t have access to instant information gratification. I no longer have th patience to sift through Table of Contents and Indexes when I can just Google the subject and find the information in just “0.33seconds” or less. Regardless, books remain and will remain u(ntil something is invented that makes them obsolete) the place for the most reputable information on pretty much every topic you’ve ever wondered about.

So there you go intrepid Gearfire readers. Today, you learned a little more about one of your beloved writers, and a little more about why you need to ask for help. Two for one special! But on a more serious note, where/who else have you found to be a valuable resource in sunticking yourself from sticky situations?

© Maria Schwartzman 2008

Summer is the perfect time for students to take advantage of the (hopefully) extra time they’ve gained since completing school. It is a chance to do all those interesting things you just couldn’t find time for during the school year. Make some goals for yourself this summer. It will help you be productive, plus you can take more advantage of your summer.

Here are a few examples of some goals:

• Read x number of books: If you like to read, you know that you probably don’t have sufficient time to do so during the school year. So use the long summer days to catch up on the books on your list. I also really like DailyLit.com.
• Exercise x number of times/week: Exercise is great for your physical and mental health. Get into a regime during the summer and it’ll carry over into next school year.
• Travel and Explore: Even if it is just finding new things in your city, get out into the world and expand your horizons.
• Start a journal: Whether it’s a one-liner, a blog, or a paper copy, write down your experiences and thoughts this summer. Journals are a lot of fun to read after the fact.
• Learn a new skill: Whatever you’ve been meaning to learn, take it up now when you have a chance. Whether it’s sewing, programming, cooking, silversmithing - anything you want to learn, start learning it now. You have the whole summer to perfect your skills.

No matter what goals you decide to do this summer, pick ones that you will enjoy and keep with. Completing goals is very rewarding and will help you have a great summer.

© Maria Schwartzman 2008

Spring is a time of crazy weather (at least if you live in the Midwest like I do). One day it can be 80 and sunny, the next 40 and rainy, you get the point. This can be quite a dilemma for college students as we basically have a set wardrobe that can’t be easily changed (without running out to the nearest unnamed store, that is). Here are a few tips to deal with spring weather:

• invest in an umbrella or raincoat: this will help keep you and your books dry during torrential downpours or light drizzles.
• keep some newspaper around: newspaper is great for laying out wet clothes and shoes, along with stuffing said shoes in order to dry them out faster. You can also use newspaper to cover up books on the way to class in a rainstorm or to cover your own head with in place of an umbrella. (It’s also good for spring cleaning: window and mirror washing, dusting, etc.)
• keep a few heavier clothes around: even though you want to take all your winter clothes home over spring break, keep at least a hoodie or jacket and some long pants just in case it gets cold again. You never know when they could come in handy. The same for shoes: don’t take all your closed-toe shoes or boots home because you may still need them.
• look at the weather forecast: either watch the TV for the forecast or use an online source (like wunderground.com or weather.com) to see what the day’s weather should look like. This will help you plan what to wear and to not be caught unawares for rain/snow/etc.

Hopefully these tips will come in handy for the last few days or weeks of class remaining!

Aren’t we students notoriously low on cash? Even high school students like me whose lives are heavily subsidized by our parents seem to be forever in need of a quick buck or two. These ides won’t pay your way through any degree programs, but they might get you a movie over the weekend, or a few dollars to burn at the mall. Or you know, you could save it all and invest in a high growth mutual fun or an emerging market in Asia and then take that money a few years down the road and retire at 40.

• Perform a service for someone. No, not thatkind of service. If you’re really good at a little something, why not charge people to do it for them? I’ll give you an example. I’m neurotic about maintaining perfectly manicured nails. I carry a bottle of nail polish with me every where to touch up any potential mishaps on the go. I often like to do crazy patterns all over my nails. Replicating country flags, doing zebra stripes, or having little flowers on all my nails, that sort of thing. A friend recently noticed this fact, and paid me 5 dollars to paint a fun design on her nails during a free period. It was only five bucks, but that’s a latté the next morning, so it was all good. Maybe you’re really good at organizing book shelves, or shoulder massages after soccer practise? You’d be surprised what people will pay for.
• Check someone’s mail for them each day for a small fee. Or walk their dog, or wash their driveways. (Homeowners in Canada love to do this, although I don’t get why your driveway needs to be spotless.)
• Drive your friends to restaurants or coffee shops and get them to buy you something there in return. You won’t make money, but you’ll get free food/drinks. This probably works best for people in my age group where not all my friend have driver’s licences yet, so someone is always chauffeuring everyone around and taking something in return. But once again, you’d be surprised what people pay for.
• Have a carwash after a rainfall.(Everyone’s car will be dirty.) Donate half to charity and the other half to your Starbucks habit.
• Have a dessert sale.Except you sell desserts from other cultures instead of your standard cookies and cupcakes.
• Fix people’s gadgets. Or teach them how to do it so they won’t have to bug you again.
• Tutor an elementary or high school student in a subject you’re learning. I had a friend who once got math tutoring from someone getting a degree in physics. They charged a little more than other tutors because they were learning such high-level math. The other bonus to this is that if you tutor a kid in the younger elementary grades, they’ll think you’re really cool because you’re so much older. Remember how much in awe you were of teenagers when you were in the third grade? Exactly. Their parents will be more willing to fork over cash to you if their kids admire and look up to you. Parents like when their kids have good role models.
• Makes bets on everything. Bet on how long it’s going to rain, whether or not your teacher will say certain words during tomorrow’s lecture, how long before Ashely Simpson’s baby is born, etc. Use your imagination. I once made 20$ on a bet that my geography teacher would pull his pants up to this belly button the second class started. And he did. Ka-ching!
• Start a lemonade stand on your street. People will think it’s hilarious because of your age, and they’ll stop by to see what you’re doing. Toss in a killer sales pitch, and you’ve got enough lunch money for a week.

What other creative ways to make some bank can you think of?

(photo © Maria Schwartzman 2008)

Tending to a plant or a small garden can be very relaxing and rewarding, creating a sense of responsibly along with something physically fruitful. Plants brighten up a room, add fresh air, and can also be very useful to have around if you grow vegetables, herbs, or medical plants such as Aloe Vera. Here are some suggestions on what to grow and how to do so in your dorm room.

What to Grow:
Vegetables - Peas, small carrots, and cherry tomatoes are all easy to grow inside in a pot. You can also try lettuce. Fresh naturally-grown veggies are really nice to have around and taste really good!
Herbs - Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme…among others like Sweet Basil and Cilantro. Herbs are very easy to grow and grow pretty quickly. These are also great to have around to add to pasta sauce or a chicken dish, or anything else you can think of.
Flowers - Wildflowers, bluebells, geraniums…there are literally hundreds of flowers to pick (no pun intended) that you can easily grow in your room. Flowers are a sure way to brighten up a room and make it smell fantastic. However, make sure that you (and if you have a roommate) are not allergic to the flowers you plant.
Other Plants - Spider Plants, Aloe Vera, other cacti, small vines, bamboo - all are great options for dorm rooms as they don’t tend to take up too much space. They are also easy to trim down to the size you desire.

How to Grow:
It is important to read all the planting directions on the seed for whichever plant you choose, or to look up information on your plants before buying them. This way you know how much light and water the plant needs, along with desired temperatures and pruning advice.
In general, most plants, especially vegetables, like light and a good drink of water. But all plants are different, so make sure you aren’t overfeeding, underfeeding, over- or underexposing it to too much light, or getting it too cold or too hot.
You will probably want to find a secure, well-lit area in your room, such as by your window. Hopefully the ledge of your window is wide enough to allow small pots (around 5-8in in diameter, depending on the plant) to sit on it. If not, try finding a table or bookcase to put the plants on while still letting them get enough light.

If You Don’t Have a Green Thumb:
If you want a plant in your room but are afraid you will kill it, I recommend getting a cactus. They can survive a while without water (so you don’t have to remember to water it every day) and basically don’t need very much attention. Even better, I recommend getting an Aloe plant, since you can actually use them for something. Aloe is great for applying to cuts, sunburn, etc.

What I Grow:
Just as some reference, I am currently growing Peas, Black-Eyed Susans, a Wildflower mix, Aloe, a Spider Plant, and a Bamboo plant in my room. In the past I have also grown Parsley and Sweet Basil.

If you have questions or comments, feel free to leave a comment below!

(photo by Maria Schwartzman 2008)

It’s a fact: the world is globalizing. This means that people not necessarily speaking the same language must come together to communicate. In this day and age, it is extremely useful to know more than one language, especially if your native language is English. Also, most universities and colleges require you to have some competency of a foreign language. In this case, it might be prudent to learn some tips for studying a foreign language more effectively.

First, figure out your learning style and concept/thought process. Do you learn better visually, by writing things out, or by hearing what is said to you? Most of the time learning things all three ways, with an emphasis on how you learn best, is the most effective way to go (unless you absolutely do not absorb anything by using a certain method). The latter idea, the thought process, might be unfamiliar. It has nothing to do with your learning style, but rather how you think about the things you’re learning.

I consciously came up with this idea and explanation two semesters ago while trying to explain to my friend why she was so good at Computer Science. She is an artist by nature first, and it suddenly hit me that the reason why she could program so well is that art and programming work very similarly: one must look at the big picture first (what do you want to create?), then focus on the little details (a certain color for an area of a painting, or a certain line of code for programming), and then focus back on the big picture to make sure everything is working right, and the process repeats until you’re done. I tested this theory of thinking with other friends, and it worked out that certain subjects interconnect with others in the way of thinking about them.

Your goal is to figure out how you think about your subjects. Do you think like I just described with art and computer science? Or do you tend to just focus on the big picture, for instance, big concepts you would use in the sciences? Or do you narrowly focus in, as you would for math problems? Once you figure out how you think, it becomes much easier to figure out how you need to study a foreign language (or any subject, for that matter). If learning concepts come easily to you, create in your head (or on paper, computer, etc) groupings of concepts such as tenses, themed vocabulary, culture, different themes of grammar, etc. If narrow focus is your style, focus in on each new word or new grammatical issue distinctly. Knowing how you think about what you’re studying will help you get more out of your study time. Don’t try to force yourself to learn material in a way contrary to your most natural way. (Many teachers/professors teach material in a manner different from what you’re used to or what works best for you; take what they teach and translate it back into your own way! This will also tend to help you remember things better.) That being said, it is possible to train yourself to think in different ways, but it does take some time and practice.

Other tips I can offer you for learning a foreign language are

· make flashcards. Flashcards are so important! I cannot stress this enough. Vocabulary can really only be absorbed by use. To use it, you have to have it memorized or stuck in your brain somehow. Grammar can also be learned this way, along with verb tenses, etc. Make a separate card for every word, new concept, new tense, etc.

· practice every day. At least at my university, most language classes meet four days a week. This is great, but to really learn a language you should use it somehow every day of the week. Try to name off all the items in your dorm room. Say hello to one of your friends in your foreign language. If you have other friends who are taking or have taken the language you’re in, hang out with them and practice saying things in a non-pressurized, non-classroom setting. It’s a lot of fun to say random things in other languages!

· don’t be afraid of the professor. Most profs want to help you. Usually language classes are decently small sized to maximize practice time for the students. Take advantage of your professor - ask him or her questions if you don’t understand something, or if you see him or her in the hallway don’t be afraid to say hello in your foreign language.

· don’t cram. You will forget everything you crammed in very quickly. Language forms building block by building block, so it is best to solidly learn the material over the course of the chapter rather than trying to learn it all in one night before the big test. That way you have the foundation for the next concepts you will learn, and it will actually be in your brain rather than just floating out your ears.

· read the book. After the prof’s lecture, it can be easy to mentally shut down for the day, especially if you don’t have any homework for your class (though that rarely happens!). Instead of shutting down, go back and read what your book says about whatever you learned today. This will reinforce the ideas in your brain and help you learn the material better, solidifying the necessary building blocks for the next day’s class.

I hope these tips help you in your endeavor to learn a foreign language. If you have more ideas, comments, or questions, feel free to leave a comment!