One of the greatest perks about studying abroad is the experiences students receive for the first time. Whether it would be your first time eating an apple pie, attending a rock concert, or seeing an amazing landmark.  Here at Al Jamiat, we are interested in hearing about your firsts and what they were like!

Shaheed Sabrin is a senior at USC School of Theatre, majoring in Theatre and minoring in Entrepreneurship with the USC Marshal School of Business. He was last Spring’s recipient of the Jack Nicholsan Award for Outstanding Undergraduate Actor and hopes to one day open a restaurant for his mother.

My first… time seeing the great pyramids of Giza

My first time seeing the great pyramids of Giza was such a rewarding and educational experience. I arrived in Egypt on my birthday, August 22nd, which was also the start of Ramadan. I contemplated not going with my University mates for the trip, but then realized the best time to go was with my school’s guided tour. I braced myself and overcame scorching summer heat in the midst of keeping my fast. As our bus approached the raised area of Giza, I stared in awe, wondering what genius went into constructing this massive structure of and all the history behind it. As soon as I stepped off the bus I was bombarded my children trying to sell me postcards for 5 Egyptian Pounds. Then, as I approached the entrance of the pyramids people tried hustling me into getting a 250 Egyptian Pound camel ride for only 2 minutes. I dismissed everything and headed straight for the pyramids.

Since the guards could tell I had some Egyptian in me, they rushed me to the front of the line where I approached a dark and humid entryway. My whole way up was extremely claustrophobic as the passage was narrow, but when I reached one of the areas that one of the tombs were held in, I took a breath of excitement. As I headed back down the pyramid, I made a promise to myself that I would not leave Egypt without knowing the significance behind Egypt’s fascinating monuments. Most of all, the great pyramids of  Giza inspired me to not just live in Egypt as a tourist, but as a student of the land, journeying into the unknown and educating myself all throughout the semester.

Interested in sharing your first experience?

Email allizon@al-jamiat.com with your story and see how you can contribute to the “My first…” feature!

cc nimble photography

The idea of not being prepared or not knowing can be frightening. The world today relies heavily on Internet resources and it’s crucial to know them. There are multiple online sites that can really make your life easier. And while you’re transitioning into a new country and school, anything that could possibly make life simpler will be needed!

Here is a list of the top two sites for online calendars, music players, photo editors, and scholar search engines, all of which were resources I used non-stop as a college student.

Online Calendars: There is no option, you need a calendar/planner in college is you want to stay onto of your game. I suggest using an online calendar to organize class schedules, office hours, due dates, and meetings. It can start getting confusing if you don’t remember when and where you are supposed to be.

Google Calendar

30Boxes

Scholar Search Engines: Students write a lot of papers in college, so be prepared for tons of researching. Using a scholar search engine will provide you with scholarly literature that is more trustworthy and reliable than articles found with a normal search engine.

CrossRef

Google Scholar

Music Library/Player: If you are not the type of person to buy multiple songs from iTunes but still want to listen to good music, I suggest using an online music library or player. Playing music can do wonders for you. It helps some students work more productively and get in a better mood.

Grove Shark

Pandora

Photo Editor: Taking pictures is second nature while in college, and uploading them to Facebook is the obvious next step. Having an online picture editor is always handy to have around. You can use it for adding a fun effect to a picture of you and your friends, hiding that pimple you wish was never there, or straightening a tilted picture because your mom can’t hold the camera right.

Picnik

Phixr

Do you have any websites you can’t live without? Share what sites are the most helpful for you!

Allizon Munoz is a junior at Ohio Dominican University studying Public Relations and minoring in Marketing. She serves as the 2010-2011 Ohio Dominican PRSSA President and Vice President of Professional Activities for Delta Sigma Pi Omicron Tau.  Connect with her here: http://card.ly/allizonmunoz

cc Menlo Photo Bank

Reasons to drive

There is poor public transportation at your university
You can be reliable on yourself
Having the leisure of going places on your own time and schedule
You plan on traveling to nearby attractions (road trips!)
You just love driving

Reasons NOT to drive

It will take time to study and take all tests
Paying for the actual license
Paying for a vehicle
Paying for gas
Paying for school parking
Basically, a whole lot of paying for things
The public transportation at your university is reliable and efficient
It is environmentally better to be car-less

]]> http://www.al-jamiat.com/college-lifestyle/drive-drive/feed/ 1 http://www.al-jamiat.com/college-lifestyle/20-sites-save-money-college/ http://www.al-jamiat.com/college-lifestyle/20-sites-save-money-college/#comments Wed, 04 Aug 2010 13:00:08 +0000 aljamiat http://www.al-jamiat.com/?p=2150 Saving money in college can be difficult. There are always required purchases–books, computer equipment, food, etc.–that must be made. The good news is that there are many different sites online that can help college and university students cut costs and make ends meet. Here are 20 sites guaranteed to help you save money while you’re in college.

Upromise – Upromise offers a unique way to save money for college. Users can earn up to 8 percent on restaurant purchases, up to 25 percent on online purchases, and up to 10 percent on grocery and drugstore purchases. Earned money can be put into a savings account or 529 plan or directly reimbursed with a check.

Student Advantage – This student discount card program helps students save on food, travel, school supplies and more. The card is accepted by hundreds of colleges, universities, and campus organizations and thousands of national chains and local stores.

Student Savings Club – Designed specifically for college and university students, this student savings club provides discounts that can be used at local and national businesses. Discounts are available for restaurants, fast food, entertainment, travel, school supplies, and much more.

STA Travel – STA Travel is the world’s largest student travel agency. The company offers discounts on airfare, care rentals, hotel stays, insurance, cell service, and more.

CouponMom – CouponMom is a great place to find printable grocery coupons and restaurant coupons. The site is also a good source of coupon codes for department stores, home improvement stores, computer stores, and more.

FatWallet.com – FatWallet.com is a community of savvy shoppers who share deals and coupons over the web. The site can also be used to compare prices on millions of products.

Feed the Pig – Feed the Pig is a non-profit site that was created to help individuals between the ages of 25 and 34 take control of their personal finances. Site resources include free savings tips, savings tools, and community forums.

Campus Tech – Campus Tech has partnered with numerous companies, such as Barnes and Noble, Google, Adobe, and Microsoft, to help students save money on everything from books and backpacks to computer hardware and software.

Zilok – Zilok is an online marketplace that can be used to locate anything you want to rent. Site users can rent almost anything imaginable, including cars, apartments, vacation spots, electronics, DVDs, event supplies, and tools.

PriceGrabber – Considered the leader in online comparison shopping, PriceGrabber allows users to compare prices on everything from books and electronics to clothing and furniture. The site also provides a back-to-school shopping guide.

BookMooch – BookMooch is a great place to save money on reading material. The site allows users to exchange books they no longer want for books they need.

eCampus.com – This site offers up to 90 percent savings on college textbooks. eCampus.com visitors can choose to either rent or buy textbooks and can later return the books for cash when they are no longer needed.

Cengage Brain – In addition to selling and renting entire textbooks, Cengage Brain also allows students to purchase single chapters. eChapters can be purchased for as little as $1.99 each.

Textbook Revolt – Textbook Revolt is a student-to-student textbook renting site. Users can compare rental rates, rent the books they need, and return books at the end of the semester for free.

CourseSmart – College and university students can save up to 50 percent on their textbook purchases by buying digital textbooks from CourseSmart. Textbooks can be read on the computer, an iPhone, or an iPad.

Textbook Revolution – Textbook Revolution is a student-run site that provides links to free textbooks and select educational materials. The goal of the site is to get free textbooks into classrooms so that college students can save money on school supplies.

BIGWORDS – This search engines makes it easy to compare prices on textbooks, books, DVDs, music, and games. BIGWORDS searches multiple stores, compares prices, and shows you where you can get the best deal on the item you are looking for. The average shopper saves $70 per textbook.

Public Library Locator – This U.S. Department of Education site offers a unique search engine that can be used to locate public libraries in your area. Public libraries are a good place to find free books, music, and movies.

Mint – Mint is a popular online finance service that helps users establish a budget, track expenses, reduce debt, track investments, and more. The service also offers a blog and advice on paying off students loans, using credit cards, buying a car, and saving for retirement.

Bob’s Budget Planner – Scotland’s Building Society provides free budgeting software that is easy to download and use. The software works well for tracking weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual income and expenditures.

Karen Schweitzer is an education writer who specializes in writing about business education. She is the Business School Guide for About.com. She also writes about pharmacy technician education for PharmacyTechnicianCertification.com.

Image by: voobie (http://www.flickr.com/photos/vinish/3226484450/sizes/m/)

The scholarships are not for full tuition – they range from $1,000 to $7,000 – so currently they are only accepting applications from students ALREADY in the United States. The stipend will help pay for housing, books, etc, but is not enough for tuition.

Please be sure to complete the entire application before sending it to them. They have a limited team of application reviewers so be sure to follow the instructions!

RFI Scholarship Application Download

Criteria for Prospective Iraqi Student Applicants:

• Completed RFI application which includes application form, and possible phone or in-person interview.
• Financial need
• Applicants must be Iraqi citizens in Iraq or Iraqi citizens displaced from the recent war and living abroad.
• A strong desire and commitment to helping with the reconstruction of the Iraqi state or society.
• Strong performance in secondary school along with any post-secondary school education.
• Demonstrated leadership and social consciousness

Purpose

Thank you for your interest in RFI’s scholarship program. The 2010 application cycle is now open. Please carefully read through the 3-page application (link below) and complete it fully before submitting. Applications can be returned via email to Scholarships@RallyforIraq.orgwith the applicant’s last name and “Iraqi Scholarship Application” in the subject line. Incomplete applications will not be accepted.

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis with preference shown toward earlier submissions. Applicants will hear back from RFI within two weeks to one month of their submission. We may request phone or in-person interviews from final round candidates, if possible.

RFI stipends will range from $1,000-7,000 for this school year. Please read the information below for details regarding eligibility and preferred qualifications. Questions about the application process can be directed to Scholarships@RallyforIraq.org

RFI Scholarship Application Download

Application Process and Continued Eligibility:

1. Complete and submit the application form.
2. Upon applicant’s acceptance to a college, graduate program, or recertification program, he or she must provide proof of acceptance prior to receiving funding.
3. The granting committee will meet to select scholarship recipients after the RFI application deadline. Applications will be considered on a strictly blind basis, in other words, the Board will not know the names of applicants prior to making their decision.
4. RFI will provide scholarship funds directly to the school where the recipient is planning to study. Exceptions will be made for books and living expenses on a case by case basis.
5. RFI will request proof of enrollment from the student as well as the school at the beginning and end of each semester. In the case that the terms of the award are violated, RFI will request for the student or the school to return the award and the student will be ineligible for future consideration in the granting process.

We are SO excited to share this with you & hope you will take advantage of this awesome opportunity! GOOD LUCK!

cc Alexandra Campo

The time is drawing near to begin preparing for school to start.  One of the best ways to make your transition to school enjoyable is by actually being excited about your plans!  Some may say they are about to leave everything they know, their comfort zone, but great things are coming their way.  One of the best things students can do is channel their nerves into excitement, and having school spirit is a great way to do just that!

School spirit is the pride you have for your university.  It shows others where you attend and why you are so proud to be there.  Having school spirit will provide a more positive atmosphere not just for yourself, but for your campus as well.  You form a special connection with your school and other students when you truly have school pride.

So how can you have school spirit?

Wear the gear. Get t-shirts, sweatshirts, lanyards, etc.  You can usually find these at your school’s book store and sometime they are even available for purchase online.  If you would rather not buy them, make them!  A great idea is to have a get-together with friends, maybe before a football game, and make your own shirts with iron-ons or fabric paint.  You’ll be creating something to wear all year long and great memories at the same time!

Display the logo. Make posters, buy stickers, or keep fliers with your school’s name or logo on them and add them to your desk, car, or dorm walls.  Simple and easy!

Tell the people you meet. It is effortless to say, “Hi! I’m (your name), a student at (university name).”  If you really love your school and want to represent them well, make them part of you.  When you mention what school you attend in your introduction, the other person will know you must be proud to be there.

Add it online. Post it, write it, blog it, or tweet it.  It is simple to add to your “About Me” sections on social media pages where you attend school.

Families can show spirit too! Get your family into the school spirit.  When they support you, it will help ease the nerves and fears of moving away.  When they have school spirit too, it really makes a difference!

And remember your loyalty and pride to your university should also reflect on the organizations you become involved in.  Whether it be a fraternity or local school organization, always be proud of everything you involve yourself in!

Allizon Munoz is a proud junior at Ohio Dominican University studying Public Relations and minoring in Marketing. She serves as the 2010-2011 Ohio Dominican PRSSA President and Vice President of Professional Activities for Delta Sigma Pi Omicron Tau.  Connect with her here: http://card.ly/allizonmunoz

What is Goal Setting?

When a student first starts college, their main objective is to receive a degree but there are more things to be accomplished during their time in school.  Goal setting is the key factor to success and something every person should do to get the most out of their life.  It is human nature to set goals even if a person is not aware they are doing it.  Setting goals before a student begins their college adventure gives them a proper incentive, a vision, and moving force that drives them to success.

Types of Goals

Goal setting is thinking and putting aside certain objectives you would like to accomplish.  Some types of goals are short term goals, long term, academic, professional, and personal.  Being a student in college doesn’t mean all goals should revolve around academic success.   It is important to be triumphant in the academic realm of college, but it should be balanced with personal accomplishments as well.

SMART Goals

A great tactic to use when beginning your collection of goals is the SMART goal guideline.  This guide is provided by Goal Setting Guide, and is a great way to effectively set goals and aspirations that are attainable.

• S- Specific.  Goals should be straightforward and emphasize what you want to happen. Specifics help us to focus our efforts and clearly define what we are going to do.
• M- Measureable.  If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it. In the broadest sense, the whole goal statement is a measure for the project; if the goal is accomplished, there is a success.
• A- Attainable.  When you identify goals that are most important to you, you begin to figure out ways you can make them come true. You develop that attitudes, abilities, skills, and financial capacity to reach them. Your begin seeing previously overlooked opportunities to bring yourself closer to the achievement of your goals.
• R- Realistic.  Be sure to set goals that you can attain with some effort! Too difficult and you set the stage for failure, but too low sends the message that you aren’t very capable. Set the bar high enough for a satisfying achievement!
• T- Timely. Set a timeframe for the goal: for next week, in three months, by fifth grade. Putting an end point on your goal gives you a clear target to work towards.

Here are some examples of goals that abide by the SMART guideline, and flourish in rewards: Make the Dean’s List (an academic achievement recognition), attend at least 10 campus events, join a student organization, be part of a focus group, write an article and have it published, give a public speech, talk to someone new every day, try new types of food every chance you get, ace all midterms and finals, see all the tourist attractions in your university’s city, etc.

Fail to Plan, Plan to Fail

When a student realizes their aspirations and what they want to accomplish, the most important thing to do is write it down!  Well not exactly write it down, let us keep up with today’s internet-driven world and use a website instead.  An easy and free way to keep track of your goals is through mylifelist.org.  This website is built to make goal setting a breeze.  You have six different categories to list your goals; Travel & Leisure, Relationships, Personal Development & Community, Career & Finance, Lifestyle & Culture, and lastly Sports & Adventure.

The Challenge

The hardest part about goal setting? Staying on track.  Students are motivated and determined when they begin school, but it is normal to lose that momentum later in the semester. They begin to have many more distractions and priorities sometime change.  It is a typical challenge for students to stay on track throughout the entire school year. That is why it is helpful to document the list of goals and read through them at different periods of time.  This will allow the student to evaluate themselves and it serves as a reminder of what they should still be working towards.

Allizon Munoz is a junior at Ohio Dominican University studying Public Relations and minoring in Marketing. She serves as the 2010-2011 Ohio Dominican PRSSA President and Vice President of Professional Activities for Delta Sigma Pi Omicron Tau.  Connect with her here: http://card.ly/allizonmunoz

Sign up for Amazon Student and get free Amazon Prime for a year (free 2 day shipping? yes please!).

Not just a great way to buy used text books, but also an awesome way to get supplies, snacks, even laundry detergent sent to you from Mom & Dad without having to drag it back on the bus from the grocery store.