You know you are ready for school to start when…

-All you have done this summer is watch terrible Spanish soap operas.

- The best vacation you took was to Big Surf.

- You made $30 at your last 8 hour shift at the restaurant.

- You are looking forward to buying new school supplies.

- Your couch has a permanent imprint of your butt.

- You have watched 3 full seasons of The Real Housewives in 3 days.

- You are so tan, you are starting to look purple.

- You sleep until 12pm every day.

- Your mom called to say she’s worried about you.

- You take daily naps.

- You already bought your books and started reading ahead.

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Whether you are graduating from high school or from college, keeping in touch with classmates and friends can be hard work.  Although it might be easier to let those very special people slip out of your life, it is important to keep these friends around.  Classmates can be connections for future jobs and friends from school are the people you will need to turn to for support and companionship.  Here are a few, simple ways to keep in touch with all of those important people you’ve met along the way.

1) Keep a Birthday Calendar

Writing on a Facebook wall is no longer sufficient to send birthday wishes to those people you’ve met in your educational career.  Keep a birthday calendar with every important person’s birthday in it and buy a big pack of birthday cards. Everyone loves getting (snail) mail, so make their day and send a birthday card. Showing people that you care and remember about their special days speaks about the type of person you are.  It is also a great way to keep in touch without a weekly phone call. 

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2) Send a Simple Text

It might seem obvious, but how often do you text the friends you met from studying abroad or from class when you are thinking about them?  Simple, short and sweet texts are the perfect way to let someone know that you care about them in your daily life.  It can be as short as ” I was just thinking about the time we drove to California at 2 am for no reason.”  The text doesn’t have to be a start to a major texting session, just an easy way to say hello!

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3) Plan a Trip

The best way to maintain important friendships is to do the work and make the trek out to see them.  There is no better time than now to book flights to visit friends across the country.  Flights are inexpensive and getting around has never been easier.  If you have the time, and gas money, plan a road trip with a friend and make the rounds to all of the places where your friends and classmates live.  

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Keeping in touch with people can only be beneficial to you in the long run.  You never know which friend will help you land your dream job, give you a place to crash in New York City, or will introduce you to your future boyfriend or girlfriend. Try hard not to go too long without chatting with or visiting those people who have created so many memories with you.

Moving out of the house is a big step for the average college student.  It is a step towards independence, freedom and happiness.  The entire process of moving from the safety of the parent’s house and in to a crappy dorm or an old apartment is one of the most exciting parts of a student’s college career.  However, if you are stuck with a terrible roommate, moving out might be the most horrific experiences a student can have in college.  If you are in an uncomfortable, tense and stressful living situation, follow these rules.

Communicate!

Above all, never close the line of communication.  Once the roommates start ignoring each other, the situation can only become worse.  When the talking stops, the resentment begins which is far worse than anything else.  If your roommate borrows somethings without asking you, tell them immediately that they need to ask you first.  It is important to be respectful in your tone of voice, but don’t let things slide because it will only become more of a problem later.

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Plan ahead!

It is important to talk to your roommate beforehand about things such as bills and groceries.  Designate who will pay for each bill and establish boundaries about borrowing money before you move in.  Talk to your roommate about food, such as if you will grocery shop together and split the amount or if you will each buy food separately.  Although these might not seem like a big deal, money can be a cause for big fights and disagreements.

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Clean Up!

You may be the most organized person in the world, or you might be the messiest, either way it is important to keep the common area clean.  Roommates can keep their rooms as messy as they please, but be respectful about the main rooms and the kitchen.  Messy roommates can cause a lot of drama that could be easily avoided if they just picked up after themselves.

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Above all, roommates need to maintain a high level of respect for each other if the living situation is to work out.  So before you move in to your new place, keep in mind how important communication, planning, and cleanliness is in a roommate relationship.

After turning 21, I was in no rush to hit up the bars on Mill and when I finally did, I was far from impressed.  Between the long lines and the too friendly guys, I found Mill to be over-hyped.  However, this past weekend I had a few friends come in to town (hence the last blog), and I knew I had to give the infamous strip of bars another go.  After a trip to Oregano’s for a glass of wine and a pazookie, the girls from Philly and I met up with some other friends at Chronic Taco.  From there the night was full of friends, drinks and a lot of fun!  It also gave me a new found faith in Mill!

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We hit up Fat Tuesdays for 99 cent drinks and the Big Bang for some great music.  After an hour spent dancing like fools, we headed to our final destination at The Tavern.  The dancing ensued and some major laughs as well.  We woke up the next day with lost voices but remembered how much fun we all had.  I know see why Mill Avenue has been the place for college students to party and I don’t think that my friends will have a hard time convincing me to go now that I see just how much fun Mill has to offer!

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By Paige Blatnik 

Finding a job in this economy can be tough, especially if you are a recent graduate.  Some students are staying in school for an extra year or two, waiting for the economy to better itself before looking for work.  But, many others who have graduated are fighting for work now. 

For those of you in the graduating class of 2009, Forbes.com has come up with a list of the most profitable, and readily available jobs, for college graduates.  Here is the list of the top 10 jobs (and starting salaries) for recent grads:

1. Network Systems and Data Communications Analyst ($40,100/yr)
2. Sales Agent, Financial Services ($30,890/yr)
3. Sales Agent, Securities and Commodities ($30,890/yr)
4. Market Research Analyst ($33,310/yr)
5. Public Relations Specialist ($29,580/yr)
6. Cost Estimator ($32,470/yr)
7. Educational, Vocational and School Counselor ($28,430/yr)
8. Actuary ($48,750/yr)
9. Paralegal and Legal Assistant ($28,360/yr)
10. Computer Support Specialist ($25,950/yr)

For job descriptions and the number of annual openings for each job, visit http://Forbes.com.

Summer is the perfect time to kick back and relax, however if you have a friend coming in to town, relaxing is the last thing you should be doing!  Of course it is wonderful to host company but it is also important to make sure that your company is comfortable and enjoying their trip.  Just follow these helpful tips to make sure that your friends love their vacation as much as you love hosting them.

1) Clean your house!

So your friend might not be a total clean freak, but either way, he or she won’t want to spend their vacation in your grimy apartment.  Show some class and do your laundry, vacuum, and dust!  We know that your mom taught you something about cleaning… just try and remember it!  A clean house is a great way to show your friends that you really prepared and looked forward to their visit.

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2)  Offer them your bed!

If you aren’t comfortable sleeping in the same bed as your friend, then it would be best to offer your friend the bed while you sleep on the couch.  Allowing them to sleep in your bed can make your guest feel more comfortable and more at home.  Don’t forget to put on some fresh sheets before they get there too.

3) Stock your fridge!

It is important to make sure that your place has the basics like breakfast food, coffee, and snacks when preparing for a visit from a friend.  If your cupboards are as barren and desolate as they usually are, it will show your guests that you didn’t prepare for them at all.  It will also show them just how often you go out to eat.  Spare yourself the embaressment and go grocery shopping for the third time in your college career.

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4) Plan something!

You don’t have to have the entire weekend mapped out, but it is important to plan at least a few things like a dinner out or a hike just to keep your friends busy.  By doing a little planning, your friends will have an even better vacation and you won’t have to be sitting on the couch the whole time.  Show them how excited you were for their visit by making reservations at your favorite restaurant; they won’t forget what a great time they had visiting you!

By putting in a little extra time before your friends come in to town, you can ensure that they will have an amazing time; relax and have fun once they get here!

By Tara Johnson

I remember how I felt on graduation day. All of my hard work from the past five years of college had paid off, and now, the world was mine to conquer…then reality set in. Well, it didn’t so much set in, as it pummeled me to the ground (maybe that’s a little dramatic, but I’m sticking to it).

I’m not sure exactly what I expected life to be like after graduation, but this isn’t it. Bad economy or not, not being able to find a job is the worst case scenario for recent college graduates. The other day, I actually read this, “You go to college to learn, to grow; not to busy yourself for four years only to get a job upon graduation.” Are you kidding me? I sure as hell went to college to get a job. Of course, I grew, I learned and had fun along the way, but $20k worth of tuition a year is a little much for five years of some personal growth.

Every day news stories roll in about how bad the economy is, and that this is the highest unemployment rate since the Great Depression. As if I wasn’t feeling defeated already, there are cold hard facts to back it up. Aren’t college grads getting the worst end of the deal? We can’t apply for unemployment, we don’t qualify for stimulus checks, many have to start repaying loans, and then there’s the good ole Catch 22, “I can’t get a job because I don’t have any experience, and I can’t get any experience because I don’t have a job.”

So what are we supposed to do now? That’s a question I have struggled with over the past year, but the sad truth is that we just have to ride it out. We need to work at jobs we never thought we would in order to pay the bills. We need to live on a budget, and spend less than usual. But most importantly, we need to not give up. I’ve had my bad, hopeless days, but in the end, I know this is not going to last forever. While worrying about not being able to find a job in this economy can get overwhelming, keep in mind that you are just one person trying to find one job, and like my mom reminds me, almost every other day, “something will come along.” It is hard to maintain a positive perspective, but keep the faith that the economy will turn around, jobs will be created, and you will be more than ready to fill that perfect position when the time finally comes.

But, for those of you who could care less about the motivational mumbo-jumbo, there are still a lot of things you can do now that will push you toward your goal of employment, such as the following:

Broaden your search. Companies need employees from all sorts of backgrounds. If you are interested in marketing, you might also be interested in advertising, public relations or sales. If you are interested in finance, look for positions in accounting, business or banking.

Research what companies are hiring in your area. There really are companies out there that are still hiring. Your job is to find out which ones they are, and target these companies in your job search. Using Google, search “companies hiring in [insert your town here],” and it should bring up articles and other resources you can use. Then, apply for anything and everything that sparks your interest.

Network. The saying, “It’s not what you know, but who you know,” hits the nail on the head when it comes to getting a job, especially in this economy, so talk to anyone and everyone about what you are looking for. Join a professional networking group in your field, seek out your school’s alumni association, or even join a Greek life alumni group; you never know who might be able to help you.

Build Your Resume. Continually adding to your resume lets employers know that you are doing more than just catching up on daytime television.

• Intern. Many internships are paid, but even taking an unpaid internship in a field you are specializing in can get you the experience you need for your next job.
• Volunteer. Organizations need volunteers all the time. Volunteering your time and expertise will boost your experience, giving you more to talk about in future interviews, and show that you have the passion and ability to put in effort to make a difference, even if not receiving a paycheck. Plus, you never know who else will be volunteering; a potential job prospect may come out of the experience.

Check out http://volunteermatch.org, a website that lets you find places to volunteer, in your town, by area of interest or expertise.

• Freelance. No matter what your area of expertise, posting an ad online is a great way to meet people needing work. If you do well, they will come back to you for other projects.

Try: http://Elance.com; this site allows freelancers to respond to posted jobs in areas of writing, design, sales, finance, etc. Or, http://craigslist.org, here you can search and post all sorts of services for free.

But hey, no matter what you do, the motivational mumbo-jumbo still applies. Just remember, something will come along. Wait, did I really just say that? My mom’s efforts must be working; I can feel it sinking in.