Some of us at Student Advantage did some volunteering with United Way last week. We headed over not knowing what our task would be, but excited to find out! When we arrived we were told there were two projects that they needed help with and both involved books.

The first job was to sort through books that had been donated and put them into piles of like books. This would help United Way to find out where they would best be used. These books are brought to different locations around Boston, including local shelters.

The second task was for Thrive in 5 and allowed us to get the creative juices flowing. Thrive in 5 provides a citywide vision and 10-year plan for Boston to ensure that every child enters Kindergarten ready to succeed in school and in life. We were helping out with the birthday program that sends the involved children a book and card on their birthday. We wrapped up the books and decorated the wrapping paper with stickers, stamps and drawings. We also made cards and put them together in an envelope with other fun treats like bookmarks.

We had a great day and really enjoyed the projects. Looking forward to going back soon!

What local organizations do you like the volunteer for?

(Editor’s Note: This post is by our intern Kat M. who has since finished her internship. Thanks Kat!)

Take it from personal experience; the ‘Freshman 15’ tale is no myth. Generations of college grads have received their diplomas no longer able to fit into their high school jeans and cursing at their prom dresses, now 3 sizes too small. While it’s certainly difficult, it’s not impossible to maintain your physique throughout the next 4 years. Read and try to follow these 10 tips to avoiding the dreaded freshman (or sophomore, junior, senior) 15.

1.) Save your Quarters for the Laundry Machine:
Saving your quarters may be good for your waistline. Avoid fast food and vending machines regardless of how tempting, convenient and cheap they may seem. The immediate gratification will leave you hundreds of calories deeper and wishing you had some more change for that wallet-draining $2.00/load.

2.) Get Moving!
Researchers found that students who exercised 3x or more a week reported greater physical health and happiness than those who did not. Every University or College has a gym for its students and offers extracurricular activities to get involved in. Most schools offer intramural sport programs year round which offer casually competitive leagues you and your friends can join. There are a million ways to stay active on your new campus and it will allow you to cheat on the rest of these tips!

3. Avoid late night snacking
While it’s sometimes difficult enough to resist a late-night snack out of your own mini-fridge, it’s almost impossible to resist the peer-pressure of pitching in for 2 a.m. delivery with your friends. Combine extra willpower and #’s 6 and 9 to give into temptation.

4. Break out your old water bottle
Traveling around campus all day and sitting through mind-numbingly boring lectures can leave you reaching for a snack or a high-sugar soda. Try carrying a water bottle around for the day and re-filling between classes. It will keep you full, hydrated and calorie free!

5. Watch your emotions
New students thrust onto campus often find themselves feeling all new kinds of emotions. Feelings of stress, homesickness, and anxiety can trigger overeating. Next time you’re about to reach into the chip bag, ask yourself if you’re really hungry or just procrastinating over that 10 page paper due the next day.

6.) Don’t skip meals!
We get it, you’re newly independent and have the luxury of doing (and eating) whatever you want, whenever you want. For your waistline’s sake though, remember your mom’s lecture on eating three meals a day. Numerous studies show that skipping breakfast can actually lead to weight gain and skipping any meal can lead to increased hunger and inevitable binge-eating.

7.) Keep your mini-fridge stacked
…with healthy foods. College kids are notoriously low on cash and it’s an investment to visit the grocery store regularly. However, not being stocked up on healthy snacks and meal options means you’ll likely be visiting restaurants and/or ordering out. This will inadvertently lead to a higher calorie count and lower bank account.

8.) Beware of the dining room
Watch your portions and rounds in the dining room. It may be tempting that one swipe of your college ID card will earn you unlimited trips to each station in the dining room, but don’t let your excitement of trying every flavor and topping at the ice-cream machine allow you to lose focus. Look for the healthy food stations in the dining room and limit your portions.

9.) Get enough sleep
This isn’t new to you, but let’s re-emphasize. Studies consistently show that getting less than 7 hours of sleep a night leads to weight gain. Aim for 7-8 hours a night by keeping a regular sleep schedule regardless of what day your morning class falls on, napping minimally and avoiding caffeine in the evening.

10.) Don’t blame it on the A-a-a -alcohol!
While no freshman should legally be drinking alcohol to begin with, you’ll likely face the temptation of underage drinking anyway. Besides the many health risks heavy drinking leads to, drinking alcohol is empty calories. Also, because drinking lowers inhibitions, late night drinking often leads to late night eating (See #3.). So, you may be chasing those six red solo-cup beers (900 calories) with stuffed cheese sticks (750 cals) or super nachos (1,500 cals). This ads up….traditionally to 15 extra pounds for you to lug around your sophomore year.

MTV’s infamous VMAs aired yesterday, August 28, 2011 at 9:00 Eastern. MTV didn’t disappoint and, as promised, provided all of the expected unexpected. To be honest, this year had me nostalgic for the time when what was memorable and celebrated about the award show were the actual winners and not the crazy antics of celebrities and reality stars alike. After scouring blogs and news articles you might actually have some difficulty finding a complete list of winners, so I’ve provided it below (following a very short recap and commentary of this year’s non-award highlights, appropriately).

Stefanie Germanotta introduced an alter ego even stranger than her last: Jo Calderone. Britney wasn’t bald, incoherent, stumbling, or participating in contrived lip-locks (although there was a contrived almost-kiss with Jo Calderone. ) Katy Perry jokingly interrupted an unamused and straight-faced Kanye West, and Adele stunned the audience into silence singing a ballot without autotune. Beyonce made the exciting announcement that she was likely carrying the VMA’s 2023 Best New Artist, Amy Winehouse received a tribute, and Lil Wayne made the entire event slightly more awkward wearing baggy jeggings during his performances (you follow them on twitter now @Wanyes_Jeggings).

Now, for the list of what we all SHOULD be talking about:

Video of the Year: Katy Perry “Firework”
Best Male Video: Justin Bieber: “U Smile”
Best Female Video: Lady Gaga “Born this Way”
Best New Artist: Tyler, The Creator “Yonkers”
Best Pop Video: Britney Spears “Till the World Ends”
Best Rock Video: Foo Fighters “Walk”
Best Hip-Hop Video: Nicki Minaj “Superbass”
Best Collaboration: Katy Perry ft. Kanye West “E.T.”
Best Direction in a Video: Adele “Rolling in the Deep”
Best Choreography in a video: Beyonce “Run this World”
Best Special Effects in a Video: Katy Perry ft. Kanye West “E.T.”
Best Art Direction in a Video: Adele “Rolling in the Deep”
Best Cinematography in a Video: Lady Gaga “Born this Way”
Best Video with a Message: Lady Gaga “Born this Way”
Vanguard Award: Britney Spears

If you missed the show last night, tune into MTV tonight at 8:00 pm Eastern to re-watch all of the spoilers I just gave away.

On Monday, The Princeton Review released its 2012 edition of “The Best 376 Colleges”. The Princeton Review, best known as the most popular college guide for prospective students and parents, surveyed over 122,000 students in order to release its newest addition/edition. The main categories include: Academic/Administration, Demographics, Town Life, Schools by Type, Politics, Quality of Life, Extracurricular and perhaps the most sought after for browsing students: Social Scene (partying).

The company aimed to further appeal to high school grads this year by renaming many of their traditional 62 sub-categories. Colleges and Universities are ranked into some quirky and contemporary sub-categories including: “Dorms Like Dungeons v. Dorms Like Palaces”, “Lots of Hard Liquor v. Scotch Soda, Hold the Scotch”, “LGBT-friendly v. LGBT unfriendly”, and “Les Artistes (dodgeball targets) v. Type A Types (jock schools)”. Parents will still recognize many of the traditional categories including: Best Study Abroad Programs, Best Career Services, Great College Towns, and Best Campus Food.

For those of us not inclined to read the entire book, consider just skipping to the 6th chapter: Quality of Life. After all, what good is it for your potential school to rank high in the “School Runs Like Butter” category while simultaneously topping the “Least Happy Students” category?

The top 10 Colleges in the “Happiest Students” category were listed as Rice University, Clemson University, Brown University, Stanford University, Bowdoin College, Loyola Marymount University, Penn State University, Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering, Pomona College, and University of Mississippi.

Military schools and tech./engineering schools dominated the top 20 “Least Happy Students” category. The top 10 included New Jersey Institute of Technology, Maryland University, United States Merchant Marine Academy, United States Coast Guard Academy, Montana Tech. of the University of Montana, Clarkson University, United States Naval Academy, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Illinois Institute of Technology, and City University of New York- Baruch College.

Where did your college/potential college fit in this year? Would the rankings sway your application decision? Did the additional categories contribute or detract from the book’s advice? Comment and let us know your thoughts and visit the complete list by The Princeton Review here.

Imitation is undeniably prevalent in American consumerism. As evident in some of this month’s headlines, not all counterfeited brands and individuals embrace the old saying that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Subsequent to the Casey Anthony verdict, the real “Zanny the Nanny” is suing Casey Anthony for punitive damages. In more hard-hitting legal news, this past week Kim Kardashian announced that she is suing Old Navy for using an apparent lookalike of herself in one of their ads (let’s pray justice prevails there).

This week, however, Asian countries kicked their games up and put the US to shame (and not just in PK’s either). Asian countries have a reputation for being much more, um, cavalier about intellectual property rights than the U.S. People continuously remain unfazed by the fake Luis Vuiton bags and Coach shoes commonly encountered on the streets of Chinatown.

On Tuesday, American Blogger ‘Bird Abroad’ was blown away at the startling discovery she made was while visiting a Chinese city: faux Apple Stores. Nevermind imitating latest devices, but *entire* stores. The blogger walked into what she assumed was a legitimate Apple store in the city of Kunming, China. The store had the patented Apple aesthetics and design: long wooden tables with acrylic info panels, brand posters and signs on walls, product placement, winding staircases leading to an upstairs lounging area, and employees dressed in blue shirts with white ‘Apple’ logos and name tags. The store was a near perfect imitation of the alluring and innovative international Apple stores.

Upon further inspection, the blogger came to the shocking discovery that the entire store was a replica. Tell tale signs included poorly constructed staircases, improperly painted walls, employee name tags reading “Staff”, and a sign on the door reading “Apple Stoer” below the traditional white, illuminated Apple emblem. For a brand so closely associated with impeccable attention to aesthetics, this was a dead giveaway. Shockingly, when the blogger began to speak with and questioned employees, they responded as if they truly believed they were working for an Apple store owned by Apple Corp. The blogger confirmed her suspicions of the knockoff after visiting the Apple site and looking up store locations.

The Wall Street Journal got wind of the story and attempted to inquire further but owners were unresponsive to multiple phone calls. Apple won’t comment on the fake store and have yet to give any indication that they will shut down the operation.

I vote kudos to those undoubtedly rich entrepreneurs running this show and ranking in serious $$ while the real Apple sits back and does absolutely nothing. And kudos to them for not yet testing their luck against a much more formidable and reputable brand: Kim Kardashian.

As costs of tuition continue to climb and national economic forecast predictions remain dismal, students are beginning to peek from behind their library cubicles, laptops, and textbooks and ask: Is dedicating four years and thousands of hours to studying (with an average debt of $70,000 lurking at the finish line) really worth it?

Fortunately, Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce sought the answer to this question and concluded that yes- a bachelor’s degree will indeed ‘pay off’ in the end. The center’s study, released in early 2011 and seductively titled, “What’s it worth? The Economic Value of College Majors”, reports on financial payoffs for college graduates according to major. Overall, the study found that full-time workers with a bachelor’s degree make an average of 84% more over their lifetime than someone with only a high school diploma. The study also highlights the importance of major selection if economic return is of high priority to a future graduate, citing that earning potential between two majors can differ by over 300%. For the math & science inclined- this is great news. For those passionate about psychology and education- brace yourself, if you haven’t already.

According to the findings of the study, highest earnings by majors are as follows (according to mean salary):

-Petroleum Engineeringwhatever that is)- $120,000
-Pharmaceutical Sciences- $105,000
-Math & Computer Sciences- $98,000

On the other end of the scale lie human services, including:

-Theology/religious vocations- $38,000
-Early Childhood Education- $36,000
-Counseling Psychology- $29,000

Those of us studying liberal arts and humanities are located somewhere in the middle of the pack in terms of earnings and employment- average salary stands at $47,000.

Another study suggests that investing in a degree also makes sense in terms of quality of life. Satisfaction rates are highest among full –time workers with bachelor’s degrees. Among the most satisfied with their careers are anesthesiologists (88%), creative directors (79%), and training and developing managers (84%). Those careers found in the middle are clergy/priests (67%), firefighters (57%), teachers (48%), and lawyers (40%). Those on the bottom of the scale consist of waiters (31%), bartenders (20%), amusement park attendants (16%), and gas station workers (13%).

So if you’re experiencing financial anxiety and/or a mid-summer panic about the impending school year, relax and rest-assure that it will all pay off in the end (although the degree to which it will pay off may seriously depend on your choice of major).


For the full, lengthy, complete 22 page survey visit here.

Recent studies are sparking up the age-old debate on whether or not people are programmed to be early or late risers- and further add to the controversy. Studies suggest that whether we are ‘morning people’ or ‘night people’ is largely determined by our genetic predisposition. These studies indicate that circadian rhythms (which dictate sleep-wake cycles in a 24 hour period) differ among people and influence how many times we prefer to hit snooze button before class. People who are earlier risers have shorter circadian rhythms, higher levels of the hormone cortisol, and lower body temps in the A.M. hours than their later-rising counterparts.

More controversial and interesting are recent studies which show that sleep preference correlates to intelligence. Overall higher IQ’s are found to be associated with people who are more active nocturnally and go to bed later after nightfall. These studies may indicate that stereotypes of the creative artist or mad scientist staying up until the wee hours of the night to finish their masterpieces may not be so embellished, after all. Night owls are also found to be more creative, imaginative, and intuitive. (I must also note that the author of this particular article posted it at 1:00 a.m., if that’s any indication of his bias!).

However, to those of you who are willingly up and reading this at 8:00 A.M: don’t fret. You’re found to be more reliable, more emotionally stable, and less apt to suffer from addictions and eating disorders than those who choose not to enjoy their morning coffee before noon. Additional studies find that morning birds are typically more conscientious, logical, and analytical than night owls.

Unfortunately for those of us who are late-risers, society obviously prefers 9-5 workdays and an early-rising schedule. So, can we owls ‘see the light’? Many articles suggest that altering our daily routines can help us adjust to falling asleep and rising earlier much like our fellow morning bird roommates, friends, and family members. A few helpful tips including keeping a consistent sleeping schedule, opening shades before bed, exercising regularly, avoiding caffeine after 6:00 and more can be found here .

Whatever your sleeping preferences, feel free to comment with your thoughts, opinions, and/or stories!

US psychologists estimate that millions of Americans a year are severely affected by FAD (Facebook Addiction Disorder). As if it wasn’t disturbing enough that the term FAD actually exists, psychologists estimate that a whopping 350 million people have developed the “disorder”. Worse- there’s a 6-step program to relieve symptoms of the disorder (I can’t even type that seriously never mind say it aloud seriously).

Furthermore, new studies indicate that your romantic relationship now needs to stand the test of time Facebook . A study at the University of Guelph Ontario called “More info than you ever wanted: does Facebook bring out the green-eyed monster of jealousy?” found that the social networking site contributes to a “negative feedback loop” where users sign on and exchange messages or photos and because of what they see, they log on more frequently to monitor communication. This growing exposure of information leads to jealousy in relationships and subsequent fighting and/or breakups.

These days “are they dating?” is replaced with “are they Facebook official?!”, and face-to-face breakups are replaced with Facebook-to-Facebook breakups involving termination of one’s relationship status. I once had a friend (I will spare her the embarrassment and not disclose her name) who came to me in a panic that her boyfriend didn’t care for her needs anymore because he had not been fertilizing her strawberries on Farmville.

All joking aside, I get it. Who really wants to see their boyfriend or girlfriend popping up in an album with all 5 of their ex’s? Who wouldn’t be annoyed when the girl constantly batting her eyes at their boyfriend leaves a ‘lol <3’ on his wall? And who doesn’t hate seeing their own name pop up on newsfeed with that depressing half-broken heart next to it?

Studies are consistent that Facebook is causing more harm than good in relationships and there appears to be no end in sight. So until pharmaceutical companies inevitably begin to capitalize on this trend, sit back, watch this video , and don’t take Facebook so seriously that it messes up your relationship.

So you and/or your friends have moved back home and it’s just starting to sink in how boring of a Summer this could turn out to be. The Solution? If you haven’t already blown all your money on Spring Break, call your friends and plan a summer vacation to break up the monotonous days of barely working above minimum wage. Here are a few places to consider:

1. Las Vegas
Vegas is the perfect place for a summer getaway for you and your of-age friends. Although primarily known for it’s casinos and wild night-life, Vegas has more to offer. From performing arts theaters to shopping malls to gourmet restaurants, Vegas is a getaway with something for everyone looking to have a good time. While the heat of Nevada might deter some, remember that almost all of the appealing attractions are indoors and air-conditioned.

2. San Francisco
If you’re looking to travel to the West Coast during the summer and want comfortable temperatures, sightseeing, and an overall fun atmosphere then head to San Fran. Commonly known as “Everybody’s Favorite City”, San Francisco is known for it’s gorgeous surroundings, shopping, arts, architecture, and of course being Danny Tanner and Jesse Katsopolis’s former stomping ground.

3. Florida , duh
If you’re willing to stick out the sometimes brutal heat of summer then Florida is always a favorite vacation spot. Try heading further south than usual to West Palm Beach. West Palm Beach rumors to have better nightlife and partying than Miami and is more comfortable and classier, too. If you’re looking to escape with your significant other, try St. Augustine. The city has charming, historical and unique attractions and beautiful beaches. If you’re somewhere in the middle of wanting to party and sight-see, the Keys are perfect. The Keys draw in over 1,000,000 tourists each year and are known for its world-class snorkeling.

4. Montreal
Montreal is known for its European culture without the tran$-Atlantic flight. By now the chilly winter has passed and the weather is beautiful. The city hosts historic sites, plenty of shopping venues, eateries, and nightlife. Head to Montreal in early July for days of non-stop music festivals including the famous Festival of International de Jazz de Montreal. In the same month Montreal hosts the largest comedy festival in the world (Just for Laughs) with over 1,000 comedians.

5. New England!
Of course we’re partial to our home turf- but New England is a perfect place to escape the summer heat of the South and West Coast, especially between the July 4th and Labor Day holidays. Rent a beach house on Cape Cod and take a short ferry ride to Nantucket or Martha’s Vineyard. Travel to the Berkshires, take scenic drives in Newport, or head to Provincetown for Cape Cod’s best nightlife.

& of course, no matter your destination, remember to sign up for your Student Advantage Card before you book your flights and accommodations for discounts!

If you’re like me then you care a lot about saving money and maintaining a comfortable lifestyle. If you’re even more like me, you will only begrudgingly and occasionally sacrifice your bank account and lifestyle for Global Warming’s sake.

Not surprisingly, essays on how to be more ‘Green’ do little to alter my habits. I probably won’t sacrifice the length of my shower and will never substantially limit the amount of toilet paper I use. I’m also unlikely to venture around Boston in search for a patch of grass to plant a tree or replace all of my light bulbs with expensive eco-friendly bulbs. Below are a few easy tips to help others like me go green while saving money in the meantime.

1. Brita Bottle
This water bottle, created by the makers of Brita Water Filters, is designed to reduce water bottle waste. According to Brita, every year Americans use enough water bottles to wrap around the globe 100x. The Brita Bottle a squeezable and reusable water bottle with a filter built inside making it convenient for students on the go.

2. Amtrak
Amtrak is more efficient and uses less fuel than cars and airplanes. The US dept of energy data estimates that Amtrak is 20% more efficient than airline travel and 28% more efficient than auto travel.
More info on saving on Amtrak here .

3. Hanging clothes instead of drying
We all know the amount of water that a washer uses is bad for the environment, but the energy drying your clothes is, too. As a poor college student, learning that hanging instead of drying saves an estimate of $165 a year was enough to convince me to abandon my dryer (that and it meant no more trips to the Laundromat and shrinking tops). In fact, this blogger has dedicated his or her blogging career solely to advocate hanging laundry.

4. Buy in Bulk
The EPA reported that Americans generate about $80 million tons of waste from packaging and containers a year. This is a no-brainer for me. Grab your roommates and head to your local Costco, Sam’s Club, BJ’s, ect. and get more food for much less money.

5. Join Blog Action Day
Oct. 15th is the official Join Blog Action Day. So don’t worry if you’re a few days shy like I am (about 150). Write and talk about your easiest and favorite ways to help make your footprint a little smaller.