Ever since I was in elementary school, I always felt like time would always move at a glacial pace. Young and energetic, I could not concur with the ancient Roman saying, “tempus fugit” or “time flies”. However, I blink my eyes, and suddenly I am 17 years old. Anxiety-driven, I am sitting at my computer with a cup of coffee, trying ...

The baby needs to be fed and my toddler just smeared chocolate chips all over the couch. My daughters and their friends run through the house leaving a trail of clutter behind them. Loud music is blasting from my teenager’s room and he wants a ride to the golf course right now. My husband is out running errands, the phone is ...

The other day I ran into a friend I hadn’t seen in a while. During the course of our conversation, I mentioned that I had returned to school part time. “Good for you! That’s wonderful!” she said. Then a wistful look passed over her face as she confessed, “I’ve thought about going back to school for my master’s, but I just ...

Textbooks, school papers, empty lunchboxes and pencils litter the kitchen table. Accordion folders, library books and backpacks filled to overflowing spill onto the entryway floor. My laptop and course work lay buried beneath the chaotic jumble. It must be that glorious time of day when my children and I all sit down together to bond over the familiar constant in our ...

The good and bad things of life lie on a spectrum. At the top: scoring the winning goal in a hockey game, baking a perfect soufflé, giving someone a gift they’ve been secretly yearning for. At the bottom: kicking puppies, Gwen Stefani’s new CD, genocide. But below that, much farther down, comes one thing more evil than even Gwen’s misguided attempts ...

The New Year has arrived and with it comes a new semester and a new start for your college student.  While many students will make New Year’s Resolutions, history shows that most resolutions don't last very long – mainly because they are too difficult or simply unrealistic. College students are much more likely to keep resolutions if they are realistic and ...

The holidays are over and it’s time for your student to head back to school. How can you, as a parent, help her get the new semester off on the right track? Take the time to help her get organized now, and when things get hectic later on, she’ll be prepared. College has at least one great thing going for it: ...

By now, your countdown to the holiday break totals less than five days, and you're more than stressed with upcoming finals. Your brain is not only tied up in studying. It's also calculating which grade will put you just across the passing threshold. The last thing on your mind right now is how to spend your break productively. Finalize College Applications ...

August - September  Familiarize yourself with: health center, student center, libraries, gym, cafeterias, financial aid office, academic department offices, etc.    Take care of any remaining financial aid paperwork or wrinkles. Introduce yourself to the financial aid officer.  Purchase books and class materials. Save money by buying used books.  Research local banking options and open a checking account. If you're planning ...

There are many ways parents can help their students manage exam stress, including those that not only improve their ability to perform on the tests, but also help them stay healthy in the process. One of the first things parents can do to help their students through their exams is to make sure they don't wait until the last minute to ...

Building up your resume with leadership skills, adding organizations that enhance your field of study and taking on an internship are great goals to have and will work wonders for you in the short and long terms. But when does everything get to be too much? I've always been very good at keeping track of my life, always on top of ...

No sooner do you enroll in classes than you realize you have to actually find time to do the work. Many nontraditional and distance education students face the challenge of balancing study time with daily responsibilities. Let’s face it: We all have very full lives and sometimes carving out time for studies can seem impossible. For me, making a study schedule ...

You don't have time to read this. You should be squeezing in 20 minutes of study time before you punch in at your part-time job. And after your shift ends you'll have to hustle if you want to make it to practice on time. Sound familiar? Then you ought to make time to read this. Some stress is a natural part ...

Writing an essay often seems to be a dreaded task among students. Whether the essay is for a scholarship, a class, or maybe even a contest, many students often find the task overwhelming. While an essay is a large project, there are many steps a student can take that will help break down the task into manageable parts. Following this process ...

You totally don’t want to think about it right now, but finals are just around the corner. That means you can add studying for them to your already vast to-do list. Here are some helpful hints on how to prepare for your exams and get everything else done. Tip 1: Start early Preparation for exams should begin earlier than the day ...

Life at a huge school is quite different than what I thought it would be. I went to an extremely small high school (approximately 800 students) and it got to be too small after four years. When I looked at colleges, I knew I wanted to go to a HUGE school. I pictured lots of school spirit, amazing football games, lecture ...

Fall Semester Map out the classes you'll need to take for the next four years in preparation for college admissions. Take the most challenging course of study available. Join clubs and activities that interest you. Meet with your school's guidance counselor to discuss courses and extracurricular activities. Start building relationships with teachers, counselors and activity supervisors. This will help you obtain ...

Fall Take the most challenging academic schedule you can. It shows admissions officers that you're ready for a competitive college environment. Research prospective colleges. Sign up for FastWeb's College Search to find the right school for you. Attend college fairs and speak to on-campus college representatives. Register, prepare for and take the PSAT/NMSQT. Begin studying for the SAT or ACT. Register ...

September Request applications and brochures from your target colleges if you haven't already. For more college options, sign up for FastWeb's College Search. Schedule college interviews with prospective schools. Set up a budget for college application costs – they can add up. Get your applications in order by creating files for your target schools. Make a list of application requirements (essays, ...

For college students, summer break is a chance to get caught up in coursework, earn money for the next semester, prepare for their career or simply relax and reconnect with friends and family. There are many available ways to spend summer break – and it depends on your student and what year they are in, as to which direction is best ...