The back-to-school jitters kicked in just as I climbed into the elevator. Trying to appear calm and self-assured, I surveyed the swarm of younger faces around me. I made my way to the fourth floor classroom for my first “publishing your writing” class. Arriving early, I tentatively chose a seat and waited for my professor and classmates to trickle in. Fully ...

The cherry blossoms are starting to fade and fall to the ground, reminding me that spring semester is nearly over. Summer break looms like a child’s birthday balloon buoyantly hovering above a crowded room. From this vantage point, the next 12 weeks seem like plenty of time to tackle those neglected home decorating projects, catch up on nearly 20 years of ...

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 ...

I’m old enough to be these kids’ mother, I think to myself as I observe my younger classmates lining both sides of the hallway. While we wait for the professor to arrive and unlock the door to our classroom, I wonder about these young people only a few years older than my teenage son. What are their personal backgrounds? What has ...

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 ...

We asked Fastweb users to share their advice on college life, based on their personal experiences. Here's what they said: "Try not to hold on to what is familiar to you. You have a chance to be anything you want. Let the world around you influence you and teach you. College prepares you for the future, but everything else helps you ...

On my first day of school, I feel a tingling in my fingers as I search through my closet for my black dress. I usually wear this gloomy-colored attire to funerals, but this dress will not witness any melancholy tears or expressions of farewell today. Bolles, my high school, carries an abiding tradition of letting the senior women wear black dresses ...

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 ...

If an omniscient viewer peeked into my life for a period of time, he or she would notice that I follow a simple and set routine. I wake up, brush my teeth, pick out my day’s attire, and go to school. After school, I toss my dirty clothes into the laundry basket, take a shower, and slip into a more comfortable ...

Trying not to outwardly tremble, I briefly looked up from my manuscript to adjust the microphone and smile at the small group gathered to hear me read from my recently published essay, “Wonder Mold Mother.” In the audience were several of my English professors and classmates from my writing classes. Seeking further reassurance, I glanced at my husband who was sitting ...

Even when everything goes smoothly moving day is stressful. It's even worse when you have to deal with bad weather, a contentious landlord or both. Fastweb users share some of their worst moving day memories. "It was raining that day, so everything was getting wet. I got water in my TV and when I plugged it in, it had sound but ...

Remember when you were little, and you would wake up one morning -- your head was heavy and your body felt hot? Your mom would send you to school anyway, but you'd call her as soon as you got there and she'd end up having to leave work and pick you up from the nurse's office. She'd feel bad she sent ...

The first week of college College isn't so bad. Actually, it's pretty awesome. I've been here for about a week. I honestly thought I would miss home like crazy and cry my eyes out every day. But I don't. Guess I'm too busy having fun and experiencing new things. I'm taking about 15 hours this semester (5 classes) and the course ...

So this is the end of one journey. It feels like everything in my life has closed its doors lately. The weird thing is usually one door closes and another one opens, but I haven't seen any doors open. And some of those doors have just slammed in my face ... without any warning, if you catch my drift. One particular ...

By the time this blog posts, I will officially be a college graduate! The event I've been talking about forever will have finally happened -- and it's starting to hit me. The reality will be even harsher when I wake up that fateful August move-in day later this year, only to remember I'm no longer at Hofstra... I'm getting sad just ...

Welcome back and Happy New Year! I hope you had a great holiday and a relaxing break, and that if you returned home, my advice from the previous post was useful. Of course the buzz in the first month of the year always includes the same subject: What is your New Year's resolution? I usually don't believe in making resolutions, but ...

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 ...

This week I’m going to write about persimmons. Oh yes, that most noble of fruits. No, hang on, that’s wrong. You’ll have to excuse me (well, you don’t have to, but it’d be a very generous move on your part). I’m graduating from college on Sunday and my brain’s just about full to capacity. Bet you didn’t know that could ...

Graduation day is approaching quickly and I still don't have a job or a place to live. I figure both need to happen-- and happen quickly. So as I'm tying up the loose ends on my classes and internship, I'm also combing through Craigslist.org. Craigslist is great if you live in a major metropolitan area like New York City, which ...

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 ...