1. Take time for yourself every day.
2. Organize in advance.
3. Start early.
4. Get in touch with your creative side.
Use A Calendar
Use a To-Do List
Schedule Posts
Do The Smaller Tasks First
Take Mini-Breaks
Get Rid of Distractions
In the summer of 2014, I was a temporary undergraduate at Stanford University for 8-weeks. I took Interpersonal Relations (Sociology), Personality Psychology, Zumba, and Asana Yoga. For all of these courses, I earned 8 college credits. That was pretty impressive to do as a rising junior in high school. Not everybody gets the opportunity to earn college credit while in high school. I wish that it would be easier (and cheaper), but alas, it's not. But do not get disappointed if you haven't yet: it's one-hundred percent possible to do. My family could not afford to pay my summer college tuition, but I found a way to still go. Today, I am going to tell you how you can earn college credit (for cheap or free) while you are still in high school.
My Story
Do Your Research
Find Out Your Money Situation
Apply for the Program's Financial Aid
Dual Enrollment
1. Compare All of Your Books
- Websites such as slugbooks.com, textsurf.com, chegg.com, and ecampus.com are great websites to compare books. The former two are literal comparison sites, which means that you are able to type in an ISBN (or multiple) and it'll compile all the competing sites into one chart for you. Ecampus allows you to compare manually by typing in the book name, author's name, or ISBN.
- When you compare, use the exact ISBN of the textbook that your university gave to you. You do not want to risk getting the wrong book simply because you ordered it elsewhere. There are sometimes multiple editions and various versions. If you do find a cheaper textbook that is a different version but is cheaper than the others, e-mail your professor to see if it is okay.
- Always pay attention to which price you are looking at - rent, buy, or used. The comparison sites will normally provide all that they can.
- If a book is required new, you can still buy it elsewhere; HOWEVER, if a code a part of a textbook purchase, I recommend buying it from your university because you do not want to risk purchasing a used textbook and code and the code does not function or does not come all together. (This tip came from my advisor.)
2. Rent
I only rented one of my textbooks this semester, but that was because I did not want to pay over $100 for a book that could be rented for less than $35. (I actually rented it for $26, but with S&H and tax, it ended up around $32.) Nothing is wrong with renting. It is just like checking out a book at the library. It's really simple and can save you a bunch of cash!
- Always keep up with the due date. You never want to miss a due date for a rental, just like you would not want to miss your due date at the library. Add the return date to your calendar
- Most rentals can be kept for a trimester, semester, and sometimes an entire year. When you rent a book, they will always give you the return date (and if not exact, an estimate). Sometimes their semester is not equivalent to your university's semester, though, and if this is the case...
- Feel free to extend your rental! Sometimes there is a fee, but most times, you are free to do this at no cost. I will have to do this for my rented book because it's return date is the 14th of December, but my semester isn't over until the 16th, and I am not sure when my final is.
- Some rental places even allow renters to write/highlight in books. Cool, right?
3. Buy Used - It's Really No Big Deal
I am not too sure why some people are so against buying used. Used saves lives and pockets and wallets. I bought the majority of my books used. I mean, what are the odds that you are going to need or want to keep the book after the course ends? Slim to none! Certain books are recommended to keep (major-specific courses, but that's normally towards your third and fourth and sometimes fifth year).
- "I need to write in my book, so I have to buy my own." Well, feel free to do that if you absolutely must. I understand that sometimes there is no way around it, like if it is a hands-on textbook; however, here's a little spoiler: some rentals/used books already have highlights and maybe some notes in them. (This is because people sell their books at the end!) Feel free to take your own, but don't be super obnoxious about it (as most people aren't).
- "I do not want marks in my book!" Honestly, there will be used books that nobody has ever written in. Not all of them have highlights or notes or doodles. If you happen to receive one that is written in, ask the bookstore or wherever you purchase your textbooks from if they have another one with fewer markings. It can actually work. (Personal experience over here, y'all!)
4. Sell It Back
Once again - the majority of your courses will be a one-time deal and you will not need your textbooks anymore. Sell them back once you are finished! A quick tip is to sell it yourself to someone who may need it because you will almost, guaranteed, get a higher percentage back than if you were to sell it back to the bookstore. A returned $100 book could be bought back from the bookstore for $20, unfortunately. A this is typically non-negotiable.
- Try websites such as ebay.com, ecampus.com, bookbyte.com, chegg.com, and even barnesandnobles.com to sell your books!
- I recommend checking out what the going rate for the book is and price accordingly so that you can be competitive and have a higher rate of selling.
- Actually talk to future students who may be taking the course. A lot of students are looking for a nice break (which is practically anything cheaper than the given price by universities).
This is the time of year that I learned about my acceptance to my Germany study abroad program. I remember the day vividly: I came home from school and was talking to my mom on the phone. Out of the blue, she said, "You're going to Germany," and I was so confused. She was confused, too, in a way. I think we both forgot about my whole application and interview process with YFU earlier in the year, so this news was a genuine surprise. It took me a moment of asking her a thousand questions before I checked my e-mail and saw "Congratulations!"
The time after that was a blur. I had to quickly inform my school and go through an entire process of filling forms out and sending them to their respective places. It was a busy and exciting time. Not too long after school was out, I was flying to Washington D.C. for the Pre-Departure Orientation. And not too long after that, July 31st arrived: I was on my way to Germany.
But pause...
...rewind...
I needed stuff for Germany. I was going to be gone for a freaking semester! I couldn't go without any preparation. So...what did I do to prepare, and what the heck did I pack?
Preparation
1. Look stuff up on Google like clockwork. When I say this, I mean scour Google, Pinterest, Tumblr, everything that you can for packing lists. These will seriously give you good ideas on what to pack. Without looking at these first, you are seriously going in with a blank slate, and you might regret it.
2. Know the typical weather for your location. Pack accordingly. However, give yourself some wiggle room. When I went to Germany, the weather was really hot in the summer, and the winter was mild (thank you, global warming).
3. Talk to old and future exchange students. Compare and contrast what others took/are bringing. This will give you an idea. Plus, exchange students will be the first to tell you how you do not want to overpack! Listen to them (no matter how much you may need that one extra shirt or two gym shoes or four shorts).
What to pack
1. Shorts (3): You want a blue jean pair, a loose, casual pair, and a workout pair. Honestly, if you are like me, you will mix-and-mingle; no pair was left unworn. I took a few more than this, and I did wear all of them throughout my entire semester (outside, around the house, as pajamas), but tailor this to how you are. I'm the shorts with sweater type of girl.
2. Sweaters/Cardigans (4): Bring a black cardigan, a white/grey pullover, a sweatshirt, and a hoodie. The black cardigan is perfect for throwing on over anything; black is the ultimate neutral. I promise you. The white or grey pullover is nice for casual wear. A sweatshirt and hoodie are self-explanatory. (If you have any questions, put them in the comments).
3. Jeans (3): Bring a light wash, dark or medium wash, a black pair of jeans. These are the easiest to match with anything, and you can get away with wearing the same pair a couple of times during the week. If you want, bring a colorful pair, but you probably will not get as much wear out of them.
4. Shoes (4): Bring a pair of sandals (neutral color), flats (neutral color), gym shoes, and boots (black or brown, depending on which tone you wear more). Do not bring more than this! Make sure that your flats can pair both casual and formal wear. If you want more shoes, purchase them while there, like I did (I bought two pairs of boots). Just note that I left a couple of pairs in return in Germany.
5. Undergarments and Pajamas: This is self-explanatory unless you like going in the buff.
6. Blouses (3)/T-shirts (4): This is so that you have enough to last an entire week without washing, if you must. These are pretty lightweight, so you have a bit more leeway in packing these. Plus, you can wear t-shirts as pajamas, so you hit two birds with one stone. And I chose more blouses because most people in Europe dress really well, and you want to integrate, don't you? (Mix and match like you please!)
7. Sweatpants (2): Because lounging and working out. Duh. (Note: you will most likely have a fitness class in school [boo!], but make it work, bro.)
8. Camera/Phone and Batteries/Charger: You want to document your time there. If you don't have a camera, just make sure you have enough storage on your phone.
9. Laptop and Charger: You will need to do work for your school and exchange program, most likely. Plus, you can totally blog your exchange away, like I did.
10. Scarves and Gloves: Bring what you feel like you will seriously wear. I recommend neutrals because they will go with more. Plus, scarves are a huge thing in Europe right now, specifically blanket scarves. (Funny story: I came back to the U.S. and everybody ask why I was wearing a blanket around my neck.)
As for winter stuff, don't worry about that until you get there. You can easily buy a coat or whatnot in a large city. Get this once as soon as it starts to get chiller, so that you won't wake up one day and freeze your butt off because you were not prepared. Or, you can just do like me and layer.
*Note: it's a bit hard to find coats for larger girls, like myself (size XL or 14 typically), so if this is the case, start looking in advance, try larger cities, or simply, if you must, have one shipped from home).
Prepare a Few Days in Advance
Know Your Essays
Ask Your Own Questions
Answer Questions Honestly
Talk to the Parents + Students There
Questions You May Be Asked
- What are some extracurricular activities that you enjoy doing?
- What is your role at home?
- How many siblings do you have, and what is your relationship with them? (Parents, too.)
- Would you prefer to live in a suburban, rural, or urban area?
- Would you prefer a host family with no kids, teens around your age, or older?
- Could you live with a single dad? mom?
- Why did you choose YFU?
- Is this your first time away from home? out of your comfort zone?
- Would you mind staying with a host family with pets?
