The Burns Effect

5 Questions to Ask on a College Tour

It's so interesting how being in college for a year can affect your judgment and perception. Once upon a time, I hated having to speak up pertaining important things unless I was around my family or friends. While that may have to do with me being a bit socially anxious, part of it was simply me being too embarrassed to speak up, out of fear of saying the wrong thing. Today, however, I am not afraid to ask a question or speak up; I prefer being comfortable knowing what's going on than uncomfortably confused. I guess with age and time, these things get better.
I look back and think about when I first began to apply for colleges. There's so much that you can find online, and that is basically how I did my research and made a lot of my decisions. However, not everything can be found out online, and a prime example of that is when you're working with financial aid. There were times a call needed to be made to a university - and if you know me, you know that I have a strong dislike for talking on the phone - so I had my mom handle that. And when I went on college tours, I generally let the tour guide talk and I stayed to myself, listening. My mom tended to be the one to ask questions.
As a college student, I am realizing how that is actually normal, and I wasn't the odd one out. There are so many tours happening on campus throughout the year, and I have observed how seldom potential students do not ask questions, leaving it up to the parents and guardians. I began to think about why this was the case - is it because of shyness? social anxiety? not caring? But one thing that stuck out to me was that maybe - just maybe - high school students do not know what to ask. So much information is being thrown at you at once while you're trying to take in the campus and students, so it's understandable that you're not particularly concerned about what questions to ask. But alas, I'm here to throw some knowledge your way. Take these questions and morph them however you want to fit your college tour, Just be sure to ask; after all, if you choose whichever college you decide to tour, you'll be living and studying there for the next 4 years!

1. What is the best and worst dorm to stay in on-campus as a freshman?

Remember that tour guides can be pretty bias, and to take their response with a grain of salt! Heed to it, but also remember their experiences don't have to necessarily be yours. When I toured Iowa State for the second time, I met a really nice girl and my mom asked her about the dorms. She told me that Maple-Willow-Larch is not a great place to stay because they're "party dorms." If I would have listened, I probably wouldn't have met my best friends or experienced such an awesome dorm. Honestly, a dorm is what you make out of it - any one can be a "party dorm" and any one can be a laid-back dorm.

2. Realistically, which meal plan is best?

I wish someone would've told me that I didn't have to get the standard Gold meal plan because I'd waste about 60 meals by the end of each semester. There might be alternatives for you to take advantage of, such as meal blocks instead of a complete plan. Explore all your options!

3. What is it like being a POC/LGBTQ+ at this school?

This question is specific for minorities who decide to attend predominately white institutions, or for anyone who identifies as LGBTQ+. It's an important question because you'll need your other POC or LGBTQ+ friends as a support system, and it's pretty important to know if your school has a history of being discriminatory, racist, homophobic, etc. This information is best to get from a student because they're more likely to be honest with you than staff.

4. How do most students get around here?

Bus, train, bike, by foot, car? Stanford is a huge biking campus, whereas here at Iowa State, we travel predominately by CyRide, which is our bus system.

5. How are the extracurricular activities and social life on-campus?

This may or may not be important to you; it was very important for me! Coming from a big city, where I can do pretty much whatever I want, I didn't want to move somewhere that there is not much to do. Personally, I decided not to go to Michigan Tech because of this reason. Iowa State is a nice in-between. Figure out whether the school is a party school, or do most people do athletic things, or is there a diverse set of activities to get involved in.

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How to Use Trello for College

My first-year as an undergraduate student is officially complete. If I were to rate the year, I would give it an 8 out of 10. I gained leadership roles; I changed my major twice (but am officially in love with what it is now); I gained friends and am learning how to maintain healthy relationships; self-care has become a top priority of mine. It's nice to finally be able to just breathe without the added stress of homework, exams, group projects, and other extracurricular activities. But the thing is, I wasn't super stressed this past semester with the aforementioned. First semester - yeah, I was new and learning, so I got stressed out easily. Second semester was fairly easier because I had a pattern going PLUS I learned a new time management/procrastination/organization technique. Well, it's not a technique, per say. It's more of an app/website that saved my frickin' butt.
Let me introduce you to Trello. I talked about it in this post about completing online courses. I promised to update you all on how it worked throughout the semester, and the update is finally here! Trello saved my but. Multiple times. First, let me explain how it works. Trello is an online management system (that's free, might I add, with the option to upgrade) that also has applications for mobile devices. You are able to create as many boards as you want, and subsequently as many lists within those boards as you want. The great thing about these lists is that you can add many cards with deadlines, links, attached documents or photos, additional members, labels, comments, and even checklists if there are multiple things to be done for a card. For the deadlines, Trello will send you reminders (urgent or simply "coming up"); once a deadline has past and you check it off, you can archive the card, which makes staying organized super easy! Now, for you all who may prefer to look at your assignments in a calendar format, Trello also gives you that option (but you have to add a deadline to the card you want to show up).
Other amenities of Trello are the customization options that you have. There are pretty backgrounds that you can make use of, in addition to Power Ups, which are basically connected apps that you can use.

How I Used Trello for College

First of all, I create a new board called "College." I wanted to separate my personal life from my university life. That not only lets me stay more organized and have fewer lists per board, it also allows me to have individual calendars. Under my college board, I created a new list for each of my courses. At the beginning of the semester, I had 6 courses; now, I have finished quite a few, so many are archived, hence the 3 that's left.

I switched each list's name to the name of the perspective course. Within each list, I added a card with all of the professor's information (name, email, phone number) and attached the syllabus. This was very important for me to be able to do because I hate having to locate each syllabus if I need it. Trello makes it very convenient for me to have it all in one location for easy access. Next, I went through each syllabus and created corresponding cards for every assignment, project, and exam due throughout the semester. I color coded my labels so that I knew exams were yellow, homework was blue, group projects were red, etc. I always added the due date! (Using Trello for college would be pointless if you didn't, in my opinion. Due dates are your savior and prevents any "I forgot" comments.)

Throughout the semester, as I finished each assignment, I checked off that I finished the card and archived it. This allows me to visually see how much more work I have to do before I am done with the class. I also enjoyed looking at the calendar because I can see all that's due in a week. Once I was completely done with a class, I archived the entire list. Out of sight, out of mind, I say! Do you use organization systems for college? Have you ever used Trello?
*None of this post is sponsored. I just really like Trello, so I'm singing its praises!

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In african student alliance, black college students

Student Organizations for Multicultural College Students

The original introduction sentence that I was planning to write went something along the lines of, "attending a predominately white institution is interesting...," but I had to take a moment to reflect. Is it really interesting? I suppose the answer depends on which side of the equation you are on--are you a student of color or are you in the majority? If you are in the latter group, then the answer is probably no. There's nothing spectacular about PWIs. How can anything stand out to you if you fit right into the mold? And if you're in the former group, the answer might still be no. I say this because there's nothing interesting about a PWI as a POC because the world is seemingly a PWI. So, there's little difference in your experience. Nevertheless, there are some things that can make a PWI more interesting, especially for a student of color. Student organizations and clubs that are tailored to the needs and wants of people of color.
At Iowa State, I am a proud member of the Black Student Alliance. Without my membership in the club, I do not know whether I would want to continue attending Iowa State. Do not get me wrong: I love the campus, the people, and the courses available. It's because I come from Detroit (a predominately black city); so, jumping into a place where I feel as if I have little support from my community is not something I am sure I want to do. Of course, as I mentioned above, this world is definitely a white one. That means I can go many places without seeing someone who looks like me. (I have experienced this, both in Germany and even here, at ISU.) So, when I came to Iowa State, I knew that I would have to reach out and find a place that could be my relief. I am sure many other students of color resonate with what I am saying. I've heard it plenty of times around campus by other students of color, how certain clubs on campus are the reason they stay.
Considering many high school students are graduating and will be attending college come fall semester, I wanted to write this post. It's important - no matter where you go - to find at least one place that can be your haven, where you can be completely comfortable. I do not recommend choosing a university that you will never feel comfortable at, in the first place; organizations and clubs are simply an added cushion.

Student Orgs and Clubs for Multicultural College Students

Black Student Alliance
National Society of Minorities in Hospitality Management
National Society of Black Engineers
Womyn of Color Network (specifically at Iowa State)
African Student Association
Arab Student Association
Latinx Student Initiatives
Pan-Caribben Community
South Sudanese Assn
Puerto Rican Student Association
Multicultural Student Association

Every university has their own set of organizations and clubs for students of color. If this is something important to you, I highly recommend going to your university's student org's page online and seeing what they have! If there is not a club that fits your interest, you can always start one.

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In College, College Life

5 Ways To Make Your Dorm Room Cozy

If you're anything like me, you had high expectations for how your dorm room was going to look as you got closer and closer to graduating high school. It would be your own space (albeit with a roommate, but we can deal with that later); you would be able to decorate to your aesthetic liking. I scoured Pinterest and Tumblr for hours, looking for inspiration. I jumped between having a modern room, a bohemian space, and a grunge space. We can easily all come to the conclusion that having a grunge room would not be very...nice considering it's too trendy and would be something I'd get over easily.
So, I quickly crossed the latter off of my list after 8th grade. The former two were the ones that lasted the test of time, and I had a hard time deciding between them. After all, I love clean, minimalist spaces; there's nothing like it. Nevertheless, I was slowly falling in love with bohemian spaces; not only were they visually pleasing, they also provided a sense of comfort, may it have been because of the cozy throws and blankets or the greenery everywhere. In the long run, I'd say that I have a bohemian space (but it's okay! I'll have my own apartment sooner than later and I'll be able to have the best of both worlds).
Regardless of what theme you want your dorm room to have, they can all be cozy. Considering it'll be your home for pretty much the next year, you might as well love where you are staying and make it a "home away from home." Here are some ways to make your space cozy!

1. Bring in various textures and patterns.

You can do this with your blankets, carpet, bed comforter, or futon. My dorm [luckily] came with hardwood floors, so my gray carpet is the perfect addition to make the room cozier! It provides the perfect soft space to cuddle into and relax. I also brought a tapestry with a really cool pattern, and it's hanging up on my wall. It complements my bedspread (color-wise). You do not have to be extreme in the patterns or textures you use.

2. Use fairy lights.

I have these lights up beneath my bed, and I absolutely adore them! While I am a huge fan of natural light, whenever I want to get cozy (doing homework or reading a book), I love turning my lights on. It provides such a great ambiance to the room. I have some friends who decided to string their lights along the edges of the room on the walls, while others have their lights going vertically along the ceiling.

3. Have a bunch of blankets!

You will not regret this piece of advice when winter comes around. There's nothing like cozying up in a thicket blanket. I have my big, blue blanket from Sam's Club underneath my desk that I curl up in my moon chair with; I also have a couple of smaller blankets that I share with my friends when they come over; on my bed, I have a heated blanket that I typically use when I go to bed.

4. Bring flowers and plants indoors.

I absolutely adore when people have plants and flowers in their rooms, real or not. Nature instantly makes me feel cozier, and it gives a room a very fresh feeling.

5. Burn Incense.

I know that not all dorm will allow incense, but mine [thankfully] does. Incense will make your room smell amazing and it typically calms me down. You can either burn various incenses whenever you want, or you can choose an incense and have it be your dorm's scent. That way, whenever you smell it, you feel at home.

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In College, College Blogger

How to Create A 4-Year Graduation Plan

College can last however long you want it to (or are able to afford, financially; and if you're like the vast majority of college students, this is seemingly the most difficult challenge of getting an education). Traditionally, students graduate in four years; however, it's becoming more common for students to stay for a fifth year. If you're like me, that's something you kind of want to avoid. Mo' money, mo' problems, unfortunately, and I don't want a fifth year to give them to me. Plus, after four years, I am pretty sure that I'll be anxious to graduate and move on from college. To make sure that I stay on the right path to graduate in four years, my advisers and professors urged (and even created an assignment) me to make a Four Year Graduation Plan.
This plan should be made as soon as possible, and yes, that goes for freshmen and all undecided majors. I made mine only a few weeks into my first semester as a first-year student. The great thing about making this graduation plan is that it's super easy to make, and you will be extremely grateful for it in the long run when you are trying to figure out what classes you still need to take, any prerequisites, etc. And don't worry! Making the plan will be easy (albeit a bit lengthy as you try to be as detailed as you can).

1. Add all of your general education credits.

General education credits are the easiest because it relates to students who have declared a major and those who are undecided. They're also the easiest to place in your four year plan. Most of the time, students like to get their gen eds out of the way; however, you have to consider various things, such as what you plan to do during your time in college, such as studying abroad or doing a national student exchange. If you are, then it'd probably be best to save your general education credits until then simply because they're the easiest to transfer back to your home school. Major-specific courses tend to get a little testing when trying to transfer back, so I'd personally save those for when I'm on campus (or take it online, if possible).

2. What prerequisites are there?

It's extremely important to know whether there are prerequisites for courses that you want to take. There is nothing worse than going to register for a class and getting told that you cannot because you haven't taken a required course (or worse, simply getting booted out of the class without any warning). The worst part about that is that some colleges allow you to register for the class (with or without the prerequisite completed), and you'll only get booted from the course during the first week of class by the professor. So do yourself a favor and write down all prereqs for the courses you are planning to take.

3. Can you save money? Take summer courses!

A lot of people think about college as Fall and Spring terms, but there's one more that is important to think about; Summer Term. Do not hesitate to skip out on taking a course during the fall or spring term at your college, so that you can instead save money and take the same course (or equivalent) at a community college during the summer. Mark this down in your four year plan so that you will not be confused and know what your plan is.

4. Create using any method.

I've made a four year plan on Microsoft Word and Excel, as well as Google Sheets. On Excel or in Sheets, I can easily set up my rows and columns with each year, semester, as well as classes that I want to take (both require and electives). Microsoft Word isn't hard to use as well because of how easy it is to add a graphs, graphics, and organize to your liking. The only disadvantage to Word is how it lacks automation. All of these programs allow up to you to make your four year plan however creative or simple as you'd like it; you have the ability to color-code, star, filter, and more.

Freebie time!

Because I want to help you all get going with your four year plan, I created a freebie template for you all. I organized it with color-coding and categories. You have full customization with your courses, course ID #, degree requirement (general ed, major requirement, electives, etc), # of credits, prerequisites, and which semester you plan to take the class. Everything is manual (sorry! no automation this time); however, the document is extremely easy to edit. To go ahead and download, click the following to go to Dropbox.

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In College, College Classes

How to Successfully Complete Your Online College Class

College is extremely diverse when it comes to what classes you can take, where you can take them, and how you can take them. Once upon a time, you had to go on-campus to complete your courses; now, you can go to remote sites or stay in your bed. Now, before you get all hyped up about the latter (because, who am I kidding, it sounds like a dream), there are pros and cons to taking online courses. Last semester, I took two online courses, and this upcoming Spring semester, I'm taking two more. Let's say that I'm bittersweet right now.
Online classes provide you with accessibility because you can literally access them anywhere as long as you have working Wi-Fi or a steady Hotspot. So, if you forgot about an assignment that's due tonight at 11:59 PM, yet you are out partying with your friends, as long as you have your assignment saved online (such as on GoogleDocs or Dropbox), you can quickly and easily download it and submit it. Whew. But there's the dilemma of actually remembering the class and its assignments when you do not have a class to attend daily. It's really up to you to prioritize and keep track of everything. While that can also be true for actual classes that you go to, you have to be far more organized with online courses because your only method of communication or finding out anything pertaining to the class is through the worldwide web. Of course, most professors still have office hours, but in reality, most students don't take advantage of that.
Along the way, I have learned some tips for how to successfully complete your online college class.

1. Print out your syllabus.

It's easy to neglect this task because it's online (and you're trying to be eco-friendly, right?). However, this can make or break your semester. I found this out the hard way; it's pretty annoying having to constantly go to Blackboard, find the syllabus again, and possibly have to download it just to see when that one assignment is due. It's far easier to have a tangible copy that you can quickly pull out and reference daily.

2. Attend Your Professor's Office Hours

If your professor does not have set office hours (which is normally not the case), do not hesitate to reach out and set up an appointment. Some professors do not like to sit around in their office for no reason, so they might not be there if you decide to just pop up. That's why it's best to e-mail or fill out a form, letting them know that you plan to come and chat with them. This is especially important when you have an online class because it's great to create the rapport with your professor. Since you won't be seeing them during the week, it's nice to let them know who you are as well as you get to know them. Just because they're teaching an online class doesn't mean that they cannot prove to be a great reference or friend in the future!

3. Get organized online.

By this, I mean find some organization method that works best for you. You need a way to keep track of deadlines, host your assignments, and keep everything together that you'll need for your class. I personally love using a calendar for inputting my deadlines and miscellaneous tasks for classes. SolCalendar is the calendar that I use; it allows you to add marks and little graphics, set reoccurring dates (perfect for when you have a class multiple days throughout the week), invite people to the event/task, and color-code, which I find works out best for differentiating my courses. I'm also planning to use Trello this upcoming semester after reading about another student's method of organizing. I set mine up yesterday, and I'm excited to see how this works. So far, I've added all of my classes and organized what books and the costs for each of my classes. I'll update you guys once I finally start to use it.

4. Take Notes On and Off the Computer.

I find taking notes using Microsoft OneNote the easiest for me. However, it's not always the best solution when your class is strictly online. This is for two reasons: 1) it can be difficult having to switch from your class online to taking notes on another screen; this can work because of the split-screen function that laptops have now; nevertheless, I prefer to have a full-screen versus two mini ones, and 2) writing things down helps you to learn and memorize it. You can take online classes at your pace (as far as note-taking goes), so use this to your advantage and hand write your notes. In-class note-taking is more so at the professor's rate, so having a laptop accessible to take notes seems to be easier. Use the advantage an online class gives you and take your time to truly learn the information on your time. Also, once you finish handwriting your notes, feel free to type them up (as they say, looking at and writing stuff down multiple times help you to remember it!).

5. Try to Find and Get to Know People in Your Course

One of my hospitality management classes was online, and my professor tried to get us to establish a relationship with others in our respective groups that she assigned. She did this by having us do a forum board where we introduced ourselves and had weekly discussions that were worth a grade. While this is not necessarily the best way to get to know people (because most people are just doing this for a grade + simply talking to someone online doesn't foster a relationship like seeing someone in-person does), it's still a great way to learn names and the basics about your classmates. If you seemingly click or are interested in a particular person, do not hesitate to reach out and try to meet them in person. You never know who could become your next best friend or great study buddy.

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In Goals, New Year Motto

"Why the Hell Not": Happy New Year!

It's officially 2017! Woooo! I love the beginning of each year. The energy in the air is insane; everyone is ready to let go of the old year; parties are still raging; champagne is being popped; fireworks and sparklers are shining in the air; and the Time Square ball is dropping. I relish this time of year. Once the night festivities calm down, the energy is still there. Everyone is ready to start the new year off great: setting goals, finding inspiration, planning and organizing, and more.
I typically like to do New Year Resolutions, but I find that I don't normally follow up with those. I don't know what it is, but I feel like it's too much pressure. If I don't actually complete my resolutions, it can be tolling on how I view myself and what I'm doing. I don't like that feeling, so I've decided to come up with another type of way to encourage myself during the new year. Instead of pressuring myself to complete a set of goals by the end of 2017, I am going to set a motto for the year that I want to live by.

I feel like this is a great motto for 2017 for me. It's motivating me to be as daring as I can be; instead of asking "why?" the question will be "why not?" I have so much that I want to do in 2017, and this motto will be what I fall back on each time. Starting to blog more frequently: why the hell not? Falling back in love with photography: why the hell not? Reading 40 or more books: why the hell not? Working and successfully completing my internship: why the hell not?

What would be your motto for this year?

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