Tag Archives: education

Apr25

Should You Major In Liberal Arts Or STEM?

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Should You Major In Liberal Arts Or STEM?

There was a time, perhaps a couple of decades ago, where the liberal arts – a.k.a. the humanities, dealing with the study of literature, history, philosophy, art, and the like – and STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) worked together in harmony. These days, there seems to be a major divide between the two when it comes to college. At least, that’s what a lot of commentators and even politicians believe.

Back in 2014, Barack Obama called into question the usefulness of a liberal arts degree. He caught quite a bit of heat for suggesting that a degree in art history may not provide you with the job opportunities that an education in trade and manufacturing will. Oddly enough, this actually put him on common ground with the Republicans, who have long questioned the usefulness of degrees such as literature and anthropology!

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He didn’t always please the liberals!

But how right are the critics of an education in liberal arts? Before people even get an opportunity to ask “How do you get a bachelor’s degree?”, they seem to be hounded by such a question. If you feel a bit torn and confused about the whole thing, here are a few points that you should keep in mind:

Manufacturing and Trade Aren’t Dead: So many people out there seem to think that we’ve moved past the need to have so many students doing STEM subjects because there isn’t much career potential in manufacturing and trade. Here’s the thing: Obama wasn’t actually so much criticizing liberal arts as he was criticizing this idea. The fact is, that these are still essential fields in our economies, and fulfilling and lucrative careers are still common in those fields. Don’t dismiss manufacturing and trade as dead fields because they are very much alive and kicking if you know where to look.

Liberal Arts Education Isn’t Just “Training for Starbucks”: An education in the humanities does not doom you to a dead-end job, the way that a lot of people tend to dismiss it. Having said that, there are certainly courses out there that are so steeped in postmodernist denials of reality or objective truth and so much closer to ideological indoctrination rather than education that job prospects after graduation are genuinely lackluster.

But, a degree in philosophy has been shown to get people into well-salaried positions. In fact, the average philosophy major earns more than the average accounting major. As for an English degree, so often mocked by humanities haters, it’s a massive boost for many careers due to the degree showing your ability to read and analyze deeply. Talent in theory and criticism is more useful in business and technology fields than you may think! You can also combine philosophy with technology with a NU London Philosophy and AI Masters degree. This offers the best of both worlds in creative thinking and analyzing the constant changes in our increasingly technological world.

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Starbucks & studies!

And Remember: while Bill Gates has dismissed liberal arts degrees, Steve Jobs has pointed out that his company would never work it if hadn’t been a perfect marriage of STEM and liberal arts.

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Take that, Bill Gates!

Remember Part 2: the value of a degree is both overestimated and underrated – it’s the former in a more general sense, but the latter when you take into account oft-disparaged subjects such as those you’ll find in the humanities. At the end of the day, higher education isn’t pointless, nor is it a waste of time – as long as you pursue your education with purpose, you’ll get something out of it.

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Apr23

The Things I Wish I’d Known Before Starting College

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The Things I Wish I’d Known Before Starting College

If you are going to be starting college in the fall, then you need to be prepared. There are so many fun things to look forward to, as well as busy times when the exams are on and you’re cramming super late into the night. One thing that anyone will tell you is that the time flies by so quickly. Four years and then you’re out into the ‘real’ world and onto the career path of your choice. So it is important to embrace that time and make the most of it. Here are some of the top things to take into consideration before starting college:

You’ll Never (EVER) Regret Staying In To Study: It can be tempting to just want to go out all of the time. There might be parties everywhere, movie nights, or sports games. But you can’t constantly go out, especially if you’re aiming for top grades (which you should be!). But the thing is, the parties are just parties. There will always be parties or events going on. But you do only get one shot at the test or exam. So if you feel like you should be studying, then you won’t regret it. Work hard, and then you can play even harder after you ace that test.

College Isn’t High School: In high school, people can be quite catty and mean. But you know what, when you hit the ripe old age of college age, it seems that people tend to care less about material stuff or appearances. It doesn’t matter how cool your new bag is or if you’ve got the latest laptop. No one will really care. You’re all there for the same purpose, and that is to get your college education. So you can make an effort with things like that or not. Don’t stress over it!

Work To Pay Off Your Loan: If you are going to college and are needing a loan to do so, then one of the biggest pieces of advice is to get a part-time job when you study. If you are able to take out the smallest loan possible and able to work as you study, it will help tremendously. No one wants to graduate with a load of debt hanging around their neck, right? Otherwise, you’ll need to look for things like debt consolidation for student loans when you finish. They can help as you start out on your career path. But they’re definitely not ideal.

Take Care of Your Health: Getting sick without your parents there to take care of you is the worst (for real). So take care of your health as much as you can. Taking a vitamin supplement is a good idea, as well as keeping hydrated with water. The latter also helps with hangovers, so there is another reason to drink plenty of water! Get rest, eat well, and do some exercise. Your body (and mind) will thank you for it. Especially when mom isn’t there to cook you chicken noodle soup!

College is an exciting time but it can also be an overwhelming wake up call. Be prepared for the twists and turns that your time at uni can take, and all will be well when you’re on your way to graduation! 🙂

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Apr18

College Kid Essentials

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College Kid Essentials

Whether you are packing up your cases for your first semester or your last one, there are some things that you just can’t do without when you head off to college. Some of these are practical, some are fun, and some are downright luxurious, but all are simply essential. Read on to find out what they are and then get back to studying:

A Decent Bag: One of the major rules of college is that you will spend half of your time lugging your laptop and a boat load of big thick textbooks around with you. That is why you need a bag like a sturdy backpack for heavy books and all of your lecture notes. If you think that you are going to be able to work it out Legally Blonde style with a trendy backpack, then you are just setting yourself up for a world of pain. I’m not saying don’t take a cute handbag or two (or ten), because you can always use them on your nights out. Just make sure that you have something a bit more sensible for the day time when you’re hauling all of your homework.

Shower Shoes: Okay, things are going to get a little gross here, but that’s what a dormitory bathroom is! Sharing bathrooms and showers is a hazard in college that most people cannot avoid. Yes, dodging dirty underwear left in there by mistake just might happen. But you just don’t know who has walked on the floor in their bare feet. That is why it is a genius idea to take some thongs with you to wear in the bathroom! Not today, athlete’s foot. Not today.

A Frying Pan: Did you know that you can pretty much cook all meals in a frying pan? Get one deep enough like a wok, and you can boil vegetables and make sauces in it, too. In fact, it’s the most useful piece of kitchen equipment that you should have apart from a tin opener and corkscrew! So make sure to pack yours when you head back for the first day of term.

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Pexels Image

Your Laptop: Obviously, the only time that you hand write anything at college these days is in exams, the rest of the time you will want to be taking notes and writing up your essays on your computer. For security and portability reasons it’s best to invest in a laptop. Then, you can take it home during the holidays as well as along to lectures. It really is the college essential that you can’t do without.

Pictures From Home: Obviously, you’ll have pics of your family on your phone and computer. But, it is always nice to have paper copies, as well. Get some prints of your favorite images done, so when homesickness hits, you can glance over and remember that you’ll be back with them soon. You can display them in a frame or with mini pegs on a string for a cute boho look.

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^^^ Kind of like this!

A Scented Candle: Lastly, just because you are a student does not mean that you can’t have a little luxury in your life. Why not treat yourself to a nice scented candle. Not only will this relax you when you have a test or a deadline to study for, but it will also stop you from having to smell the scents of everyone else’s cooking in your accommodation. Which can be a total godsend!

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And don’t forget coffee or tea for binge studying sessions!

Apr11

Picking the Perfect Major

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Picking the Perfect Major

Picking your major is probably one of the most important decisions that you will make in your younger years because it will have a huge impact on your future career choices when you graduate. However, approximately 20-50 percent of freshmen start their first year in college not knowing what they want to do, which is why we’ve put together these top tips for picking the perfect major:

Think About Your Interests: Whether you’re still in High School and you’re wondering what you want to do with the rest of your life or you’re a parent looking to apply for this scholarship, so that you can improve your career prospects and provide for your family, the first step in choosing your major should be thinking about your interests. After all, most of us would rather do something that we love for the rest of our lives and it is much easier to study and engage with a subject when you genuinely enjoy it.

What Are You Good At? Of course, it also makes a lot of sense to reflect on the things that you’re good at. If you love art, but you really have no aptitude for creating it, you might be better off looking at the skills that you do have, such as a knack for solving math problems or programming computers. That being said, if you truly dream of being an artist, there’s nothing wrong with following your dreams, provided that you know what you are getting yourself into!

Look into Future Career Prospects: This is something that older students tend to be better at, perhaps because they have more life experience, but it is important for students of all ages to think about the courses that they are taking and what kind of jobs it could realistically lead them to. If you want to make lots of money, majoring in a sought after skill such as engineering, law, or medicine will probably serve you better than a degree in communications or art history. But, if you want to work in the media or become the curator of an art gallery, they’ll be great! It’s all about working out what you want, what skills are likely to be sought after in the future, and which major will best help you to get where you want to be after you graduate.

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Job Fair Palooza

Take an Introductory Course: If you have a few ideas for a major, but you’re not sure, one of the best ways to work out if a course is going to be the right fit is by taking an introductory course. Most colleges will allow you to try out a major by enrolling in one or more such courses, and many will even give you credit towards your education if you do enroll. This is probably the best way of working out what you do and don’t enjoy and whether you can handle a course or not.

The above tips should help you to work out which major is the perfect fit for you, but if you’re still struggling, make an appointment with an advisor, who will be able to talk you through your options and help you make the right choice for you, whatever that may be.

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Apr10

It’s Time To Revise The Way You Revise

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It’s Time To Revise The Way You Revise

Studying up for an exam  – whether it be school, a driving test, or work-related – needn’t fill you with dread. Changing the way you prepare yourself can make it not only more enjoyable, but more effective. Here are just a few methods worth trying out to help you conquer the next big test in your life:

It’s not about the hours you put in:

No, this isn’t an encouragement to cram the night before. Revising weeks in advance is still important, but you needn’t spend hours burrowed in a textbook each day. Instead, dedicate small amounts of time each day to brush up on a few new things that you’re not as confident with. Cram in short bursts and give yourself a break and time to relax and reward your mind, then take another crack at it the next day.

Destroying the ‘fear of the unknown’:

Exam nerves are largely a fear of the unknown. However, nowadays, there are so many online tools that can better prepare you for the examination. For example, past exam papers are often easy to find online. By knowing what came the year before, you may have a better idea of what’s most likely and most unlikely to appear this year. There are also sites such as https://gradebuddy.com/ that can provide you with class and lecture notes for any of those lectures and seminars that you may have missed.

Knowing your learning style:

There are different learning styles better suited to different people. Some people revise better with others, whilst other may find this too distracting for their study style. Some people are visual learners, while others get put off by images and graphs. There are also other types of learning such as physical learning (doing practice exams, writing on sticky notes, playing revision games) and audio learners (listening to audio-guides, listening to other people). Find the learning style that best suits you, so that information gets soaked up more quickly and more effectively. Guides such as https://www.lynda.com/articles/whats-learning-style-find can help you get the best out of your individual learning style so that you can better prepare for the next big test.

Consider hiring a mentor:

When it comes to higher education, don’t be afraid to seek out professional support to help you get to grips with areas of study that you’re finding challenging. A mentor such as Alice Chang PhD may be able to help you to better understand topics that you are struggling to understand by providing personalized feedback. Make sure to work with someone who is reputable and who understands the niche subject you are revising.

Get out of the house:

If you’re just revising in your room, try a change of surroundings and see what effect it has on your output. Some people find going outdoors to be a good mental stimulation – although perhaps not on a miserable day. Libraries, coffee bars, and internet cafes can also be good places to get you feeling less confined. Make sure that there aren’t too many distractions by timing your revision periods well – going to a coffee bar during a busy lunch period might result in too much noise and a less than effective study sesh.

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Love, love, love studying outdoors.

Keep your body active:

Staying physically as well as mentally active is important when having a study session. Exercise gets the blood pumping around your body helping to circulate your brain with a fresh hit of oxygen. You don’t have to go for a jog or hit the gym – taking the time to do a few push-ups in your bedroom might be all that your body needs. There are also ways to revise as you exercise, although they may not work for all types of learners. You can listen to an audio study guide while jogging or doing a workout. Or you could work with a group of friends, throwing and catching a ball and having to answer questions each time.

Study up in small bursts and ace the next big exam that comes your way! You got this! 🙂

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Apr7

Jump On These Stepping Stones After Your Degree

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Jump On These Stepping Stones After Your Degree

When you finish your university degree there is the sense of what now, what comes next? It’s a good question, and the answer probably isn’t as simple as you might think. You might assume that as soon as you finish your degree, you’ll head straight into a top paid position in your chosen industry. However, research shows that doesn’t happen. Instead, you can spend up to a year searching for a position in your chosen industry, often working in the services industry. It’s true, there are people with PhDs right now, working at McDonald’s. Okay, that might be a slight exaggeration, but you do need to think long and hard about your next step. The challenge is far from over, but luckily, you’ve found the answers:

Get Charitable: Let’s say that you struggle to find a position in your chosen career in the first month after your degree. Don’t waste your time completing work in an unrelated job. Instead, volunteer, doing something different and exciting like building houses in Africa or teaching English in Indonesia. The more out there and extraordinary the better. In some cases, having a unique experience like this on your CV will automatically earn you an interview. Why? The employer just wants to hear what it was like working there.

Be Free: You can also set yourself up as an independent worker. While you are waiting for that dream position to come along, put yourself out there for hire part time or full time on a contract basis for different companies. By doing this, you can earn a solid income and avoid the killer empty time on your resume. Any time you spend doing nothing looks terrible to employers. In contrast, if you have a solid period where you’re constantly working, it looks fantastic. It shows that you have become a valuable asset to that business. Freelancing can help you find a position like this while you’re searching for your dream career.

Build The Ultimate Resume: Next, let’s think about that resume. Is it designed to attract the interest of employers and recruiters? You might say yes, but you have to remember, you’ll be facing a lot of competition on the market. Make sure that you do everything you can to beef it up and make it stand out. One of the best possibilities would be to create a resume online using a building tool. By doing this, you’ll have all of the tools that you need to ensure that it looks professional and doesn’t get lost in the shuffle.

Pay It Back: Finally, you need to think about that expensive student loan that’s weighing down on you. It can be a career killer because eventually, it’s going to start affecting your credit score. Employers do look at info like this before making a hire. Paying your loans off earlier will make you look like a more attractive hire and someone who is already taking their future prospects seriously.

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Apr7

Bored At Work: What Comes Next?

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Bored At Work: What Comes Next?

There comes a point in any working environment where you begin to sense that you need more. A job that once seemed overwhelming in its complexity has become mundane; the challenge has gone and you can go through your daily tasks without batting an eyelid. For awhile, being the master of a job is enjoyable – you know what you need to do and how you need to do it, and that feels good.

Over time, however, it becomes boring. So you find yourself seeking a new challenge. The obvious first instinct is to look for a new job with a new company that offers a brand new challenge:

Is This An Option For You? Whether or not switching jobs is an option for you depends a lot on the role that you are in. There are certain fields where you reach the top relatively quickly. For example, with administration: there is only so far that you can go up that chain. You might be able to move sideways in the company, but there will inevitably be a moment where you reach an end point.

For other occupations, there is always somewhere for you to go. With medicine, for example, even if you move up into supervision, a click to visit 360HealthCareStaffing.com will quickly show you all of the possibilities. Fields like law enforcement, caring services, and those in the media tend to always have an upward curve that you can latch on to.

So first, evaluate if you can progress with the skills that you already have. What you may find at a certain point in your career is that you have reached the top of the tree on the existing knowledge that you have, and then you are faced with an option…

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Pixabay Image

Should You Add Training? This is a valuable consideration that should be given some thought, too, – even if your first instinct is to pull away from the idea of going ‘back to school’. While we see the idea of education and training as being something you do before a career, it also has its place for the sake of career progression. It may have been a while since you were in a classroom, but if you’re no longer finding your job satisfying, it might be the best way to change things up.

For example, if you are a nurse and have reached the top of the ladder, then additional training could allow you to be a nurse practitioner. If you work in administration, then learning some tech support skills can be beneficial. These types of in-work qualifications allow you to take your existing knowledge and experience and build on them to craft a new challenge for yourself.

Not only does this have the benefit of giving you the skills that you need to do something different with your career, but it also looks very good on your resume. It shouts out to new employers that you are not the type who is comfortable to sit on their derriere and do nothing, coasting through life in exchange for an easy paycheck. It says: “I want more than this, and what’s more, I have gone through the effort of taking the time required to invest in my future.” It makes you look more dynamic as an employee; someone who is open and receptive.

Speaking of that resume – has it been a while since you updated yours? If so, brush up with some ideas from www.TheBalance.com and ensure that you’re up to the current accepted standards. If it’s been a while since you applied for a job, you need to make sure that you’re right on target, especially with your resume.

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Study Up!

What Are The Other Options? There are numerous reasons why you might not feel that moving to a new company or entering training are viable options for you. Family commitments, liking the environment of your current job, or something as simple as knowing the commute and the people at your current job can make it difficult to leave something behind. The best option if this is the case is to look for progression within the company.

Moving up in a company can be a pretty daunting task. It’s one thing to know that you’re good at your job and could do something more advanced, but it’s quite another to say this to the company that you work for. It can feel like you are advertising your dissatisfaction, saying that you are unhappy in your current role. Given that employers tend to like their employees to be reliable, it feels like you are taking a huge chance if you voice the fact you are unsatisfied.

While it’s the dream that workplace politics don’t exist, the reality is that they do. If you are seen to be hankering after change, there is a chance that this will go against you. So to an extent, you have to be careful with how you do this – but not too careful so as to look like you’re not serious about wanting something different. There’s no doubt that it’s a minefield.

If possible, look for opportunities within the company that are not directly related to the department that you work in. If you’re a nurse, rather than looking to advance within your sector, you could look for a move into the research side of hospital life. This means that you have the chance to discuss the need for change without any concerns about insulting anyone in your current position. If this isn’t a possibility, then you have the ultimate weapon in your arsenal: ask for a performance review.

Why A Performance Review? A performance review of your current job and how you do it might sound daunting, but it’s the only tool that you have left. That’s because it’s not specifically a review; it’s a chance for you to ask about progression and let your superiors know this is something that you’re looking for.

Everyone has the right to a performance review, especially if they have been working in a job for some time. Make the request informally, asking that it would be good for you to review things. Not only will you look like a conscientious employee for wanting to ensure that you’re doing your job to the best standards, but it also provides a natural vehicle for you to bring things up in a meeting about the future. You never know, you might not even need to, as in the course of the review they see you are clearly ready for more than you currently have.

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Performance review party!

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Apr6

Have Fun & Impress College Admissions Officers

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Have Fun & Impress College Admissions Officers

The world of college admissions has never been more competitive, which means that if you want to get into the college of your choice, being academically successful alone isn’t enough. If you want to wow the admissions officers and secure your place, you need to dedicate yourself to other activities that show them that you’re an interesting, well-rounded, and dedicated person, whose presence at their college will make it a better place. The good news is, many of the extracurricular activities you can use to impress the college admissions officers are also a lot of fun. Here are some of the best ways that you can spruce up your college application when the time comes:

Volunteer: Volunteering shows that you are a caring person who is willing to go out of their way to help people and do something for the good of your community and the rest of the world. When you volunteer, you can also pick up a range of skills that will surely impress. Because there are so many volunteering needs from helping out at an animal shelter to teaching overseas, you will almost certainly be able to find an opportunity that you truly love and which is a joy to participate in.

Take a Class: Did you know that you can take online college classes? If you want to show the admissions officers that you’re serious about learning and you’re capable of succeeding in college, enrolling in a college class is a great way to do that. You’ll get credit towards your college degree and you’ll find out what it’s like to be in college. Some people even do their whole degree online, which leaves them free to travel, work, and fit in other commitments around their studies

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I did almost all of my college classes online!

Start Your Own Business: Setting up your own business and becoming an entrepreneur is a great way to show the admissions board that you have drive, creativity, and motivation. Even if you’re business just involves selling your creations on Etsy, it’s a great way to make an impact on your app.

Spend the Summer Overseas: Living overseas for a summer is a great way of getting out of your comfort zone and exploring new cultures. There are a number of programs available to young people, which combine overseas travel with volunteering, learning, and skill-building and they will almost always look impressive on your college application, painting you as a confident, cultured individual.

Try For An Internship: Internships, whether paid or unpaid, in your chosen field of study, will enable you to get hands-on experience in the industry which will give you a competitive edge against many other applicants. It’ll also give you the chance to find out if you really do want to work in a particular field when you graduate or explore other options while in school.

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I loved my college internship 🙂

Whatever you choose to do, don’t waste your time doing things of little importance when you could be improving your prospects. Sure, take time out to have fun and chill out in front of Netflix, but do something worthwhile with your time, too, and the colleges will be fighting for you to join their campus!

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Mar31

Furthering Your Education, Your Career, Your Life

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Furthering Your Education, Your Career, Your Life

Choosing to further your education can be a daunting task. If you have already started in the world of work and have had somewhat of a gap between the last time you sat in a classroom and where you find yourself today, don’t fear – not much has changed in what you need to do to get you to where you need to be; you still need to knuckle down and put in the effort required, as well as the following steps:

Prepare Yourself: Preparing yourself to go back into a world of learning is something that will take a bit of time. For starters, you will need to visit colleges to make sure you’re choosing the right one. What does your ideal college experience look like? Do you want to live on campus? Commute or learn online? Perhaps you even want to study abroad! Prior to visiting colleges, it’s important to have a clear vision of how you want these next several years to go. That way, you won’t settle for anything less.

You’ll need to get yourself focused with a clear conscience and the right attitude to tackle any workload. The reason that quite a lot of people don’t think about furthering their education when they’re making their way through adulthood is the whole host of responsibilities that you’ll inevitably have running alongside. This means all of the washing, cooking, cleaning, and bills that you have to uphold whilst still doing school work, plus all of the other jobs that you have to uphold to keep a house running – especially if you’ve got children. That doesn’t mean that it can’t be done. There are loads of examples of people who have made their way through college or another form of education while still running a successful household.

Should trips to campus for classes be too much with your schedule – that’s okay! There are countless different options for furthering your education online. Remote learning can earn you your diploma or a certificate and can be completed on the go or from home. You can also consider online courses for a specific career path. For example, if you are interested in cyber security you could explore the course options available through https://www.cybrary.it . Career specific courses can often be completed quicker than a traditional degree and will still open lots of doors in the working world.

Get The Materials: There is so much more than a pen and paper that you’ll now need to get yourself through the years that you have committed yourself to. There are must haves such as books, online resources (so you’ll need access to a computer), and other higher-learning materials that you will need to be able to grab a hold of at a moment’s notice to help with essays and other learning projects. Getting the staples such as pens, pencils, and paper will also help, as neolithic as it sounds nowadays! Talk about old school!

It’s important to note that you will need a great computer if you are choosing an online education like this STEM School Certification or virtual associate degree programs. You will also need to have fast, dependable internet so you can always access your learning materials.

Find a Mentor: You can reinvigorate your education and career path at any point in your life, but one constant is that you should find a mentor to emulate and an example to follow. This can be a teacher, a professional, or an expert in your chosen field. For example, people like Caitlin Brodie of Greenwich have succeeded professionally and have offered to train others in leadership skills and other abilities that are useful in the business world.

If you can get a private tutor in addition to your basic education and your classes in your course, you will find that you progress much more quickly and completely. Of course, it’s beneficial to be selective in who you choose to follow, and there’s nothing to say that you can’t learn from the example of multiple mentors as well. Find what works for you.

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Pretty!

Learn The Code: There is a code of conduct set in place in every educational faculty, and it is up to you to upkeep the core values and morals that it is displaying. There can be disastrous consequences to your learning path if you violate the code – you can find more at Duffy Law about the steps that you need to take should that happen. It’s definitely a good thing to learn ahead of time what is required of you in terms of on campus conduct.

Make Friends: Just because you are studying doesn’t mean that this isn’t a chance to make new friends. People are usually on the same course as you because they have at least one common interest: the subject at hand. It’s good to have study buddies with you regardless of what age you are or how independent you feel; discussing and exchanging ideas about what you are educating yourself on is a great method of making your learning deep-rooted rather than superficial and easily forgettable. When you begin to explain to someone what you know and how to do something, you are further teaching yourself and cementing any rough ideas that you had.

Congratulations on beginning your higher education journey. Now get out there and learn, learn, learn!

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Mar22

Making Your Graduation Extra Special

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Making Your Graduation Extra Special

The day of your college graduation is an incredibly happy and special one. It is the penultimate moment of everything that you have worked and studied so hard for – in fact, it’s probably the biggest moment of your life to date! Most colleges (and even high schools) make quite a big deal out of graduation, with a formal ceremony and the opportunity to bring your family along to support you. For many people, it can be an emotional day, as it signals the end of a specific chapter of your life and the start of new beginnings. It’s only natural that you should want to go the extra mile when it comes to celebrating it. Here are a few things that you can do, both before the ceremony and on the day itself to make sure that your graduation day is one that you will never forget:

Plan Your Outfit: Just like with your prom, your graduation is one of those days where all eyes are going to be on you. This is especially true for the moment when you go up on stage to collect your degree – pretty nerve wracking stuff, eh? So, it makes sense that you would want to look your best for such a momentous occasion. Start planning at least a couple of months in advance: remember that a lot of colleges have their graduations around the same time, so you don’t want to find that your dream dress has already sold out! Pick something that you are comfortable in – nothing too heavy or revealing. Graduation day can be a long one, with the ceremony, award giving, a meal, and then sometimes a night out after. Try and find a happy medium between style and comfort – it will work in your favor.

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Shoe Heaven!!

Show Your Appreciation to Your Classmates: At college, you tend to meet a lot of people and have friends from lots of different groups. You may be close to your roommate or maybe the people on your sports team. But chances are you’ll have formed relationships with the other students in your courses as well and this is your chance to express your gratitude for them. You may want to get some of your course friends a gift by way of congratulations – it doesn’t need to be anything extravagant, more just a token of appreciation. A good option for this is a graduation lei. Now, you may wonder why we give leis for graduation. They are actually an ancient symbol and is said to offer good luck to the recipient. Pretty appropriate for a graduation day and something that your friend can treasure forever.

Take Pictures: Just like with any major event, it’s likely that your graduation day will pass in a bit of a blur. There are so many people and so many things to get through – but try and remember to take pictures! If you are too busy socializing, ask a relative or friend to snap some candid shots of you and your friends enjoying the day. You’ll probably get an official graduation picture taking by a professional photographer, but sometimes these unexpected photos can end up being the best shots of the day.

Congrats, Grad!

Featured Image By: Flickr