A Guide for the College Bound Girl!

This series has been one of the most popular ever on Bess' Bag!  {Who knew you'd want to hear college advice from me?!}  So, I thought I'd make it easy for those of you heading to campus {whether for the 1st time or the 4th or whatever} this fall, & put all the links in 1 place.  This year is gonna be amazing!

College Girl 101: Tips from a Graduate {Course 1}

College Girl 101: Tips from a Graduate {Course 2}

College Printable Checklist

Style Guide

Dorm Style Ideas

A Funny Little Story {With a Message} From My 1st Day of Freshman Year

Triangles Collage Notebook Cover DIY

Truth in a Bottle Necklace DIY

"Salt" Flick

College Love,
-Bess-

P.S.: "...There is something you must always remember.  You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, & smarter than you think." 
-Winnie the Pooh

College Style Guide

Style Love,
-Bess-

{College Bound Girl} Dorm Ideas

Love from me to all my dorm-dwelling sisters! 

-Bess-

P.S.: Which "dorm" {above} is your favorite?

P.P.S.: Feeling a bit overwhelmed or homesick right about now?  God is right there with you!  Praying for you, college sis.

"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith & in purity."

-1 Timothy 4:12 NIV

Triangles Collage {Back to School DIY}

There's something about adorable school supplies that makes me yearn to be a student again!  Here's an easy back to school DIY project perfect for notebooks, binders, journals, & more.  Why buy when you can make?

What You Need:

catalogs/magazines

scissors

gluestick

1 sheet white printer paper 

3 ring binder with clear cover sleeve

What You Do:

Begin by cutting lots {& lots} of triangles about the same size from your catalogs/magazines {you can start by creating a cardboard triangle template, if you like}.  Next, arrange them on your white printer paper {or journal, notebook, etc.} & glue em down.  Once dry, slide your collage sheet into your 3 ring binder cover sleeve.  There you have it, a super cute {artsy/colorful} binder for school!        

the finished product

the rubbish pile =)

Back to School/Crafty Love,

-Bess-

P.S.: Are you working on any back to school projects?

"Salt" {College Bound Girl Flick}

Be salty, sister!

Love,

-Bess-

College Girl 101: Tips from a Graduate {Course 2}

1. Take notes & more notes!
Some professors will openly recommend that you jot down concepts/ideas covered in class, others won't.  But, either way, taking notes is smart.  When it's time for a test you've got a self-made study guide at your fingertips!

2. Ask your professors for help.
If you've got a question about an assignment, find yourself falling behind, or just plain struggling in a class seek out your instructor's help!  On each class syllabus the instructor's office hours & email should be listed.  Stop by the office & chat or send em a message.  This not only lets your professor offer assistance, but makes it clear that you care about doing well in the class.  I have to say, this saved me from a near rock-bottom {excuse the poor pun} experience in Geology my first year {I just couldn't seem to identify one stone from another}!  

3. Use the library & other campus resources.
The campus library can be a great place for studying, conducting research, or simply a quiet place to finish up homework.  Make use of other campus resources, too, like computer labs {perfect for printing off papers, etc. - learn your campus' public printing rules (you may have a certain number of free copies, have to pay a small fee, or it could be totally free)}.  My school also had a writing & math lab where you could essentially get free tutoring & help on assignments {I made use of the math lab, especially!}.  Check & see what other resources your campus offers!      

4. Make news friends.
There's a unique camaraderie born when a group of people share in like experiences.   Chowing down on Ramen Noodles, burning the midnight oil cramming for an exam, & living in the commune known as dorms is part of that fellowship that is quintessentially college life.  And, it's the perfect recipe for friendship {& possibly stomach aches, I've never tried the ever famous "noodles"}.  But, in the case of all relationships, you still have to make an effort to find friends - especially truly kindred spirits.  Strike up conversations, ask classmates questions, & be friendly.  As one out in the post college world, I can testify that it isn't as easy as I thought it would be to find new friends after graduation.  Make great friends now & do your best to stay in touch once the mortarboards {graduation caps} have been flung! 

5. Be salty, sister!
So many people are searching in college for direction, who they are, what to believe in, hope, & on & on.  Attending a secular college, I saw these searchers time & again - & talking to friends who went to faith-affiliated, or Bible, colleges those schools weren't exempt from the unsalty & lost, either.  In addition, there can be a bombardment of those {professors & students, alike} who say your belief in a Creator God is mere folklore.  What a perfect time & place to be salt & light {Matthew 5:13-16}!  Research biblical answers for possible tough questions that might come your way {& remember to always speak the Truth in love}.  Invite a classmate to church with you, host a dorm prayer group/Bible study {or join one}, & listen for the nudges of the Holy Spirit {maybe you'll be led to speak to that lonely looking girl in Chemistry or leave a note on the dorm door of a neighbor}.  Oh, & pray - pray lots {that's always a good rule}.  Pray to stay strong in your faith & to stand up & be that salty light.  P.S.: Every time I had to write the word "evolution" in my notes I'd write a number 1 above the letter l, a 2 above the i, & a 3 over the e.  Yep, it spells lie.            

Love {& College Knowledge},
-Bess-  

College Girl 101: Tips from a Graduate {Course 1}

1. Schedule classes as wisely as possible.

If you’re not a morning girl don’t opt for the 8:00 Anthropology course {it has nothing to do with fashionable shop windows & super cute clothes, by the way =)}.  Sure, sometimes to get the classes you need you have to do what you have to do, but when you’ve got options choose wisely!    

2. Mind those deadlines!
College lends itself to lots of red outlined dates on the calendar.  There are, of course, homework & assignment dates + dates to drop or add classes, scholarship deadlines, dates to apply for a particular program of study, registration for next semester, etc., etc.  You don’t want to find yourself in a lurch because you missed a deadline.  Check with your advisor & with the school’s online calendar for pertinent dates, & be diligent in keeping track of them on your own calendar, too.

3. Don’t skip classes!

As a freshman, I saw more & more of my classmates fall into this trap.  Sure, there’s no one forcing you to go to Geology 101, but here’s why you should go: 1) You miss material that’s covered {if I was one to say “duh,” I’d say such here =)}. 2) In some classes, attendance is part of the grade. 3) You’re not getting your $’s worth. 4) Most importantly, it’s not a help to your witness or pleasing to God.  “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” –Colossians 3:23 NIV

4. Search for cheap textbooks.

It’s no secret college books can break the bank.  Even though many are going digital, they’re still pretty pricey.  Check out these places for deals:

Cheapest Textbooks {This site lets you compare several options!}

Chegg.com

Amazon.com

Half.com

5. Work the campus!

The first day lots of people will be juggling a schedule in one hand & a campus map in the other.  Lost?  If someone looks friendly, & like they know where they're going, ask for directions.  I did this plenty at the beginning of the first couple of semesters.  I can't recall anyone that I asked {or begged} for direction being anything less than kind & most often helpful {unless of course they were lost, too}.  Plus, this can be a way to meet people.  No, I'm not saying pretend to be lost so you can bond Hansel-&-Gretel style over your confused state, but you know what I mean.  Eventually I was the one giving directions {& offering before asked, on occassion, to those especially befuddled looking students - cause, yep, I've been there}.  It was sorta like a rite of passage - the lost becomes the direction giver & the circle of life is complete, or something like that. =)

Love {& College Knowledge},

-Bess-  

P.S.: Course 2 coming in a bit {a bit is a couple days, in this case}.

How's Your Light Switch? {Repost}

I first posted this back in Aug. 2010 {that seems like forever ago}.  I thought it would be fitting to repost it today for the College Bound Girl series.  Keep reading for an embarrassing {yet enlightening} tale from my first day of college...  

I remember the first day of my freshman year in college with a grin & a bit of a sigh. Yes, it was one of those days…full of excitement & nervousness…with a pinch of clumsiness on my part. Okay, okay, here’s how it went down.

Student IDs were a requirement. You needed them to check out library books, prove you were in fact you, & sell back outrageously priced textbooks to the bookstore for a meager profit at the end of the year (by the way, personally, I highly recommend amazon.com or some other online source for your books). I decided I would be oh-so-on-top-of-things & get mine the first day. After all, it was the first day of school & I looked first day of school cute after careful clothing consideration. I headed to the student center where the ID office was located on the top floor. I let out a small groan when I saw a line snaking out of the office. It was a small groan because the line wasn’t too long, but long enough to be groan-worthy. I staked my place in the back. Finally making it just inside the office, having crept at a snail’s pace, I lean my back against the wall. Suddenly the lights go out. A small moment of chaos & one student’s ID photo likely coming out completely black followed…& then groan of groans (internally), I learn I was leaning against the light switch.

Sometimes, it’s like that. You learn you’ve been leaning against the light switch. I tried to laugh it off, but I was glad when I had my ID in hand & could flee. This makes me think of the light of Jesus we are supposed to be shining as Christians, His children. Having gone to public school & a secular college, I know the mission field that these places are. Students are hungry to find something to fill their voids. Many have already tried lots & lots of things that have left them just as empty or, in some cases, even emptier. As you head back to school this year, are you preparing to keep that switch turned to the ‘on’ position…even when it makes you stand out…lose friends…be laughed at? It’s not always easy to keep the switch on & your light shining. Sometimes, like me, you don’t even realize you’ve been leaning on the switch & sitting in the darkness. Remember Jesus on the cross & how that was in no way easy – having Your creations, Your children, turn upon You in a murderous mob. They have no idea as they hurl their insults & use their tools of cruelty, that the One they are subjecting all this to, is in fact paving a path for them to everlasting life. Now, when you are about to flip the switch & hide in the darkness, remember that the One who died on the cross is living in you & will not leave you. Your strength will not be enough, but His is, & Christ in you is the power source of your Light. Don’t turn it off, abandoning your power source, seeking to hide in the darkness ashamed & hurting. Just think, that person who walks around with a black ID photo, full of lonely & longing voids & scars, could be looking around for a bit of light. Will your light be turned on?

Love & Light by the Bus Load,

-Bess-

P.S.: Yes, this is a true story.

College Bound Girl {Printable} Checklist

The stores are already stocked up with rulers, black & white composition books, & a plethora of backpacks & lunch boxes... yep, it's back to school time again! For some of you sisters, that means college - &, yes, some of you will be entering this world for the first time as freshmen!  Oh, I'm excited for you!!!  As a college graduate myself, I look back over those scholastically minded years with a huge smile!  It's a time of independence, discovery, adventure, & lots of newness! {Did I mention f-u-n?  That, too.} 

Today I'm sharing a printable checklist created just for you, Miss College Girl!  It's certainly not going to be the end-all list that's got absolutely everything you need, but it's a starting place - with some items I found helpful + everyday necessities that just might slip your mind in the rush & nervousness {that's normal, by the way, nerves, butterflies, the Mount St. Helens of shakes - however you categorize the excited anxious buzz that's overtaken your person}.  I hope to lessen your angst & increase your excitement through sharing some wisdom I've gleaned & other important stuff I wish someone had told me {with some funny stories mixed in} in the coming College Bound Girl posts here on Bess' Bag!

To snag your checklist click on the image below, right click & save to your computer {or copy & paste}, open in a word document, resize if necessary, & print!

College Love,

-Bess-

Back to School Rules! 2012

Hope you all heading back to the books have a great first day {& entire year}!  Stand for Christ & learn a boat-load, too! 

Love & Back-to-School Prayers, 

-Bess-

Back 2 Cool {School} =)

make it educational

fit it all in

everything looks better with an owl

 

penny for your thoughts

school girl approved

Love & Learning,

-Bess-

Tuesday Tutorial: Organizational Message Boards

The word “school” (especially in the upper grades & college) always coincided with the word “organization” for me. Yes, you had to be organized. You had to organize homework assignments, notes, your schedule, appointments, club meetings, church activities, etc., etc. So, what’s a girl to do? Well, I’ve got one solution for ya! Implement some sort of message board system!

You can use a message board system to display your calendar, special phone numbers, dates, &/or important slips of paper, etc. Having all your important info in one place can be a great way to organize your hectic schedule. I recommend investing in a pocket-size or personal datebook or calendar, too, for added protection & for use on the go.

I found this adorable mini corkboard at my local Dollar Tree. Using various buttons, stickers, silk flowers, pompoms, scrapbook embellishments, & pretty much whatever small items you have in your stash - you can create snazzy pushpins to tack up all your important stuff. Simply hot glue (or regular glue depending on your item’s weight) the embellishment onto a plain thumbtack. Ta da! Another idea is to buy more than one of these affordable corkboards & designate each for one particular purpose…for instance: one for homework & class projects; one for afterschool practices, appointments, & activities; & one for important family & friends’ phone numbers, photos, & addresses. Using the hot glue gun again, you could easily attach ribbon to the back of these so that you can hang them on the wall.

You know those old metal trays you’ve seen at thrift stores, yard sales, & the attic? Those make great message boards, too! Do exactly as listed above, except this time, substitute magnets for thumbtacks! Lean these vintage chic organizational devices against a wall or desk shelf. Ta da! I LOVE these! They look great paired with those magnetic words you can buy, too! Just pen a cute verse with the magnet words on your tray & display in your room for a cute wordy addition!

Blessings & Love From,

-Bess-

P.S.: Vote in my sidebar poll on whether you want the Tuesday Tutorial/Tip back!  Thanks!