Drive-in Movie Theater found on Pinterest

This is a shout out to the population of male college students. It is finally summer, and I will bet several of you are thinking of hitting up the girls back home or maybe a special someone you met during the semester. You want to take the girl out for a special evening, show her you like her, but here is the hard reality: You probably have no money.

When school is over, most college students have no more than 20 bucks in their pocket. When you go home, or if you remain on campus, you have to find a job so you can pay off bills, your car, and necessities. In the end, you have no money to take that girl out for the special night she deserves. Boys, let me tell you a secret. It’s okay.

Speaking from the female side, girls do not care if you spoil them with a rich dinner, an expensive gift, or whatever lavish thing you saw in whatever movie. Yes, girls like to get nice things, but we understand it burns a hole in your pocket. We do not want you to go bankrupt.

Personally, I am content with renting DVDs and having a movie night at a guy’s apartment, maybe with another couple in the room to keep the silence away. The point is, guys, there are fun affordable date ideas girls will still enjoy and like you for at the end of the day.

Here are 10 fun affordable date ideas:

Go to a Flea Market: Yes, you could go to the mall, but the mall is expensive and sometimes you both may not see eye-to-eye on a certain store. Going to a flea market is great because you never know what you may find there. There are oddities and antiques, at more affordable prices. Who knows, you may find something valuable and land on Antique Road Show.

Go to a Gun Range: Believe it or not, girls like guns too. Shooting a gun is intimidating, but it feels great, even if you miss the target the first few times. This is an opportunity for you guys to be an instructor. From personal experience, I had no quarrels with a boy taking the time to teach me how to reload, aim, and fire at a target. Video games are a poor substitute once you’ve had the real thing.

Go to a Drive-In Movie Theater: This is a fun way to see a movie. Get a truck, stock up on snacks and drinks, bring two pillows and a blanket for the bed of the truck, and enjoy. I have yet to go to a drive-in, but I can honestly tell you that several girls I know have always wanted to see a movie from the seat of a convertible or the bed of a truck.

Go to a Haunted House: It does not have to be Halloween to get spooked; ghosts do not go on vacation. Admit it, you like it when the girl jumps into your arms, and we like jumping into them. Why do you think we tolerate scary movies? A haunted house has the same affect, only times five. Look up haunted locations in your town, find out the story behind them, and then take the girl for a skin-crawling evening.

Cook Together: If you cannot afford to take her out to dinner, then the two of you can make dinner. It can be something as simple as macaroni and cheese, if you are afraid of burning the meal. However, it can be more fun to try something new. Get on a recipes website, such as http://allrecipes.com/, and plan ahead; make sure whatever you choose she will like. Also, make sure the girl has no allergies. You can do the same thing for dessert, too.

A Day of Photos: Girls love cameras; in case you could not tell from all the face shots on Facebook. Cameras capture memories and girls like to preserve those memories. The location can be anywhere: the zoo, or the park. Heck, you could walk all around town taking pictures. Find things you never knew existed. Then, at the end of the day, you can both review your photos, choose your favorites, and either upload them online or make a scrapbook.

Go to a Local Bar: No, I am not advising getting wasted and landing in a brawl. Find a bar that has pool tables, dart boards, a dance floor, and maybe a karaoke night and have some fun. You can make it a double date or just the two of you, but the idea is one place with more than one thing to do for fun.

Go Dancing: Boys, I do not care if you cannot dance, that is perfectly fine, because about 70 percent of the time, neither can we. I am not implying Footloose or Dirty Dancing for your first time. Get the movies out of your head because those are actors. Start small, like two-stepping at a country hall. Yes, you could go to a club, but mind you, there is no space to really dance, just stepping left and right in one place.

Be a Kid: It is not cheesy; no one ever really grows up. Go to the park, day or night, and let go. Fly a kite, climb the jungle gym, push the girl on the swings, go down the slide, and do not feel embarrassed. Being a kid again invokes laughter, and every girl likes a guy who can make her laugh.

Exercise: Boys, if a girl does not like to sweat, this may not work, but then again, it’s about having fun. Play basketball, go rollerblading, go swimming, play tennis, run a trail, or go rock climbing. Heck, you could get a trampoline in the backyard and that defines fun. You could teach the girl something new like skateboarding or surfing, or she could teach you yoga or horseback riding.

There are plenty of ideas other than these for taking a girl out. Remember, you do not have to spoil us. If we said yes to the date, that probably means we are already half-interested. The date is just an opportunity to have fun and get to know each other better. Why let your money do the talking for you anyway?

The following are two websites with more ideas:

http://www.marieclaire.com/sex-love/relationship-issues/cheap-date-ideas#slide-1

http://powertochange.com/students/sexandlove/dateideas/

Hope this helps and remember, have FUN!

—April Henley

Grab a sheet of paper and a pen and let’s get started!

Step 1: Define your problem and/or decision. This will only take a few moments. Write out the decision you must make or the problem you are facing. Try to keep this as clear and concise as possible. Don’t state reasons why or the background of the issue, and try to keep it to one sentence — you’ll be able to unpack all the details later.

Step 2: Gather the facts and data. This may require a little research. If your decision is between taking a vacation or not, the information you may want to gather would be the cost of the vacation. This step could include anything from looking around on the Internet to finding a person who has personal experience making this decision. Take a little time to gather all the facts necessary to make an informed decision.

Step 3: Compare your choices. When comparing products, you generally have two different components: subjective and objective. Subjective is when your reasoning is based on personal feelings, opinion, instincts, or intuition. Objective is when your reasoning is backed up by facts; in other words, it’s definitive.

The easiest way to do a comparison study is to make a list of nonnegotiables – things you know you want based on whichever choice you make. When you’re finished with the list, compare it to the subjective and objective components of each part of your decision. Do a comparison and make a selection.

Step 4: Use a balance of logic and common sense while also incorporating your feelings. The best way to do this is to ask these questions:

• Does this decision make sense? Why? Why not?
• What risks, if any, are involved?
• What can be done to minimize or eliminate these risks?
• Is this decision based more on your emotions or logic? Remember, a well-founded decision is somewhat balanced.

Step 5: Make your final decision. Decide which choice you want to make. Remember, this is a yes or no decision; there is no in between.

Step 6: Implement your decision. There’s no time like the present! Your choice may be far down the road or it could be tomorrow. Either way, it’s always smart to start while you have the time. Now all you have to do is begin developing definitive plans for your vacation or buying the tickets for that movie you’ve been wanting to see. It’s up to you to put into action the decision you’ve made.

That was easy, right? Next time you have a decision to make, whether it is big or small, don’t stress about it. There’s no need to shed any anxious tears. All you have to do is define the problem or decision, do the research, compare your choices, make sure to balance logic and feelings, make the choice, and implement your decision.

Other resources available on decision-making:

Decision Making Confidence

ProGrid Evaluation Solutions

—Amanda

From Talk Nerdy to Me

Have you ever wanted to travel? See the world? Experience new cultures? If you said yes to all those questions, or maybe just one, you might want to think about the opportunities studying abroad can offer you.

I see you there with that unsure, grim expression on your face. Don’t let the idea of new environments and jittery nerves get to you. Traveling can actually be a very fun and rewarding experience.

What’s unique about studying abroad?

Traveling can help you in many areas of your life, including developing useful life skills and the ability to cultivate a more rounded, international worldview. When you study abroad, you have the unique privilege of taking courses that are not available at your own university, the opportunity to possibly learn a foreign language, and the prospect of making new friends from all around the world.

You can do all of these things while taking classes offered at a host school, which provides you with credits for your specific degree once you return to America. This won’t even cause you to graduate late; you can still get your diploma right on schedule.

What about money?

In most cases, it’s possible to use your financial aid, grants, and student loans for study abroad just as you would if you were going to school in the States. Granted, there might be some extra paperwork to fill out and a passport to apply for, but that won’t be too tedious in the grand scheme of things.

As for currency exchange rates, you can find information about the current exchange rate at XE. In most of the European countries, the dollar is a little lower than the British Pound, the Euro, and the Swiss Franc; however, in places like China, Japan, India, Russia, Canada, and Australia, the dollar is actually worth more.

Is traveling/study abroad safe?

Contrary to popular belief, most places are safe. The media likes to report on all the negative aspects of various countries, because that is what sells; however, most of the world is a lot like your own neighborhood. Compared to what the media draws attention to, it is typically pretty boring. Granted, there are areas in certain cities that you should be wary of traveling alone in, but the best way to traverse that territory is to be aware of your surroundings and to be smart about the decisions you make and information you give out.

Study Abroad vs. Staying at US College

According to a survey done by the International Education of Students (IES), after going on a year-long study abroad program, 98 percent of students report having an increase in self-confidence, 97 percent say the experience had a lasting impact on their worldview, and 82 percent of students convey that they acquired skill sets that influenced their career path. These are all very high percentages of students that have expressed just how strongly their experiences in foreign countries have influenced their future decisions and perceptions.

Is this right for you?

Studying abroad may or may not be right for you. Either way, evaluating the pros and cons of both sides should help you come to the conclusion that best fits your life and disposition. Whether you choose to stay in the US to finish your studies, or travel to a completely different country and experience their many ways of living, strive to step out of your boundaries –you might be surprised at the opportunities that pop up and the people you meet.

For most of us, summer provides a break from the stress and non-stop action of the school year. It gives us time to breathe, and catch up on hours of lost sleep and many TV shows.  While it may be tempting to veg-out on the couch and sleep the summer away, I encourage you to get active in the next few months and take advantage of the extra time.

Here are some ideas to try out during your free time:

• Start cooking: Experiment at home or take cooking classes. For those of you who prefer sweets, try a baking class or find fun recipes on Pinterest to test on friends and family.

• Start exercising: Yoga, running, Zumba, weight-lifting, walking, swimming – just do it.
• Water sports: Cities with bodies of water nearby often have places to rent equipment. Try kayaking, sailing, paddle-boarding, rafting, canoeing, etc.

Stay active indoors: The summer can be brutally hot. Try bowling, crafting, roller skating, ice-skating, and road-trips (cars count as indoors!).

Other things to consider doing this summer are less fun, but still important. You can use this time to get organized and tie up any lose ends around the house. Starting the fall semester organized will make it easier to maintain the healthy habits you formed over the summer. It takes 21 days to form a habit. The activities you do this summer could continue on throughout the rest of your life.

Get some friends or family members together and think of things you can do this summer together during your spare time. You never know what you’ll end up loving and what will stay with you forever.

– Emilly

We’ll start simply. Ever wanted to learn another language? Yeah, me too, that’s one of the main reasons I studied abroad. Studying abroad utilizes one of the few ways to maximize your language learning through full immersion.

Full immersion is, in some people’s opinion, required to fully become fluent. One language learning site said, “In reality it is very unlikely for people to really become fluent in a language without extensive periods of some form of total language immersion.” Full immersion is great because it basically causes you to spend 100 percent of your time practicing your language skills. You basically get to go about your day, but instead of using English, you get to use your new language, and for people who tend to procrastinate and be lazy like me, this is a great way to force yourself to practice.

Unless you are one of those people who never travels 10 miles from their place of birth, you probably like to travel. Travel is something most people tend to enjoy. It gives us a completely new environment with new experiences, new entertainment, and new people. This new place may be filled with wonders completely unheard of before in your own culture, but that are commonplace in this new world.

Study abroad gives you all sorts of new experiences while you still continue your education. You get to learn not only class work, but you get to be placed in a completely new culture and understand it from the inside out. Culture and language doesn’t excite you? Let’s try another avenue.

Money. The thing we hate, but need the most. Study abroad costs money. This is one of the biggest reasons I’ve heard for why people choose not to study abroad. People not only think studying abroad is more expensive than it is, but they completely ignore the future pecuniary possibilities that can be gained.

Studying abroad is going to make employers look at you in a different light. Only about 4 percent of college kids ever choose to study abroad. If you are one of the few who has chosen to take this opportunity to widen your global horizons, employers will see you as a more valuable employee in this quickly shrinking world.  If you have not only the ability to speak the language of a foreign country, but have the ability to understand them as individuals and business potential, you will be a far more valuable employee.

This all sounds fantastic, bud, but I still don’t have that kind of money. At this point in the presentation, this is usually what I get. Did you know many universities allow you to continue paying for your home tuition with no changes while abroad? That basically means if you can scrounge up a plane ticket, the costs aren’t going to change that much. I mean, you got to eat and live somewhere no matter which country you’re in, no?

I hope this presentation has piqued your interest in studying abroad, but if it hasn’t the only thing I can say is to trust me. I knew I’d enjoy studying abroad before I went, but I never knew how much that experience would drastically change my entire life path. I wouldn’t be the major I am today had I studied abroad earlier, and I wouldn’t be looking into jobs as a translator if I hadn’t gone either. Take that leap. Learn something new, better yourself, and embrace difference abroad.

– Brian

The first thing you should do after graduation is to make sure you keep learning. I know. More learning? I bet you thought you were finally out of the woods. Never! Learning never ceases for those who wish to remain up to date in the workforce. Volunteering in your field is a great way to keep up to snuff with your skills as well as build up materials for your portfolio. Also be sure you know how to work all of the latest technology. Don’t have a Twitter? You might want to start one so if your future job requires you to deal with social media, you will be prepared for and successful with your new duties.

Make sure you have everything you need to be successful in the workforce before you join it. Business cards, a Web site, and an online profile in a program such as LinkedIn are almost required for people joining the workforce.  You never know when you might meet someone who might be able to give you a contact that you will need. If you have a business card to give them, it looks much more professional as well as being an easy way to keep your contact information. If your business card has a Web site or online portfolio, they will be able to better evaluate you as an employee. A common mistake is people think they need to be able to put a business for which they work before they make business cards, but personal business cards often just have contact information and the types of jobs you are capable of doing.

One of the most important things is to keep calm and carry on. You’ve made it this far; what is to keep you from being able to complete this next task? College is one of the most demanding times in your life. You have classes, homework, organizations, part-time jobs, internships, projects, and all of the other things that come with school. Now all of those duties will be over with, so you can focus all of your energy on just one thing, finding a job.

You’ve hurdled so many challenges, and you’ve done so many difficult things. You can do this, too. Just keep your head up, and just do what you have to do. It may be a difficult time, but don’t you remember the terror you had when applying for college? You got through that, and you will get through this. I’m not saying it won’t be hard, but you can do this. College has prepared you more than you think. You are resilient. You are resourceful. You are intelligent. You can do it.

— Brian

The Hunger Games

Americans always have loved remakes. We have been remaking movies since The Great Train Robbery remake, which came out in 1904, one year after its inspiration. As with many remakes, however, the remake was a complete flop. Some people argue remakes are just a lack of new ideas; others believe they are just a fun new spin on an old story.

Lately, remakes have made a huge comeback with everything being remade. Now we have movies for all of our comic book heroes, our favorite novels, and even true stories. Cinematographers have been working nonstop to try to give a new spin on everything we know and love.

The latest of these remakes is The Hunger Games. The Hunger Games is, wait for it, a remake of a book, which has a story that is nearly identical in parts to a Japanese movie called Battle Royale which is a remake of a book under the same title.

Most of us tend to agree there is no such thing as an original idea. Inspiration is also another huge thing often mistaken for plagiarism in entertainment. Sometimes we see something that really speaks to our hearts, and we, sometimes even subconsciously, put a similar idea into our own works. In music, this is far more acceptable than in movies. Singers often will be completely upfront with who their inspirations are and what they inspired. In movies, however, originality of plot is one of the main selling points.

Where is the line between being inspired by something and copying it? A blogger named Connor Turnbull tried to tackle this question by saying “One is all about gaining motivation whereas the other is mindlessly duplicating.” Turnbull seems to suggest in his article that copying and being inspired is a gray line that only you can decide for yourself.

Honesty is key when dealing with this issue. Think to yourself how much credit you owe to your inspiration. Does your work just have a similar vibe, or can you draw clear and common parallels between the two? If it is the second, then perhaps take a second look at your work and try to personalize it more, separate it from its original to ensure you won’t be accused of stealing someone else’s work.

Art is a train of people being inspired by one another. When we create something, we put into it what has most deeply affected us. The person who made what most deeply affected us put into their work what most deeply affected them. This goes on back in history, making our art of today like a collage of the art from all time.

One important thing to remember about remakes is remaking a work doesn’t destroy the original. Remaking something only shows us a glimpse of how someone else saw some of our favorite works. Think of remakes as simply an exercise in empathy. Go ahead, put yourself in someone else’s shoes.

Preview Online

The original impetus in creating the first edition of Taking Charge: Your Education, Your Career, Your Life in 2008 was to produce a college success guide that directly linked college success skills to both professional and personal development. That’s especially important with the increasing trend of community and technical college students entering the workforce upon graduation as opposed to immediately moving on to a four-year college. To that end, the writing and research skills of the co-authors, Karen Mitchell Smith and Katharine O’Moore-Klopf, proved to be invaluable through the first two editions of this book.

Since that first edition, however, feedback solicited from instructors around the country combined with advances in digital publishing has resulted in a dramatically revamped third edition to be published in September 2012.

Key features new to this edition include:

• a four-color, magazine layout incorporating a variety of photos, infographics, and sidebars designed to make concepts more engaging and accessible;
• newly developed (and free) digital ancillary content, easily accessible from the printed book via QR codes and the ebook via enabled hyperlinks, including videos, downloadable documents, recommended websites and mobile apps, interactive polls, and more;
• “student disorientation” scenarios with a cast of recurring characters at the beginning of each chapter to set the stage for that chapter’s subject; and
• end-of-chapter crossword puzzles utilizing key terms and phrases.

Want to see exactly what we’re talking about? Check out a sample online here. (There is one thing to note: given that this is sample, after all, and while the text on the pages themselves is firmly set, we still are developing content for the associated mobile pages linked to throughout. Please have patience with us as we create and upload that information over the next few months!)

That said, all of us at TSTC Publishing feel “hybrid textbooks” incorporating both the printed page and digital ancillaries are the next logical step in the development of higher education instructional materials.

And, of course, feel free to visit the Taking Charge at its website, on Facebook, and/or Twitter for the latest news and developments!

—Mark

In an attempt to eat healthy you grab for the organic version of a favorite food, but be careful.

A recent study by Dartmouth University showed high levels of arsenic in organic foods and baby formula that list organic brown rice syrup as a primary ingredient. Arsenic is linked to cancer, chronic diseases and developmental effects in children.

The study tested 29 cereal bars, two infant formulas and three different energy shot drinks. A research associate professor told TODAY the energy shots and cereal bars don’t pose an immediate danger, and risk factors are more closely related to lifetime exposure. The high arsenic levels in baby formulas were more concerning to the professor.

Other foods like brown rice are also high in arsenic, as it resembles silica found in soil, which it absorbs to help it stand. Last year, Dartmouth researchers even found high levels of arsenic in some apple and grape juice.

Organic foods are definitely preferably to processed foods when eating right, but it is crucial to read nutrition labels. Don’t choose food simply because you’ve heard it’s healthy. Proportion is key. Even soy products have been linked to cancer in women if over-consumed, according to the American Institute for Cancer Research.

Know your food and what you’re eating. While it is impossible to know the long-term effects of most of what we eat, try to stay current with health news and read nutrition labels.

Nutrition labels can be hard to understand, but pay attention to serving size, total fat, sodium, total carbohydrates, protein, vitamins and minerals. Often, companies try to make products look healthier by reducing the serving size, so pay particular attention to how much of the food you should eat.

In general, look for foods that are low in sugar, sodium, cholesterol, and fats and high in fiber, vitamins and minerals.

The ingredients list also is important. Avoid foods with sugars, fats and oils, and salt in the beginning of the list. Look for foods with natural-sounding ingredients and few chemical names; the shorter the list of ingredients, the better.

Part of taking control of your life means taking control of your nutrition. Make sure you have the information you need to live a healthy life.

– Emilly

If you’re assuming this week’s recipe is going to be for some form of pot roast, think again. Sure, pot roast is great, but slow cookers are able to do so much more. I recently discovered that with just 25 minutes of prep-time and four to six hours of cooking, I can have lasagna for dinner.  Additionally, I discovered they can be used to make desserts like hot fudge brownies for sundaes and cheesecake.

So, before you rule out slow cookers keep in mind the benefits. Slow cookers allow you to ditch the Lean Cuisines after work or school and have a nice meal without much effort. They also give you a variety of meal options and even dessert possibilities. They are perfect for people who love home cooked food, but need to get other things done at night or are too tired to cook.

As an experiment, try out this recipe for Barbecue Beef Brisket Sandwiches from Delish.com provided by Country Living.  This meals serves eight, so plan to have leftovers.

Ingredients

• 1  (pound ) brisket, trimmed
• 1 1/2 teaspoon(s) coarse sea salt
• 3/4 teaspoon(s) pepper
• 1 tablespoon(s) vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 1/2 tablespoon(s) garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup(s) dark beer, (such as porter or stout)
• 1 tablespoon(s) Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoon(s) lemon juice
• 3 tablespoon(s) honey
• 1/2 cup(s) ketchup
• 1 teaspoon(s) paprika
• 8  kaiser (or other sandwich) rolls

Directions

1. Cook the brisket: Season the brisket with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the brisket, brown on all sides, and transfer to a slow cooker.
2.  Add the remaining ingredients to the slow cooker and stir well. Slow-cook, covered, until the meat is very tender — 8 hours. Remove the meat, place it on a cutting board, and let it rest for 15 minutes. Reserve the sauce.
3. Carve brisket into thin slices and divide it among kaiser rolls topped with reserved sauce. Serve warm.

Remember, nutrition is important to staying healthy and energized when leading a busy life. While this recipe is delicious, consider adding vegetables on the side. Be sure to check back for more recipe ideas.

– Emilly