Nationally Recognized Academic-Based Student Organizations

Yesterday, we looked at began looking at student organizations. Today, in part one of our two-part series on nationally recognized student organizations, we will spend some time looking at the benefits of belonging to one or more national student organizations whose basis for admittance is grade point average, also known as GPA.

There are many of these organizations out there, and most seek out students in their early years of college for membership. For most, your cumulative GPA has to be above a 3.3 on a 4.0 scale. Really, this isn’t that hard to attain, and should you be contacted it is beneficial for you to join. Why? Because membership in academic-based nationally recognized student organizations has many advantaged both while you’re in college and beyond. Some of these benefits include:

  • Scholarship Opportunities
  • Special Career Opportunities
  • Access to lower-interest credit cards and loans through the organization
  • A great line-item on your resume or graduate school application
  • Networking opportunities with other organization members at your college or university

Some of these organizations ask for a one-time only membership fee. While this may seem like a waste of money, try to find the funds to join. Remember, membership in a nationally recognized organization gives you an advantage upon graduation and is well worth the price.

Is your GPA above a 3.3 and you have not been solicited for membership? If so, check out these popular organizations’ websites: Golden Key National Honor Society, The National Society of Collegiate Scholars, or ask your college adviser for suggestions.

Enjoy a Foot Massage to Release Tension and to Relax

A foot massage is a very simple act and therein lies its beauty. Elegant and luxurious, definitely a good tool in stress management and the release of tension, and yet we pay so little attention to our feet that do so much good work for us.

Anatomy of the feet and ankles

The feet and ankles are very complex structures with twenty-four bones, that is a quarter of the bones in our body, thirty-three joints, and one hundred muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Then of course you have the network of nerves and blood vessels. Our feet do a fantastic job of carrying our weight and transporting us around all day. They deserve a rest and they have earned a regular massage. A foot massage, although focusing on the feet, does have an effect on the whole body and there are massage techniques which use correspondences between areas of the foot and other body parts.

Massage techniques

Reflexology is a well know method that uses a correspondence map. In this method various areas of the feet correspond to zones of the body. Reflexology is not just about a pleasant foot massage, which it also is, but about using the feet as instrument of addressing problems in any part of the body. For a reflexology massage you need to visit a trained professional.

Shiatsu, which is normally a full body treatment, is based on the energy meridians of traditional Chinese medicine that also form the basis of acupuncture. It can also be done as a simple foot massage which would begin with massaging the soles and heel, stretching the toes and then paying attention to the meridian points. These are points along the twelve energy meridians by which the energy of that specific meridian is accessed. Several of these meridians begin or end in the foot. As each meridian expresses an energy particular to various body systems, Shiatsu on the feet can also have a full body effect. Again you would also need a professional practitioner for this kind of massage. However, a short introductory course, a familiarity with the meridians and points, and the aid of one of many of the do-it-yourself books on Shiatsu points and remedies will enable you to perform a simple massage on family and friends.

As a student you are on a budget and regular visits to a professional practitioner may not be realistic so here are some tips for giving a simple foot massage and sharing with friends. The first imperative is to always be sensitive. Feel the foot intuitively and do not massage too firmly or too lightly. You can practice on your own feet to get the right touch. Never press straight down on a bony or tense part of the foot and remember to respond to the receiver’s feedback. Make sure both giver and receiver are sitting comfortably, hold the foot in the palm of one hand and with the other bend the toes gently back and then forward to give them a stretch. Do the same with the whole foot to stretch the Achilles tendon. Now gently massage down between the metatarsals (long bones) of the forefoot that lead to the toes. A lot of tension can gather here so go carefully as it may be a sensitive spot. Then massage in semi-circular movements along the instep from heel to big toe. Usually it is possible to be firmer here as we are on a fleshier part of the foot. Next massage the sole of the foot with circular movements. Please try to be as intuitive as possible. Imagine you are the foot and how you would like to be held. Sudden, hard pressure straight down is not good. Move slowly and increase the pressure gradually. Finally hold the ankles and using fingers and thumb simply move around the ankle bone. Finish by stroking the whole foot downwards from ankle to toes. You can use the same technique to give yourself a foot massage.

The soul of the foot

No, that is not spelled incorrectly. I mean the soul and I mean in it in the sense that our feet are a part of ourselves that contain feeling and character. Our soles connect us to the ground beneath us, they feel the terrain and it is wonderful to walk barefoot along a beach or over soft grass. As a meditation exercise try to be aware of the energy of the earth through the soles of your feet. Or raise your arms high and imagine energy running from the sky down your arms and body, through the soles of your feet and into the ground.

Enjoy giving and receiving foot massage and reflect on the soul in your soles.

World mourns Pluto’s plight

PRAGUE: It’s smaller than Earth’s moon, has a funky way of orbiting the sun, and lurks so far out on the fringes of the solar system that even the powerful Hubble space telescope has to squint to see it.

Still, a day after it was stripped of its status as a planet, many, including astronomers and schoolchildren, are missing Pluto.

The widow of astronomer Clyde Tombaugh, who discovered Pluto 76 years ago, says she is frustrated by the decision, but adds that Clyde would have understood. “I’m not heartbroken. I’m just shook up,” Patricia Tombaugh, 93, said in Las Cruces.

Clyde was 24 when he discovered Pluto while working at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, in 1930. Reacting to the International Astronomical Union’s decision, Walt Disney Company spokesman Donn Walker, speaking of the animated dog by the same name, said, “Pluto is taking this news in stride and we have no reason to believe he might bite an astronomer.”

In the words of 15-year-old Quinn Huebner, “It’s one less planet to memorize”. Huebner was visiting the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum, Washington, when he learned that Pluto was no longer a planet. However, Pluto’s demotion may spell confusion for learning the solar system.

“My Very Excellent Mother Just Sent Us Nine Pizzas.” This and variations on it has been ways millions of people memorized the names of the planets in the solar system.

Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto. After Pluto was reclassified as a ‘dwarf planet’, how’ll kids learn the planets? Some possibilities:

Major Volcanoes Erupt, Making Jolts, Shaking, Unsteadying Nerves.

Mary’s Violet Eyes Make Jack Stare Until Noticed.

My Very Exotic Mistress Just Showed up Nude (perhaps this one is for college lads).

The planetary change also spells trouble for science museums. The National Air and Space Museum, for example, has a popular song called “The Family of the Sun”, set to the tune of “The Farmer in the Dell”, that children love and which helps them learn the planets.

Spokesman Mike Marcus said a decision on rewriting it has not been made yet.

Avoiding cheap loaders on your degree course

When writing the post on Avoiding Freeloaders I forgot to discuss another group, whom I have taken to calling cheap loaders!

A cheap loader will present themselves as being overtly helpful during the early stages of your degree course, offering assistance to other students, for instance sharing useful sources of information, revision notes etc.

There is nothing wrong with this in itself, most students cooperate in this way, however, the Cheap Loader is slightly different.

A Cheap Loader is a social engineer of sorts who seeks to trade low value resources and assistance for high value assistance and resources.

By offering lots of students low level assistance, they aim to create a sense of obligation in others, allowing them to recruit a smaller number of students to provide more valuable information such as access to degree assignments.

These people are almost impossible to identify until they pop the question and ask for your work.

As with any working relationship on your degree course, ensure that:

  • There is balance
  • Everyone contributes equally
  • You never participate in plagiarism
  • You set your boundaries

If someone tries to manipulate you in this way be firm, offer similar information in return, but don’t give them access to your degree coursework, or worse still, end up doing degree work for them.

Working to a Schedule on a Degree Course

Devise a schedule detailing working time for your degree course, and time off. Treat your university degree like a job, with start, finish and break times. If you work flexi time then make sure that you put in the correct number of hours each week. If you feel like you’ve had enough of a piece of work, try switch tasks as opposed to stopping.

On a degree there is always work to be done, you are in a race against time / deadlines. You do not have time to lose.

Do not procrastinate

Stick to your schedule!

If you work from 09:00 to 17:30 every day, allowing half an hour for lunch and two 15 minute coffee breaks, that gives you 37 hours per week as your minimum.

There is a big difference between attendance time and working time. The calculation for 37 hours per week is based on you working solidly, not chatting or surfing the Internet.

If you work solidly during these hours, you will maximize your quality free time at evenings and weekends.

When you need / want to work into the evening or weekends consider it overtime, do not deduct hours from the following week.

Never work less than your committed hours on your degree course with the intention of working longer the following week. If you cannot do 37 hours a week now, what on earth makes you think you can do 50 hours later on?

This is how the majority of people work every day, it’s no big deal to put in 37 hours hard work per week. It’s not physical work, it’s interesting, in fact, and it’s a privilege to attend University, treat it as such.

It helps a lot to continue working / reading through university holidays, don’t shut down over the summer. Make a start on the following years reading list.

Put your degree before other commitments such as part time work. If you need to work part time, then do it at weekends when it will fit more easily into your schedule.

If you work to a schedule, you can get the best marks at university and still have time to enjoy yourself. If you plan properly, and are disciplined in following this plan, you can have your cake and eat it!

What to do with a Third Class Degree

Some people will end up with a third class degree, what you do next really depends on why you ended up with a third class degree.

You worked really hard but are not academically gifted:

Try and get a good reference from a lecturer stating what a hard worker you are. Employers value people who work hard, turn up on time, commit themselves and do the best job they can. Play on this as best you can in applications.

Don’t despair, you are still in the top 50% in terms of education and have an advantage over those who decided against a degree education.

As time passes, the specific grade will carry less meaning as work experience becomes the key factor employers are looking for, as opposed to degree results.

On that note, try and get into a good company at a lower level, i.e. if you fail to get in on a graduate scheme, see if you can get a job in a lesser admin role. If you are able to get a role in a decent company, your hard work will allow you to progress.

You have the ability but did not work hard at University:

Consider taking another degree!

This may sound like crazy advice, but, if you think you can change your ways, then getting a good Master’s degree will allow you to draw a line under your poor degree result.

Both myself and the author of Getting A First (Insider’s Guide) performed badly in courses prior to getting a first class degree. Both of us were consequently far more dedicated on our degree courses, and determined to put past mistakes behind us.

You are still at University and heading for a Third Class Degree:

  • Get advice from your degree lecturer’s
  • Consider switching degree courses
  • Consider adding another year to your course to write an outstanding dissertation, thus drag your marks up
  • Work like a maniac, quit your part time job, don’t waste a second of your time!

Benefits of Learning Phlebotomy in Campus

Phlebotomy is a medical branch amongst many medical careers that a person learns blood extraction from the veins for medical purposes. The course takes quite some time to learn it though it all depends on the environment and method of acquiring the skills. There are various ways one can use to acquire this course. A person can either go to a campus full time or just decide to learn the course online. In either of the ways one chooses has its own pros and cons.

Learning phlebotomy from an accredited campus has many advantages since here; the student will learn directly from the lecturers who will be giving tutorials and if one fails to understand a point, the can ask immediately and get immediate feedback. Therefore, it will be easy for the learner to understand the concepts faster than a person learning through online since they will require to do research and in some cases, the data online may not be sufficient as required.

A person taking a course with the aim of becoming a certified phlebotomist Froman accredited campus always has added advantages since they will have a certificate to show they really did the course at a certain university. All potential employers always require documents to show the persons they wish to employ from which school they attained the knowledge to handle the specific clinical roles that they want to allocate. By taking the course from a well reputable campus adds an advantage to the person since the employers will associate the person with how reputable the campus one took the course from.

At a campus, students have a good learning environment and good knowledge is acquired since here, there are practical lessons to the students to familiarize them with the real thing that phlebotomy involves. By so doing, the students not only get the theoretical part of the course bur the practical part of it since they have laboratory to show they students how blood extraction is done. A person who just studies the course theoretically alone may find it hard working in the profession since most of the knowledge needed here in how to practice the art practically. Therefore, the students here get the advantage to show that they have the theoretical and practical knowledge as well.  Campuses also organize practical lessons to hospitals where they arrange with the medical facilities to demonstrate to the students how things are done. This also makes the students get the courage since the course involves a lot of needling.

Colleges offering phlebotomy certification training are required to ensure their students undergo an internship from a medical facility offering this scientific procedure. By so doing, students get to familiarize with the practical aspects involved in the phlebotomy medical procedures. This proves to be advantageous to the students since they will able to see what really happens from the theory they learnt in a classroom unlike where you just learn online without any real practical experimentation.

Upon completion of the course from a known college, students chance a benefit of getting competitive salary as compared to one who just took the course online since campuses offer more training than online study.

How to Improve Memory

So, you want to know how to improve memory, but you are unsure as to how effective it will be in the area of your work as a student. The following tips will help you in creating a memory that helps you with an upcoming exam or test. Remember these when you begin to study material, and you will find that it works great if it comes into play with the type of lifestyle you practice.

How to improve memory is the aftermath of everything else within your life. If you can balance things out and find a happy medium with your peers, health, activity, education and hobbies, then you will find that it’s much easier to remember material. To improve your memory you have to sharpen the areas of your brain that aren’t being challenged. We tend to forget about different things in life that don’t pertain to us and our interests.

Small brain teasers and games will challenge our thought process in a way that is new and confusing. Knowing how to improve memory means that, as a student, you can challenge yourself in the types of books you read, movies you watch and vocabulary that you use. This will require you to stimulate new brain cells which will literally grow and introduce you to a new way of remembering information and functioning.

Personalization is the key when you are learning how things work for you and in favor of your education. We all learn and retain data in different ways, and it’s up to us if we want to know how to use it for a satisfactory outcome. Are you a visual learner, audio learner or active learner? This is important because it’s going to require you to study materials within a certain environment. It may cause you to study with other people aloud so that you can hear and reflect upon the vocabulary words or functions.

Drink a lot of water and eat foods or have beverages that contain ginseng. This will help you to concentrate while you are attempting to use your memorization. Taking care of your diet is going to affect the level of energy that you have and the mental clarity that is either going to make or break your study session.

One on one tutoring may be necessary for someone who doesn’t do well in the classroom or with a group of people. It may take an intent description of class material if you are working on how to improve memory. This sounds like a burden, but it isn’t, because you will then depict a better understanding of the detail, and you won’t forget the information that has been taught to you because it’s been on an intimate level.

Now that you know what it takes you can take the initiative in getting it done! Prioritizing your time and being responsible is all a part of growing up. Further yourself in all areas of life, as well as your mind to keep your memory working effectively. You never know what you’ll be faced with in which you are required to use your short-term or long-term memory.

Business plan composition

Business plan is compose of executive summary, company analysis, industry analysis, customer analysis, and customer analysis, competition analysis, marketing plan, management plan, financial plan, operation and development plan.

Executive summary it contains precise synopsis of the business plan. It should be easy to read and no longer than 2 to 4 pages. Executive Summary should sell idea to prospective investor such as the size and scope of the market opportunity, profitability model and skills of the management team to execute the plan.

Company Analysis it includes the planned overview of the company and explains how the company is organized such as the products and services to offers.

Industry Analysis it asses the competitors and analyze the market research issue including the size of the target market and trends of the industry.

Customer Analysis it involves in knowing what the customer wants. It is essential to know exactly and identify the target customer such as average income of the customer and geographically location of the customer. Also, know how its products and services satisfy their need and able to pay.

Competition Analysis it defines the direct and indirect competitors and evaluates their strengths and weaknesses

Marketing Plan Analysis it contains the strategy knowing the target markets including the company’s pricing strategies, promotional strategies, branding strategies, product, and services description.

Management Plan it shows that the company has required human resources. It should have key management personnel including their background in order to make a successful business as well the boards of directors or board of advisors

Financial Plan it involves the growth of the company’s revenue and profitability model. It also evaluates the amount of capital needed, the proposed use of these funds and the anticipated future earnings such as the projected income statements, balance sheets, and the cash flow statement.

Operation and Development Plan it explains the functions required to run the business, milestones to be reached as well as the quality should be controlled.

Create your own future today

Open and distance education is filling the gap between demand and supply of higher education by providing similar opportunities as traditional universities.

Established in 1985, Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) offers around 125 programs in diverse disciplines delivered through the distance mode.

Hardened by the demands of a competitive job market, students do not want to keep their future career options open-ended. More and more students are now enrolling for professional courses that would enhance their marketability.

Plenty of courses are available in private institutes to fill the requirements of booming industries such as hospitality, fashion, travel and tourism, aviation, to name a few. Admission to some of the courses are ongoing.

Going overseas still remains a popular option for students. Educational consultants advise aspirants to begin preparation a year in advance.

Besides doing research on countries and applying to institutes, aspirants may be required to appear for various eligibility tests. So August is the month to start planning your education overseas.

The concept of a gap year is originally Western in thought. An ideal gap year is one that a student uses for facing the real world before diving head-on into college.

The benefits of a well-used gap year are innumerable – one can use it for travelling, volunteering or even a job.

This way the student going for his first-year in college is more mature, confident and prepared for pursuing further studies.

Another route taken by adventurous students after school is to take up a job. An increasing number of youngsters are choosing this path to learn while they earn hence creating a workable alternative to studying a course in a college they don’t like.

Besides, sectors facing a huge manpower crisis like the aviation are recruiting students as soon as they complete their class XII.

The current demand is pegged at 1,500 and the sector estimates that 5,000-7,000 pilots and co-pilots would be needed over the next five years.

Airlines are offering to pick up 30% of the tab for pilot training programs and promising jobs even before the students get their wings.

With all these options open to you, the world out there is more promising than you think. So step out with confidence and create your own future today.