Myth vs. Fact: College Anxieties

So here I am, a first semester senior and the living's easy, right? WRONG! For me, this has been one of my most challenging semesters academically. As I stress over finals, job hunting, graduation, and life after college I've come to think of all of those things friends and family have told me along the way. "If you think you're stressed now, wait until you graduate" or "If you can't handle homework, how are you going to handle the real world". I'm sure we've all heard some sort of variations of these statements at one point or another. So my question is, are these friends and family members telling the truth?

After doing some searching, I found a list of myths vs. the facts regarding the college experience. Continue reading to see that feeling overwhelmed and struck by anxiety doesn't mean you're doomed to fail. And that you certaintly aren't alone in your feelings and experiences, tap into your campus resources for help and support!


Myth: These are the best years of your life! If you think its bad now wait until you get into the 'real world'

Fact: How many times have you heard this! While the college years are memorable and enjoyable, they can also be among the most stressful and anxious times. You are faced with constant evaluation from your professors. Personal and parental expectations are always on your mind. Financial stress is often a way of life. Living in extremely close quarters with peers leaves you with little privacy. Career decisions, serious relationships and the move toward independence are common issues. Does the world get any more real than this. I think not. Making these the best years of your life involves developing an approach that is proactive and includes a support network.

Myth: Students experiencing stress and/or anxiety are unprepared to handle the rigors of college.

Fact: College and university environments are designed to be challenging academically, personally and socially. Stress and anxiety, among other emotions, are natural by-products of the accelerated pace of learning and growth. It is not a matter of whether or not we experience these unpleasant feelings but rather, it is a matter of how we manage these emotions.

Myth: A good student does not need assistance during his/her college or university experience.

Fact: Unfortunately, this myth has its roots in the high school. How many times did you hear well-intentioned high school teachers say something like, "wait until you get to college, you will have to do it on your own"? Many students come to college with the belief that to ask for help is a sure sign of inadequacy. Nothing could be further from the truth. Your college or university has an abundance of resources available to you. You are paying for these resources through tuition or fees. Become familiar with and make use of your campus resources. Consider the following hypothetical example: You walk into an automobile dealership to purchase a car. You tell the sales associate the make and model of the car you wish to purchase. The sales associate shows you two different versions of that make and model, one fully loaded with every available option and the other, a stripped down version with no options. The sales associate offers you your choice at the same price. Who among us would drive away with the stripped down version? Not me. Consider your campus resources as the options. Now ask yourself, "which college version should I choose the one with all the resources or the stripped down version?" 'Nuff said.

Myth: I am the only one that doesn't have it all together.

Fact: As you walk the campus and observe other students it appears that everyone else is so sure of them self. Everyone else has friends. Everyone else has direction. Everyone else is confident. Everyone else is without troubles or hassles. This misperception is common among college and university students. It has its roots in one of our more powerful social norms. We all wear a 'public mask' to protect a certain social image. This 'public mask' communicates a sense of self-assuredness to those with whom we come in contact. It often belies the inner turmoil that we all experience from time to time. Think about it, how many people are truly aware of the issues troubling you? Probably very few. Tap into those resources on your campus.

Myth: Counseling is only for people who have experienced a severe emotional breakdown.

Fact: While counselors certainly work with students who have experienced an emotional breakdown, this represents only a small fraction of their counseling interactions. Counselors are available to help facilitate your personal growth and development. They have the professional expertise to help you better understand the personal issues you wish to discuss in a comfortable and confidential environment. If there are issues troubling you, become familiar with the counseling services on your campus and consider adding a counselor to your support network.

Read more on this topic at Campusblues.com

Surviving Finals

One of the biggest parts of surviving college means making the grades. And that means surviving finals week. With a semester full of projects, presentations, tests, and papers, it's not so easy for everyone to stay on top of their coursework. For some these final exams or assigments are the deciding factor between grades. While some have been digging themselves out of a hole so to speak all semester long, others are hoping to maintain their already satisfactory grades. Either way, students on both ends of this spectrum are experiencing high levels of anxiety as they attempt to remember (or cram) a semester's worth of material.


Here are a few tips & guidelines suggested by the University of Texas to help you make it through the week:

* Start studying early - The earlier you start to review your notes, the easier it will be to learn and remember the information. Review a little every day so that when finals come around the material is well-rehearsed.

* Schedule breaks between studying - Take a 10 minute break after studying for 50 minutes, and take a longer break after studying for 3 hours. Get something to eat, call a friend, go work out or do something to get your mind off of what you have been studying.

* Vary the subjects you study - It's hard enough to sit down and review your Chemistry notes, but to look at Calculus right after is even worse. What you study one hour directly affects your ability to understand what you are studying the next hour.

Review for a science course and then look at English or a foreign language - something different. It makes studying less tiresome and you'll remember the information better.

* Eat Right - Always in a hurry, students often resort to junk food during finals. But to do your best on final exams, you must eat well.

-Research shows that eating smaller meals more frequently is vital to maintaining high energy levels.
-Avoid foods with high sugar and fat - they will make you sluggish
-Breakfast boosts your energy and metabolism throughout the day, so be sure to include it in your diet if you are working hard.

* Get enough sleep - When you stay up late, your body accumulates sleep debt, and few students find the chance to make it up during finals week.

7 to 8 hours of sleep are absolutely necessary to remain attentive and think clearly throughout the day. Sleep deprivation can have consequences similar to intoxication.
People who are sleep deprived are more irritable, more negative, and are generally more prone to mistakes. Research has shown that prolonged sleep deprivation can result in higher incidences of chronic disease and a shortened lifespan. Never pull an all-nighter!

* Reducing stress - also see our Tips for Reducing Stress for more suggestions.

Don't hang around others who are always stressed out ? it's contagious!
The top 4 non-academic stressors are relationships, parents, financial obligations, and roommates. Try to deal with these worries before finals, so that you can focus on any academic problems that may arise.
Make time for yourself - avoid spending too much time on school work by allowing a few hours every day for personal things... your friends, personal interests, etc.
Time management - print out some weekly schedules and monthly calendars to make scheduling your work less stressful.

* Take care of your body - Exercising is always an excellent way to take a break from studying - it helps to reduce stress and research has shown that it can improve your brain's ability to retain and comprehend information. Besides getting enough sleep and eating right, avoid caffeine stimulants like coffee, sodas, and caffeine pills.

Groceries or birth control?

A rise in the cost of birth control on college campuses has forced many females to make a choice. As they are faced with paying nearly three times the amount for prescription contraceptives, these young women must decided whether to spend their often limited funds on food or birth control.

What has caused this enormous increase you ask? According to a New York Times article, a recent change in federal law has caused the price of prescription contraceptives to sky rocket at campus health centers nationwide. Prior to this provision, drug manufacturers provided prescription contraception to health centers at largely discounted rates. Ultimately, these savings allowed the centers to charge students less money out of pocket. But today, students who were paying $12 for these prescriptions are now paying $50 or more for protection.

As a result, the number of students purchasing these contraceptives has decreased significantly. Some centers have even stopped selling certain brands because of their high cost. While many argue that college students should be granted these discounted rates others think these low prices will give students a "false sense of security about sex".

"From our perspective, this does bring to light a public health concern, but for a different reason,” said Kimberly Martinez, the executive director of the Abstinence Clearinghouse, which advocates abstinence from sex until marriage. “These young women are relying on this contraception to protect them. But contraception isn't 100 percent — for pregnancy or for disease."

While some young women may over-rely on contraception, I feel health officials should also keep in mind that older women may be just as likely to do the same. To some extent all forms of contraception create that "false" sense of security among females. Since grade school we have been taught that abstinence is the only sure way to prevent pregnancy and protect oneself from sexually transmitted diseases. Yet, other contraceptives such as condoms and oral birth control pills have been proven almost 99% effective. In choosing to be sexually active women are taking a risk, but in choosing to use prescription contraceptives they are also making the conscious decision to properly protect themselves. It is because of this that I do not feel college-aged females should be labeled as sexually promiscuous in choosing to use contraception.

Although, the article does raise a good point. Why were college females offered the opportunity to receive low-priced contraception in the first place while older women were always forced to pay increased prices? Is this fair?

Tree-Sitters at U.C. Berkeley

While scanning through the news on CNN.com, I ran across a rather peculiar story detailing protests on the U.C. Berkeley campus. According to University of California officials, a number of individuals have been sitting among the tree tops of dozens of Evergreen Coast Live Oaks which overlook a proposed construction site on-campus. Almost a year ago the university announced the building of a $125 million athletic training facility. While the school argues construction is necessary in order to accommodate it's growth, these protesters think otherwise. They feel destroying this grove of trees would also destroy the picturesque quality of the campus. According to the article, "they argue the athletic center would be environmentally and seismically unsound, which campus officials deny".

These "tree-sitters" have even gone to extreme measures to fight for their cause, wearing masks and referring to themselves by false names in order to protect their identities. Because of this, Police have been unable to keep track of the exact number of sitters climbing in and out of the trees week after week. While some only stay only a few hours or days, others have hung around the tree tops for weeks at a time. All the while, supporters have delivered food, water, waste containers, and books to these protesters by way of hoisting buckets into the branches. Are these protesters outsiders or students? No one seems to know.

The article explains that after a year of these tree-top protests, the university has recently won the legal right to "evict" sitters that have taken up "residence" in the trees. But the question now is how will they get them down...and safely?

Although entitled to freedom of speech and expression by the American government, governmental policy can also bring these rights into question. This seems to be the case among college campuses nationwide. While I agree that after a year of protests these individuals should be removed from the trees, I can only wonder...are these (potential) students being forced down simply because this event is occurring on a somewhat conservative college campus (in one of the most politically correct cities in America)? Would the situation be different if the event occurred off-campus or even at another campus?

This article really made me wonder how JMU would handle a protest/situation such as this. While this protest has lasted almost a year, I could not imagine the university or even surrounding community members allowing a demonstration to continue for that long on our campus. Maybe I'm just naive to think that JMU students would settle things in a different manner.

For example, last semester when the university eliminated ten varsity sports in compliance with Title IX, students attempted to fight back. With 144 students and 11 coaches personally affected by this decision, the JMU community felt they had to do something. But, instead of chaining ourselves to the athletic performance center or refusing to leave sports arenas we wrote letters, signed petitions, and sported "Save Our Sports" t-shirts. In the end, all ten sports were elimated. While the issue at hand may be a little larger than tree-sitting, I can't help but wonder if students may have responded a little differently, would the outcome be the same?

I'm curious to see how the case of the U.C. Berkeley tree-sitters plays out. Although they have delayed construction of the athletic training center thus far, will their efforts be enough to stop it all together? I guess we'll just have to wait and see!


Take a look at the article "Berkeley's protesting tree-sitters face eviction"

Failing America

At JMU, students often complain about the number of general education courses needed to graduate. Some say these classes are boring, pointless, or even too easy. In other cases, students argue that Gen-Ed teachers take these classes "too seriously" and these courses are "too hard to be Gen-Eds". In my catalog year (2004-2005) students are required to fulfill 41 credit hours towards their general education studies. And this number only continues to rise as JMU pushes to produce more well-rounded and better educated graduates.

A USA Today article really made me question whether or not these courses are truly preparing students or just providing them with enough information to get by. This article entitled "College students struggle on history test" details a recent study showing that students at secondary institutions were unable to pass a basic American history test. Not only were they unable to pass, they failed miserably with an average score between a 50 and 60%. These students had no idea that the battle at Yorktown ended the American Revolution or that NATO was formed to resist the expansion of the Soviet Union.

According to the article, "In general, the better a college's U.S. News & World Report ranking, the less its civic literacy gain". That means students at big name schools such as Harvard, Yale, and other 40,000 dollar-a-year institutions were also unable to make a passing grade on this history test. I guess my question is, if even the "most intelligent" students at the top name schools cannot pass these tests, then what does that show about our nation's General Education programs--more specifically the history courses offered. While institutions such as JMU may place such an emphasis upon developing the general education of students, is the curriculum really measuring up? Who is to blame...the students for not taking such courses seriously, or the teachers for not cracking down on the learning and development of their students?

Think you can make the grade? Take the Civics Test that so many students failed to see if your scores measure up.

My Personal Account. Get Involved!

So far I've tried to keep my blogs informative, professional, and to the point. I've shyed away from sharing too many of my personal experiences, choices, and decisions because I didn't want this to turn into a "dear diary" type blog. But in this case, I feel like sharing my experiences is necessary in getting my point across. So please bare with me.

Playing soccer has always been my passion. Growing up with two older sisters, both soccer players, it was sort of a given that I would follow in their footsteps. I started playing for a recreational league when I was four years old. When I was old enough to join a travel squad at age 10, I did just that. I dedicated hours to practicing on weeknights and spent weekends traveling to play teams all over Virginia. In high school I joined a club team in Richmond, traveling over an hour to practices three nights a week. On weekends I traveled to games and tournaments all over the East Coast. As you can imagine, by my senior year in high school I had grown tired of the non-stop practicing and training, as well as this "one-the-go" type lifestyle. After my last game, I decided to hang up my soccer cleats for good.

When I came to JMU I had no intention upon playing soccer. I wanted to do something different and make another name for myself. Although I loved playing for all those years, I felt like it was a part of my life that had been fulfilled. A chapter that was in need of an end.

But after going to student organization night my freshman year, my thoughts changed. Although there were a million clubs represented in that tiny room, the one that stood out to me the most was the Women's Club Soccer Team. When my friend Brock, a JMU Men's Varsity player at the time, told me I would be wasting my talent if I didn't at least try out, it was settled. The next day I called my parents and told them to overnight me my cleats.

Now, three years later, here I am sitting in the hallway of a Howard Johnson hotel at the Club Soccer National Tournament in Pensacola, FL. After almost 8 seasons with these girls, I could not imagine my college experience without this team. Each week we practice together, play together, study together, and hang out together. These girls are more than just my teammates or my friends. They are my family. Without this team, college would be a completely different experience.

I guess my point is, without becoming involved in soccer or some other organization at JMU, I would not be who I am today. I urge everyone to become involved in college. Seek out a club or organization. Whether it is something you know you are passionate about, like my case, or something you just want to try out for the first time. The possibilities are endless. Find your niche and make the most of it because college doesn't last forever.

Smoke-Free Trend

In recent years restaurants, night clubs, and a number of other public facilities have made the switch to smoke-free environments. Today, a number of colleges and universities are following suit. While some have banned tobacco products and smoking entirely, others have restricted smoking from all indoor facilities.

At Gainesville State College outside of Atlanta, students, faculty, and visitors are prohibited from using tobacco products anywhere on campus. The ban restricts smoking in both indoor AND outdoor facilities. Unlike JMU, You won't find students sitting outside the library taking a cigarette break or walking through campus puffing away, because it's simply not allowed. End of story. Students and staff must literally walk off campus or to their cars to smoke.


While college students may be aware of the dangers associated with smoking, some still continue to do so. Although these bans may keep college students from physically smoking on campus the question is, will they also stop these habits from occurring at home or away from campus?

According to the American Cancer Society, the prevalence of smoking in the United States is highest among college-age students, ages 18 to 24. Often referred to as "social smokers" college students sometimes pick up the habit while out partying as they casually bum cigarettes from friends. While students at Gainesville must go to greater lengths to smoke, bad habits are hard to break. These students may not be allowed to smoke on campus, but on the weekends whose stopping them? I guess my question is, will policies like these really help college-aged students stop/cut back from smoking? Or will it simply cause them to go to greater lengths to do so?

At present, JMU has restricted smoking from all facilities on campus. How would you feel if a complete ban was placed upon using tobacco products both indoors & out?

Internships: Prepping for Life After College

A large part of learning to survive college means planning, organizing, and preparing for life after graduation. This means taking steps towards building your resume by shadowing professionals, volunteering, and gaining knowledge through internship programs.

In today's highly competitive job market, employers are demanding a lot more of recent college graduates. While good grades and a diploma are still important, companies are looking for those individuals with related job experience. And for many, an internship has become the answer to gaining that professional edge.

After talking to Carrie Urso, a JMU Career & Academic Advisor, I learned some astounding facts. According to Carrie, those students who take part in internship programs are 85% more likely to get a full-time position within that organization than someone applying that hasn't worked with them before. 85%!! This statistic literally blew me away. This goes to show that internships not only provide meaningful pre-professional experience, but also allow students to get a step ahead in the real world.

While doing a little Google research, I came across Campus Grotto's list of the top 10 internship programs for college students. And to no surprise, Google was at the top of the list, followed closely by Microsoft. This site contains short blurbs on each program and links to each company's internship program website. Some of these internships are really interesting with some amazing perks. For example, being a Southwest Airlines Intern allows you to travel...and to do so for free. All interns are allowed free unlimited Southwest Airlines travel. Don't believe me? Check it out for yourself!

The Debate of Christmas Trees on College Campuses

As I find myself getting into the holiday spirit, I decided that a holiday themed blog (about a highly debated issue) would be more than appropriate!

Every year just before winter break and the holiday season, a large pine tree covered in festive white lights stands in front of Wilson steps at the top of the JMU quad. Personally, I have never really paid much attention to this tree. I guess I should say that having an enormous "Christmas tree" in the middle of campus really never bothered me because I celebrate the holiday. But today, in our politically correct world, these festive lights, trees, wreaths, and other decorations normally associated with Christmas are under fire at public and private universities everywhere.

The big question is, is it okay for universities to display secular holiday decorations? Is the act of displaying these decorations offensive to students who may not share these beliefs and religious views?

This article investigates each side of the debate. I think both sides have some pretty valid arguments but what do you think? Do you agree or disagree strongly with any of the points listed? Do you think JMU should be allowed to sport such "Christmas-like" decorations?

Money and the College Student

A large part of surviving college is not just going to class and making the grades. It's learning to manage all the responsibilities that come along with living on your own. That means budgeting money for groceries, gas, and other expenses, paying bills, and all the while attempting not to go bankrupt or accumulate debt.

Bankrate.com, a financial advisory website, provides tips in mangining one's personal finances. The first step is to figure out exactly what it is you are buying and how often. This can be done by keeping a log of your purchases. This way you can physically see exactly where all that money is going.

When Bankrate.com asked 100 students what unnecessary items they purchased on a regular basis, this is what they found out:

Men's Top 10
1. Alcohol
2. Fast food
3. Cell phone
4. Movies (first-run tickets and rentals)
5. Car things
6. Dates
7. Music (CDs, MP3s)
8. Video games
9. Electronics/computer stuff
10. Tobacco products

Women's Top 10
1. Alcohol
2. Fast food
3. Cell phone
4. Movies (first-run tickets and rentals)
5. Clothes
6. Dates
7. Music
8. Makeup
9. Shower gel, perfume, lotion etc.
10. Hair products


Also, according to Bankrate.com, "the cost of campus parking tickets didn't make the Top 10 lists, but were mentioned by a number of students as a big expense. Tickets ranged anywhere from $10 to $50 depending on whether it's a first ticket or a repeat and the availability of campus parking."

Once you track your spending habits, Bankrate suggests creating a simple spreadsheet and evaluating your list. It's as easy as asking yourself "Is that really where I want to spend my money?"

So now you may be wondering how to change your spending behavior. Bankrate suggests labeling envelopes and putting a certain amount of cash in each as your allotted budget for the week. For example, you may put $30 in an envelope for "eating out" costs. That means that is all you have to spend on fast food, resturants, or campus dining facilities for the entire week.

Although this tactic requires self-discipline I feel it could be a very effective way of limit spending. It's never too early (or too late) to organize your personal finances and create a financial plan!

Campus Safety: Are we letting our guard down?

Like many other students, I have always viewed JMU as a safe-haven. A place where everyone is nice and seemingly trustworthy and where nothing can go wrong. You may call me naive or even ignorant, but I feel it is common for college students to sometimes become a little too comfortable with their surroundings. We often feel we are invincible and protected by this little bubble we call our college community. As a result we often do not take into account the real dangers that exist both inside and outside of campus boundaries.

Just last week I received a "Timely Notice" from the JMU Department of Public Safety. On October 17, 2007, a female student was abducted and sexually assaulted by an older man after leaving her class at Memorial Hall. It was not until today that this 60 year old man was arrested on account of both sexual battery and abduction/kidnapping. Earlier in the semester and on several occasions in the past three years, I have been notified of robberies, gang activity, rapes, and assault cases via these Timely Notices. Each time, I am baffled that anything of this nature could happen at JMU.

By no means am I attempting to scare anyone in writing this blog. My only hope is that students take a little more time to contemplate the issue of safety. Because unfortunately, crime is a major issue on college campuses nationwide.

During my campus visit to JMU, I remember my Dad asking the Student Ambassador giving our tour about the crime statistics both on and off campus. At the time, I really didn't think anything of my Dad's question or the Ambassador's answer. But now, especially after the Virginia Tech Tragedy, it seems that these statistics have become more of a deciding factor in one's college picking process.

Colleges and universities are doing everything possible to make sure their students feel protected. JMU for example has implemented a new emergency response plan. This improved emergency system includes cell phone alerts via text and voice messaging; blast e-mail messages, which can be sent and received within minutes; a campus siren system with a public address system; the university Web page; off-campus reverse 911 alerts; loudspeakers in each campus police patrol vehicle; and announcements on local television, radio, and newspapers.

My question is, have all these precautions on top of the campus police and hundreds of blue emergency lights scattered around campus added to our anxiety about safety or simply allowed us to feel a little bit too secure? When it comes to issues of safety, are college students letting their guard down?

Want to know more about campus crime statistics? Check out the Post Secondary Education Website. It allows anyone to locate statistics on alleged criminal offenses at a myriad of different college campuses. This Campus Security Data Analysis Tools also allows you to compare statistics between colleges.

SparkNotes: Advice to College Freshmen

It is my common belief that if you are a college student, you know what SparkNotes are, how to use them, and where to find them. This site provides free in-depth commentary, analysis, and study guides for literature, poetry, history, film, and philosophy. Although helpful guides, many college students rely heavily upon these guides, often referring to them as life-savers. No time to read that 750 page novel by tomorrow? Or are you just plain lazy? No problem, just SparkNote-it!

While browsing through the SparkNotes website today, I stumbeled upon a completely new catagory of topic summaries. In a section of the website called SparkCollege, the creators walk students through important things they need to know in beginning the transition into college life. SparkNotes is now a guide to college life? I had no idea! I was surprised at how inclusive the website was, tackling numerous isses from surviving the first night to buying textbooks, understanding the Greek system, as well as sex and dating.

SparkCollege states, "Knowing what you’re getting yourself into can relieve a lot of the stress associated with college. It’s important to know what to expect when you land in the dorm or when you arrive at your first class. Your time in those first few weeks is precious, so you’ll need to use it wisely. You don’t want to find yourself so overwhelmed by everything that homesickness sets in before classes even start. To make the most out of your first year, you need to be prepared. So, let’s begin at the beginning: your first week at school."

The site even takes on a somewhat comical tone in the section entitled "Sex & Dating" when it warns, "Dating someone you meet in a class is okay as long as you start the relationship after midterms. If it turns ugly fast, you’ve only got a few weeks of seeing the person before class is over."

Now that SparkNotes provides advice to freshmen on surviving the college experience...what's next?

"S" is for senior & stress

Whoever it was that said senior year is "supposed to be easy" was lieing. I don't know about the rest of you, but I have never been so stressed out in the past three years of my college career. Not only am I juggling classes, a job, and multiple extra curriculars, but I also must figure out what I want to do after college. This is a daily source of stress. At this rate I will consider myself extremely lucky if I don't have an ulser come graduation day.

According to a UCLA study, when it comes to handling stress college seniors have the most experience, yet freshmen are the most stressed group with 30% reporting they often feel overwhelmed by college expectations. While this makes sense given our three years of experience, I would argue that seniors also have a lot more on their plates in comparison to freshmen. Studies have found that 1 in 5 college seniors say they have considered suicide, this statistic nearly triples the number of freshmen experiencing similar thoughts. Am I the only one that found this statistic absolutely alarming?!

While nearly every university has programs for stress managment, offering counseling and tips for stress reduction, is there something else our society can be doing to stop this growing epedemic? Are the stress levels experienced by college seniors equivilant to those of adults living in the "real world"? How do these stressors compare? Is this generation of over-achieving college seniors simply afraid of failing?

Check out this article about the stress of senior year.

College Athletes continued

Eager to know what others thought about the misuse of social networks by college athletes, I did a little searching. After reading a number of articles I stumbled upon this blog entry that struck my eye. The line that stood out to me the most was, "College athletes should be the ones who are most careful because of who they are and who they could become in the future". While I agree that athletes are more commonly recognized on-campus and in the media, I do not believe "regular students" should be allowed to get away with similar behavior. Yes, athletes do have certain standards they must uphold because of who they are, but so do non-athletes. These students too must uphold the honor code and other rules set forth by their universities. Would it be fair to say that the use of Facebook, MySpace, & WebShots should be monitored for all college students regardless?

Social Networks & College Athletes

Oh the phenomenon of social websites and internet networks...Facebook, MySpace, we've all heard of them. In fact, nowadays it's almost impossible not to belong to one. Okay, maybe not impossible but it definitely requires a large amount of self-control, which I for one do not have! I feel like I can't go anywhere on campus without someone talking about Facebook. "Did you see the photos so & so tagged of me from that party this weekend...I was soo wasted" or "Can you believe that he didn't accept my friend request?!" Now, seeing it in writing, the conversations we often have about this social website are rather pathetic. I mean who cares really if someone isn't your "facebook friend". Is it really all that important in the larger scheme of things? But that's beside my point....

With it's growing popularity, Facebook has not only become a useful tool for connecting students worldwide, but also a means to incriminate underage drinkers and more specifically college athletes. Today, almost anyone with an email address can register for an account. You no longer have to have a .edu address to join. This means that everyone and anyone out there can see the information posted to this site. Yep, professors, coaches, employers, even your parents can see those shameful photos or video of you partaking in "illegal activity".

In recent months, the NCAA has been cracking down upon the use of Facebook by college athletes. Many athletes have been suspended or completely kicked off their team because of questionable information posted on their personal pages. According to a recent article in the Kansas City Star, two LSU swimmers were kicked off the team in 2005 for posting negative comments about their fellow teammates and coaching staff. Six Colorado track and field athletes who were also dismissed from their team after posting suggestive pictures of themselves at a party online. I could go on and on about these individual cases of athletes being held accountable for content on their Facebook pages.

While the NCAA has been monitoring such activity, it is up to individual institutions to completely restrict the useage of Facebook by athletes. During preseason lectures, many are even required to sign a waiver stating that they can and will be held responsible for any information posted on the Internet. Some schools such as Kent State and even JMU temporarily banned social networking among athletes. Today, most colleges and universities strictly monitor these websites. The main argument is that athletes not only represent themselves, their families, and individual teams, but also their schools. With that said, they are expected to conduct themselves accordingly. My question is, do you think coaches and athletic directors are going too far in restricting their athletes? If athletes are held to these high standards shouldn't the every-day student be as well? These individuals also represent the face of their university in a very large way.

Last year a number of collegiate teams were put under fire by a website called BadJocks.com for posting pictures depicting underage drinking, so-called "harrassment", and "hazing" on Facebook, MySpace, as well as WebShots.com. The entire point of BadJocks is to pinpoint athletes behaving badly and then bring this behavior to the attention of their universities. Many of you may not be aware, but the JMU Women's Club soccer team was one of the many teams called out by this site. This goes to show that ahtletes on ALL levels are being monitored and many don't even realize it.

As a member of the JMU Women's Club Soccer Team, I can say that I never realized the extent to which we were being watched until our team's season was nearly suspended for pictures posted on WebShots. We were taken to trial by the JMU Sports Club Council and forced to opt-out of competing in our Regional tournament (among many other punishments). As two time defending regional champs, this was a major blow to the team. What we thought was an innocent new member party, was viewed by many university officials as hazing (through our photographs). This goes to show that pictures posted online ARE monitored, and very closely indeed. Although we were not wearing JMU Club Soccer shirts or uniforms this site somehow found enough information in order to link pictures to our club website and roster.

By no means am I attempting to excuse our actions, but my question is, if we were not athletes or part of any organization on campus, would our behavior still have been so closely scrutinized? Are athletes targeted unjustly in comparison to regular college students taking part in the same sort of activities?

10 Tips for College Students

Our society today has programed high school students to either go to college or get a job after graduation. Many parents stress that going to college and getting a degree is the key to "making it" in the real world. With such an emphasis placed upon higher education, many freshmen enter college not really knowing why they are there. When asked why they decided to go to college many are unsure responding with a simple, "that's what I'm supposed to do" statement. Without a little guidance, this uncertainty can lead incoming freshmen to fall off the deep end...partying seven nights a week and completely negelecting their academic obligations. Need a little help figuring out this whole college experience thing? Check out these 10 tips for college students. Even if you're a college senior, they're worth a look because hey, you still have a few semesters left!

Got the Campus Blues?

There is one thing I must admit before I begin this post. I am a Google maniac! If I can't remember the lyrics to a certain song, I Google it. If I'm looking for a good recipe to try, I Google it. If I want to know more information about a certain topic, you guessed it...I Google it! I simply cannot imagine a world (or day) without it. So tonight, like any other night, I was looking to find more information about the most current issues that affect college students today. I typed in "college student issues" in the Google search bar and stumbled upon a website called "Campus Blues" which is dedicated to helping college students deal with tough issues such as depression, mental health, drinking, homesickness, and much much more. The site caught my attention because it offers 24/7 support to college students worldwide. According to its founders, "CampusBlues.com was created to help facilitate student awareness and use of on-campus resources such as Counseling Centers, Health Services and various school sponsored academic and personal support groups".

This site is bursting with information! It addresses topics that never even crossed my mind such as overcoming public speaking anxieties, dealing with sexual orientation, and providing advice to commuter students. Each article provides helpful statistics and advice for students who may not feel comfortable in seeking help outside the confines of their own home. The site also has an open forum where students are encouraged to post about anything and everything that may be bothering them. You can also respond to posts which encourages other students to share their struggles with similar issues. While skimming through these posts, I ran across one in particular that caught my eye. One student explained his on going struggle with homesickness. As a native of the Philippines he was having a hard time adjusting to college life in America. Although elated to be here, he could not help but miss the comfort of home and his family life. Several students responded, reassuring him that what he is feeling is normal. One girl even offered her screen name to him, telling him if he ever needed to chat to IM her! This completely blew me away. It never dawned on me just how willing students are to help one another. While these students may not be medical professionals or licensed psychologists, their peer support is just as valuable.

I look forward to investigating this site in future posts. It is an extremely helpful resource and I encourage everyone to take a look at it!

New York Times: "Lighten Up"

After my first post, I decided to do a little research. I wanted to see if any major media outlets had picked up on stories related to surviving the many stresses of college. The first article that caught my eye was one from April 2004 in the New York Times titled “Today’s Lesson for College Students: Lighten Up”. This article focuses upon the efforts of Bowdoin College to decrease student anxieties when it comes to body image, grades, and career plans. Their main focus is to get students to slow down and make time to do the things they enjoy. Bowdoin College is one of many schools making an effort to foster the personal growth and emotional well-being of their students through special programs, services, and activities.

Many other colleges have begun to extend their counseling programs to include treatment for a wide range of mental and physical disorders. Whether you need help with a serious issue such as an eating disorder or just want to talk about stress management or roommate concerns, this article stresses that EVERYONE should take advantage of counseling. To raise awareness, Washington University in St. Louis has created a “stress free-zone” where students can relax and unwind during finals. Celebrating Sleep Awareness week also helped this university spread the word about the risks associated with sleep deprivation and poor health habits.

While more and more schools are becoming proactive about mental health issues, offering these services free of charge may also be driving up the cost of higher education. What this article did not address is how this increase has affected tuition and fees. My question is, in what other ways are students unknowingly paying for these services? Have other programs and services been cut or restricted as a result at certain universities?

In the past few years there has been a national increase of stress-related conditions among college-aged students. Each year, the number only continues to grow. My question is, since this article was published in 2004 have these institutions been keeping up these programs, or have the costs become too much to support them? The one thing I feel this article is missing is the student response to their university’s efforts. While many schools claim to have similar programs, how much do students really know about them? I feel the article was very informative, but also one sided. I want to know how the students really feel, not how the administrators think they feel. I am anxious to look into current statistics and student responses! Stay tuned!

Surviving College: My Purpose

Looking back on the past three years of my college experience I sometimes ask myself, “How did I do it? How did I survive all those assignments, projects, and exams? How did I balance school work with my paying job and my numerous extracurricular activities?” As I sit here and flip through my 2006-2007 academic planner, I am stunned by just how much I was able to juggle last year.

Being a college student in today’s world is a lot harder than many people often give us credit for. In decades past, going to college was all about getting an education, focusing upon studying, and completing class work. Being a college student was considered your full time job. Today, students strive not only to do well in academics, but to also become well rounded members of society, to be perfect. Many take on leadership roles in a number of organizations and work to pay the bills. With so much going on, it is often hard to get enough sleep, let alone stay on top of school work.

Perfectionism is just one of the major issues that affects college students nationwide. Throughout the semester, I hope to examine this growing list of issues which college students must face every day. From binge drinking to the fear of honor code violations, the list only continues to grow. I do not intend for this blog to act as a pity party for college students, but to serve as a resource and overall guide for survival. I hope it can provide others with insight about college life and how to handle living in a high stress, fast-paced environment.