We all know how expensive college is.  Not only is college tuition expensive, but the books, and all the supplies and fees that come along with it as well.  If you’re looking to go to college, but can’t afford to pay every penny of it right now, there is hope for you!  Have you ever heard of FAFSA?  If not, you should look into it.  A lot of college students use this to help them get through college.  FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid.  To learn more about the benefits continue reading below!

Getting money – Sometimes you will find that you will get free money.  It depends on everyone’s situation, but for the most part the money is free if it’s a grant.  This is a great way to get money to better afford college!

Lower interest rates – If you get the loans, you will have lower interest rates than most student loans.  This is great because that means you don’t have to pay so much in the long run.

Availability – The availability of FAFSA is great.  Tons of college students receive help from FAFSA.  So, it is always worth a shot.  Fill out the form, and see what you can get in return.

Longer payment options – Also, once you qualify for FAFSA and get the loans, you will usually have a longer time to pay them off.  Some student loans require you to pay them right away, but some FAFSA loans will give you a longer payment option.

College can be affordable to anyone with the help of FAFSA and student loans.  Don’t let your dreams get ruined because you don’t think you can afford it.  We often go to college to learn more, achieve our goals and have the hope that we’ll get a good paying job.  So, always consider FAFSA for assistance in college.  It is always worth filling out!

A lot of college students arrive college healthy, and are a healthy weight.  Although, after their freshman year, they usually gain that freshman 15.  What is the freshman 15?  A lot of college students will gain weight their first year of college, usually 15 pounds worth.  There are a lot of reasons for it, and it is very common among college students.  If you’re looking to avoid a large weight gain your first year, you may want avoid what causes it.  You can start that by reading below, and avoiding these habits!

Causes for the Freshman 15:

• First of all, a lot of college students like to party.  Therefore, all the beer and alcoholic drinks are one reason.  They are usually all high in calories, and if you’re drinking these regularly, it will make you gain a large amount of weight.
• Also, when college students are partying, there is usually food that comes along with it.  Therefore, eating late at night will also cause the pounds to build up.
• College students don’t have the most money, therefore they eat a lot of fast food and fried food.
• The first year of going away to college can be pretty stressful.  A lot of college students get homesick, and to help deal with stress they turn to food.
• A lot of college students don’t make time to exercise.  They often party, study, and go to class.  There is sometimes little time to get working out into their routine.
• With a busy schedule, students sleep a lot because they’re tired.  Once you eat, and then just go to bed, whatever you just ate will usually turn to fat.  You’re not doing anything to burn it off, so it just sits there.  This happens a lot for college students!

It is very common for college students to have a lazier schedule.  There is a lot of partying involved, and lot of them don’t make time to do the healthy things their body needs.  It is important to exercise, and to make healthy home cooked meals to avoid the freshman 15!

So, you’re half way through your college semester, and now it’s time to take the midterm.  You probably have a few different midterms to take, so the stress is higher than normal.  Although, if you prepare yourself a head of time, there is no reason to stress.  Preparing for your midterms is easy if you consider a few of these tips!

Start now – First of all, it’s never too early to start studying now.  If it’s in two weeks, start today.  Studying for a half hour each day for each test is all you need to do well.  Refresh yourself from the older information, and really grasp what you’re learning now.  Don’t wait until the last minute to study!

Organize – You will also want to organize all your papers.  Organize them from the beginning of the class until now.  Put them all in order, and sort them by chapters so it’s easier to study.  If you have papers sticking out of your book and the other half are mixed up in a folder, you’re going to have a hard time studying.

Tests – You will want to get out all your old tests and start studying off of those.  A lot of times professors will take the old information from your tests and put it on your midterm.  So, if you know all your old test answers you will be one step ahead.

Chapter reviews – Also, go through that expensive book you bought and study the chapter reviews.   These will sum up the chapters for you, and highlight all the important information.

Advice – Ask your professor after class if there are certain things to study for.  Ask what the majority of the test will be on, and what you should prepare for.  This will usually help you out, and will give you an idea what to focus on so you can eliminate the not so important things.

Studying for your midterm may be a stressful time, but it doesn’t have to be.  If you relax, start studying now, and get organized you will be much better off.  A midterm is a large part of your grade, so you want to make sure you do well.  Consider a few of these tips, and you can guarantee that!

College season is upon us, and whether you want to stay on campus, or you want to rent your own place, there are some factors that you should consider when you’re looking for a place around campus.  Before you start, you’ll want to ask yourself these questions, to ensure that you find the perfect place.

Is it close to campus? You don’t want to travel more than 5-10 miles, if you’re going to go to school every day.

Is it within your budget? If you can only afford $500 for rent, don’t get an apartment for $650.  If you need to, get a roommate, which I highly recommend.

Is it safe? If you’re unsure of the area, make sure that you drive around it first, before you sign the lease.

Did you check the rating? Great sites like ApartmentRatings.com have ratings from people have stayed at the apartments before.  If the rating is lousy, you may want to steer clear.

Did you check more than 1? Like house hunting, don’t sign up with the first apartment.  You’ll want to check out more than 5 before you go out, and sign the papers.

Researching your apartment

When researching your apartment, I strongly suggest that you use great tools online like Apartments.com.  A site like this is 100% free ,and you’ll find all the apartments in your area.   You can sort by distance, the amenities, and the price.

If you’re finding that Apartments.com isn’t your cup of tea, and it isn’t working out for you, you may want to check out services like Craigslist.  The only thing that I warn about this site are the scams.  If it sounds too good to be true, you’re going to find that you may give someone your deposit, and they run away with it.

Use your head, and as long as you don’t go over your budget, and you find a place that you like, searching for an apartment isn’t that hard.  If you’re having a hard time, run around, and ask people on your campus where they are living, and if they like it.

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you’ve probably heard that the H1N1 virus or aka the “swine flu” has been taking it’s toll on a number of people in the world today.  Experts predict that half of the world’s population could be effected.  Could this be true?  Only time will tell, but if you’re worried about it, I found some health tips online that can you use in order to stay safe on campus, and elsewhere.

The Center for Disease Control will recommend the following to those that are either in college, or dealing with the public.

Never visit the campus if you’re ill: If you feel ill, you’ll want to tell your friends, and family to stay away from the campus.  It will only take one person to have it spread rather fast, and you definitely don’t want to see your college shut down because of this.

Clean up your area: Look around you, and spot the areas that are touched a lot.  Head to the store, and buy some bleach cleaner, and make it a habit to clean it a few times a week. If you let these surfaces set for a while, this will give the bacteria time to build up, and spread.

Bring around wipes – If you have computer classes, or you touch public items, you’re increasing your odds of picking up the virus.  Make it a habit to bring around anti-bacterial wipes, and wipe down anything that you may touch.

Stay away from students - If you’re unsure of a student talking to you, or the classroom, your best bet is to stay clear of the students in the classroom.  As long as you’re within breathing distance, you should be okay.

In the end, just play it smart, and try to bring anti-bacterial wipes, or sanitizer everywhere you go.  You don’t have to over do it, but as long as you’re safe, and play along with the tips above, you should be okay.