College can be expensive, and what happens if you want to learn, but you don’t want to shell out the big bucks?  Well, you’re not alone!  A lot of us out there want to learn a particular skill, but we don’t care for the degree, and that’s fine.  Whether you have your own business, or maybe you just want to learn a skill in particular, here are some tips on how you can find either free classes online, or how you can save the big dollars by learning yourself.

Self teach yourself: No matter what kind of skill it is, you can teach yourself just about anything.  You’re going to need motivation, and a little self discipline, but if you’re willing to learn, you will find that you will learn the skill.  Practice it, and read up on many different books.  A great place to start is Amazon, because you can find the best rated books in your field, as well as find very, very cheap used books.

Try a Google Search: Let’s say that you want to learn the programming language, PHP.  If I did a search such as “Learn PHP”, or something along those lines, I’m able to find 100s of websites that are willing to teach me for free.  The lesson here is to make sure that you do a search online.  You can learn so much just by searching for courses online.

Community colleges are cheap: If you don’t want to teach yourself, call up your community college, or head to their website.  There’s no rule against taking just one class.  You can apply, and register for just about any class that you want.  Whether you want cooking, programming, auto repair, or more, you can take it, and learn from a professor.

Look for course material: Universities such as MIT have open course software, where you can log in, and check out course material for free.  Yes, it’s 100% free, and you don’t have to pay a dime.  They may not have what you’re looking for, but it’s a great place to start, and many colleges online offer courses, that you can learn from for free.

College courses don’t need to cost you $350 a credit hour, but instead, you can narrow that down to pennies.  Again, if you’re self disciplined, and motivated, you can teach yourself a lot, you’ll be surprised!

2010 is here, and if you’re graduating this month, you may find yourself moving out of state, because you can’t find a job, or maybe you want to go out, and get a change of scenery.  Whatever it might be, let’s take a look at the hot cities in 2010, where many college graduates today are finding jobs.

Indianapolis, Indiana: Great city, low rent.  Great for those in sales, customer services, and health care.

Baltimore, Maryland: Hot bed for sales, customer service, and the health industry.

Cincinnati, Ohio: Low rent prices.  Great location for those in marketing, as well as health care.

Phoenix, Arizona: Fantastic weather in the Winter time, and great for those in sales, and marketing.

Chicago, Illinois: If you like the big city life, it’s another hot bed for marketing, sales, and customer service based jobs.

San Antonio: Low taxes,  great weather, and great for entry level jobs into sales, management, and customer service.

Atlanta, Georgia: A great city that’s filled with major corporations such as Coca-Cola, and more.

Los, Angeles, California: Known for the weather, and the beaches, this over-populated state is still a great spot to search for jobs.

Denver, Colorado: Amazing views, great industries, such as energy, government, and finance.

There are hundreds of small, and big cities that you can check out.  It’s all going to depend on your major, and where you want to look for a job.  It’s 100% up to you.

Be sure to check out some of the following websites that have compiled some great lists of the best cities to find a job after graduation.

• CNN.com:  Top 10 cities for grads
• Forbes:  Best cities for students

Valentines Day is right around the corner, and whether you’re going on a date, or maybe you have someone special, there are countless ideas out there that you can use, when you’re looking to take someone out on a date.  Since college is a little different, let’s take a look at some of the ideas that you can potentially try that won’t cost you an arm, and leg.

Dinner and Movie at home: Whether you live in a dorm room, or in an apartment, try to get the room to yourself.  Create a nice, simple dinner, and rent a movie for the night.    Spread a few flower pedals on the floor, and make the room feel “nice.”  If you’re both college students, both parties should understand.  Plus, it’s going to cost you less than $10.

Head to a local bar: Many bars have small, intimate settings for Valentines.  Check out a local act, eat some food, and enjoy the night.  The bars love to advertise their acts in the paper, so see who’s playing in your area.

Have a picnic: Obviously, this is only going to work in warmer climates, but go down to the beach, or a pond, and lay out a blanket.  Make some sandwiches, and just enjoy the afternoon.

Plan a weekend trip: You don’t have to travel for miles to get to a place that you enjoy, but instead, find a place that you can head to for the weekend near your school.  Whether it’s a tourist spot, or maybe a quiet location.  Get an nice hotel room for the night, and enjoy!

Cook a dinner: Who cares if you’re not a great cook!?  There are millions of cookbooks that you can purchase out there, or even view online.  Find a great dinner that both of you would enjoy, and cook it up!

Consider a spa day: Spas can be relatively cheap for what you get.  Price compare a few places in your area, and enjoy the spa for the day.  Yes, men can enjoy them too.

The ideas are endless, and if you’re looking for some valentines ideas, or even more gifts, check out this list for even more ideas.  It’s a time to enjoy yourself, and show how much you appreciate someone you love.

Graduation is soon upon us, and whether you’re looking for a song for your High School, or College, there are so many songs that you can choose from out there.  I did a little research, and found the top 9 songs of 2009 that many students across the United States chose for their graduating class.

• Stand by Me by Ike & Tina Turner
• We Gotta Get Out of This Place by Eric Burdon
• Dreamer by Karen Mukupa
• Graduation by Pete Schmidt
• Pomp and Circumstance March by Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
• Lean on Me by Al Jarreau
• What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong
• School’s Out by Dave Mustaine
• Gonna Fly Now by Hollywood Strings
• I’m Moving on by Rascal Flatts
• Time of Your Life by Green Day
• On My Way by Phil Collins
• Goodbye to You by Michelle Branch

If none of these  graduation songs sound like something that you’re interested in, there are some questions that you can ask yourself, to potentially find a band that can work for you.

Who inspires you? Is there a band out there that you really love that inspires you, no matter what type of song it is?

Look underground: 99% of Colleges / High Schools choose bands that the mainstream public know.  Try going underground, and seeing if you can find something.

Research lyrics: Doing a quick Google search that means something to you can turn up some great bands.  Think of some moments in your school career, and apply them toward words.  It’s a long shot, but it may work out, you never know.

Try some of the songs above, and research some for yourself..  Amazon has a great MP3 search that you can use, in order to find the song that best fits you.

With graduation around the corner, you may find yourself getting prepared to speak in front of your class.  Even if this isn’t you, you may be interested in some of the best graduation speeches of all time.  Not only can it give you motivation, it can give you a lot of ideas.  Also, before I begin, I know these videos may not help you, so I highly recommend reading some, “graduation books“, as well!

• 1.  Steve Jobs at Stanford University
  text of his speech
• 2.  John F. Kennedy at American University
  commencement address text
• 3.  Oprah Winfrey at Howard University
  text of her speech
• 4.  Bono at University of Pennsylvania
  text of speech in 2004
• 5.  Jon Stewart at William and Mary
  text of speech in 1984
• 6.  Winston Churchill at Harrow
  “never give in” full text
• 7.  George C. Marshall at Harvard
  The Marshall Plan in 1947 text
• 8.  Stephen Colbert at Knox College
  commencement address at Knox college

These are great speeches to look into, if you’re looking for inspiration, or a speech that’s good.

Creating a graduation speech is pretty hard, but you just want to be yourself, and not rip someone else out.  The ones that create something original are those that are going to create something special for their school.