Students blog

As soon as winter break comes to a close, some college students will be traveling back to campus in order to join a Greek life organization. Whether you’re a freshman girl who has been waiting for rush week all semester, or a junior guy looking to rush to meet a good group of friends, the entire rush process can be a stressful one.

To calm some nerves, I have compiled some advice about the process from my friends at colleges all across the US. I hope you find it helpful as you go through this stressful, but genuinely fun and rewarding experience!

Xavier Kretsinger-Walters - James Madison University
“Sounds obvious, but be yourself. Chances are, if you change up your personality just to fit in or get a bid, you'll end up in an organization that you won't feel connected to. Find a Greek organization with similar personalities where you see yourself making good connections and friendships.”

Alivia Clay - Texas Christian University
“I would say to follow your gut. I felt most at home at a sorority that wasn't considered a top house and because of everyone else's opinions I ended up choosing the "better sorority" that hasn't been a great fit. Sometimes the houses that are the least popular have the most fun and where you'll find the most friends. Just follow your heart <3 Good luck!”

AJ Vazquez - Indiana University Indianapolis
“I would say to go with the group of people that you best fit with and that you feel you can be yourself. A Greek organization is meant to better young men and women and it’s key to find an organization that feels like a home away from home. I also encourage those interested in Greek life to rush all chapters they can and not focus on the number of members or anything they’ve heard but to judge based on their personal experience and perspective.”

Student - University of Florida
“Just be yourself and don’t be scared to answer any questions! They just want to get to know you for who you are!”

Cassidy Chinn - University of Georgia
“Always be authentic to who you are! The rush process can be hyped up and super stressful, but you really do find where you are meant to be. Greek life is great, and you really do get out what you put into it!”

Jasmine Ferrante - University of Maine
“I would say to always be yourself and not change who you are! You will end up in the right chapter for you and thrive in the chapter.”

Victoria Kaplan - UC Berkeley
“Rush week can be incredibly exhausting, so make sure you take time for yourself to properly recharge and be the best version of yourself. While you may think you absolutely need to be in a certain house, at the end of the day the people you click with make the best friends!”

Michelle Qi - Florida State University
“Be open minded because you will be happy where you end up and you WILL find your perfect family! It can feel overwhelming at times but stay strong and know that there is always a house for you!!”

Jen Fiengo - Coastal Carolina University
“I personally went through spring recruitment. If you don’t walk into the room and feel comfortable, that sorority is not for you. You need to go somewhere that feels like home, and you will know it when you feel it.”

To sum all that up, the whole point of the process is to find your home and a group of people you want to spend college with. Good luck, trust the process, don’t stress, and you will find your people in the end!

Do you have a compelling story or student success tips you’d like to see published on the Pearson Students blog?  If you are a college student and interested in writing for us – click here to pitch your idea and get started! 

Navigating the holiday season as a college student can feel weird. Suddenly your gifts are all dorm room essentials. Every family member wants to know in depth details about your last semester and judge you for your major or sorority choices. Not to mention that you spent everything you made that semester on books for spring, and you realized you didn't even buy gifts for your parents yet.

With this crazy season just a week after finals, here are five holiday hacks for college students:

Tip #1: Shop Black Friday Deals

The term “broke college student” never feels more real than when it comes to buying gifts for Christmas. The easiest way to avoid spending your student loans on gifts for your family is to shop early, and shop sales. There are also sales throughout the fall semester that are important to take advantage of. Also, the sooner you know what you’re going to buy, the more you can spread out your spending.

Tip #2: Know the Answers to Common Questions

The first time you go home, you will feel like a broken record, answering every question about school and friends over and over again. To relieve a little bit of major frustration from this, think of some of the answers ahead of time. This way, you have clear answers to all of the main questions instead of dragging on through boring conversations.

Tip #3: Canvas Free Christmas

As tempting as it is to spend your break stressing and planning for the next semester, make sure none of it seeps into your time on break. The whole point of winter break is to do just that: take a break! Spend time with family, sleep in, hang out with hometown friends. Whatever you do, don’t spend your entire break stressing about the semester to come.

Tip #4: Make your Christmas List

Since the beginning of my freshman year, I have had a running “wishlist” in my Google drive that I can share with my family members who are looking for gift ideas for me. Every time I see something I want or need that I cannot afford, I add it to my wishlist. This way, I’m being more financially smart during the school year, and Christmas gifts aren’t just random things that won’t help me survive the next semester.

Tip #5: Do All the “Kid” Stuff

Finally, take a little time to be a kid again. Bake cookies for Santa, make gingerbread houses, go look at Christmas lights, go ice skating, etc. Don’t let the stress of college and the upcoming semester cause you to miss out on all the things you love about the holiday season.

All in all, Christmas is supposed to be a time of celebration, not stress. With these five tips, I hope your college Christmas feels a little like you are seven years old again.

Do you have a compelling story or student success tips you’d like to see published on the Pearson Students blog?  If you are a college student and interested in writing for us – click here to pitch your idea and get started! 

Budgeting in college can be very hard. With the world at your fingertips, new events every day, and the convenience of fast food, saving money in college almost feels impossible. However, there is hope. With a few quick lifestyle changes, you can easily go from pinching pennies to having enough savings to survive when you graduate.

Keep Track of Your Spending

Some bank apps make it really easy to do this, but even if you just need an excel sheet, keeping track of the money you’re spending can be a gamechanger. When you are constantly writing down what you're spending, it causes you to be more cautious of how much you are spending monthly. Suddenly, a $7 coffee every other day doesn’t seem as tempting, and eating in allows you to spend more money in the long run-on things/experiences that will mean more to you than the late-night Canes run. Pick and choose what’s more important and keep track of what your weekend meals add up to.

Set A STRICT Budget

And no, this doesn’t mean transferring money out of your savings every time your monthly budget runs dry. In order to save money in college, you have to create a budget and stick to it. My rule of thumb is 40% savings, 60% checking, then dividing that up into gas, groceries, bills, wants, and needs. The important thing is sticking to what you have set at the beginning of the month and not going over it. When you go over, you are already setting yourself up for a bad month to follow. When you go under, you’re able to spend more money where you want to in the coming months.

Be Intentional

It is so easy to spend money when you aren’t thinking about it. Small purchases for $5 or $10 can seem like nothing, but then all of a sudden you’ve spent $100 in one weekend, and you didn’t actually enjoy most of it. It’s so important to spend intentionally, buying things only when you need or have money to. Window shopping always turns into real shopping, and “looking around” is always too tempting. It’s easier to just not go to the mall than to convince yourself not to spend the money once you’re there.

Take advantage of FREE

People know college kids are struggling. Whenever there’s an event on your campus with free food, take advantage! Eat at the dining hall when you have passed your allotted amount for eating out this month. The food might be less tempting than your favorite take-out place, but this is the one time in your life you will have access to free and made meals, so save that money and suffer through it! Dining hall pizza is always better than being broke.

Give Yourself Grace

My final tip is to give yourself grace when you don’t follow all of this perfectly. We are all struggling with finances, and money seems to never be enough, and it’s ok to have a little less in your checking account than you’d prefer. This is also a time where you can fully focus on being a student with few responsibilities. Go out with friends, make memories, and don’t be so hard on yourself when it comes to your money spending. Maybe just opt for the cheaper restaurants every so often and go thrifting for outfits you’re only going to wear once anyways. That dress is so cute for a Taylor Swift concert but won’t be in your calculus class.

Overall, college is hard enough, and not having enough money to feel comfortable with your spending makes it even harder. Being intentional, limiting your spending, and keeping track of it will make living in college on a small budget easier. But remember that you won’t always do this exactly how you want, and that’s okay. You are doing hard things, and you should celebrate that instead of beating yourself up for spending a little too much on Celsius. Do your best and check your bank account often, and you’ll be okay.

Do you have a compelling story or student success tips you’d like to see published on the Pearson Students blog?  If you are a college student and interested in writing for us – click here to pitch your idea and get started!