The Super Senior (Musings About Fun, Graduation & The Real World)

If you’re not planning on reading this post because it looks long, then watch this video!

How does that relate to our post? You’ll see.
So we’re pretty sure by now that if you’re a college student you have an iPod. Chances are you’ve gone through a few, either upgraded, opted for the smaller cuter pinker one, lost one, or even had one stolen.I remember my first mp3 player, it was a Rio brand, it was good, it got stolen in 2 weeks… back on topic.

While you’re in college, unless you’re triple majoring in something, odds are you have more free time than you even know.

We could provide you with links to really good free online education courses where you could learn more but odds are only about 1 in 10 of you will actually click on the link. Maybe 3 in 10 now that we’ve mentioned to click on the link (but don’t!). But these online courses don’t serve to express the point of this post, which is to make the most of free time you already have that you are not aware of.

So grab out your iPod or any mp3 player (Rio anyone?).
Start listening to PodCasts during 2 specific times. It’s that simple. If you haven’t already, start and get into a routine to listen to podcasts during these 2 specific times:

• 1. When you are walking to, from & between classes
• 2. When you’re at the gym

The time you have walking to, from and between classes is impressive. Lowballing an estimate we got:
+ 5 minutes from your dorm or apartment to your class.
+ 5 minutes to get to your next class.
+ 5 minutes to get from that class back to your dorm or apartment.
= 15 minutes a day.
5 days a week… wait, yes we know some of you are very proud of your 4 day class weeks.
4 days x 15 minutes per day = 1 hour per week.

That might not sound like too much, but start adding it up & factor in more classes, walking to the library, walking to study sessions, other times you have to spare, the gym, when stuck in traffic, etc. and you have a lot of time that you can spend:

1. Less bored and passing faster.
2. Making yourself smarter!

Our advice would be to start with fun or informative podcasts. There are podcasts for just about any topic. If you’re worried about your English class and not graduating check out Grammar Girl’s Quick & Dirty Tips to Better Writing podcast. It’s a weekly podcast, 5 minutes long and filled with great grammar tips! Or are you struggling in your Business-Economics course? Business Week has a Young Entrepreneurs podcast, check it out.

Or maybe you’re not much into learning while walking to your 8am class, there’s a bunch of fun and informative podcasts, everything from bartending (The Tiki Bar TV podcast) to Comedy hours (NPR: Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me & Comedy Central: Stand Up).

And lastly, if you’re studying for Law School there’s even an LSAT Podcast to help you out. Here’s the link to the LSAT Logic In Everyday Life podcast.

How do you browse for more podcasts? Load up iTunes and click on the left under iTunes Store > Podcasts. Once you find one you like, hit subscribe!

Here are our staff favorite podcasts:

• This American Life
• Onion News Network
• Grammar Girl Quick & Dirty Tips for Better Writing
• IndieFeed: Indie Pop Music

Comment back! Let us know what are your top 2 favorite podcasts!

As many of our readers begin considering (or are currently considering) graduate, medical, or law school, we found an article that may be of great help to you. While it emphasizes undergraduate studies, the tips focus around the notion of self-education. These tips are extremely useful and can help you with your decision to continue or not continue with your education after your bachelor’s degree.

A part that the article is lacking in that we’d like to emphasize is the necessity of cataloging or documenting your progress. Life after graduation is extremely different for the college graduate because no longer are you constrained by class schedules, finals, and exams. But really, each day is really what you make of it. By documenting your successes and failures, we believe this can push you further to achieve your goals and to be able to visualize your next step in life.

Article: How to Educate Yourself

via flickr

1. When You Were Young.
What we were thinking: Yeah, picture!
What the teachers were thinking: It’s way too hard to get them individually… let’s just do a group picture.
What our parents were thinking: Aww, how cute!

2. Middle School
What we were thinking: Alright, let’s get this done lady.
What our parents were thinking: Alright this one’s good, we don’t have to buy next years.

3. 8th Grade
What we were thinking: Nice! This jacket makes me look like the Red Power Ranger.
What our parents were thinking: Aww, he’s growing up!

4. High School Senior Photo
What we were thinking: This picture better come out good! 2 hours at the salon and this make-up. And these lights! It’s so hot here.
What our parents were thinking: Our little girl is leaving us for college next year. [cry]

5. Fraternity Composite Style
What we were thinking: Damn, they charged a lot for this picture. Maybe I can get a copy and use it as a Christmas gift for my parents.
What our parents were thinking: Wow, what a handsome young man he has turned out to be.

6. Senior Year College

What we were thinking: Alright, so we can submit any photo for the year book… but it can’t have any beer or drugs. [Log-In to Facebook] Alright, this photo looks good!
What our parents were thinking: You did not tell me there was a yearbook for your college!

School pictures are probably one of the most memorable or dreaded experiences we remember as children. I remember when I was younger (I’m talking 1st or 2nd grader) I’d stand in front of my mirror the evening before the big day and practice my smile. The morning of, I’d spend an extra minute combing my hair, or was it my dad who combed my hair? Eitherway, each year my parents would order a photo package, which I dreaded because I’d always have a cheesy smile.
But now looking back, I’m really glad my parents did order those photos as they are rare momentos from my early childhood. Now with these photos I (as well as you?) we were under our parents rule. I was forced to dress up super nice and whole nine yards. One year I even sported a bowtie and denim jacket. I kid you not, I’m looking right at that picture right now. What was I thinking? I don’t know… more like what were my parents thinking.
Now to the teen and beyond years, the fun thing with high school and college photos was that you had a choice in what you wanted to wear. Freshmen, sophomore, & junior year were filled with nice polos and button ups. And when high school senior year rolled around, it was the tux top for the guys, and the drapes for the girls.
But onto college, it’s no holds for your senior graduation pictures, which is pretty awesome! At UCSB, the student newspaper ran countless ads encouraging students to come in what they wanted and just get their picture taken and at no cost. Even though it was totally free, the turnout was still low. This is a huge contrast from high school and college, where in high school we our parents would have to pay hundreds for pictures, while in college it’s totally free and not many people want it. What if colleges just pulled off of facebook your current profile picture and used that for your yearbook picture? Now that would be something!
So our advice to graduating seniors? Take advantage of the free photo op. It’s not going to come again! Well, unless if your significant other is a photographer or the company you end up working for does corporate photos for the website… but take advantage of it! You have paid so much for college and deserve this free shot to get into the yearbook. And what if you become a famous actor or actress? How else is PerezHilton.com and TMZ going to get your yearbook picture?
And without further ado, here are probably the 5 of the worst senior photos ever.

Are you Graduating this year? Get a graduation sash and walk commencement in style!