Posts filed under 'College Dorms'
You’ve seen them — bulletins sent in the mail or galleries linked on school websites — and they’re all filled with the same things: happy, smiling students of every race and color who are either walking around campus or deeply engaged in a professor’s lecture.
But just how accurate are these microcosms of college living? According to recent research headed by Timothy Pippert, an associate professor of sociology from Augsburg College (Minneapolis, Missouri), not very.
Using a random sampling of 371 college and universities, Pippert studied various promotional materials and found that schools often over-represented the number of minorities on campus. For example, while black and Asian students comprise 7.9 and 3.3 percent of the average college student body, respectively, their presence in college bulletins and other materials amount to 12.4 and 5.1 percent of students portrayed.
The effect can be two-fold, gain the interest of students who are interested in attending a diverse college and make minority students feel more welcome. But does this penchant for picture diversity constitute a conspiracy to lure in students? What do you think?
– Genevieve M. Blaber
July 11th, 2008
If you’re like most soon-to-be college students, chances are there’s a philosophy course waiting in your future. While you may recoil in horror at the notion of studying things like utilitarianism and deontology, the truth is that looking at the world through a philosophical lens can be fun and — dare I say it? –- enlightening.
Still skeptical? Then maybe you should try easing yourself into the realm of philosophical discussion with the help of the Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture Series. Each book from this ongoing collection is dedicated to analyzing a different cultural icon or show within the entertainment world. 
Chapters are written by college professors from across the nation and are as educational as they are representational of fandom at its finest, with everything from character motivations to plotlines discussed.
Case in point: After reading just two chapters of Batman and Philosophy: The Dark Knight of the Soul, I’ve been introduced to classical and contemporary thinkers like Thomas Hobbes and Judith Jarvis Thomson — all in the course of pondering popular Batty topics like why Batman is better than the Man of Steel, and Bruce Wayne’s motivations for ever donning the cape.
In short, the Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture Series is a perfect easy-to-understand crash course in philosophy cushioned by a topic you already love. Where else will you be able to read about the philosophical implications of hot shows like 24, Lost, Family Guy, The Office, and even The Daily Show?
– Genevieve M. Blaber
June 25th, 2008
I’ve only been out of NYU for a year and already there are new trends jumping from campus to campus. While some of these are completely new (sustainability, what?), others are ripped straight from fads of yesteryear — yeah I’m looking at you, Harry Potter.
In no particular order, here are three college trends that are picking up speed today:
1. Quidditch Conquers Campuses
I didn’t start reading Harry Potter until I was in high school, but once I did I couldn’t help but be intrigued by the game of Quidditch. Taking place hundreds of feet in the air while players swoop around on flying brooms, it was hardly the kind of sport you’d catch on ESPN, but these days college students are spreading a down-to-earth version of the magical pastime. Occupying a real grass field — although players refuse to give up their obviously non-flying brooms — college Quidditch is a reasonable departure from the “real thing” and comes complete with a Golden Snitch who, enacted by a student, walks around campus to avoid capture by players.
2. Coed Cohabitation
I admit it, I never lived on campus, but the few times I stayed over at friends’ dorm rooms I could sense that there was either a real camaraderie that developed between roomies or genuine enmity. While living with a stranger can help you learn to coexist with others, it can also be stressful if you’re not compatible, so why not let students choose their own roomies? Many colleges today do, and several more are beginning to accept friends of different genders deciding to room together. Though usually offered on a limited basis, and to students who already know each other, coed dorming seems to be catching on and can be a comfy alternative for friends who know and trust their would-be roomie.
3. Student Sustainability
While some students waste resources, others take the time to recycle — but there’s another group of students on campus who are making the move to shake up they way they live. Termed “sustainability” this practice is an entirely new shade of going green with students changing everything from how much electricity they use to what temp they leave the thermostat on. The focus of a recent New York Times article, Oberlin College (Oberlin, Ohio) has a dorm full of students who compete against each other’s shower times and utilize worm composting to cut down on waste. Although not every campus has an entire dorm dedicated to sustainability, many colleges are making the move to integrate some of these initiatives into the way they run things at large.
If you’re interested in reading more on college trends — past and present — then take a trip to CollegeBound.net’s trend section and then get started on your college search.
– Genevieve M. Blaber
June 10th, 2008
Yesterday was Earth Day but that doesn’t mean that you can’t keep on keeping green today and tomorrow. Living green will not only help the Earth, it can also help tighten your budget — a concern shared by plenty of college bound students. With that in mind here are a few tips for staying green during college:
1. Use Canvas Bags: Chances are you won’t be buying as much as you did when you lived at home, so why waste a few plastic bags when you can be prepared with your own canvas ones? Doing so will help keep plastic bags from hitting the landfills. If you find that you must use plastic bags, make an effort to later reuse them as trash bags, lunch bags, and even laundry bags.
2. Skip the Laundromat: While most people would rather go the automated route, handwashing can be gentler on delicate fabrics and clothing while also conserving electricity and water in the process. Not sure you want to get your hands wet? Then opt for a device like the Wonderwash Washing Machine which can clean small loads of laundry with the turn of a handle and zero electricity.
3. Create a Homemade Lamp: Sure, you can find dozens of happening styles at places like Ikea and other stores, but nothing compares to making your own one-of-a-kind lamp. How-to instructions and kits are available both on the Internet and at your local crafts store. Recycle vases and glass jars to create the base of your unique lighting fixture. (Interested in more tips for decorating dorms on the cheap? Click here.)
4. Don’t Write-Off Refillable Pens: By this stage in your education you’re probably used to purchasing bulk bags and boxes of pens at the beginning of each school year. But what happens to all of that plastic once you’ve run out of ink? They write their way into the trash. Though it may not seem like much, all those pens do add up — so consider buying a refillable pen instead. When the ink’s done you’ll only have a small tube to throw away, rather than an entire pen.
5. Think Outside the Margins: Your elementary school teacher taught you to always write inside the margins of the paper, but when all you’re doing is taking class notes there’s no point in wasting paper. Ignore that red line and start writing — or doodling — near the edge of the paper. You’ll be surprised by how much extra material you can fit on every page.
– Genevieve M. Blaber
April 23rd, 2008
Everyone knows that moving into a college dorm means freedom. It’s basically a time to do what you want according to your own rules (that don’t conflict with your RA, of course) and stay out as late as you want. But all of this partying can really hurt the main reason you’re at college - it can bring down your grades and hurt your chances of furthering your education.
Recently, there was an article in the Times about how SUNY Old Westbury requires students to maintain a 2.0 GPA in order to remain in student housing. It’s been controversial around campus because those that have dropped their GPAs have recently been kicked out of housing and forced to commute, making it easier for them to drop out of school entirely.
In a way, it’s unfair to not be able to have a chance to prove yourself and bring your GPA up. It would make more sense if there were a policy in place to give students some sort of warning, even though they are already aware of the policy. On the other hand, a student is in school to study and not to party. Although this may not seem like the real reason to the students, parents are not paying for their kids to party all the time - they’re paying for their kids’ education.
Every situation is different. Someone may just have a bad semester. Others may be slacking off. But rules are rules, and excuses can only go so far. That’s certainly evident at SUNY Old Westbury. College survival may be tough, but it’s certainly not impossible. So take advantage of the fact that you’re off at college and in a dorm room and consider yourself lucky. There are lots of people out there who don’t get the chance to do any of that so don’t mess it up!
-Amanda Fornecker
February 15th, 2008
Kermit the Frog used to say, “It’s not easy being green,” but at college it’s not easy staying in the pink of health!
Living miles away from home can spur some students into adopting unhealthy
lifestyles; sleeping becomes an option, the food pyramid becomes a polite suggestion, and instead of taking time to relax students are either partying or holed up in the library completing another 10-page term paper.
If you’re interested in staying healthy — and how could you not be? — you’ll have to take the steps to get there. That’s why we’ve compiled three basic tips for creating a healthy environment in college:
Get some shut-eye. While seven to eight hours is the recommended amount of sleep for a college student, you may find that your body requires more or less. The key is to find out how much sleep you really need and devise a schedule that’ll allow for it on a consistent basis. Try getting to sleep and waking up at the same time — whether it’s the weekend or weekday.
Eat right. A pizza or burger may be a go-to meal but that doesn’t make it a good hunger solution. Try prepping healthy meals in advance and bring brain-boosting snacks, like fruits or nuts, to lecture.
Learn to relax. While assignments will always be there and party invites will never stop coming, it’s a good idea to step away from the typical college experience for some rest and relaxation of your own. Take a long walk or join a sports club — you’ll both reduce your stress and increase your energy level.
For more info on staying healthy in college, check out the CollegeBound Network’s tips for fending and winning against college bugs.
– Genevieve M. Blaber
February 6th, 2008
As a recent university grad, I find that the images of dingy and disorganized dorms are still fresh in my mind. No matter what size the dorm room was, my pals all had the same problems: not enough space and way too much dirty laundry peeking out from under the bed.
Luckily for soon-to-be-undergrads like yourselves, designers are creating weird and wacky ways to make the most of your living space. Check out the WARDROM
(pictured right) by Paula Studios, for instance. After a long day of lectures and study groups you and your roomie can come home and toss the day’s apparel at the WARDROM. You can use it to either keep your dirty laundry all in one place (kind of gross) or simply as an unusual coat rack (kind of neat!). Hang your favorite jackets and bags within easy reach and you’ll be ready to go even when you’re running late. And at the very least it’ll keep you from living in a sea of clothing for the next nine months.
Since there’s no word on the product actually being marketed in the U.S. you might want to make do with your own homemade WARDROM in the meantime, or you can check out some CollegeBound Network tips on organizing your space and creating an ultra hip dorm room in the process.
– Genevieve M. Blaber
January 18th, 2008
But just how accurate are these microcosms of college living? According to recent research headed by Timothy Pippert, an associate professor of sociology from Augsburg College (Minneapolis, Missouri), not very.
