Ah, 2011. We had a nice run, didn’t we? But it’s time to move on. Before we do, let’s take a look at some of the college-related blog posts that were most popular with our readers this year. Did any of your favorites make the list?

What Is the Difference Between a College and a University?

No-Grade Colleges Encourage Hard Work

Life Scholarship Helps Students Who Have Lost a Parent

Viva Las Vegas! The CollegeBound Network
Heads to BlogWorld Conference

College Endowments Are Down

Happy Tweets from Happy College-Bound Students

Peek Inside These Dorm Rooms

Scholarship Fund Benefits Children of 9/11 Victims

Ugly College Football Uniforms Draw Attention

That’s Bananas! Rachel Zoe Transforms Her Liberal Arts Degree
into a Fashion Empire

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

–The CollegeBound Network

How did my true love ever guess that I wanted three French hens today?

Although I can do without the non-stop Christmas music on the radio, I am NOT ready to say goodbye to my favorite time of the year. And luckily, I don’t have to! After all, there are 12 days of Christmas, just like the song tells us. And as Shakespeare’s play tells us, Twelfth Night was a pretty fun party all those centuries ago.

I will stubbornly leave my Christmas tree and decorations out until January 5, the day that the 12 drummer drumming are due to arrive from my true love. Feel free to celebrate those 12 days right along with me, thanks to this college-themed version of that golden Christmas oldie. Merry Christmas!

The Twelve Days of a (College-Bound) Christmas

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me….
One perfect college essay.

On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…
Two March Madness finalists.

On the third day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…
Three-year undergrad programs.

On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…
Four-year college scholarships.

On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…
FIVE OLYMPIC HOPEFULS.

On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…
Six frat boys a-scheming

On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…
Seven days of parties

On the eight day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…
Eight hours of sleep.

On the ninth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…
Nine ways of paying (my tuition).

On the tenth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…
Ten uses for ramen noodles.

On the eleventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…
11 AM classes (more sleep!)

On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…
Twelve hours in the library.

–Barbara Bellesi

Yep, You-Know-Who’s making a list and checking it twice this week. It’s important to impress Santa by staying on the “nice” list when it comes to preparing for college. Avoid these actions that can get you a lump of coal in your stocking:

Naughty

• Procrastinating from applying for college.

• Failing to prepare for the SAT or ACT.

• Not retaking the SAT to improve your score, if necessary.

• Forgetting to fill out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form, which can be submitted after Jan. 1, 2012.

• Blowing off senior year and letting your GPA slide.

• Turning off your mind during the holidays by not reading or following the news or ignoring assignments while out of school.

Nice

• Volunteering to help those in need, which can round out your application for college.

• Taking an extra AP class instead of an easy course for your final year in school.

• Graduating early and getting a head start at a community college before heading off to another school.

• Keeping up or even improving your GPA senior year to end high school on a strong note.

• Getting a part-time job to earn some money for college.

Santa not only sees you when you’re sleeping, but he also knows when you’re awake (sort of) and in school. So there’s still time this year or next year to give Santa a reason to say “ho, ho, ho” and to get your college future off to a merry start.

–Lori Johnston

We’d like to wish all of our Jewish friends a very Happy Chanukah!

–The CollegeBound Network

In college, finals time often is a caffeine-fueled, candy-hyped week, where students will wear anything, stay up all night, and study anywhere to get prepared for the end-of-the-semester exams.

We snapped shots of students attending the University of Georgia in Athens, from the start of finals week to the last night of tests this semester.

Studying at Starbucks

Athens has no shortage of coffeehouses, from chains like Starbucks to local ones, and they are packed during finals week because of the constant caffeine and cozy seats. It’s not surprising to see students coming in with PJs on, as they spread out with their laptops, textbooks, and other study materials, staying until the doors close.

In the Dorms

OK, so sometimes it’s easy for students to get lured from studying, even by making up games with a bag of party-sized M&Ms.

The mass of materials for just one class can be so much that some students need to spread it all out over their beds (but notice how they’re keeping organized, with red pens and green tabs so that crucial information is easy to access).

Study Rooms on Campus

During the height of finals week, on-campus study spaces are so crammed that classrooms are open to students

Sometimes working together with other students can help reduce the stress of tests. Prime places to study are glassed-in study rooms featuring huge wipeboards, Internet access, and doors to close off all the noise. Students can reserve them in some schools or get them on a first-come, first-serve basis, hunkering down in study rooms for hours.

Cramming on Floors and Hallways

It may seem uncomfortable, but for some students, the best spots are not cozy couches or seats, but the floors and wooden chairs where nothing else can distract them or make them think of sleep.

Goodbye to Finals Week

Look closely at this sign and you’ll see that the hangman phrase is written by students giddy that finals week is over. It says: No more studying!

–Lori Johnston

Need a break from all those college or scholarship applications? Get in the holiday spirit by checking out our annual list of the coolest stuff, all with campus life in mind.

School Pride

Collegiate Beanbag Toss: Especially if you’re going to a school where tailgating before football games is a part of student life each fall, a beanbag toss game (also known as cornhole) is a must. Target is among the stores selling the games with school names and mascots on them; you can also find them offered by your potential school’s bookstore. $69-$99

Collegiate Wallet: One of the first thingscollege freshman was a faux-leather ID holder/keychain with my university’s logo on it. But the Pottery Barn Teen wallets are so much more stylish, with the logo and school colors stitched in needlepoint. $55.

Dorm Room Stuff

Door Organizer: In college, you’re going to be so busy that anything that can help you remember important items (like those keys!) is awesome. The Doorganizer from The Container Store is one of those items, staring you right in the face as it hangs from the door knob. It holds phones, keys, glasses, pens, flash drives, and other stuff that you need on a daily basis. $11.99.

Cool Tools: Show your independence by asking for some tools, even starting small with a hammer, screwdriver, and wrench set. But girls can still be cute, such as the Tools for Her set. $19.99.

Tech tools

Mophie Juice Pack Air: Here’s a common Facebook status update: “My battery died so don’t call me. Just FB me!” Don’t let your cell phone die and disconnect you from your friends and worried family. This iPhone case, available in red, black, and white, has a rechargeable battery. $79.95.

Pandigital Frame: Remember your high school friends – and have room for photos of new college friends, too – with a digital frame. There’s a ton on the market, but you’ll want to see how many images it stores (this one from Bed, Bath & Beyond can hold up to 4,000), the frame’s size, and if it comes with a remote (just in case you want to skip past any of those embarrassing photos). $59.99.

Traveling Around

KAVU Keeper: Look all laid back, but organized, with the five compartments in this slender bag to hold your cell phone, keys, and anything else you’re likely to lose while on campus or hanging out with friends. We love the pattern names, like Fireworks, Wallpaper Stripe, Licorice, and Arctic Bloom. $30.

Car Trunk Organizer & Cooler: If those busy weekend trips make it seem as if you are constantly living out of your car, you can get organized with this car trunk organizer. It may join the wooden bar you may have affixed in your car to hang up your clothes too. But this organizer also comes with a cooler, making you a popular person when on a road trip with friends. $49.95.

–Lori Johnston (Delaney Young contributed)

Don’t you wish there were a Black Friday when it came to tuition and paying for college? You probably wouldn’t think twice about camping out to get discounted or free tuition or to get your books, dorm expenses, food, or other costs at a cheaper price.

We haven’t seen any colleges or universities giving Black Friday or holiday specials yet–in fact, it’s actually the opposite, with tuition at most schools on the rise. But federal financial aid is available, in the form of loans and grants that can ease the cost of college–not to mention make it a little easier to spend at holidays.

December’s the time to get started pursuing financial aid. Think of it like this: Working on your financial aid application now is just like planning ahead for that big Black Friday sale at Target, Best Buy, or Wal-Mart.

So before you’re out of school for winter break, ask your guidance counselor for a copy of the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form, or you can pick one up at a local library or the financial aid office at a college in your town. Or just download the form. You can’t submit a FAFSA until after Jan. 1, but it’s a good idea to get a jump on that deadline by filling it out over your holiday break. Urge your parents to get a head start, too, by filing their taxes as soon as possible after Jan. 1; it will mean you can use the most accurate income info on the form (estimates can be used, if necessary) and make that priority deadline.

–Lori Johnston

We’re off Thursday and Friday to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday with our families, but we wanted to take a moment and say how thankful we are for all of YOU! Yes, college-bound students, we appreciate each and every one of you. You make our jobs fun and rewarding, and we love that we get to join you on your journey to college.

We hope that you enjoy this little respite from homework and the often-chaotic college admissions process. See you on Monday, when we host another installment of #collegebound chat. Happy Thanksgiving!