Writer’s block occurs in almost every writer for a variety of reasons. It happens all the time in some writers, and hardly at all in others, but it is known to put a damper on the progress of an author. There are, however, ways to cure writers block even for the student who gets this “illness” before every big paper.

STORY STARTERS

Depending on the nature of your assignment, story starters may be of some help to you. Since we are in the age of information technology, you can just hop on the Internet and Google the phrase “story starters” to help you with any of your creative writing assignments. You will come across a wealth of resources to assist you with that short story. Let your imagination flow from there.

RESEARCH

If you are doing a research assignment or something that is based on facts, then it is best to review all of your researched notes first. You usually need a catchy opening paragraph and this is typically when a lot of writers catch the block. You can usually start with one fact or statistic and then start writing. In most cases, just write anything and when you are finished writing your paper, you can go back and edit your opening. By then your writers block may have been unconsciously cured and writing that first paragraph will be easier to compose.

ROADBLOCKS

Some students catch writer's block in the middle of their paper. It happens all the time: you are writing your paper and making progress and then out of nowhere you are stuck. You do not know where to go with your ideas and you start to get frustrated. If this happens, then it’s a good sign that you need to take a break from your assignment and clear your mind a little. Go have a cup of coffee or a snack. Then review your notes and ideas and then head back to your paper. You should be able to sail right past that roadblock and finish your assignment.

OTHER TIPS

• When in doubt, just write down the first thing that comes to mind. It does not have to be formatted correctly or be perfect grammar, just write it. Take that idea and then try to write based off of that first idea.


• Try not to get too frustrated or start worrying excessively about your writer’s block. Doing this will only make it worse. Instead, just relax and clear your mind to allow freethinking.


• Eliminate distractions. If you have writers block, then watching television or listening to the radio will only distract you and prolong your illness. Try to do your writing in a quiet area such as a library or coffee house and do your best to eliminate everyday distractions.

It has been said that writer’s block is an unknown occurrence, with no real cure. It is basically something that happens to a lot of writers at different times, but for various reasons. Do not let writer’s block overcome you; instead be armed with your own tips and tricks to conquer it, if and when it arises.

As a college student, you will need to read tons of textbooks, novels, notes and other materials to help you through your classes. This can be exhausting for almost any student, however, if you can perfect the art of speed-reading, you can sail through almost any assignment and still learn and retain the information. Speed-reading is the process of reading faster than your normal rate, while at the same time, still comprehending what you read. Speed-reading can be done by almost anyone willing to take the time to learn some simple techniques and tricks.

SKIM

The most popular form of speed-reading is skimming the material. The most important problem in skimming is that people tend not to actually retain the information, so the trick is to learn what to skim and actually remember the information. If you are speed-reading a textbook, then skim through terms and their definitions as well as the first few sentences of each paragraph. These are where the important information is usually located. Also read the summary at the end of each chapter. Doing this will decrease the amount of time reading, while still learning everything that you need from the text.

DO NOT READ EVERY WORD

Believe it or not, your brain is programmed to be able to understand words without actually reading the whole word. For example, your brain will easily transform misspelled words and missing letters from words correctly. The best thing to do is while reading, try to skip over basic words such as: the, as, it, be, etc. Although these are words that tie sentences together, if you skip over them, you will still understand the main idea of the sentence you are reading.

ASSESS YOUR METHOD

Some people retain information better when they read out loud whereas others learn when reading silently. When speed-reading, determine which way of reading suits your learning style better and apply it to your studies. Although studies show that reading aloud reduces your reading speed, there are students who prefer this way to silent reading.

ASK QUESTIONS

The best way to determine if you are actually learning what you read is to ask yourself questions. Speed-read a few pages and then stop and question yourself on the material. Grab a few terms and see if you can define them, or go back and really make sure you understand the main ideas of the chapter. If you are not grasping the information, then speed-reading is not doing you any favors.

Finally, when you are finished reading your material, write down the main ideas that you just read. This will not only test if you actually comprehended the information, but it will also provide you with quick notes that you can refer to later. Remember, the average college student reads about 300 words per minute, however if you can learn to speed read, you may be able to increase that to about 700-1000 words per minute. Do not stress yourself if it is something that you can not achieve, however if you can, it is very useful tool during your college years and beyond.

Going off to college is a major decision. There are many great activities you can get involved with, but there is also just as many bad things you can be apart of. The most important key to succeeding in college is to find a balance between academics and your social life. Keep school work your number one priority no matter what. One thing to remember is that you won't have any parents to keep you on task or out of trouble. Which means there will be much more responsibility to worry about when it comes to academics.

You will actually have to try.

Unlike high school, college is much more difficult to just barely get by. The professors are more strict and expect much more than your high school teachers did. You should set goals for yourself when it comes to academics and make sure you are not spending too much time in the "social life." Find yourself a nice place to study or do homework. You have to want to do well, so trying is a must. Study often and make sure you do all of your homework. Even if the teacher doesn't take up homework, practice makes perfect. Just remember, these few years at college you will be working for a degree which will be very beneficial to your future and your career.

Get on a schedule.

Getting in a habit is very important, especially when it comes to studying or doing homework. Set a schedule to when you are going to dedicate time to do your work. Remember the sooner is the better. So if your class ends at 2pm, take a break after class to eat or just relax. Then maybe after one to two hours start working on your assignment. It will be a pain at first, but trust me when you are finished it's so worth it.

Please don't procrastinate.

Like stated earlier, in high school it was much easier to get away with not studying or starting on that research paper the night before it was due. The projects and research papers in college are much longer, which require a large amount of preparation and research. It would be very smart to start research on your paper as soon as possible. It will be much easier on you in the end and you will definitely want to "pat yourself on the back." As for tests, always remember to study, study, and study. Get as familiar with the test material as possible so you can go in the test confident you will do well.

Try not to party too much.

I know this is disappointing. I mean you're going to college you should be able to party all you want right? Well you can of course, but it's highly recommended to stay on task academically throughout the week. This means if you're invited to a Wednesday night movie, it would be smart to not go. Work extra hard during the week so the weekend can be extra fun.

Get involved.

Don't let all the school work overwhelm you, get out there and explore your college and fellow students. College is far more easier if you have friends to share the experiences with you. These friends can also be study partners to keep you both on task. Join an organization or club, these are two great ways to meet new people and become involved in your college. Communication with your professors and staff about your academic path will better you for the future.

As a high school student, you have many responsibilities such as grades, extracurricular activities and maybe even a part-time job. However, you should also be preparing for acceptance into college. Colleges and universities base their admission decision on more than just grades, they look at other factors to determine if you will be an asset to their school. There are things that you can do to start preparing so that you can raise your chances of acceptance into the school of your choice.

GRADES

This is of course the most obvious factor in a school’s decision to accept a student. If your grades and/or overall GPA are not up to par, then you probably will not be accepted. Schools want to see consistency in your grades over your four years of high school, especially in subjects such as English, Math, and Science. Do not worry if you received a D in Spanish, or a C in gym. If your grades are satisfactory as a whole, then the D in that one class is just a blemish on your report and will most likely be overlooked.

SAT/ACT

Most colleges and universities use college placement exams such as the SAT or ACT to determine your overall knowledge of the most important subjects. Usually you would take these tests as a junior and/or senior in high school. If you wait until your senior year, be sure to take the test early in the year such as September or October. You can take these tests more than once so that you can send your best score to your intended college. Universities do understand that some students are not good “test-takers” and they use your college placement test scores, in conjunction with your overall high school GPA to determine if you are a good academic fit for their school.

EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

Extracurricular activities are another important factor in the admission process at most schools. Colleges want to see that you are not only a good student academically, but that you have participated in clubs and sports during your high school years. Volunteer work is always a plus as well as the ability to hold down a part time job, even if it was only 5-10 hours per week. This shows colleges that you are a well-rounded student that will be able to do the same at their school.

APPLICATION

It is best to apply to your intended schools early in your senior year. A lot of schools may even have October or November deadlines for priority admission; so make sure to have your applications ready within the first few weeks of your senior year. This means take your college placement tests early as well, maybe even over the summer to ensure that your score is received in time for your application. You may also need letters of recommendation and a college essay, so you will also want to talk to your favorite teachers to see if they can write up a quick letter for you. Remember, you may not be the only student asking certain teachers for letters, so ask early so that you can give your teacher(s) plenty of time to return the letters back to you.

Do not be intimidated by the whole college admission process. If you keep up your grades to a satisfactory level or better and participate in activities, you should have no problem getting into college. Just be sure to apply to more than one school. Some schools only admit a select amount of freshman each year, so it is possible that you may get a rejection letter. If you do, then do not take it personally. As long as you do not put all of your eggs in one basket, you should be able to breeze through the whole admission process.

Have you ever wondered how your friend got that part time job working as a clerk in the admissions office or how your classmate scored a cool job stocking textbooks at the school bookstore? Well they may have received those jobs as part of a Federal Work Study Program. Millions of students across the country receive work-study assignments as part of their financial aid package for college.

What is work-study?

Federal Work Study is a program where a student can work part time to earn money, which will be applied towards the tuition balance at their school. These assignments are usually awarded to students who exhibit financial need. Need is determined by the school by using a formula created by the government.

How does it work?

Since the government funds Federal Work-Study, the minimum hourly wage is equal or greater than the federal minimum wage. Students usually work a minimum of about 10-15 hours per week with the maximum being 20 hours. Jobs can be located on or even off campus at federally approved companies, however the job at off-campus facilities must be in the best interest of the public, such as non profit organizations or community facilities.

How to apply for work-study

In order to apply for work-study a student must fill out the FAFSA, Free Application For Federal Student Aid. When filling out the FAFSA, there will be a section which will ask which types of financial aid you are interested in, such as loans, grants, and work-study. Be sure to check this box, as this will alert your school(s) that you are interested in this program as part of your financial aid.

What are the benefits of Federal work-study?

There are quite a few advantages with the work-study program. First, since this is a federal program, then you can be guaranteed that your part-time hours are flexible enough to revolve around your school schedule. Also, when you fill out your FAFSA the following year, the money you earned through work-study is not counted as income to determine your need for financial aid. Finally, the best part is that you get to work and the money is automatically applied to your outstanding tuition balance. If you combine work-study with loans, grants, and scholarships, then it makes paying for college a lot easier and less stressful.

Other points to remember:

Every college and university that participates in the work-study program has their own preset rules and terms regarding the process. If you are awarded work-study as part of your financial aid package, then make sure you ask some questions so that you get the most out of your experience. You should be sure to ask questions such as: “Do I have to find a job or will one be assigned to me?” or “What will my hours be?” You also want to be sure that when you are finally assigned your job that you show up as scheduled. Showing up late or not at all could get you fired thus, losing your work-study award.

Establishing credit can be a very difficult task, especially at a young age. You will often think to yourself, "I can't get credit because I have no credit and I don't have credit because I can't get any!" It's important to start getting your credit score up as early as possible. Without a decent credit score it is virtually impossible to get a car, house, or any other expensive items. Even when it comes to student loans, if you choose to go with a private lender, you may have a difficult time obtaining one without a decent credit score.

With a good credit history your chances on getting accepted for a loan are much higher. While submitting credit card applications can be depressing due to the amount of rejections you will get, don't give up. There are "secrets" around this that will enable you to establish some amount of credit.

One of the most popular ways to establish credit is to go to your local bank in which you have a banking account with. Have your parents or any other person with a decent credit history co-sign for you to get a secured credit card. Usually the limits on these are fairly low ($300-$1000) due to not having any history. You will probably be upset at the low limit you have, but it is important to not have a large limit for your first card.

Now with this credit card you can make relatively small purchases and pay at least the minimum amount for each bill received. The most important rule to remember here is to be responsible with the card. Don't just buy stuff because you "can" buy stuff. Only purchase what you know you can pay off. Therefore, don't go out and buy a $900 television set if you are making $300 a month. It is also important that you don't use the card for several small purchases such as: fast food, movies, etc. Of course at the moment you think you can pay it off at the end of the month, but after many small purchases the more in debt you get.

If you aren't able to get someone to co-sign for you there are other options available. Many gas stations or department stores have credit cards that nearly anyone can get as long as you can provide proof of a certain amount of income per month. With a department store card just purchase an amount of items that you know you can pay off soon. Doing so will increase your credit score seeing that you are paying on time. Missing a payment by even one day can deduct many points from your credit score.

Having negative points on your history will show banks or car dealerships that you aren't as reliable when it comes to making payments. Also having a bank account will help your chances of getting a credit card. As the bank account won't help your credit score, it will show the company you are applying with that you have money. The key point to gaining credit quickly is to pay at least the minimum payment each month.

Also check out College Student Credit Cards.