Laptops

In the last decade or so, many revolutionizing inventions have affected college students more than anyone else who uses them. Nearly all of these innovations are technological, and include Facebook, Twitter, e-mail, cellphones, and most importantly of all, laptops being more common than desktop computers.

I don't think I can stress enough how much I love my laptop. It provides me with entertainment, research, and a way to kill time, and best of all, I can take it with me anywhere. Despite all of this, it can sometimes be more of a bane than anyone else.

Students everywhere take their computers to class, planning on using it to take notes. And admittedly, it has an additional benefit, such as your teacher suggesting a site and going on it immediately. However, those things are never the only things students use their laptops for while in class. Most are probably going on Facebook or Stumbling while pretending to listen. This is why some teachers do not allow students to bring a laptop, unless they have a disability that requires it.

And honestly, we know that the classroom isn't the only place where a computer provides a distraction. Any student whose had to write a paper has experienced typing along, and then opening the browser to check a fact. While you've got the window open, you might as well check your e-mail. And your Facebook. Then, in the news feed you notice that your favorite blog has been opened. The cycle may not end for two hours, at which point you are tired and want to go to bed, but have a paper due in eight hours that is only half finished.

On top of the damage it does to our academic habits, Computers run the risk of causing us to use our free time less productively. Many times, I have told myself that I will put on some Pandora radio while I get ahead in my studying, but then I become focused on choosing the music, and then keep going on Facebook, that I don't get far enough to constitute actual studying. Also, when I have the Internet handy, I do not usually do as much reading just for the heck of it as I do when I am not distracted by the Internet.

A solution I've heard for at least one of these problems, is to unplug your computer while working on homework. That way, as the computer slowly loses battery power, it will give you a time frame in which to get your work done, and keep you from procrastinating. I tried it, and it worked, at least to a degree. I was not able to force myself to complete the work until the warning telling me to plug in popped up.

Advertising in Textbooks?

Image via Wikipedia

This semester I am taking my first marketing class. I thought I would enjoy it but a lot about the class has fallen short of my expectations. My biggest complaint? The textbook's approach.

I understand that we are learning about advertising, but marketing, especially in its modern day form, is much more than just throwing ads and products at customers and expecting them to buy what you're selling. And my textbook certainly stressses the importance of knowing your customer and understanding them, but I can't help but wonder if the book itself is one giant advertisement.

Proctor and Gamble make many appearances in the book, especially concerning Tide, and I'm not even halfway through the book. I read through an entire list of many products that P&G make, including all of the Tides as well as other laudry detergents. I found this list in the book.

Another issue is when corporations are painted as nothing but good. Even if the company has had problems in the past, the goal of many marketing campaigns is to show that everything has changed. And in the class, the campaign is all we see. One negative concern I've seen addressed is about WalMart. Many dissatisfied customers will start websites criticizing the company and get thousands of visitors daily. While fixing the concerns (which even WalMart has to admit are valid) seems to me like the best fix, they instead try to take down the offending websites. And my book blames the starters of these sites for ruining WalMart's image.

Even in my management classes, whenever we watch a video case on a company, I always feel like I am watching a commercial. You have a narrarator with a cheery voice listing all of the benefits this company has as a result of a new leadership initiative. I understand that the teacher wants us to have a frame of references, but I think we deserve to know what is going on that may not be so wonderful about the companies we are studying. And I certainly shouldn't feel like I am always looking at ads during class.

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• How to Make a Marketing Campaign Go Viral in China (readwriteweb.com)

Libraries

http://www.eschoolnews.com/2010/06/18/why-the-library-should-affect-students-college-choice/

 

Apparently, the library should be a crucial issue when choosing a college. What do you think? Did you take the library into consideration when you choose your school? How big of a part of the tour was it? And how often do you use the library's resources?

Also, are books in libraries going away?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38165962/ns/business-motley_fool/

Reading in College

If your study schedule is anything like most college students, most of it consists of reading for class; and trying to limit that reading. With all of that reading, is it any surprise most of us do not read for fun? After working, studying, etc. all I ever feel like doing is watching T.V., going on the computer, or reading magazines.

The only reason I am ever able to get reading done that I want to do is because I have a job where I sit at a desk for hours on end and talk to people when they stop by. So, I get to read between giving directions- that is, when I don't have to do homework.

So who here likes to read but doesn't have time? How do you make the time? What are your favorite books?

Don't Do Too Much

I saw a great piece of advice in my facebook news feed about how to be productive from Entrepreneur. However, when applied to college, this advice will not only make you more productive, it will also make you less stressed and therefore healthier. You might already know what it is, it's that simple: Do less.

While in school, we may be told the exact opposite. You have to have a job, an internship, and volunteer activities in order to be appealing to your future employers. But you also will need to take the toughest classes and ace them, meaning you must study at least two hours for everyone hour of class (please please please tell me I am not alone in never having done this in my life.) Then of course, there are the things you want to do, like go to the occaisonal party, go out to eat, join a few clubs, and date. Oh, don't forget to stay in shape by getting nine hours of sleep, planning all of your meals (at least three a day, with snacks in between, kids!) and exercising.

Well, some of that is easy. First, you will not want to be in as many clubs as you thought you wanted after you attend a few interest meetings, so don't worry too much about that. Most college kids only have three meals a day when they're home, and like that just fine. As for the exercising, combine it with something else, like walk to class or the store, or do some active volunteering. And just forget the nine hours of sleep, you will adapt to getting less. And there is no shame in taking one class a semester that you can pass simply by showing up and raising your hand from time to time. As for the rest of your classes, plan when you will take them in advance so you will never have a heart attack over the amount of work.

The fact of the matter is, some things you are told you must do while in school aren't all that necesary, so figure out what is really important, and what you want to put you soul into to get the best results.