Students blog

Like any college student with a busy schedule, I spend a lot of time traveling from classes to work, internships and other events. Travel is a major aspect of life in general. I also spend several hours per week in a car traveling to work and school, even home for the weekends.

I am a student at Washington State University in Pullman, Washington. My hometown, Spokane, is only about an hour and a half away. That is an hour and a half away from my family and significant other. Needless to say, I go back there a lot and the drive is very familiar.

As my playlists of music became predictable and boring, I invested in audio books. I signed up for Audible and the audio book adventure began! As I drive I listen to various stories and novels and it makes it a much more enjoyable experience.

But I don’t want to waste my time just driving; I like to be productive.  This semester one of my classes has assigned required reading through Pearson Revel. Many times it is difficult for me to sit down and read a textbook without getting distracted and I end up avoiding the reading altogether. The features on Pearson Revel have helped me to improve my studying. While I drive, I listen to a chapter or two and it makes the hours of driving a much more productive experience.

Not only has this helped me improve my studying habits, but I am able to learn while I drive. Driving can be boring when the scenery is nothing new and you are driving by yourself. As much as I love music, audio books have become my go-to driving background music.

As the semester has progresses, I have seen my quiz grades improving. The content that we are quizzed on for reading is staying with me and the ability to multi-task and learn while on the go is perfect for my lifestyle. This is my senior year, but the way that I have been able to manage my time more effectively with reading in audio form has made an impact.  I wish I’d had access to Revel for previous classes.

Times are changing and technology is revolutionizing the classroom. Just one small aspect of incorporating technology into education has improved my college career. I encourage any student looking to be productive to take advantage of technology resources available. Not every assignment has to be just reading the textbook.

Finals are looming and summer plans are beginning. Are you one of the many students planning to remain in your college town for the summer? If so, be aware that the activity slows and boredom can rise. Being in a small town for the summer has its benefits. I’ll be spending my summer taking classes, working, meeting new people, and exploring my town. Here are a few tips for making the most of your summer in a college town.

Seize opportunities to meet new people

Whether you’re staying to take summer classes or to work, it can be difficult to find friends who have also stayed in town. There are a collection of people also facing classes, so it’s an excellent opportunity to make friends. Rather than going home, go get lunch with someone you see in your class! I have had the opportunity to meet people in my major I likely would not have talked to in the regular semester classes.

Get outside!

Outside of class and homework, it is important to be creative. Take time for exploration. During the school year, it may be difficult to find time to really explore the area. Take a drive, or go to a beach. With the summer sun shining, find a lake, river, or beachfront nearby. I have enjoyed many sunny afternoons with friends at the nearby river. Whether hiking, swimming, or playing a friendly game of frisbee, summertime brings opportunity for many activities. Keep a lookout for school events, or even host a potluck barbeque.

 Get ahead

Finally, spending the summer in a college town provides the chance to get ahead. Rather than sitting around with nothing to do, use the time to learn skills that may be useful in the upcoming school year. While campus may be quiet, it will be active again in the fall. Use quiet time now to prepare for the future, so more time can be spent having fun in the school year.

With the right people, and new friends, simple activities become a blast. Even a simple trip to the grocery store can be entertaining. With the proper level of creativity and some new friends, empty college towns can become the foundation for an epic summer.

How are you planning to spend your summer? Share your ideas when you retweet my blog!

Vegan. I thought this was just another weird fad diet until I was enlightened by my roommates. This past fall, I moved in with two friends who follow a diet that doesn’t include any animal products. Through them I learned a lot about a vegan diet, and even decided to try it myself. I want to share with you my experience, challenges, and rewards as I participated in this experiment.

It’s more than just a “diet” –  it’s a way of life

There are many reasons why people choose to be vegan. The first lesson I learned is the varying “levels” of vegan. Some choose to remove animal products just from their diet, and others try to remove animal products from their lifestyle all together.

Varying reasons behind the choice

I was blown away by the “rational” of why people choose to go vegan. It’s more than just a healthy diet, or even just a weight loss tool. People adopt vegan diets because of sustainability, world hunger, and even animal welfare. Some people choose to go vegan to show opposition to the meat and animal industries. By seeing that people are adopting a vegan diet for multiple reasons other than just healthy eating, I felt even more encouraged to persevere and eat more sustainably and more humanely.

A gradual change

I started removing meat products a few days prior to the start of my experiment and removed all other animal products at the start of my week-long trial. I won’t claim that I went the full experience without error. Without thinking I spread butter on my dinner roll and put honey in my tea only to realize afterwards that honey is technically an animal product. I quickly realized the awareness it takes to be vegan and the need for attention to detail. However, my roommates encouraged me not to give up. What is better than perfection is the attempt to make changes. No one is perfect, and there is no such thing as a “perfect vegan.” However, if we all make a gradual change towards the ideals of veganism, we can accomplish so much in the way of sustainability, animal welfare, world hunger – and even our own health.

Results quickly noticed

As the week progressed, I realized all the health benefits of the food I was eating. I was buying less premade food and buying more ingredients and vegetables. It’s not too difficult to cook vegan when you have the knowledge. I was eating more leafy greens and spending more time cooking dinner rather than using the microwave to cook it for me. As a result, I had more energy, and felt more “light” as opposed to the heaviness and grogginess that sometimes results from eating lots of meat and dairy.

A surprising challenge

I found the greatest challenge to be social pressure. When we grow up in a society where eating animals is the “norm” I found it hard to be the “weird one” by standing by my beliefs to eat a plant based diet. People asked me about my protein intake and my health concerns. Eating animals is not necessary to sustain life, and with vitamin supplements and a balanced diet, health shouldn’t be a concern. We can get our protein from dark leafy greens, beans, and even peanut butter! What is most encouraging is seeing veganism on the rise. Millennials are predicted to be the most adoptive generation of the vegan diet. With the younger generation increasing in support of the vegan lifestyle, it’s only growing in popularity.

I learned a lot from this experience. I can see just how much animal products are ingrained into society. There are animal products in almost anything from clothes to hair products. I also learned how rewarding the health benefits are from eating more veggies and fewer dairy products. While this experience was only 7 days, I learned a great deal and I understand why my roommates chose to adopt a vegan lifestyle. While I will not be converting to a fully vegan diet, I do intend to maintain a more plant based eating habit and a greater awareness of what I am eating.