Students blog

Climate change is an issue already affecting how we live. It seems like once-in-a-century storms happen all the time now! Businesses, governments, and regular folks need to take action to ensure that we avoid the worst of climate change by reducing our carbon footprint.

As consumers, we need to start incorporating sustainability into our purchasing and disposal decisions as the products we use may have a major impact on the environment. Here are five things that you can do to incorporate sustainability into everyday decision making and reduce your carbon footprint:

1. Shop Regularly at Local Farmers Markets

By shopping regularly at your local farmers market, you reduce the amount of fuel needed to bring that fruit or vegetable from a farm thousands of miles away to just in your backyard. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the transportation sector generates the largest share of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, and simply by changing purchasing habits you can reduce the demand for distant food and help local farmers in your community!

2. BYOB – Bring Your Own Bag

How many times have you gone to a grocery store to have your groceries placed in plastic bags only to be thrown out later? Plastic bags are incredibly wasteful, as the production of these bags are energy intensive, and it will take that bag over 1,000 years to break down! If you’re looking to reduce your carbon footprint, consider buying a re-usable bag as this will eliminate the need to use plastic bags.

3. Donate Used Clothes

Another easy way to incorporate sustainability into your everyday decision making could be to donate used clothes, so long as they are still wearable, to thrift stores or other used clothing stores. Clothing waste is terrible for the environment, and if you can limit how much waste enters landfills the better the environment impact.

4. No More Plastic Water Bottles

Plastic bottles, like plastic bags, are extremely unhealthy to the environment. I recommend buying a stainless-steel water bottle as it will cut the need for you to use a plastic water bottle. Stainless-steel water bottles are BPA free, contain far fewer chemicals then plastic, and help keep mold, and other bacteria at bay.

5. Compost Your Food Waste

Composting your food waste is fantastic for the environment as it reduces carbon emissions from food waste decomposition, and it sequesters carbon already in the atmosphere! Additionally, composting helps keep food out of landfills which are a big contributor to climate change. I have a compost bin in my back yard, and I absolutely love it! I use the composted soil to plant my own vegetables!

We all have a role to play in combatting climate change. Doing your part to incorporate sustainability into everyday decisions is both fun and good for the planet!

Do you have a compelling story or student success tips you’d like to see published on the Pearson Students blog?  If you are a college student and interested in writing for us – click here to pitch your idea and get started! 

Let’s be honest, the idea of winter or summer break and schoolwork don’t go together. Summers are supposed to be for the beach, and winter for skiing. But there are numerous advantages to taking courses during the winter or summer break. Taking winter or summer classes can set you ahead and make life easier for you in the fall or spring semesters. I will explore four key reasons why taking winter or summer courses can be advantageous to you.

1. Fewer classes during the fall or spring semester – Depending on your financial aid circumstances, taking a class or two during the break may help you rebalance how many classes you are taking in the fall or spring semester. This can mean that you don’t need to overload yourself during those semesters by trying to fill your schedule with as many classes as possible. Additionally, it can help you out by allowing you to focus on those harder classes you signed up for. For example, if you know you need to take organic chemistry and calculus, why take those in the same semester when you can take the classes in a longer period you so can have ample time to devote to those two difficult classes.
2. Knock out a prerequisite course or two and get into the upper-level classes – Taking a winter or summer course will allow you to get into those upper-level classes much faster as usually they offer prerequisite courses during these semesters. Getting into the upper-level classes sooner may be advantageous because it may open up opportunities to internships and future research with professors as they look for students who have taken certain courses and have ample time left during their university studies. Perhaps one of the greatest aspects of winter or summer classes is that they often do not take place in a packed lecture hall! This provides a greater opportunity to develop a rapport with a professor or TA.
3. Keep your mind in the academic groove – I have often found it difficult to transition back into the “academic groove” during the first couple weeks of the fall or spring semester when I had not taken a winter or summer course. Up until that first exam, I wouldn’t devote the necessary time needed to fully grasp material and would in some cases fall behind for the remainder of the semester as I didn’t have complete understanding of material. Taking a winter or summer course has allowed my mind to remain in that groove and I also found it easier to concentrate, and devote the necessary time needed for material during the entirety of fall and spring semesters.
4. You can still do all the activities you want to do with good time management – With good time management, all the skiing and beach trips are still possible even when you have academic commitments. Unless its an online course, you won’t be able to go away for a weeklong vacation, but it is still possible to do so many thrilling and relaxing activities. My tips for having good time management are to use a calendar, designate time each week to focus on each course, and write down all your assignment due dates together so you see what is coming up.

Winter and summer classes sound like the worst-case scenario for a break. But they can be worth it and set you ahead for future success!

Do you have a compelling story or student success tips you’d like to see published on the Pearson Students blog?  If you are a college student and interested in writing for us – click here to pitch your idea and get started! 

During my freshman year of college there was a constant joke going around about how online classes were so much easier than in-person classes. But during the past two years, I have learned that online classes are not easy at all, and I would argue can be much harder. I found it more difficult to grasp curriculum, and easier to focus on everything besides school and fall behind.

If you are currently taking an online class, or are planning to take one soon, this blog is for you. Below are the five key ingredients I found to achieve success in online courses. These ingredients are tried and true and will never fail you.

1. Organize your time – This is perhaps the most essential ingredient to success. You need to set aside time each week to focus on your class rather than simply doing assignments when you remember to do them. Setting aside time during the week is critical to getting your body in a groove and helps keep you on track in terms of due dates, leaving you ample time to study. My rule of thumb is to set aside two hours a week per credit hour for each online course you are taking.
2. Write down all your assignments and due dates – It is easy for students to fall behind on work when they rely on a syllabus to tell them when an assignment is due. Syllabi are often complex and may not be organized in the most logical or coherent manner; it is easy to forget what assignments are due when even after reading them. That is why another key ingredient is to write down all the assignments and due dates. I use Microsoft Excel to write down all my assignments for all my classes into one sheet with each class designated by a different color listed by due date. This way I can quickly see what important projects are approaching.
3. Utilize a calendar – When you organize your time, put your designated focus time for each class in your calendar. This way you won’t schedule other events like dinners, dates, or whatever, on time you already designated for your classes. Simply telling yourself that you will do the class material another time is a recipe for disaster! Keep yourself in the routine and use a calendar.
4. Communicate – This may sound easy, but it is critical to communicate to others in the class, and to those in your life about what you are working on. Communicating with others about class work is an easy way to reinforce course material and keep your mind in the academic mindset. Additionally, communicating with family or friends about the fact that you are taking an online course allows an external check to exist as they might ask how your classes are going and what you are working on.
5. Attend office hours – There is a reason why your professors or TAs have office hours each week and that is to help you. Take advantage of this opportunity to get one-on-one time with your instructor as they will help you fully grasp the course material. Plus, you will begin to establish a relationship which can help in the future should you need to ask them for letters of recommendation.

Online classes aren’t easy, and that’s okay. But following these five ingredients are the key to success in online classes.

Do you have a compelling story or student success tips you’d like to see published on the Pearson Students blog?  If you are a college student and interested in writing for us – click here to pitch your idea and get started! 

I am often faced with a simple adage in life: whether it be academic, personal, or career related, failure happens, but it is our ability to stand up and dust ourselves off following this, that will drive us to success. The Latin phrase, “per Astra per aspera” or “through adversity to the stars” is emblematic of the challenges we face. Failure is a part of life, and however de-moralizing it may feel, there are lessons we learn by going through such scenarios. As an example, I recently lost an election in a race for a local Board of Education. But there are things I learned in my loss, that coming out of it has made me a better employee, student, and general member of society.

Reflect on your actions

Following my electoral loss, I faced the reality that the plan I had created for myself and had been following for years was disrupted. At that very moment though, I had to make a choice, either to continue the path I was headed down, unaware of what lay ahead, or reflect and figure out exactly what went wrong, and where. I created a timeline of my campaign, carefully analyzed methods and strategy of mine, I discussed tactics with some stakeholders in my campaign, and had honest conversations with them on what I did right, but most importantly, what I did wrong.

It was here that I learned that it is a necessity for anyone, in whatever failure they may face, whether it be minor or large, that the ability to critically reflect on ones actions, and be open minded on the findings is crucial to overcoming failure. Without the ability to reflect on oneself, you are bound to repeat these failures, and as Mark Twain once put it “There is nothing to be learned from the second kick of a mule”.

Visualize your challenges

While the ability to reflect is essential to overcoming a failure, the ability to be visionary is another. No, I am not talking about wishful idealism, or a vision that ignores the enormity of challenges before you. I am talking about a vision that allows you to see the challenges and how they should be tackled. Following this period of reflection, you must see where the challenges before you lay, and come up with a visionary plan as to how they must be tackled.

When it relates to my electoral loss, my reflection followed a major course correction, but this correction did not underestimate the challenges before me. However masterful of a plan you create, you must embrace the nature of life, where the unexpected may suddenly appear and you must deal with it.

Follow through on the process

The last, and perhaps most fundamental characteristic of overcoming a failure is the ability to follow through. This strenuous ordeal requires a great deal of devotion, organization, and perseverance. Without follow through, the ability to craft an expansive reflection and establish a vision for the future becomes meaningless.

Failure is an unequivocal aspect of life; however, it is our ability to learn and grow that is key to our individual success. Although each of us may face unique scenarios, we are united in our struggle to ascertain a better future.

Leaders are inevitably faced with crisis. Events arrive and derail years of progress made by an organization. As a result, leaders must develop a leadership style that prepares an organization for unexpected circumstances. In international affairs, a strategy called Smart Power exists for this reason. With modifications, this strategy could be deployed in the workplace. When using Smart Power, leaders should focus their efforts on identifying key talents of their staff, understanding threats to productivity, and implementing strategic communication.

Implementing Smart Power

While applying Smart Power as a leadership strategy for non-governmental organizations (NGOs), a leader must have a clear understanding of the soft and hard power of a leader. Soft power is the ability to influence and engage others through communication, and hard power is where a directive is clear. Smart Power is a combination of both strategies. Business leaders must be prepared for unexpected circumstances. The leadership style of Smart Power could help organizations navigate complicated situations and develop employee skillsets in the process.

Developing a Collaboration Culture

One must be aware of the organizational mission and staff skills when using this strategy. Leaders should seek to transform the shortcomings of their employees with the proper resources and allow them to grow as individuals.

In addition to this, leaders must be able to grapple with threats in both the short and long term. One such strategy is to develop a framework that cultivates input directly from those in the field, allowing those in leadership to take quick and decisive action prior to a major problem leading to crisis. Leaders must construct a culture of collaboration among employees. This allows leaders to address problems before they consume the organization.

Today’s leaders are often faced with unpredictable and unrueing circumstances which can derail an organization. They must develop a leadership style that adequately addresses this nature. By developing a Smart Power mindset, leaders will be well equipped to better their organization, and thrive in times of challenge.

Your freshman year of college is one of momentous change and growth. Prior to starting my journey at the University at Buffalo, I was terrified of what college held for me. I knew almost nobody on campus and came from a high school program that had roughly 18 people in it compared to a university with a student body of 30,000. Additionally, obvious differences like more demanding work terrified me of what was about to lay ahead.

Because I am a History major with a focus on Education, I spent many days back at my high school obtaining classroom observation hours. Senior friends still in high school and about to go off on the same journey would ask me, “how did you survive your freshman year?” The fear of the freshman year of college is universally terrifying, but I took advantage of the challenges thrown at me and was able to succeed.

While explaining a key fundamental difference between high school and college, I ask students this question: “whose fault is it if you fail?” Most students respond that it is the teacher’s fault, to which I respond, in college, it is not the professor’s fault if you fail, it is yours. This fundamental difference means that students need to change their approach to school, like I did in my freshman year.

Show up for office hours

One of the changes I made was taking advantage of office hours. This is where students go to their professor for help if they don’t understand material. Even if I felt I understood the material, I would always try to see my professors once a week to develop personal relationships. Sometimes I would realize that I did not always have a fully accurate grasp of the material. Office hours completely transformed me as a student. College freshmen should take advantage of them if they wish to succeed in the new environment.

Tackle time management

An additional adjustment I had to make had to do with time management. In college, so many assignments are thrown at you and you need to be able to juggle them all at once. That is why during the first week of classes, I take the syllabus from each class and write when all assignments are due in my agenda. This way I am always able to see when an upcoming assignment is due, won’t lose track of any assignments, and always see when a quiz or exam is coming up. Many times a professor will not remind you when something is due, they will just expect it to be done.

Be alert for lectures

A final element I had to change was my ability to pay attention in lecture halls of over 300 students. I made sure to choose a seat in the front of the class, otherwise I knew I might doze off. I also made sure my phone was turned off to minimize distraction. Finally, I found that actively writing notes using pen and paper increased my ability to focus on the material being presented.

College is fundamentally different than high school, and it is terrifying for almost all people in their freshman year. However, these are some of the strategies I used to succeed, and I know you will be able to use them to succeed, too.