Awhile back I mentioned that I'm also About.com's R&B music critic, and as you might guess, music plays a big part in my life. But despite that, I still don't own an iPod. Yes, yes - I know, I know. But getting one is definitely on my to-do list; iPod's have become a sort of must-have accessory in the modern-day world, almost the way wristwatches used to be for so long. And if you're looking to buy an iPod or iPod-related item as a gift for a graduate but don't know how or where to start, you've landed on the right page: Sam Costello, About.com's Guide to iPods (yes, we've got Guides for almost everything), has some useful suggestions for you. Check 'em out:
Now that it's officially summer, many students will be taking trips across America and the world, taking advanage of the time off to do some exploring and adventuring while on vacation. But according to Kathleen Crislip, About.com's Guide to Student Travel, before traveling, students need to do some travel planning. Life on the road will be easier, Kathleen says, if you know what you need and at least a little about where you're going, what you're doing, how you'll get there and where you can stay. With that said, Kathleen has prepared a complete travel planning roundup that she calls Student Travel 101.
I don't know if you've noticed, but fewer young people are wearing wristwatches these days. It's understandable why not: cellular phones, BlackBerrys, iPods and other devices these days have built-in digital timepieces, making wearing a wristwatch sometimes unnecessary. But no matter what, there will be at least a few times a year when a wristwatch is needed, such as a formal occasion or a function where you wouldn't want to go digging into your pocket or purse looking for something to tell you what time it is. But although wristwatches are not going extinct, it's possible that a young graduate you know may not own a watch - yet. If that's the case, check out this list of our top 10 picks of watches for women.
Going from the college campus to the corporate climate can be a significant adjustment for many former students, especially those who are lived and breathed the academic life. Suddenly you get out into the real world and there's no professors, no formal exams and usually no homework. But there are similarities between collegiate life and the corporate climate, and Dawn Rosenberg McKay, About.com's Guide to Career Planning has some good advice on how you can succeed in your new environment. The tips are simple and plain, like show up to work on time (or preferably early) and spend a lot of time listening and observing. One tip that didn't make the list was no keggers at the office on the weekends, but you probably already knew that one, didn't you? Um, didn't you?
Most of you good folks probably don't know and/or don't care, but when I'm not here guiding the Grads site, I maintain About.com's R&B music domain. So as you might gather, I have a strong interest in music. And blogging about all things graduation eventually brought me full circle and got me thinking about music. Or more specifically, music about graduating. So I wound up putting together my own list of R&B songs that are graduation-related and/or have graduation themes. But it turns out I wasn't the first music Guide with a graduation songs list, so I'm including a few others within the About.com network also. So if you're looking for party music to celebrate getting that degree or program certificate, look below for lots of suggestions.
As graduation gets closer and closer, many college students begin to experience a mounting anxiety about their student loans. Considering that the average senior’s student loan balance is just under $20,000, most graduates have a legitimate reason to feel stressed. With that in mind, a quick primer on repaying student loans can go a long way to alleviating one’s worries. In fact, Ken Clark, who's About.com's Guide to Saving For College, says there are numerous options for repaying student loans, all of which make that huge balance feel much more affordable. Yay! For more info, check out Ken's article.
During my initial post-college years, I'd get extremely nervous during job interviews. Not nervous enough that I would start sweating or stammering, but nervous enough that I couldn't sleep the night before and that my stomach would churn and churn so much during the sit-down interview that it would be in knots. Over time, I found that one thing above almost all helps you get though the interviewing process: preparation. If you know the company well - it's size, structure, reputation, etc. - and have a good handle on what the duties and responsibilities of are the job you're interviewing for, it helps a lot. And so does good grooming, punctuality and a positive attitude. If you're a grad who's going to be interviewing for jobs in the near future, Dawn Rosenberg McKay, About.com's Guide to Career Planning, has some good advice on prepping for a job interview.
You know what I've been dying to do for awhile now? Hit the spa. That's right, I've been meaning to take a half day and get myself a manicure and pedicure - maybe even a facial. Ordinarily I wouldn't publicly reveal that bit of personal information - I am a straight guy after all - but there's just something that seems so appealing about spending time getting pampered at a spa. And as you might guess, About.com's Guide to Spas, Anitra Brown, agrees. In fact, she's even put together a great fact-filled article on buying a spa gift certificate. So if you know a recent or future graduate who might enjoy some time at a spa as a reward for all their academic hard work, then check out Anitra's article.
If all your friends are excited about going off to college, and you’re dragging your feet for some reason and just can’t get into it, there's no need to wonder if there’s something wrong with you. In fact, this feeling is actually pretty normal. If you’re like some high school students, you might not feel very excited about signing up for four (or more) years of schooling even though nearly all professional careers require a college degree. So if you're actually dreaing going to college and need some good news, here are four reasons why you might like - or even love - going to college, even if you hated high school.
The number of companies offering desktop computers for the budget market has declined significantly in recent years, so if you're looking for a cheap inexpensive desktop for a high school graduate who's heading off to college or for a college grad heading out into the working world, it can be a little difficult to find a good model for a decent price. Knowing this, your pal Mark Kyrnin, aka About.com's Guide to PC Hardware/Reviews, has put together a list of five desktop computers priced under $650 ($750 if the system includes a monitor) that you should consider when comparison shopping.
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