2 Fantastic Online Resources for Teenage Girls Entering High School

July 21, 2015 Suzanne Shaffer

Entering a new school is hard enough, but add on the difficulties that come with being a teenage girl and starting high school begins to feel truly daunting. While family, friends, and school counselors can offer much needed support, there are also some great online tools that can help young girls cope with the transition from middle school to high school. Here are two websites that every girl can rely on during her pivotal teen years:

teenage girls — photo courtesy of Pixabay

Rookie Mag

Although there is no perfect guidebook for dealing with the complexities and challenges of being a teenager, the online publication Rookie Mag offers a tremendous amount of useful and fun information for girls. Rookie’s numerous post topics cover everything from combating insecurity, to dealing with friendship drama, to music recommendations, to DIY craft guides. The site’s eclectic writing and editorial team features females of varying ages and backgrounds, which helps make it an incredibly inclusive and comprehensive magazine. All teen girls can benefit from the candor and positive advice found on Rookie Mag.

PBS Digital Studios

While magazines like Rookie can help girls cope with the social and emotional problems they may face during high school, other online resources can help foster their intellect. One such tool is PBS Digital Studios, an educational program consisting of several different video blogs. For teens having a hard time relating to certain teachers or staying focused in class, the hosts of PBS digital shorts make learning entertaining with their funny and informative videos that cover various topics like nature, history, and pop culture. It is an especially wonderful resource for girls interested in subjects stereotypically considered more popular with boys, like science or video games. PBS Digital Studios is a virtual place where teenage girls can access news and facts that may not reach them in their actual classrooms. The series encourages all viewers to geek out and get nerdy about learning, regardless of their gender or age.

While some adults may lament on how today’s youth spend too much time online, the Internet does give teens access to some wonderfully engaging and intellectually stimulating resources. For teenage girls, certain websites and blogs can offer inviting and safe spaces for them to explore topics that either feel closed off to them or uncomfortable to talk about in real life. Virtual tools like Rookie Mag and PBS Digital Studios can help female students avoid feeling overwhelmed or isolated from the social, emotional, and intellectual demands of high school.

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Javaher Nooryani is a writer based in Denver, CO. She has a BA in American Literature & Culture from UCLA and a Masters in English & American Literature from NYU. As a former tutor, Javaher is passionate about higher education and is glad to share her knowledge on CollegeFocus, a website that helps students deal with the challenges of college.

career colleges, college majors

Is Your Student Interested in a Career in Communicative Disorders?

July 20, 2015 Suzanne Shaffer

Communication is an important part of a person’s daily life. While there are many ways people communicate with each other, verbal communication is the most prevalent means of conveying needs and wants. For people with communicative disorders such as speech problems and hearing loss, giving and receiving basic information can be a challenge. These individuals need the assistance of trained professionals to provide them with tools and resources to help them navigate their daily lives as easily as possible.

A career in the communicative field can be incredibly rewarding. If you’re considering this career path, here are a few examples of jobs you can apply a communicative disorders degree towards.

Speech Pathology

A speech therapist, also called a speech-language pathologist, diagnoses, treats, and works toward preventing communicative disorders. These disorders may or may not be related to the following factors:

Cognitive communication
Fluency
Swallowing
Language
Speech

As a speech-language pathologist (SLP), you may work with individuals who cannot produce sounds or do not produce sounds in a clear manner. Examples of voice disorders include stuttering, inappropriate pitch, and rhythm difficulties.

Many different organizations hire speech therapists such as schools, private businesses, and therapeutic groups. Whether you work for an organization directly or have a private practice, this particular area of the communicative disorders field has plenty of opportunity for career growth. Keep in mind that a master’s degree is almost always a requirement for most positions in this field.

Deaf Education

A career working with deaf or hard-of-hearing students is rewarding on many levels. Did you know that according to the Hearing Health Foundation (HHF), 1 in 5 Americans have some hearing loss in one ear? Also, 3 out of every 1,000 children born in the United States are born hard of hearing or deaf.

Do these statistics shock you? Do they make you wonder what it is like for people who, on a daily basis, struggle to communicate with their peers and family members? If so, you may want to consider a career in deaf education. Here are just a few of the many jobs that are directly related to individuals experiencing hearing loss:

Sign language interpreter
Audiologist
Social worker
Child care worker
Employment counseling

As you can see, the types of jobs that appeal to people interested in deaf education are varied. Some jobs provide direct service to individuals with hearing loss while other jobs may focus on educating hearing people about the struggles that their non-hearing counterparts face. These particular jobs focus on finding solutions to make it easier for deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals to function in a hearing world.

Audiology

The audiology professional is continuously growing and has many career opportunities. One of the reasons for the increased need for professionals in this industry is the growing geriatric population. Baby boomers are entering the later stages of their lives and with this comes hearing loss that can make communication difficult.

Audiologists strive to improve the quality of life for their patients and take on many different roles. Some audiologists provide rehabilitation services while others monitor and prevent hearing loss. Places that hire audiologists include the following:

Private, medical practices
Public health services
Long-term care facilities
Rehabilitation facilities
Public and private schools (educational audiology)
Health insurance providers
Research facilities
And more!

For a successful and lucrative career in the audiology field, you’ll need to complete as many as 8 years of schooling. The field is slowly transitioning into a doctoring-level profession, which includes an additional year of internship study.

To learn more about the opportunities in the communicative field, work closely with your counselor to find an educational path that will help you fulfill your career goals.

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Heather Jensen is an Audiologist and Clinical Assistant Professor for Utah state University. She received her Doctorate of Audiology from Arizona School of Health Sciences in 2004. She has been an adviser for the student academy of audiology organization at USU for 11 years. Before coming to USU, she owned her own private practice, but decided she wanted to give back to the field of audiology by teaching students. When she’s not working she spends time with her four children, she also enjoys doing hearing related humanitarian missions.

careers

5 Things That Make an Educational Company Great to Work For

July 17, 2015 Suzanne Shaffer

When you were young, school didn’t seem like somewhere a person would choose to work. For the few who defy their younger selves by venturing back into the halls of learning in adulthood to help educate a new generation, a deeply rewarding and well-regarded career awaits. Here’s a few things that make an educational company great to work for.

1. A culture of positivity and purpose

School are now, more than they’ve ever been, a place of purpose and positivity. This is reinforced through every layer of the establishment, from faculty to the student body. Great educational institutions will place a huge premium on both the distribution of knowledge and generation of a positive atmosphere for all on campus. Places like these make every part of the school a much more pleasant place to work.

2. Growth opportunities abound

Many companies have a big focus on growth opportunities for long-term employees but that doesn’t always mean sticking to a traditional career path. Depending on the way the school apportions their budgets and manages their facilities, you may find that while your position does not change much over time, evolving technology, training and equipment may allow you to be much more effective at your job.

3. The opportunity to work with people you respect and admire

As an educator, being surrounded by like-minded people who hold a similar set of values to your own is one of the best parts of working at an educational institution. It allows you to network, hear different opinions and explore new areas of thought and study. You’re able to learn from people whose work you respect and literally train with the best. Institutions such as Evocca College place a large emphasis on providing a high degree of training and support for their educators – you can find out more information here.

4. You face new academic challenges daily

Problem solvers make great teachers and educators. Becoming an educator is an excellent career for those who like to be challenged by their profession. Figuring things out, cracking codes, making important breakthroughs – it’s something we as a species thrive on and nowhere is this itch better scratched than when working in the educational sector.

5. You get to make a difference

One of the very best parts of the job is knowing that you’ve helped shape a new generation of people, hopefully for the better. You’ve provided them with all the tools they need to not only survive in a hostile world but to make it better. You’ve managed to truly touch or even change lives with the knowledge you had to give and that is the kind of reward that’s not easy to come by in any other profession.

A great company is somewhere that allows you to do amazing things and enjoy yourself alongside like-minded people who desire the same things. That’s what you get when you go to work for an educational company, and it’s why they’re pretty great to work for.

parenting

Tips for Staying Connected with your Teen

July 16, 2015 Suzanne Shaffer

It doesn’t matter how close you were before they entered high school, the tension always mounts and the temptation is to drift apart. It takes a concerted effort on your part to stay in touch with their world. They are naturally moving toward independence and we are naturally grasping to keep them from growing up. And thus begins the ying and yang of parent/teenager relationships.

During high school your teens will experience every form of human emotion: joy, sadness, rejection, fear of failure, excitement, disappointment, heartache, love, and the list goes on and on. Most of the emotions are extreme and always seem like the end of the world to them. It’s hard to convey to them that “this too shall pass” and they will realize as they get older that their life is just beginning.

They are looking ahead to the future while living in the present. Keeping on track and keeping their eyes on the prize (graduation and college) can be challenging. As their parent coach and encourager, and the all-knowing, all-wise adult in their life, it’s up to you to stay connected and help them maintain their focus.

Here are a few of my own tips to help when staying connected:

Find that time when you can sit with them and listen. This is not easy, because many teens rarely sit still for very long to have a conversation. I would sit in my daughter’s room while she picked out her clothes and dressed to go out. You’ll be amazed at how much information you can gather if you simply listen.

Share something they enjoy. It might not be your choice of activities, but if you share a common interest it gives you something to talk about. An activity as simple as watching their favorite television show with them, or making a trip to the mall to search for the all-important clothing purchase will offer opportunities for you to listen and for them to open up to you about their lives.

Let them make mistakes, but be there when they do. Allowing them to make choices and experience the consequences of those choices will prepare them for those times when you aren’t there to tell them what to do.

Pick your battles. It’s easy as a parent to constantly give advice, even to the point of overly controlling their lives. Save those showdowns for the biggies: drinking, smoking, drugs, and sex. Don’t stress so much over their clothing choices or their hair styles. They are teenagers. They want to fit in. If you’re not always battling them over the small things, they will be more receptive when you do put your foot down.

Staying connected with your teen can be challenging, but the rewards far outweigh the difficulties. When your teen turns to you and finally says, “thanks Mom” or “thanks Dad”, it’s all worth it!

insurance

Insurance Coverage for your College Freshman

July 15, 2015 Suzanne Shaffer

These posts were originally written for University Parent and posted on UniversityParent.com: Insurance Coverage for Your College Freshman and Health Insurance for College Students

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As our students get ready for college, what types of insurance do they need? In addition to health insurance, which is mandatory, consider these options:

Contents (Renters)

Whether your student lives on or off campus, it’s wise to protect him against theft, and this type of insurance costs relatively little, often under $200 for a year’s coverage. If your student lives in a campus residence hall, your homeowners or renters insurance policy may extend to cover his belongings. Most policies limit a student’s coverage to 10% of the parent’s coverage. In other words, if your homeowners policy has a personal property limit of $300,000, your student’s belongings are covered up to $30,000, after the deductible. Consider talking with an insurance representative to better understand the coverage available specific to your student’s living situation.

Most colleges require that students carry health insurance, and college students are subject to the “individual coverage mandate” of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). What are your options for making sure your student continues to be well covered for preventive care, major illnesses, and in case of emergencies?

Your current health insurance

The ACA allows your student to stay on your healthcare plan until the age of 26 even if she has a pre-existing condition. This may be the best option for your student’s health insurance needs. It can save time and money during the college years and also during those first few post-college years as she is getting situated financially.

Be aware that different states have different laws regarding coverage requirements. If your student attends school in another state, before being allowed to waive the student health insurance plan offered by the college, you may need to provide proof that your insurance will cover your out-of-area student at an acceptable level. Start this process early in the summer so that the paperwork is ready in time for fall registration.

parenting

Overparenting Our Teenagers

July 14, 2015 Suzanne Shaffer

I saw an article come across my Twitter and Facebook feeds last week that stopped me in my tracks: Kids of Helicopter Parents Are Sputtering Out. The subheading: Recent studies suggests that kids with overinvolved parents and rigidly structured childhoods suffer psychological blowback in college. As you can imagine, I had to read more. Why was this happening? What does the data show? How can parents prevent these negative outcomes?

Why is this happening?

We live in a very different world. Our concerns for safety cause us to give in to overprotection, even when it’s not necessary. The competition for college admission has become more than a rite of passage; it’s become a race to see whose child gets into what college and who has bragging rights. We have the best of intentions–wanting the best for our children; but those intentions have snowballed into overparenting our teenagers and harming them emotionally.

In 2013, Charlie Gofen, the retired chairman of the board at the Latin School of Chicago, a private school serving about 1,100 students, emailed the statistics off to a colleague at another school and asked, “Do you think parents at your school would rather their kid be depressed at Yale or happy at University of Arizona?” The colleague quickly replied, “My guess is 75 percent of the parents would rather see their kids depressed at Yale. They figure that the kid can straighten the emotional stuff out in his/her 20’s, but no one can go back and get the Yale undergrad degree.”

Can this be true? Are parents willing to risk their child’s emotional health for a college degree?

In How to Raise an Adult: Break Free of the Overparenting Trap and Prepare Your Kid for Success, the author Julie Lythcott-Haims, recounts some of her own experiences as a dean:

In my years as dean, I heard plenty of stories from college students who believed they had to study science (or medicine, or engineering), just as they’d had to play piano, and do community service for Africa, and, and, and. I talked with kids completely uninterested in the items on their own résumés. Some shrugged off any right to be bothered by their own lack of interest in what they were working on, saying, “My parents know what’s best for me.”

What does the data show?

In 2010 a psychology professor of Keene State College in New Hampshire surveyed 300 college freshmen nationwide. In 2011 the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga surveyed 300 students. In addition, there was in 2013, a survey of college counseling center directors and a survey by The American College Health Association. In 2014, the University of Colorado conducted their own survey.

The data confirms that overparenting our teenagers has taken its toll on their mental health and ability to function as independent adults. When parents do everything for their children, it’s a shock when they enter the real world of college and have to fend for themselves and walk their own path.

How can parents prevent these negative outcomes?

Take a step back and let your student figure out things for themselves. Let them problem solve, self-advocate, and make their own decisions before leaving for college. Give them space to grow and expect them to be accountable for their actions–don’t bail them out of consequences.

Madeline Leving, psychologist and author of The Price of Privilege wraps it all up nicely:

When children aren’t given the space to struggle through things on their own, they don’t learn to problem solve very well. They don’t learn to be confident in their own abilities, and it can affect their self-esteem. The other problem with never having to struggle is that you never experience failure and can develop an overwhelming fear of failure and of disappointing others. Both the low self-confidence and the fear of failure can lead to depression or anxiety.

college planning, mom approved tips, parenting

The Summer Before Junior Year of High School (10 Tips for Moms)

July 13, 2015 Suzanne Shaffer

Your student’s junior year will begin in the fall. It’s time for you and your teen to sit down and evaluate goals to make sure you are on-track for the college application process. As you go back through all the grades, papers, awards and accomplishments you will be able to see your teen’s progress and that progress will encourage them to keep focused and keep their eye on the prize: graduation and college acceptance.

1. The Junior Year GPA

If your teen has been working hard, their GPA should show it. College admissions counselors will be looking hard at their GPA from their junior year. It’s an important year to show them that the grades are at the least consistent, and at the best rising from the previous year. Falling grades are an indicator of lack of focus and could hurt them down the road when their application is reviewed. This is a good time to schedule a meeting with your high school guidance counselor and discuss your teen’s progress, and verify that their courses are on-track for graduation and for the colleges under consideration.

2. Take the PSAT

This is the all-important PSAT year. Even if your teen took it last year as practice (and hopefully they did) they need to register again, because this is when it counts. This is the year that their scores will qualify them for the National Merit Scholarship program and scholarships. Follow the calendar deadlines and register EARLY. If they took the test last year review the answers that they missed and make sure they know why they missed it and take some time to study the correct answers.

3. Take SAT and ACT practice tests

Register for the SAT or ACT and spend this year doing some practice tests online and studying vocabulary. Cramming rarely helps, but studying over a period of time and preparation will help them approach the test with confidence and the knowledge they need to test well.

4. Preparing for the Essay

Research some college applications and look at the essay topics. Encourage your teen to start thinking about the essay and drafting some preliminary essays. The college essay can often push the admissions officer over the acceptance edge if it’s done well and is unique. Look through the past essays they have written in high school and see if any could be adapted for the college essay. The worst thing your teen can do is submit a misspelled, grammatically incorrect essay as part of their college application. Early preparation will assure time for proofing and re-writes.

5. Time for some college fairs and college visits

Junior year is a perfect time to begin attending those college fairs and visiting college campuses. Many schools allow for excused college visit days. Check with your high school registrar for specifics, because you might have to complete forms to get the absences excused. Collect business cards and contact information and keep track of them using a database program. These contacts will help later if you have a question regarding a specific school or need a personal contact during the admissions process.

6. Intensify the Scholarship Search

Junior year is the time to “hunker down” and get serious about those scholarship applications. As you get closer to senior year, you’ll find that many are age and grade specific. If you’ve done your homework, you’ll have a concise catalog of those scholarships ready for your application. If not, don’t panic. There’s still plenty of time to do some research and jump on the scholarship bandwagon. Remember that every scholarship you receive, no matter how small, is FREE money that you don’t have to pay back. Don’t forget to investigate private scholarships and school-specific scholarships to assure you apply by the specific deadlines.

7. Discuss Family Finances

Summer is a good time to have that money talk with your student. How will you pay for college? What do you expect your student to contribute? What can your family afford? This will help as they begin to finalize the college list and start applying to college early in the fall of senior year.

8. Review your high school progress

Look at the past two years to see if there are any gaps in your teen’s resume. Have your teen answer these questions:

Do you need to do some volunteer work?
Are you involved in some type of leadership capacity in at least one activity?
Do your courses and grades show their college level success?
Have you established a relationship with a member of the faculty and with your high school guidance counselor?
Are your extracurricular activities “all over the place” or are they focused?

It’s not too late to remedy any of these situations. Your teen still has time during their junior year to get involved, volunteer, get to know their teachers/counselor, and exhibit leadership.

9. Begin refining the college list

It’s time to get serious about the college list. This list will dictate your college visits during junior year and be the guidebook for all your research and financial questions. Do the research, gather all the data, and narrow the list down as your student approaches the end of their junior year.

10. Don’t overparent

If you feel yourself pushing or nagging, take a step back. Don’t fall into the “competition” trap that will begin when school starts. Parents will begin to brag and you might find yourself falling into that admissions game. Don’t do it. Your student needs to find the place that’s right for him, not the place that gives you the greatest bragging rights. Help him find that college and support his decision.

Scholarship Friday, scholarships

Scholarship Friday: Scholarships for Women

July 10, 2015 Suzanne Shaffer

I came across this great list of scholarships for women at onmogul.com.

Computer Science, Engineering & Business-Focused Scholarships:

Best Value Schools STEM Scholarship for Women: Female U.S. students who are majoring in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics at the undergraduate level. Applicants must have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher, and an SAT score of 1100 or higher; $2,000 annually, non-renewable; Application Deadline: October

Dell Scholars Program: High school seniors; In addition to winning $20,000, students become part of a Dell Scholar community. These scholars also receive the latest technology equipment from Dell so that they can succeed in college. They receive textbook credits, PCs, laptops, printers, ink, and other supplies; Application Deadline: unknown

ESA Foundation Computer and Video Game Scholarship: U.S. high school seniors and undergraduate students who are pursuing degrees leading to a career in computer and video game arts. Students must be female or a minority, and must have a grade point average of 2.75 or higher; $3,000 annually, non-renewable; Application deadline: May

The Generation Google Scholarship: Created to assist aspiring computer scientists excel in technology and become leaders in the field; $10,000; Application deadline: March 5th (for high school seniors) and January 15th for current college students

General Electric: Women entering fields such as engineering or business; up to $5,000; Application Deadline: unknown

Microsoft Technical Scholarships for Minorities and Women: Must be enrolled in university and actively pursuing a degree in computer science, computer engineering, electrical engineering, math, physics, or other STEM-related field; either full or partial tuition for the entire academic year; Application deadline: unknown

NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing: U.S high school females with grade point average of 3.0 or better; a $500 cash award; a laptop computer (provided by Bank of America); an engraved award for both the student and the student’s school; and a trip to attend the Bank of America Technology Showcase and Awards Ceremony; Application Deadline: accepted between September 15th and October 31st

NSHSS Foundation STEM Scholarship: U.S. high school seniors who will be attending college in the fall. Applicants must be a member of an underrepresented group, have a minimum 3.5 grade point average and be pursuing a major in a STEM field; Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics; $1,000 annually, non-renewable; Application Deadline: unknown

STEM Scholarship for Women: Female currently attending or enrolled at an accredited post-secondary institution (under-graduate or graduate) and be majoring full-time in a science, technology, engineering or mathematics program; $2,000 scholarship, twice per year; Application deadline: October 31st or April 15th

Read more . . .

essays

9 Tips to Make the College Essay “Pop”

July 9, 2015 Suzanne Shaffer 1 Comment

You’re filling out your applications; you are trying to make yourself look as well-rounded as possible, listing all of your school and community-based activities and leadership roles; you know your grades and SAT/ACT scores are good enough to meet the requirements of the few colleges you have selected. There is just one more hurdle – that essay! This piece of the application process has you a bit nervous, because you are unsure of your competition and of your ability to write an essay that will really stand out. So here are a 9 tips that should help you craft a college essay that will get noticed, impress the reader(s), and be memorable.

1. START EARLY

I cannot emphasize this enough. This is not the type of essay you can throw together at the last minute. If you are using the “Common Application,” you should already know that those prompts are published in advance, and they do not change often. In fact, for 2016 admissions, the prompts are the same as they have been for the past 5 years. Get online, read through the prompt options, and select the one that most appeals to you. If your prompt comes directly from the college, get the application material during the summer, so that you have plenty of time to look at those options and select one.

2. KEEP A RUNNING LIST

As you think about your prompt, get a small notebook and keep it with you. As something comes to mind that would be a good fit for the prompt, write it down. Don’t worry about whether it is the best thought or not – just get it down at this point. For example, suppose you have selected a prompt that asks you to speak to a life-changing event that significantly changed you in some way. You may, indeed, have several big evets in your life thus far. As they come to mind, write them all down.

3. REFINE YOUR LIST

As you get closer to the time to actually write the essay (1-2 months before it is due), go through your list. Eliminate the items that are least relevant or least likely to get a response from a reader; combine those that can be combined. Finalize that list with the point or points you intend to cover. Going back to the sample prompt of an event in your life that changed you, if you had a sick pet that you nursed for days that eventually died, that is sad. It may appeal to the emotions of a reader; however, that event is meaningless unless it has motivated you to study biology and the go into veterinary medicine. Then there is significance. If you spent a summer tutoring inner-city kids and were appalled at their lack of basic skills, then that may have been the motivating factor in your selection of elementary education, so that you can one day teach in an inner city.

4. READ SAMPLES OF “WINNING” ESSAYS

These are all over the Internet, and can get a “feel” for the types of essays and the styles that really impressed admissions decision-makers. Take ideas from these as you think about how you will write your essay.

5. DEVELOP YOUR OUTLINE

It doesn’t have to be formal – just get on paper the order in which your body paragraphs will be developed and what will be contained in each of them.

6. WRITE THE BODY PARAGRAPHS

There should be a minimum of 3, and each needs a topic sentence and a good transition that leads to the next paragraph. Once written, re-read, revise, ad re-write until they are perfect – not one grammatical or spelling error, and good diversity of sentence types. Don’t be afraid to use humor if it is appropriate, and don’t be afraid to elicit emotions from the reader(s).

7. YOUR INTRODUCTION – THE CRITICAL PIECE

If you have not engaged the reader with your first sentence, you are “toast.” A short, simple “stunner” sentence that gives an amazing fact or leads into an anecdote is required here. The rest of this paragraph introduces your topic and ends with a solid thesis statement.

8. YOUR CONCLUSION

Tie back to your introduction. If you plan to study auto-immune diseases in dogs, with a goal toward prevention and cure, say so; if you plan to be the teacher that turns poor-performing children into success stories, say so!

9. STEP BACK; TAKE A BREAK; LET OTHERS READ IT

Get someone who is an English composition “master” to review and edit your essay; let friends or relatives read it and tell you honestly if they were intrigued and engaged by your first sentence. And don’t over-revise – you’ll lose authenticity!

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About the author: Great desire to make the world better – that’s what caused Julie Ellis to write. Wide experience of work with students in the role of Chief Editor PremierEssay allows her to communicate to readers with only relevant and interesting information. Follow her on twitter to find more interesting articles.

dorm life, Guest Posts

Creative Organization Ideas for College Dorm Rooms

July 8, 2015 Suzanne Shaffer 1 Comment

My guess is it happens to at least one of every two college freshman each fall. Living on campus has been something they have dreamed about since that day they caught their little brother reading their diary in seventh grade. Everything about it is new and exciting, including the freedom and the novelty of it all. Yet sometimes it may come as a surprise when they arrive and realize just how cramped their new college dorm rooms can be. In most cases it doesn’t matter because the simple truth remains: they are living on their own.

Along with that comes the opportunity to personalize the new space, which we think can be made a little more fun by using some of these creative and space-saving ideas:

Dress up that plastic storage

Chances are at some point in college, you will find yourself in need of plastic storage. Not only are these handy vessels essential to staying organized in small space, but they are portable for those multiple moves you may make throughout the college years. Make them a bit more private and a lot nicer to look at by giving them an inexpensive makeover.

Think outside the box

Why buy one of those tiny space-saving ironing boards you will only use for four years when you can repurpose something you most likely already own? A foldable TV tray can serve the same function when covered with some batting and fabric. Not only is it space-saving, but it’s cute and could double as a desk or other surface in a space that generally lacks surfaces to work on.

Don’t waste hidden storage opportunities

Finding a place for everything is probably among the biggest challenge in dorm living, especially if your roommate also has way too many pairs of shoes. Make life a little simpler by remembering to use every empty space that could be otherwise forgotten, including under the bed.

Simplify the shower

If your dorm room has its own bathroom, chances are you are sharing it with at least one roommate, if not several suite mates. Simplify your shower storage by adding a second shower rod inside the shower where you can hang extra essentials like loofahs and shower caddies, without having to lug them around everywhere each time.

Get crafty

In a small space there may not be room for a bedside table, but that doesn’t mean you don’t need a place to keep your book and glasses after all those all-nighters. To avoid having the little things accumulate in random places, consider making a bedside caddy that suits your space needs.

Reinvent the white board

White boards and calendars are a must in dorm rooms for keeping up with multiple busy schedules. But it’s okay for you to think beyond the white. Dress up the traditional organizational concept by using fun alternatives, like a photo collage piece.

Make the space your own

Function meets style with the right furniture choices. If your budget allows, consider investing in cube storage that can not only create additional storage options, but act as a room divider.

Today’s post was written by Tyler Schmidt. For more design ideas, head to Modernize.com.

Parenting for College

2 Fantastic Online Resources for Teenage Girls Entering High School