You may think that flu season is gone, but don’t be too sure. Allergies and colds can still come around, even as the nice weather comes back. Don’t forget to check in with the health center on campus if you feel you’re getting sick. Getting enough sleep and eating enough during the day will help you stay healthy too. A good way to stay healthy and relieve stress is by working out. Take a yoga class, do Zumba, lift weights or run. Grab a friend and take a walk around campus. Any little step, is a step in the right direction.

Now that the weather is starting to get better, and the semester seems to be nearing its end, it is easy to think that we have everything figured out. It is extremely hard to get out of the funk we may have had when winter hit us all hard. The work seems to never end, snow days pile up, and who could resist staying inside your comfy, warm bed on a cold day? Even as the nice weather comes, and the end of Freshman year heads your way, don’t forget to take advantage of the support groups you have. Your family and friends are always there for you, even if you fight now and again. There is always a counseling center on campus that has trained counselors willing to listen to whatever you have to say. Sometimes, just saying your stresses out loud, helps relieve some of the stress.

We, the iRA team, are also here for you. Feel free to contact us with any questions you have.

I could sit here and write a huge blog on the importance of having a good resume when looking for summer jobs and internships, but I’m not. I could post my resume and say “these are the things you NEED to do in order to get your resume noticed”, but that won’t help you either. I am a firm believer in getting your resume done as soon as you can, and constantly editing it. Keep a few different variations of it, and ALWAYS have someone look at it. Have 5 people look at, if you want. Each person will have their own opinions on your resume, and take their advance as you see fit. Don’t forget that your college career center is a GREAT resource for getting your resume looked at, and for giving you interview tips.

Here is an article I found that I thought was EXTREMELY helpful to me as I continue to tweak my own resume.

Some simple rules about Campus Safety.

1. ALWAYS lock your doors.

2. Lock up your possessions, like your laptop, and don’t leave them unattended.

3. Feel free to contact your campus safety if you do not feel safe walking alone.

Is your workload too much? By this point in the semester, it may be too late to drop a class, HOWEVER that doesn’t mean that you can’t fix it. You can always withdraw or take an incomplete. There are always other semesters and time to take classes. Your advisor is always there for you. Don’t be afraid to talk to them, or any professor you trust, with any questions you have.

As most colleges and universities Greek Life will be starting, or have started, their Spring recruitment, it is important to keep in mind some aspects about going Greek or not going Greek in college. I asked some of my friends what they thought about pros and cons were about going greek. These stories are from men and women who are proud Greeks. Hopefully their stories will help you see if going Greek is right for you. Whatever the decision, do what feels right and not what someone says you should do.

“I went greek back in Spring 2011 during my freshman year and since then, there has been a lot of pros and cons that I face in greek life. Pros: Ive met so many people when I joined my fraternity that over time I just keep meeting more and more. Being in a fraternity also gives you a connection with tons of other people from around the country in other colleges, active members and alumni. This depends on if the fraternity is national. Other pros about greek life is that it gives me stuff to do around campus such as community service, greek events, and even parties. For cons: Pledging sucked and I hated it. Also, there is alot of stupid drama in greek life which I personally hate. Lastly, dues are way too expensive and you have to pay them every semester.”

“Not only did I choose to go greek, greek life chose me as well. I never thought of myself as a sorority girl but seeing the amazing women of AOII changed my mind. I decided AOII was right fit for me. It had a lot to do with fate and just plain luck. I am so glad I went greek.”

“I didn’t want to be Greek at first. A friend dragged me to meet the Greeks freshman year. I didn’t have any reason as to why I was against it; I just thought Greek life wasnt for me. But when I met the sisters of Tri Sigma, I felt so comfortable around them..And now, I’m proud to call them my sisters. Going Greek was probably the best decision I’ve made at college.”

“I debated going Greek for a while in my first years at school. I know my friends all enjoy their experiences but going Greek just didn’t seem to fit my already busy lifestyle. While it would have looked great on my resume and have been the “icing on the cake”, I realized I did just as much to make my resume stand out without being Greek, than some students do by being Greek. My decision was right for me.”