7/7/09

6 Savvy Guides to College


Synopsis: U Chic is the ultimate girls' guide to college life, from UniversityChic.com - the #1 online resource and community network for college women.

Biography: Christie Garton, a recent graduate of the University of Pennsylvania School of Law, is an award-winning social entrepreneur. She has served as a columnist for the CollegeJournal.com, and been published in the Wall Street Journal.

Excerpt from Chapter One: Getting Started

Put an End to Homesickness!
Allison Davis, Barnard College

I fear change-and college is a big change. So it was no surprise that I spent the majority of my summer before college freaking out about the thought of being in a new place without my friends, without my boyfriend, without my family. As if preparing for a coming storm, I went around buying everything that I could think of to start a "home" emergency kit-a stash of items that would remind me of home when I was stuck in a tiny dorm room. Why wouldn't I? In my mind, the dorm was that weird place that conjured up images of girls-gone-wild meets summer camp. I even went so far as to ask my mother to get custom-made bedding inspired by my bedding at home. Sadly, she declined, so to cope I instead bought dorm accessories with the same purple and gold color scheme as my childhood bedroom.

Well, despite all of my numerous breakdowns in the Target store, my first week of college was fine. I think I even had fun during first week's orientation! The wonderful thing about orientation is that they keep you busy with so many activities that you forget to be homesick. And most of these activities are the special kind of lame that have you instantly bonding with members of your orientation group just to survive. Voila! Instant friendships.



Synopsis: Don't fret, ladies, this guide will tell you everything you need to know about getting through the best four years of your life. It's got the basics that your mom would want you to know, like how to do your laundry, how to manage your money, and how to survive your classes. But it'll also spill the juice on the things you care about, like how to make your shoebox of a dorm room into your own little castle, how to keep fit and stay healthy, how to throw a great party, and how to deal with guys and sex (two things that for some reason are difficult to handle separately). It's a guide just for you girls, written by a girl who's been there.

Reader Review:
"This book is written for college students by a recent college grad. I wish there were books like this when I went to college! Traci Maynigo covers what girls want to know about surviving college and what they might not know to ask. She covers the basics and more from packing lists, managing your finances, guys, surviving classes, and getting along with your roommates. Also included is pratical advice on dealing with depression, exercising, the party scene, and so much more. It would make a great gift for a any girl on her way to college." 4/5 Stars.


Synopsis: Dr. Jennifer Wider has networked with college girls around the country to find out the information they needed most. Here are answers to all your questions about: •Sexuality and birth control •Eating disorders •Sleep problems •Weight management •Pap smears and gynecological health •Protecting yourself against STDs •Handling depression, anxiety, loneliness, and stress •Treating PMS, PMDD, yeast and urinary tract infections •Drugs and addiction •Proper diet and nutrition •Surviving spring break •Navigating the college health center •And much more

Biography: Jennifer Wider is a doctor, author, and radio personality who specializes in women's health issues. She is the medical advisor to the Society for Women's Health Research and hosts a weekly health segment on Sirius Satellite Radio for Cosmopolitan magazine's radio channel. Dr. Wider is on the medical advisory board for Cosmopolitan Magazine and has been frequently published in newspapers, magazines and Web sites across the country. She lives with her physician husband, and their daughter and son, in Fairfield County, Connecticut.

Reader Review:
"I didn't know how much I'd like this book when I bought it, but I couldn't find anything else like it. I wasn't let down at all. This is an awesome health guide that covers anything you can think of. I am about to start my sophomore year and I wish I had this last year. Already, I've experienced many issues that this book clearly addresses and offers really solid advice for. My roommate was very homesick last year, and I know she'd benefit from this book too. I am definitely going to recommend it to my friends!" 5/5 Stars.


Synopsis: You have a midterm tomorrow and a fierce growl in your stomach. Your roommate just nabbed your last cup o' ramen. Do you: (A) Ignore your stomach and brew another pot of coffee? (B) Break out the PB&J? (C) Order pizza—again? (D) Make a quick trip to the grocery store? The answer's D, and College Cooking is the only study guide you'll need.Sisters Megan and Jill Carle know all about leaving a well-stocked kitchen to face an empty apartment fridge with little time to cook and very little money. They practically grew up in their parents' kitchen, but even that didn't prepare them for braving the supermarket aisles on their own. That's why they wrote COLLEGE COOKING—to share the tips and tricks they've learned while feeding themselves between late-night studying, papers, parties, and other distractions.Starting with kitchen basics, Megan and Jill first cover ingredients, equipment, and other prereqs for cooking a decent meal.

Biography: Megan Carle and Jill Carle are both graduate students at Arizona State University. They published their first cookbook, TEENS COOK, while Jill was still in high school, and followed up with TEENS COOK DESSERT and COLLEGE COOKING.

Review from Judith Sutton - Library Journal:
"Although the Carle sisters are the authors of two earlier cookbooks, Teens Cookand Teens Cook Dessert, they found that preparing a meal in a dorm or a first apartment is quite different from cooking in Mom's well-stocked kitchen. Their new book starts with kitchen and pantry basics, then moves on to easy recipes grouped into chapters such as "Survival Cooking," "Cheap Eats," and "Impressing Your Date." Recipe instructions are unintimidating and clear, and many include vegetarian options and other variations. There are other books on this topic, but the attractive design and color photographs, as well as the fact that the authors are students themselves, make this one particularly appealing. For any library serving students and other large collections."

by Harlan Cohen

Synopsis: (From School Library Journal) A hilarious and truthful book that gives high school students a look at college life, beginning with "Arriving on Campus" and ending with "It's Almost Time to Say Goodbye." In between, Cohen covers homesickness, laundry, Greek life, sex ("Having It, Not Having It, Hearing Other People Having It"), alcohol, cafeteria food, roommates, making it to class on time (and what happens if you don't). The author talks frankly about "Hook Ups," "One-Night Stands," and STDs. Each topic includes a "Harlan Tip," accompanied by a true story from a college student. The advice is sound; the tone is light.-Marianne Fitzgerald, Severna Park High School, MD Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Biography: Harlan Cohen is one of the most widely read and respected syndicated columnists for people in their teens and twenties. His column, "Help Me, Harlan!" is distributed by King Features Syndicate, and appears in more than 75 newspapers, including the Dallas Morning News and Seattle Times. He is the author of Campus Life Exposed. Harlan regularly tours college campuses giving presentations to orientation groups. He lives in Chicago.

Reader Review:
"The Naked Roommate explains what every college student really wants to know, but never asks. What's different about this selection is that the 'nakedness' really is true. You walk into this experience COMPLETELY NAKED! I was a first generation college student, so this book had information that I could remember learning on the spot, on my own and some situations with other friends/fraternity brothers. It's an outstanding example of 'the college student!'" 5/5 Stars.


Synopsis: Like Rodney Dangerfield in Back to School, we're heading to campus to lend a helping hand to all those college kids who can't quite make the grade. Inside they'll find hilarious solutions to all the obstacles that lie between them and that elusive diploma. From indecisions about major selection to problems picking up that hot classmate to cramming for finals, this book covers all the awful, awkward, and annoying instances that would have college students IMing, posting, or texting: "WTF?" Be it in the dorm room or classroom, during finals week or spring break, campus's most f*#!-ed-up situations are handled in this entertaining step-by-step guide.

Biography: Gregory Bergman (Los Angeles, CA) is a writer and comedian based in Los Angeles, California. He received his B.A. in philosophy from Hunter College (haven't heard of it—WTF?), and is the author of WTF?, -isms, and Bizzwords. He could teach a course on surviving college, but where's the f*#!-ing fun in that. Jodi Miller (Los Angeles, CA) is a comedian and guest commentator on CNN's Showbiz Tonight and Hollywood 411, and will appear on Comics Unleashed later this year. Ms. Miller is also a writer for the Cinemax series Co-Ed Confidential.

Excerpt from Introduction: Welcome to F*#!-ing College:
"When you were a little kid, adults told you that those were the 'best days of your life.' Their reasoning: You didn't have to do shit for yourself and you had no responsibilities. Translation: You don't have to deal with a pain-in-the-ass kid like you. But the truth is that they were lying. Kid life, like adult life, sucks. While kids don't have to pay the bills, they do have to obey the people who do. But not anymore. In college, you now have the best of both worlds; you have limited responsibility and no one to boss you around. These really are the 'best days of your life.'"


All of these books are available through Barnes&Noble, so head on over and check 'em out for yourselves!

Amore.

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