Volunteer Benefits

Photo Credit

Volunteering is the easiest way to fill up your resume if you can't find a job because of age limits. It is said that teens that volunteer are more engaged with their community and can make a difference after they graduate in helping and understanding those who are less fortunate or just need help in other aspects.

Volunteering doesn't just stop in your community, if you don't want to study abroad with your college and you prefer volunteering, there is abroad volunteering that you can sign up for and make a difference in other countries. Not only does that give a chance to travel and interact with other cultures it also gives you something to put on your resume as well as making you a well rounded individual.

You learn a lot of interpersonal skills, and you may get training in office functions, as well as different computer programs that make you more appealing to jobs. Let's not forget about the networking capabilities of volunteering, remember its a lot about who you know these days to get where you need to go. It's who you know and what skills you bring to the table so with volunteering you get to meet a variety of people that you can use as a reference, or can get you into a field that you want to be in. You also can expand your social group and make some life long friends.

I know volunteering may seem like a chore sometimes especially when your school forces you to do a certain amount of hours, but the benefits of volunteering are endless and it is a great experience.

College Campus Tours

Photo Credit

The school year is almost over and your college days will swiftly be here if you haven’t made a final decision for which college you will be attending you should probably start going on college tours to see which school will suit you better.

There are many benefits to college tours:

1.     See the classroom buildings, labs, gym, dining hall

2.     Definitely as to look at the residence halls so that you have an idea of where you would be resting your head.

3.     Try to attend an orientation program for specific majors so you can be sure that the major that you want to get into is absolutely right for you.

4.   Meet with advisors so that you have a clear perspective of who will be your new “guidance counselor”

5.    Find out what services are offered to the students: career counseling, tutors.

6.  Ask about the different work-study and non-work study programs to find out if you can 

do a job on campus so that you won’t have to go to far to work.

7.  Sit in on a class so you can see how many students are roughly in a class and see if you are comfortable in that setting.

8.  Don’t forget to get the perspective on the students that attend the school! Talking to the professors and other employees may not give as much in site because this is their job! Ask the students their likes and dislikes about the school since they are ones that are attending and have the professors that you most likely will have during your college career.

9. Tour the places around campus so that you can have an idea of what the area is like around you and if things are walking distance or driving distance.

      I know a lot of colleges have opted to using virtual tours to show the school, but it’s not the same as visiting the school you have to feel like you physically are comfortable in this college that will be pathway to your career for the next 4 years.

Good luck!

Top Teacher’s Pet Peeves V.S Top Student’s Pet Peeves

Photo Credit

We can all agree that being a teacher is rewarding. But of course, like most occupations, there are some things that a teacher may find impossible to deal with. Here are some pet peeves-in other words, particular or recurring sources of irritation that teachers experience daily:


1. When students ask, “What page is the assignment on?” - How many times have you heard a student ask this question? Not only did you write it in big letters on the chalkboard, but you also made sure to repeat it at least two times. It can’t be a coincidence that the rest of the class is already turned onto the page.

2. The school district doesn’t pay for any supplies. Teachers have to pay for it themselves, with their small paycheck if they want to enhance their student’s learning.

3. When students cut class and then blame the teacher for their failing grade.

4. When students ask, “How can I improve my grade?” on the LAST week of class. / Students are given a month to complete an assignment- yet still hand it in late!

5. If I forget to write “NAME:”, you still have to write your name. That should be self explanatory, don’t you think?!


Now, it is time to reverse the blame! Students have to deal with just as much annoyances as the teachers do. School can be overwhelming and frustrating. It is not easy being a teacher, but it is definitely not easy being a student as well. Here are some pet peeves that students experience daily:


1. When teachers assign an enormous amount of homework, just for ONE class. They do not even think of the fact that students may have many other classes with just as much homework. There’s just not enough time in the day for that. Note to teachers: don’t expect your students to stay awake in your classroom after assigning two research papers and a take-home 100 question quiz the night before (Okay, that was exaggerating, but you get the point!). The worst part about that is when the teacher does not even check, collect, or grade the homework after you spent all night doing it.

2. Teachers should not give in to ‘teacher’s pets’. It is extremely annoying to the other students when teacher’s have ‘favorite students’. It discourages the rest of the students from learning, because they refuse to have to compete with your ‘star’ student for your approval. Treat everyone equally!

3. When a teacher makes you purchase a $200 dollar text book, and you don’t even end up using it. / When you are told you have to bring your 100 pound text book and 5 other books with you to class and not even use them. Thank you for the forever lasting back problems!

4. The door has to be shut until class ends, and the teacher will not allow anyone to leave the classroom- not even to use the bathroom! How can you take away my right to use the bathroom?!

5. When teachers decide they need to have an hour and a half long lecture on a topic, without showing any visuals- just speaking. That way, it will be impossible to actually stay awake and learn in class!

Agree?