Chelcey Little

Hey guys!

This will be my last post. I hope you all found some of my tips very helpful. The point of this blog was to encourage safety while having fun in college. If you follow the tips I gave you, I am positive that you will do well in college. Be safe!!

I really enjoyed reading some of the feedback you gave on my posts. Some of them really did give me a good laugh. I’ll think about checking up on you guys in the near future to see if you really took my tips into consideration or not. Love you all! See ya !

I hope everyone has safe trips back home for Christmas break!

Thanksgiving break is officially over for all college student, but guess what!? There’s another break coming, and this one is so much longer. Christmas break will be here in about two weeks. I don’t know about you all, but I’m ready already. Thanksgiving break wasn’t enough for me. Not only that, but I can’t to receive Christmas gifts. Yes… I am a 18 year old who still receive gifts from her parents. Don’t judge.

It’s funny because I stressed that people should study hard over break, but I didn’t. I planned on doing it, but it just  didn’t happen. So I did what you should NEVER do in college. I hope everyone does well on there upcoming exams!! Finish the semester strong. Hang in there.

See Ya

Many college students take the bus home during breaks. Those busses include Grey Hound, Mega bus, and many more. With that being said, please keep your things close and watch your surroundings.

I have a friend whose luggage was stolen while traveling home. He had many expensive things in there. If you can take your luggage on the bus with you, please do so. I know that it may be a little uncomfortable, but it’s better than having you things stolen. If your forced to put your luggage on the bottom of the bus, sit on the front of the bus. If you sit on the front of the bus, you will be one of the first people to get off the bus, thus getting to your luggage first.

I couldn’t imagine looking for my things and not being able to find them. That is why I always take precautions. Those busses have many strangers . You never really know what’s on their mind. I’m not saying that everyone is a thief or murderer.. you just have to watch out. Especially when your traveling on busses alone.

I hope everyone gets home safely and has a wonderful break!

In the previous post I mentioned Thanksgiving Break. Is it really even a break? I mean.. yeah we get to see our loved ones, but is it a break from the college? NO. As soon as we come back from break we have finals. So during this break, you have to somehow manage to get a few hours of studying in. If you fail to do that, I’m almost positive that you will be behind in lots of work. When I first realized that break was coming up, I was super excited. Soon after, I realized that a week after I returned, I would have three finals and an exam waiting for me. A bit much huh?

This is when time management comes in. Of course we will be excited to see our families, but don’t forget what will be waiting for you when you go back to college. If you like  me… you don’t want to have a stack of books read and flash cards to learn. DON’T CRAM. Remember that finals will affect your grade significantly, some more than others. So while your having fun back at home, don’t forget that you still have work to do. Yes… even on your “time off.”

To all of the college students out there missing home, guess what…. Thanksgiving break is approaching!!!! Yay! I know that this blog is usually about ways to stay safe while enjoying college, but today’s post will be about something that all college students can relate to… missing home. I haven’t been home yet, so my home sickness is at a high right now. If you can relate to what I just said… hang in there. Thanksgiving break is coming up in about a week. Not only will you be with your family, but you will also eat some wonderful food. And trust me, a couple of days after you visit home, you will probably be ready to come back to college anyway. Haha.

I know this is a bit early to say, but I hope you all enjoy your Thanksgiving break!! Have fun, enjoy your time with the family, and eat lots of wonderful food. I’m sure your family misses you as much as you miss them, so enjoy every minute of it. See ya!

About two days ago, it was 23 degrees outside! I know many people at Penn State are from places that doesn’t even snow. So this post it specifically for you. Penn State gets really cold. I know you probably hear this a lot, but hearing it and feeling it are two different things. The one thing I would recommend  is bundling up. The top things you will need to bundle up for the winter includes a coat (I prefer insulated coats), scarf, gloves, warm boats, and a hat.

Some people may think that the things I named are common sense and that everyone should know to wear those things in the winter. The problem isn’t that people don’t know to purchase those things, the problem is that they don’t buy the right kind of things. For example, if your  not from a place that has snow, you  may thing that any kind of boots will warm your feet, or that any scarf will warm or neck. That’s not the case. If you are like me… you get cold REALLY fast. Some of the winter apparel that I recommend includes:

1) Ugg boots (pretty expensive but will last forever and keep your feet warm)

2) A woolen scarf

3) An insulated coat (It doesn’t have to be from North face. You could find something cheaper that keeps you warm at a store like Macy’s)

Last but not least,  you should put on layers of clothes. This is just to be safe. Putting on a pair of legging under your jeans won’t hurt. Especially if it’s 19 degree out.  Hopefully this post helps you keep warm during this cold winter 🙂

Hey guys! I noticed that the weather has been changing for the last couple of weeks. Its been getting really cold! I’ve also noticed that many people are beginning to have a really bad cough. Oh No. Just because a few people got sick, doesn’t mean that you have to. Here are a few ways to stay away from sickness.

1) Always wash your hands. And don’t forget to wash them for 30 seconds or more. I usually say my ABC’s while washing my hands just to make sure.

2) Lysol you room frequently. Lysol takes many of the germs away. By using Lysol,  your killing many germs that you probably didn’t even know was in your room.

3) If your the person that is sick.. COVER YOU MOUTH WHILE COUGHING. You are suppose to cough using your elbow, so if you use your hand just make sure that you wash them afterwards. You can easily pass your sickness to others by coughing without covering your mouth

I know these are simple things, but many people forget to do them. (especially covering their mouths) So just keep these three simple things in mind. I;m not saying that these things will save you from sickness, but it will definitely lower your chances.

Since I’ve been here at Penn State, we have had two fire alarms. The fire alarms happen when you least expect them. Sometimes you may be eating, sleeping, or even taking a shower. I’ve witnessed people stay on the floor in their room as one is happening. DO NOT DO THAT. I know they occur often, but you never really know if there is really a fire or not. The point of a fire alarm is to prepare you for a real fire.

The number of reported fires in the dormitory occupancy group increased 18% from 3,200 in 1980 to 3,780 in 2011.  These fires caused an annual average of 2 civilian deaths, 30 civilian fire injuries, and $9.4 million in direct property damage. You will lower these statistics by taking fire alarms more serious. Do not ignore fire alarms, it’ s in the best interest of your safety.

http://www.nfpa.org/safety-information/for-consumers/occupancies/campus-and-dorm-fires

Before you leave out your dorm, you should ALWAYS make sure that your things are safe. Here are a list of things you should do to make sure that your things are as safe as possible.

1) Lock Up Your Stuff

You can start by locking your door every time you leave out your room, even if your just stepping away for a couple of minutes. When you leave for the holidays or a long weekend, lock up your valuables or take them with you.

2) Mark Your Items

If you have expensive items, engrave them if you can. This way, if someone steals it, you will be able to identify it immediately.

3) Password Protection

You should make sure that all you electronic (your phone, computer, iPod) have a password protection. This will protect your information if it’s stolen.

You should always be cautious, especially with your valuable things. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t trust people, I’m just suggesting that you be careful.

Well since we have been on the topic of safety, let’s talk about safety in the residential area. Penn State is known to be a like a “safe haven”. I have been here for about three months and I would strongly agree. BUT… you should never let your guard down.

Although you may consider Penn State “the safest place ever”, I would recommend a few things just to be sure that you as far from danger as possible. You should around campus with at least a friend or two during the nights. Another thing is that you should know your safety resources just in case anything happens. I have Penn State’s police number in my phone. I don’t have it because I want something bad to happen, but I’d rather be safe then sorry. Always remember that there are other people on this campus that doesn’t attend this university.

I noticed that many people walk around with headphone in their ear at night. By doing that, you have lost your hearing sense. Your eyesight is limited at night, so if you do use earphones, I would recommend only putting one in your ear. I know Penn State is a really safe place, but you should never  let your guard down completely because you never really know what people are thinking.

Pledging for sororities and fraternities has always been a part of the college life. Many people find that it offers many different opportunities,  creates a life-long brother/sisterhood, and that it’s fun. I must admit, it can offer all of those things, but it could also include hazing during the pledging stage. Which can be very painful, unsafe, and illegal.

Hazing comes in many different forms. It may include binge drinking, paddling, beating, etc. This post isn’t made to convince college students not to pledge. This is simply to encourage you to be safe while doing whatever you decide to do in college, and I know that many students will decide to pledge for a sorority/fraternity.

With that being said, make sure you are smart about it. If someone is making you do something you don’t want to do , make sure you know your limits. You should always try to get out of dangerous situations before it’s too late. I understand that you may have always had the dream of being a part of a specific sorority/fraternity, but if you feel that you are in danger, then it may not be worth it.

This post is not to encourage you to drink, but let’s be realistic here. Many college students drink. So  if you are a student who drinks, please drink responsibly.

Recently, a college student died during Temple University’s Spring Fling Event. There were 30-40 students on a roof just having fun, drinking, and blasting music. Unfortunately, she fell about 40 feet and was pronounced dead about an hour later.I did not share this story to scare anyone. It’s just that this hits close to home and I see that people don’t really take drinking responsibly seriously.

Although you shouldn’t drink unless your of legal age, if  you do decide to drink, it is important that you know your alcohol tolerance level. If you don’t then you can put yourself and/or others in great danger. Know your limits and listen to your body. You should also drink with people that you know. If you drink with stranger and have no one looking out for you, there may be a load of danger just waiting to happen. One last thing, KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DRINKING. Sometimes it’s good trying something for the first time, just beware of what the alcohol content is. I won’t get into any detail about the amount of alcohol you should drink an hour because I’m pretty sure that Penn State covered that during the S.A.F.E surveys. 

There’s nothing wrong with having fun, just be safe. Don’t let alcohol take control of you. Drink Responsibly.

http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/College-Student-Falls-to-Death-During-Off-Campus-Party-203506301.html

Image from google

Many freshmen love to go out and have a great time, but before you spend most of your time having fun… remember why you came to college in the first place. I’ve been in college for about two months and I’ve already heard things like, “I’m not going to make it to class today because I did a little too much last night”, or “I forgot about that test, I’m definitely going to fail!” Here are a list of things ways to maintain your grades while living the “College Life”.

1) Don’t Procrastinate: Waiting until the night before a project is due lead to making careless errors and getting little rest at night

2) DO NOT CRAM: It is not effective. You will never retain any of the material you studied. Trust me, I did this with my psychology exam… It wasn’t nice. Studying is don’t best in shorter periods regularly.

3) Life is all about sacrifices- I know it’s pretty hard turning down a party on a Saturday night, but sometimes it has to be done. Especially when you didn’t start preparing for a test that you have on Monday morning,

4) Do your homework- It may be kind of hard keeping up with homework because the professors aren’t reminding you about it like the teachers do in high school. Homework is a part of your grade, so do it! I may not be worth many points, but it’s worth something. Besides the fact that it’ll help your grade a little, I must say that homework has helped me get a better understanding of the things I learned in class.

Getting good grades can be hard enough, but maintaining them can seem daunting. However, it’s not that difficult to keep your grades up… just follow the tips I gave you. I hope it helps 🙂

*Image taken from Google

One word that comes to my mind when I think of college, is freedom. We now have the power to do many things we want with little restraint, and we decide how we want to spend our free-time. Most students come to college and party hard without thinking about the consequences. This blog will give tips on how to maintain your grades and overall safety in college while having a good time. Today’s topic is partying safely.

1)Travel in Groups

Everyone knows that many college students love to party. Here at Penn State, the weekend starts on Thursday and ends on Sunday. So during those four days, many students go to clubs and  parties. The first tip that I’ll give you is to go to parties in groups. If the group gets too big, it may be a little harder to keep up with everyone, but just make sure that you partner up. I’m suggesting that you do this because every club/party has its creeps. If you arrive with a group of people, it is less likely that you will encounter one of those creeps and you would feel more secure with your surroundings.

2) Carry a Bag

Many people don’t like carrying huge purses with them to parties because it may get in the way of you dancing, but make sure that you bring something… even if it’s just a clutch bag. I’m saying this because there are essential things that you need to bring out with you while your partying in case an emergency occurs. You should always bring your cell phone, keys, ID, and cash.

3) Have a Back Up Plan

Nothing in this world always goes according  to plan, especially when partying. You may lose your group of friends,  cellphone, or keys… which is why you should always have a backup plan. Make sure that there is someone that you can always call in case of an emergency. Before you leave out to party, you should always know how your getting back home just in case relying on a cab doesn’t work out.

*Just remember that whether you are hitting up a party, or dancing at the clubs, the end goal should always be to make it home in one piece.