Sometimes, finances can be a real strain on a college student. The trick is of course to budget well. But what about those less fortunate students who simply don’t have any money with which to budget? There are loans. But you have to be careful…very careful. You want to take out a legal loan with good terms and this requires significant research. Try to look at the loans that are most popular with students like yourself; check out the reputation of the companies first. Also make sure you can speak to other students who have used this loan company in the past – word of mouth is probably the best PR. In addition, have a lawyer friend look over the terms and conditions before you sign anything. You should definitely research getting the best deal before signing anything.
Archive for August, 2010
Managing Your Finances
Well Structured Study Shows Cannabis Does Relieve Pain
One of the more infamous of herbal remedies, cannabis, also known as marijuana, has been shown in a small but well-designed study conducted in Canada, to help relieve some of the discomfort experienced by people who suffer from chronic pain. Marijuana has been used in pill form for a number of years as a treatment for certain types of pain, but the risks and benefits associated with smoking the herb until now have been mysterious.
New Religions
As a student you will come across a lot of new religions and cultures. Campuses are full of them and they all want your attention. There is nothing wrong with finding out about these – in fact, that is part of the whole educational process. But while you make your discoveries, don’t let yourself get sucked in. There are a lot of dangerous cults out there and students are some of the most vulnerable people where these are concerned. So a few cautionary words of advice: never hand over money (religion is about being spiritual, not material); if you go away with a group, make sure you know at least one other person and also the location that you are visiting; don’t spend too much time with the group at the expense of other things; if they start trying to convince you to change your clothes or your way of life, get out and get out fast. In other words, exercise caution and common sense at all times.
Being a Mama’s Boy May Have Health Benefits
Time.com reports that boys who have close relationships with their mothers may have better mental health than do those with more distant relationships. A recent study, presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, found that boys who maintained close emotional connections to their mothers were more emotionally available as they aged, and had better mental health ratings.
The study, conducted by Carlos Santos, a professor at Arizona State University School of Social and Family Dynamics, surveyed 426 boys through middle school. He found, interestingly enough, that the father-son relationship does not have the same effect.
Santos described his findings as such, “If you look at the effect size of my findings, mother support and closeness was the most predictive of boys’ ability to resist [hyper-masculine] stereotypes, and therefore predictive of better mental health.”
Trying New Images
A lot of students use their time in college to try out a new image. They want to discover all different parts of themselves and so they might look for a physical change. A new hairstyle; different make-up, or completely new clothes. These are all fine and good but what if the change you want to make has a permanent affect, like a tattoo? What should you do then? In this case you will probably be well advised to try to do it temporarily…at least at first. No matter how convinced you are that you want the name of the most amazing guy tattooed across your arm, you really might not feel that way in 10 years’ time. So just consider the possibility of making this a temporary measure initially. Getting a haircut is no big deal; hair can always grow back, but getting a tattoo is very hard to remove once it is on. So look into the temporary ones while you are finding your new self.
Enjoy an Intelligence Toilet!
Talk about efficiency. The Japanese have created a new way to be even more efficient – while you’re “doing your business.” Their latest gadget allows you to test your sugar levels in your urine, while also checking your weight and blood pressure, all while you use the facilities.
The scale is built right into the floor and the blood pressure armband is offered to you next to the toilet seat. Your results are all displayed on a readout screen attached to the wall. The system can only keep track of up to five people’s health data – so this is a device for the home and for the family. Visitors will have to invest in their own “Intelligence Toilet” if they want to keep track of their health in this way.
So far, this device is only available in Japan and the price tag is between $4100-$5850 USD.
