I remember moving into college my freshman year, worried about classes and whether or not I would make friends. But another thing that really stressed me out was how I would make my dorm room feel like home. What was I supposed to bring with me to create the perfect home-away-from-home? I settled on bringing much more than necessary, which only ended up adding unneeded clutter to my already cluttered life. Now that I'm a senior, I've gotten accustomed to decorating my room the way I like it. But what if I knew back then what I know now?
A new 3-D tool has been created to prevent students from running into this very problem. DesignYourDorm is a 3-D interior design tool that allows students to plan ahead and customize their dorm room. It even allows students to purchase things they may need online. To begin customizing one's dorm, students must first register with the site and enter the school that they will be attending. The program generates a number of floor plans with the exact room dimensions used in the dorms, so students can plan out their space. For schools that are not registered with the website, a generic floor plan will come up, where the student can still move around furniture in a series of layouts. Another feature of the program allows roommates to virtually collaborate and coordinate their purchases. The best thing about DesignYourDorm? It is completely free to use, for both students and participating schools! So go ahead, plan your way into the perfect college dorm room - I wish I did! In fact, maybe I'll play around with the site anyway, and see what could have been...
Monday, February 1, 2010
College Education getting too expensive? How about a free Ivy League education instead?
With the rising costs of college tuition and the high volume of student loans, more and more people are looking for other ways to get the education they deserve, without breaking the bank. Many have turned to the web, which has begun to offer free educational content on a variety of subjects. In fact, many Ivy Leagues are making their lectures accessible to anyone with an internet connection. All it takes are a few clicks, and suddenly, what MIT students pay thousands for annually, is available to you for little or no cost.
A site called Academic Earth makes these lectures available to everyone, and is now reaching out specifically to high school students taking Advanced Placement exams by offering them courses. The lecture series offers up to 50 lectures from prominent schools such as MIT, Stanford, and Berkeley, covering subjects such as calculus, psych, and computer science. Students also have the option to download podcast versions of the lectures.
It's good to know that I have been spending almost $50,000 a year on my college education, when I could have been learning from the best schools for free! Maybe if I had gone to school a few years later, I could have used the information available on the internet to my advantage.
A site called Academic Earth makes these lectures available to everyone, and is now reaching out specifically to high school students taking Advanced Placement exams by offering them courses. The lecture series offers up to 50 lectures from prominent schools such as MIT, Stanford, and Berkeley, covering subjects such as calculus, psych, and computer science. Students also have the option to download podcast versions of the lectures.
It's good to know that I have been spending almost $50,000 a year on my college education, when I could have been learning from the best schools for free! Maybe if I had gone to school a few years later, I could have used the information available on the internet to my advantage.
Bored in Boston? Check out these places!
Now that I'm a senior in my last semester of college, I've realized how much there is to do in Boston and how little of it I have done. So, I have made it my mission to live up my last 4 months and take advantage of everything the city has to offer. I have compiled a short list of several things there are to do in Boston (some of which I have already done) and it is my goal to do every one of these things before I graduate and venture out into the real world.
1. Christian Science Center/Mapparium: If you have never passed by the Christian Science Center in Boston, then you must not get out much. Everytime I pass by this building, I am amazed at the beautiful architecture of this structure. The reflecting pool in the plaza also adds a nice touch. But my favorite part about the Christian Science Center is the Mapparium, located inside the Mary Baker Eddy Library. The Mapparium is a three-story, painted glass globe, which shows the perspective of the world in 1935. A 30-ft long glass bridge spans the middle of the globe. Another special feature of the globe is its acoustics. Stand on one end of the bridge and have a friend stand at the other. Whisper a secret, and see what happens!
2. Museum of Fine Arts/Museum of Science: Coming from New York, I am definitely not a first-timer when it comes to museums. However, having lived in Boston for the past four years, I still have not been to the MFA (which is free for students) or the Museum of Science. And with the Harry Potter exhibit at the Museum of Science ending in just a few weeks, looks like I don't have much time left to visit either! Better hurry!
3. Fenway Park: What better way to top off a visit to Boston then by visiting Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox. Though I am not a Sox fan myself (hey, I'm from NY), I would still love to go to a game at least once before I graduate, just for the experience. After all, judging from the riots whenever the Red Sox win a game, Boston fans are some of the craziest! It would be great to experience the excitement firsthand (though I should probably keep quiet about my loyalties).
4. Freedom Trail: Because I am in Boston for school, and because Boston is such a college town (BU, Northeastern, Harvard, and MIT to name a few), sometimes I forget that there is more to the city than college life. In fact, Boston is one of the most historical towns out there. The trail is a walking tour which takes tourists to 16 historical sites, connected by a red brick or painted line. Some of the stops include Boston Common, the State House, Faneuil Hall, and the Bunker Hill monument.
5. Skywalk Observatory at the Prudential Center: Having been to the Prudential several times, I'm surprised that I've never done this! The Skywalk Observatory takes visitors on a ride to the 50th floor, which is 750 feet in the air. Once at the top, people can walk around the 350 degree observatory and soak in the city. There is also an audio tour which provides visitors with tons of little-known information about Boston.
These are only some of the things that there are to do in Boston. Other attractions include the New England Aquarium (the penguins are adorable!), the JFK Library located near UMass Boston, and Boston Common, to name a few. So if you're like me and want to see Boston before its too late, or if you're just looking to kill some time, try some of these places - they're sure not to disappoint!
1. Christian Science Center/Mapparium: If you have never passed by the Christian Science Center in Boston, then you must not get out much. Everytime I pass by this building, I am amazed at the beautiful architecture of this structure. The reflecting pool in the plaza also adds a nice touch. But my favorite part about the Christian Science Center is the Mapparium, located inside the Mary Baker Eddy Library. The Mapparium is a three-story, painted glass globe, which shows the perspective of the world in 1935. A 30-ft long glass bridge spans the middle of the globe. Another special feature of the globe is its acoustics. Stand on one end of the bridge and have a friend stand at the other. Whisper a secret, and see what happens!
2. Museum of Fine Arts/Museum of Science: Coming from New York, I am definitely not a first-timer when it comes to museums. However, having lived in Boston for the past four years, I still have not been to the MFA (which is free for students) or the Museum of Science. And with the Harry Potter exhibit at the Museum of Science ending in just a few weeks, looks like I don't have much time left to visit either! Better hurry!
3. Fenway Park: What better way to top off a visit to Boston then by visiting Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox. Though I am not a Sox fan myself (hey, I'm from NY), I would still love to go to a game at least once before I graduate, just for the experience. After all, judging from the riots whenever the Red Sox win a game, Boston fans are some of the craziest! It would be great to experience the excitement firsthand (though I should probably keep quiet about my loyalties).
4. Freedom Trail: Because I am in Boston for school, and because Boston is such a college town (BU, Northeastern, Harvard, and MIT to name a few), sometimes I forget that there is more to the city than college life. In fact, Boston is one of the most historical towns out there. The trail is a walking tour which takes tourists to 16 historical sites, connected by a red brick or painted line. Some of the stops include Boston Common, the State House, Faneuil Hall, and the Bunker Hill monument.
5. Skywalk Observatory at the Prudential Center: Having been to the Prudential several times, I'm surprised that I've never done this! The Skywalk Observatory takes visitors on a ride to the 50th floor, which is 750 feet in the air. Once at the top, people can walk around the 350 degree observatory and soak in the city. There is also an audio tour which provides visitors with tons of little-known information about Boston.
These are only some of the things that there are to do in Boston. Other attractions include the New England Aquarium (the penguins are adorable!), the JFK Library located near UMass Boston, and Boston Common, to name a few. So if you're like me and want to see Boston before its too late, or if you're just looking to kill some time, try some of these places - they're sure not to disappoint!
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