Are you anxious about an upcoming paper and need some tips? If you are a bit nervous, you aren’t alone. It’s actually a known factthat one of the most dreaded aspects of college for many students is writing term papers. Experts have revealed that fear (also known as resistance) is the number one culprit of writer’s block.

Believe it or not, writing papers can actually be an interesting process and rewarding. In an effort to help you write a stellar paper, we have compiled the following 7 Tips:

1.      Narrow down and define your topic. Take time to really think about your topic and make it as defined as possible. When a topic is overly general, it is difficult to find the right sources, write a concise argument and effectively support the paper’s premise.

2.      Develop an outline. Once you’ve defined your topic, you should outline your entire paper. An outline should include your introduction, main points, support for your main points and conclusion. The more detailed you get, the easier and faster it will be to write.

3.      Solid sources. Make sure that you locate plenty of great sources to help validate your topic and arguments. It is a good rule of thumb to gather more sources than you will use, read them thoroughly, make notes, and discard sources that don’t provide the support you need.

4.      Format correctly. Become a pro at using the required format (as prescribed by your professor). Whether using MLA, APA or any other format type, the more you know about formatting the better off you are. There is nothing that irks a professor more than receiving a wrongly formatted paper.

5.      Be creative. If you really want to stand out from your fellow students, don’t be afraid to get creative when making your arguments. Keep in mind that professors have to read through numerous papers. An innovative paper is usually more than welcomed!

6.      Proofread. When you have finished your paper, make sure that you carefully read through each sentence for grammar and spelling errors. Also, make sure your paper flows well and is easily understood. To be extra certain, it’s a great idea to have a friend serve as your proofreader for the term. Sometimes proofing your own work can be quite a challenge – that second pair of eyes can make all the difference in the world.

7.      Ask for guidance when needed. Some professors are more than willing to offer help when you become stuck. They may even offer to read through your paper and offer suggestions before you turn in a paper. Take advantage of this opportunity if possible.

We wish you luck as you embark on the writing of your next paper. Also, if you have any other tips you’d like to share; we’d love to hear them! Visit our Facebook wall and share away.

College life can be pretty intense sometimes…to say the least! In the process of trying to deal with a wide variety of professors, meeting new friends and finding time to sleep, we tend to become stressed out. There are countless stories of students dropping out or cracking under the pressure, but with the right approach to things, quality of life can improve dramatically.

If you’ve found yourself struggling to keep your head above water, we recommend putting aside your studies for a while and rediscovering your ability to laugh.

Studies show that laughter has the power to relax the entire body, while helping wash away daily stressors. Seriously, if you haven’t laughed in a few days, a week, a month or a year, it is highly recommended that you stop taking life so seriously. Common problems for those who fail to find their laughter include stomach issues/ulcers, headaches, backaches, depression and other ailments.

Some Ideas for Finding Laughter

• Watch a hilarious, knee-slapping  movie
• Check out a stand-up comedy club
• Read a book by a comedian
• Invite friends over and dare to laugh together
• Go out on the town and authentically enjoy it
• Think about something that made you laugh as a kid
• Try to find the humor in daily life
• Find a laughing yoga class
• Watch some silly videos on YouTube
• Laugh at how seriously you’re taking this thing called life
• Put up funny posters around your apartment
• Scribble down hilarious sayings and read them each day

There is a fine balance that every college student needs to find. To accomplish this, it is important to take deep breaths and put things into perspective on a regular basis. Remember that college life is supposed to be fun! Yea…yea…it’s about getting amazing grades as well, but one day you’ll look back and wish you would have taken more time to enjoy life.

What makes you laugh? To help your fellow college students, share your thoughts in the comments section below.

The beginning of the school year is the perfect time to think about internships and setting goals. If you’ve been on the fence about applying for an internship, we recommend that you go for it. We’ve all been college students ourselves and understand how important internships are in the scheme of things.

Hopefully the following thoughts will help you make your decision ASAP:

• Nothing beats real world experience. It’s vital to realize how competitive the world is right now. Because of the challenged economy and increasing unemployment rate throughout the US, it is extremely important that you have a competitive edge. Internships reveal your dedication to your future career and provide invaluable real world experience.
• Job opportunities after graduation. It has been said time and time again that “it’s who you know” that makes a difference when finding a job. Many times companies hire their interns because they know what to expect from them. If you work hard, you may get a job offer!
• Gaining confidence and finding your true calling. Internships will give you a jump on figuring out what you want to do with your career. This puts you ten steps ahead after graduation. You’ll be amazed at how much confidence you’ll gain by working with great minds…and learning invaluable skills in the process.

Applying for an internship is pretty straight forward. All you have to do is find the company/companies you’re interested in and either e-mail or call their headquarters for details. Most of the time, you’ll find that a company receptionist can steer you in the right direction over the phone. Many companies post internships on their job boards, so you can check those out in your discovery process.

You also may want to check to see if your college has a career resource center that can help. It’s quite common for colleges to have hook-ups with local companies. The great thing about this approach is that your guidance counselor can serve as your reference and fast-track the process.

Once you begin an internship, remember that each and every second is precious. Work hard and in the end you may end up with a great job!

We’d love to hear your interning stories or advice. Share away on our Facebook wall…

http://www.facebook.com/valorebooks

Have you found yourself a bit lonely at times as you attempt to get used to college life? It’s never fun to be the kid sitting alone at lunch or passing time alone in your dorm room on weekends reading the Harry Potter series for the 10^th time.  We human beings are curious creatures who crave connection with others – thus we dare you to take action.

In the case that you want to gain more friends, the following ideas may help:

• Know & accept yourself. It’s important that you really understand what makes you tick – what inspires you to be happy. The beauty of moving beyond high school is that everyone is on an even playing field in college. You now have the chance to meet people who have similar interests and reveal to them what an amazing being you are. Stay true to yourself, be bold and the rest will follow!
• Lend a helping hand. Reach out to your fellow college students in an effort to help them with their studies, carry things up the stairs, find their classes, etc. When you give your time, you’ll gain a lot in return. Plus, these moments give you time to ask questions and get to know lots of great people. You can maybe even invite those you help to have some lunch.
• Listening Rules! Become a great listener, instead of a babbler. Listening to others and showing you care goes a long way. Of course you should speak as well, but just keep in mind that good listeners tend to build numerous friendships that last a lifetime.
• Stay 100 yards away from gossip. Don’t get caught up in petty gossip. Your high school days are over…now is the time for drama free living. When your friends start gossiping, run the opposite way or change the subject to something more positive. A gossiper is rarely trusted or admired on campus.
• Join a club or group. College life offers so many opportunities for students with all sorts of interests. One of the best ways to get to know good people is to connect with them in a constructive setting. No matter what your interest – be it art, music, politics, literature, sports or debate – there’s bound to be something for you.

According to bestselling author and motivator Dale Carnegie in his book How to Win Friends & Influence People, there are six ways to make people connect with you. We’ll leave you with these, and wish you a great day:

1. Become genuinely interested in other people.
2. Smile.
3. Remember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.
4. Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves.
5. Talk in terms of the other person’s interest.
6. Make the other person feel important – and do it sincerely.

Feel free to share your ideas for making friends on our Facebook wall. We’d love to hear your thoughts!

The school year has officially begun for many of you, and you’re probably already realizing that you need to carefully manage your funds. Let’s get real. It is oh so easy to be inspired to go out regularly, buy new techie gadgets and find other creative ways to spend money like it’s going out of style.

The following are a handful of ideas for saving cash - and if you have any additional ideas, feel free to add your two cents.

1. Eat at home or make lunches. It may sound a bit boring and somewhat of a hassle to make your meals at home, but you will be amazed at how much you save. This includes regular Starbucks runs. Dare yourself to make your own coffee and bring it in a thermos. To see how much you’ll save, go through your last bank statement and add up how much you spent on eating out.

2. Purchase Used Books. Why spend two to three times as much for a new college textbook? You can find used books that have barely been touched. As you can imagine, some students were well intentioned when they planned to read through their textbooks and instead used them as bookshelf decorations. Valore Books can save you up to 90% on your books!!

3. Reduce Your Cell Phone Plan. Cell phone bills can be astronomical, no doubt. You can revolt by cutting your cell plan and using Skype or other similar technologies. Did you know that you can enjoy unlimited phone calls within the US on Skype for only $2.99 per month? Or better yet, make unlimited calls internationally for around $15 bucks? It’s a great idea to use Skype when at home and your cell when you’re out and about.

4. Limit Yourself to a Set Amount of Cash Per Week. Make a trip to the bank and take out a limited amount of cash. Put the cash in your wallet, and then put your debit/credit cards away in your sock drawer. When you run out of cash, you’re out of cash! Holding cash in your hands makes you much more aware of the value of a dollar.

5. Discover FREE Activities. There are all sorts of free stuff going on and activities to engage in. No matter where you live, you can probably enjoy great hiking spots, fun places to ride your bike, public tennis courts, beaches & lakes and more. Additionally, as a college student, you can take advantage of free sporting events, art exhibits, concerts, poetry readings and clubs on campus. Don’t miss out!

These are just a handful of ideas on cutting down your cost of living throughout the month. We’d love to hear your ideas as well. How do you cut expenses? Share away!