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