Since August, I have been a sports reporter for my school newspaper, The Marquette Tribune. In my six months of working, I felt I have become a stronger writer and have gained a better knowledge on what occurs in a newsroom. My position requires me to write games analyses, player profiles and game previews. When a sports reporter is hired by a newspaper, he or she is typically assigned to a specific team to follow for the entire season, called a “beat.” In my case, this did not happen because there were too few sports happening in the fall. What instead transpired was I was given the chance …

Personal computers are, for some student, the single most important item in their dorm or apartment, with wallet or purse following closely behind. College students are spending more and more time on these devices, to either accomplish work or to socialize online. A good chunk of high school seniors may not have their own laptops just yet, so a guide for them through this technology jungle is in order. My laptop is a 15-inch MacBook Pro, which I began using in August 2010. The sticker price of about $1,600 is daunting for many prospective buyers, however, it is one of the most durable …

Flipping around last year's calendar, it sure was a busy 2012. It was a year of anticipation, a year of memories. The past year has helped me grow as an individual, and it has assisted me in becoming more independent. From working a lockout-shortened NBA season with the Milwaukee Bucks, to going abroad to Rome for a month in the summer, 2012 will be a year for the books. Traveling abroad to Rome and London made me appreciate the world around us at a much deeper level. I made many friends in Europe who I still stay connected with and have even met up with since we parted ways in Italia. Three …

As a side note, I hope everyone was unharmed by Superstorm Sandy and any damage done was minimal. With all the commotion and chaos from Sandy over these last couple of days, you deserve to be enlightened by some humorous speculation. So buckle up and enjoy. It was shortly after 12:30 a.m. the other night and I was just about to fall asleep. Everything seemed fine until I heard booming music being played for all of Milwaukee to hear. The second I heard it, needless to say, I woke up. I then realized that it must have been a Halloween party and I was simply another victim of noise pollution in …

It’s a tough question for some students, one that needs to be considered carefully – do you need a car on campus? This is especially true if you are in a large city, like myself. Most cities have a viable public transportation system (not Milwaukee, and I’ll get to that in a minute) and it’s even easy to get around on foot or by bicycle. For those living in a rural area, a car is almost a necessity. You will never, ever see anything besides your campus if you don’t use a car of your own. Bumming rides off your friends will only last so long before you feel the need to take the wheel. After …

School hasn’t panned out the way you had hoped. Whether it is for financial, professional or personal reasons, you want out. Take some time and really think if transferring to a different school is right for you. Ask yourself why you want to change colleges. Is it a matter of cost? Tuition rises every year, as does the price to live on campus, so would moving to a less expensive school ease the amount of debt you’d be left with upon graduating? If it’s money that concerns you, try applying for many different scholarships first before signing the transfer papers. Every $500 scholarship counts…

One of the most common answers people give when asked what they regret not doing the most when they were in college is “study abroad.” I now can see why. Over the past six weeks, I studied in Rome, and I had the experience of a lifetime. This had been in my plans since Fall 2010, and it took a lot of paperwork and follow-ups to finalize this excursion. Despite how tedious the bureaucratic process was, it was worth it all. When I first arrived in Rome, I had no idea who my roommates were or even how many of them there would be. I was concerned that maybe I wouldn’t like them, but it turned out…

London: It’s a city full of history, culture, cuisine, shopping and, of course, people who drive on the left side of the road. I recently spent three nights in London and would like to share with you what should be done in this entertaining metropolis, especially if visiting is in your future plans. London’s main airport, Heathrow, has a reputation for being notoriously busy and hectic. I did not get the slightest impression of this at all. From the time it took for me to get off the plane, clear customs and board the train to downtown London, it was only about 20 minutes. Travelers’ horror …

My aunt Patty recently asked a good question in the comment section in last week’s study abroad article. She asked how do students manage to travel while abroad and what types of transportation seem to be the most popular. This week I am going into detail on this topic and I hope this will help in any of your future European endeavors. Traveling to other cities while based in Europe can be simple, if you put your mind to it. Where you are in Europe could affect how much plane and train tickets cost. For example, a train ticket from Paris to Rome will be significantly more expensive than a …

Trying to balance schoolwork and free time in a brand new environment can be difficult, especially if the environment is Italy. Whether you plan to study abroad for five weeks or five months, it is crucial to remember that you are overseas for an education first, with entertainment coming second. I am taking a three-credit course about the history of the popes, and it meets Mondays and Wednesdays for four hours per session. There are a couple of classes on-site, meaning we will be taking field trips to ancient Roman locations. It is inferred that the material we learn from these trips will be…

Buon giorno from Italia! For the next five weeks, I will be taking a class at John Cabot University in Rome and, at the same time, seeing all of what the Eternal City has to offer. Feel free to follow me in my adventures and see what college life is like overseas. I arrived in Italy early Thursday morning, at around 7 a.m. local time (1 a.m. ET). After waiting in a snaking passport control line for about a half hour, I cleared customs without a problem and made my way over to the school’s check-in location. Before I go into that, I was really surprised at what customs in Italy actually was: …

If you’re feeling a sudden chill, a chill that may symbolize the daunting task of packing your belongings for the summer, don't be alarmed whatsoever. That means you have still kept your sanity and know that thousands of people like you are being faced with mounds of "stuff" accumulated over the school year. Not only are you going to have to fill boxes upon boxes of memorabilia, but you are also going to be thrown right in the middle of the horrific battlefield that is the elevator. And if your hall does not have an elevator, I hope you have the upper body strength to last the whole day. As …

As a semi-continuation of my job search and interview column earlier this month, this time I’d like to discuss the proper approach one should take when asking a professor for a letter of recommendation or requesting to place their name on your reference list. Before we begin, I would like to thank my aunt Janet, who is a nursing instructor at URI. She helped come up with the idea for this week because she is constantly receiving recommendation forms to fill out and letter to write. Firstly, think of a class in which you contribute to discussions on a regular basis. This way, the professor …

OK, it’s Saturday morning and as I’m sitting in my room thinking of a decent movie to watch, the idea of creating a mini-list of worthwhile college movies for high school juniors and seniors to watch suddenly clicked in my noggin’. Keep in mind these movies, as most Hollywood productions go, are an exaggerated image of the college experience and it is incredibly doubtful you will ever go through what these “students” endured. Below I have selected three college movies for you to watch before you step foot on campus either this coming fall or the following. I will point out what is realistic …

April is the time of the school year when job interviews take place most frequently. Applications are spilled all over the Internet and on bulletin boards on college campuses, as eager businesses yearn for young talent. It’s understandable if you chose not to take a part-time job this year if you are a freshman; some students find the transition easier if they don’t need to work. But as the settling-in process comes to an end, it may be time to think about applying for an on or off-campus job for this coming fall. Finding out what you would like to do as a job is, without saying, a hugely …

It's about that time to think about moving out. Although it's a month away, the next few weeks will be coming fast. It's never too early to think about what to take home with you and what you can keep at school, if a storage company is available for your convenience. Clothes and toiletries can go home with you, but other than that, you don't need to push the 50 pound weight limit to which airlines restrict passengers. If you can keep the television, game consoles and even some extra clothes on campus, take that opportunity. It will all be there when you arrive in the fall. One idea I …

As of Friday afternoon, the Mega Millions lottery ballooned to $640 million, by far the largest jackpot in the history of the game. On Friday night, multiple winners claimed the prize. The Internet has been abuzz with people dreaming of what they would do with the money. From paying Morgan Freeman to read them bedtime stories each night to simply filling up the gas tank, these dreams can be a reality once the numbers are pulled tonight at 11 p.m. ET. For us students, we are still in our youthful prime. Winning a prize of that amount could make us set for the remainder of our lives, depending …

As I saw a number of prospective Marquette students and their families touring the grounds this past week, it reminded me that I have not yet discussed with high school juniors and seniors what they should be looking for in a school. With that being said, let’s begin. High school seniors have been receiving acceptance letters for the past several weeks and the typical deadline to respond to the school of their choosing is May 1, although this may vary. Take note of any housing or tuition deposits the school requires you send in along with your enrollment verification. But what leads up to you…

This week I’m going to deviate from any major words of wisdom like I have done in the past. These are just a few key events which have occurred over my spring break this week which I would like to share with you in hopes of you following suit in the future. I spent this past week with my aunt and uncle in the southwest; I stayed at their house outside of Phoenix, Ariz. for a few days and we then hopped on over to Albuquerque, N.M. to see a couple of March Madness basketball games. It was a spectacular several days, rest mixed with activity and much to look forward to down the road. In Arizona…

Ah yes, spring break is finally upon us. The dorms may have kicked you out for the week, but this allows you to take some time to explore either your surroundings or a completely new area. Here are some ideas in order to prevent a completely boring vacation. A wise option some weeks or months back would have been to ask friends on campus what their spring break plans were and see if they would be interested in a road trip to a place none of you have been. I hear a few people planning road trips to Arizona to watch the Milwaukee Brewers or Chicago Cubs in spring training. Warm climate? Check. …