The Government Accountability Office recently administered several undercover tests to report on the true nature of online college courses and the end-goal that most of their for-profit institutions look toward when recruiting students.  Amidst the high quantities of bad press that online colleges have recently received, this report was not exactly what they hoped for, especially with the changing political atmosphere.  The reports indicated that many recruiters encouraged students to lie about their finances to loan agencies and that they additionally lied to students about the amount of salary they would receive through specific degree programs.  While these results honed in on specific online colleges and courses, this does not necessarily mean that every online school participates in this type of behavior.   

Despite this study, online colleges and courses remain popular among a wide spectrum of students.  Many more students have reported positive results with online education when compared to the negative results that news agencies seem to focus on.  While it is uncertain how long online education will continue on its course from for-profit institutions, it is clear that the interest of traditional schools in entering the online education realm is proving to be the saving grace for the new industry.  Even if for-profit schools go under within the next few years, online courses will continue to be available via major public universities and even Ivy League universities like Harvard and Yale.  These schools were in fact some of the first to even offer online courses, before the for-profit companies jumped on the bandwagon. 

Online courses in general have allowed many students to earn supplemental degrees, Associate’s degrees, and every degree onward.  Students no longer seem afraid to enroll in online courses, but seem to trust that each program will earn them a new income and career.  In times of economic despair, online courses have helped revive many unemployed individuals and allowed them to focus on a new future goal.  While it may be true that for-profit schools will not last much longer, our reliance on the internet has proved to be a major part of online education.  What better way to earn a degree than to do it from your laptop?  This affords students the flexibility to study and attend class from anywhere in the world. 

Technology proves to be a reluctant player for many people who are set in their ways, and the bad press has only attempted to discourage new students from enrolling in online classes.  However, with the advent of more traditional colleges joining the online community, it seems certain that online courses will prove themselves to the rest of the education community and will be the standing force of online education. 

Decorating and Furnishing

Your dorm room is a reflection of your personality, so how it looks is important to many people. Learn how you can decorate and furnish your dorm room so that it looks great and is good for the environment.

1. Live plants. Unless it is against your dorm rules, invest in a few live plants for your dorm room. Not only will it add a personal touch, but plants are a great way to improve indoor air quality.
2. Go used. While the shiny new stuff at the big box stores looks enticing, it is so much better to go retro and get used stuff instead. Visit a thrift shop or check out craigslist to see what is available.
3. Buy locally. Don’t mess with shipping or otherwise transporting a ton of stuff from your parents’ house to your dorm. Instead, buy locally to save on the transportation to and from each dorm move.
4. Get it free. Check out listings such as Freecycle or Freesharing that provide free classifieds full of stuff people don’t want anymore.
5. Recycled furniture. Get creative with your furniture and use recycled parts to make awesome, unique furniture. One idea is to place an old door across two file cabinets for an instant desk.
6. Photos. Decorate your walls with personal photos. Either tack them up on their own or create easy and fun frames out of anything from tin cans to leather belts.
7. Bulletin board. Make a bulletin board out of old wine corks for a one-of-a-kind board that costs almost nothing and keeps corks out of the landfill.
8. Organic bedding. Find sheets, blankets, and pillows that are organic when purchasing bedding for your dorm room.
9. Convert a halogen torchiere lamp. A simple conversion can turn a hot halogen lamp into a cool, green compact florescent one that looks great too.
10. Love your small space. Dorm life means you have limited space. Use this situation to practice reducing waste and curbing consumerism. You’ll find your space is not only cleaner, but you are living greener.

Conservation

These tips offer great ways to conserve energy and water in your dorm.

11. Hang dry clothes. Not all your clothes need to be dried in a dryer. In fact, some clothes actually do better when not dried that way. Buy a sturdy drying rack and use it for drying t-shirts, cotton and linen clothes, and lingerie.
12. Cold water. Wash laundry in cold water to save on the energy needed to heat water. Unless you have stubborn stains or odors, cold water will get your clothes clean. Cold water also preserves the life of your clothes so they last longer.
13. Full load of laundry. Throwing a blouse or a pair of pants alone into the wash is a waste of water, energy, and detergent. Make sure you are running a full load of laundry each time you use the washing machine.
14. No air conditioning. If you can, try to get by without air conditioning. If this isn’t possible, turn down the A/C while you’re away instead of turning it all the way off. It will take less energy to get it back up to a comfortable temperature.
15. Energy-efficient refrigerator. Refrigerators run constantly and require lots of energy to stay cool. Be sure the refrigerator you purchase for your dorm room is energy efficient.
16. Showers. Save both water and energy when you take shorter showers.
17. Report leaks. Immediately report any leaks such as dripping toilet, sink or shower to maintenance. A leak can waste incredible amounts of water in a short time.
18. Water off. Don’t keep the water running while brushing your teeth or shaving. Instead, turn off the water until you need it again.
19. Power strips. Connect all your electronic devices to power strips, then turn everything off with the flip of a switch when you are not in your room.
20. Sleep computers. Use less energy to power your computer by putting your computer in sleep mode after 15 minutes and turning it off at night.
21. Light bulbs. Whenever possible, switch the light bulbs in your room to energy-saving compact fluorescent bulbs.
22. Natural light. If you get natural light from your windows, make sure your overhead lights are turned off whenever possible.

Personal Care Products

While making your own toothpaste and hair conditioner might not appeal to everyone, these tips are great ways to save the environment by eliminating packaging, transportation, and harmful chemicals.

23. No dryer sheets. If you want your laundry to smell fresh without the chemicals of the dryer sheets, put a few drops of an essential oil on a wash cloth and throw it in with your clothes.
24. Cleaning products. Clean your dorm with simple and all natural products such as baking soda, vinegar, tea tree oil, or lemon juice.
25. Dusting. Use an old piece of clothing or old towel to dust. Instead of one-time-use dusting clothes full of chemicals, these reusable rags can easily be thrown in the laundry with your clothes. If you miss your furniture polish in a can, try a natural version using olive oil instead.
26. Toothpaste. Skip the tube of toothpaste that uses manufacturing, packaging, and transportation to your store and use homemade toothpaste with baking soda and water.
27. Body scrub. Make a simple, yet luxurious, body scrub with just a bit of oil, sugar or salt, and a few drops of essential oil for scent.
28. Shampoo. No matter what hair type you have, there is a recipe for eco-friendly shampoo you can easily make right in your dorm room.
29. Hair conditioner. Another way to save on packaging and manufacturing is to make your own hair conditioner with simple ingredients such as eggs, avocado, honey, or yogurt.
30. Facials. For the ultimate in pampering, make your own facial scrubs that are also earth-friendly.
31. Mouth wash. Make your own eco-friendly mouthwash using herbs, mineral water, and essential oils.

Purchasing, Preparing, Disposing of Food

From buying organic food to spearheading a community garden for the whole dorm, these tips will have your dorm eating green in no time.

32. Crock pot. For simple cooking in your dorm room that uses very little electricity, try a crock pot.
33. Organic. You can be even greener by purchasing organic foods to cook in your crock pot.
34. Buy in bulk. Bulk products usually have less packaging material and cost less. Even better, split up the bulk products with other students and share costs.
35. Drink tap water. Bottled water not only requires manufacturing of the plastic bottle, but shipping that sometimes takes those bottles from half way around the world.
36. Water bottle. Use a reusable water bottle for that tap water you will be drinking instead of paper or styrofoam.
37. Purchase locally. Purchase from local grocery stores. If the local stores don’t have a location within walking distance, ask them to consider a campus-accessible store.
38. Skip the packaging. Some stores already have stopped packaging their produce. Try foregoing the produce bag and take a reusable produce bag for those times when you really need one.
39. Whole foods. Whole foods are those not processed that come straight from the source. These foods require less manufacturing and don’t have lots of added chemicals.
40. Eat locally. When you choose locally grown food, you are cutting out tons of transportation and handling that may harm the environment.
41. Community garden. Put your leadership skills to work and organize a community garden at your dorm. The food grown in the garden can be supplied to the dining hall.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Follow these tips to reduce, reuse, and recycle around your dorm.

42. Compost. Create a compost for food scraps for the dining hall and the dorm. The compost generated from this project can be used in a community garden or donated to a local charity.
43. Community board. Set up a community board for your dorm that facilitates swapping items so that used furniture, clothes, and gadgets don’t end up in the landfill.
44. Recycling bin. If your dorm doesn’t have a recycling program, set up one complete with bins throughout the dorm and a way to get the recycling picked up or delivered to a recycling center.
45. Batteries. Old batteries that go to landfills leak dangerous chemicals into the soil, so set up a collection bin in the dorm and take them to a recycling center instead.
46. Cartridges. Used ink jet cartridges are also harmful for landfills. Put a recycling bin next to the battery bin so you can collect cartridges to be refilled and reused.
47. Rain water. If your dorm doesn’t have a rain water collection system, work with the school to start one. They are simple to install and provide free water for your community garden or any other landscape usage.
48. Recycled paper. When purchasing paper for your schoolwork, make sure it is recycled. Also, when you are finished with the paper, put it in the recycling bin.
49. Bags. Take reusable bags with you to the store. If you forget and end up with plastic or paper bags, reuse them in creative ways.
50. Rechargeable batteries. Whenever possible, select rechargeable batteries in your electronic devices. This reduces the number of batteries that need to be recycled or might make their way to the landfill.

As a result, schools can theoretically log into one computer and communicate knowledge to their students through the many open classes schools like MIT and Harvard offer!  This is only the latest example of how closely related the globalized world is becoming.  While school thus far only have the basic necessities to teach (chalk and hopefully a chalkboard), introducing a computer into the mix can have vast repercussions and help speed the education levels up to that of the rest of the world.  It is not fair that these children have to suffer through lack of knowledge through no fault of their own when they already have to go through hardship after hardship.  Additionally, every student is eager to be at school and learn (a vast different from students in any American classroom).  Why shouldn’t we donate our technology to these countries as well as food and medicine?  It is as essential in a modern world as anything else.

Online courses have become the wave of the future, and the simple fact that a one-room school in the middle of Kenya has the potential to receive a wireless signal that can impart worlds of knowledge onto their students is a telling sign.  No longer do these students have to be shunned away from the possibility of a college career, but can instead learn from online AP courses or free online courses from the top American Ivy League schools: courses that are free and available to anybody with an online connection!  While the planners of online education did not consider these worldly advantages, they have emerged in a time where we need them the most.  Despite our own disputes about education in the United States, we need to ensure that children everywhere are exposed to the best level of educational standards.  With more and more studies indicating the growing benefits of online education, it seems like the perfect solution to at least one of the problems that plague these nations.  We must rely on world leaders to solve the others. 
 

Online education has grown to a point in which students can pick an incredibly specific subject from nearly every online institution.  One of the most prominent subjects in recent years has been the increasing amount of online courses in Islam and Islam politics.  Our nation’s recent struggles to understand the religion of the Middle East has led to many degree programs that emerged in recent years and help explain the course of the religion and the politics behind it.

There are now many online schools that cater exclusively to students who wish to study Islam and the fascinating history of the culture.  Schools such as The Online Islamic Academy and Islamic Online University accept students from around the world and strive to educate their students on the intricacies of Islam.  The Online Islamic Academy includes a brief introduction to the distance-learning method of teaching and discusses the different forms of traditional Islamic learning, such as:
Students in the hot Mauritanian desert are reclining in nomadic tents, listening to their teacher exposit a classical treatise on Maliki law, meticulously taking notes on a clay tablet that they will later memorize rote and wipe clean.

However, the site goes on to reveal that knowledge does not have to be taught in any particular way or form, but exists as the internalization of various principles and the thread of inheritance, which is the metaphor used in the Qur’an to explain how knowledge is acquired. This school embodies the modern notion of this form of inheritance, and strives to teach its students the knowledge of Islam through technology, essentially bridging the gap between traditional and modern learning.

Islam and Islam politics are difficult concepts to grasp without first-hand knowledge of the background, which is why the implementation of the subject into online schools is that much more revolutionary.  Other courses that are offered through Studying Islam, allow students to complete courses at their leisure with no time restrictions.  Many of these programs understand the complexities that come with learning an ancient culture, and especially one which has become so diverse over the centuries.  The Islamic Online University has additionally joined many other prominent schools and has begun offering many free online courses in subjects such as Arabic or the Moral Foundations of Islamic Culture.  The internet has essentially opened up so many doors for this previously obscure culture (in the sense that most Western students would not have dreamed of studying it).  However, now students from around the world are offered the opportunity to study from renowned professors in Islam without traveling to Islamic countries. 

The internet seems set to expand these type of course offerings even further, as so many students are interested in a variety of subjects relating back to the religion and culture of Islam. 
 

While online schools and courses are typically to get you farther along in your degree path, there are some courses which can just be taken for fun and for realizing that school does not have to be entirely about seriousness.  There are courses in every online college that are solely to teach you things that you would not learn through a degree program.  Different from traditional electives, many of these course teach you things about home improvement, fashion, cooking and nutrition, or even art courses that do not require you to write extensive papers.

Every school offers a variety of these fun courses, although most typically do not go toward a degree, but instead offer the student time to relax and possibly earn a one-hour elective.  While some traditional schools offer these types of courses through their athletics program (eg. wine tasting at some public schools), but these courses are difficult to take through the internet.  Instead, online courses have begun to offer similar elective programs which allow students the chance to learn about a discipline without the stress of tests and papers.  Well, there might be tests, but they’ll be about as hard as that Yoga test you took at the end of your semester at public school (and that was not hard at all….namaste y’all?).

Everyone needs a bit of fun in their life, including throughout school, which means that most online schools have begun offering these fun online courses for students to focus on something that does not require hours of study.  While online courses are typically part of a degree program for most students, they can also just be taken at your leisure in order to develop some background knowledge about a particular subject.  Who wouldn’t want to get some additional knowledge about cooking or home improvement?  It isn’t worth taking extensive courses in, but the flexibility of online college has made such courses readily available for any student simply perusing the course offerings. 

Learning a little bit about a fun topic without the added stress of grades or tests is one of the better aspects of online college, in the sense that it draws students into the school without forcing them to decide on a degree program.  Simply learning an additional trade that may not lead to a career is fun in itself, especially when you know you do not have to do it every day, but only have to do it on your own schedule. 

However, while MIT may offer only science courses, many other online colleges allow students similar ways to “test” out their many degree programs in different areas of education.  Many of these open online courses are available in a multitude of degree programs and offer a wide range of courses that students would never get the chance to experience otherwise.  Discovering what degree program is better suited for you is part of the appeal of these open online courses and the best courses they depict in their offerings.  Additionally, the fact that fewer schools offer these open courses should not serve to dissuade any potential students, but encourage them of the fact that most online schools offer similar courses, despite the difference in open online schools. 

Online college courses are usually catered to specific degree programs, but many of the best online courses that are offered through open courses allow students to see whether they will enjoy one degree program over another.  The online education industry has revolutionized the college process indefinitely, including the ability of students to preview potential courses through the previous year’s course material.  Whether you are looking into a degree program in the sciences or liberal arts, there are a slew of the best courses to peruse from, such as Ancient Medieval Literature or Modern Theoretical Physics.  Depending on what your specialty and interests are, you can choose from any number of free courses in order to delve deeper into a specific degree program.

The best online courses are more than just simple everyday English or Physics, but instead allow students to experience a new world of educational possibilities that others would not normally have.  Discovering what the best courses are for you is only one step in the education process that will further cement your future career choices and goals. 
 

Twitter can be an indispensable resource for online learning, especially for tech students. Real-time discussion about product releases and gadget reviews, tech and new media trends, troubleshooting, and web development can all supplement your course work and give you an idea of what people are talking about in the real world. Here are 100 excellent Twitter feeds to learn about the tech industry, search for jobs and internships, and keep up with tech news.

Tech News

Blogs, online publications and print magazines all head to Twitter to share their latest headlines and talk about the tech news of the day.

1. @computerworld: This magazine tweets about Apple, the Kindle, Google, Microsoft and other top tech issues.
2. @macTweeter: Follow @macTweeter for Apple news, iTunes lists and more.
3. @ITPRO: This UK magazine covers all things IT.
4. @Techmeme: Coming out of San Francisco, Techmeme aims to be the "web’s technology news site of record."
5. @TechCrunch: This popular tech site features product reviews, tech news, and editorials.
6. @slashdot: Keep up with Slashdot’s updating headlines here.
7. @CNETNews: CNET editors share their photos, videos, reviews, and top news stories here.
8. @Gizmodo: Get a steady stream of headlines from Gizmodo, on home theater equipment to iPods to AT&T.
9. @engadget: Gadget geeks will enjoy following this feed for new releases, reviews, and insight into the whole computer and gadget industry.
10. @informationweek: Business students who love technology should follow the news stories tweeted from @informationweek.
11. @MacObserver: This news feed includes more than Mac news: follow it for headlines from Canon, World of Warcraft, Google, the mobile media industry, and more.

Bloggers

Bloggers add to the conventional news and media culture by offering behind-the-scenes commentary, coverage of niche tech topics, and more. Here are some of the best you’ll want to follow.

12. @Scobleizer: Robert Scoble loves blogging and tweeting about the new gadgets and trends coming out of Silicon Valley.
13. @CharlesLau: Charles Lau, the Internet Reviewer, tracks websites and products here and on his blog.
14. @techradar: Get tech news from the US, UK and Japan from @techradar.
15. @labnol: Amit Agarwal is a professional blogger and tech reporter who comments on online education and beyond.
16. @freecloud: Alan Patrick is a blogger who covers broadband media, mobile media and more.
17. @ipostfirst: This blogger may just deliver the newest tech news faster than anyone.
18. @andrewbrust: Andrew Brust is an expert on Microsoft and is the Chief of New Technology at twentysix New York.
19. @nickbilton: Nick Bilton is the lead tech writer for the Bits Blog, from the NYT.
20. @alexlmiller: Alex Miller is a good follow if you want a variety of news and inside stories from media, tech, business and more.
21. @mattbuchanan: Gizmodo writer and blogger Matt Buchanan has a bit of a potty mouth and likes ranting about stupid new products and thinking about yummy snacks.
22. @bloggersblog: Get blog posts about Twitter and tech.
23. @steverubel: AdAge columnist and blogger Steve Rubel tweets about tech stuff, iPhones, technology in real life, and more.
24. @chrisgarrett: Author of ProBloggerBook.com, Chris Garrett likes tweeting about social media, blogging lessons, and more.
25. @editorialiste: Andrew Nusca is an editor for ZDNet and SmartPlanet, but is the editorialiste blogger "by night."
26. @nptechblogs: Get blog posts from tech blogs all over the web here.
27. @LATimestech: The LA Times tech blog tweets about Google Labs, texting, ebooks, new media and a lot more.
28. @mashable: Pete Cashmore, CEO of Mashable, shares blog posts from Mashable. Recent posts cover Facebook, iPhone apps, the TIME Gadget of the Year, and more.
29. @honeytech: The Honeytech blog covers news, downloads and tips for using Google, for web design, open source, and more.
30. @tonykarrer: Tony Karrer is a CTO-for-hire, social media expert, eLearning insider and blogger.

Web Development and Design

If you’re into web development and design as a career choice or just for fun, follow these feeds for inspiration, tips, news and support.

31. @Chromaa: Get helpful tips and web dev news from @Chromaa, a professional and freelance web developer.
32. @webdesignfreak: You’ll find tutorials and articles pointing to useful apps and design tips here.
33. @WebWorkerDaily: If you love web design or development and want to make a career out of it, follow this feed for career and industry tips.
34. @kovshenin: Moscow-based Konstantin Kovshenin tweets about WordPress, shares web design and HTML tutorials, and more.
35. @chrisspooner: Chris Spooner blogs and tweets about web design and illustration.
36. @DesignerDepot: You’ll find cheat sheets, Photoshop tutorials, usability tips and more from this feed.
37. @inspiredmag: Web designers can tune into this feed for daily inspirations, contests and more.
38. @DesignNewz: Find lots of free tools, tutorials and design ideas from @DesignNewz.
39. @RussAdams: Russ Adams blogs for webdesign.fm and shares his posts and commentary here.
40. @naldzgraphics: Ronald Bien shares graphic design tips here.
41. @sixrevisions: Jacob Gube, the creator of Six Revisions, talks about web development, fonts, typography and more.

Programming, Software and Engineering

Computer programming, software and engineering students will want to subscribe to these feeds for news, reviews, tips and clues about Android, Microsoft Windows, Mac, networking and more.

42. @EverythingMS: Windows geeks will find everything related to Microsoft here.
43. @putdotio: This new online storage system is just starting to tweet about its new updates and plans for the future.
44. @MyAndroidCell: They may not follow you back, but subscribe to this feed to keep up with Android releases and gossip.
45. @bit-tech: Gamers and programmers in the UK connect on this site and Twitter feed for news, reviews and more.
46. @smallnetbuilder: If you’re into network design, troubleshooting or engineering, you should visit this feed, from smallnetbuilder.com.
47. @jtackabury: Follow Jon Tackabury for all kinds of software and development discussion.
48. @DownloadSquad: The Download Squad tweets new updates and downloads for Google Chrome, Mozilla products and more.
49. @surya_s: Surya Suravarapu’s feed fuels interesting discussion about software development. Recent tweets share opinions and news about Camel, XML, search engines, Android and more.
50. @ComputerRealm: Luqmaan is a software developer and webtreneur who likes blogging and tweeting about Windows troubleshooting, Internet customization, social media and his own projects.

Personalities

From Tim Berners-Lee to Guy Kawasaki and hackers like Anthony McKay, you can follow your tech idols here.

51. @anthonymckay: Hacker Anthony McKay tweets his views on tech, social media and more.
52. @GuyKawasaki: One of the most successful techies around, Guy Kawasaki is a master of new media, branding and tweeting.
53. @richardlai: Richard Lai is an Engadget editor who lives in London and tweets things like "Samsung Bada needs two more ‘s.’"
54. @LanceUlanoff: Lance Ulanoff, the editor-in-chief of PCMag.com, tweets about new gadgets, general tech news, and his love for robotics.
55. @emoltzen: Ed Moltzen is the managing editor for Test Center for CRN, CRNtech, VAR Biz and Channelweb.com, and likes commenting on mobile media and more.
56. @j_timmer: John Timmer, chief science "wrangler" for Ars Technica, tweets about genetics, Verizon, data management and more.
57. @timberners_lee: The real inventor of the Internet.
58. @ohnorosco: Ross Miller is another Engadget editor whose random but fun Twitter feed touches on banjos, new gadgets, troubleshooting, and pubs.
59. @donreisinger: Don Reisinger writes The Digital Home column for CNET.
60. @jack: Jack Dorsey is the creator, co-founder and chairman of Twitter.

Career and Jobs

Use these feeds to look for tech, media and IT jobs and internships across the U.S.

61. @exectweets: Follow this feed to get connected tech execs and news.
62. @Jobs_Tech_LA: If you’re in the LA area and want to find a job in development, technical design, engineering and beyond, check here.
63. @jobsintech: Creative and tech types will find job postings around the U.S. here.
64. @sfmobilejobs: Get digital tech and mobile jobs from around the country (not just San Francisco).
65. @TechJob_Chicago: This is the spot for Chicago-based techies to look for jobs.
66. @SocialMediaJob: If you want a job or internship in social media marketing, product management, community management or a related field, check here.
67. @Web2point0jobs: This feed claims to direct you to the highest paying tech jobs in application development, web design, and more.
68. @Joblighted: @Joblighted is a good spot to find programming and developing jobs in the U.S.
69. @wFreelanceJobs: Look for freelance web design jobs here.
70. @caitjobs: This feed is updated regularly and highlights tech and IT jobs in California.

Media

Learn about the new trends, careers, concepts and discussions in media and new media, from TV to social media and new media marketing.

71. @ryanlawler: Ryan Lawler writes for GigaOm and New TeeVee, and you’ll find tweets about Hulu, Vevo and other online media sites here.
72. @tconrad: Tom Conrad, the CTO at Pandora, tweets about business travel and all sorts of online media trends.
73. @fforward: This feed is a true mix of media, art and design, highlighting what’s new and beautiful and car design, gadgets, and more.
74. @juliaroy: Julia combines a talent for fashion and digital media in her job as Coach’s senior manager of new media.
75. @NewTeeVee: If you want to know what’s next for TV, check out this feed.
76. @JesseNewhart: Jesse is a multimedia and new media strategist who tweets about blogging, real-time web, Google, and more.
77. @douglasi: Douglas Idugboe is a new media evangelist who shares marketing tips and social media advice.
78. @themediaisdying: Learn how to break into the changing media industry with better pitches and a cutting edge education.
79. @tomkennedy: If you’re interested in changing the way we receive news, you’ll want to follow @tomkennedy.

Gaming

Whether you’re a game designer or just seriously into the world of online, virtual, and video gaming, check out these feeds.

80. @GeekSpazz: GeekSpazz tweets about social media and gaming here.
81. @fourzerotwo: Robert Bowling is a creative strategist who makes video games like Modern Warfare 2.
82. @Kotaku: Get game reviews and news from @Kotaku.
83. @gamergeeks: This gaming community tweets reviews, asks for user input, shares new game releases and apps, and more.
84. @8bitfix: You’ll find out when games and extra releases for products like Assassin’s Creed 2 and Transformers are available when you follow @8bitfix.

Tips and Research

Even if you’re a tech-savvy student, you probably run into trouble with your computer, network or iPhone at some point. Follow these feeds for tips and advice from the pros.

85. @10steps: If you work with Photoshop, you’ll find tutorials and tips here.
86. @ismashphone: Get iPhone tips here.
87. @tinyhacker: Get general tips for iPod Touch, RSS feeds, eBay, file sharing and more.
88. @IBMResearch: IBM geeks can ask questions and keep up with research projects here.
89. @howtogeek: Follow @howtogeek if you have computer problems or just want to learn basic troubleshooting tips.
90. @linuxhub: Linux users will find tips and hacks here.

Entrepreneurship

Get inspired to start your own tech business when you follow these ambitious tweeters.

91. @radtech: Ryan and Zach share advice, tips and troubleshooting for Mac, iPod and iPhone.
92. @sandieman: Rob Sandie is the co-founder and president of viddler.com.
93. @Jesse: Jesse Stay is the CEO of SocialToo.com and tweets about social media, web development and more.
94. @N3W_Media: Ed Stivala is the founder of a UK-based digital agency and consulting group, N3W_Media.
95. @ryanblock: Ryan Block has quite a resume: he’s the co-founder of gdgt and is also a writer and editor for tech pubs.
96. @davemorin: Dave Morin is an entrepreneur in the tech and social media industries who works for Facebook.
97. @StartupPro: Martin Zwilling is a veteran startup mentor, angel investor and tech expert.
98. @chrishogg: Chris Hogg is a social media expert and CEO of the user-generated news site Digital Journal.
99. @Woork: Antonio Lupetti is the founder of Woork Up, a web community for web designers, tech news and digital inspiration.
100. @davidlano: David Lano loves Apple, web design and development, and starting new projects.

College campuses are rife with unhealthy food options. Dining halls typically serve up greasy burgers and cheese-slathered pizzas to hungry students because these options are cheap and easy to create. But if you indulge in one too many late night meals of what is essentially college-sanctioned fast food, you will find your favorite pair of jeans becoming a little too tight for comfort. To prevent this from happening, devise a workout plan that you will be excited to participate in. Some people love physical activity and can go to the gym day after day and never get sick of it. However, if you’re not one of those people and you loathe the idea of running on a treadmill after class each afternoon, consider joining an intramural sports team or participating in a group exercise activity. Working out with other people on a team or in a class will encourage you to stay engaged and will prove to be more like a social activity than a boring workout. This way, you will be more likely to stick with it rather than if you tried to stick with a workout plan you ultimately find dull.

It is also important to pace yourself. While you may be embarrassed that you can’t run a full mile without taking a break every five minutes, you should not let that deter you from future workout sessions. Push yourself as hard as you can, but also set realistic goals for yourself so that you can see your progress and stay encouraged to keep fit.

In the end, the most important thing that you have to do to keep off the freshman year pudge is to devise a workout plan and stick with it. It is dangerous to skip gym days because you will end up skipping far more times than you actually go, so when you find yourself reluctant to get off your duff for a run, push yourself to get up anyway. In the end, you will feel much better about yourself and your body.

Many students declare a second major if it fits with their other major in some fashion. For instance, a student considering going to law school after graduation may want to major in both philosophy and psychology. Both majors can be beneficial to a law student. Also, the addition of another degree makes you much more attractive to prospective law schools. It shows you have a dedicated academic spirit. It is also common for many students looking to go onto medical school. Sometimes you can anticipate the type of medicine you want to study and you can double major in related science fields that will put you in a strong position to begin the rigorous work load of a medical student.

Other students may not be sure what they want to do after graduation and see double majoring as a way to open up different avenues in their future professional lives. Having two degrees can certainly open up more doors than having one. Some students who think they may want to teach at some point down the line may double major. One of the majors can be in the subject area in which they think they may want to teach, while the other major could be in a discipline that could lead them down a different career path.

The key for a student who wants to double major is to make sure they can fit all the courses in their schedules. Talk to professors in both disciplines to get their opinions on the viability of you taking on another degree. They will explain to you the necessary courses you will need to complete and help you figure out whether you will be able to devote the necessary time and attention to them. Remember that your GPA within your major is often looked at by potential employers. You don’t want your GPA to suffer in or the other majors. However, if you deliberately attend to your work, you will be in a great position as you graduate with two degrees.

Online courses initially made their debut on the internet through many “open” classes that Harvard and MIT offered.  These courses attracted potential students, allowed web users to learn about a subject, and generally allowed students to become informed about a topic without the expense of Ivy League tuition.  The website Academic Earth has additionally tied all these free online courses together in a neat and tidy layout which allows web viewers to search under different subjects for free video lectures from esteemed Ivy League professors. 

With the growing advent of social media, sites like Academic Earth allow students to view different lectures without paying for the costs of the classes and are akin to sites such as Hulu.  At this point, students are offered the opportunity to upload lectures at their leisure and whenever they feel the need to know more about an era of architecture, or the intricacies of our nation’s financial state.  It is an easy way to get background knowledge of a particular subject and participate in a live lecture.  These original online courses have been revolutionary in online education because they have recorded lectures in which professors are teaching to live students in a classroom, rather than the simple lecture notes most students of online universities receive.  Furthermore, the fact that most Ivy League schools have jumped on-board in this realm of online education is indicative of the success the programs have achieved throughout the internet.

These online courses are beneficial for all types of people, from potential students, to interested entrepreneurs, to business professionals who simply need a reminder of various terminology.  What makes these courses even better is the additional information most classes post, including transcripts, notes, and sometimes homework assignments in which you can grade yourself.  While you will not be receiving any kind of grade for attending these online video lectures, you will be allowing yourself the flexibility to learn a new subject without the added expense of tuition.  Additionally, many of these sites now allow viewers to rate the class, making it easier to see which classes are most beneficial to newcomers.  While you will not be receiving a grade of any type, you will have an introduction into many different intricate subjects without the interruption of finals, midterms, or inane commentary by students.  In a sense, these open online courses can almost supplement a college degree program, and seem set
to continue their path of delivering knowledge to internet viewers.