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When you’re getting ready to move to college, you’ll be packing up a lot of stuff, likely the pricey, portable kind: a laptop, tablet, smartphone, iPod, and gaming systems. It’s an exciting time, and you’re probably not thinking about the possibility that your stuff might get stolen or damaged at school.

But it can happen, so you may want to consider renter’s insurance to protect your possessions. I know people who’ve had things stolen from their college dorms and apartments. I personally had my dishwasher flood my college apartment. However that was 20 years ago when my electronics were pretty low-tech and tucked in special shelves and desks. I shudder to think about the costs if I’d had a laptop or iPhone sitting on that sopping wet floor.

As a student, your belongings are often covered through your parent's homeowners insurance policy. However, any claims that are made for your belongings will have an impact on your parent's homeowners insurance policy rates, which makes purchasing a renters insurance policy worth considering.

You’ll have plenty of things on your mind as you head off to college, so start thinking now about the best way to protect your gear when you get there.

I worked most spring breaks so none of them were all that great. One year I worked close to a 70 hour week and was looking forward to Friday because it was St. Patrick’s Day and I could finally let off some steam. I raced home from work, changed clothes and met up with me neighbor to head downtown to celebrate. I was very anxious and excited to have some social time, and could not wait to have some fun.

We climbed into his car, pulled out of the parking lot and made it to the stop sign at the corner. We looked both ways and saw a car coming but it was a four way stop so we decided to go. Needless to say we heard the tires screech, but it was too late.

The car slammed into the driver’s side of the car and sent us about 10 yards over the curb on the opposite side of the street. We were very dazed but both of us walked away without a scratch. The girl driving the other car was fine too, but her car was totaled. We asked why didn’t she stop and did she the sign?

She replied, what sign?

She was right, earlier that afternoon someone had stolen the stop sign and there was nothing there. Although happy to be alive, we were both too frazzled, not to mention sore, to go anywhere. Surprisingly the car started, so we climbed back in and drove it home. So instead of celebrating, I sat on my couch and watched a movie with a couple of ice packs and a bottle of Advil.

That was the highlight of my Spring Break.

If you’ll be doing a summer internship, you’re probably right in the middle of the hunt. I remember spending a long spring break week during my junior year, interviewing for my summer internship. Frankly, I was nervous and I didn’t really know what I was doing, or what I was looking for in an internship.

So, my advice to all you internship seekers: have a clear idea of what type of experience you want to gain from your internship. It will help you to identify the internship that will best suit your needs, plus you’ll come across as professional and focused in your interviews when you know what you want.

If you’re pretty sure of the skills you’d like to develop and the experiences you’d like to be exposed to, then start mapping them out and formulating the right questions to ask during your interviews. If you’re a little uncertain (as I was) then get some guidance either from your academic advisor, trusted professor or other mentor. They should be able to help guide you as to what you might expect and want to gain from any internship in your field. Again, knowing what you hope to achieve with your internship will help both you and your potential employer determine whether the position is a good fit for both of you.

One caveat: while it’s great to be confident about what you want to achieve during your internship, remember that as an intern you’ll be lowest on the totem pole, and will likely have some duties that are not necessarily resume-builders (think filing, typing, data entry, etc.) You just want to ensure that your job will also include some significant opportunities to learn and gain experience.

As we say goodbye to 2012 and hello to 2013, it is time to set the goals we will try to achieve in the New Year. The dreaded New Year’s Resolution! I say dreaded because most people never stick to these agreements for more than a few months. Common resolutions like quit smoking, lose weight, eat better, or go to church are positive changes a person can make, but rarely are they maintained. For many, these goals are not specific, not realistic and are made with the goal of becoming a happier person.

It seems to me one of the problems with resolutions is the idea of fixing something that is wrong. Do we ever sit down and list the things that are going right for us? For this year, I want to make resolutions based on what made me happy in 2012. The list will include, traveling with friends, spending time with family, exploring new areas of New York, live music, pub crawls, outdoor movies, rooftop cookouts, cultural diverse activities, volunteering, and leadership development. The more time I spend doing things that make me happy, the better the year ahead will be. It is kind of like the idea of Strength Finders for personal development. Instead of concentrating on fixing what is weak, concentrate on building what is strong. So instead of wanting to work out more, I want to set a goal of seeing 10 new live music shows in Brooklyn this year. Attitude plays the biggest role in how good of a year 2013 will be, so trying to do more of things that make me happy will improve my attitude.

Having a more positive attitude about my life will help me to attain the other goals I am trying to achieve. I won’t look at eating healthier as a making a change to be happier, but rather a way to improve upon the great life I already have. That shift in how I look at my resolutions will make it easier to achieve these goals in the future.

What things made you happy in 2012, and how can you do more of that in 2013? Good luck and cheers to a great 2013!!!

When you look back on this past semester, you’re probably assessing how you did in your classes. Maybe you’re reevaluating your living situation. But have you given any thought to how you handled your money?

With a few weeks of winter break ahead, and the new year beginning, it’s a great time to look back on how you managed your finances. Did you always feel like you were short of cash? Did you rely on credit cards for basic purchases? Were you struggling for money at the end of the semester?

If you answered “yes” to any of those questions, you might want to make a new spending plan for next semester. Okay, before you doze off, hear me out—it really shouldn’t take that long. And trust me, you’ll feel much better about money—even if you don’t have much--if you have some kind of plan in hand.

If you’re not up for making a detailed budget, at least get a handle on the big stuff. Make a list of your largest monthly expenses, after your tuition/books/fees are paid: rent, utilities, gas, food. (If you’re living in the dorms this list will probably be pretty short.) If you don’t know what you pay each month for each of these, here’s your “a-ha” moment. It’s time to keep your finances top of mind. Check your online bank account or your check register and start doing the math. Hopefully you can come up with a rough estimate at least.

See how these big, fixed costs match up against what you’ll have in the bank at the beginning of the semester. What’s left is going to have to cover everything else you want to buy—is it enough? Not sure? The first step to managing your money is to know where your money is going.

So, again, it’s time to do some research on where and how you spent your money last semester. Dig into those credit card bills, check your bank account. Did you spend $15 on pizza delivery very week? That may not seem like much, but it adds up to $300 per semester. If you haven’t been paying attention to the “little” costs in the past, try it next semester. Look at it as a way to “make” money to spend on the things you really want. Think about it—if you swapped that $15 pizza for a $5 frozen pizza from the grocery store, you’ll save $200 next semester. I’m guessing you could find a better use for that kind of cash.

The thing is, you have to be aware of those “little” purchases in order to make the type of changes that will save you money. So start paying attention. Track your spending and make a plan that ensures your money is going where you want it to go. It feels much better than wondering where it all went.

For more ideas and to join the conversation, check out the Community tread on Treating College as an Investment.

Fall semester is over; it’s time for many college students to head back back home for the holidays. This also means, living under your parents' roof again. For many of us, this is not easy because we are used to living on our own. Not to mention, you consider yourself to be an adult but your parents will still view you as their child. I always had to remind myself that going home meant, I could no longer sleep until noon, I had a curfew, I couldn’t watch TV on the couch in my boxer shorts, I had to make my bed every morning, and I had to keep my room clean. It also meant 3 home cooked meals a day and laundry service. Although heading back home isn’t very traumatic, it can be frustrating to deal with your parents' rules after you have been on your own.

Remember, you are not there forever but you are there to enjoy the holidays. You may view your parents more as roommates now but make no mistake about it odds are they still view you as their child. Even though you have become accustomed to coming and going as you please it’s probably a good idea to let them know your plans. If you no longer feel that your curfew is fair, negotiate and find something that works for the both of you. Do not expect them to allow you to stay out all night, but an extra hour seems doable. Offer to help with things around the house, including doing your old chores. Some parents will not expect you to do these, but it sends a good message if you pick up where you left off.

The main thing to remember is that while you now consider yourself to be a visitor in your parent’s home, it is still their house and their rules. You are only visiting for a short period of time, so setting reasonable expectations will make sure both of you enjoy that time together.

Happy Holidays!

By this point in the semester, you may be feeling a little tired and run-down. But with finals week just around the corner, you want to do everything you can to stay healthy. Here are a few tips to help keep you from dragging over the next couple weeks.

Get your sleep. Pulling “all-nighters” is overrated as a college rite of passage. Trust me, I made it through four years of college without ever studying all night. Granted, you’ve probably got a lot on your plate with projects, papers, and studying to do, but trying to cram in the wee hours of the morning is not a great plan. You’re better off mapping out a careful daytime study schedule, grabbing free time between classes and hiding in the library to avoid distractions. Don’t skimp on sleep if you can help it.

Make time for exercise. When you’re really busy, your workout routine is probably one of the first things to go—I know it is for me. But taking a break to go for a simple run, walk or other workout may end up making you more productive in the long run. Exercise is a great stress reliever, plus it can help clear your head so when you do hit the books again, you’ll probably get more done.

Eat healthier than usual. Okay, I admit it, some of my fondest finals week memories involve going out for Do-Biz cookies or a huge box of breadsticks from the local pizza place (billed as “study snacks”). So when I say “eat healthy” know that I’m giving you some leeway. Building in yummy treats as a reward for studying is fine—just don’t binge on pizza and fast food for two weeks because you’re busy. Even if you’re on a crazy schedule, try to make time for regular meals and load up on fruits and veggies.

It’s something to think about. I recently advocated for taking a look at your personal expenses to see if you could cut your monthly bills.

As the end of this semester approaches, you may want to consider taking a look at your school-related expenses to see if you can realize some savings.

At my alma mater, students graduate with some of the highest levels of debt in the country, unfortunately. However, in the last few years, the three major universities in my state have created financial counseling programs that officials say are helping reduce student borrowing. It seems to be working, as a recent national study showed an $845 drop in the amount owed by the average 2011 Iowa college graduate. Check out this article, which tells more of the story.

In the article they mention an important point to keep in mind when borrowing for college: just because you can borrow a certain amount, doesn’t mean you should. We’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again—borrow only what you need for college, no more.

And that brings me to my suggestion to take a look at your school-related expenses. Is everything you’re paying for right now a “need?” For example, are you using your meal plan to its fullest extent? If not, you may want to make some type of switch next semester to save some money.

How about your living arrangements? Could you consider any place less-costly? If you’re considering moving off-campus, do the math first to see if it’s cheaper than on-campus housing.

Do you have a car at school? Consider whether parking and gas costs are eating into your budget. Maybe you could live without it.

When you add up all these types of expenses, making a few changes could end up saving you a significant amount, especially when you multiply it over the course of several semesters and consider the interest it would have gathered in repayment.

Hang on. This isn’t going to be a post about how fun it is to “shop” in your friends’ closet, scour the internet for coupons, or cook at home (all good ways to save money, by the way).

Sometimes there are less painful ways save money. If you’re in college, it’s possible that your finances are already lean and mean. But, maybe they’re not. In my family, we recently reviewed our bills and made a few quick changes that can save us over $50 a month. And honestly, the time investment was less than a half hour.

Take a few minutes and try it for yourself.

Review your cell phone bill. I was bummed that we went over our allotted minutes this past month--$18 extra dollars for a few minutes of chatting. A quick check of our cell phone provider’s website revealed a new deal that we didn’t know about.  One phone call later, our cell phone bill got knocked down by about $30 a month. Awesome.

Check out your TV/internet bill. First, make sure it’s correct and that you’re not being charged for services you’re not using. Then consider whether you can change up your package to something less expensive. Are you bundling your services in a smart way? If you’re not sure, call your service provider. They can review your account to make sure you’re getting the best deal.

Services/subscriptions. Is there anything you’re not using that could be cut? Once we trimmed back the cell phone bill, we started looking at other things. We quickly decided we could drop two different services, saving us another $30 a month. Think about things like movie subscriptions, gym memberships and the like. If you’re using them, great, but if not—why are you paying?

Not only is this a great exercise for college students, it’s a smart thing for parents to do as well. A few small changes can often make a big difference.

It may seem like the school year just started, but midterms are just around the corner. How can you prepare yourself to perform well on your first big tests of the year?

Don’t miss class. No amount of studying is going to make up for missing class. Make sure you’re there for each and every session and that you’re ready to pay attention. Showing up for class and taking good solid notes is the best thing you can do to keep your grade point average (GPA) where it should be.

Don’t get behind.  College workloads are heavy. Be sure to keep up with your reading and class assignments. As midterms approach, you’ll find yourself in a panic if you’ve got 10 chapters to catch up on.

Start reviewing early and often. Hopefully you’re taking good notes in class. Now be sure to use them—and not just the night before the test. One of my biggest revelations in college was what a difference it made to start studying for a test very early on. Try to review your class notes each day as part of your study routine. The concepts will be much more familiar to you, come test time.

Find a study buddy. It helps if you can connect with someone in your class to study with—compare notes and review concepts. After midterms, if you find that you’re struggling with a class, you may want to seek out a tutor instead.

Stay healthy. You’re not going to be at your best for the big tests if you’re tired or sick. Do your best to get a decent amount of sleep, try to eat as healthy as possible and get regular exercise (some good cardio is an excellent study break).

Upperclassmen, got any tips to share with freshmen on how to prep for midterms?