Acquiring a collegiate education is essential these days. For some, these are the best years of one’s life, for new friends are plenty and social life is exciting. For others, the burden of academics and also managing finances may prove to be a source of stress. In any case, many youngsters tend to dismiss the need for healthy eating and lifestyle practices when in college. There is little, if any awareness of the importance of consuming a balanced diet, creating time for exercise and getting adequate sleep. As a result, many youngsters fall ill or have compromised immunity.
Here are a few suggestions for staying fit in college:
Try to prioritize to the extent possible the consumption of healthy carbs that are rich in fiber. While many students do depend on the college cafeteria for their meals, it is advisable to follow some degree of portion control especially when it comes to the consumption of empty calories. Responsible eating and drinking habits are vital.
Try to budget for at least one fruit a day, even if this is not provided on the college menu. A small serving of dried fruits and nuts can also help to give much-needed vitamins.
While studying per se involves a lot of intellectual activity, the fact remains that students are sedentary for a large part of their days. Try to offset this with walking whenever possible. Also, always choose the stairs over the elevators.
It is very important to stay hydrated. Often, when we are focused on doing something, we tend to ignore symptoms of thirst. Do remember to drink water at intervals. Also, we often mistake thirst for hunger and tend to satisfy the urge by eating. As a rule, drink water first. If you are still hungry, then take a light and healthy snack.
Time management is key in college. Only this will ensure that you meet your academic deadlines while at the same time, not lose out on sleep.
Most graduate and post-graduate programs are very stressful and so it is very important to learn strategies to manage stress be it by working out at the gym, learning yoga, Pilates or even giving a little time to extra-curricular activities like music, dance, and theater.
These are just some ways to learn to handle the pressures of college life gracefully and successfully. The foundation to healthy living that we develop as youngsters are what will hold us in good stead in our later years.
They say it is never too late to pursue your dreams. This is especially true when it comes to career and education. Unfortunately, not all can afford to quit their jobs and go back to school. This can make it difficult to pursue higher studies or certain courses that can enhance skills. Fortunately, there are several free online learning platforms that allow anyone and everyone to be able to have access to good quality learning resources.
Here are some of the best websites for free online education that you can sign up for.
Coursera
Coursera is one of the most popular platforms for taking free online courses. It features classes, both free as well as paid, on a variety of different topics. This platform is currently being used by over 35 million learners that have access to 150 university partners, 2,700 courses, 250 specializations, and four degrees. These courses are curated in partnership with leading universities and organizations from around the world, such as Stanford and Harvard.
edX
edX is a platform that was founded by Harvard and MIT that brings together top-ranked universities. This platform was founded to help eliminate the primary barriers that prevent people from pursuing education, i.e., cost, location, and access. Along with free courses, edX also offers certain specialized courses for a specific fee. The platform can be accessed by interested educators and technologists through Open edX if they wish to assist in developing new educational tools.
Udemy
Udemy is another online learning platform that is quite similar to Coursera in terms of the format of the courses. The unique aspect of this platform is that it allows users to build their own custom courses by compiling individual lessons so that these can be taught online. There are over 100,000 courses in 50 languages on this platform that are taught by 42,000 instructors from around the world.
TED-Ed
TED-Ed is a platform made by TED to help share ideas and knowledge from teachers to students. This award-winning platform has a global network of more than 250,000 teachers that teach several free courses on a variety of categories and themes. The lessons are taught using animated videos and interactive content so as to make them more interesting for the students.
If you are planning to pursue an accounting degree, you should consider doing it online. There are more than 580 institutions in the country that offer master’s degrees in accounting, and many of them offer their courses online. Therefore, you can pursue this course without shifting to a different state, and you can also continue with your current job. Here are the top picks of online master’s degrees in accounting that you can consider if you are interested in this field.
Auburn University
The online master’s degree in accounting at Auburn University is open for you if you hold a Bachelor’s degree in accounting or business, and if you meet all the prerequisites for the business and accounting department. Students who enroll in this program receive study materials, instructions, and assignments that are similar to the on-campus course. The schedule is extremely flexible and can accommodate working professionals as well. Full-time students of this course can complete it within one year. They get to select electives like real estate finance and information risk analysis, among others. This course also prepares students for the Uniform CPA Exam. This whole program is available online, including the exam. However, students have to complete a three-day on-campus residency during their final semester.
University of North Carolina
The University of North Carolina offers an online Master of Accounting (MAC) degree through its Kenan-Flagler Business School. This school accepts students from all undergraduate backgrounds. However, students who have business or accounting backgrounds may get course waivers. Students who enroll in this course can choose a concentration in Tax or Audit. If you take up the full-time course, you can finish it in less than 15 months. You can start this course either in June or December. This way, even if you miss the application deadline for one semester, you do not have to wait for an entire year to enroll in the course. The MAC degree is entirely online, except for a one-week leadership immersion on campus, which is mandatory and takes place at the beginning of the course.
University of Connecticut
An online master’s degree in accounting from the University of Connecticut is one of the best online courses in the country. This university offers a Master of Science in Accounting (MSA) program. Full-time students can complete it in two semesters. Working professionals who enroll in this degree take two courses per semester. The University of Connecticut also offers you electives like Forensic Accounting, Disclosure for Not-for-Profit Entities, and Fraud Examination among others.