Back to School in Style

Mom takes daughters to school

By Cheryl Tillman Lee
Family Editor

As young adults, college students, as well as high school seniors head back to campus this fall, they face a barrage of responsibilities, from adjusting their schedules to finding school supplies that the teachers require, like backpacks, computers, and having the money for transportation going back and forward to school. It can be overwhelming.

A survey was conducted by the American Psychological Association, which showed almost half of Americans are concerned about their stress levels. High stress levels can cause physical and emotional problems, and effect health and behavior in kids as well.

But what can we do to lower our stress? Here are a few terrific tips for those suffering from back to school stress.

• Learn how to manage your time very wisely. Time management can greatly reduce huge amounts of stress.
• Organize. Cheap and easy tools for organization are readily available for you that can help you remember deadlines and assignments, and plan a schedule.
• Understand how you learn. It is very important to understand just how you process information in order to establish good study habits.
• Brush up on study skills. Work on your study habits; test taking abilities, and writing process to tweak your skills.
• Find out how to learn more efficiently. There are several suggestions here which can help you learn how to process information better.

This is also the time of year when many high school seniors are trying to gain entry into college before the new semester.

Often colleges require letters of reference, but it is important that high school seniors know how to handle matters for themselves without the help from their parents.

Letters of reference should include how the person knows you, how long they have known you, and what kind of person they perceive you to be. They should briefly describe what kind of asset you would be to a particular campus as well as any special qualifications you possess.

Tips on politely requesting letters of reference, as the young adult will soon be independent:

• Make sure you have a nice selection of people, try teachers, employers, members of the clergy, mentors, etc., Remember, not everyone has time to accommodate your request.
• Be certain they are literate. (These letters directly reflect you and your background).
• Select someone who knows you and likes you;
• Don't ask for a recommendation from someone you don't know simply because of his or her title or position. A person who doesn't know you will either refuse you or offer a generic letter which can do more harm than good. (If you haven't set foot inside a particular church since you were christened, don't dare ask the pastor for a recommendation).
• If you know the person very well, a telephone call may suffice. Be sure to tell them by what date the letter is needed and the aforementioned components of a strong letter of reference.
• In addition to the aforementioned strategies, a brief synopsis of past accomplishments, educational and career goals accompany the reference request. It will make the favor easier to perform and the letters regarding you will be focused and clear.

Back to School Fashions

Students will find the latest trend-setting looks and brands for the new back-to-school season. The basics such as the latest styles of backpacks and denim, as well as this year's "must-have" fashions, including skull and tattoo motifs, stripes, multiple layers, tunics and slim-straight leg jeans.

All over graphics in this season seen on tees, hoodies and jackets. The "destroyed" washes for denim are not as popular this season; fashion is noticeable more cleaned-up, yet still comfortable. Comfort is always in Denim, as always, is at the top of all students' "must have" list - and remains the constant staple that is super versatile and can be dressed up or dressed down.

College students have been weighing credit card offers, juggling the importance of buying needs vs. wants and accumulating loans to finance their education.

The following survey was released assessing the credit-readiness of 18-24 year olds and finding that both students and their parents are concerned about their ability to manage debt.

Reinforcing these findings, a report issued by the Center for Responsible Lending indicates the same age group pays overdraft fees of almost one billion a year.

Whether your child is headed to college or into the workforce, the early steps of financial independence can be very challenging. Young people seem concerned about their ability to handle credit opens the door for parents to take an active role in educating their children about the subject early on.

In addition to credit reports and a host of tools designed to help credit-active adults manage their credit, a special student website is available for students which features a free learning center that parents can utilize as a resource in their educational efforts.

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