Many of the great thinkers, particularly the two mentioned above, unconsciously used the concept of Koinonia to enhance their thinking power. Author Michael Michalko listed 3 things on his blog Creative Thinkering that must be present in order for an experience of Koinonia to happen: 1)Establish dialogue, 2) Clarify your thinking, and 3) Be honest. Looking back on the historical writings about Socrates life, it can be clearly seen that among his follows, all three things existed. Einstein too had a group of people with whom he could bounce ideas off of and who helped him formulate some of his greatest thoughts.

If you want to enhance your creative thinking skills, you may want to consider taking a leaf from the page of the greats and practice the principles of Koinonia in order to establish a creative environment of ideas. First, you’ll need to find a group of people with whom you can freely speak and listen. Everyone must be willing to share ideas, not argue, and not interrupt when someone is explaining their thoughts. Second, you and others in your idea group need to make sure you leave any previous assumptions at the door. You may have formed an opinion about a topic or person in the group, but as soon as you are in your idea circle, those assumptions need to disappear. If you keep them, they may give you a biased view and hold you back from exploring the new ideas being presented. And finally, everyone in the group must agree to be honest, even if what they say might be taken poorly by others. The key is to simply let the ideas flow, not trying to persuade anyone of anything.

We all know that group thinking is more productive than individual thinking. Since everyone sees things differently, it’s important to get the perspective of those outside of your immediate vicinity in order to expand your ideas. If we feel like the group is hostile or someone is trying to persuade rather than present, it can hinder the creative flow. If you are in need of some fresh ideas, train a group on the rules of Koinonia and give group brainstorming another try!

Tip #1 – Make a commitment not to procrastinate.  Procrastination will leave you stressed out. Do not wait until the last minute to do homework or study for a test.  Make the commitment to begin early on things that you know you have to do.

Tip #2 – Set goals.  Set goals daily and strive to reach them so that you know you can get things done.

Tip #3 – Pay attention in class.  Showing up and paying attention in class will save you time studying. If you already know the information, you won’t have to study it.

Tip #4 – Organization is crucial.  Keep your busy life organized.  Know where your books and study materials are so that you don’t waste precious time searching for them.

Tip #5 – Keep a “to do” notebook.  A small notebook for writing things down will ensure that you don’t miss important assignments or test dates.

Tip #6 – Believe in yourself.  You won’t be able to effectively manage your time if you have given up on yourself already.  Believe that you can get things done and you will.

Tip #7 – Prioritize your schedule.  Work and school should always take priority over your social life.  Get the things that are important done first and save the others for later.

Tip #8 – Realize your peak performance time.  There will be certain times during the day when you study better.  For some students, early mornings work well. For others, the evening time is a good time for studying. Figure out what works for your and use this time everyday to get studying done.

Tip #9 – Don’t make too many commitments.  Avoid making commitments with friends if you know you have tons of work to do.  Keep your schedule open to get the important things done first.

Tip #10 – Find a job where you can get some studying done.  Some college students are forced to hold a job while in school. If you fall into this category, find a laid back job where you can get homework done while you work.

Tip #11 – Make sure your job is flexible.  The job that you have must be willing to work with your school schedule.  Each semester, your schedule will change.  Is your boss willing to work with you on this?

Tip #12 – Learn to say no.  If you are overly generous, this can greatly affect your time management.  Learn to say no if someone needs your help and you have too much going on.

Tip #13 – Have a positive attitude. You attitude about school will greatly affect your time management skills.  Are you committed to school or are you just there because someone else wants you to be. Have a willing attitude to get the work done.

Tip #14 – Make time for sleep. Realize that you can’t stay up all night and perform well on tests and other tasks.  Be sure that you are scheduling in time for sleep.

Tip #15 – Find ways to relieve stress. School can be very stressful.  Find ways to relieve stress such as taking a daily walk or committing to an exercise program. This will help you manage your time more effectively.

Tip #16 – Get a job on campus.  There may be on campus jobs available for you to work at. This will save traveling time and will allow you more time for other activities.

Tip #17 – Be on time.  Set your alarm clock so that you are not late for class. Being late for class will serve only to help you miss out on important information.  Make a commitment to be on time at all times.

Tip #18- Keep track of the syllabus your professors give you.  This is important information that you will need to help you get through the semester.  Consider completing projects early to save time at the end of the semester.

Tip #19 – Keep your dorm room free from unwanted guest.  Having people in and out of your home will greatly affect your ability to get things done. Let your friend know that you are studying at a specific time.

Tip #20 – Stay focused.  Keep the ultimate goal of graduating in mind and stay focused on getting school work done.

Use the tips above to help you manage your time while in college.  Avoid procrastinating and keep a positive attitude. Realize that this time in your life will pass and will soon become only a memory.

Most college kids these days have a smart phone, an iPad or a computer. The first weapon against the giant chaos beast is actually in your pocket! Miraculously something related to college just got easy and fun and even cheap all at the same time.

Step One to Killing College Chaos is: Use a Task Manager or List Tool.

Task management applications are easy to use and you can cheaply download one onto your smart phone, iPad or computer. Many of the applications available are also built using PHP and they sync across devices. Some of them will even let you collaborate in real time on projects with other students. For students with iPhone and iPad and Mac there are several apps made just for you, including:

TaskPRO, Student Time Tracker, and iStudiezpro.

College kids sporting Android phones, you haven’t been left in the cold! Here are three task management tools that will blow your socks off. Homework, Taskos and MyHomework are all for your Android phone and they are all free too.

For the split personalities out there and for people who want to collaborate in a mixed up generation here are some of the best task managers out there that do both. Free apps Remember the Milk and Wunderlist work on almost any device and the both go far beyond a simple list tool.

Step Two to Killing College Chaos is: Clean Up and Get Organized

Once you know what to do when thanks to new task management software it is time to tackle your dorm room. In the morning make your bed. This simple task will make you less likely to want to climb back into bed later for a nap and it will get you psychologically organized to start the day. If you haven’t yet gotten a dorm room bedding set, buy one that you like and start making the bed. After even a few days of making the bed you should see a change in your attitude towards getting things done when you are in your dorm room.

While it might have been fine to be messy at home because your mother or a maid came in once in a while to clean things up, this isn’t the case with college. Get some organizational tools for your clothes like shoe organizers and drawer dividers and get in the habit of putting things away when you are done using them. Organizational systems don’t have to be expensive to be effective. The main thing is having a place to put everything away as neatly as possible. Getting in the habit of using an organizational system and putting your things away will help you clear your mind. It also gives you a level of control over your immediate living space that is physiologically important. Most of the things in college are pretty tough. Classes are difficult and the competition for everything from friends to the best pizza in the cafeteria can be fierce. Taking control over your living space is one of the only things you can do at college that you have control over. Clean it up and you will see results. What could be more satisfying?

Step Three: Clear the Emotional Chaos.

College is also a time when everyone’s hormones are running amuck. Moreover, for many students this is the first time they have ever been away from the support of their family and friends. Throw in the stress of difficult classes; a few parties, a relationship or two that doesn’t go well and emotional chaos is almost certain to set in. Nothing is more destructive. Every year some of our country’s best and brightest don’t make it through college due to emotional chaos. Don’t discount the power of loneliness, anger or hopelessness… If you notice any of these feelings on a regular basis get help from your family, a college counselor or a close friend. Becoming active in a club, spending time with old friends, physical activity and being kind to yourself are all effective ways to manage stress and conquer emotional chaos.

College is preparation for an adult life. Before you know it, the chaos of college will give way to the even greater chaos of a new job, small children and no sleep. Start managing the chaos now and you will be able to nimbly handle whatever chaos happens to be lurking around the next corner.

What if Harry Potter is Real?

This is the name of a course at Appalachian State University. No, I am not kidding. This course is designed to study issues of race, class, gender, time, place, space and movement. It examines the role that multiculturalism has in history. This course is used to question the nature of history. Also, for extra credit, anyone who learns how to apparate at the end of the course gets 100 extra points. (Not really…)

The Textual Appeal of Tupac Shakur

This course is now available at three different universities: UC Berkeley, Harvard and University of Washington. Die-hard fans who are still in denial about Tupac’s death need to take this class. In class, students listen to songs by him and try to analyze the rap legend’s lyrics. Students use the themes of his works to analyze race, gender and class controversies.

Zombies in Popular Media

Columbia College in Chicago offers this course as artist training. They watch hours of films with zombies in them and analyze them. This class may sound like an easy ‘A,’ but hours of zombie films sounds a kind of tedious. If you are really into zombies in film, this is the perfect class for you.

Lady Gaga and the Sociology of Fame

This entire course educates students exactly how Lady Gaga rose to fame and became the Queen of Pop. It is offered at the University of South Carolina from a sociology professor. There is no music or video-watching in the class. It is more about the culture of fame in general and how Lady Gaga has exemplified that, rather than her actual content.

South Park and the Contemporary Social Issues

This course is offered at McDaniel College to analyze how South Park has contributed the most social commentary out of every show on TV. South Park has tackled every controversial topic that appears in the news. The actual course description of this class states that, “students will gain a deeper understanding of how to analyze and critically think through the very real social problems addressed by the television show as well as gain new knowledge of the benefits of applying an interdisciplinary approach to contemporary issues.”

Wordplay: A Wry Plod From Babel to Scrabble

This class that Princeton offers teaches how to make English fun. They learn how to use puns, alliterations, anagrams and onomatopoeia in order to write stories. The students leave with an anagrammed nickname and a better understanding of words, and how to use them to their advantage.

Although these specific courses may not be offered at your school, find out what courses are! Maybe there are some even stranger ones that you could sign up for today!

Off to Join the Rebels

Chris Jeon is a UCLA student who bought a one-way ticket from Los Angeles to Cairo this past summer. According to the LA Times, “Jeon told the Emirates newspaper that he [then] traveled by train to Alexandria, took buses to the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi and then hitched rides towards the capital of Tripoli.”

Once he got there, he joined a group of rebels and is now fighting alongside them in the Libyan civil war. This war is an attempt to overthrow Moammar Kadafi, the autocratic ruler of Libya since 1969. It is said that Jeon does not speak Arabic like the rest of the rebels and that he uses sign language to communicate. When the Emirates newspaper talked to Jeon, he was apparently well on his way to attacking the city of Surt, the leader Kadafi’s hometown.

Keeping Tabs

Two reporters are staying updated with the American. Bradley Hope is a reporter from The National and he recently tweeted on September 3rd, “Last we heard, he was still a celebrated mascot of the rebels, going from brigade to brigade. But info is hard to get.”

The other reporter is Kristen Chick from The Christian Science Monitor. She also tweeted about Jeon recently saying, “He apparently slept in the hospital there, took a shower, got some sunscreen, then hitched a ride back to the front. Jeon – still here.” Chick reports that Jeon has been fully accepted by the rebels and is not being kicked out like a rumor said. In pictures, Jeon is seen wearing a blue Los Angeles basketball jersey with a rifle in his hand. His parents apparently had no idea that he was in Libya but they now know that he is safe and sound and apparently coming home soon. According to another one of Hope’s tweets, “Parents of ChrisJeon told me he is safe and heading back soon. He was unaware that there had been any news about him for the last week.”

Jeon is a bold and daring kid for going out to Libya with no return ticket and no experience with revolutions. All Chris Jeon had to say about it is, “This is one of the only real revolutions [in the world].”

So, I’m sure you all had great summer vacations but Jeon did something that most of us would never be brave enough to do. He fought in a revolution. At least that’s something that might look good on a resume.

Try to mix it up

Take a variety of different classes, especially if you are a freshman. If you are undecided in your major, take lots of different subjects of classes to broaden your horizons. If you do this, you are more likely to find that one subject you love which can help you decide your major. If you are already in your major, still try to take at least one or two classes of a different subject in order to learn as much that you can about other fields. Every major has something to offer, so it is beneficial to take those classes.

Rate my Professor

This is an incredible resource when picking out your classes. This website tells you what your professor has been rated by multiple students and what that professor’s strengths and weaknesses are. There may also be university evaluations that are filled out from previous courses that you can get your hands on. It is important to know about your professors prior to starting the class so you can decide if their teaching strategies will be effective on you. The best type of rating to get is from your friends. If your friends have taken the same class or teacher, get their opinion. They can tell you firsthand about the way he/she teaches or whether he/she is a hard grader and whatnot. Their opinion might be the most important one.

Don’t rush to complete GE’s

Your general education classes are important of course, but if you rush these, you may have no idea what to take after two years of generals. You may want to save some of those required classes for later, after you have decided on a major. That way, you can experience a lot of different kinds of classes during your first couple years at school.

Pick the right time

You know yourself better than anyone. Are you a morning person? A night person? Keep that in mind as you pick the times of your classes. For example, when I took Philosophy class at eight in the morning, I was not too happy. I didn’t do as well as I could and I now strongly dislike the topic of Philosophy. The only reason for these negative feelings comes from the fact that the class was too early and I had a hard time focusing. Pick times where you will be awake and enthusiastic. Also, plan plenty of breaks for you to get lunch or stretch your legs. No one likes to sit for too long.

Picking your classes can be stressful, but think of it as also being fun. Every semester is a new schedule with new teachers and new subjects. If you absolutely hate a class you’re taking, just remember that you will get a brand new schedule next semester.

If you have a weak memory, you’ll have a hard time dealing with the above issues. Fortunately, you can harness the power of your memory to handle various tasks with less stress. You’ll learn how to achieve that by the time you finish reading this article.

#1 Brain exercise – An active memory relies on the vitality and health of your brain. Just like any other muscle in your body, you must exercise your brain on a regular basis in order to keep it active all the time. To achieve this, try new things that require critical thinking – learning a new language, learning how to play your favorite musical instrument, a sport skill, etc.

Your chosen activity should be challenging enough to stretch the thinking muscles of your brain. It should also be entertaining and exciting so you don’t mind doing it over and over again. Learning how to sing your favorite music track can also be a very good brain exercise that’ll help improve your memory. Alternatively, some games are designed entirely for brain exercise. Do a search on the Internet to find out about the various types.

#2 Regular exercise – One of the things that has helped me improve my memory is exercise. Working out your body is like working out your brain on its own. Exercise helps the flow of oxygen to your brain and minimizes your risk of potential brain disorders that can lead to poor functions of your memory. Again, exercise helps relax your body, keeps your mind alert for maximum retention of inforamtion.

You don’t need a professional workout plan to stay fit and healthy. You can begin with simple brisk walking of 10-20 minutes per day. The stairs in your building can serve as fitness workout equipment. In this case, climb the stairs up and down every morning or at any time that suits you most.

To gain the full benefit of your exercise, incorporate stretching into your workout.

#3 Enough sleep – Lack of sound sleep will affect your creativity, your critical thinking ability, your ability to solve problems, your brain’s well-being, and therefore, your memory. To avoid this, strive to have enough sleep of about 7-8 hours daily. Take short naps of 20-30 minutes during the day in order to keep your sanity. If you try this, you’ll be amazed at the power of sound sleeping.

#4 Socialize with friends – Hanging out with friends will help reduce stress, depression, and anxiety. And this will help improve your memory greatly! Be friendly to people and keep a cheerful face all the time. Join in the discussion among your peers and be the funny one. Also, you can join a fun club on campus, participate in any voluntary activity, and make more friends with active people. As the saying goes “All work and no play, makes Jack a dull boy.”

#5 Meditate – The act of meditating will keep your memory active for as long as possible. Meditation will help free your mind, it will enhance your concentration, it will keep you focused, it will improve your creativity and logical reasoning power. In a nutshell, meditation will help improve your memory.

You don’t need to spend a whole hour on meditation. A 10-15 minute meditation per day will do wonders to your memory. Trust me! Do a search for meditation video on the Internet to learn how it’s done.

#6 Avoid clutter in your room – Living in a disorganized environment can render your memory inactive. Put away all the things that don’t serve any purpose in your room. If you check your room thoroughly, I’m sure you’ll find a lot of items that you’ve not used for some time now. Am I right? These kind of items will always draw your attention away from the most important things that you need to focus on, therefore, interrupting your memory. Take out all those items that you’ve not touched for a long time and leave those that you use regularly. Strive to tidy up your room always.

Finally, you can really improve your memory in order to retain lots of information by exercising your brain on a regular basis, working out your body as often as possible, having enough sleep of 7-8 hours daily, socializing with friends, practicing meditation, and avoiding clutter in your room.

Students today are always on the go. The weight and price of traditional print textbooks often leave students feeling chained to their dorm room desks, unwilling to overload their backpack and head to the library.  And with the national average price of books in 2010-2011 being $1,137 a year, according to collegeboard.com, it doesn’t leave much money for extracurricular activities – an important part of the college lifestyle.

However, CourseSmart®, the world’s largest provider of eTextbooks and digital course materials, is helping to change that.  They understand the student lifestyle and are dedicated to making the studying experience more effective and flexible through technology – a factor known to be important to most college students.   According to a recent study commissioned by the brand, the majority (52 percent) of college students use an Android™-based smartphone or iPhone®.  Additionally, a Wakefield Research study recently reported that 38% of the 501 students surveyed said they could not go more than 10 minutes without checking in with their tech device – about the same amount of time it takes to walk to class. These statistics suggest a strong market for digital course materials which can help streamline studying by using devices students already own.

With the rising popularity of tablets, smartphones and eReaders comes the popularity of digital textbooks, a more affordable option to the pricey and bulky traditional print textbooks of yesteryear.  And with CourseSmart’s recent release of their newest eReader that allows students to access their course materials online, offline or on their devices, the studying experience has gotten a whole lot easier and more mobile – a key benefit for today’s busy, on-the-go student lifestyle.  Studying is no longer confined to the library or dorm setting but can now take place anytime and anywhere (at least that’s what you can tell your parents).

Thanks to eTextbooks and advancements in technology from companies like CourseSmart, studying has become more accessible and flexible in order to meet the needs of students everywhere.  Hopefully this also makes studying [slightly] more appealing and more of a top priority too.  We know parents sure hope so.

Do you want to become a doctor or a surgeon? What about pursuing an entrepreneurial pathway, and starting your own corporation? If your focus is most definitely on making lots and lots of money, then make sure you look at this list of college majors that will put you on the right track to bringing in big bucks.

Degree Major: Medicine
Anesthesiologist
$290k+

The anesthesiologists are the ones who are responsible for keeping patients alive so that the surgeon can adequately perform his duties. How important is their job? Well, that responsibility is their main focus, and it pays handsomely well for something that is pretty straight-forward.

The average income for the anesthetist is $290,000 and tops out at $393,000. The positions that pay extremely well are usually those that are at large or private hospitals or exclusive private out-patient centers.

Degree Major: Medicine
General Surgeon
$260k+

The patient that the anesthesiologist kept alive is now in the hands of the crafted, skilled surgeon who will work his magical wonder on the patient. Although the surgeon makes slightly less (on average) than the anesthesiologist ($260,000), they top out much, much higher than their counterpart (at $412,000).

These well-paid, highly-skilled surgeons are usually specializing in an area where there aren’t very many of them. Specific lucrative specialties include cosmetic (skin, breasts, hair) with sub-specialties in everything from trauma surgery to vascular surgery.

Degree: Physics or Science
Scientist or Engineer
$250,000

Playing with matches as a kid may actually pay off with this major! The student does excellently in math and science when he or she pursues these intense degrees, but the payoff is more than worth it in the end.

The scientists are those that develop formulations and strains for various medicines, antibodies, chemicals and/or other medical or environmentally related interests.

Degree Major: Sales/Marketing
Sales Director
$225k+

When the medical students get their practices and start doing well, there will be a host of salesmen coming around to sell them the latest and greatest piece of equipment that promises to escalate their practice. That salesman may even be one of his former college buddies…YOU!

Sales directors are in charge of helping a company excel and grow their product base, customer base and generating the sales team to sell more products or services. They are highly skilled at what they do, and they are very creative in getting the job done. Although the median pay is average ($142,000), there is potential there to double or even triple that number since salespeople usually get commission on their efforts.

With beaucoup bucks comes big responsibilities, so it’s critical also that while you’re in college pursuing your dream career, make sure you study diligently so that you know your industry well. This will help to ensure that you excel, stay productive and employed and the top of your industry. You want to make sure you keep those big checks coming in!

1. Extra, extra, read all about it

Every college campus should have a school newspaper . If you cannot physically go and pick one up, or don’t know anyone who can send it to you, look online. College newspapers are usually put up on a Web site nowadays. Reading the school’s newspaper will really help you know what’s happening on campus. You can see the types of events they do and start figuring out whether you are interested or not.

2. Chat it up

Find someone who went to the college you’re interested in and have a conversation about it with them. College alumnus, and even current students, know a lot about their campus and what events happen there. By talking to these people, you will hear first-hand what the school is like. This could be an even better opportunity than just getting a walking tour around the school.

3. www.

Go to the college’s home page. Check out the classes they have and see if it fits what you want to do. A college Web site will tell you so much about the school’s academics and calendars. You can really get a feel for the school just by visiting the site. Also, many colleges have Facebook pages. Checking those out wouldn’t hurt, and they may tell you things about the school that the site didn’t.

4. College Reps

There are tons of colleges who have representatives in all parts of the country. If your high school has a college fair, or something along those lines, check it out and see if the school of your choice brought out any reps you could speak with. This will give you an opportunity to talk to someone from the college face-to-face. This will probably be the most accurate way to get your questions answered about your college.

5. YouTube it

If you are mostly worried about getting lost at whichever big, new college you decide to go to, check to see if the college offers a virtual tour of the campus. If you study this you can decide if you like the layout of the campus which could determine your ultimate decision.

Although nothing is probably as great as actually visiting a campus, all of these are smart and practical to do before picking which college you want to go to. Make sure you do all you can before you pick, because if not, you may regret your decision!