When I was in college, I was in the dean’s list once. Yes, only once in my entire college life! But, it’s not that I didn’t care, it’s just that, I was still a freshman then, it was the first semester and all the subjects that we have were just like a review of what we had in high school. Well, it’s pretty cool and of course I was proud of myself but I guess the reason why I was able to make it was that everything was quite easy and I’m still an “angel” that time. No extra activities yet, no cutting classes and my life then revolves around going to school and back to the University dormitory, eat, study and then sleep.

It is really hard to maintain such feat unless you are really the type of student who would choose to study and finish all your school works rather than eat and sleep. But of course there are great advantages of being part of the dean’s list every semester. As I’ve said you have greater chances of graduating with flying colors and that would mean a career in the future is just a step forward. You will also think that it will not be difficult to find a job after graduation since some company give higher priority to students who graduate with honors especially for courses that requires in depth knowledge like being able to develop new programs and applications such as a software developer.

But still, life after college is far different from our college life. Life may be hard when we were studying but life after college is harder, more complicated. So we really have to be prepared. You may be able to use what you have achieve when you were still in college but what matters most is not just what you have learned through books but rather what you have become as a person, we have no books to be used as reference  after college. The most important thing is how you will be able to deal with the real battle in life which is just about to begin after college graduation.

When I was in college I have crushes, not the typical campus crush though. I remember my day won’t be complete if I won’t see one of my crushes inside the campus. As I look back over my college days I just can’t help but smile when I remember how I look forward to my favorite subject because I will see my crush again. I study really hard to impress him. And on instances that he will talk to me oh my! It would be heaven for me! He’s not really that good looking but he is a genius, or so I think. He is intelligent, smart, very understanding and he happens to be my Accounting professor!

Well, I just thought of sharing you one of the most unforgettable persons in my college life. Professors are indeed a favorite personality inside the campus. And with that, I find it interesting to share who I think are the most popular personalities and often times gets the most number of attention among college students.

Here are some of the most popular types of students inside the campus:

• The Varsity Player: The Campus Heartthrob: Famous for being  the most valuable player of the campus basketball or football team. Girls are screaming every time he arrives.
• The Campus Trend Setter: Students always look forward to what he/she is going to wear for the day. They are considered the “model” and the one who always starts what’s “in”.
• The Campus Cheer leader: Every football and basketball game is watched not because of the game itself but because of the lady doing those energetic cheer dance moves.
• The Campus “Boy-Next-Door”: The handsome and the Mr. Nice guy who always wear that cute be-dimpled smile. Admired by every girl and envied by the male population for being “too perfect”.

• The Nerdy / Geek Student: The computer expert the genius. He seems to know everything but he seldom talks and usually stays in one corner of the campus. Intelligent and aloof, he can be so boring but once he starts talking, you can’t help but think if he is a member of Einstein’s clan.

They are just some of the most popular students inside the campus. Campus life will never be complete without them. They make every single day inside the university so interesting. I was thinking, where I will fall if I’m to classify myself as a student. Hmm… I did not see myself among the type of students mentioned above. I was a plain and simple student with a dream of finishing a 4 yr college course and then pursue a higher education by enrolling in an online master’s degree program. But those were the days, I am happy with what I am now; and my college campus life will always be something worth reminiscing.

Did you know that more than three quarters of the grain grown in our country actually goes to feed the cattle and chickens that we eat? One can only imagine how much more economical it would be to eat those grains directly and cut out the middleman. Not only will we be able to feed ourselves, there would be a huge surplus that can go to help out other starving countries.

If that doesn’t have you convinced, think about how these animals in these food factories are treated. PETA has been on their case for a while. The jury is still out as to how much animal farming methods have changed. What is particularly pathetic is the state of cows in these farms. They are pumped with hormones that make them easy to be impregnated. The benefit of this is that while the cow continues to produce large quantities of milk, it also produces veal, an expensive meat.

While cattle farms can be at least regulated somewhat, open international waters where overfishing has become rampant definitely escapes the radar of most regulatory agencies. Although guidelines are in place that prevent overfishing and restrict the sizes and ages of the catches in the oceans, due to the sheer mass of the industry and the large geographic area which it encompasses, regulatory bodies have less control than they would like. While large corporations do conform to some guidelines under fear of legal penalties, the smaller fishermen who is just looking to survive, disregards any regulations that are set up.

Although the argument for why going vegan is strong, it is not the easiest decision to make. Becoming a vegan means avoiding any form of meat, fish, eggs, milk and milk products. Especially for someone having grown up with a meat and potatoes diet, going vegan is not easy. It is much easier if the entire household or family is on the same page with respect to your diet. Although it is unreasonable to expect everyone living with you to adopt this diet, some consideration from others of how challenging this can be is a must.

You would be surprised to see how many foods in the United States, are laced with milk protein, egg protein. Picking up a bottle of vitamins containing omega-3, 6 and 9 that comes from a non-fish source is practically impossible. While specialty stores do cater to vegan needs, the cost factor can be really daunting. But think of all money you will be saving from avoiding meat and don’t forget that the biggest advantage of going vegan is bringing down the extent of saturated fats one consumes along with bringing down one’s carbon footprint!

While going natural or organic may be the most obvious choice, it is not by any means the cheapest. For instance, a bag of organic nectarines can cost almost twice as much as the conventional kind. So what is one to do if eating healthy breaks the bank? The answer lies in picking and choosing the foods to include and avoid. As someone pursuing a medical transcription degree from one of the best online universities, I had a limited budget and learned very quickly how to include certain must-have organic foods while avoiding those that are pesticide ridden.

Natural Foods to Include: Enough cannot be said about the virtues of blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries. These fruits are rich in antioxidants and serve as a veritable sieve for the bloodstream ridding it of free radicals. Broccoli both cooked and raw can only be compared to popping a vitamin pill every time you take a bite. Its high calcium content is a great source for those who do not consume milk. It is even touted to have anti-carcinogenic properties. The cantaloupe is a great source of vitamins A and C along with beta-carotene making it an excellent preventer of free radical damage. Cauliflower is an excellent source of manganese and is found to help in the body’s detoxification pathways.

Conventional Foods to Avoid: The EWG or the Environmental Working Group has been putting out a list called the “Dirty Dozen” for the past several years outlining 12 non-organic foods that must be avoided due to their high content of pesticide residues that persist even after thorough washing. These foods include peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, pears, imported grapes, spinach, lettuce and potatoes. This annually changing list is intended to inform the consumer the foods to avoid when not organic.

While we cannot control much of our environment, we can still play an active role in what we knowingly consume. Choosing the foods we eat today, will go a long way in how we feel tomorrow. So before you head over to Stop & Shop the next time, try making a little detour to the farmers market; it might change your life.