We’d all like to be more creative, insightful, sensitive and productive, but with all the chaos and stress in our lives, it’s tough to tune out the noise and meet our full potential. But with the right balance of meditation, exercise, diet and recreation, we can discover easy ways to tap into more of our brains. Keep reading for 100 more hacks.

Environmental

Tune into the world around you by using all of your senses, becoming a better listener and getting outside.

1. Listen: Becoming a better listener tunes your brain into all the little subtleties that define someone’s personality, a problem, and an experience. You’ll become more aware of your surroundings and natural trends, too.
2. Slow down: To prevent burn out, take a few minutes or a few days to slow down and relax your mind.
3. Guided visualization: This meditative practice can help your mind make connections between seemingly unrelated experiences or senses.
4. Get fresh air: Fresh air can boost brain power, focus and mood.
5. Get online: Internet surfing engages you mentally and physically as you click around pages.
6. Go for a walk: Explore your neighborhood in a new way by taking a walk and noticing new smells, scenes, textures and noises.
7. Identify your brain’s best hour: Studies have shown that older people think most clearly in the morning while younger people are more focused in the afternoon.
8. Smell natural scents: Natural scents like sandalwood increase oxygen flow to the brain.
9. Connect your memories to events, sense and old memories: By making connections between new memories and things your brain already recognizes, you’ll be able to remember them more easily.
10. Listen to classical music: A study involving people who listened to Mozart found that their brains were able to make complex connections faster.
11. Avoid neurotoxins: Pollution, certain food additives and other chemicals slow down your brain.
12. Learn to deal with stress: Stress complicates your brain’s ability to process short-term memory.
13. Observe something new every day: Each day, think of a new thing to observe, like the colors people wear or different smells.

Exercises

These brain teasers and tricks will keep your mind young and healthy.

14. Draw: Drawing taps into the right side of your brain, a side that many of us seldom use.
15. Streamwriting: Leonardo da Vinci’s streamwriting technique can help you tap into your subconscious.
16. Blind readings: This exercise can help you tap into your intuition and requires you to write three solutions to a problem you have on three different index cards. Turn them over and evaluate which one you’re most drawn to.
17. Play this or that: The this or that game requires you to make impulse choices based on your intuition or gut reactions to questions like "city or town" or "mountains or beach."
18. Self-massage: Use this acupressure exercise guide to stimulate your brain and improve concentration and memory.
19. Aerobic activity: Increase oxygen and blood flow to the brain and give your brain a rest by running, swimming or doing cardio.
20. Red-light Green-light: Associate red lights with no/false/stop and green lights with yes/true/go while asking yourself questions. You’ll learn to trust your intuition after you answer.
21. Dance: Dancing is a great form of exercise and challenges your brain to learn new routines.
22. Puzzles: All kinds of puzzles, including word puzzles, work your brain.
23. Get dressed in the dark: Neurobic exercises, like getting dressed in the dark, require you to use different senses for different activities.
24. Prepare a story: Think out a story that you’ll tell friends later in the day, and consider storytelling style, details, jokes and more.
25. Play trivia games: Read trivia blogs and play trivia games to practice learning simple facts.
26. Sudoku: Sudoku is actually one of the most powerful brain exercises out there.

Diet

Diet plays a big role in how our brains function, just like the rest of our bodies and organs. Add more of these foods into your diet for better brain power.

27. Blueberries: Blueberries, the most popular "brain food," support cell growth and have valuable antioxidants.
28. Red cabbage: Red cabbage contains polyphenols that improve brain function and protect against stroke and Alzheimer’s.
29. Kale: Three servings per day of dark green leafy vegetables like kale can slow cognitive decline by 40%.
30. Almonds: Almonds contain phenylalanine, which stimulates the brain’s ability to create dopamine, adrenaline and noradrenaline.
31. Walnuts: Another valuable nut is the walnut, which contains protein, omega-3 fatty acids and help relieve bad moods, appetite and insomnia.
32. Salmon: Salmon contains healthy fats from omega-3s that are incredibly beneficial to brain health.
33. Greek yogurt: Greek yogurt contains tyrosine which improves focus and mental alertness.
34. Green tea: Another popular brain food is green tea, which boosts alertness, dopamine production and helps the brain make connections.
35. Asparagus: One cup of asparagus contains 70% of your daily requirement for folic acid, which helps memory.
36. Strawberries: Strawberries are rich in powerful antioxidants that promote cells’ abilities to help the brain send messages.
37. Eggs: Eat eggs for protein and choline, which improves memory.
38. Thyme: A study using rats found that thyme helped the older rats’ brains operate more like younger rats.
39. Tomatoes: Tomatoes give your brain valuable carotenoids to help it stay young.
40. Eat low-carb: High-carb foods can make you feel sleepy and sluggish, especially if you eat carbs made of white sugars.
41. Eat: Studies show that anorexics’ brains are more preoccupied with perfection and practical details rather than creativity or impulse.
42. Caffeine: Caffeine helps you stay alert temporarily and helps prevent cognitive decline.

Sleep

Sleep is important if you want more energy, better focus and a higher brian performance.

43. Get up earlier: Wake up earlier to get a fresh start and give yourself more time to get ready without rushing.
44. Take a catnap: A catnap as short as 6 minutes may sharpen memory.
45. Sleep deeply: Allow enough time for your sleep to reach the REM cycle so that your brain can dream and make connections.
46. Stay on a schedule: A regular sleeping schedule will help you fall asleep faster and wake up easier.
47. Go to bed earlier: The first part of your sleep may help your brain the most, so allow for extra sleeping time at night, not the next morning.

Social Hacks

Did you know that hanging out with friends is actually good for your mood and your mind? Here’s how being social impacts your brain health.

48. Volunteer: Volunteering reduces stress and provides you with a social outlet for making new friends and learning something new.
49. Plan a party: Your brain will have to focus on new types of details, and you’ll also get a lot of beneficial social interaction.
50. Share stories: Help your brain make connections by retelling stories to friends.
51. Hang out with friends: Social relationships and activities, even just talking on the phone, improves brain cognition, keeps you sharp, and lowers stress.
52. Hold group discussions: Group discussions fulfill your need to be social and help you think of things in a new perspective.
53. Take a class with a friend: Learning something new with a friend can help you review facts later and supplement the experience.
54. Interact with everyone: Don’t be friendly with friends only: to get as much brain benefit as you can out of social interaction, say hello to neighbors and strangers, too.

Learning

Brains that are constantly learning something new are less likely to go into a decline as you age.

55. Take a class: Explore a new subject to exercise your brain while practicing skills like critical thinking.
56. Memorize a poem: Memorize a new poem each day and then recite it back to someone in the evening.
57. Read: Reading engages your mind, teaches you new things, and can help you become more intuitive.
58. Learn song lyrics: Look up lyrics to a song and then test yourself when it comes on the radio.
59. Brainstorm: Let your brain make its own connections before starting on a project in a more clinical way.
60. Strike a balance: Over analyzing a subject can actually hinder creativity, so give yourself a break.
61. Watch less TV: While there are educational programs on TV, you’ll learn more by engaging yourself in actual activities.
62. Write: Even if you don’t think you’re a writer, take a few moments each day to practice being creative.
63. Practice: Practice new skills to get your brain accustomed to new strategies.
64. Switch up what you read: Read a science or travel magazine instead of a mystery novel to challenge your brain.
65. Try everything: Even if you think it’s a dumb idea, trying all solutions to a problem helps you stay creative.
66. Take notes: Take notes even if you’re not going to be quizzed later, as this practice helps you remember facts as well as your feelings about a subject.
67. Ask more questions: Asking questions keeps you engaged and helps you remember.

Habits

Consider these habits for better brain health.

68. Breathe deeply: Increase oxygen flow to your brain by breathing deeply.
69. Meditate: Clear your head and learn how to really connect yourself to the present moment through meditation.
70. Use your fingers more: Engage your fingers by using chopsticks, writing with a pen instead of the computer, or roll a pen through your fingers to stimulate your brain.
71. Take care of your teeth: Gingivits and poor oral health can contribute to cognitive decline.
72. Make lists: Lists help you make connections, analyze your tasks in a visual way and help memory.
73. Keep things varied: Don’t fall into a routine with your food, schedule, movie choices or hang-out spots.
74. Quit smoking: Nicotine reduces brain function by constricting blood flow to the brain.
75. Drink less alcohol: Alcohol doesn’t just impair your mind temporarily: frequent drinking can lead to cognitive decline in the long term, too.
76. Trust yourself: Tap into your intuition and natural brain power by trusting your instincts.
77. Write things down: The actual process of writing things down helps you remember them.
78. Keep a journal: Help your brain make connections at the end of the day by keeping a journal.
79. Translate: If you speak another language or are at least learning one, try translating past conversations, TV scenes and signs into the other language.

Challenges

Keep your brain sharp by testing it as much as you can.

80. Use your other hand: Make your brain concentrate on an activity it usually does involuntarily.
81. Travel: Traveling opens up your brain to all kinds of new challenges, smells, sights, noises and experiences.
82. Play Scrabble: Tricky games like Scrabble that require you to make connections and find solutions are good challenges for your brain.
83. Try to remember: By recalling facts, specific details and conversations from the last couple of days, you’ll work out your brain.
84. Drive a different route to work: Switch up your regular routine to make your brain work a little harder. Test yourself on the way home.
85. Take on extra responsibility: Instead of delegating a hard task to a subordinate, do it yourself to engage your brain.
86. Memorize phone numbers: Trying to remember a series of numbers gives your brain a good work out.
87. Rearrange your furniture: It’s amazing how accustomed your brain can become to an environment, but if you rearrange it, you’ll be challenged every time you walk into the room.
88. Do your errands on a different day: Break the routine by running your errands on a different day of the week.
89. Interview people: Interview people about their jobs and relationships to keep things fresh and continue learning.
90. Add in the physical aspect: Your brain becomes more engaged when you combine the mental with the physical, so practice a pen trick while you read.
91. Take a test: Take a test on any subject to find out your weaknesses and how you can improve upon them.
92. Use new media to interact: If you only talk to your parents on the phone, try using IM or Facebook chat every once in a while for a different experience.
93. Memorize names: At a party or other social event, try to remember all of the names of the people you just met, in the same order.

Vitamins

Add these vitamins to your diet for better brain power.

94. Vitamin E: Vitamin E can prevent Alzheimer’s.
95. Vitamin B: Vitamin B12 can prevent brain shrinkage in older individuals.

Wellness

These healthy living hacks will keep your mind sharp well into old age.

96. Stay healthy: Eating too much saturated fat and developing Type II diabetes can actually hurt your brain, too.
97. Keep your energy up: Exercise and eat healthy foods to stay energized and focused.
98. Practice good heart health: Heart-healthy foods and activities are also good for your brain.
99. Try natural remedies when you’re sick: To avoid side effects like cloudiness and more serious issues, ask your doctor about natural remedies.
100. Wear a helmet: Each concussion can greatly increase your chances of dementia.

By Rose Jensen

Networking and connections are extremely important for business. More deals are made over rounds of golf than business school professors would care to admit. As Internet technologies proliferate into more industries, online networking is quickly becoming the next frontier for business dealings and negotiations. Here are the best social sites for business students looking to gain a competitive edge.

Sites for Undergrads

The next generation of business professionals are already online and connecting through social networks. Here are the best sites for business students to meet.

1. Students INC: A social network for students to share ideas this great site includes tools and resources for actually starting a business.
2. Student.com: This online community for college students contains information on grants, student loans or campus events.
3. Uloop.com: A limited only to college students with ".edu" email addresses, Uloop is a network for college students to trade textbooks, plan study groups or promote parties.
4. Student Founders: This social network connects students interested in new businesses and starting their own enterprises.
5. Campusbug: This social learning network helps students share notes, organize study sessions and get better grades.
6. Green School Supporters: For business students interested in green entrepreneurship, this network links the environmentally conscious.
7. Idea Club: Idea Club is a social network designed for students to share their ideas, tips and advice for starting new businesses.
8. StudentSN.com: At this social site users create their own profiles to share contact information and connect with others.
9. Ideaolutions: A social network for students interested in fashion and current events.
10. Playboy U: A social site from fine folks at Playboy offering features such as instant messaging and sex advice for college students.
11. Global ICT Training: This social site helps business students develop computer skills that are becoming increasing necessary for professional employment.
12. RateMyProfessor.com: Don’t get surprised by hard grading professors, this network shares information about teachers at school across the country.
13. Technopreneur: Giving business students tips and advice for online entrepreneurship, this network provides helpful resources.
14. B4Class: This social network helps college students share lecture notes, arrange tutoring sessions or discuss career goals.
15. Business Card Network: This site for business students helps recent graduates network or find their next job.
16. BLOOM: Business and Leadership Open and On-Going Mentoring (BLOOM) this network mentors undergraduate female business students as they begin their careers.

Networks for New Professionals

Students entering the business world, network to get jobs when they graduate, trade textbooks or simply chat. Here are the best sites for new or soon-to-be business professionals.

17. Cofoundr: A private community for entrepreneurs starting new ventures, members use the site to find co-founders, build teams, and get advice.
18. CMyPitch.com: Blogs, a community of entrepreneurs and resources for managing a business, this site is great for new investors and students just out of school.
19. Biznik: This dedicated online community of entrepreneurs helps its members succeed in business and life.
20. XING: This social site contains 8 million members sharing business contacts, advice and information.
21. Ziggs: A great social network for helping business owners create and manage a brand, Ziggs simplifies communications between people online.
22. Plaxo: An amazing resource for creating online business networks, this site offers its members tools for linking to popular social networks such as flickr.
23. Ryze: Business networking and resources for finding quality contacts, Ryze has a huge member base and simple interface.
24. NetworkingForProfessionals.com: A dynamic networking resource that combines online business networking and real life meetings.
25. Linkedin: Over 40 million professionals meet and discuss business on this site helping uses stay informed and connected in their various industries.
26. JASEzone: This online community of customers and business owners offer advice for improving customer service, products and other aspects of your company.
27. Focus: A fantastic community of business owners helping others make purchasing decisions, this network is extremely useful to companies looking to expand for the first time.
28. Fast Pitch: One-stop shopping for business professionals to network and market their business, Fast Pitch has connected millions of people across the world and provided a simple way for professionals to enhance their online presence.
29. Entrepreneur Connect: With articles, posts and advice for succeeding in business, this site motivates its members to their goals.
30. Perfect Business: This network includes advice and tips from some of the most recognizable names in business such as Virgin founder Richard Branson. Perfect Business includes well-written articles and other resources for recent business school grads.
31. Ecademy: Linking business people from around the world, this site helps its members become successful in their new ventures.
32. Upsring: A site is great for new business owners seeking brand growth or company promotion, upspring is an invaluable resource.
    

Sites for Getting Jobs

Social networking sites are fantastic resources for employment. These sites are specifically designed to help business professionals find a paycheck.

33. Doostang: A network of young professionals from elite colleges and universities, Doostang places top talent at the top firms and companies.
34. Monster Networking: A social network from the fine folks at Monster.com, this resource links one of the world’s largest job databases with an community of job seekers making it a powerful tool for recent grads or the unemployed.
35. MeetingWave: This social site aims to arrange real world meetings between business professionals.
36. Bright Circles: Built on a clever principle, this network connects people who’ve worked with one another to find job openings across industries, companies and firms.
37. Fast Company: One of the very first social networks, this site helps professionals collaborate and communicated around the world.
38. MyWorkster: Exclusive networks for professionals based on criteria such as industry or college, MyWorkster helps new grads get their dream jobs.
39. JobFox: One of the fastest growing job sites on the Internet, this network matches users with jobs based on their interests and available work.
40. Alumni.NET: Networks based on college and university affiliation, Alumni.NET finds people that could help with your career, college application or establishing a business.
41. Koda: A social recruiting site, this network seeks to give recruiters and companies a more thorough overview of candidates’ skills and abilities.
42. Jobster: Job alerts, postings, and advice, this network connects job seekers with companies and colleagues.
43. JobIRN: An "insider referral network," this site offers quick, easy access to job recruiters and companies.
44. Indeed: A job network adding several hundred thousand new listings every week, this site covers a wide range of industries.
45. StartupNation: A network offering communities based on step to creating successful companies, this social service takes the unease out of starting a business.

Networks for Getting Involved

Despite the perception that business school is a money driven and self serving environment, many students are using their education’s to good use. Here are the best networks focusing on improving global economic conditions.

46. CharitySocialNetwork.com: A place for caring people to gather and plan charity events and fundraisers, this site helps a variety of causes in meaningful ways.
47. The Water Project: Access to clean water is necessary for basic sanitation and health. This social site is full of dedicated members seeking solutions to the world’s water crisis.
48. Wiser Earth: A free online community connecting people, nonprofits and businesses working toward a just and sustainable world, WiserEarth connects users based on issues.
49. TipJoy: Give money to great causes through popular micro-blogging site Twitter with this helpful resource for raising charitable funds.
50. SocialVibe: A social site for connecting caring people and entrepreneurs with sponsors, this social network is designed to help make a real impact.

Twitter has evolved into a great resource for news and current events. Luckily, it’s also a great resource for other important information, such as awesome teaching advice. Whether you are still earning your teaching certification or are just starting out as a teacher, these Twitter feeds offer resources you shouldn’t miss. In these feeds you’ll find advice for the classroom, advice for early childhood education, technology, special education, or advice from others such as consultants or administrators, and much more.

General Resources

These Twitter feeds come from classroom teachers offering great advice no matter what age or subjects you may teach.

1. @beckyshandera. This former 2nd grade teacher is now a product manager for literacy and math. She shares helpful information for teachers on her feed.
2. @budtheteacher. Everything from links to interesting articles to information about using technology in the classroom is on this feed.
3. @christama. A 5th grade teacher seeking innovative ways to engage her students shares what she knows here.
4. @dmace13. While technology is Don Mace’s specialty, he graciously shares resources for all sorts of classroom teachers.
5. @janet_wright. Get resources mixed in with inspirational quotes here.
6. @JSW_EdTech. This popular Twitter feed includes links and discussion on a range of education topics.
7. @kchichester. Find a wide range of interesting information to help your teaching or just to keep up with current events.
8. @KidsLearnFromMe. The Twitter dialog here often offers helpful suggestions for teachers.
9. @Larryferlazzo. This high school teacher posts links to many fun and interesting resources and current events.
10. @misscalcul8. This math teacher opens up a great dialog that many will find helpful for teaching resources in general.
11. @MySchoolToolz. This homeschooling mom shares tons of educational resources that are useful for classroom teachers too.
12. @nchsucla. History and K-12 educators are joined with the information available here.
13. @paulbogush. An 8th grade teacher, Paul carries on a lively Twitter discourse with lots of information. He also enjoys collaborating with other classes.
14. @sgreenwa5. This educator literally wrote the book on remembering math facts for children and shares her knowledge here.
15. @ShiftParadigm. This education strategist posts great information for educators.
16. @starden. This feed is chock full of ideas for teachers to use in the classroom.
17. @TeachaKidd. As this teacher asks and recommends, you’ll find plenty of good resources on her feed.
18. @Techyturner. This 4th grad teachers shares lots of helpful resources.
19. @TheEngTeacher. Specializing in online ESL, this English teacher shares plenty of resources for teaching English in any venue.
20. @timgels. This 3rd grade teacher shares quotes, thoughts on education, and resources.
21. @tutor1235. This feed is full of helpful resources for the classroom, specifically with younger learners.

Early Childhood Education

If you work with younger children, you will love the advice available here.

22. @ECNews. Get news pertinent to teachers and parents of children 8 and under.
23. @LiteracyCounts. This early childhood educator provides tons of literacy tips and resources here.
24. @LiteracyLaunch. Teaching literacy to young children, this teacher has plenty to offer on her feed.
25. @OneTwoTieMyShoe. A resource for teaching young children to tie their shoes, this feed also includes helpful ECE resources.
26. @preschoolers. Education.com offers this feed for resources specific to preschool teachers and parents.
27. @Teach_Preschool. Preschool teachers and parents of young children can benefit from this feed.
28. @TootsiesTidbits. Find lots of fun activities for preschoolers here.

Technology

Stay current with the latest trends and opportunities for integrating technology in the classroom with these feeds.

29. @bbray. This e-coach offers technology and inspiration for educators.
30. @BrianAlexander. Stay on top of all the latest technology news and gadgets here.
31. @cathyarreguin. Promoting learning in virtual worlds, Cathy posts plenty of useful information here.
32. @cyberteacher. This Google-certified teacher shares lots of information for integrating technology into curriculum.
33. @digimom. Find plenty of fun technology suggestions for both in and out of the classroom.
34. @j_allen. Sometimes provocative and always helpful, the discussions here offer much for those interested in technology in education.
35. @jrichardson30. This tech coach offers information about technology and how to use it.
36. @justinreeve. Find information on technology and education from this Web Manager of a district in Utah.
37. @karenjan. Focusing on helping struggling learners succeed with technology, this teacher shares her experience.
38. @mbteach. Learn about using Twitter, iPods, and many other technologies in education here.
39. @murphymath. This teacher loves technology and helps you learn how to integrate it in your classroom.
40. @ssjenk6. Find advice and resources here from this Technology Integration Specialist.
41. @SuzanBrandt. Suzan keeps up a great dialog with other Tweeters that includes plenty of helpful tech information.
42. @teachntech00. While technology is the main focus here, there is also an emphasis on technology for the special ed classroom, too.
43. @tomwhitby. This professor of education has plenty to share when it comes to using technology in education.
44. @thecleversheep. This Canadian shares a wealth of information on technology in education in his Twitter feed.
45. @tseale. This English teacher is all about the technology and has plenty to share.
46. @wshstech. A technology facilitator at a high school, Chris shares plenty of tech tips.
47. @yoopertechgeek. Find plenty of links for tech-related teaching information here.
48. @web20classroom. Help get your classroom Web 2.0 savvy with the advice here.

Special Education

Special ed teachers can learn from others in their fields from these Twitter feeds.

49. @astrang. This special ed teacher in Canada shares links to a variety of interesting information.
50. @autismcenter. Find tons of great resources for working with children on the autism spectrum here.
51. @beckyfisher. Working from home as an online special ed teacher, this mom shares a bit about everything.
52. @bwwojci. Specializing in assistive technology, Brian Wojcik posts about plenty of teaching tools.
53. @caitlingraham. Trained in special ed but teaching regular ed, this teacher shares plenty about green teaching, autism, and more.
54. @CSouthard. This inclusion teacher shares lots of links for teaching both special and regular ed.
55. @damian613. Get a psychological perspective on students and teaching from this school psychologist.
56. @dancallahan. Technology meets education at this feed by a special ed teacher in Pennsylvania.
57. @debbarrows. Conferences, demos, material, and more may show up in this special ed teacher’s Twitter feed.
58. @Grembe. This family creates iPhone apps that make a difference. They post about them and frequently include educational aids.
59. @irasocol. Assistive technology is the topic here, as is other education news and information.
60. @joannab. This special ed grad student posts tons of helpful information for those working with students on the autism spectrum.
61. @oregonsped. Teaching functional academics to elementary students, this teacher posts plenty about technology in the classroom.
62. @paulhami. Assistive technology and a pleasant perspective on teaching are features here.
63. @spedteacher. This special ed teacher posts helpful information for the classroom, but plenty about public education politics and policy as well.
64. @stewartn. This special ed teacher shares and seeks advice on technology and also spreads her positive attitude.

Library Sciences

Teachers can find lots of advice from librarians, who often find plenty of great information for helping students learn. Check out these feeds from librarians to see what you can gain.

65. @booklover472. Books, technology, and education all share a spot on this feed.
66. @buffyjhamilton. Library 2.0 is the focus of this librarian’s feed.
67. @cleverkus. This elementary and middle school librarian is new to Twitter, but is off to a good start posting helpful information.
68. @eabarbanel. This middle and high school librarian posts links and tips for helping young learners.
69. @janettefuller. This librarian from Houston covers books, children, and education here.
70. @janning. Teaching, books, and technology are frequent topics here.
71. @jessamyn. Follow this popular and entertaining librarian’s feed.
72. @kkliegman. Library and technology get equal billing on this feed.
73. @libsmatter. Kathryn Greenhill provides library information and news here.
74. @NancyW. This librarian has an eye on technology in her feed.
75. @shifted. Follow Jenny Levine on her popular Twitter feed as she shares library information with education often represented.
76. @teachlib. This Canadian school librarian keeps up a lively discussion as well as advice helpful for teachers on her feed.

Inspiration

Find inspiration with these great Twitter feeds.

77. @faroutlinks. The links here aren’t really far out, but more along the lines of helpful and inspirational.
78. @laroncarter. The links and words of advice here will help you find a positive attitude and are directed to both teachers and students.
79. @writinginrain. Find lots of inspirational quotes here.

Ex-Educators Turned Consultants and Various Corporate Feeds

These teachers who have become educational consultants and corporate feeds offer plenty of advice and links to resources.

80. @Abcteach. Get lots of great ideas as well as news about educational resources here.
81. @AngelaMaiers. This feed is popular for good reason as it includes links to many great resources for educators.
82. @dtrautman. Get plenty about education politics and policy, especially as it pertains to Texas public education.
83. @Educator. Follow this feed for lot of links to great resources and news.
84. @edutopia. Find inspiration and resources for teaching on this feed from the popular website of the same name.
85. @LearnHub. Get lots of education-related links from this Twitter feed.
86. @linkstoliteracy. This educational consultant provides great information about reading and young children.
87. @scholasticstore. Stay on top of what is happening at The Scholastic Store, including discounts for teachers and other resources.
88. @teachermagazine. Find tons of news and information just for teachers here.
89. @WendyZZZZZZZZZZ. Get lots of tips as well as a lively discussion on this feed.

Administrators

These feeds offer insight from those in charge.

90. @e_shep. Ways to engage educators and making his school run smoothly are frequent topics here.
91. @jimconn. See what this middle school administrator has to say on his feed.
92. @JudyHarris05. This upbeat principal shares her love of education as well as her interest in learning and the brain.
93. @NMHS_Principal. Teachers will find tons of links to resources on this high school principal’s feed.
94. @sebneca. Quotes and thought-provoking statements about education are often featured here.
95. @tee62. This elementary school principal posts news and trends important to education.

Educational Projects

Find inspiration for great projects in your classroom with these feeds.

96. @AREGarden. This Twitter feed is from an elementary school garden in Oregon and includes lots of great information.
97. @BiologyAnswers. Get biology questions with links to the answers in this fun feed.
98. @EcoPicOfTheDay. This feed provides links to great eco-photos.
99. @KidsAreHeroes. Project for kids who want to make a difference are the subject here.
100. @schoolgardening. Find out what kids can learn from gardening with the information here.

Accreditation has become a major deciding factor for many people in choosing online schools and universities.  While most universities who simply offer degrees online in addition to their ordinary degree programs boast impressive accreditations, many others do not which has exceedingly hurt their reputations. 

Attaining an accreditation can sometimes be a difficult task for any school that is just starting out, regardless of their academic standing.  However, lacking this accreditation can hurt the school’s student population, which makes this simple task the most arduous one.  Failure to receive accreditation will serve to negatively affect the future of the school, and could even lead to its dismissal from academic standing.  Therefore, the one thing a school prides itself on is its accreditation within the educational community.  The online schools that have prospered the most are those which received their accreditation early on and promoted this as an incentive towards attending the school. 

Employers are well aware of schools that are and are not accredited and take this into account when faced with possible employees.  An interviewee who has an accredited school background looks much better on paper than an interviewee who does not.  Therefore, online schools across the nation have been striving to receive such accreditation, vying with other schools to attract more students.  However, the best way to attract students now has become accreditation.  The goals of accreditation are to ensure a quality of education that is matched by every school across the country.  Major online universities like Phoenix and Kaplan boast themselves on their accreditation which puts them on par with commuter schools around the country.  The U.S. Department of Education creates an accreditation “test” of sorts which determines the standards that schools have to live up to.  Smaller educational associations determine whether or not these standards have been met through various criteria and peer evaluations.  Furthermore, the Secretary of Education is bound by law to compile a list of accredited schools within the nation, and until these many online schools gain such accreditation, they will remain off the list.  The Department of Education is not solely responsible for accreditation; much to the contrary, it relies on smaller private organizations to determine the criteria and perform the applicable tests on new schools. 

Most new schools that are just starting out are online universities since it has become increasingly difficult to develop funding for new stationary universities.  The federal government has the final say in accreditation standards, however, and a school does not receive its accreditation without such a federal approval.  However, making things more complicated is the wide variety in accreditation standards as related to public and private schools, schools in different states, and online schools.  Private organizations have struggled with the best method in which to measure all these various schools, which has resulted in many different smaller umbrella methods for determination.  Therefore, attaining accreditation from the federal government makes a world of difference to both schools and students.  Picking an online school that is accredited is an important choice to make in your educational future, opening doors to many future employment opportunities that un-accredited universities may not be able to. 

By Rose Jensen

As a recent college graduate, you’re probably on the hunt for the job. One of the most popular sites to find one is Monster.com, but there’s so much more out there for you to take advantage of. Read on, and you’ll find 50 great links that you can put to good use in your first real job hunt.

General

These sites help college graduates find jobs.

1. CollegeGrad: CollegeGrad offers listings for entry level jobs and internships.
2. AfterCollege: Find the job you want through networking, events, and search on AfterCollege.
3. SimplyHired: SimplyHired offers an easy way to search for jobs online.
4. CollegeRecruiter: Check out CollegeRecruiter to find jobs aimed at recent graduates.
5. Experience: On this site, you can search for jobs posted by alumni, get guidance, network, and get introduced to employers.
6. JibberJobber: JibberJobber offers a great way to organize and manage your job search.
7. Alumwire: Use Alumwire to get connected with jobs through networking with other alumni.
8. GradGrad: Get contacted by employers through this innovative job site for college graduates.
9. Indeed: Search for jobs among job sites, newspapers, career pages, and much more on this one site.
10. Employment Guide: Apply for thousands of jobs all in one place using Employment Guide.
11. Campus Career Center: Use this site to post your resume, find jobs, guidance, networking, and more.

Niche

Use these job sites to find a position in your specific field.

12. CareerBank: CareerBank focuses on accounting and finance jobs.
13. Science Careers: This site from the Journal Science offers excellent jobs in the scientific career field.
14. Opportunity Knocks: You can find nonprofit jobs that can change the world on Opportunity Knocks.
15. TalentZoo: Check out TalentZoo to find the best jobs in marketing and advertising.
16. Krop: Krop will help you find a job in design and beyond.
17. Idealist: Check out Idealist to find jobs that make a difference.
18. Nurse.com: Nurse.com offers an excellent community as well as nurse job listings and career resources.
19. USAJOBS: Check out USAJOBS to find work with the US government.
20. UniversityJobs: Find jobs in higher ed on this site.
21. Hcareers: Hcareers highlights jobs in hotels and hospitality.
22. Jobs for Change: Visit Jobs for Change to find a job in the sectors of nonprofit, government, and social enterprise.
23. SHRM: Find jobs in HR on the SHRM association career page.
24. SchoolSpring: Check out SchoolSpring to find thousands of teaching and education jobs.
25. Lawjobs: New lawyers can find a gig through Lawjobs.com.
26. Dice: Find your IT job through this site.
27. Coroflot: Snag a creative job using Coroflot’s listings.
28. MedHunters: Go on the hunt for a great job in health care on this site.

Advice & Resources

Learn about salaries, resumes, and more on these sites.

29. Salary.com: Use Salary.com to find out what your work is worth.
30. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Use this site to learn about unemployment, salaries, various careers, and more.
31. JobStar Resume Guide: In this guide, you’ll find great advice, sample resumes, and cover letter templates.
32. Found Your Career: This course will help teach you how to get a job faster.
33. SalaryExpert: Use SalaryExpert to evaluate salaries and cost of living for jobs.
34. Gradspot: Gradspot’s career section is full of useful tips and information for new college graduates.
35. Accelerated Online Degree: You can find job search advice and adult distance education pointers here.
36. PayScale: Use PayScale, and you’ll get salary reports on your job title, location, education, skills, and experience.
37. Resume Resource: See examples, samples, guides, and more for resumes and cover letters on Resume Resource.
38. Quint Careers: Find career resources, advice, and job listings on this helpful site.

Blogs & News

Stay up to date with the latest news for college graduates that are job hunting through these sites.

39. One Day, One Job: On this blog, you’ll see a new employer every day, with highlights for their entry level jobs.
40. YourHRGuy: Look at HR from the other side of the table through this blog.
41. Lindsey Pollak: Lindsey Pollack’s blog shares useful advice and resources for Generation Y job seekers.
42. The Anti 9-to-5 Guide: Learn about the freelance life and working outside of the cube from this blog.
43. Brazen Careerist: Penelope Trunk’s blog offers valuable advice for job seeking and managing your career.
44. Christian Universities: Learn about the travails of Christian graduates as they try to land their first jobs.
45. Secrets of the Job Hunt: Follow this blog to get secrets that can help you land a job.
46. Blue Sky Resumes Blog: Read this blog to learn how to get and keep a great job.
47. Jobacle: Jobacle’s blog offers career advice, employment news, and web reviews.
48. Wall Street Journal Careers: Read the Wall Street Journal’s career section to learn what’s happening in employment and salary trends.
49. Personal Branding Blog: Read this blog to learn how to create and promote your personal brand for career success.
50. Career Blog: This blog from Spherion shares real world career insight and advice to prepare you for the big time.

By Amber Hensley

For the most part, college dorms aren’t much to look at. But that doesn’t mean you can’t work with what you’re given. Check out these hacks to find ingenious ideas both amazing and practical that you can do in your very own dorm.

Style

Spruce things up a bit by following these hacks for style.

1. Keyboard Thumbtacks: Use your old keyboard in a stylish way with this hack.
2. CD Bookends: This hack will help you make some bookends made of CDs.
3. How to make a book headboard: Construct this colorful headboard out of books you weren’t able to sell back.
4. Bowling Ball Fountain: Turn old bowling balls into a sweet fountain using this hack.
5. Purple Moods and Glowing Cubes: Put LED lights to work as ambient lighting using this hack.
6. Desktop Helium Laser Lamp Build: This hack will show you how to create a desktop laser lamp.
7. Aluminum Can Pen Holder: Hold just about anything in this aluminum can.
8. Mailing Tube Wine Rack: Save your money for the wine and create this wine rack on the cheap.
9. Inexpensive DIY Under-Cabinet Lighting: Here you’ll find out how to create under-cabinet lighting for your dorm room.
10. Invisible Book Speakers: Hide your speakers in these books.
11. Go cordless with clamps: Declutter your desk with these cheap supplies.
12. CD Stack Lamp: Turn a stack of CDs into a neat lamp.

Comfort

Make things just a little more comfortable with the help of these hacks.

13. DIY air conditioner: Create your own air conditioner using a fan and iced tea.
14. Hang a damp towel: Hang a damp towel in your window to cool your dorm room in the heat.
15. No More Roaches: Follow this hack to find out how to get rid of the roaches in your dorm room.
16. Duct tape hammock: You can use duct tape to support a hammock.
17. Build Your Own Custom Ergonomic Desk: Make a desk that’s just for you with these instructions.
18. Roll out carpet: Put in temporary carpet for a little more comfort than standard issue vinyl.
19. How to Kill an Ant Invasion: Follow these instructions to declare war on ants.
20. How to make your own air conditioner: Here you’ll find instructions for making an air conditioner for $40.
21. Turn ceiling fans counter clockwise: Get more wind out of your ceiling fan by turning it counter clockwise.
22. Make your own air conditioner: Make life in an AC-less dorm bearable with this hack.

Function

These hacks offer the ultimate in dorm room functionality.

23. Automated dorm room door: Make opening your dorm room door a snap with this hack.
24. Build a loft: Get extra storage space or even a second floor by building a loft in your dorm room.
25. Hands-free Toilet Flusher: Keep your hands off that dirty toilet with the help of this toilet flusher.
26. Vertical bike rack: Store your bike out of the way with a vertical bike rack.
27. MIT Dorm Automation Systems Blinds: This hack allows you to automate your blinds.
28. Stop table wobbles: Put shaky tables to a stop with this super simple hack.
29. Hang chairs from hooks: Put hooks in your wall, and hang light chairs for space saving and conversational pieces.
30. $8 DIY Aluminum Laptop Stand: Elevate your laptop with this aluminum stand.
31. DIY Floating Laptop Dock: This hack will help you build a sliding laptop mount for your dorm bunk.
32. Collapsible Table: Check out this hack to find out how to make a table that can easily be put out of the way.
33. Make York Own Glass Whiteboard: Follow this hack to create an affordable whiteboard.
34. DIY recharging station: Organize your charging cord with the help of this station.
35. Daily storage box: Put a storage box under your bed with the books, clothes, and other items you need organized by day.
36. iDoor: The iDoor is an iPhone controlled hydraulic dorm room door.
37. How to repair minor drywall damage: Follow this guide to learn how to patch up small wall problems.
38. Washing machine cycle detector: You can get notified of the status of your laundry with the help of this hack.
39. Bunk beds: Save space with these handy bunk beds.
40. Add bed risers: With bed risers, you’ll get more space for storage under your bed.

Cleaning

Follow these cleaning hacks to keep your space livable.

41. Repair Cigarette Burns on Carpet: Oops-you had a party and someone burned your carpet. Here’s the hack to fix it.
42. Use cleaning shoes: Have fun and clean at the same time with microfiber dusting shoes.
43. Sanitize your sponges: Get your sponges fresh again with a little hot water and bleach.
44. Hand powered washing machine: With the help of this hack, you can wash your clothes in your dorm room.
45. Cleaning a Keyboard: Follow this tutorial to learn how to clean your computer’s keyboard.
46. Get Rid of Mildew-Fast!: Get rid of mold and mildew stains with this hack.
47. Get Wax Out of Carpet: Here you’ll learn how to remove wax from carpet.
48. Use polar fleece instead of Swiffer: Attach cut polar fleece to your Swiffer sweeper instead of expensive replacements.

Organization

With these hacks, you’ll be able to get your stuff in order.

49. Pack and Find: Write down the location of items using this tool.
50. Bathroom Organization on the Microlevel: Make sure every little thing has a place in your bathroom using these tips.
51. Stack your drawers: Put your drawers on top of each other for more floor space.
52. Easy Free Magazine Storage: Reuse boxes to create handy magazine storage.
53. Turn Any Door into a Shoe Rack: Make a shoe rack out of easily available materials.
54. Sliding pants rack: Using this rack, you can easily stash your pants.
55. Create a landing strip: Designate a place at your dorm entrance to put down all of the little things you come home with.
56. Disc Mount: Use this disc mount to store and display CDs on metal surfaces.
57. Floating Shoe Rack: With the help of this hack, you can store and display your shoes in a smart way.

Savings

Use these hacks to save a little money in your dorm.

58. Cardboard furniture: Make your desk out of FedEx boxes for savings and functionality.
59. Homeslyce: With the help of Homeslyce, you’ll be able to split the list of things you need for your dorm with your new roommate.
60. How to hack a dorm washing machine: Use this hack to get more washing for your money.

Security

Lock things down in your dorm with these hacks.

61. Upgrade your door lock: Password protect your door with this hack.
62. Wall Outlet Safe: Stash your stuff in what looks like a wall outlet.
63. Lego Combination Safe: Create a handy and cool lego combination safe.
64. Secure wireless network: Follow these instructions to lock down your dorm room’s wireless network.
65. RFID dorm room door: Get RFID power for your door lock using this hack.
66. iPhone Controlled USB Missile Launcher: Freak out any would-be intruders using this missile launcher.
67. Use RFID to protect your beer and valuables: Check out this video that will show you how to lock down a safe or fridge with RFID.
68. Super secret safe: Use two bottles of soda and a few other supplies to make a stealth safe.
69. DIY rotating bookshelves, staircases and trap doors: You can make your own hidden spaces using these hacks.
70. Keyless entry using touch sensing: This hack will create a discreet way for you to get access to your room.
71. DIY Laser Surveillance Security System: Use tiny mirrors and basic electronic components to create this security system on a budget.

Food

With these hacks, dorm room cooking can be a little more interesting.

72. Ramen hacks: Spice up your Ramen with these recipes.
73. Zero Power, Self-Watering, Self-Regulating Container Garden: Find out how to create your own small garden.
74. Dorm Room Thanksgiving: Here you’ll find instructions for celebrating Thanksgiving dinner, even in a dorm.
75. Microwave Corn: Cook up delicious corn on the cob without a grill-just your microwave.
76. How to build an attractive, space saving upside down planter: Follow this tutorial to create a mini tomato garden.
77. Wall-mounted Magnetic Knife Block: Freak out your roommate with this knife block.
78. Cake in a Jar: Satisfy your sweet tooth by creating this small cake in a jar.
79. Open a bottle of wine with a piece of string: Nothing to open your wine with? No problem-just use a piece of string.
80. Homemade ginger ale and root beer: Make your own fizzy beverages in your dorm room.
81. One Cup Coffee Brewing: With this hack, you can make coffee one cup at a time.
82. Aquaponics: This hack will show you how to grow plants with fish poo.
83. Garbage soup: Make this tasty soup with what otherwise might have become garbage.
84. Auto-on Watch Holder Pantry Light: Light up your pantry or any cabinet automatically using a watch holder.

Fun

Use these hacks for dorm room parties and fun in general.

85. College dorm light show: Use this hack to create a Knight Rider light show in your dorm room.
86. Blinking LEDs to Music: Follow this hack, and you’ll be able to set up blinking lights in time to music.
87. Fire Pole!: Bring on the good times with this fun pole for your dorm room.
88. Dorm automation system-party mode activation: Automatically put your dorm room in party mode using this hack.
89. Do not disturb sign: Follow this simple hack to create a do not disturb sign.
90. The Ultimate Jell-O Shooter Shooter: Use this hack to perfect your technique.
91. Light Up Party Ice Bowl: Light put your party with this hack.
92. Jack O’Beer Party Pumpkin: This Jack O’Lantern dispenses beer.
93. DIY Cinder Block Speaker Stands: Make speaker stands out of cinder blocks with this hack.
94. DIY Fog Screen Projection Display System: Check out this video to learn how to make a fog screen projection display for your dorm room.
95. Concrete lamp: Have a super cool lamp for your dorm room with these instructions.
96. The Party Button!: Whip out this button for an instant party.
97. Pillow Speaker: Listen to music or watch a film from bed without using earphones with the help of this pillow speaker.
98. Triple Monitor Plus TV Synergy: Bring all of your screens together using this hack.
99. Instant party paper lanterns: Put together these party lanterns in a snap.
100. Beer Launching Fridge: This refrigerator launches beer-enough said.

 Accreditations in general are important for the future of any online university, thereby insinuating that every type of accreditation is important for these schools.  Breaking accreditation agencies down among regional and national categories leads to many different arguments that have emerged regarding the “best” way to accredit a school.  

There are six different regional accreditors, serving the six geographic areas of the country and serve to accredit various levels of schools, including universities and online universities.  Regionally accredited schools are usually those schools that are predominantly academically oriented and non-profit in comparison to nationally accredited schools that are for-profit and offer vocational, career, or technical programs.  Many educators believe that regional accreditation is more important to achieve than national accreditation, which only serves to present a problem for those students wishing to transfer halfway through their education from a nationally-accredited school to a regionally-accredited school.  However, even more difficult for students to determine is what type of accreditation each school may have. Some regionally-accredited schools have problems in accepting credits from nationally-accredited schools, and vice-versa, resulting in headaches for many of their students.  

On the other side of the spectrum are those who believe that national accreditation is the best type, since there are 52 recognized national accreditation organizations which accredit schools nationwide.  These requirements that the national body focuses on vary from state to state, complicating students’ lives even further.  However, national accreditation focuses mostly on vocational schools which offer both limited degrees and certificates.  This is where the main problem between regional and national accreditation comes into play.
    
The debate that has long been looming over what the “best accreditation” is has culminated within online universities because of the wide scope of degrees which are offered.  Many regionally-accredited schools feel that nationally-accredited schools have lower standards for their accreditation solely because they cater to a different level of education in vocational studies.  Without meaning disrespect to these degrees and certificates, many of these schools flat out reject transfers from nationally-accredited schools because they believe the students have not been held to as high a level as these regionally-accredited schools will hold them to.  There have additionally been many lawsuits relating to the new policies that reject students from vocational schools without letting them know beforehand, simply saying that their previous educational experience does not meet the standards of the rest of the academic world.  Aside from crushing students, this has also been found to be illegal so that many schools now no longer discriminate in accepting students from a variety of schools.  Online universities have avoided this battle by receiving both types of accreditations in order to satisfy their wide variety of degree programs, making these schools even more enticing to future students.  Accreditation is an important part of academics to begin with, and attending a school without accreditation may not be the end of the world, but it has the possibility of harming your future employment.