As an online student and tech lover, you’re probably aware that there are lots of educational resources available to you online. But did you know that you can find excellent lectures from universities online? It’s true-and we’ve highlighted 50 of the most important lectures for tech lovers to check out.

Culture

In these lectures, you’ll learn about the culture of technology, and how technology affects culture.

1. Folk Cultures and Digital Cultures: Find out how literary criticism and cultural history have accommodated and embraced contemporary media from this lecture. [MIT]
2. Privacy Under Pressure: Privacy Under Pressure explores the stream of recorded data created in everyday lives. [Oxford]
3. Sowing the Seeds for a More Creative Society: Find out how computers and technology can engage kids to design, create and invent from this lecture. [MIT]
4. The Future of e-Learning: See Andrew Pinder’s vision of the future of e-learning in this lecture. [Oxford]
5. iWoz: From Computer Geek to Cult Icon: Steve Wozniak shares how he invented the personal computer, co-founded Apple, and had fun. [MIT]
6. Cyberpunk Counterculture: This lecture examines the counterculture of cyberpunks. [UC Berkeley]
7. Social Media or the Impact of Us: Check out this lecture that talks about the impact of social media and social networks. [Oxford]
8. Time, Technology and Social Structure: Look at production and consumption activities in technology in this lecture. [Oxford]

Information

These lectures deal with information technology.

9. Books and Libraries in the Digital Age: Robert Darnton discusses the ocean of digital information. [MIT]
10. Information Visualization: Here you’ll learn about the details of information visualization. [UBC]
11. Dawn of the Information Economy: Check out this lecture to learn about the information economy. [UC Berkeley]
12. Zen and the Art of Information Security: Ira Winkler takes a simple philosophy to information prediction. [Oxford]

Business

Get an understanding of the technology business from these lectures.

13. Building the Next Generation Company: Innovation, Talent, Excellence: John Chambers offers a lecture on succeeding as a technology company during a crisis. [MIT]
14. Nine Lessons Learned about Creativity at Google: Marissa Mayer lectures on fostering creative ideas and innovation. [Stanford]
15. Tough Choices: Former HP CEO Carly Fiorina offers insight into the business of technology. [MIT]
16. How Silicon Valley is Made: Get a look into the innovation and growth of high tech from Christophe Lecuyer. [University of California]
17. The World is Flat 3.0: Tom Freidman discusses how the new global order puts entrepreneurial individuals in charge. [MIT]

The Internet

These lectures offer an analysis of the Internet.

18. Why the Internet is the way it is: Find out what made the Internet the way it is, and how it will change in the future. [Oxford]
19. Internet Security: Legend or Myth?: Listen to John Levine’s lecture to learn about a variety of issues in Internet security. [Oxford]
20. Internet and Information Literacy: Find out how the Internet influences information literacy from this lecture. [UC Berkeley]
21. Cyber-Humour: This talk detects and defines the new forms and topics of cyber humor. [Oxford]
22. The Intelligence of Wikipedia: Jimmy Wales offers an explanation on Wikipedia in this lecture. [Oxford]
23. Internet Governance and Regulation: Listen to this lecture about the future of the Internet and how to avoid it. [Oxford]
24. The Semantic Web: Tim Berners-Lee lectures on the origins and future of the Internet. [MIT]
25. Who will run the Internet?: Find out who will operate the Internet from David Isenberg. [Oxford]

Machines, Invention & Creation

Discover creations in robots, bombs, and more from these lectures.

26. Human Beings and the Machines of Sunshine: Find out why the best machines today are made of sunshine. [Rice]
27. Personal Robots: This lecture explores robots as devices that function in society. [MIT]
28. Bomb Scare: The History and Future of Nuclear Weapons: Joseph Cirincione’s lecture takes a look at nuclear arms races. [MIT]
29. Building Very Small Mobile Micro-Robots: Bruce Donald lectures on his micro-robots. [MIT]
30. Creativity: The Mind, Machines, and Mathematics: These lecturers debate whether machines may someday achieve consciousness. [MIT]
31. Extending the Human Being via Robotics: This lecture will teach you how robotics research will extend human capabilities. [Rice]
32. Advancements in Underwater Vehicles: See how underwater vehicles respond to current environmental issues. [MIT]

Computers

View these lectures about computer technology.

33. Media Arts and Computing: Learn about computing and media arts from Chris Csikszentmihalyi’s lecture. [Columbia]
34. Software Breakthroughs: Bill Gates shares how we can solve the toughest problems in computer science. [MIT]
35. Computer Science: This lecture offers an introduction to computer science. [UCLA]
36. Giving Computers Common Sense: Learn about interfaces with common sense from Pushpinder Singh. [MIT]

Open Source

Use these lectures to learn all about open source.

37. Open Science and Scientific Publishing: Find out how scientists and educational institutions are pushing back against old paradigms in this lecture. [MIT]
38. How to Hack Copyright for Fun and Profit: Jon Ipolito explains how to hack copyright in this lecture. [Columbia]
39. Copyrights and Copywrongs: Siva Vaidhyanathan’s lecture focuses on copyright. [Columbia]
40. Illegal but Legitimate: Professor Noam Chomsky’s lecture discusses what can be illegal and legitimate at the same time. [Edinburgh]
41. Collaboration and Collective Intelligence: These speakers explore how collectives can make things work. [MIT]
42. Economics of Open Source: Learn about the economic implications of open source from this lecture. [UC Berkeley]
43. Second-Generation Open Access: This lecture from John Wilbanks focuses on building open content. [Oxford]
44. An Introduction to Open Source: Learn the basics of open source from this lecture. [UC Berkeley]

Future

View these lectures to get a look into technology’s future.

45. Virtual Reality: Past, Present, and Future: Get a look at augmented reality from this lecture. [MIT]
46. Information Technology, Enterprise Transformation, and the Future of US Higher Education: See how higher education in the US will change over the next 25 years by watching this lecture. [Oxford]
47. The City Car: These lecturers propose a City Car to address space and environmental concerns with cars. [MIT]
48. The Future of Science and Technology in Europe: Jose Mariano Gago lectures on the EU’s plans for science and technology. [MIT]
49. The Brain of the Future: Susan Greenfield’s lecture explains the future of technology and biology. [University of Nottingham]
50. The Future of the Web: Sir Tim Berners-Lee lectures on the development of web technology in the future. [Oxford]

Throughout history there have been men and women who have pursued their dreams and ideals, succeeding where others had failed. From politicians to writers to humanitarians, these men and women have made a difference in the world. Read their stories to find out how they did it and why they are an inspiration to everyone who holds a dream.

1. Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790). Not only a founding father of the United States, Benjamin Franklin also made a significant contribution to people around the world. Franklin invented many items still in use today such as bifocals, the lightening rod, and the odometer. He also started the first library and fire station. As a statesman and diplomat, he created an important alliance with France that helped pave the way to US independence. Franklin was a humanitarian, a proponent of cultural exchange, and a famous abolitionist.
2. Thomas Jefferson (1743-1846). Third president of the US, Thomas Jefferson also helped pen the Declaration of Independence and is thought to be one of the most effective presidents of the US. Jefferson is known as a major force behind the political ideals upon which the founding of the American government was based. Not only was he an outstanding politician, but he was also an expert architect, archaeologist, horticulturist, and paleontologist. In the early 1800’s, Jefferson founded the University of Virginia. Jefferson died on the 4th of July on the 50th anniversary of the drafting of the Declaration of Independence.
3. Jane Austen (1775-1817). Jane Austen grew up in a family that encouraged writing and creative expression. By 14 she had written her first novel. Austen succeeded as a novelist in a time when women typically could not compete against men. Austen’s social commentary and intelligent writing style have kept her work in the public eye and her popularity has only grown throughout the years.
4. Sojourner Truth (1797-1883). Born into slavery as Isabella Baumfree, Sojourner Truth gave birth to five children with her husband. In 1827, New York emancipated all slaves, but Sojourner discovered that one of her sons had been sold into slavery in Alabama despite his emancipation. She sued in court and won her son’s freedom. In her later years, Sojourner not only advocated for abolition, she also spoke famously on women’s rights.
5. Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865). Born of humble origins, Abraham Lincoln worked his way up to become the 16th president of the United States. Lincoln was known as a formidable lawyer and an eloquent statesman. During his presidency, Lincoln worked to prevent the southern states from seceding and passed the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, abolishing slavery.
6. Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-1896). While living with her husband and family in Cincinnati, Harriet Beecher Stowe began to hear the stories of slaves who had escaped from nearby Kentucky and the horrors they had endured. In 1851 at the age of 40, she published her famous story, "Uncle Tom’s Cabin," in an anti-slavery newspaper. The next year it was published as a book. Stowe is largely credited for bringing to light important issues surrounding the abolition movement.
7. Susan B. Anthony (1820-1906). Growing up in a Quaker household, Susan B. Anthony became involved in the temperance movement to abolish alcohol. When she discovered she was not allowed to speak at rallies because she was a woman, she began fighting for equal rights for women. Working tirelessly for women’s right to vote, she was instrumental in the passage of the 19th Amendment.
8. Florence Nightingale (1820-1910). Born into a wealthy British family, Florence shook her family when she announced she would become a nurse, which was then seen as a job equal to that of a prostitute. During the Crimean War, Nightingale saw many deaths of the soldiers that she felt were attributed to the poor conditions in which they were cared. She began collecting evidence to support her theory, which eventually lead to sterile conditions and proper nutrition for the ill. She later helped found the Nightingale School and Home for Nurses where nurses first received training to learn how to best care for the injured and infirm.
9. Mark Twain (1835-1910). Born Samuel Clemens, Mark Twain is known as the father of American literature. As a young boy, Twain began working in the printing industry as an apprentice following the death of his father. After working his way up in publishing, he later became a river pilot, but due to the Civil War, the river trade was brought to a stand-still and Twain returned to newspapers. The story "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calavaras County" first brought him fame and was published just days before his 30th birthday. Over the next 40 years, Twain made a name for himself as both a writer and a humorist.
10. Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948). Considered the leader of the Indian independence movement, Gandhi learned a non-violent form of protest while visiting in South Africa that he later developed in the uprisings he lead for India’s independence from British rule. His style of protest became the model after which Martin Luther King, Jr. styled his protests for civil rights. Gandhi’s simplistic lifestyle and campaigns for the poorest Indian citizens not only endeared him to the people.
11. Helen Keller (1880-1968). At the young age of 19 months, Helen Keller contracted a disease that left her blind and deaf. Through her innate desire to learn and the special instruction of her teacher, Annie Sullivan, Keller became the first blind and deaf student to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree. She went on to become a writer and lecturer and was an political activist for many causes including women’s rights, worker’s rights, and pacifism.
12. Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962). The wife of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Eleanor Roosevelt was instrumental in changing the role of the first lady. She worked tirelessly for civil rights, women’s rights, education, and helped form the United Nations. After her husband’s death, Eleanor became a delegate to the UN.
13. Amelia Earhart (1897-1937). Amelia Earhart was a pioneer for the aviation world and received many awards for her work. She was the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean, the first woman to receive the Distinguished Flying Cross, and the first person to fly solo in the Pacific. In addition to flying, she worked at Purdue University as a women’s career consultant. In an attempt to fly around the world, Earhart’s plane went missing. Many believe she ran out of fuel just miles from the Howland Island air strip where they were landing.
14. Katharine Hepburn (1907-2003). Known as one of the greatest female film stars, Katharine Hepburn not only succeeded in movies, but stood as an example of independence and power for women everywhere. Raised in a family that encouraged the girls to participate in life right alongside the boys, Hepburn grew up with a sense of adventure that she carried with her throughout her life. Her lifelong romance with Spencer Tracy, who would not divorce his wife due to his Catholic beliefs, and her strong support of family planning were unusual for women of her generation and stood as yet another example of her independent lifestyle.
15. Mother Teresa (1910-1997). From her home in Macedonia, Mother Teresa joined a group of missionary nuns working in India where she took her vows of a nun. From childhood, she felt the call of God and the desire to help others. In India, she started a school for the poorest children. In 1950, she started her own religious order, The Missions of Charity," specifically to care for the people that no one else wanted to look after. She devoted her entire life to the poorest citizens, earning numerous awards throughout her lifetime–including the Pope John XXIII Peace Prize in 1971 and the Nehru Prize in 1972.
16. Rosa Parks (1913-2005). Coming home on the bus after a long day of work, Rosa Parks was asked to move to the back to make way for a white man. Tired of being pushed to the back, she refused. The bus driver called the police, who then took her to jail. Rosa Parks’ arrest sparked a bus boycott, which then lead to the collaboration between Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr. that shaped the civil rights movement. Parks worked for most of her long life to promote civil rights and received many distinctions, including lying in honor at the Capitol Rotunda upon her death.
17. Nelson Mandela (1918). Nelson Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist who was sent to prison for 27 years due to his work to free the black citizens of South Africa from racial segregation. After his release from prison, Mandela went on to become the first democratically-elected president of South Africa. He has received a huge number of awards, including the Nobel Peace Prize, which was awarded in 1993.
18. Jesse Owens (1913-1980). Discovering at an early age that that he enjoyed running, Jesse Owens credits his athletic break to his junior high coach who put him on the track team. In high school, Owens became nationally recognized with his performance in the 100-yard dash and the long jump. Owens went to the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin where he won four gold medals–a record held for almost 50 years.
19. Anne Frank (1929-1945). This extroverted young German girl who was forced to hide with her family for two years in a small room in an attempt to escape being sent to a Jewish work camp. Unfortunately, the family was discovered and sent to concentration camps, where they all died except Anne’s father. Her diary was later found and serves as an incredibly well-documented account of their time in hiding.
20. Desmond Tutu (1931). Desmond Tutu wanted to become a physician, but his family could not afford this education, so he followed in his father’s footsteps and became a teacher. When South Africa passed the Bantu Education Act, which provided a sub-par education for black students, Tutu left teaching and became an ordained priest. He later went to London where he earned his Master’s degree in theology. His role in the church gave him an opportunity to speak out against apartheid and to promote non-violent opposition to it. Despite problems with the South African government, Tutu succeeded in drawing worldwide attention to apartheid and is considered an instrumental figure in helping to eliminate apartheid.
21. 14th Dalai Lama (1935). The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, was recognized at the age of two to be the reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama. He began his education in a monastery at age six. By age 15 he was positioned as the spiritual and political leader of Tibet. At age 16, he worked to successfully prevent China’s overtaking Tibet. He has spent his lifetime spreading his ideals of peace and harmony among people.
22. Steve Jobs (1955). Adopted by his parents and raised in California, Steve Jobs grew up with an interest in Hewlett-Packard, where he later worked an internship and met Steve Wozniak. After leaving college, Jobs and Wozniak founded Apple Computer. Known as a powerful businessman and entrepreneur, Jobs is an inspiration to many. Read his famous commencement speech at Stanford to learn why.
23. Bill Gates (1955). Bill Gates, considered one of the wealthiest men in the world, made his fortune as an entrepreneur in the personal computer industry. Famously, Gates dropped out of Harvard to pursue his interest in starting a software company with Paul Allen. The two went on to found Microsoft. Currently, Bill and his wife Melinda spend much of their time and money sponsoring humanitarian efforts in areas of health, education, and poverty.
24. Princess Diana (1961-1997). This famous and beloved princess came from the kindergarten classroom where she worked to the royal palace. Her life was difficult as she battled both depression and a style of living that was terribly foreign to her. Diana made it through her struggles to become a driving force for humanitarian causes, with the banning of land mines being her primary work at the end of her life. The tragic, early death of this inspirational woman was felt around the world.
25. J.K. Rowling (1965). The author of the wildly popular book series about the young wizard, Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling conceived of the idea for Harry Potter on a delayed train ride. She went from living on welfare to huge financial and literary success. Rowling has become known for her donations of time and money to support a variety of charities, including Multiple Sclerosis Society of Great Britain, the disease that took her mother’s life.

With increased attention being paid to the importance of online education, there has become a noticeable distinction between online “universities” and online “schools”.  Online schools, however, contain just as much merit as online universities, but may expand their services to cater to more students in the realm of Associates degrees, rather than more advanced Masters degrees.  Many of these distinctions are simply in their school title, much like ordinary university distinctions are made. For example, while many community colleges are not considered universities by any means, they assist many students in gaining a suitable education, even setting them up for a further education in many situations.  Similar to these schools, online schools aid students in getting their feet wet where they ordinarily would not have treaded. 
   
While there are still many people who look down on a degree from an online school, they have been very instrumental in furthering the education of much of our nation.  So often, young parents and unfortunate circumstances have prevented many people from gaining a college degree; university studies costing the amount the do has additionally not helped the matter much.  Therefore, online schools have catered to this crowd of people whose lives have taken a turn for the worse in not allowing them to continue university studies.  Online schools have thus opened the door for many students who do not have the means to travel to a commuter school or the time.  Therefore, online schools have helped many students receive degrees which they normally would never have received.  In this type of economy, this has led to increased job opportunities around the country and a more informed general public.  For so long, many different genres of people have not had the opportunity to enhance their education, but online schools have changed this “hurdle” and thereby allowed for the educational augmentation of the U.S. 
   
Online schools have thereby made it into the headlines of news stories around the country because of this new attention which they are receiving.  Allowing students the opportunity to excel at school where they ordinarily would have been dismissed for their inability to attend classes has made a world of difference to families and entrepreneurs around the country.  Therefore, online schools have evolved into a new technological advantage which many students have jumped on and thereby improved their careers and lives. 
 

Students of previous generations had to go to great lengths and pay big prices to find the tools and resources they needed during college. Fortunately for today’s undergrad, almost everything we need to know about the world is at our fingertips. Use these links and tips, and your university years are sure to end happily, healthily, and successfully.

Class Helpers

Your studies should remain your top priority through school, which will often be as difficult as it sounds. Exploit these sites and download the software to make homework, essays, and exams exciting and fun.

1. Gutenberg.org: Find thousands of full-text novels at this site. Great for American and British literature classes, Gutenberg is faster than going to the library and much cheaper than the bookstore.
2. MyNoteit: Take notes, edit them online, review them with peers, and share them with friends. With MyNoteit, users can also manage calendars and to-do lists.
3. Online Conversion Tool: This online conversion calculator is essential for every university science class.
4. Free Translation: Although the literal translations generated here are not always accurate or acceptable on class assignments, Free Translation is the perfect tool to help foreign language students grasp the gist of a passage.
5. Bartleby Reference: Good reference material that will save you from making an extra trip to the library or using Wikipedia for research projects.
6. Students’ Grades 1.0: Don’t let your grade point average take you by surprise. This software will help you manage your grades, set academic goals, and calculate the steps you need to take to reach them.
7. Pick-a-Prof: Colleges and universities around the nation are enrolling in Pick-a-Prof, which allows students to post professor and class reviews for other students to check out before enrolling in those classes.
8. Cliffs Notes: Downloading free Cliffs Notes for literature classes will surely save you at least once in your college career. The site offers character analysis, plot synopsis, and chapter summaries.
9. MindGenius: A mind-mapping software that serves as a jumping-off point for creative projects. It can be used by students for essays, projects, reports, studying, and to undergo electronic mind mapping to help with brainstorming.
10. yWriter5: Great writing and brainstorming assistant for thesis papers or other long writing assignments.

Time Management

There is no better time to learn about time management than college. Nobody is hovering over you to make sure you complete your daily tasks; you are now being held accountable for your own actions. Take these tools with you wherever you go, because the days don’t get any longer and the projects don’t get any shorter after graduation.

11. Dartmouth Academic Skills Center: Ivy League advice about effective time management. There’s also a short video and time management quiz that will help you identify your weaknesses and take control of your daily routine.
12. MIT Weekly Planner: This free printable planner is useful for students who prefer paper and pencil to digital methods of time management.
13. Procrastination Help by Psychology Today: Psychology Today’s interactive section on procrastination, why it’s tempting, and how to end it. As a bonus, the articles are short and won’t keep readers away from their studies for long!
14. University of Minnesota Assignment Calculator: This easy-to-use calculator allows users to input assignment due dates, then it automatically develops a schedule of work that should be done daily to complete the assignment on time.
15. My Daily Schedule: My Daily Schedule breaks down a single day into 12 categories. A student who wants to spend two extra hours sleeping will be able to see the effects on the rest of his or her schedule for that day.
16. Todoist: A fast and easy task manager. It features heirarchies, which allow the user to collapse sub-tasks and sub-categories to conquer complexity.
17. Remember the Milk: A great program through which you can access your daily tasks. Use your PC or mobile phone to receive reminders and keep track of your to-do list. You can also share tasks with others (like your roommate), in case you need a little help with grocery shopping.
18. Online Alarm Clock: Today’s college students are beginning to rely on their cell phones for everything, including waking up on time. If something ever happens to your mobile alarm clock, onlineclock.net promises not to let you oversleep.
19. My Hours: A time management, timesheet, time tracking solution. It enables you to track your work time, projects you must complete and tasks you perform. It is Web-based and can be used from any location at any time.
20. 30 Boxes: With this calendar application, you’ll never forget about an exam, miss a birthday, or show up late to a meeting.

Shortcuts

Right click, scroll to "copy," left click "copy." Right click, scroll to "paste," left click "paste." Learn the art of Ctrl+c and Ctrl+v, and seemingly painless tasks become even easier.

21. Form Auto Fill 2.5: Input contact and résumé information into this software program, and it will automatically fill out online forms and applications.
22. Microsoft User Support: Microsoft keyboard shortcuts.
23. Mac Central: Mac keyboard shortcuts.
24. SEM Consultants: Firefox and Internet Explorer shortcuts.
25. Auto Hotkey: Create hotkeys or mouse clicks to automate anything from expanding abbreviations to creating custom menu bars.
26. LastPass:This password manager will remember computer and online passwords, making signing in to personal and educational sites fast and easy.
27. Agrata: Another password keeper. This one allows you to store unencrypted passwords securely, so you can access them at later dates. Or, forget them entirely, and let Agrata do the work.
28. MemoKeys II: This tool allows you to create shortcuts with hotkeys to help speed up composing email messages, signing into Web sites, and opening documents.
29. Hyperwords: If you use Firefox for your web browser, then check out Hyperwords. This add-on allows you to select a word on any page and perform any number of tasks with it, such as look up the definition, translate it, tag it, email it, send it to Twitter or Facebook, and more.

Organization

You never know how multi-faceted life is until college. Now, there’s school, work, managing relationships, cooking, and cleaning up after yourself. You’ve got a lot going on, so here are a few ways to keep each aspect of your life under control.

30. Google Reader: Tracks and organizes favorite sites to make the World Wide Web a little closer to home.
31. Evernote: A note taker that allows you to capture information in any environment using whatever device or platform you find most convenient, and makes this information accessible and searchable at any time, from anywhere. Beats walking around with Post-it notes.
32. AquaMinds: A cool note taker, but for Mac OSX only.
33. ZuluPad:ZuluPad is a place to jot down class notes, appointments, to-do lists, favorite websites, and annotated bookmarks. Reviews call it "a notepad on crack."
34. HGTV Home: These are the gurus of organization, and their tips can help clean even the messiest abode.
35. Organized Home: A site completely dedicated of breaking bad organizational habits. It even features a section on how to organize your social life.
36. HipCal: This free tool features calendars, to-do lists, an address book, and provides mobile and email alerts to remind users about scheduled events.
37. Donating to charities: Places like Goodwill accept clothing donations that will help minimize closet clutter. A good rule to follow: articles of clothing that have not been worn in the last twelve months are probably worth giving away to others who need them more.
38. Shoe boxes: If you throw away the boxes when you get new shoes, stop! They stack much easier than the shoes themselves, and keeping them is cheaper than buying a shoe organizer. You can also use them as photo boxes for pictures that aren’t hung in frames. Whatever the use, they will come in handy.
39. Your trash can: If you feel overwhelmed by clutter, take a quick study break to sort it all out. Don’t forget to recycle!

Networking

The links below contain some common networks you may have heard of before. Advice: if you do not have an account with one of these sites, create one. Today.

40. LinkedIn: A business-oriented social networking site that allows you to search for the who’s who in your chosen profession.
41. MySpace: The pioneer of social media Web sites. College students seem to have migrated to facebook.com, but Myspace is still a great place to find friends and listen to up-and-coming musicians. Also, it offers a customizable profile, which might appeal to left-brainers more than other networking options.
42. Facebook: Facebook is like an all-inclusive resort for college students, and its developers are always making improvements. For example, more than two million Facebook users are now part of the marketplace application, where students can buy, sell, and trade sports tickets, furniture, electronics, etc. Professors are also starting to join Facebook, making networking with them easier and more personal.
43. Twitter: Follow or be followed. This site mirrors the status application first seen on Facebook. Your “tweets” are short updates about what you are doing, where you are going, or how you are feeling. After signing up, you can tweet online or via mobile phone by texting your status to 40404.
44. Ning: Ning (Chinese for peace) gives users the opportunity to create and manage their own network and design their own pages based on a particular interest or need.
45. Office Hours: Especially if you are in a large classroom setting, you will either be one of a hundred, or one in a hundred. Never pass up an opportunity to get to know your professor; going to office hours shows you care about class and makes a lasting impression on the person who might be writing a letter of recommendation for you in the future.
46. Squidoo: Squidoo is a community Web site that allows users to create pages (called lenses) for subjects of interest. Squidoo is in the top 500 most visited sites in the world, and in the top 300 most viewed in the United States. It’s a good way to network with colleagues and professionals in your area of study.
47. Networking Assistant 1.0: Organize and manage your contacts without having to pay for a little black book, and it’s much easier than toting around a Rolodex.
48. Alumwire: A career network for college students and alumni.
49. Blogspot: Blogspot might require a little more effort than other networking sites, but it provides the unique opportunity to be heard while remaining anonymous. Read others’ blogs or establish one of your own. Better yet, do both.

Workplace Success

University life is good for nothing if it doesn’t prepare you for the so-called real world. Unfortunately, your professors will be more interested in your test scores than your readiness for the workforce, so you might have to take the initiative. Check these out for guidance:

50. Mindtools: A site that provides “essential skills for an excellent career,” including decision making, problem solving, memory improvement, communication, and stress management.
51. Quint Careers: Offers online career assessments and free career newsletters.
52. collegegrad.com: This site is designed for recent college graduate and offers advice on an array of topics, from interviewing strategies to negotiating your salary.
53. Career Planning: A fun resource with career planning quizzes and links to job search Web sites.
54. Resume Help: Offers guidance in résumé building, writing and layouts. A must-read before submitting job applications.
55. CraigsList: Find employers looking for full-time, part-time, and temporary help.
56. Career How-To’s: Members ask and answer questions like “how to ask for a promotion” and “how to know when to quit your job.”
57. Employer-Employee.com: Offers tips on how to communicate with managers, coworkers and employers.
58. American Psychological Association Help Center: The American Psychological Association dedicated an area of its site to workplace success. Many of the helpful tips here deal with the transition from college to career.
59. Basecamp: Basecamp is project managing software for businesses and employees. Many businesses use Basecamp daily for email, team collaboration and other communication, but it’s worth downloading even if your employer doesn’t require it.

Useful Blogs

These blogs will remind you you’re not alone in the boat. Real people, real problems, real advice.

60. Life Hack: Life advice every student (and adult) should take to heart.
61. College Student Blog: This blog encompasses nearly every issue a student will face: beating the Freshman 15, finding volunteer work, apartment renting, and dealing with homesickness.
62. Study Grand Master: Bloggers’ Choice Awards named this one of the best education blogs in 2009. Recent blogs include How to be Happy and Getting the Most Out of Studying.
63. 2 Birds 1 Blog: Funny commentary and advice from two post-graduates in their twenties. The posts will have you laughing but also prepare you for some of life’s great challenges.
64. Mashable: The social media guide that offers how-to and reviews of the latest media trends.
65. College Humor: Jokes, life stories and embarrassing moments only college students could understand. Great to share with friends or to visit during downtime.
66. Survivng College Life: How to survive college, from maximizing space in a tiny dorm room to financial advice and loan information.
67. Study Hacks: This blog focuses primarily on avoiding overload. The writer’s mantra is “Do less, do better, and know why.”
68. College Candy: Relationships, fitness, current events, gossip, comics and style. This blog covers every extra-curricular issue today’s college student needs to find happiness, health and success.

Money Matters

The "poor college student" moniker might be excusable, but it doesn’t have to be true. Take charge of your finances to enjoy a better experience in school and after.

69. Mint.com: A free tool that makes it easy to budget and manage money online. Link this to your bank accounts, and it will track finances, handle bookkeeping and offers suggestions on how to save money.
70. My Spending Report: This software is great for students who want to take control of their finances. You can make savings goals, develop a spending plan, sign up for bill alerts, and more.
71. Buddi: Buddi is an easy-to-use personal finance and budgeting program compatible with all operating systems. It comes with tutorials for the budgeting-challenged.
72. My Financial House: Provided by the Insurance Information Institute, My Financial House is free software designed to help you complete a financial inventory that can be shared with an accountant or financial planner.
73. Consumerist: Consumer reviews on businesses, products and services around the country.
74. Retail Me Not: Coupon codes for more than 30,000 online stores.
75. XE: This currency website offers a universal converter, a currency update service, a personal currency assistant and an expenses calculator (great for students who plan on traveling or studying abroad.)
76. Student Budgeting: This tool calculates the difference between your expenses and income, identifying when you are spending beyond your means.
77. Student Loan Calculator: This calculator shows interest accruement and repayment plans for subsidized and unsubsidized government loans, as well as private student loans.
78. Loan Consolidation: Federal Direct Consolidation Loan Calculator from the Department of Education helps students who are considering consolidation.
79. Salary Calculator: This free tool helps students calculate salary range based on job, title, location and the current job market.
80. Cost of Living Calculator: CNN Money’s cost of living calculator shows you how far your money will go in other cities around the world.

Unwinding

You do a lot of hard work these days; you pull all-nighters, show up for 8 a.m. classes, and face that little demon professors call "finals week." Everybody needs a break, so put your books and guilt to the side, and have some fun.

81. Fantastic Contraption: A fun online game that stays surprisingly true to the laws of physics. Create a contraption with wheels, rods and chains to get an object from point A to point B. Sound too easy? Play at your own risk!
82. Pogo: Mute your computer and play your favorite online game during a boring lecture. The site features word games, card games, Sudoku and more.
83. Boatload Puzzles: This site offers puzzles that range in difficulty level and provides immediate feedback for puzzle answers.
84. Pandora: A free music site that allows you to generate playlists based on your favorite artists, songs and genres. Great way to expand musical horizons and relax during downtime.
85. Hulu: a must-visit for college students. Hulu features the most talked about Saturday Night Live skits and episodes from popular shows like the Office and Arrested Development.
86. Apple Movie Trailers: See trailers for upcoming movie releases and those showing in theaters. Great tool to help plan the perfect date.
87. Second Life: Second Life is an online 3D virtual world imagined and designed by you. Create an avatar that represents you, meet people, shop, work, learn and play. Just try not to get addicted.
88. Exploratorium: The official Web site of San Francisco’s Exploratorium. More than 24 million people visit the site ever y year, which is full of science games how-to’s for fun, at-home experiments.
89. Studentnow: Laughter is great medicine. This site’s comic strips are sure to help out during stressful times.
90. TMZ: Celebrity gossip and entertainment news. In small doses, TMZ is a great way to put life into perspective.

Personal Wellness

You simply cannot make it through college without a little perseverence. Getting your degree might not be easy, but it will be worth it. During the tough times, head to these great sites for advice on life, fitness, and mental health.

91. Horse’s Mouth: Free online life coaching and mentoring. Search through frequently asked questions or contact a mentor anonymously to ask one of your own.
92. Marc and Angel Hack Life: Two practical thinkers help give perspective to tough situations.
93. Finding Your Marbles: This mental health site examines the process of stress and how to overcome it.
94. Studenttools.com: If tragedy strikes, or you find yourself in the middle of a crisis, being away from family could be harder than ever. Read this site’s suggestions for coping and recovery.
95. College Student Health Tips: Advice for beating depression, preventing weight gain, maintaining healthy relationships, and much more.
96. Wikihow: During college, students learn how to learn, how to study, how to take exams, and how to make good grades. Wikihow takes care of the rest: how to cook, how to wash laundry, and how to ask someone on a date. Brilliant.
97. BrainSync: Free ten-minute guided meditation by Brain Sync founder Kelly Howell.
98. Online Yoga Class: Online yoga videos and pictures that demonstrate relaxation and exercise moves.
99. Campus Calm: Updated almost daily with new tips, topics and guidance about handling college stress. The site also offers a free stress-less kit that includes four valuable tools.
100. RN Central: 101 health and wellness tips for students, from diet and exercise to sleep and mental health.

Whether you’re new on the job market or just need a little help making a career choice, sometimes advice from those who have been there and done that is useful in helping you make a decision. The same holds true for everything else in life as well, from relationships to a healthy lifestyle. Here are 100 sites that can offer you those words of reassurance that you need whether it’s for work or your personal life.

General Work Advice

Pay these sites a visit to get some insights onto the working world.

1. Here We Are. Now What?: If you’re looking for some motivation or sage advice on life, work and learning check out this blog.
2. Job Mob: Here you’ll find loads of articles and information that can guide your career or job search.
3. Insourced: Through this site you can find some helpful advice on furthering your career, searching for a new job and much more.
4. ResumeBear: Check out this blog to learn some tips that can help you create a killer resume.
5. Career Pier: This blog focuses on the effects the economy has had on the working world and offers some advice in light of it.
6. Career Resumes: Don’t send out a stinker of a resume– instead, get advice from this site on how to tweak yours to best represent you.
7. The Career News: This site offers not only tips and tools for furthering your career but the latest news about work as well.
8. The Job Market Blog: Make sure your decisions about work are wise ones by following the important news supplied by this site.
9. Common Sense at Work: Get some great and free career advice from this blog.
10. The Work Buzz: This CareerBuilder blog is an essential source of job information, news and advice no matter where you’re at in your career or what field you work in.
11. Escape from Cubicle Nation: Tired of working in a small space day after day? This site offers some advice about breaking free and following your true passion.

General Life Advice

If you’re in search of a little advice for things outside of work, give these helpful sites a read.

12. Life Advice from Old People: Through this site you can get sage advice from those who have been there and done that.
13. What Would Dad Say: Get some advice on starting your own business and other things as well from this blogger who has 25 years of experience.
14. Real Life Advice: This site focuses on practical and useful information that can help educate and inform you on a wide range of topics.
15. Credit, Debt, Life: These three things often intersect and you can get some advice on managing them from this site.
16. Positivity Blog: Learn to find the silver lining in just about any situation with this mindset-changing blog.
17. Teach Me Life: Through this site you can hear a blogger’s thoughts on all the wisdom out there for the taking.
18. Marc and Angel Life Hack: Here you’ll find advice on everything from learning to love your job to books you should read.
19. Zen Habits: Learn how to simplify your life and appreciate the little things from this helpful site.
20. Life Optimizer: Even if your life is already great this blog offers tips on how to make it even better and get the most out of every moment.

Finding a Job

Finding a job isn’t always easy, so take some tips and information away from these sites to help facilitate the process.

21. Applicant: From interviews to creating a stellar resume, this site offers advice of all kinds for those in search of employment.
22. Social Networking and Job Search: Learn how social networking may actually be able to help you find a new job from this site.
23. Job Search Secrets: This blog offers some inside tips on the little things that you can do to help improve your chances of being hired.
24. Finding a Job Soon: Here you can read about tips that will help you work as everything from a bartender to a programmer.
25. JibberJobber: From using Twitter to managing your career, this blog offers a wide range of articles that can help you in your job search.
26. The Simple Job Search: Get advice here from author Kevin Donlin on how to ace interviews, network effectively and make the most of the time you spend on your job search.
27. Susan Irelands’s Job Lounge: On this site you can read job search articles or ask your own questions to the blogger and other professionals online.
28. Work Bloom: Through this site you’ll be able to find quite a bit of expert information on finding new work or planning your career.
29. About.com Job Searching: This blog from the popular site About.com is full of articles and tips on how to best find a job.
30. Practical Job Search Advice: Do you have a question or a concern about your job search? Check out this site for some answers.
31. The Job Bored: Whether you need help finding a new job, figuring out your career path or just making it through one day of work this site has plenty to offer.
32. Job Search Advice: If you need help writing your resume or doing well at an interview, you can get professional advice here.
33. jobology: This site can help you determine why you’re not getting the jobs you want and how to do better the next time around.

Planning a Career

Whether you know where you want to end up or are just trying to figure out the next few months, these sites offer all kinds of advice on career planning.

34. Careerealism: Whether you want to mount a career change or are just starting out in the working world, this blog is chock full of helpful advice and articles to guide you along the way.
35. Careers Today: No matter what stage of your life you’re at, choosing a college or starting your own business, this site offers some great articles.
36. CareerAlley: This site is home to career advice, job search help and job search site reviews.
37. Career Advice at Monster: Most people are familiar with this large job site but may not realize that it offers more than just job listings and can be a great place for advice as well.
38. Career Renegade: Visit this site to learn how to not only find a job but a job you love so you can work happy.
39. The Career Doctor Blog: If your career is failing or you just need some help in turning things around at work, check out this great site for some advice.
40. Career Rocketeer: Help your career take flight with some advice from this site.
41. Jobacle: This site is home to loads of career advice, links to helpful resources and even news about the current job market.
42. Career Slave: From creating a great resume to information that will help you find a career you can be proud of, this site offers quite a bit to workers young and old.
43. The Career Key Blog: This blog will help you find tests and evaluations that may be able to help you choose a career that is best suited to your needs.
44. Career Hub: Check out this site to get career advice from career experts.
45. Career Tips Blog: Through this site you’ll get short articles that can help make a big difference in your success on your career path.
46. Keppie Careers: Here you’ll find articles designed to help you use technology, network and find yourself a job you love.

New Graduates

Those just emerging from college face special challenges and have unique needs when entering the job market. Check out these sites for a little help making the leap.

47. The Big Time: Here you’ll find "real-world" career advice that can help make entering the working world a little easier and more successful.
48. Grad to Great: This site will give you the support and advice you need to plan out your career before you graduate and after.
49. Beyond Graduation: From networking to doing well at interviews, this site is full of help for fresh grads on the hunt for work.
50. Rise Smart Blog: Learn more about rising up in the ranks at work, even if you’re starting at the bottom, from this site.
51. Employee Evolution: Become the worker you want to be with a little help from this site’s articles and advice.
52. Brazen Careerist: This career advice site is created just for Gen Y workers.
53. Gradspot: This site offers much more than career advice, with tips on cooking, finances and health as well.
54. Lindsay Pollack: Get some advice from this Gen Y career and workplace expert on how you can make the most of your early working years.
55. One Day, One Job: New college grads will appreciate the information posted on this site, helping them find jobs geared towards the entry level.
56. CollegeRecruiter: If you plan on working with a recruiter this site may offer you some indispensable information.

Entrepreneurs and Freelancers

If you want to go it on your own and start a business or work from home, these websites can offer you the information you’ll need to do it in the smartest way possible.

57. Freelance Folder: Visit this site for free tools, resources, tips and advice for those working in freelance fields.
58. Freelance Switch: Whether you’re looking for a job or just want some insights into how to do yours better, this site has what you need.
59. Web Worker Daily: This site is an essential read for anyone who works on the web.
60. ProFreelancing: Learn how to be a better freelancer and make the most of your time on this site.
61. Entrepreneur: Here you’ll find a large range of helpful articles for starting and running your own business.
62. Duct Tape Marketing: If you don’t know much about marketing for a small business, this site offers some great advice.
63. SmallBizTrends: Keep up with all the latest trends in the business world through this site as well as find pointers that can help you do better.
64. Startup Spark: This site can serve as a great source of inspiration for anyone hoping to start their own business from the ground up.
65. Young Entrepreneur: Whether you’re in high school, college or beyond, this site offers some helpful tips to the younger entrepreneurs out there.
66. Venture Hacks: To get your business started you’ll need some funding and this site offers advice on convincing venture capitalists to invest in your ideas.

Relationships

For most people, relationships form a big part of their lives. These sites offer advice on everything from dating to marriage, so you can keep your love life running smoothly.

67. Chestnut Hill Institute: Get advice on what makes a healthy relationship from a licensed psychotherapist on this site.
68. David Wygant: Here you’ll find tips and advice on love and relationships from a male perspective.
69. The Great Mate Debate: This site addresses relationship and dating issues from people of all walks of life, ages, and backgrounds.
70. Advice from a Single Dating Expert: Check out this site to get advice from dating expert Evan Marc Katz.
71. Marriage Advice: Being married has a bevy of challenges, and this site aims to offer some advice on facing and overcoming them.
72. Dating Support Center: Through this site you can get professional advice to help make dating more fun and more rewarding.
73. Marriage Blog: From a snoring spouse to more serious issues, this site will help you manage the issues that arise in your marriage.
74. Relationship Headquarters: Men and women alike can find helpful tips and information on this site.
75. Savage Love: If you’ve got a relationship or sexual question you’re too embarrassed to ask try getting advice through this site.
76. The Nature of Love: Dr. Helen Fisher provides readers with great insights and help with relationships on this site.
77. Love Detour: This site can help you get your love life back on track with some helpful advice.

Finances

Managing money can be hard sometimes for even the most disciplined, so take some advice from these great sites on how to ensure a safe and secure financial future.

78. SavingAdvice Blog: Learn how to put away money into savings even when you don’t have a lot to spare from this blog.
79. Ask Owen: Have a financial question? Ask this deputy CEO.
80. Consumerist: Get the inside scoop on everything you need to know as a consumer so you spend your money well.
81. Get Rich Slowly: Getting rich quick isn’t going to happen for most of it, so this site will teach you how to take it slow and steady and win the race.
82. Wise Bread: Learn how to live more frugally but still enjoy yourself through the posts on this site.
83. The Simple Dollar: From saving for a rainy day to saving for retirement and more this site offers loads of financial advice.
84. Free Money Finance: Check out this site to learn how to make what you earn work for you.
85. PF Advice: This site aims to help you bridge the gap between saving and investing, making sure you get the best return for your money.
86. No Credit Needed: Do you really need to rack up a huge credit card bill? This site offers advice for getting out of debt and using credit wisely.
87. Stop Buying Crap: The simplest way to stay out of debt and have money to save? The name of this site says it all.
88. Expert Financial Advice: Read through the posts on this blog to get some professional advice on making smart financial decisions.

Health and Fitness

You won’t be able to work at your full potential or live the life you want if you’re unhealthy and unfit. These blogs offer a range of advice on how to best get yourself in top condition.

89. Get Health Advice: This site is home to a wide range of health advice posts.
90. Diet Blog: Get some inspiration and advice from this blogger who’s trying to get in shape.
91. Balanced Health and Nutrition: Read through this blog for professional advice on how to eat right and feel good about it.
92. Fit Buff: Learn how to keep both your mind and body fit through the information o this site.
93. Fitness Destinations: Get some help on beginning your journey to fitness from this site.
94. Trying Fitness: From walking to weightlifting, this site offers advice on getting in shape.
95. Dr. Weil: On this site you can ask health questions, read past answers and find loads of health-focused articles.
96. A Weight Lifted: Learn why taking off some pounds could be good for your waistline and for your overall health from this blog that offers advice and inspiration.
97. Starling Fitness: Check out this site for some advice on getting in shape and avoiding putting on extra weight from eating poorly.
98. Eat This!: Through this site you can get some great information on what to eat (and what not to) that can help make you healthier.
99. Nutrition Help Blog: This site is home to information that will help you get that six pack you’ve always wanted or just shed some unwanted pounds.
100. Discover Walking: Learn why walking can be a great, low-impact way to see the sights and get fit.

The myriad of different online universities and schools have opened up doors for students around the country, even allowing people to gain their Masters and PhD in various subjects pertaining to the type of school they are attending.  Online degrees may have seemed to be some sort of scam in the first months of the evolution of online education, but they have since allowed thousands of people to attain degrees that have helped them get ahead in the world.
     
Regardless of the type of degree you are searching for, there is an online program for it.  Arts and humanities online degrees are found in schools such as Liberty University, Full Sail University, and Strayer University.  Each of these schools offer students the opportunity to attain online degrees in various arts-related subjects such as a Bachelor of Science in Religion at Liberty or even a Masters in Fine Arts Media Design in Full Sail University.  Liberty University in particular is one such school which has evolved with technological advances and has thereby transformed from a typical commuter school to an online university in which students from all over can attain degrees from the world’s largest evangelical university.  Having this type of background and support structure is important in attaining an online degree, since this type of university has students both on and off campus. 

While humanities degrees seem to be the “easiest” degrees to obtain and especially complete online, there are other more complex programs such as health and nursing which allow students to complete nursing studies (from Chamberlain College of Nursing) as well as Bachelors and Masters degrees in Psychology (from Capella University and Liberty University).  These degrees allow you to complete a more specialized education at your own pace, on your own terms.   Online nursing degrees allow students to focus on their communication, organizational, and nursing skills while still honing in on those courses which allow students to practice in a clinical setting.  This is nearly a 180-degree turn from what nursing schools were like only twenty years ago, in which students were forced to endure grueling schedules to just complete one year of studies.  The internet and online degrees have thus opened up doors to nursing students who may not have the time to completely focus on school amidst their busy lives. 

There are myriads of other degree programs, ranging from MBAs to I.T. programs, thus allowing students to pick and choose what degrees are most applicable to their situations.  Online degrees have grown in number of the years, thereby allowing students to have opportunities across nearly every type field.  Additionally, all online degrees feature the same target in allowing their students to take their own time in achieving their Associates, Bachelors, Masters, or even PhD.  Online schools have revolutionized the educational field and have thereby allowed students to gain degrees who ordinarily would never have had such an opportunity.