31 08, 2022

Tips for Starting a New Semester

By |2022-08-31T21:22:35-05:00August 31st, 2022|college students, college tips, fall semester, Uncategorized|Comments Off on Tips for Starting a New Semester

Tips for Starting a New Semester

Starting a new semester is always exciting, but it can also be overwhelming. New classes, new friends, and new opportunities also means new responsibilities, obligations and commitments—it’s a lot to figure out all at once.

Everyone wants to have it all, the social and academic balance, but it can be difficult to manage once you’re already in the thick of it. If week 1 didn’t go your way, that’s completely okay! Pause, remember what your goals were and hit that reset button!

Here are some tips on how to start your semester strong.

1. Make Goals

Set goals for what you want to achieve this semester beforehand so you can the most out of your time on campus. Start by setting big picture goals and then break them down into smaller and more achievable tasks, this will keep you focused and help you to not get overwhelmed this semester.

2. Have a Schedule (and stick with it!)

An established routine is key to success. Structure in your daily life will make things more manageable so that you have time to get everything done than you need to achieve for that week. Making time in advance for school, friends, extracurriculars or whatever your goals are will help you to keep up when the semester gets busy.

3. Use Your Resources

It is important to utilize your academic and career resources to get the maximum benefits out of your campus. Make sure you take advantage of your academic advisors, office hours and other campus resources like tutoring to help you succeed.

4. Get Involved Early

College isn’t just about classes; it is important to become a part of your campus community in groups that help you feel supported and to spend time doing things you like. This can look like joining a cultural or religious club or signing up for intramural sports – get involved!

5. Update Your Resume

It is important to keep your resume updated, especially if you are planning on applying for jobs on campus or internships. Updating it before the summer ends makes any upcoming opportunities easier to tackle!

6. Take Care of Yourself

Finally, and most importantly, don’t forgot to take care of yourself. You will have so many amazing opportunities and responsibilities this upcoming semester, don’t forget to give yourself time to breathe. Take breaks, exercise, and make time for yourself.

And remember, college is not only about academics. Have fun and stay healthy, you are only here for a short time so make the most out of it!

10 04, 2022

How to Become a Morning Person

By |2022-04-10T13:20:45-05:00April 10th, 2022|college students, college tips, spring semester|Comments Off on How to Become a Morning Person

Oftentimes college students try to avoid early classes, but waking up early will help lead to a more productive lifestyle. 

No one looks forward to hearing their alarm go off, which causes lots of us to hit snooze once, twice, or way too many times than we should. Then we realize we are late and have to rush out the door to get to class. Despite having to leave the comfort of our beds, waking up early and creating a routine can lead to significant changes in our lives.

3 tips on how to become a morning person:

1. Create a consistent sleep schedule.

Going to bed and waking up at the same time helps our bodies to get into a schedule which helps us to be more alert when we wake up. Also, make sure you are getting enough sleep as most people need six to eight hours of sleep.

2. Have all your things packed up and ready for the morning.

Having your bag packed and your clothes picked out help you to make less decisions in the morning so you can be more efficient and arrive early.

3. Give yourself plenty of time in the morning.

Start your mornings off at a relaxed pace and creating time for yourself and your mental health can help improve your attitude. Simply taking five minutes to meditate or pray and allow yourself to not worry about anything can put you in a great mood to tackle the day. For those feeling ambitious you can even use the extra time in the mornings to get a workout in.

Just taking these simple steps and waking up early will make your life more productive and organized. The results will leave you more time to hang out with friends and to pursue the things you enjoy. All it takes is starting healthy habits and not hitting snooze!

17 03, 2022

The Joy of March Madness

By |2022-03-17T12:13:47-05:00March 17th, 2022|college students, sports, spring break, spring semester|Comments Off on The Joy of March Madness

While over 350 teams were eligible to win the NCAA tournament at the beginning of the season, the pool has now been narrowed down to 64 as March Madness is upon us. This is an exciting time for fans of schools that have been included in the tournaments, as upsets and Cinderella stories are commonplace. Luckily for us at Campus Crates, we have multiple schools represented in the NCAA tournament, and 1 in the NIT tournament.

Baylor

Coming in at the first seed is Baylor, where Campus Crates was first started. Baylor is a heavy favorite against Norfolk State on Thursday and with a win, will take on the winner of Marquette and UNC Saturday. After winning the tournament last year, Baylor fans obviously have high hopes for their team coming into this year and many of us at Campus Crates share that same sentiment.

University of Texas at Austin

Another Big 12 powerhouse that Campus Crates serves is the University of Texas. Coming in at the 6th seed, Texas will face a tough test early against Virginia Tech, still riding high off of their ACC Championship victory over Duke. While Texas is the slight favorite going into this game, many expect an exciting performance from both teams. With a win over Virginia Tech, Texas would likely face Purdue. While Texas certainly has a tough road ahead of them going into the tournament, if they play the way they have in the regular season, anything is possible. 

TCU

TCU is also represented in the tournament and is a school that some believe could be a potential Cinderella story. TCU ended their season on a somewhat high note, beating UT in the Big 12 tournament and staying competitive against Kansas. In the first round, TCU will be taking on Seton Hall in what is likely to be a very competitive game. With a win they would likely face Arizona who is the first seed. While TCU also has a tough road ahead of them, they played well towards the end of the season and should certainly not be counted out.

SMU

Lastly, SMU will be a part of the NIT tournament. While it does not garner as much attention as the NCAA tournament, some big names are still involved, such as Texas A&M and Oklahoma. SMU enters the tournament as the first seed and will play Nicholls State first. Many teams still take the NIT tournament very seriously and SMU is a legitimate contender to win.

With four of our markets represented in March Madness, many members of the Campus Crates team are extremely excited to root for their respective schools and watch all of the madness unfold. 

3 03, 2022

Recharging during the Break

By |2022-03-03T16:25:36-06:00March 3rd, 2022|college students, spring break, spring semester|Comments Off on Recharging during the Break

Spring. Break.

The two words that get every college student’s attention in the second semester. 

In the middle of the semester students often find themselves tired and burnt out. The end of the semester seems so far away and their battery is running low. And that’s when Spring Break comes at the perfect time. The chance to relax and have a week full of endless possibilities causes everyone to be buzzing about their Spring Break plans when it’s approaching. Some people go off on trips to get a change of scenery while others go and seek the comforts of home.

For me I am looking forward to going back home to see my family and my dogs. Being at home allows me to unwind and relax. The comforts of home helps me to recharge for the last part of the semester because it gives me a chance to slow down from the weekly grind of classes and homework. Also, being at home gives me time to reflect on how my semester has gone and how I am working towards my personal goals.

For others, going on trips they recharge by venturing out of their college bubble looking for fun. Some might go to the beach or some might hit the mountains for a ski trip. These experiences create great memories for lots of people that they will always look back on. These trips help people to recharge by being around the people they care about without having to worry about any of the worries from school.

Regardless of what one chooses to do during Spring Break it is important to allow oneself to rest and recharge so that they can finish strong!

24 01, 2022

Restarting New Year’s Resolutions

By |2022-01-24T17:59:05-06:00January 24th, 2022|college students, college tips, spring semester|Comments Off on Restarting New Year’s Resolutions

The start of the New Year marks an exciting time for everyone. Whether you’re a believer in goals or resolutions, most people are hopeful of what the new year may bring. However bold we might be coming out of the holiday season into the fresh unknown, it can certainly be hard to follow through on those goals. 

Studies as of 2016 show that only 9 percent of Americans who set New Year’s resolutions feel that they achieve them. Out of the Americans who set resolutions, a disproportionate number have given up within the first month or even weeks of the New Year. For college students, this can be even more difficult once classes start up and free time begins to dissipate. If that’s the case, it’s likely that a great number of us (myself included) have already given up their resolutions?

Essential tips to restart your New Year’s Resolutions:

1. Narrow the focus on your most important goals

If you’re anything like me, I aimed far and wide in 2022. Surely, since self-improvement goals all have a positive impact, the more the merrier, right? Unfortunately, this isn’t typically the case. The more goals you have, the less likely you are able to follow through. It may make sense to reevaluate your goals for this year in light of what you’ve found to be more critical to your personal fulfillment and development.

2. Re-define your goal

After starting a new goal, you may find that the target was a little off. That’s not to say that one month represents your full year potential! However, some of our initial goals may not be realistic given our history or current situation. For example, if you aimed to workout 6 times per week this year but find it won’t be possible with your course-load, it may make sense to aim for 4 or 5 times per week. There is no shame in altering your goals to be more achievable.

3. Break down your goal for the next month

If you’ve had trouble maintaining focus on a year-long goal, it may be better to set more short-term goals. These goals may ultimately point toward a long-term goal, and are often easier to maintain. If you’re hoping to become a morning person in 2022, it will be a lot easier to set a goal of waking up 30 minutes earlier in February than you did in January, and so on. This can be much less scary than jumping straight into the deep end of the pool!

4. Give yourself a little grace

It can be easy to go hard on yourself after you feel like you fell flat on your New Year’s resolutions. At the same time, remember that it’s meant to be a positive impact, and you may not always succeed. If you mess up on a goal or underperform one week, that doesn’t mean you need to wait until next year to start over. To remain persistent in your goals, remember to give yourself grace when you slip up. You can’t change who you are overnight, but you can certainly get 1% better each day. 

Regardless if you are still pursuing or restarting a resolution this New Year, I hope these tips are an encouragement! Best of luck to all students in their spring semester and broader 2022 goals.

25 11, 2021

Thanksgiving Break

By |2021-11-25T15:36:23-06:00November 25th, 2021|college students, fall semester, holidays|Comments Off on Thanksgiving Break

As classes start to wrap up and the air grows colder, the holiday cheer begins to set in. For many college students, Thanksgiving break is the time to catch up on much-needed sleep and enjoy quality family time. 

However, this holiday break also marks the beginning of finals season, and if you’re lucky enough not to have any homework, you’ll have an ample amount of time to study. It’s easy to forget to be thankful around this time of year, when the stressors of academics heighten and the hardest part of the semester is yet to come. That’s why it is important to take a deep breath, relax, and indulge in a piece of pumpkin pie! 

Here are some tips on how to have the most productive yet relaxing Thanksgiving break in preparations for finals.

Top Tips for Thanksgiving Break

1. Self-Appreciation

So far, you have tackled a ton of exams, quizzes, papers, and presentations. You have worked so hard, so it is completely okay to reward yourself by taking the time for self-care and appreciation. For some, this can look like eating your favorite ice cream or spending a whole day just with the family. It’s all personal preference on what relaxation and self-appreciation look like, but feeding your soul along with your stomach is important. 

2. Quality Time

When you aren’t busy studying or catching up on schoolwork, make sure to carve out quality time to catch up with old friends and family members. You can even make a study date with an old friend from high school who I’m sure is preparing for finals as well.  

3. Reflection

Be sure to reflect on where you have been and where you are wanting to go. What are things that have been successful for you? What has helped your productivity? What would you change about the semester if you could do it differently? Asking yourself questions like this can help when creating a new roadmap to tackle finals.

4. Stay Healthy

Last but not least, traveling for the holidays does create a risk for illness and no one wants to tackle finals with the flu. That being said, please remember to wash your hands, take your vitamins, and stay active. 

By the end of the break, you’ll hopefully feel energized and refreshed enough to ace your exams and finish out the semester strong. Our team at Campus Crates would like to wish y’all a very Happy Thanksgiving and good luck in preparations for finals week!

14 11, 2021

The Battle of Fall Allergies

By |2021-11-14T17:22:17-06:00November 14th, 2021|college students, college tips, fall semester, Uncategorized|Comments Off on The Battle of Fall Allergies

As a college student, fighting off lingering allergies is not an ideal way to utilize your time. In order to implement a battle plan, you first must understand the enemy. The main culprit of fall allergies is due to a plant, ragweed, that releases pollen from August through November. 75% of people battling allergies are found to be allergic to this plant!

Top Symptoms of Ragweed:

  • Sneezing
  • Irritated eyes
  • Itchy throat
  • Runny nose or nasal congestion
  • Coughing or wheezing
  • Sinus pressure or headaches

Luckily, some medications are provided to aid in the battle with these symptoms, but like any great soldier, you cannot rely on just your weapon of choice to win. So, incorporating the following simple tips into your attack plan will increase the probability of coming out victorious against the irritating ragweeds.

3 Simple Tips to Beat Fall Allergies

1. Clean your heating vents and change the filter

Molds along with other bacteria can accumulate throughout the summer by getting trapped in the vents. Therefore, once the weather starts getting cooler it is recommended to check these areas. You want to do this before you turn on the heat to help keep the air circulating clean.

2. Check pollen levels

On days that have higher pollen levels, limiting your time spent outside is best. If unavoidable, make sure to change your clothes and shoes once coming inside to minimize the spread of pollen.

3. Buy a dehumidifier

Utilizing a dehumidifier in your house will keep humidity levels low to help stop the growth of mold. It is recommended to keep humidity levels at 35-45%. You want to keep your house along clean and free of pollen, mold, and most importantly ragweed.

With all of this information, you, as a college student, should feel prepared to battle fall allergies and come out of it triumphantly. Hopefully, this will provide you with more time to focus on the project you pushed off until the last minute instead of finding the tissue packet at the bottom of your backpack.

20 10, 2021

The Week That Keeps On Giving: Homecoming

By |2021-10-20T17:31:52-05:00October 20th, 2021|college students, Uncategorized|Comments Off on The Week That Keeps On Giving: Homecoming

Homecoming Traditions

Homecoming is such an exciting time on any college campus since it brings university traditions to life while reuniting alumni. After a year of zero student activities at many schools, homecoming is more than just an event; it was like a family reunion that didn’t make you want to stay home or hide from that weird cousin.  

The University of Missouri is often credited with having the first college homecoming in 1911. However, Baylor’s first homecoming was technically in 1909, when three professors sent out postcards to alumni to return to campus to “catch the Baylor spirit again.” 

Baylor Won their Homecoming Game

Alumni, students, faculty, and community members all reunited to celebrate Baylor University and wonderful traditions such as Pigskin, the bonfire, the parade. At the football game, Crowds hadn’t been seen like this at McLane stadium since the 2019 season. The Bears beat the BYU Cougars in a close match that was emblematic of the mood of the weekend. 45,000 people watched the Bears ring in a win for homecoming weekend. 

Many alumni traveled from far and wide to Waco, but one individual made the weekend extra special. Baylor’s pride and joy, Robert Griffin III, made an appearance at the game and led the Baylor Line on the field. 

Homecoming is a special time, and that can be seen by the love alumni and faculty have for their beloved institutions. Our team at Campus Crates hopes that our students of every school we serve are enjoying the football season and they bring home the win at Homecoming!

4 08, 2021

Tips for Sorority Recruitment

By |2021-08-04T14:09:07-05:00August 4th, 2021|college students, college tips, greek life, Uncategorized|Comments Off on Tips for Sorority Recruitment

Sorority recruitment is just around the corner. As a former Zeta Tau Alpha at Baylor University, I know the recruitment process can be tiring and intimidating. If you are going through rush or thinking about rushing at your university, here are a few of my top sorority recruitment tips to help ease your mind. Best of luck this fall or spring!

6 Tips for Sorority Recruitment

1. Keep an open mind

It is sometimes easy to go into recruitment only wanting one specific house. However, the reality is many Potential New Members’ (PNMs) minds are changed once they get to know some of the other houses. You may be surprised by how well you get along with other houses that may not have been on your radar going in. It’s important to trust the process!

2. Be yourself

During the rush process, you may feel pressure to talk or act a certain way to be liked by a house. It is important to be true to yourself in order to see which chapter you feel most comfortable in. The chapters are meeting hundreds of girls in such a short period, but there’s only one you! Being authentic and genuine will allow you to form real connections with the chapter that is right for you.

3. Prepare questions ahead of time

The fast-paced environment of the rush process can often be overwhelming. To help ease some of the pressure, think of some potential questions to ask chapters ahead of time so you don’t have to think on your feet. Having some questions prepared will help you feel more confident. Potential questions to ask the houses might be: Can you tell me about some of the events your chapter holds? What makes your chapter special to you? Are there opportunities to get involved and hold a position?

4. Submit letters of recommendation to all chapters

Something they don’t talk about enough during the pre-rush process are the recommendation letters. These letters help the chapters learn more about you. Some chapters make cuts based on whether or not the PNM has a rec letter. You should have a letter written on your behalf for each house on your school’s campus. You can ask an active alumni in good standing to write you a letter, or your local panhellenic organization to arrange an alumni to write a letter for you as well. Don’t leave this part to the last minute, and be sure to follow your school’s directions on how the alum can submit a letter.

5. Don’t talk bad about other chapters

The sorority recruitment process is unique to every girl who goes through it. Each chapter has its own set of values that make their sisterhood unique. You may love one chapter and not have quite as good of a fit with another chapter. However, it is important to keep your opinions to yourself and not put down other chapters. The goal of recruitment is for each girl to find the sisterhood that is right for them, and by doing that, all chapters deserve equal respect.

6. Relax and have fun!

While rush may seem overwhelming, the process is in place for a reason. All of the active members are excited to meet you and tell you all about their sisterhood. You may not realize it, but the active members are nervous as well! Just remember when in doubt to be yourself, and have fun finding the right home for you.

14 07, 2021

A Day in the Life of a College Student – Q&A with Matthew Warden

By |2021-08-03T03:50:52-05:00July 14th, 2021|college students, college tips|Comments Off on A Day in the Life of a College Student – Q&A with Matthew Warden

It’s no secret that college students are extremely busy. Between classes, tests and homework, students must have proper time management habits in order to balance it all. Not to mention that the social aspect of college life full of extracurricular activities, clubs and spending time with friends leaves students with even more to juggle.

Some students even chose to work a job or internship while in school in order to earn money or gain work experience in their desired career field. To give you some insight into what it’s like to hold an internship while attending school as a full-time student, I asked Baylor alumnus and Campus Crates head Baylor manager Matthew Warden how he managed to attain a healthy work-life balance.

Q&A with Matthew Warden, Baylor Campus Crates Manager

Q: Tell us a little bit about yourself.

My name is Matthew Warden, and I grew up in Torrance, CA, a small suburb outside of Los Angeles. Coming to Baylor was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I just recently graduated as a Finance and Entrepreneurship student, and I have a full-time job lined up with AT&T as a financial analyst.

Q: What activities were you involved with during your time at Baylor?

During my time at Baylor, I was a member of the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity on campus. One of their philanthropy opportunities is called The Ability Experience, which essentially allows us to work directly with people with special needs in the community and the Special Olympics to provide services to them. For me personally, it kind of speaks to me directly because my sister is Autistic, so I was able to serve something I know pretty well.

Other activities I was involved with included the Phillip M. Dorr Endowment Fund in the business school. The investment fund was endowed to Baylor back in 2001 with about $1 million that now has $12 million. I was a student analyst on a panel in this organization where I was involved in decisions such as what to hold, what to buy, what to sell. I was also in the Professional Development program that puts on events for speakers and hosts different events for student’s professional education.

Q: Can you tell us about your role with Campus Crates?

I didn’t expect Campus Crates to be in my life as long as it has been, but I’m really grateful that it has been. I started interning with Campus Crates in Jan. of 2019. My first year I was tasked with being a storage co-intern with Matt Burton, to run all aspects of the operations including marketing, sales, customer service, logistics and even short term business planning. My first year was challenging but I was able to learn the ropes of the different aspects of Campus Crates.

The following year, I was promoted to the head Baylor storage manager position where I was able to oversee a team of three people and our movers as well. I laid out goals and created timelines with what we needed to do and how we were going to get there. We run a very meticulous ship; for example when we have to move out 200 people in three days, we have to conduct business in a very timely manner. I also helped navigate the team through the COVID crisis, where we actually had record sales.

I then came back for a third year, where I was able to oversee a five-person Baylor team as well as help lead new interns at our expansion schools, The University of Texas and Texas Christian University.

Q: What does a weekly routine look like during the school year while also working Campus Crates? How are you able to divide up your time?

Time management really came to me situationally. When I had a lot of things to do, I was forced to learn to manage my time. I like to compartmentalize different tasks and complete things one step at a time. During online school especially, I would block off certain days during the week where I would just focus on school, allowing time for homework and Campus Crates. It was my job to hold weekly meetings with the Campus Crates team to go over what needed to be done that week, and see which team members had heavier school loads that week to divide the work up accordingly. I would intertwine my Campus Crates responsibilities with my school work for the week, establish deadlines and plan out my weeks in advance.

Q: How important is time management when balancing life as a student, extracurriculars and an internship all at the same time?

Time management is everything. For me, I have a lot of things to do and it’s important to not get stressed. I plan things out ahead of time so things don’t creep up on you. I try to get my school work done ahead of time, so when something with my internship comes up at the last minute, I have the bandwidth to switch gears. Additionally, I aim to hold myself accountable to get things done ahead of time, so that I can be flexible with my time if I need to. 

Some people think that the best way to manage time is to make your schedule very rigid with exactly how many hours you are going to work on a specific thing. In reality, life is very unpredictable. I also make a checklist for each day several days out, and cross things off as I go to help myself keep track of what needs to be accomplished.

Q: What is the hardest part about having an internship while balancing school and social life?

The hardest part is realizing that not only do you have a responsibility to the business and your co-workers, but to the customers that we serve as well. In other words, if I wasn’t properly time managing and available to work, those customers wouldn’t be serviced. I sometimes would have to sacrifice my social time to devote myself to this responsibility. You have to accept that there are other people counting on you.

Q: What is your favorite part about your Campus Crates internship?

My favorite thing about my experience with Campus Crates is that it’s so multifaceted. It’s good to feel that you’re working for a company that not only employs your peers, but also provides a service to your peers. Throughout my internship I know that I made some of my fellow Baylor student’s lives easier, while also getting some great business experience that will stay with me the rest of my career. It meshed so well with my college experience.

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