If you’re interested in following me, I still write pretty frequently online. For those of you who like infographics, I started a site called Daily Infographic where myself and a team of interns post an infographic every day.

I also write for my company, Mutual Mobile, on their blog. Mutual Mobile is a large mobile strategy company that specializes in helping large enterprise corporations build and execute mobile strategies. This includes everything from developing native mobile applications to mobile marketing.

I really enjoyed writing and contributing to CampusByte — starting this site gave me a huge head start in my career. But unfortunately, all good things eventually come to an end. Thanks for all the good times.

- Jay Willingham

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1. Chocolate Covered Strawberries!

This is probably the most popular treat of all. Long story short, read the recipe at What’s Cooking America!
Still don’t get how easy it is? You won’t believe how good the strawberries actually look after the mess:

And they are of course very tasty:)

2. Rocky Road!

This one is from Sorted Food.

A bit more complicated but it’s certainly worth it. This one you can easily add your own twist–other than just marshmallows and biscuits, you can also add it Oreo, M&M’s… I personally thinks dried cranberries go really well with this recipe:)

3. Add your creativity!

That’s the best you can give! You don’t expect to get through every year with the same tricks, do you?

Happy Valentine’s Day in advance!

Happy belated Chinese New Year, by the way;)

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Dormzy wants to save you time in two ways. First, it saves the time of going to the grocers. Second, it saves you time sifting through a myriad of undesirable products. Dormzy’s selection is, theoretically, custom-designed to offer only what Joe College wants and nothing else. The up-side of this is that if you fit Dormzy’s concept of Joe College you will be saved the time of sifting. The downside is that if you have unusual tastes you may find Dormzy’s selection restrictive.

To be sure, Dormzy’s selection is just what you’d expect: cereal, axe, candy, soda, cousine a la Boyardee, Red Bull, Red Bull, and Red Bull. In all fairness, it does offer some healthy options. It also sells various health, bath, and hygiene products as well as some of the sundries you need to survive, such as batteries, school supplies, and those absolutely essential red cups.

Dormzy aims to save the student money. In this they succeed for the most part. Comparing items from Dormzy to items at my campus minimart, I found that Dormzy items were always somewhat cheaper. A bottle of Coca-Cola, for instance, cost $1.49 at the store and $1.39 on Dormzy. More interesting was the deodorant situation: Axe was $7.29 at the store, while Dormzy deo cost $4.69.

Of course, shipping costs threaten to eat up those savings. This is why Dormzy offers free shipping for orders of $49 and above. So if you are going to go this way, you’re going to have to go bulk.

What’s the bottom line? Dormzy saves you time and money. But its selection does not cater to eclectic tastes and it doesn’t make much sense for small, impulsive, or incidental purchases. It does, however, make sense if you are stocking up at the beginning of the semester or if you’re more broke than a Toyota’s accelerator.

Guest Post: Josh is a senior at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte; he blogs on study-tips over at http://www.gradesapp.com/blog as well as blogging on iPhone app development and marketing over at Tapity.com.

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Spook your lexicon – and your nerves – into overdrive, and keep your Dictionary.com app handy for the following picks:

1. The Exorcist – This controversial masterpiece not only redefined horror movies, but has also given people nightmares and nausea since 1973 and introduced us to the term pneumoencephalogram.

1. The Silence of the Lambs – When Dr. Hannibal Lecter insists, “Enthrall me with your acumen,” we can’t help but be enthralled with his. We also have Dr. Lecter to thank for some perverse culinary education – fava beans and Chianti will never taste the same.

1. The Shining – Stephen King’s imagination for horror + Stanley Kubrick’s cerebral filmmaking + Jack Nicholson’s sardonic wit = neuron-firing chills.  Kudos to a film that makes ten words – “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” – one of the most terrifying moments in cinema. Alas, you won’t find “redrum” in any mainstream dictionary.

1. Jaws – Sure, those of us who were kids in 1975 are now afraid to swim in a pool, but this classic may have done more to generate interest in Carcharodon carcharias than all Shark Week episodes combined.  When we weren’t being traumatized, we were educated on the animals’ extreme territoriality as well as nautical and medical terminology.

1. Scream – A clever plot and satirical dialogue set this one apart within the otherwise mind-numbing teen slasher genre. Randy offers insight into the killer’s actions: “It’s the millennium, motives are incidental.”  We dare you to find a line like that in any of the Friday the 13^th films.

1. Suspiria – This English-dubbed, gruesome 1977 Italian Dario Argento classic revolves around unusual words that inspire the viewer to look them up, when you aren’t too busy gasping in terror.

1. Videodrome – From what we can determine, the only film included in our Quotes section is David Cronenberg’s early, visionary work. Phrases, concepts, even the names of characters play off of word meanings. And who can forget the grotesque yet mesmerizing imagery and the young James Woods’ intensity?

1. The Omen – We have to give this film credit simply for making its title, a useful and sophisticated term, ubiquitous in popular vocabulary. For better or worse, the series also deserves credit for perpetuating concepts such as the Anti-Christ and the apocalypse.

1. Alien – This film put Sigourney Weaver on the map and put us into a state of nightmare for about a week. Nevertheless, those with the intestinal fortitude to see past the blood were enlightened by discussions of evolutionary biology, artificial intelligence, and corporate politics. The film’s 1979 movie poster corrected a scientific fallacy perpetuated by Star Wars – “In Space, No One Can Hear You Scream…”

1. Psycho – This masterpiece brought the oedipal complex out of the English classroom and made it something so scary that we were afraid to shower. Norman Bates lulls us into a false sense of security with his discussions of taxidermy and armchair philosophy before forever proving that men dressed as old ladies can indeed be terrifying.

Beware: while some of these may indeed be scary, your brain may turn into something resembling a melted Reese’s cup if you watch one of these:

1. Bride of Chucky – While it’s true that the ‘F’ word is one of the most highly searched terms on Dictionary.com, we’re not giving out any awards for overusing it in a script.

1. I Still Know What You Did Last Summer – The only thing that could make this film even less stimulating would be to cast Audrina Patridge into a supporting role. Now that’s scary.

1. Hostel – What we learned from this movie was to be irrationally terrified of travel and that’s pretty much it.  Queasy and crass, some critics have placed this film into a sub-genre of torture porn. We’ll pass.

1. Saw (its sequels in particular) – This franchise may forever be tainted by its ridiculous number of sequels, despite a solid effort in Saw I.  Neither the characters nor the dialogue had us reaching for the books.

1. Blair Witch Project – There is no doubt that this creepy, documentary-like film is frightening, but there is hardly enough dialogue to keep you engaged. You may find more  verbal stimulation in the cleverly titled Gossip Girl episode “The Blair Bitch Project.”

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Over the years, my dream faded. I forgot all about Joey and entered high school. I went to a Magnet high school which was much more difficult than a standard high school. I had the intelligence; however I didn’t have the tools I needed to succeed. I took copious amounts of notes, but because I lacked an organizational system, I didn’t excel in my classes. I grew despondent and eventually I turned my back on pursuing higher education at all.

After high school, I took some time off to go on a trip of self discovery and find myself. I ended up in Kansas City, MO interning at the International House of Prayer as an intercessory missionary. It was amazing. I had time to focus on my passion for prayer and to grow as a person. After my internship, I joined part-time staff at the International House of Prayer while working full-time. For the first time, I had bills to pay. Trying to make ends meet on minimum wage was impossible. I realized that I needed a college degree if I ever wanted to pay the water bill and the electric bill in the same month without going bankrupt.

After two years away from the education arena, I moved home and enrolled in a two-year community college in Cranford, NJ. At the age of twenty, I am older than 95% of my classmates. A lot has changed; the old reliable paper and pen combo have been replaced by macbooks and iPads. Half of my classmates don’t even bother taking notes. Instead, they let sleek voice recorders do all the work for them. Feeling outdated, I went home and did my research. I found that excelling in school is roughly thirty times easier than it used to be.

Equipped with my laptop and a couple of amazing freeware programs, I dove in and immediately started reaping the benefits. I’m enjoying college in a way that I never got to enjoy high school. The Joey Potter in me is finally emerging. I spent so much time struggling through high school that I had no time enjoy myself. Now, I have time to work on my novel and artwork while still balancing a full course load. College doesn’t have to be miserable or stressful; it can actually be a fun time of broadening horizons. Thus far, I’ve had great success using my specially blended tool set, but it took hours of research to form. That’s why I’m here; to share the things I’ve learned along the way with fellow college students who won’t have to get bogged down in the research. Stressing out be damned, let’s have some fun.

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Apart from technology, I also have a large variety of interests, including sports, music, reading, graphic design and science. I always consider myself a Jack of all trades but master of none, but hopefully one day I’ll become a master of one, or maybe more, ha. I do think balance in life is important though. Back in those days when everyone was buried in text books and past papers preparing for the public exam, I still scheduled myself the time for basketball and Internet every day, and I still got to read an IT magazine every week. I always think only by staying balanced can we lead a happy and healthy life.

I read a lot. To me, books are good if the words flow. Don’t ask me to explain, all I can say is that “flowing” is different from simply being fluent. Flowing books are infectious, I can write much better instantly after reading them. But to write (and also speak) English well, I also rely much on YouTube. Yeh, I’m just as cool as that. And this is a typical example of how I learn better with the Internet. There are also loads of videos that helped me a lot in understanding Biology. (I don’t only watch videos I also post videos occasionally, so check out my channel!)

By the way, I am a great fan of Google products. I’ve been using Gmail for more than 6 years now. I am proud of being the Googling expert among friends. Ever since I started university, I’ve also been relying a lot more on Google Calendar. As everyone knows, time management is really essential in a successful university life. We may talk about that in the future.

If there’s anything you want me to talk about, please leave a comment, or email me at theo@campusbyte.com. Expect a blog post of real business after a week or so ;) But for the time being, also check out my Twitter @theowoo!

Theo the Green Lover
(Yes, I’m obsessed with the colour green. How can I not mention it here?)

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When I returned to college for the second time back in 2007, I made a promise to myself that I would graduate and get a job within 3 years. My main focus was life after college, so I built CampusByte with the intention of using it to help me become a better writer, boost my resume, and learn more about building my own business. That’s where you come in.

Unfortunately, now that I have a steady job, I have very little time to work on this website. That is why I’m reaching out to you. For the next two months I’ll be looking to hire 3 to 5 self motivated bloggers to take over CampusByte.

You would be responsible for writing 1-2 articles each month on college and technology related topics. The work you produce will be accredited to you and the articles you write will be published and read by thousands of students. You will be CampusByte authors and will be listed in the About Section as such.

This is an excellent way to get your name out into the world. While the majority of my fellow graduates are jobless in this economy, I was able to land a high paying job, due partly to my dedication and contribution to this website.

If you are interested in applying, please send an email to Jay AT campusbyte.com with:

1. Name
2. Year in college/which University
3. Reason for applying

Job Requirements:

• Self-Starter
• Able to produce excellent copy.
• Passions for blogging and technology.
• Must be a current college student.

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1) LogicalDimension: New to town? This app has more than 200 college campus maps around the country to help find your way around.

2) iMapMyRun: This is great if you’re attending a college or university in a new city and don’t want to get lost as you venture out for a run. It uses iPhone’s built-in GPS technology to track where you’re running and mark your path. It allows you to save your data to upload to MapMyRun.com to view your route, run data and workout history.

3) BudgetBuster: What every college student must have especially if this is the first time they’ve ever been on a budget. This app tracks your daily, weekly and monthly expenses so you always know how much is coming in and going out.

4) GasBag: Another great app for cutting the budget as it lets you find the cheapest gas, includes a gas purchase logbook and mileage tracker.

5) SnapTell: Every college student needs to buy books. All you do is point your iphone at a book jacket, CD or DVD cover and the app instantly provides a price comparison of everywhere that book is available online. Wow!

6) Pizza!: Want to know where you can get some pizza no matter where you are at any given moment? This app gives you a list of the nearest pizza restaurants and allows you to call them with one tap on the screen.

7) Sparky: What better way to browse SparkNotes on your iPhone without going to the bookstore.

8) PosiMotion’s G-Park: Now where did I park? This incredible app lets you park your car, press the Park Me! button then do whatever you want. When you’re ready to get back to your car all you do is press the “Where Did I Park?” button and you’ll get turn-by-turn walking directions back.

9) Grades App: Grades shows students what they need to score on their upcoming assignments, tests, and finals in order to get the grade they want. And it’s easy. And it’s downright fun!

10) Evernote: This app lets you create notes, take photos and record voice memos that you can access from your iPhone, computer or the web. Perfect to use in class or at the library doing research.

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Today the development of investment “instruments” is driven by an assortment of sophisticated data applications utilized by professionals with high-level mathematical skills. The “derivatives” that turned sour and drove Wall Street into a panic in 2008 were investments constructed of other investments, many of them based on what proved to be high risk ventures. Those derivatives were developed, in many instances, by experts with some degree other than an MBA.

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Engineering graduates are considered to have applicable skills on Wall Street because of the technical and analytical skills inculcated in any undergraduate engineering program. Engineers who find themselves in investment houses may be brought in as entry level analysts and may find value in pursuing a master’s degree at some point in the future.

Mathematics graduates have the training to develop mathematical models, which is what developing investment products is all about. With every design for an investment instrument comes a risk assessment, which is where the modeling skills, the ability to manage and interpret statistical data plays a critical role.

Physics Graduates bring many of the same skills to the finance sector that mathematics students do, with the major difference being the analytics built into a physics education. There are both structural and analytical elements to a physics major that can have great bearing on successful employment as a quantitative analyst, or “quant” in a Wall Street brokerage or a major investment house located elsewhere.

Computer Science Graduates bring a different set of skills to the investment world. In the ongoing scramble to develop new investment instruments there is also a scramble to analyze them and to design them. In this area the MBAs doing the trading may come to rely on software engineers or graduates who have those skills. Computer science brings both the theory of functionality and the skills to implement application changes.

Statistics graduates are trained for work where data management skills are an important part of the job, and thus they bring skills that can be applied with a financial services firm. But perhaps the most rewarding goal for a stats major is becoming an actuary, working in risk management. Investment houses are redesigning their entire risk evaluation programs in the wake of the 2008-2009 crash. Becoming an actuary requires a good deal of additional work but it can pay off with a senior position in finance.

It isn’t the knowledge gained in these undergraduate majors that are important in today’s investment sector; it is the skills acquired along the way that are valuable. MBA students go through the basics for statistical analysis and learn the math for standard accounting and finance work, but they don’t develop the level of analytical skills or data manipulation ability that students coming out of a math-oriented major already possess. But while you’re breaking into the financial services field with your B.S. you may want to consider a part time master’s degree program that can gain you access to management level positions. Most investment houses today are looking for that additional credential when developing the next generation of management.

Bob Hartzell is a freelance writer for Masters Degree Online.com that covers the shifts in today’s job markets and the corresponding changes in educational options. More recently he’s been covering the graduate & masters degree space as an upside opportunity for students in a down economy.

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Well, for the rest of us, whether declaring a major has just recently entered your thoughts as you begin your college career in an online university or it’s been on your mind since you started college two years ago and you suddenly realize you’re approaching 60+ hours of coursework under your “undecided” major, it’s the one decision that ultimately has to be made. If this seems like a daunting task, you’re not alone. Two-thirds of undergraduate students in the United States change majors before graduating.

Here are 5 tools you can use to help the process:

1. Assessment Quiz – a college major profile quiz adapted from a career and interest survey developed by John Holland. The results are designed to help you consider how your own personality traits relate to different college degree programs. Give it a shot here.
2. Examine Your Abilities – Be realistic and honestly look at your skills and abilities. Ask yourself some key questions, such as: What did I enjoy doing during my childhood? Am I a leader or a follower? What are my academic strengths and weaknesses? What high school courses interested me? What were my best subjects? In which extracurricular activity did I excel? What did I enjoy about my part-time job in high school? What do I value?
3. Visit your College Career Center – here you’ll find career counselors with all kinds of self-assessment and interest inventory tools to help you further clarify your passions and goals. These counselors can get you in touch with professors who can answer your questions regarding particular courses or degree programs. They can also get you connected with your college’s alumni who have gone through the department and may be involved in an alumni-mentoring program.
4. Try Different College Courses – why not sit in on a few classes or go ahead and enroll in different courses in different departments that look interesting or challenging to you. You may just come across an area of study that truly fascinates you or one you feel particularly passionate about.
5. Internship – this is one of the best ways to find out what it would be like to work in a “real world” environment, whatever your interests. Once you’ve figured out what areas of study you have strength and interest in, see if you can either find an internship position (paid or unpaid) or possibly even a volunteer position for an entire semester. You will work alongside and be exposed to professionals and work situations that will give you a clear picture of what you could eventually experience in the real workplace.

Whatever you do, take your time, investigate, and don’t rush into making this decision. It takes time and experimentation to reveal the path you will be taking in life. If you will allow yourself to truly experience all you can during this process and enjoy the journey, your lifetime work will gradually and clearly come into view.

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