Nerdify Reviews 4 Must-Have Online Study Tools for Achieving Academic Success in 2024

There’s no shortage of movies and TV shows depicting college life. As a result, many of the lessons American teens have learned about the college experience come from pop culture. Not all of those lessons are based on accurate reflections of the college experience. Although some college movies and shows are more realistic than others, in general, pop culture has given rise to various misconceptions regarding what college life involves.

The following are some noteworthy examples of beliefs you may have about what college will be like based on pop culture myths!

1. Every Party is an ‘Epic’ Occasion

An American high school student who has never attended a single college party could still probably describe one if asked to. They’ve likely seen plenty of movies and TV shows featuring college party scenes, after all. In movies, an average college party takes place at a house packed with energetic young coeds who all look like Abercrombie & Fitch models. Music is blasting and partygoers are showing off their moves on an impromptu dancefloor. Everyone is consuming extremely copious amounts of alcohol, and some are openly using drugs. Additionally, every spare room in the house is occupied by people hooking up.

The reality of a college party isn’t quite as over-the-top. Yes, college parties can get lively, but the real-life version of the party described above is not exactly the same as the Hollywood version. Will a college party take place at an off-campus house? Often, yes, although it’s also not uncommon for parties to take place in small dorms and apartments. Is such a party overflowing with people? Sure, college parties can get crowded, but not everyone there will be a supermodel. All types of individuals attend parties. Some are loud and energetic, dancing along to the music, while others are content to sit in a corner with a few friends enjoying the casual conversation. The music itself won’t be too loud either. No one hosting a college party wants to have the police called on them for a noise complaint.

Nerdify reviews data from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism indicating that more than half of college students between the ages of 18 and 22 will drink alcohol in a given month. However, college students don’t have unlimited budgets for alcohol, nor do they wish to try and get arrested for using illegal drugs, so many partygoers don’t drink or use drugs at all. Finally, Nerdify reviews stats from the American Psychological Association showing many American college students will experience some form of romantic experience, but these experiences are not as common as some incoming first-year students assume.

2. RAs Are All ‘Buzzkills’ or ‘Creeps’

A Resident Assistant (RA) is a student who lives in a dormitory and is responsible for keeping an eye on a certain number of students/rooms. In movies and TV shows, RAs tend to be depicted in one of two ways. They are either power-mad enforcers of the rules who exist solely to ensure no one living in a dorm has any fun, or they are slightly creepy older students who try to use their RA status to strike up relationships with younger students.

Do some RAs match these descriptions? Probably, but not always. Often, an RA is a helpful source of support who can lend an ear when a student is feeling homesick, help roommates get along more easily, and organize dorm-wide social events where students can meet each other in low-stress situations. True, part of an RA’s job is to enforce campus rules and policies, but this doesn’t make an RA a “narc”. RAs have to handle all the stresses of being a student while also handling the stress of being an employee of the college they are attending. On the occasions when RAs have to enforce the rules, they aren’t doing so to spoil anyone’s fun — they’re doing so because it’s their job to keep everyone in the dorm safe.

Some incoming students might even consider becoming a RAs after a year or two. Along with helping pay for room and board, being an RA could help a student expand their social group and make more friends. For more insights, you can find stories on Reddit about users’ best and worst RA experiences, as well as Reddit threads featuring amusing stories from former RAs.

3. College is Similar to High School in Certain Ways

Movies and TV shows which take place at colleges often depict many of the ways college is different from high school. Although college classes may end at designated times, there usually isn’t a bell that goes off indicating class is over. More importantly, there are no scheduled lunch periods, like there may be in high school. Students can eat lunch whenever they choose. During the time a student is not in class, they are free to roam about campus or leave campus as they please.

It is often during these free periods throughout the day that college students cultivate friendships. Unlike high school, where friendships may develop in the class environment itself, because college classes often involve large numbers of students sitting quietly while professors lecture, at the college level, friendships are often cultivated via on-campus events, get-togethers, lunches, and other social occasions big and small.

Worried about making friends and socializing in general in college? You’re not alone. Nerdify experts review studies and surveys showing many first-year college students wish they were more emotionally prepared for the experience. Additionally, Nerdify reviews new research indicating today’s parents may not realize how anxious about college their children are. If you’re worried about starting college, there are many Reddit threads and communities where you may find helpful advice.

College movies and TV shows can also depict professors actively reminding students who are falling behind on their work that they haven’t turned in assignments. Like high school teachers, college professors in movies will go after students who are in danger of failing. In reality, while some college professors may let students know they have missed due dates or are failing their classes, most professors aren’t as aggressive as high school teachers in this regard. They know it’s their job to simply teach a course. If a student who is paying for the course decides not to do the work, it’s not the professor’s responsibility to get them back on track.

These differences may seem minor, but they highlight an important point: college students have the freedom to make their own choices about everything from what they will have for lunch to whether they will attend class. They also need to always remember that pop culture depictions of college life are rarely accurate. Yes, college absolutely can (and should) be fun and enriching. It’s simply more likely to be when a student’s expectations about the college experience are realistic.

Although we all are waiting for the college break to finally arrive, surviving through the college nervous breakdown is far from being easy. Our experts at Nerdify reviews have spent days looking for the best tips only to find out that even those joyful events like meeting your family members or finally getting over the exams can also lead to burnout and even depression. This aspect is often ignored as students tend to ignore exploring why they feel this way. Still, it’s only natural to experience a nervous breakdown because our brain tries its best to get over the tension and the weeks of learning that often seem endless.

Here are some great ideas that will help you learn how to survive through college nervous breakdown:

The Fear of The Unknown. The majority of our team members at Nerdify reviews have appeared in a familiar situation when we feel anxious and even frightened as we look into the future. Once we pass through all the exams and finally have a break, our mental state may remind us of a wrecked ship that has been floating for too long. The truth is that nothing has changed much and all you have to do is to make some plans and get ready for the next semester by keeping your brain active. Do not let yourself feel as if everything is over but challenge yourself and let your fears dissolve as you still remain in the same learning mode!

Managing Your Free Time Correctly. Managing your free time during the college nervous breakdown is never easy because you may feel like there is too much to do and all your plans are quickly falling apart. It can lead to a worsening of an already existing sense of frustration. Other students often get trapped in boredom as they do not know how to relax. Our experts at Nerdify reviews recommend turning to time management apps like Todoist, TimeTree, Google Calendar, or a great solution called Remember The Milk that lets you divide fun things you have to do and those obligatory tasks that should be done like planning your travel expenses if you are studying far from home. Do not let the stress get to you and take one step at a time because it is your life that comes first and you can’t do it all at once!

Facing Family Problems or Domestic Changes. It is rarely discussed but many college students these days, especially those who study in another state, have to come back to certain family problems or domestic conflicts that they have tried to get away from. The tricky part is to learn how to respond correctly as one anticipates this or that situation. Discussing this matter at Nerdify reviews, we came to a logical conclusion that talking to a close friend who understands is one of the safest options. Additionally, you should think about breathing gymnastics and short walks outside as it will help you to get away from all the heavy thoughts and anxiety. Just give yourself time and let your body get over the high-stress levels.

Not Managing to Handle It All. The worst fear that leads to a college nervous breakdown is trying to get ready for the upcoming semester and not knowing how to fill it all in an allocated period of time. It is only natural to feel this way as college students still cannot get over the fear of upcoming exams right away. Therefore, learn to accept that you cannot manage all your tasks at once, which is not even necessary in most cases! Give yourself some credit, meditate, and think about creating a mental outline for things that you still have to do.

Doing What You Must Do vs. What You Want. As a college student, you must understand the difference between those things that you must do like reading books for an upcoming semester, and those things that you would like to do like meeting your friends and being there for all college parties. The safest bet would be starting with several obligatory tasks by regarding yourself with something exciting afterward.

Enjoying Every Minute of Your College Life

The final secret tip that we would like to offer as you learn how to survive through a college nervous breakdown is enjoying each minute that you have. It doesn’t matter how much time you have left at college because if you start doing something you actually like, it will always pay off as you will remember those times fondly. Even if you feel that your mental state is decreasing, do not let it get to you! Stay along with your friends, organize online sessions, contact student support groups online, and you will get through every challenge.

Regardless if you are planning to travel domestically these days or hope to visit a certain location abroad, you still have to check with the different restrictions and rules applicable for 2021 as an American student. According to what we could find out at Nerdify reviews, your first step should be checking up with the U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory. While we already have a list of European countries that accept vaccinated travelers, things are not that simple in practice. You still have to receive approval from the Department of State Travel committee and see the list of exceptions in advance. You can take a closer look here to study all the latest news because it will always depend on the purpose of your travel.

To make matters even worse we also have the European Union giving various hints stating that Americans would be restricted from entry due to the high and rising US coronavirus rate. However, there are also different rules for certain U.S. states, which means that you should always check twice to ensure that you do not have to spend at least 14 days of your journey stuck in quarantine.

Turning to the situation with the American students, our Nerdify reviews experts could find out the following:

– Graduate Students (including the ones who study abroad). You would need approval from the U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory according to Level 1 and 2 rules. The same relates to Level 3 & 4 travels. Currently, the group travels of students are not permitted if you plan to travel in groups of three or more people.

Regarding personal travels, it is recommended to postpone them unless you are coming back to your home country or travel for personal reasons or medical emergencies. Once again, our Nerdify reviews team asks you to take a look at the Covid-19 rules and related risks concerning travel restrictions in 2021.

If you plan to travel domestically for your internship based on your academic program, the chances are high that you will require approval from your advisor and the educational institution in question. You need the approval of the dean or a certified representative of the head of the administrative unit. You should be present in person with the list (and location) of all planned activities, housing, medical restrictions, vaccination (if available), and more.

Finally, domestic travels for personal reasons will include following the rules between the states and the check-in procedures upon your return and arrival to campus.

– Undergraduate Students (including study abroad individuals). According to what our Nerdify reviews team could see, the majority of colleges in the United States do not recommend their students to travel abroad these days unless the issue is urgent. You should, however, check with your institution to see whether they have lifted the “suspended” status.

Regarding international personal travel, undergraduate students are also recommended to postpone their plans until further announcement unless they belong to exchange students coming back to their home countries or need to come back because of legal or healthcare aspects. Once again, it is recommended to take time and study the U.S. Department of State website where they list various countries and talk about the risks and restrictions one may encounter. Since the situation changes literally every day, check the latest updates as often as you can.

Just like the postgraduate students, you are not allowed to travel in groups of three or more people. Still, if you receive written approval for any journey related to your academic studies, you still have a chance.

You must remember that only graduate students can receive a special Travel Waiver that would show that they are traveling for academic purposes, yet if you have a secure written approval document from the university’s dean, you should discuss this issue (and exceptions) with your academic advisor. This rule applies to all types of American students that travel beyond the United States or return from another country.

Coming back from abroad or traveling domestically through the United States, it is necessary to take a closer look at the rules introduced by your state and the other state(s) that you are planning to visit.

The Travel Exceptions

Remember that you may appear in the special exceptions list as an American student if you are:

– coming back to your home country as a permanent resident;
– a member of the U.S. Armed Forces attached to a mission;
– travel for the purpose of containment or mitigation of Covid-19;
– represent those whose entry represents the national interest and the matters of Homeland Security.

You should always check with your state’s laws and the international travel restrictions as a student to make your journeys safe and avoid any restrictions or trouble.