High school students take having free books for granted. Most incoming college freshmen are in for a big shock when they see the price of their new calculus book. That’s what my advice is here for. $150 for one book is a lot to swallow, not to mention the $30 lab manual that comes with it. Oh and did you forget the $15 CD too? Buying textbooks is very, very expensive. On average a student buying his/her books from the school bookstore can expect to pay anywhere from $300-$400. So you’re looking at spending nearly $750 for books the whole year. In this article I am going to discuss some of the unconventional means of acquiring your books for the semester.
Nearly all incoming students look up their book lists online a week before class starts and buys their books from the university bookstore. People make fun of freshman because they don’t know any better, and this is a prime example. I’ll admit it, I bought my first semester’s books from the university book store, and boy did it show in my pocket book. University bookstores (or bookstores on campus) have the highest mark-up of all stores. You are a fool if you buy your books from them. The only time I recommend buying your book from the university bookstore is when they are the only supplier. For instance, if your professor wrote his own book and you can only buy it through the school.
The next best method of buying books is from a bookstore off-campus. But even here you will still pay hundreds of dollars for books you probably won’t read. Off-campus bookstores are generally smaller and don’t have the selection size of a university bookstore. If you are buying off-campus be sure to pick your books up early, because they will probably run out.
In my opinion, the best method of buying books is online. You can not beat the prices. If you are new to college an unfamiliar with sites that sell textbooks, please visit Amazon (I have several links to them on my site). Half.com and Ebay are also excellent places to find new and used textbooks. Most teachers post their required textbooks online a few weeks before the semester starts. This is the perfect time to search Amazon for you book. You have to look early because shipping can take anywhere from a few days to two weeks. If you can wait the shipping time, buying online is the best option. I turned to online buying after my freshman year. It was the best money saving method I used all through college. You turn $350 semester book fees into a mere $150 (or less). It’s amazing how so few students are actually buying online. These companies are 100% safe. There is no reason not to buy online.
Now I will go through some of the pros and cons of buying books from our three different means.
On-campus Bookstore
Pro - prime location
Pro - save time
Pro - get the exact editions you need
Pro - offer new and used books
Pro - offer buy back plans
Con - too expensive
Con - you get like $10 buy back for a $100 book
Con - not as many used copies
Off-campus Bookstore
Pro - less expensive
Pro - lots of used books
Pro - offer buy backs
Con - may have older editions
Con - not located nearby (unless you live off campus)
Con - small selections
Online Bookstore
Pro - cheapest books anywhere
Pro - get exactly the book you need
Pro - buy anytime
Con - have to wait 1-2 weeks for delivery
Some other tips on how to save money when it comes to buying books
Tip 1. Share a book with a friend
Tip 2. Always buy used
Tip 3. Buy previous editions (the books don’t change, trust me)
Tip 4. Look if the book is in e-book form
Tip 5. Swap books with other students
If you are going to get anything out of this article, the most important point being made is to be smart with your money. Buy your books online. It is by far the cheapest method. You can buy previous editions of the book you need for a fraction of the price. Editions don’t change from year to year. Buying edition 4 instead of 5 will not make a difference. This is based on my experiences, the pages numbers and writing will be exactly the same. Publishing textbooks is all a big scam. They update editions every year or two and expect us to buy them for $150.
Also, please be cautious when buying books from a bookstore on or near campus. They will tell you “Bring you book back at the end of the year and you will get CASH!” They always make up these gimmicks that put a picture of you stuffing wads of twenties in your wallet. What they don’t tell you is that they don’t always buy books back. If a new edition comes out, guess what, you’re screwed. I would say 75% of the time you will wait in the buy back line and they will say “I’m sorry, we aren’t buying that book back”. If this does happen to you I suggest you make an Amazon account and sell your book online. I’ve done it, and it works.
For more information on how to save money when buying textbooks, or if you have any questions in general, please email me at collegesos@yahoo.com
http://collegesos.blogspot.com/
I am a recent graduate of the University of Florida. I am currently employed full-time but it is my desire to help incoming and current college students. It is my goal to help all students have a better college experience by giving them the advice they need that college advisors can’t give them.
Another year ended, and another round of UK debt statistics.
CreditAction has just announced the latest summing up of the
personal debt situation in the UK.
Their figures show that the end of 2005 has seen the total level
of personal debt rise to an astounding £1,158bn, an increase of
£100bn compared with the same time last year, and this debt is
increasing at a rate of £1m every 4 minutes.
These levels of debt affect everyone in the country, and have
become a way of life. The average household debt is £46,863
including mortgages or £7,786 including overdrafts, finance
deals, credit cards and unsecured loans, but excluding mortgages.
To break this down further; CreditAction report that the average
UK adult owes £4,125 excluding secured loans, or £24,833
including mortgage loans.
The Financial Services Authority (FSA) are seeing distressing
signs from struggling consumers, as the rates of insolvencies,
late credit card payments and mortgage repossession orders are
all increasing. The Citizens Advice Bureau and Consumer Credit
Counselling Service have both received record numbers of people
calling their debt advisory services after finding they were
struggling to pay back what they owe, with 9,310 calls taken
during the first nine working days of 2006. One in 10 single
people are reported by CreditAction as saying their finances are
out of control, and according to a leading mental health expert,
Dr Roger Henderson, 43% of the adult population in the UK are
affected by money worries with 10.76m people suffering
relationship problems because of their money worries.
The surge in those contacting the debt services for help has
been put down as a positive effect by the National Debtline, as
they have attributed it to an increase in public awareness on
financial matters and a knowledge that help is available rather
than a jump in the general debt levels.
The growth in consumer financial information in newspapers,
television and websites like Moneynet (
and The Motley Fool (
helped to raise the public awareness on many financial issues.
Consumers can now find guides on financial services and can even
quickly compare loans, credit cards, mortgages, insurance and
other finance products on a like for like basis to obtain the
best rates for services. This is making it more difficult for
expensive finance providers to find customers, but as consumers
become more finance savvy; many providers are seeking to protect
their profits through alternative methods. Many credit card
providers have started introducing charges for consumers
changing credit card companies in an effort to reduce the threat
that “rate tarts” pose to their profits. The credit card and
financial services are also cracking down on those who make late
repayments, breach overdraft limits or try to repay their debts
earlier than previously agreed.
The general pattern however from the most recent data from the
Bank of England looks to be that the appetite for debt among
consumers appears to be waning, and greater attention is being
paid by consumers to their own personal finances. The fact that
2005 saw nearly one in twenty consumers racking up £100+ in
financial penalties and charges making up £553m of unnecessary
financial wastage going to the lenders, means that there is some
way still to go if UK consumers are to regain control of the
spiraling debt crisis.
Disclaimer: All information contained in this article, is for
general information purposes only and should not be construed as
advice under the Financial Services Act 1986.
You are strongly advised to take appropriate professional and
legal advice before entering into any binding contracts.
Useful resources: Moneynet comparisons (
The Motley Fool (
Finding the best balance transfer credit cards is not as difficult as you might think. In fact, there are a number of balance transfer credit cards to select from, making the most difficult part deciding which one of the great deals you should take advantage of.
Balance Transfer Credit Card Interest Rates
Since you are looking for a card to transfer your current balances to, you most likely do not intend to pay the balance off in full at the end of the billing cycle. Therefore, you want a card with a low interest rate. Ideally, you should find a card offering a 0.00% introductory rate. The longer this introductory period lasts, the better. Be aware that the interest rate can go sky high on some cards after the introductory period is complete. So, pay special attention to what the interest rate will be after the introductory period is over. The best balance transfer credit cards will keep the introductory rate on your transferred balanced until you pay it off in its entirety.
If you do choose to get a balance transfer credit card that has a low APR for a limited time, be sure to pay off the balance before the introductory period is over. This way, you won’t have to pay finance charges on the higher APR. Also, hold out for a balance transfer credit card with a 0.00% APR. With so many great introductory offers out there, you are bound to find one with a 0.00% APR that meets your needs.
Balance Transfer Credit Card Fees
The majority of credit cards assess a fee to your card when transferring balances. With balance transfer credit cards, this fee should be waived. If the balance transfer credit card you are considering does not waive the fees, you should move on to a different card. There are too many cards out there that are willing to allow you to transfer balances for free - take advantage of them.
Additional Benefits of the Balance Transfer Credit Card
There is absolutely nothing wrong with getting a credit card solely for transferring balances. If you do this, you should only transfer your balances, set the card aside, and use another card for your purchases. If, however, you want to transfer balances and still use the same card for your routine purchases, pay attention to the other benefits associated with the card. For example, some cards offer purchase protection, extended warranties, fraud protection services, auto rental insurance, travel insurance, and more. In addition to looking at the APR and balance transfer fees, consider the additional benefits associated with the card. Don’t just apply for the first card with a 0.00% APR and free balance transfers.
Don’t be Fooled by Balance Transfer Credit Cards
In addition, to choosing the card with all of the right benefits, don’t let yourself be fooled by balance transfer credit cards. Several have great introductory offers on balance transfers, but the interest rates on purchases are high. Be careful to find out what the interest rate will be on purchases if you choose to use your balance transfer credit card for regular purchases. You might be disappointed. In addition, keep in mind that the credit card company can choose to apply your payments toward any portion of your balance that it wishes. Therefore, while you might have a 0.00% APR on balance transfers, you might have a 19.99% APR on purchases. Every dollar you send toward your credit card balance can be used to pay off the balance transfers before the balance for purchases is even touched. So, basically, you are paying off the 0.00% balance while the 19.99% balance goes untouched - and accumulates finance charges.
Bert Wills recommends that you visit CreditCardAssist.com to find out more about the best balance transfer credit cards.
I looked up the web on email ettiquete and found many sites, yet only one of the 10 sites on the first page of Google, dealt with the real issue around email etiquette. However, I did find that there’s even a new word for it now - Netiquette. One site had 32 rules (of course with links to other pages for a fuller description) for email etiquette and yet they still missed the main point!
What is the REAL issue on email etiquette? Well, before I answer that, read the following statement:
“I did not say she stole the money”
Now read it aloud to yourself (doesn’t matter if anyone else is around, they won’t know what you’re doing).
The key question! What is the meaning of this statement? What did you interpret from this written statement?
Did you think that:
• “I” did not say she.., or that
• I did “NOT” say she .., or that
• I did not “SAY” she …, or that
• I did not say that “SHE” stole …, or that
• I did not say that she “STOLE” the money, or that
• I did not say she stole the “MONEY”.
Starting to get the picture? You see, whenever we put words on paper (or in this case in emails) they can be interpreted in many different ways - and often are! In fact the legal profession (with apologies to anyone of a legal nature reading this) have built an entire industry on the interpretation of the written words. Signed any contracts lately? Notice that they almost never have punctuations and even when they do, they can still be interpreted by two independent people, quite differently.
By now you may have guessed what the golden rule of email etiquette should be:
“If the message has any emotional intent or is likely to have an impact on the receiver’s emotions, look for another way other than email to send it.”
Generally, this will mean face to face, or failing that over the phone or by video hook up, video cam etc.
Emails should only be for fact, logic and reason. I have seen so many innocent (on the surface) emails start a war of words between consenting adults that if it wasn’t so serious, would almost be laughable. In fact, I have seen a situation where two colleagues who once had a very good relationship, eventually deteriorate to the point of legal action over each other’s interpretation of a simple email message.
Emails are unlike any other written word - they are not books, newspapers or such where a great deal of thought has gone into the written word (and which is often accompanied by a visual image). Nor are they read that way, but keep in mind, that they can be re-read by the receiver many times over!
Often they are written quickly and sometimes without review, yet they have replaced much of the face to face communication and phone communication that once made up so much of our interpersonal relationships. For example, how often do you see people sending emails to one another when they are in the office next door to one another or at the next desk or cubicle, rather than speaking with the person directly?
But emails also lack all of the nonverbal communication that is going on all the time as we talk face to face with one another and which helps us understand each other. Numerous studies have revealed that in face to face communication, in terms of interpreting the message that is being sent by one person to another:
• 55-60% is through the non verbal signals that are being picked up
• 35-40% is through the tone of voice being used
• 7-10% is via the actual words that are spoken
Another recent survey disclosed that up to 37% of a first impression is based upon the speaker’s tone of voice. On the telephone, that number rises to 80% or higher.
So, if we have a message that is meant to be motivational, confrontational or in any way intended to impact the behaviour or feeling of the receiver, where does that leave us with emails as our means of communication if we can assume that only 7-10% of our real message is getting through? As one writer put it “This makes email a unique medium. The lack of nonverbal clues makes it easy to misinterpret something, but we’re not careful enough to avoid these misinterpretations because email feels so instant, easy and accessible, just like talking.”
As I said earlier, if you want to truly influence someone’s thinking or impact their behaviour, my suggestion is to see the person face to face, or as a fallback by some means of voice/video connection.
Well that maybe ok when we KNOW that we want to impact the other person’s feelings. But how do we avoid unintentionally impacting their feelings? (By the way, using any amount of “smilies” or similar at the bottom of your email, or as is creeping into emails at the moment, at the end of sentences, will have no positive affect - in fact they may even work against you).
Other than being as courteous as possible and re-reading the message carefully before sending it, the main word to avoid in your message is “You” - particularly used in the past tense. When used in the past tense, often “You” infers blame for something that the receiver has or has not done. Perhaps we do not intend it to be inferred this way, but that’s what happens.
Moving away from emails for a moment. think about the last time you had a really heated argument with someone. Often what triggers such arguments is one person inferring blame by using “You” too often. “You never do that for me”, or “You always miss my appointments”. Pretty soon the other person joins in with their own “Yous” and what started out as a genuine and positive conversation, deteriorates into an argument. My bet is that when you really think about your last argument you had, the word that was used more than any other, was “You” - and it was used in the past tense!
Those of you who have done any assertiveness training will know that replacing “You” with “I” can be very powerful and without offending the other person. As a simple and quick exercise, I’ll leave you with the task of rewriting the two “You” statements I used earlier - “You never do that for me”, and “You always miss my appointments” as “I” statements. This technique takes a little practise, but can improve the effectiveness of your email communications dramatically.
So, I would suggest that we can have as much etiquette around things like “salutations”, “cc’s” etc, and we can add as many “smilies” as possible, but unless the real meaning of the email is going to be received in the same way it was intended, then think again before sending it.
I’d like to get some feedback on email etiquette, so please email me via www.nationallearninginstitute.com
Copyright © 2006 The National Learning Institute
Like most of us, Bob Selden gets hundreds of emails each week. As MD of The National Learning Institute, he has written this article in the hope that it helps you with your email communications. If you’d like to share your experiences with Bob, please contact him via http://www.nationallearninginstitute.com/
As a freelance copywriter in New York, your work is never done.
What?
Do you mean to say that it is hard to find regular freelance writing jobs, even here in New York City?
For those looking to succeed, employment is hard to find only because we lack the knowledge of where to find the work we want. However, for a freelance copywriter, New York is an excellent place to start working. In fact there may be no better place, actually.
With this city, it’s all about being the first to get your resume in, right?
Well, ‘hurry up and rush’ is not always a good practice when it comes to this business. But, in this city it is often necessary to succeed. Clients demand work to be well done, complete, on time and in a rush! Can you meet those demands? Honing your skills to fit that of your employer is what is going to have you filling your name next to the job vacancies the company has. Most essential is being prepared, resume fully developed, portfolio in hand, when you walk in to speak to the new client. If you haven’t gotten to this interview level yet, create these essential pieces, then begin the search by applying at companies that need your services. Think out of the box on this! In this sense, being a freelance copywriter in New York is no different to anywhere else.
In any city around the world, there are job vacancies waiting for the most qualified individuals. These people showcase their talents by providing well thought out examples of their work. They also get the edge because they are professional, serious minded individuals who want to make their difference within the world. Employment in this field is exploding as more and more people are needed to create effective copy for websites. Do you fit in? Land your first jobs by being prepared and outgoing.
Go, get what you want!
About the Author
Visit http://www.FreelanceWritingResource.com for more Articles, Resources, News and Views about Freelance Copywriting Opportunities. Copyright © 2005 FreelanceWritingResource.com. All rights reserved. This article may be reprinted in full so long as the resource box and the live links are included intact.
When most people have a task to do, they usually do well once they get started, and finding affiliate programs for your site or blog is no exception you just need a little kickstart to get your brain into the right mode.
There’s a really easy way to get things started…go look at one of your competitors. There are tons of ways to do this the easiest way would be to put your keyword(s) into Google and see what pops up.
The order of the results is based in good part on Google’s PageRank, which has a lot to do with the number of other sites that link to a particular site.
Pick one of the results near the top and click on the link. Hover on a banner or text advertising box and see where the URL leads. Take note of the particular network such as Commission Junction, ClickBank, Linkshare, etc. and the particular programs on the site. I keep a list using Microsoft Notepad when I surf competitive sites for clients.
Most of the time I ignore CPM-based networks like DoubleClick or AdBrite, and contextual ad networks like Google and Yahoo. I do pay particular attention to the category affiliate network banners and text ads. For example, if you surf a few competitors and find a lot of banner advertising for web site hosting, that means your competitors are having at least some luck with website hosting affiliate programs.
When you come up with a good list of networks, programs and categories, go visit the networks that appear the most on the sites (try to go to 5 or 6 different sites so you can see any patterns that emerge).
You should now have a terrific list to start from, including a list of networks, programs and keywords. Now all you have to do is poke around and see which pay the best and try to figure out which your visitors might like.
While you’re on the other sites, try to get a feel for where on the page the ads are placed, which can make a huge difference in clickthrough and conversion.
Matt DeAngelis runs AffiliateBlog.com Matt is the former CTO of Modem Media, a pioneer in the Internet ad space. As a foot soldier in the Internet revolution, Matt devised the technology behind many of the most successful ad campaigns of the time.
Movie Producer and native Chicagoan J. Kenneth Ezra explains,
Chicago still has the typical mobster types, you know like
Johnny Garlic, Snake Man, and Bobby the Hitmen types. But the
Chicago mob is different than other cities. First off, the mob
in Chicago took on characteristics like the city itself. They
worked hard. I mean, they wake up early and leave work very
late. And seldom do they show off like their granddad Al Capone.
Those days are long gone.
J. Kenneth Ezra is producing a package of 10 movies. In the
remake of the independent “The Right thing” (see trailer at
www.razorfilms.com), his partnership with director and writer
Vito Brancato gives us an authentic viewpoint in the Chicago mob
scene. Tony Russo a low level street guy gets caught up in the
power struggle between the Chicago Police Department, which is
notorious for getting in the way of the mob, and a powerful mob
boss, who if you didn’t know any better you’d think was a
retired electrician living in the posh Chicago suburban sprawl.
We have many stars interested in the roll of Tony Russo who
plays the low level mob guy, who takes desperate measures when
he’s thrown in a desperate situation. “Russo really embodies
Chicago mob characteristics in 70’s and 80’s.” Ezra explains.
“This guy is bitter about his roll in the stingy Chicago mob
hierarchy, who moves like a big old money corporation, very slow
to try new things. He hates that the tops guys. They don’t get
out sync and let some of the little guys in on bigger deals.
Just like any Chicago entity, the Chicago mob has a notorious
lack of funding for research and development. They’d rather live
on the power and royalties of the old proven products.
Successful corporations keep solid growth and market share” In
this truth life story you see when things get out of hand the
Chicago mob handles the situation like IBM, they isolate the
problem, come up with a solution and follow-through so the
product and efficiency is not disrupted. In the end, they get up
early, work hard, bear the freezing Windy City and keep
collecting.
“I try to develop talent that is passionate and highly
knowledgeable about their subject. A love for putting it on film
is a must. Vito turns out to be just that. I was impressed by
his original script “Blackstone” which aired on PBS. He took a
well known Chicago street rumor. Kennedy was to be assassinated
during his trip to Chicago before he moved on to Dallas.” I
loved that Vito took that rumor and filled in the blanks.
Especially, when he did the hard work of actually interviewing
people “supposedly close to the story”. I don’t think you find
that kind of authenticity in filmmakers today. I want to produce
and development people with that kind of talent, passion and
knowledge about what they’re filming. The rest will translate on
the big screen and the funding and great audience reaction will
follow.
A prominent Hollywood agent reports, “It’s a pleasure to see
someone for the last 7 years stay the course and rise up.” Ken
is so committed to authentic films he volunteered to work the
craft-service table on the set of After Freedom, director Vahe
Babian, a film about Armenians adjusting to life here in Los
Angeles. “If it’s true, real and authentic. I want to part of
it. Even if I have to literally serve everyone on the set. Being
part of his film continues my journey of authenticity. I think
our film “The Right Thing” is the right thing for authenticity.
Analysts and offshore outsourcing experts gathered at the recent U.S.-Russia Technology Roundtable in San Jose, Calif., identified five major trends in offshore development.
Here’s a summary of those trends, as well as some of the factors driving them:
1. More and more IT jobs will move overseas in the coming years
Forrester Research estimates that the demand for software outsourcing will account for 28% of IT budgets in Europe and the U.S. within two years. Further, the number of offshore IT workers worldwide (software developers working overseas on projects for Western firms) will go from 360,000 today to more than 1 million by 2005.
“Clients are now banging on our doors demanding data on where they should go for offshore development,” said Rita Terdiman, an analyst with Gartner Group. “We tell them to go where they can find the best resources and the highest quality for the lowest price.”
2. More corporate giants opening dedicated software development centers in places like India and Russia
While most companies tend to test the offshore waters with a small project or two, the big names tend to cement these relationships by setting up huge dedicated development centers in their countries of choice.
Microsoft and GE, for example, built campuses in India several years back. Over the past couple of years, though, Intel, Boeing and Motorola have preferred Russia as the best place for dedicated centers. Intel has 400 workers at one Russian center working on wireless LAN and modem projects. It plans to ramp this up to more than 1,000 staff over the next couple of years.
Dell, too, just established a dedicated software engineering center in Moscow. Unlike Intel’s, this one is managed and staffed by Russian outsourcing vendor Luxoft. It is a scalable-upon-request team of software developers, with every member being selected by Dell based on relevant experience, domain knowledge and educational background. Dell views this center as a way to focus internal IT resources on specific core areas while scaling up the pace of IT deliverables, and at the same time reduce costs.
“Having delegated some projects to the Moscow Center, we intend to free up the time and energy of our IT departments to enable them to focus on value-added technology tasks, while keeping the scale of IT deliverables at the current and even higher pace,” said J.R. Carter of Dell Computers.
Tom Sundsboe, a director of Luxoft, explained that such centers tend to evolve once companies gain confidence in the ability of their offshore partner.
“After you demonstrate first class ROI and rapid time to market with a Fortune 50 company during your early projects, they tend to want to consolidate the relationship by utilizing your skills and resources in the establishment of a dedicated center,” he said. “That has been our experience with Boeing and Dell.”
3. The gradual acceptance of Western intellectual property (IP) standards
Some companies are understandably hesitant to develop software in countries where software piracy is rife and where IP legislation is in its infancy.
“Russia today is like the U.S. in the early ’80s in terms of intellectual property rules,” said Russian academician Eugeny Velikhov. “We have a lot of catching up to do but we are working hard to do so rapidly.”
But with leading global corporations now heavily involved in Russia and India, the legislative picture is changing. Intel’s Richard Wirt believes that while it is essential to take effective IP protection actions in these countries, he has found governments receptive to changes that will encourage greater business cooperation. As a result, he feels that great strides have already been made in Russia and other countries.
“Russian law is starting to resemble American law in the IP field,” said Wirt.
4. Offshore sourcing moves up the value chain
Not so long ago offshore software development dealt with mainframe maintenance, Y2K fixes and general IT grunt work.
“Originally, the offshore industry inherited labor intensive body shop type IT tasks such as printer drivers and Y2K,” said Stephan Lane of Aberdeen Group.
These days, he says, the picture has changed. Java, XML, Oracle and higher-end work has now become the order of the day — at least in those countries where the resource base possesses the requisite skills.
“Offshore resources in places like Russia are accomplished in high-end and complex algorithm-intensive projects,” said Terdiman.
5. Stratification of offshore countries based on cost and skill sets
India and Ireland were once the rising stars of offshore outsourcing. Both offered very low rates and an available resource pool. More recently, though, these advantages have diminished, largely as a result of their rise in popularity. Ireland, for example, can no longer compete on price with most countries. And India now finds itself sub-contracting work to China and Malaysia in an effort to stay competitive, added Lane.
To survive, these countries must move up the value chain while others take their place as the place to go to find an abundance of highly skilled programmers at low rates. China and Russia are the two he taps to replace Ireland and India as the darlings of the offshore world.
Source: itmanagement.earthweb.com/erp/article.php/1558431
This article is powered by A-1 Technology, an offshore outsourcing company.
NY — Strange as it may sound, bordom promotes happier, creative kids who are better problem solvers. When children use their own creativity with unstructured play, they find ways to amuse themselves — even if it means simply daydreaming.
That’s the advice of child development expert, Alan M. Hess who wants to see American children spend more time in unstructured play, less time in structured activities and much less time in front of mindless TV programs. Hess states, “Plain and simple, it’s called creative child development. I recognize that in our society, it’s a hard concept for peopke to grasp at first.
“Many American parents who work 60 to 70 hours a week impose a very structured lifestyle on their children. They’re concerned about boredom, so they overschedule to keep kids busy. Believe it or not, there is a direct relationship between boredom and creative thought.”
Alan Hess, president of Safari Ltd., with its line of museum quality creative toys, is a noted authority and respected expert in developing creative play for children. Hess states, “Think back to when you were a kid and you will recall valuable lessons. Left to our own devices we discovered resources we didn’t know we had. I’m concerned that our busy, well-entertained children may not ever have the chance to learn them.”
Hess, states, “Although most of the products that I’ve been involved with are designed for children four and up, especially our current Safari line of products, I constantly study toddler trends. Several pediatric physicions, who are part of our research team, have shared some disturbing trends with me regarding middle and upper class parents who push their children to the extremes in the hopes that this will provide a better foundation for the child’s future.
“They’ve told me about situations where parents are determined to find the “perfect three year old” pre-school so that their daughter will be prepared for law school later in life. Other parents make their children compete in soccer matches and karate competiton when the child is recovering from the flu. Their misguided reasoning is that the child needs to learn what competition means, regardless of illness, or circumstances. This thinking is insane.”
Hess firmly believes that children need time to be children. Creativity, social skills and fun are vital to a well-rounded child. He suggests that parents help children get the most out of unstructured play by limiting TV. Parents might also provide materials, creative toys and even gentle suggestions, if necessary. Parental guidance and parental participation is also important. Hess said, “Bored kids eventually take out the paints, build a dinosaur den, read a book … and create things, or they come home sweaty from a game of neighborhood soccer. Our educational, nature and science toys with a special focus on scale-model animal and dinosaur replicas are big favorites with children. They love the fantasy play and the fun of creating their own world.”
This concept of boredom is new territory at the beginning because children may be upset that they can’t watch TV. They may also bicker with their siblings. Hess states, “Working or single parent households may have even more of a challenge, but he strongly encourages parents not to give in and flip on the TV, or let kids watch a video.”
The lifelong benefits of unstructured play are so great that Hess urges parents to try to find an hour a week for it. And he offers these tips to make things easier:
Set Limits to TV and Video Play. There is something very wrong with the fact that many children watch an average of 38 hours per week. Cutting back can provide unstructured play time. Most parents and care takers passively allow the media to routinely expose kids to violence and sex when they would never let an individual, or educational institution expose their children to this type of content.
Far too many children spend hours each day at computers, playing with hand-held game devices, or watching videos. Hess suggests that parents set a firm daily limit to these activities. Hess says, “The value of a toy is simple to calculate…to what degree does the toy invite imagination and creativity? After a week, if you find that your child is more interested in playing with the toy box instead of the toy, you’ve wasted money and time.”
Unstructured play time doesn’t require a huge investment in new toys. Hess cites one focus group study where two boys were playing with toys. One girl had an electronically enhanced dinosaur and she boasted: “My dinosaur can say 500 words!” The other boy, who was holding a Safari dinosaur countered with: “My dino can say anything I want it to say and it looks like a real dino.”
Hess states, “We hear so much about hyperactive children who are medicated as a result of this behavior. Is the child really hyperactive, or does the child simply need more unstructured play time? Children are free spirits and when that’s denied, we see physical and mental manifstations that have a negative impact on a healthy childhood.
“Spend time watching your child play. This can show children that adults value their play,” Hess says. It’s not necessary to join in, although that’s great fun too, as long as parents don’t try to take over. In fact, one highly successful parenting strategy involves spending time each day with your child doing whatever he or she chooses to do.”
During this “special time,” the child makes the decisions, controls the flow of the play and assigns all roles. It’s unstructured play time for your child, yet you get to participate. It’s important for us to share time with children and it shows them that you value their play.
Hess encourages parents to give this bordom concept a serious try. He states, “Giving your children a break from organized activities and electronic baby-sitters could very well mean sentencing them to boredom, at least at first, but it will open up a whole new world of creativity, fun and adventure as it helps them expand their minds.”
About The Author
Alan Hess, president of Safari Ltd., has an extensive marketing background with a wide array of highly successful toy and hobby products. One of the key factors in his success is his understanding of child development research and his ability to apply that knowledge to product development.
Interview with Jeanette Fisher by Gary Anderson, of www.abciowa.com
GA: Jeanette, just what is Design Psychology?
JJF: Simply put, Design Psychology empowers you to create a fabulous home that sustains your emotions, using techniques based on science. Design Psychology turns spaces into happy places.
GA: How is Design Psychology different from “traditional” interior design?
JJF: Our senses react to many other factors besides those of basic interior design, even though those factors can profoundly affect our emotions and happiness. Design Psychology addresses elements that interior design doesn’t take into consideration.
GA: What’s the difference between Design Psychology and Feng Shui?
JJF: The two concepts are compatible, and homeowners can use both Feng Shui and Design Psychology to enhance their homes. However, I believe that Design Psychology is superior to Feng Shui, because Feng Shui is based on superstition, while Design Psychology draws its concepts from science.
GA: How did you discover Design Psychology?
JJF: In 1985, my husband and I purchased an 1878 Queen Anne Victorian and began a major renovation. After tearing everything out of the kitchen, all the way down to the dirt, we rebuilt the entire space, using concepts I’d learned while studying interior design in college. But when we were done, it FELT all wrong! So, I went to the University of Florida Architectural Library and began a fifteen-year search to learn about how design details influence our emotions.
GA: How do you use Design Psychology to increase your profits as a real estate investor?
JJF: We create an Overall Design Plan, based on our target market and selling season. By using particular colors, patterns, props, and staging methods, we’re able to sell our homes in as little as three hours, and for thousands more than our competition.
GA: Do you use landscape as part of your overall Design Plan?
JJF: We certainly do! We start with the emotions and feelings we want to bring into a space, and over the years, we’ve come to realize that Mother Nature knows best about blending light, shadows, colors, patterns, textures, and form. So we always choose our design details to support our buyers’ emotions, based on ideas inspired by the greatest Design Psychologist of them all, Mother Earth.
GA: Do you have any final thoughts for folks who may not be familiar with Design Psychology?
JJF: After going through a major renovation fiasco, I discovered that all of our senses react to the design choices we make. Picking the wrong color and pattern in a wallpaper, fabric, or paint will negatively impact our senses. But if you take a little extra time to avoid design mistakes, you’ll save time, hard work, and MONEY, which will all have a profound effect on your bottom line at closing time!
(c) Copyright 2004, Jeanette J. Fisher and Gary Anderson. All rights reserved.
Jeanette Fisher, Design Psychology Professor, is the author of “Doghouse to Dollhouse for Dollars: Using Design Psychology to Increase Real Estate Profits,” the only book to reveal interior design secrets on how to make top dollar investing in real estate. For real estate and interior design psychology books, articles, tips, and newsletters: http://www.doghousetodollhousefordollars.com.
