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Show A15 GRADUATION APRIL 15, 2013 otoott TI PS lo Apps, the real world edition Reporter With graduation around the corner, impending real-worlders may be having private, and public, meltdowns, contemplating where they're going to end up, who's going to hire them and what will happen if they don't get jobs. Needless to say, graduating from college is almost as stressful as college itself. But graduates are in luck, thanks to popular apps in the mobile world designed to help with the transition into real life. How to live with your parents after graduation By Melissa Lindsey Life Editor Lindsey.mml@gmail.com If you're like most students, you pictured yourself graduating from college, heading off to your moneymaking job, moving into your own apartment and starting your new life in the 'real world.' Instead, the job hasn't shown up, you can't afford an apartment and you're moving back in with your parents. Hopefully this will be a temporary situation, but regardless of how long you plan to stay, it can be a tricky arrangement for everyone. With that in mind, here are some tips for making this transition more manageable and enjoyable. 1. Identify your position. One of the problems many college students have with moving back home is the loss of freedom that came with living on their own. Suddenly, you have to tell someone else where you'll be and when you'll be home. Although this may be an annoyance, it makes it easier if you remember your position. You've asked your parents for a huge favor, so you need to play by their rules. 2. Don't blow things out of proportion. Is it really that big of deal to tell your parents when you'll be home? Does it really take that much time to make your bed each morning? Picking your battles will make the transition easier on everyone. 3. Surprise them. Performing unexpected odd jobs around the house is a great way to show your parents that you don't take them for granted. For example, if you know your parents are working late, have dinner ready for them when they come home. 4. Offer to pay the rent. Even if you're parents don't demand it of you, or if you can only afford $50 per month, it will show your parents that you are responsible. 5. Stay in touch. When you're out and about, consider checking in with your parents to let them know you are safe. You are after all their child and regardless of your On the Job By Joey Whitaker Lifestyle Getting the Job y • Linkedln: Social media site for professionals, designed to keep users connected with networks of colleagues and peers, creating job opportunities. iTunes/Android: Free • Job Search by Indeed. com: A quick and simple search engine that pulls up job listings in the user's current location or anywhere in the United States. iTunes/Android: Free -"^- •~. age they will always worry about you. Your parents will appreciate this effort and it's a quick and easy way to gain their trust. 6. Handle disputes like an adult. "But it's not fair!" may have been an acceptable argument when you were an overdramatic teenager, but that statement will not longer fly as a college grad. When you have a problem present the issue and your position calmly and ask them for their advice. They will treat you like an adult when you behave like one. • Keynote (iPhone)/ Office 2012:Presentations (Android): Creates PowerPoint presentations straight from the mobile device, containing everything needed for a workplace presentation: charts, graphs, animations, graphics, etc. Keynote: $9.99 Office: $4.99 • Awesome Note (iPhone)/ Catch Notes (Android): Keeps all to-do lists, note-taking, new ideas and calendar events in one place to prevent disorganization between apps. Awesome Note: $3.99 Catch Notes: Free • Mint.com Personal Finance. Connects directly and securely to bank accounts and credit cards to track, manage and budget money, then organizes all of the user's transactions in a neat and easily understood format. iTunes/Android: Free • Zillow: Lists all current residences for sale and for rent in the user's local area or anywhere in the United States. iTunes/Android: Free Post-grad business success So there you have it. You're a college grad and now an expert on how to live with your parents. Follow these tips and your transition will be easier and more enjoyable for everyone. How to avoid drowning in student-loan debt Student loans getting you down? Cheer up buttercup because you've got options. By Nicole Shepard Assistant News Editor @NicoleEShepard So you're graduating, the clock on those loans is ticking and you get a mean case of the cold sweats every time someone mentions the "economic climate" or the "poor job market." The average student loan debt is $27,000, but even with the dismal job market, the Federal Census Bureau still praises the investment that is your education. Those who graduate with a bachelor's degree still make double that of those with only a high school diploma. Let's say you have $30,000 in loans with an interest rate of 4.25 percent, the median rate as of April 2013. If it takes 20 years to pay it off, you'll pay close to $45,000. That's no number to shrug at, but it is estimated by the Census Bureau that you have a good shot at making approximately $900,000 in excess to what you would have made without that degree. That's a 1,900 percent return. Maybe you don't want to hear what could be; you want the truth, here and now. First you should know what kind of loan you have, the interest rate and the amount you owe. As a UVU student, chances are you have a Federal Stafford Loan. Find out if it's subsidized, meaning the government covered the interest for the time you were in school, or unsubsidized, where your loan racks up interest. Also note the interest rates goes up or down every July 1. Stafford Loans max out at 8.25 percent, though the trend for the past 20 years has shown a slight decrease every five years, dropping a full 1.1 percent since 2011. There are ways to delay paying back as well as receiving forgiveness for your loans. There are ways to delay paying back as well as receiving forgiveness for your loans. If you teach and have a Stafford loan you can look into the Teacher Forgiveness Program. In the TFP, if you teach at a low-income public school you may have $5,000 forgiven from your loans. Other options for loan forgiveness include joining the Peace Corps or AmeriCorps, some military service or work in law enforcement can grant you partial to full loan forgiveness. Another option is loan deferment. If you meet some qualifications (disability, unemployment, school attendance or work with underprivileged children), you're entitled to deferment. Financial guru Suze Orman who (literally) wrote the book on loans gave her top five tips for graduates: 1- with your extra money always favor your 401(k) or Roth IRA over paying your student loans, 2- don't consolidate your student loans with your spouse's, you both will end up paying more in the end with shifting interest rates, 3- bankruptcy is never an option for student loans, it's better to carry them to the grave, 4- be careful when consolidating loans, you can't refinance them, so play the balancing game, and 5- always look for opportunities to defer; student loan lenders are the nicest in the business and are the most likely to help you out. By Charles Mace Staff Writer Many of those in UVU's 2013 graduating class are embarking on work and careers related to their respective fields. Others have decided the "work worth doing" is creating their own business. For those of you venturing onward from college, here are some tips and suggestions to start your own business endeavor: Scott Childs, an academic adviser in the Woodbury School of Business counseled, "To start your own business ... make sure you have a business plan, and it helps to have financing. Those are the two big things for students looking to start their own business." Chris Guillebeau, author of "The $100 Startup," suggests four steps to be successful in starting a small business: Turn your general idea into a specific idea; Don't wait to get going. Aim for 30 days or less to actual startup time and do whatever it takes to make that happen; 3. Tell everyone you know about what you're doing. Ask for help and for your friends to spread the word. Every day, identify one to two actions you can take to further develop your [business]. This will cause you to be proactive. As a small business owner myself, I would say that the key to success is discovery. Do the research, read forums and books and ask other entrepreneurs and owners about their methods and approaches. Above all else, never excuse yourself from action simply because you don't know. Discover the secrets to your future success and then act on them. Be aware that failure will always be an inevitable - ,;1 bump in the road, but do not let these occurrences stop or discourage you; accept it as part of the process and keep fighting for your dream. According to the Small Business Association, in 2010 there were about 27.9 million small businesses in the US. You may be one of these owners and find success if you follow these tips. Good luck out there, and remember, there is no substitute for hard work. SCHEDULE YOUR INTRO FLIGHT & TOUR 1-888-901-7192 WWW.FIvULIU.COM 111 V U Scou/of h AVIAT ION SCIENCES UTAH VALLEY UNIVERSITY |