Published: December 3, 2018 by Priscilla Ameneyro

I thought it would be fun to look back at all the articles I wrote as the lead writer for the iStudent Blog over the last year or so and share my favorites with you. I’ve had the opportunity to interview students, alumni and faculty and write about topics ranging from student loans to setting goals. I hope you’ve enjoyed reading my articles and found them helpful too. Here are my must-read posts for all iSchool students:

Student Finances

Being a student brings a unique set of financial challenges, from figuring out how to apply for a student loan to filing your taxes. Check out the four posts below for advice on how to navigate your finances as a student.

• Student Discounts to Take Advantage of This Shopping Season – from technology to entertainment, make sure you know about all the savings available to you as a student.
• Tax Benefits for Students: How to Max Out Your Tax Return - taxes are tricky at the best of times, but being a student adds another layer of complexity. This post will walk you through what credits or deductions you might qualify for.
• Tips For Paying Back Your Student Loans Faster – don’t put off thinking about how you’re going to pay back your loan until you graduate, read this article and make a plan now.
• Five Steps to Apply for Financial Aid – the FAFSA may seem daunting, but this post breaks it down into five manageable steps.

Academic Success

One of the great things about writing for this blog is getting to meet people at the iSchool through interviews. The two articles below share tips and advice from faculty and students to bolster your academic success. 

• Getting Good Grades – for this article, I interviewed several of my professors and shared their recommendations on how to succeed in your classes.
• Top Writing Tips – editors from the School of Information Student Research Journal weigh in on methods to improve your writing.

Career

Let’s be real, the main reason we’re at the iSchool is to boost our careers! I wrote several posts about how to bulk up your resume through doing internships and taking advantage of other opportunities at the iSchool like joining a student group.

• Get Out There and Network – I encourage students to overcome their fear of networking by sharing different strategies to put yourself out there and go for it.
• Design the Internship of Your Dreams – a step-by-step guide to customizing your own internship.
• Eight Bonuses I didn’t Expect From Doing an Internship – an insider look into the two internships I did as part of my MLIS program.
• Build Your Leadership Skills at the iSchool – leadership skills are one of the top things employers are looking for, so check out this article for ways you can increase your expertise at the iSchool.

The 10 posts highlighted here are just a handful of what you’ll find on the iStudent Blog. I’ve written many other articles on all aspects of the student experience, and you’ll also find posts written by my predecessors. The iStudent Blog is a place to find information about classes, online learning and career pathways, as well as what’s happening at the iSchool. New posts are featured on the School of Information homepage and you can also add the blog to an RSS feeder so you never miss a post!