Studying Better

These networks will help you connect with other students out there, share ideas, study together and much more.

1. NoteCentric: With NoteCentric you can store all your important class notes online so you can access them from anywhere. Better yet, you’ll be able to share your notes and read the notes of others as well.
2. College-Ruled: This site has a multitude of features that can help you organize your assignments, keep track of your busy schedule and communicate with others in your classes.
3. NoteMesh: Check out this networking site to keep in touch with your fellow students and to share notes that can help you study and get more from your classes.
4. wePapers: If you’re looking for some guidance, want to share your ideas or just need some inspiration on what to write, this community site can help you, with thousands of posted papers and assignments.
5. CampusBug: CampusBug makes it easy for students to stay in touch whether its for fun get-togethers or for studying for a big exam.
6. The Quad: Here you’ll find online discussion forums about educational issues from study tips to great lectures in your area.
7. TutorLinker: If you’re struggling with your classes you may want to consider getting a tutor. This site can help link you up with one in your area.
8. RCampus: Create a profile on this site and you’ll be able to manage your courses, discuss your assignments and even create an online portfolio.
9. Flashcard Friends: Flashcards can be a great way to study for a wide range of exams and this site allows users to make and exchange flashcards relevant to their studies.
10. Clivir: Join the online classrooms in this community to learn more about a variety of topics.

Managing Money

Those looking for some advice on keeping their spending in check or the best ways to pay off those student loans can check out these helpful financial communities.

1. Tip’d: This site will help you keep up with the latest issues in finance from major news sources or from finance-oriented blogs. Users can also submit their own stories and connect with others through the site.
2. Covester: Learn from experience by watching what other investors on this site do and using it to inform your own financial decisions.
3. I Hate Debt: If you’re drowning in student loans, join this online community to discuss the best ways to pay off your debts and get on track to a debt-free life.
4. Websabe: Get some advice and guidance from this online community on managing your personal finances and setting realistic goals for your money.
5. Investing Minds: With clubs and chat rooms this site makes it simple to talk about issues related to investing and a sound financial future.
6. Money Talk: Check out this online community for advice on just about everything related to money from experts and everyday people alike.
7. Zopa: Need a loan for your studies? This site can help hook you up with lenders offering low-interest rates.
8. NetworthIQ: Follow how much you’re worth on this site that lets you share, network and communicate with others trying to build their personal finances.
9. Geezeo: With Geezeo, users can ask questions of financial experts and other members to learn more about managing money the right way.
10. GreenNote: Whether you want to get a loan or want to pay it forward by loaning money to other students, this community site offers low-interest alternatives.

Making Friends

Making the transition into college, as a young person or an adult, can be difficult and making friends can sometimes be a challenge. These social networks are designed to help you chat with, network and share interests with other students.

1. Facebook: As the current largest social network in the world, you’re sure to find classmates, old friends, groups and more on this site.
2. MatchActivity: No matter what you’re interested in this site can help match you up with others who have the same interests, letting you make new friends who share your passions.
3. Meetup: Find groups in your area to meet up with with through this easy-to-use networking tool.
4. TeeBeeDee: For older learners, this site can be a great place to meet others who are 40 and over.
5. Change: Connect with others who are passionate about changing the world through this site.
6. MySpace: This large social network is full of profiles of your classmates as well as great music, art and more to keep you interested.
7. Flixster: If youlove movies and are looking for someone nearby to see the latest blockbuster feature with, this site can help you connect.
8. Last.fm: Create your own online playlists of music here and meet others who share you passion for music.
9. Xanga: If you love to blog but also want social networking functionality, this site can be a great choice for getting out your feelings and chatting with others.
10. Twitter: With on-the-go capabilities, this network can help you easily keep in touch with your friends and family and let them know what you’re up to at any time.

Networking

The ultimate goal of most students is to graduate and get a job. These social networks let you get a head start in making essential connections that can land you the job you want.

1. LinkedIn: This popular social network is essential for making business connections, establishing an online identity and preparing yourself for real world job experience.
2. Fast Pitch: Just because you’re in school doesn’t mean you don’t have some great business ideas. This site will let you pitch them and make some new business connections.
3. XING: As one of the largest business social networks, this site is a great place to chat with those currently working in the business world.
4. Ryze: Create a profile on this site to connect with your fellow students and make essential business connections that can help you upon graduation.
5. Jigsaw: Want to know more about a business you’re considering applying with? This site makes it easy and can help you make some great connections.
6. Doostang: Search for your ideal job on this network or just browse through the profiles of business owners.
7. Konnects: Talk with others who have similar business interests here or start searching for connections that will help you get a job.
8. Spoke: Chat up the working world in this social network that lets you do everything from send simple messages to search for jobs that suit your skills.
9. APSense: APSense allows users to promote their businesses, ideas and careers while making new friends and connections.
10. Gooruze: If you plan on working on the Web, this site offers an easy way to get in touch with other internet marketers that can help you out with advice and information.

Sharing Your Creativity

From art to music, these networks make it easy to get your creative side out there. Who knows, if your work is good enough you may even make a career out of it.

1. ImageKind: With ImageKind you can share, sell and market your artwork and photographs, giving you a leg up in business.
2. ArtSlant: Join this art-focused community to learn more about exhibitions and gallery openings in your own city or those around the nation so you can get out and get cultured.
3. Community Arts Network: Interested in becoming part of the community arts movement? This site can get you in touch with the big artistic groups in your area.
4. EditRed: Share your love of writing with others in this community and get some helpful feedback on ways to improve.
5. J-Learning: Learn more about journalism and improve your writing skills through this online network of journalism teachers and students.
6. Behance: Use Behance to showcase your work to potential clients and buyers as well as to connect with other creative types out there.
7. ShapeShifters: This network acts as a home to creative exchange between users from all over the world.
8. DeviantART: Users of this networking site can create online portfolios that allow them to share their work with the world and get helpful feedback.
9. Coroflot: Here you’ll get assistance creating an online portfolio, finding new clients, talking with designers and even getting hired.
10. Creative Quarter: This site allows users to create a profile share thoughts and images, blog, chat and much more with the larger creative community.

Reading More

Whether your goal is to read the essential classics or just pick up a book that isn’t assigned for class, these social networks help you find new reads, keep track of your progress and chat with others who are reading the same material.

1. LibraryThing: Keep track of your personal library, chat about books with others in the community and read loads of book reviews on this site.
2. BookCrossing: With BookCrossing, users can share their love of books while getting recommendations on what title to read next.
3. Shelfari: With Shelfari you can create a virtual bookshelf, home to the books you own, as well as get ideas of what to read next.
4. Books Well Read: If you want to delve into the deeper meanings in the books you’re reading, try checking out the online discussions held in this reading social network.
5. aNobii: Create an account on aNobii to connect with other book lovers, document the books you’ve own or have read and give and get great recommendations.
6. ConnectViaBooks: Meet others from far flung places or in your own community that share your taste in reading through this site.
7. GoodReads: Keep track of what you’ve read, find suggestions and keep in touch with other readers through this essential networking site.
8. Revish: Share your summer reading lists on this site and engage in discussion groups to talk about what you’ve read here.
9. Reader’s Paradise: This online discussion forum is a great place to have in depth talks about whatever book you’re currently reading.
10. BookJetty: This online reading community allows users to share their favorite reads, find out library availability, connect with other readers and much more.

Learning Languages

These networks will allow you to get additional practice learning a language for your college courses or allow you to pursue language studies all on your own.

1. LiveMocha: At LiveMocha you can meet others in a language learning community or take advantage of great language learning tools.
2. Huitalk: Join this network to engage in a free exchange of language learning opportunities.
3. Chaula: While the full version of this site comes at a cost, you can get a trail version that will let you talk, learn and take lessons online.
4. SharedTalk: Found on the well-known language software Rosetta Stone’s site, this network allows you to find people who speak a wide variety of languages to converse with.
5. Italki: Here you’ll find loads of free resources that will put you in touch with native speakers from around the world.
6. Lingoz: Lingoz is a helpful online language dictionary but also offers the chance to connect with other language learners in an online community.
7. VoxSwap: At VoxSwap, you’ll be matched up with others based on the language you want to learn and your native capacity so you can work together with another speaker to build your skills.
8. Babbel: Babbel makes language learning practical with immersive community interactions.
9. My Happy Planet: Hook up with native speakers from around the world to test your language learning skills here.
10. xLingo: This language exchange community allows users to share their language skills in a native language while getting assistance from others in theirs.

Getting Healthy

Don’t let your health fall by the wayside just because you’re busy. These social networks will help you stay fit and healthy.

1. Trusera: This social network allows users to share health and illness related stories with one another.
2. HealthChapter: At HealthChapter, the online community helps users to share their illnesses, treatments and experiences with one another to foster support and health awareness.
3. FitLink: Find workout partners, track your workouts and find gyms in your area, and get in touch with others on this site.
4. Gyminee: Keep track of your workouts, set fitness goals and talk with your gym buddies on this fully-featured online community.
5. WalkerTracker: Through this site you can meet others who love to walk for pleasure, fitness or both.
6. Sporting Connections: Here you can meet up with others who enjoy playing sports and form teams, make new friends and stay fit.
7. PeerTrainer: Find help and inspiration meeting your fitness goals through the supportive and informative tools on this network.
8. WellSphere: From illness discussions to videos showing you how to do yoga, you’ll find a myriad of resources on this site to help you get healthy.
9. Traineo: Here you’ll find the support and guidance you need to meet all your fitness goals.
10. ExtraPounds: If you’re looking to shed some extra pounds, this online community can help you track and monitor your weight loss to help you to greater success.
11. IntroPLAY: Through this site you can find other members to meet up with, play sports and stay in shape with.

Being Productive

Check out these online communities to get tips, support and technology to get you organized and productive.

1. MyQuire: MyQuire lets you handle tasks, scheduling, projects, and even photos while still letting you enjoy all the standard social networking features.
2. HiTask: This tool helps you keep in touch with team members, classmates and more while sharing a list of things that need to get done.
3. 8Apps: From finding collaborative partners to mindmapping together, this collection of tools is designed to boost your productivity no matter what you’re working on.
4. Digsby: Don’t waste your time checking all you IMs and social networking pages individually. Digsby allows you to bring them all together in one place along with your email so you can keep in touch efficiently.
5. Xobni: This Outlook plugin can help you get through all those emails, keep in touch and more with an easy and free sidebar.
6. Zoho Projects: Zoho Projects makes it simple to collaborate, share notes and work on group projects using the Web.
7. Mindomo: Check out this mind mapping software to track your thoughts and share them with others using the software.
8. Sticky Notes: The virtual alternative to the real-life sticky, this program allows you to make short notes about websites and pass them to friends, colleagues and other learners.
9. Clipmarks: Clip out pieces of texts or images on the Web that are relevant to your research, personal interests or group projects and make them accessible to others through Clipmarks.
10. Bibsonomy: This site provides an easy way to share not only bookmarks but lists of literature, a useful tool to organize your material but also find work done by others that might be useful to you.

Miscellaneous

These sites can help you meet your goals in being more green, studying abroad, becoming a mentor and more.

1. Matador: Use this site to share your travel stories or learn where to go through the trials of another users.
2. TravBuddy: Here you can find out where you might like to visit or find out about great sites around the world to help you explore the world around you or finally fulfill your dreams of travel.
3. Experience Project: With posts on personal experiences of people from all over the globe, this site can help you become more globally aware, socially conscious and learn from the successes and mistakes of others.
4. Ning: Ning can help you to create any kind of social network you’d like, from getting things done to monitoring your spending.
5. likemind: From making new business connections to setting up lifelong friendships, this networking site allows you to chat with people from around the globe who share your thoughts and interests.
6. GoAbroad: Want to study abroad? You can learn more about what overseas travel and learning is like through this online community.
7. CoolPeopleCare: No matter what it is you care about, this site will help you connect with others who share your passion and get you set up to take action and make a difference.
8. MakeMeSustainable: This online network can help you work towards your goal of living a greener life.
9. iMantri: Check out this site to meet up with or become a mentor in your area.

“Stop acting as if life is a rehearsal. Live this day as if it were your last. The past is over and gone. The future is not guaranteed.”

“Love is the ability and willingness to allow those that you care for to be what they choose for themselves without any insistence that they satisfy you.”

One of my favorite personal development people is the psychologist Wayne Dyer.

He seems to be a very warm person but he also someone who takes a lot personal responsibility and is assertive.

This is reflected in his work. He’s kind but he’s not here just to make you feel good. Through a no-nonsense approach he makes you realize obvious – but sometimes uncomfortable – things about how pretty much all of this is up to you. And how many things are quite simple but you are standing in your own way and overcomplicating it all.

Dr. Dyer’s advice can be applied to just about any part of life. Today I’d like to take a few of his thoughts and see how they can help you improve your social life. If you would like to read more from Wayne Dyer then two really solid books to start with are Pulling Your Own Strings and Your Erroneous Zones.

1. Your relationships are in your mind.

“As you think so shall you be! Since you cannot physically experience another person, you can only experience them in your mind. Conclusion: All of the other people in your life are simply thoughts in your mind. Not physical beings to you, but thoughts. Your relationships are all in how you think about the other people of your life. Your experience of all those people is only in your mind. Your feelings about your lovers come from your thoughts. For example, they may in fact behave in ways that you find offensive. However, your relationship to them when they behave offensively is not determined by their behavior, it is determined only by how you choose to relate to that behavior. Their actions are theirs, you cannot own them, you cannot be them, you can only process them in your mind.”

“Loving people live in a loving world. Hostile people live in a hostile world. Same world.”

“If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”

How you choose to interpret people and your relationships makes a huge difference. So much of our relationships may be perceived to happen out there somewhere.

But your underlying frame of mind – for instance an open one or a protective and closed up one – will determine much about your interactions with new people and people you know.

So you really have to go inside. You have to realize that your interpretations from the past are interpretations. Not reality. You have to take a look at your assumptions and expectations and thought habits. Find patterns that may be hurting you (and others). This isn’t easy. Or always pleasant. You may discover that you have had some negative underlying habits of thought for many years.

But to change you have to do it. Instead of just keep looking at yourself as some sort of unmoving and objective observer of the world and reality. A change in you could – over time – change your whole world.

2. Let go of the need for approval.

“People who want the most approval get the least and the people who need approval the least get the most.”

A lot of the actions you take – or do not take – may be because you need approval from other people. When we are young we get grades in school that tells us that we are “good”. This makes it very easy to create a life where you always go looking for the world to give you the next hit of approval. It may be from your family, boss, friends, co-workers and so on.

But this need creates neediness. And the stronger the need the stronger the neediness. And so other people will sense this. And approval may be withheld or used to manipulate you. Or they may just not like your neediness.

The people on the other hand that does not care that much about getting approval often do more of what they want deep inside. They may be considered courageous for instance. So the way they live their lives will gain appreciation and approval from the people around them. It’s a bit counterintuitive.

But it seems to me like this is how things work. If you really want approval in your life try letting go of that need – as best as you can of course, this is not easy – for a while. See what happens. You’ll probably be surprised by how much better you feel inside and the reactions you may get from the outside world.

3. Let go of judgment.

“When you judge another, you do not define them, you define yourself.”

“Real magic in relationships means an absence of judgment of others.”

“Judgment prevents us from seeing the good that lies beyond appearances.”

Judging can have a sense of fun to it and make you feel better about yourself as you put someone else down. So why give it up? Here are three reasons:

• People don’t like judgemental people. People don’t like to be judged. So there will be a resistance towards someone who is judgemental.
• Waste of time. You can spend your time doing more fun, constructive and positive things.
• The more you judge people, the more judge yourself. What you see in other people is often what you see in yourself. So if you judge them all the time for their looks or intelligence then you probably judge yourself often about these things too. To let go of judging others can lead you to letting go of judging yourself too. As you lift the limitations you put on others, you lift the limitations you put on yourself.

4. Enjoy the moment.

“When you dance, your purpose is not to get to a certain place on the floor. It’s to enjoy each step along the way.”

One technique that can help you improve your social skills is assuming rapport.

Basically, instead of going into a conversation or meeting nervously and thinking “how will this go?” you take different approach. You assume that you and the person(s) will establish a good connection (rapport).

How do you do that? You simply pretend that you are meeting one of your best friends. Then you start the interaction in that frame of mind instead of the nervous one.

But why does it work? Well, I’d say it works because it puts you in the same mental state as when you are with your friends. When you’re with your friends you are relaxed, positive, in the present moment and without many cares in the world. This is a great place to be socially. You are just enjoying yourself and your moments with your friends without much thought of the past or future. You are just there. The more you can bring yourself into this mental headspace the more fun you will have with people. And the more fun they will have with you.

So try out assuming rapport. And explore other ways to bring yourself back into the present moment by checking out Eckhart Tolle’s books (two good are A New Earth and Stillness Speaks).

5. People like positive people.

“Unhappiness is within.”

“Simply put, you believe that things or people make you unhappy, but this is not accurate. You make yourself unhappy.”

Now we are back in the same territory as in the first tip in this article. How you feel is up to you. You control you.

This is important to understand to be able to create and keep a more stable positive attitude. If you let what other people do control – or at least control you too much – then you are on a mental rollercoaster where your thoughts and feelings go up and down all the time. You have to look within to find a great stability to how you think and feel.

I’d say that one of the most attractive qualities a person can have is a positive attitude and energy. It is attractive to people at your job/school, family, friends or just that cute girl/guy in the bar. I think that one of the big things people want in any relationships is positive emotions. People simply want to create a flow back and forth with people where all of you exchange positive emotions and feel good.

Building yourself a more positive attitude will of course not only make you more likeable. It can also improve every other part of your life.

6. You teach them.

“Maxim for life: You get treated in life the way you teach people to treat you.”

This is a very important point and something I think is perhaps often missed by people who want to improve their social lives and make it more positive. They may think “well, I have been so nice towards everyone for the last few months but it doesn’t seem to have changed their behaviour towards me much”.

This is the “nice guy/girl” problem. S/he is very nice but there is no assertiveness. There is no changed feeling within about how you feel you deserve to be treated. You may still be nice just to get approval from other people. You feel the craving need. And as point # 2 explains, you won’t get the approval.

We do to a large extent choose how we want to be treated. How you expect people to treat you can have a big effect on how you allow yourself to act and how people around you view and treat you. If you start creating a role for yourself where you always let people do what they want to you then you may create some pretty destructive and negative things.

• You may create an identity for yourself where you get used to always taking whatever anyone doles out. You create a kind of victim identity where you may look happy on the outside but don’t feel so good on the inside. But since you have gotten used to it after a while you may accept it and think that: this is just who I am.

• You may create a concept in the minds of the people around you that it’s OK to treat you this way. Either because you seem so positive despite what they are doing so they think it’s OK. Or just because you aren’t saying no and some people may take advantage of that.

Look, you can’t please everyone. I think both Eleanor Roosevelt and Buddha have mentioned something along the lines that whatever you do there will always be people who don’t like what you are doing. And that’s OK. That’s normal.

Going around trying to please everyone at your own expense isn’t healthy though. Or even a realistic thing to attempt. It eats away at you both mentally and physically.

So be nice. Be positive. But make sure you set your own standards, rules and limits too. And remember that you might as well do what you want because there will always be critics.

7. Take responsibility for your social life.

“Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it’s always your choice.”

I really like this quote from Nathaniel Branden’s excellent The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem: “No one is coming”.

You can look for the next big thing that will fix you. Read more blog articles. Read more personal development books. Look for people to help. And yes, some articles or books or people will give you insights that resonate deeply with you. But in the end, if you are an adult then no one is coming. No one is coming to save you. You have to take responsibility for your own life and what happens in it. Other things and people can certainly aid you quite a bit. But you are responsible.

You can go around blaming society or some people for your problems in your social life (or finances or health). You can always find scapegoats to judge and thought that feel better about yourself. For a while. You can look for people that will “fix you”. You can do this for the rest of your life if you like. It won’t change much. Whatever has to be done, it’s you who have to take responsibility and do it.

Yeah, things might always not go your way and you will probably have bad luck from time to time. But you still have to focus on yourself and doing what you can do in whatever situation may arise in the outside world.

8. Like yourself.

“You cannot be lonely if you like the person you’re alone with.”

Liking yourself is vital to live a happy life. If you like yourself people will of course like hanging out with your more too. A person who likes him/herself, who is positive but also assertive is a lot better than the opposite.

Obvious, yes but the hard thing is how to go about liking yourself more. This is a topic that has filled many books but here are few tips that have helped me.

• Follow the rest of tips above. For example, taking more personal responsibility, working on your attitude and being more assertive consistently will make you feel better about yourself.
• Do the right thing as much as you can. When you do the right thing you lift your own self-esteem. When you don’t do the right thing you tend to stay at the same self-esteem level that you are at the moment (or perhaps even lower it).
• Be appreciative of yourself, don’t just look at your flaws. By appreciating the positive and good things that you think and do you can replace the need for approval from outside sources. You are giving yourself approval instead. This is a lot better than the alternative, because this is an unlimited source that you are in control of.