The absolute best way you can impress your boss and coworkers is to take on extra responsibilities. Just be careful that you do not take on too much work that your normal duties suffer. Achieving a balance will make your life easier. Once you become settled in the routine of your job, start asking what else you can do to help out other people in your department. This is a great way to learn more about what your company does and it exposes you other potential jobs.

Acting in a professional manner is what you landed you the job. Continue to hold yourself to that standard that you displayed during the hiring process. So many recent college graduates are fired because they take an overly casual approach to their jobs. It can be difficult to shift out of the college mode to the professional world. However, it is imperative that you adapt quickly if you want to survive. If you think that something you are about to do or say could be construed as immature, then just dimply avoid that behavior. The rule of thumb here is: better to be safe than sorry.

Businesses operate at a very high speed. Accordingly, you need to develop strong listening skills. While managers will encourage you to ask questions, having instructions repeated will reflect poorly upon you. As you are being trained take notes that you can refer to in the future. Eventually, your boss and coworkers will expect you to work independently. With that being said, it is still a good idea to find someone whom you can trust. This person can be a sounding board for you through your first couple weeks and months on the job for the invariable questions that are sure to arise. These tips plus a positive attitude will suit you well as you embark on your career.

Make sure your intentions are clear. You're young and you're having fun-how do you know if it's just fun, or something serious? Sometimes the answer isn't clear. Talk to the person you're dating and be sure that you both know what your relationship is about, whether you're just having a fling, or you're seriously committed to each other. It would be dreadful to find out that you're just one of many that your partner is dating, while you're pining away for him or her as your only one.

Know your own limits. Sex happens in college, whether you're ready for it or not, and those that you date may expect that you will want to take part in sexual activities as a part of your relationship. You should know that you don't have to have sex in college, and many students do not have sex while they are in college. If this is the case, you should make it clear to your dating partner that you're not interested in sexual activities and would prefer to date someone who feels the same way.

Be safe. Date rape is so prevalent on college campuses. Alcohol, late nights out, and raging hormones can lead to these difficult situations. Date rape is a scary thing, but you can take steps to help avoid it. Only date partners that you can trust, and be sure that you're dating someone who has the same sexual philosophy as you-if you prefer not to have sex, make sure that your partner feels the same way. Make sure that you use the buddy system, and let your friends know where you'll be and how you'll get home from parties and dates. Additionally, avoid becoming too drunk or incapacitated so that you are easy to take advantage of.

Dating in college can be a great experience, but there are some drawbacks. Keep the points in this guide in mind, and you can work towards a safe, happy dating experience in college.

Almost universally, movie theaters offer discounts to students. College-aged people make up one of the largest demographics of moviegoers in the country. Since these people are going to the movies more often than others, it makes sense for movie theaters to cut the price of tickets for students to a more affordable level. The theaters will make up that revenue as students go to more and more shows.

The same discounts can be found at sporting arenas and concert venues. If sports teams can draw in students at lower prices, they can build an allegiance with those customers. Eventually, these students will graduate and move into the workplace. When they are looking to spend their money on entertainment, they will go back to games played by teams with whom they have an allegiance. At this point, they are earning a salary and can afford higher priced tickets.

Restaurants are struggling during this recent economic downturn. Regular working people just don't have the money they used to have to go out to eat. However, college students still seem to be a demographic that will go out for meals. Part of this is because they live in a dorm and want to expand their appetites beyond the dining hall. They also don't cook as much as the working class. Accordingly, many area restaurants will "happy hours" where students can pay reduced prices for regular meals. Or, restaurants will have certain nights designated for students where they have slashed the prices on their menu.

Many colleges campuses will be littered with advertisements from local businesses highlighting the discounts they make available to students. Make sure you bring your student ID card with you and you can enjoy the bargains.

1. Ann Livermore: As executive VP of the HP Enterprise Business, Ann Livermore has helped earn the company its $54 billion annually, which it rolls in from all over the world. But besides her impressive business savvy, Livermore is completely loyal, too. After graduating with a bachelor's degree in economics from her native North Carolina's UNC-Chapel Hill, Livermore earned her MBA from Stanford, and then immediately began working for HP, in 1982. That means she's got a nearly 30-year rap with the same company, and has worked in and managed nearly every department, including sales, marketing, research and development and business management. She became a corporate vice president in 1995, elected to the board of directors of the UPS in 1997, and nearly became CEO of HP in 1999. She earned over $20 million in 2008.
2. Steve Jobs: Steve Jobs is known as one of the most humble and classy guys in tech and business, and his personal story is well-known. Given up for adoption as a baby, Jobs was raised in California briefly attended Reed College before dropping out. He didn't leave school because he was lazy or unambitious, just unsure about what he wanted to do, and Jobs kept auditing classes while experimenting with Buddhism and LSD. He entered into the tech business in the early 1970s, and hooked up with Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne to found Apple in 1976. Since then, the company is one of the most recognized companies in the world, and one of the most successful and wide-reaching in tech and business. Jobs owns millions of shares in Apple and Disney, and while he is known as a demanding boss, he dresses simply, speaks with an even, humble tone (at least in public), and has won many awards, including the National Medial of Technology, CEO of the Decade, and others.
3. Indra K. Nooyi: Chairman and CEO of PepsiCo Indra K. Nooyi has been recognized for being one of the most powerful women in the world, and of course, business. She oversees products that garner over $1 billion in annual sales, and has been CEO since 2006; Chairman since 2007. Born in Chennai, India, Nooyi graduated from Madras Christian College and from the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta in 1976, after which she worked in management for Johnson & Johnson. Nooyi then moved to the U.S. to complete another master's degree from Yale, and after working in the Northeast for a few years, moved to the PepsiCo company in 1994. Since then, she has worked in finance, mergers and acquisitions and other departments, and was named CFO in 2001. She was awarded with the Barnard Medal of Honor after giving the Barnard College commencement address in 2009, and has been named the number one most powerful women in business by Forbes magazine, from 2006-2009.
4. Bill Gates: Bill Gates has long been known as one of the richest men in the world, but he's also a major philanthropist. After founding Microsoft in the 1970s (Gates also dropped out of college), he consistently invented and developed new computers, software programs and technology that revolutionized the entire world and the way it communicates, conducts business, and even manages itself. Gates and his wife now concentrate much of their time on the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which aims to improve the health of people in developing countries and also help Americans rise from poverty and gain access to their most basic needs and rights, including education. The foundation has an asset trust endowment of $33 billion, and Gates gives away much of his own millions to that and other nonprofit groups. Named one of Time's most influential people of the 20th century, Gates has also received prestigious honors and awards from Harvard University, the Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Forbes, Cambridge University, and Queen Elizabeth II.
5. Irene Rosenfeld: Rosenfeld serves as the Chairman and CEO of Kraft Foods, and has been CEO since 2006. Born in Brooklyn and raised on Long Island, Rosenfeld has a BA in Psychology, an MBA, and a Ph.D. in Marketing and Statistics from from Cornell, and her first job was at an ad agency in New York City. She joined Kraft in the 1990s but briefly left to take on management and CEO positions at Frito-Lay North America, before returning to Kraft again in the mid-late 2000s. She has served on the board at Frito-Lay, Kraft and AutoNation, and has been recognized by Forbes as one of the world's most powerful women.
6. Li Ka-shing: Hong Kong-based businessman Li Ka-shing has an estimated wealth of $16.2 billion (as reported in February of 2009). Named Asia's Most Powerful Man and indirect controller of perhaps 15% of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, Ka-shing is sometimes known as Superman out East. Born in China but forced to flee to Hong Kong as a child, Ka-shing's family lived with a wealthy relative who supposedly inspired Ka-shing to succeed in business. He started his first company in 1950, earned a spot on the HKSE in 1972, founded Shantou University in 1981, and continues to grow his global companies, Cheung Kong (Holdings) Limited and Hutchison Whampoa Limited, today. Also known as a significant philanthropist, Ka-shing dresses relatively simply and has donated over $1 billion to charities, though he recently pledged to donate more.
7. John Bond: Probably best known as the Chairman of HSBC Holdings, Sir John Bond left the company in 2006 and now serves as Chairman of Vodafone. But before becoming one of the most well-respected and more admired businessmen in the world, Bond started at the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation as a 19-year-old fresh off of the boat on which he worked as a deck hand and which was his ticket to Hong Kong from California. Bond started traveling around the Middle and Far East on behalf of the company, but quickly moved up. He headed U.S. operations in the 80s, and then took over as Group Chairman in 1998. Titles aside, Bond's biggest accomplishments lie in his ability to turn a "local" bank into an international powerhouse banking organization. Nicknamed the "chairman of the world's local bank," business professionals still wonder at his global approach, and Bond was also instrumental in bringing corporate social responsibility and environmental responsibility standards to HSBC.
8. Norio Ohga: If you've doubted Sony's sound systems before, you might not after hearing about Norio Ohga's back story. Ohga, the now retired Chairman of the Board and former CEO of Sony, was actually a trained opera singer from the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music and Berlin University of the Arts, who was dissatisfied with Sony's sound quality. He wrote a letter to the company criticizing its products, was offered a job, and and within five years became Director of the Product Planning Division in 1964. By 1970, Ohga was President and Representative Director of CBS/Sony Records.
9. Paul Allen: If you think Paul Allen is just another Microsoft guy, you're grossly mistaken. Although he did co-found the company with Bill Gates, today Allen is also the founder and chairman of Vulcan, Inc., has a multi-billion dollar investment portfolio, and owns the Portland Trail Blazers, Seattle Seahawks, and the MLS team, the Seattle Sounders FC. Considered one of the richest and most successful people in the world, Allen has honorary degrees, a lifetime giving award (he's donated almost $1 billion), and has founded The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation. He supports many Washington-state and Pacific Northwest nonprofit groups and causes, as well as health sciences programs that use technology for research and finding cures. In July of 2010, he announced that he would be giving away more than half of his fortune — the total of which is estimated at $13.5 billion — to philanthropic causes.
10. Guy Kawasaki: Former Macintosh marketing genius and Silicon Valley venture capitalist, Guy Kawasaki has broken out on his own and is one of the most popular tech guys on Twitter. He has published nine books (so far), and is known for his open, friendly conversation style online. The Stanford and UCLA alumnus' websites and companies include Garage Technology Ventures, Alltop and the "How to Change the World" blog, and while he's still young, his attitude about business is just as fresh and optimistic. Business students can find inspiration in his ability to reinvent himself, conquer new branches of technology and business, and positive outlook. He's said that your goal in life shouldn't be to become a legend, but to help change the world.

Some students immediately equate a small school with a private college, and a large university with a sprawling state school, but that's not true. Small satellites of larger state schools exist, while huge private universities also offer football, research facilities and other boast-worthy amenities. During your school search, you should consider a few of each type of school, even if you think you know what you want. Campus visits may the most important factor in helping you make your decision, but you can do some research on your own before ever planning a trip.

Make two lists: one including all of the features and experiences you've always imagined your dream college having, and another list documenting your current goals, expectations, and short- and long-term needs. The second list should include things like preferred major or majors and what you want in terms of student-to-faculty ratio interactions with faculty, average class size, dorm life, recreational facilities, and athletics, Greek life, the geographic location and size of the city the campus is in, research opportunities, job preparation, and any other aspects of college life and academics that are important to you. Generally, a larger university may be able to provide more variety in class and department offerings, but it might be easier to mix and match classes at a small school, where departments aren't as exclusive or independent. Smaller classes will be easier to find at a small school, but find out what the average class size at a large school once you've passed the lower division courses and gotten into your major. You should be able to tell pretty quickly if you generally prefer a very large school experience or a smaller one, but that doesn't mean that campus visits won't sway your decision. Ask to meet with professors, and pay attention to the feeling you get walking around during your visit. Picturing yourself as a student there and evaluating your comfort level and excitement will be your most accurate gauge for what's right.

These days, much of the useful information you would find in your college's library is archived in online databases. This means that by using the web, you can save yourself a good amount of time and find articles from academic journals and publications. Your school's library should have access to large databases like J-Stor, ProQuest and EBSCO (among many others) that can help you find articles from a variety of decades and on a wide range of topics. This is an excellent place to start your research.

If you don't want to go through your library's databases, you can always turn to a search engine like Google Scholar for help. Working much like Google, the site is easy to navigate and will only deliver search results that would be appropriate for use in an academic paper. You can also hook your searches up with your school library to easily find books, articles and other materials that will enrich your paper.

While Wikipedia is more reliable than many seem to believe, it still isn't good enough to be counted as a source for a paper. (Never use Wikipedia as a primary source for your paper unless you want to face the wrath of your professor or teaching assistant.) What it can help you with as a student is pointing you in the direction of resources and ideas that can help you fully develop your ideas and your research. If a Wikipedia article is any good, it will cite sources and you can use those sources, so long as they are from reliable authors, to start doing the real work of writing your paper. Additionally, many articles on Wikipedia will link you to related topics, something that can help you better understand and ultimately write about your topic.

The web gets a bit of a bad rap when it comes to research on a academic level, but the reality is that when used correctly, the web can be an incredibly valuable asset and can help you write a well-researched and intelligent paper on just about any topic out there.

A smartphone. If you've already got one and love using it, fine, put it to work for college. But you'll survive without one. Emails, Twitter, and Facebooking can wait until you've gotten back to your dorm. These little wonders are expensive to begin with, and even more expensive to maintain each month with a data plan. On top of that, they are ultra-portable, which on a college campus means, ultra easy to steal. Stick with the phone you've got.

A top of the line backpack. You will need a good quality backpack for sure, but don't spend more than $50 on it. You're not hiking mountains or transporting priceless data-just some books, papers, and maybe a few snacks. Look for a backpack that's got all of the room you need, supportive straps, and a style that works with your everyday look. Anything else is just overkill.

Brand new textbooks. Most textbooks are available used, and you should take advantage of this. New textbooks will be much more expensive, and there's no chance of the added bonus of finding helpful notes in the margins. Check out your campus bookstores to find used textbooks, and even go online to find great used deals or rentals. You might even find what you need in your school's library.

A super powerful computer. Sure, you need enough power to get it all done, but that doesn't mean you should run out and buy the most top of the line desktop or laptop Apple makes. Consider your needs, read reviews, and find a computer that can do what you need it to do.

Back to school is a fun and exciting time, and shopping for college is a great way to get prepared for your future on campus, but keep reality in mind. Look for items that will last you through your college years, and even beyond, but at the same time, make sure they're not overkill or ridiculously expensive for what you really need.

Be prepared. When exam time comes around, you will be nervous enough. Do yourself a favor and nip stress in the bud by taking care of what you need to throughout the semester. That means going to class, taking notes, and reading all assignments. You should also stay on top of study guides as you progress through the semester. By taking care of business all semester, you will spare yourself the trouble of having to cram and panic when it's time to take midterms and finals.

Stay organized. Get an organizer, calendar, and task program, and then actually use them. With the right organization, you can stay on top of your assignments, essays, readings, and (yipee!) cancelled class dates. You'll be able to know at a glance what you need to do and where you need to be. Having this information will go a long way to avoiding panic and anxiety about what you've got to get done. Additionally, it will help you avoid stressful situations where you have to take care of assignments or meetings at the last minute because you've forgotten about them.

Take a break. As a student, your sleeping schedule probably isn't ideal and you may find yourself walking around like a zombie on campus some days. If you end up going to bed late and waking up a bit earlier than you'd like to, take advantage of power napping opportunities. Give yourself a regular dorm siesta, catch a few minutes of shuteye in the library, or just lay down and relax for a bit as you're reading textbooks outside.

Blow off some steam. No matter what you do, stress happens, and you have to confront it at some point in order to save your health and sanity. Find an outlet that helps you relieve stress. Popular stress relievers are exercise, deep breathing, visualization, and yoga. You can also get help from friends and loved ones-go out for the night, talk about your troubles, and have fun to make the stress of the week behind you melt away.

Being a college student doesn't have to mean being stressed. If you carefully plan, take care of assignments, and take care of yourself, you can beat stress and keep it from taking over your college life.

1. The Paradise War, Book One: Song of Albion, Stephen R. Lawhead: Multiple titles aside: What's going on here? Is the old man turning into vapor and entering that guy's chest? Why are they surrounded by crystals? Is that a kilt? Just: What on earth is going on?
2. Forth on the Atari: Learning by Using Forth, E. Floegel: This is ostensibly a book about using your Atari to become more skilled at the Forth programming language, but it looks for all the world like a horrifying S&M novel set in space. Maybe that would've sold better.
3. All My Sins Remembered, Joe Haldeman: Okay. Okay. Okay: I think it's a naked guy with fish hands hugging a giant snake perched near a skull while a dragon flies in the background. Also, why not, there's a tacky wall clock in the sky and some blue stuff. And "TBII" is carved into the ground. Just … wow. This book looks completely terrible, but somehow awesome.
4. Shatnerquake, Jeff Burk: Jeff Burk's comedic novel involves a rip in the universe that sends every character William Shatner ever played into the same world, but the cover image looks like an old man who may or may not be Shatner being dumped into a pit of fire. Not exactly selling the concept.
5. Anybody Can Be Cool … But Awesome Takes Practice, Lorraine Peterson: The world of Christian devotional lit is littered with bad images like this one, in which a square-jawed white dude lectures his ethnically diverse pals about how to be tubular. It's like a photographic version of "Pamela's Prayer."
6. Breed to Come, Andrew Norton: Just what every kid wants: A book about green-suited aliens fighting the giant, glowing, disembodied head of a cat.
7. Zombie Raccoons & Killer Bunnies, Martin H. Greenberg and Kerrie Hughes: No explanation needed.
8. His Pregnant Mistress, Carol Marinelli: On one hand, you have to applaud the relative restraint displayed here by Harlequin. On the other, NUKE IT FROM ORBIT.
9. Mind Pump: The Psychology of Bodybuilding, Tom Kubisant: You know what happens when you try and use telepathy to lift weights? They fall on your head. Guaranteed.
10. Servants of the Wankh, Jack Vance: So the giant man with the trapezoidal skull is holding a tiny toad king up for all to see. Add that to the apparently unironic use of "Wankh," and the jokes become too many to count.
11. The Frozen God, Richard Kirk: Even by the admittedly loose standards of fantasy lit, this is insane. This is porn for eighth-graders.
12. Moment of Truth, Maggie Price: What's she doing with her hand?
13. Dylan, Norah Hess: It's like his crotch is trying to jump off the page.
14. Eat the Document, Dana Spiotta: Just plain creepy.
15. The Dream Master, Roger Zelazny: The perilous story of a medieval knight and the giant green lady with a peephole in her forehead. It practically writes itself.
16. The Far Arena, Richard Ben Sapir: I'm not sure if the naked gladiator was transported to modern day or if a jumbo jet got sucked into ancient Rome. Either way, it's a mess.
17. Sewer, Gas & Electric: The Public Works Trilogy, Matt Ruff: This horrendous cover practically dares you not to read the book. Bizarre, awful colors, text going every direction, and a floating shark? Pass.
18. Twilight of Briareus, Richard Cowper: This is significantly less awe-inspiring than the end of 2001: A Space Odyssey. It's mostly just eerie.
19. A Song for Lya, George R.R. Martin: Martin's short story collection is being advertised with the image of a horde of faceless mouths flying across the desert, because why not.
20. Strip Mauled, Esther Friesner: Every physical form on this cover looks equally fake and scary.
21. Godsfire, Cynthia Felice: A naked cat-person, a giant cat-god (?), and an author name that's one letter away from "feline." I see the pattern.
22. The World Swappers, John Brunner: When you see it, you'll laugh.
23. Slave Ship, Frederick Pohl: "Slave ship" doesn't sound so bad if there's a puppy involved.
24. Will-o-the-Wisp, Thomas Burnett Swann: A blatant attempt to sell the book to young teenage boys, which is why the topless redhead appears to be in the throes of physical ecstasy. Why this is happening on top of an enormous bug, we'll never know.
25. Satan Burger, Carlton Melick III: I give up.

By definition, networking means a supportive system of sharing information and services among individuals and groups having a common interest, or as a verb: to cultivate people who can be helpful to one professionally, especially in finding employment or moving to a higher position. So, the very essence of its meaning promotes altruistic behaviors of helping others get where they want to be. Many people want to help, they feel good knowing they contributed to someone else's success and more often than not, there's a kickback to them for doing it (i.e. bonus for bringing on a new person, the boss may be so impressed with the person you referred that they give you more credit/responsibility).

This is "most" people. You may come across some folks in your networking experience that are less than willing to help you get ahead, but don't let this discourage you. For every one person that may look the other way, there will be two more that want to listen.

In terms of job hunting, you never know who knows who and what they can do for you. The more you spread the word that you are looking or talking about jobs, in which you are pursuing, the more chances are that you might chat with someone that knows someone that can get you an interview or is looking to fill a position. And you may be the perfect candidate to fill the job, but they would never know it had you not opened up to as many people as possible. When applying to colleges, it's important to talk to as many people as you can about your options, you may open doors you never believed would be available to you.

Networking will really polish your social skills because you may find yourself talking to people you might otherwise never dream of chatting to; so don't be shy. Network with the lady in line at the grocery store, talk about your job search with your neighbor and let your dentist know you're looking—you never know who has a brother, sister, friend or colleague that can help you out!