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AP9 Companies Offer Tips on Dorm Essentials for the College Students

Making new friends is one of the cornerstones of the college experience. And a decorative dorm room with the right accessories is the key to popularity for many college students. On the other hand, a boring dorm room can lead to a social disaster. Fortunately, turning a basic dorm room into the campus “hot spot” isn’t as hard as it seems, according to AP9 Companies, a collection of membership programs that offer a valuable and wide selection of exclusive discounts and services for nearly every facet of daily life.

A dorm room isn’t just a place to sleep anymore, note AP9 Companies. Today, a college student’s “home away from home” can serve a variety of different purposes — from dance floor to personal movie theatre. That’s why every dorm room needs to be stylish and equipped with the right accessories. Equally important, the room has to be a comfortable place to relax and unwind. And working in the right environment can also assist students with their studies — helping ideas and innovation flourish.

Decorating a dorm room effectively can be as easy as covering the walls with posters of your favorite bands and movies — from Animal House to Phish — or having the best technology— from an iPhone to Xbox 360. For the future interior decorators out there, who get to show off their decorating skills for the first time, the process can be a little bit more complicated. No matter what the theme of the dorm room, though, AP9 Companies want every college student to keep in mind the following dorm room accessories and decorating ideas.

-- Comfortable places for others to sit. A couch or futon is a valuable asset that every college student’s dorm room should have. Not only will a couch or futon provide friends with a place to sit or even sleep, the right couch can also help improve the room’s vibe.

-- Decor. The wall of a dorm room is the place for college students to express themselves. From cheap posters and collages to vintage memorabilia and wall art, the right decor can make or break the room.

-- Dry erase board. A dry erase board is great for keeping track of assignments, notes, photos and schedules. It can also serve as a valuable message center if it’s placed outside the door.

-- Entertainment. After a long day of classes, watching a movie in the dorm can be the perfect way to relax. That’s why a DVD player and television are necessities for every dorm room. Whether it’s an iHome or a stereo, being able to play loud music is also a must.

-- Stylish rug. A big rug in the middle of the room will make the room look and feel more comfortable and inviting. Considering how hard institutional flooring can be, this can be crucial. A nice rug can also add much-needed style to the room.

Moving into a dorm room is the first time that most college students get to live on their own. As stressful as the process may seem, decorating a dorm room can be an exciting experience because of the new-found freedom involved. All it takes is a little bit of planning, but with the right accessories and decor, any dorm room can turn into one of the popular hangouts on campus, report AP9 Companies.

Adaptive Marketing LLC® Encourages Workers to Strike the Proper Balance Between Working and Living

Ernest Hemingway once said, “I still need more healthy rest in order to work at my best. My health is the main capital I have, and I want to administer it intelligently.” Adaptive Marketing LLC^®, an industry leader in online membership programs, heartily echoes that sentiment and encourages members of the American workforce to find their own comfortable middle ground between work and the other parts of their lives.

The age-old battle between working to live and living to work shows no signs of abating. Even as overall U.S. productivity grows, the rewards of these gains are increasingly going to the upper class in our society rather than to the workers responsible for this growth, notes Adaptive Marketing. Such a climate often creates pressure on employees to put in more time at work in order to set themselves apart from their co-workers. Unfortunately, as the old proverb says, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.”

Dull is certainly no way to go through life, so Adaptive Marketing LLC^® offers a few tips on how to balance a work life with a home life:

-- All you can do is all you can do. Be realistic about what you can accomplish in the course of a day or week. Set achievable goals -- and deadlines -- and reward yourself for reaching them by leaving work at a reasonable hour. If you’re constantly working 14-hour days, you might be setting the bar too high, either on your promises or on your abilities.

-- Do more with less. Less time, that is. Create an efficient workflow process that helps you focus your energies where they’re needed, without distraction or interruption. If necessary, take a course in time management to learn where your inefficiencies may be. The sprint races may go to the swiftest, but marathons tend to favor those who use their resources most efficiently — and for the vast majority of us, our professional careers will be marathons.

-- Take mini-holidays. Progressive companies encourage short (15-minute) breaks during the day, which allow employees to relieve stress, clear their minds and come back to the task at hand with renewed vigor. Even a short stroll outside on a sunny day can offer a refreshing little pick-me-up to an otherwise difficult work stretch.

-- Go dark after work. Cellphones, BlackBerries and the like have made it possible to stay connected 24/7, but they haven’t made it mandatory. Even if you’re in a high-stress job that makes you feel obligated to be available around the clock, you’re entitled to some personal time. If need be, announce to your co-workers that you’ll be unavailable for a few hours after work, then …

-- Take time for yourself, your family and your friends. As so many others have said, no one complains on their deathbed that they didn’t spend enough time at work. Life moves too fast -- even when you’re not having fun -- to neglect those parts of your life that bring you joy. Your work will be there in the morning; your daughter’s track meet, your son’s Little League game, your spouse’s good mood, and your friend’s birthday celebration won’t be.

Business pressures will always make it difficult to find the right balance between work and the rest of your life, but a happy life is a well-rounded life, so you need to make every effort to find that balance, reports Adaptive Marketing.