Did you know that one of the most neglected items in a household is the computer? We depend on computers to help us communicate and to go to school and work, so it is essential to take good care of them. Here are some tips that will help keep your system running smoothly and possibly lengthen its life.

Please note that if you do not feel comfortable completing any of the steps listed, contact a local computer professional for assistance.

Every Week

• Delete your cache and cookies.
• Clear your Brower history.
• Delete your Temporary Internet Files.
• Empty your Recycle bin.
• Back up your files using a USB thumb drive or external hard drive.
• Update your virus definitions.
• Run a full virus scan.

Every Month

• Run a disk scan to check for hard drive issues.
• Run a defragmentation program.
• Run a clean up to delete unneeded files.
• Check for system updates.
• Clean your keyboard.
• Clean your monitor.
• Clear the outside of your computer in case of dust.
• Clean your peripherals
• Clean up your desktop of all unneeded icons and files.

Every Year

• Renew your software update and anti virus subscriptions.

Love sports, but lack the physical ability to play professionally? Getting your master’s degree in sport-exercise psychology from Argosy University Online Programs can help you establish a successful and rewarding career in sports, regardless of your actual physical ability or talent. Sport-exercise psychology graduates help motivate athletes to persist and achieve their goals, examine the psychological effects of injury and rehabilitation, assess talent, counsel athletes, and help enhance the performance, skills, self-perception, and well-being of the athletes they work with.

Argosy University Online Program’s master’s degree in sport-exercise psychology program focuses on individual and group skills, athlete behavior and professional identity, sports sciences, building relationships, and the theoretical foundations of sport and exercise. A bachelor’s degree is required to enroll in the sport-exercise psychology program. Also, students who already have their doctoral degree but want formal training in applied sports psychology are eligible to work towards a Postdoctoral Specialization Certificate in sport-exercise psychology.

If working in sports, examining the psychological aspects of exercise, and contributing to the success and well being of athletes is your passion, a master’s degree in sport-exercise psychology from Argosy University Online Programs is exactly what you need to pursue your dream and work with the pros. Contact Argosy University Online Programs today and learn more about how you can create new opportunity for yourself with a degree in sport-exercise psychology.

We’ve all been there – when’s the right time to use a colon vs. a semi-colon, how about quotation marks, commas and all the rest?

Using punctuation correctly is important, regardless of your occupation, so fear not, leaders of tomorrow, we’re here with some helpful hints and tips for you to live – and write by.

Colons (:)
Colons are used to introduce lists and they appear after nouns:
Example: The office refrigerator contained three things: Creamer, old bagels and my sandwich.
Incorrect example: The office refrigerator contained: Creamer, old bagels and my sandwich.

Semi-colons (;)
Semi-colons are used to separate two different, but related ideas, or clauses, in a sentence.
Example: People continue to worry about the assignment; our failure to plan properly has put the entire project at risk.

The Parentheses (())
Parentheses are used to clarify or add a notation to a sentence.
Example: Everyone said that Dr. Smith (our math instructor) was very difficult, but I found his lessons very engaging and fair.

Double Quotation Mark “
Double quotation marks are used to indicate a direct statement from a person or from another source you are citing.
Example: “Don’t run with scissors!” my mother exclaimed.

Single Quotation Mark ‘
Single quotation marks are used to indicate a possessive or to relay a quote within another quote.
Possessive Example: That is John’s bike in the driveway.
Quotation Example: Mike said “John told me ‘I am going to leave my bike in your driveway.’”

Punctuation within Quotations
Many people are often confused by using commas and periods with quotation marks. Here’s a simple rule – periods and commas always go inside quotation marks!

Commas
Commas are used to relate a pause or a break in a sentence, to indicate a series or to separate adjectives.
Example: There was an incredible, powerful sound coming from the closet.

We hope this tour of some punctuation hints has been helpful – keep your eyes peeled for one of our next installments!

By Guest Blogger

Jessica Lopez
BS Criminal Justice Student at Argosy University Online Programs

Have you ever had a dream where you were someone else? A dream so real that when you woke up you had to look in the mirror and touch your face to make sure you were awake? I had a dream like that once upon time. Many years ago I used to feel like I was destined to be someone important. I was going to be a famous author, a big shot lawyer or President. I was going to be somebody and everyone was going to know my name. I was going to have my name in flashing lights. I was going to showcase my talents to the world! But then, the alarm clock rang and with one eye open I realized that the flashing lights were just dream.

Slowly, sitting on the edge of my bed staring in the mirror, I began to wonder how I let myself get so far off the path, the trajectory of my life. I sat listening to my husband snore and the kitten meowing loudly for his breakfast, and thought “what happened to me; who is this girl I see in the mirror?” After contemplating whether or not aliens snatched my body and I was just a programmed clone to do their bidding, I snapped back to reality and went on my morning routine stumbling across the room, tripping on the husband’s shoes (he swears he never leaves in the middle of the walkway). Cursing under my breath while racing the kitten to his food dish (at least he thinks we are racing to the food dish, I am racing to the coffee pot and happen to drop food in his dish so he will stop meowing) I wake my daughter up and tell her to get her dog outside and feed her. I hit the shower and finally wake up. Once I have had my shower and coffee, I proceed to make breakfast and then run out the door to work. This was my life. Isn’t life supposed to be fun? What happened to fun? My life sure felt like work.

Work, now there is a concept to think about. When I was younger I thought working was awesome. It was MONEY! What is better than MONEY? Once I moved out on my own, MONEY was taken by BILLS and work was no longer cool. Over the years I haven’t minded my jobs, but I felt like a brain dead clone. I became a lifeless robot stuck on repeat. Maybe at this point, I was wishing for an alien abduction just to have a funny story to tell at dinner. But reality sunk in and I realized I wanted more out of life.

One day searching on the internet, I saw some ads for online schools. I thought about requesting information just for the fun of it. One of my dreams did involve having a degree. So I got a little excited and went to request information, but guess what they asked for, “What career field are you interested in?” I looked at the screen like a lost puppy. I honestly had no idea what I really wanted to do with my life. It was like a wakeup call, something to think about.

I contacted Argosy admissions office and spoke to one of their admissions representatives. I felt kind of bad because I think I overwhelmed her with questions. She bent over backwards to help me make up my mind to enroll. She spent hours talking to me and I finally decided to enroll in the Psychology program because I was extremely interested in Psychology.

I started working on my general education credits and had a few psychology classes, and started doubting my interest in the psychology major. It was not a lack of interest in the program that made me change my mind, it was the in depth program that helped me realize who I am. I was amazed at how the classes brought about self-reflection. The discussion topics and reflection papers helped me define myself to myself. Right before the end of my freshman year I received a change in my academic and student finance counselors. I took this opportunity to get to know my new academic counselor and just started asking questions.

My academic counselor is the most amazing person. She is always there for me. She always listens to me, questions me about what I want out of life and what my true interests are. She has reassured me that I have not been abducted by aliens and this is NOT a dream. She helps me constantly on my journey of self-discovery and I am blessed to say that with her help I am now a sophomore majoring in Criminal Justice with a concentration on Forensic Psychology. It is with her guidance and the programs that Argosy has put together for their online students that have made me learn to smile again.

Today I woke up and looked in the mirror. I still tripped over my husband’s shoes and raced the kitten down the hall, but I was smiling while I did it. I have not felt so alive and in control of my life in a long time. I am proud to be an Argosy University Online Programs student. With their help, all my dreams are starting to feel possible.

Are you an Argosy University Online Programs student interested in writing for this blog? Check the Welcome Center in the Campus Common to find out how!

In a recent blog post, we pinpointed some commonly misused words. The truth is that, in the English language, the list could go on for days, so we bring you part two in a series of blog posts to get to the bottom of some common word misunderstandings. If you missed our last blog post on the subject, you can read it here.

• Every day versus everyday. You might find them used interchangeably, but the truth is that they have two separate meanings. Every day is the same as “each day” or “regularly” as in, “Every day I bring my lunch to work” or “I wish I could remember to wear my comfortable shoes to class every day.” Everyday, on the other hand, is an adjective meaning daily or commonplace, as in “My everyday life could use some excitement” or “I would not wear my everyday clothes to my best friend’s wedding.” It would be incorrect to say “Everyday I bring my lunch to work” or “I would not wear my every day clothes to my best friend’s wedding.”
• Through, Thru and Threw. Through and Thru mean essentially the same thing, as in “I wish I didn’t have to drive through/thru all this traffic on my way to work” or “I am through/thru about one-third of my assignment.” The difference comes in the setting in which each is acceptable to use. Thru is actually an informal spelling of the word through and thus should not be used in academic papers or other formal settings. Thru might be acceptable in informal communications with friends and family, such as text messages and e-mails. Finally, threw is the past tense of throw, as in “He threw that ball clear across the field.”
• Than versus Then. We’ll wrap up today’s installment with this pair, which may have caused everyone some confusion at one point or another. Than is used when comparing items, people or places, as in “She has taken more classes than he has” or “I would rather be studying than sitting in traffic.” Then is used as a description of time, as in “I logged in to the library, then I found the resource I needed” or “I added the milk, then the eggs, to the recipe.”