With the flip of a lid and a pop of a pill, students seek to study longer and with more concentration, reducing the stress involved with upcoming exams.

The use of prescription stimulants such as Adderall and Ritalin as  study aids has proliferated on campuses, and it seems like  students don’t regard the use of these drugs as a problem.

Perhaps it is because these drug users don’t fit the stereotypical profile. They are students with a GPA to worry about and tough majors in tough schools. They are your friends or roommates, and it’s not like they are popping pills to go partying. Students report using the drug occasionally and only for the study benefits.

Another reason for the turned cheek could be the proliferation itself. While alcohol remains on top of the list for substance abuse on campus, prescription stimulants  are right behind with 15 to 20 percent of students using the drug , according to Amelia Arria, Ph.D., Senior Scientist at the Treatment Research Institute.

Not to mention, an argument arises about the source of the drug. Most people get the drugs from friends who have a prescription for ADHD, arguing that if their friends can use it, it must be safe for them to use as well. Plus,  it isn’t really bought from a drug dealer on the corner. In some cases, it isn’t bought at all, as friends with ADHD simply give away their medication.

With the unique circumstances surrounding prescription stimulant use on campus, it is hard to think of it as a drug issue. Still, as with the use of any drug, there are definite health consequences and even campus-wide ramifications. Citing “occasional” use of the drug masks a greater issue. Engaging in use of these drugs  is ultimately habit-forming and could result in greater dependence.

A 2007 study of undergraduate students published in the journal Pharmacotherapy found that those students who began illicit prescription stimulant use in college were four times more likely to report three or more positive indicators on a standard drug abuse screening test than their peers who did not use stimulants, according to the Partnership for a Drug-Free America.

Besides addiction, use of these stimulants could have greater health consequences. The argument that if it is safe for someone else it is also safe for you is easily countered. The people who have been prescribed these drugs know the risks, have been monitored by doctors and have been written a prescription based on their individual health and history. Students without a prescription have simply been handed a pill without knowing if they are prone to certain conditions. Worst case scenario could result in seizure or cardiac arrest.

We have all heard the health consequences, but a lesser debate rages on about drugs hurting schools’ academic integrity as using a stimulant edge while studying creates an illegal, unsafe and frankly unfair advantage. Someone cramming with the use of stimulants earning the same grade on a test as someone who legitimately studied seems like many in the academic community as on par with cheating.

In a forum such as the Olympics, where athletes are judged based on their athletic ability and the best are rewarded, performing-enhancing drugs are cheating. The same idea should stand true for academics as well, where students are challenged and judged on their ability to study and learn. Add in the widespread use of study-enhancing drugs and it is hard to make sure the best get rewarded.

If you have weighed the pros and cons of prescription drug use and decided it is not for you, there are things you can do to enhance your study sessions and test scores.

Start Early

Don’t cram. It is stressful and not effective for everyone. Start making a study guide as you go along the semester by combining your class notes and reading material after each lesson. That way, by the the time your test comes around, you have a cheat sheet all ready to look over.

Actually Go to Class

So many test questions come from lectures and in-class discussions and videos. Professors do this on purpose to stick it to the people who sleep in. So go, take diligent notes and make your class notes the biggest chunk of your study guide.

Study With Others

It is fun and actually helps. But it can be distracting so cap off your own studying with a quiz-style study session with a friend. It will show you what you need to work on.

Look for Study Tools

College towns have businesses that tutor and provide notes and study guides. If you feel uneasy, check out one of these services in your town. It will cost you, but so will Adderall. Go online and see if you can find some old study guides or practice tests for your class, as some professors post them. If not, try to find someone who took the class last semester and get some help from them.

Be Confident

Some might resort to prescription drugs because they aren’t confident in their study abilities. Studying is hard, but it is something we all have to do. Don’t count yourself out. People have been doing this for centuries and so can you.

Ask for Help

Talk to your professor. They are there to help you learn and will give you advice if you ask for it.

Schools fail to monitor the use of stimulant prescriptions, and students cracking under pressure will continue to buy them. Still, curbing the spread starts with students addressing the issue and taking a stand on one side or the other.

Putting off graduation has its pros and cons. First of all, spending another year at a university will cost you, and there is just no way around that. However, not earning your degree will cost you even more, so at this point you kind of have to bite the bullet. You can make the most of the fact you have to spend more money by really bulking up your major or minor. Take on a foreign language while you can, since it will look great on your resume. Take electives that go towards your minor or major to boost your GPA. Take a Web design class. Since the world is going digital, you are going to want to have that edge anyway.

Basically, since you are paying more anyway, make sure you get the most bang for your buck. The extra year may be expensive, but you can utilize the time to really prep yourself for the job market. Your fifth year of college will be the perfect time to earn yourself another internship. The more experience you have under your belt, the better.

Still, staying on another year might mean you have to watch your friends graduate. This could be demoralizing, like you feel you are lagging behind while all your friends go off to experience the wonders of the world. You’re wrong. Your friends are likely just going to another school, an entry level job or worse, moving back in with their parents. You are on your own path, and friends come and go along the way. Besides, it is easier than ever to keep in touch with friends with the wonders of the Internet so your college buddies will always be just a Facebook page away. Plus, maybe some will have to earn more education as well or choose to go to your school’s graduate program. In any case, when you are feeling down, just remember your friends are probably floundering in the job market or tougher grad schools, and they miss you and their old college town.

Five years of one college town or scene can be utterly monotonous, and without your familiar friends, it can be even worse.  Combat boredom by taking the time to travel. Many schools have organizations dedicated to volunteer work all over the country and beyond. You can go on a weekend trip to another city, or a spring break trip to another country, all while earning a valuable experience and making new friends. Not to mention, all this volunteer work will look great on your resume.

If you haven’t noticed by now, being a “super senior” is hard work. But now is the time to gather all your powers of organization and determination, so when you do graduate you are ready for anything the world throws at you.

The Chat Roulette pool is a virtual grab bag of people–from people who don strange masks to people who wear nothing at all. Still, despite the  shenanigans abound in the Chat Roulette universe, it has fast become a valuable pastime.

For college students, Chat Roulette can be used as a mere time-waster, or an easy way of connecting with other college students all around the world. But first, you have to sift through the insanity. Navigating Chat Roulette takes patience. You never know what to expect when you click the “next button,” although live masturbation is not an uncommon occurrence. These people don’t make the best chat partners, as they are more into the “performance” aspect than the social aspect. “Next” away.

Your next partner could very well be some baby-faced teen in their room with loud music playing. Being so young, you might as well “next” them as you probably don’t have anything in common with a middle school student, unless you specifically logged on to find more Twilight fans. There will always be the people who want to see you strip down. Your choice on this matter. However, don’t expect a lot of conversation because often the chat goes from introductions to flashing in a matter of minutes.

While clicking through the chat windows, look out for rooms with drab, concrete walls.These are probably dorm rooms. From there, the conversations come naturally with questions like “where do you go to school?” and “what’s your major?” Chatting up other college students has left me with some valuable advice on things like switching my major and homesickness. Since there are so many students on Chat Roulette, you might even find someone who goes to your school.

People from different countries often make the best chat partners as they offer a glimpse into a different culture. People from Asia are very prevalent, so if you are studying abroad there or you’re from there, Chat Roulette offers the perfect chance to get acquainted with or reconnect with the culture. Study abroad students can find a virtual gold mine in Chat Roulette. People from Europe are always eager to talk about the sights and sounds of their hometowns. Talking to a pair of lads from London earned me  some good advice on sightseeing – skip Abbey Road, but definitely check out Big Ben.

Once you log on to Chat Roulette, there are a few things to keep in mind. You should expect that most people are looking to chat with the opposite sex, so don’t get offended if you are “next” because of your gender. You should expect that if a group of people show up in your chat window, they will probably be rowdy, maybe drinking and maybe want you to flash so dealing with them might be a strain. Be aware of how much time you are spending on Chat Roulette. It’s definitely as addicting as actual roulette. Don’t get offended if you are “next.” Think of how many people you had to “next.” Also, as always with your Internet dealings, be careful of your personal information.

And finally, expect the unexpected. Chat Roulette is really what you make it. You can log on if you’re bored and need a laugh, or with patience and tact, you can find a sane person and good conversation. Check out this site for some wacky chatroulette.com screenshots.

And when it comes to dress code, the Greeks really don’t mess around. A rush week dress code has been circulating the Internet, leaving people baffled, offended and in some cases, in stitches. IvyGate received seven pages of dress code requirements for Pi Phi’s Cornell chapter, and the stipulations range from strict to silly.

Some notable passages:

- “Denim-legging” is appropriate as long as it’s done right: aka, not from American Apparel and worn with chic, cool chunky boots over them and a longer top. NO camel toe.

- No: Muffin tops or extreme low rise!!

- Preferably no short sleeves–recommended: full coverage aka elbow length, 3/4 length, long, thin layers.

- Yes: Nice flats: Tory Burch. Boots: love…worn OVER pants.

- Yes: Shaved legs

- No: Satin. No one looks good in satin dresses unless its from Betsey Johnson or Dolce and Gabbana, you weigh less than 130 pounds, have 3 pairs of spanks on and it’s New Years Eve.

- I’m not saying you have to be wearing the Harry Winston wreath for me to like it, but I am saying I will not tolerate any gross plastic shizzz. Remember: less is more.

- You best have a mani pedi when you get to Ithaca

- No frumpy!

Maybe the rules lighten up once you are a sister, and surely vary from house to house, but it seems the stereotype of sorority girls all dressing the same has some validity. There are pros and cons to going Greek, and whether you want to go through all the pomp and circumstance of pledging is up to you.

Still, note that a degree of individuality goes out the window when you start donning the same dress code as the rest of the house.

Read the full dress code at Fashionista. Do you feel this dress code is overblown? Or an accurate portrayal of rush week stipulations?

Then, somewhere in the sixties, it seems women collectively decided that they didn’t want to be just homemakers anymore, and thanks, but no thanks, they didn’t want to be just secretaries, either.

Today, women are better educated than ever. Women outnumber men on college campuses, and earn slightly higher GPAs than their male counterparts in nearly every major, according to a report by AAUW Educational Foundation.

Still, one thing hasn’t changed since the 60s–a wage gap. Forty-seven years after the Equal Pay Act was signed, women are still being paid less than men. Currently, an average woman makes 78 cents for every dollar a man makes over a year, according to a report by Jessica Arons called The Career Wage Gap.

Where some people see sexual discrimination, some say other factors account for the gap, citing that many women choose to pursue low-paying occupations, like nursing, teaching or social work. Maternity leaves could be another factor in explaining the gap, as women exit their careers for a prolonged period of time to raise their kids, some never to return.

Yet even after factoring in these elements, research indicates one quarter of the pay gap remains unexplained amongst men and women working full-time. The unexplained gap allows for a degree of sexual discrimination, and. It also accounts for severe financial losses for women over the span of their careers. Women in all occupations suffer a pay gap, although the difference varies, with the widest gap being in careers of finance and management and the lowest being in the field of construction and maintenance, according to Arons.

Women may lose $434,000 in income on average because of the gap, and although women outnumber men and outperform men in universities, the woman with the degree stands to lose the most. The more education a woman has, the wider the wage gap. Women with a college degree or higher lose $713,000 over a 40-year period versus a $270,000 loss for women who did not finish high school, according the Arons’ report.

After nearly half a century of complacency, now is the time for women to start demanding equal pay, and if the principle isn’t reason enough, then certainly the money is. Closing the wage gap will earn more income for nearly half the country’s population, and in turn, stimulate the economy. A report from the AFL-CIO and the Institute for Women’s Policy Research found that if women were paid fairly, family incomes would rise and poverty levels would fall. Giving women fair wages will allow more discretionary income for them and their families, which they can then put back into the economy.

The change should start with students. When you graduate, don’t let your hard work and expensive education go to waste by being complacent about your wages. Here are some ways to insure you get paid fairly when you enter the job market.

Negotiate

Women are less inclined to negotiate pay then men, thus they often settle for their first offer. When it comes time to talk about wages at your job, take the first offer as simply that—an offer.  Learn to negotiate artfully, and you will be rewarded.

Climb the Ladder

Men occupy more upper management positions than women, dealing with hiring, firing and pay. Getting more women into these positions is an important step in closing the wage gap. When you graduate and get into the work place, always be looking upward. Don’t be afraid to talk to your boss about promotions, raises, and your career aspirations. Your boss is in a position to help you succeed, but if you don’t express your higher goals to them, they will think you are content where you are.

Report, if necessary

Lilly Ledbetter suspected unfair pay, and she was right. Now, thanks to the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, it is easier than ever to report wage violations. Now you can report unfair pay up to 180 days after the date of your most recent paycheck, as opposed to the date of the first unfair paycheck. If you have gathered reasonable cause to suspect a violation, contact your local Department of Labor office and make a report.

However, don’t ask your co-workers about salaries, as it is unprofessional and could result in termination. We call agree that times have changed. Now the questions becomes, have they changed enough. And if they haven’t, what are we going to do about it?

We all know that between a dozen long-stem red roses and a Godiva heart-shaped box of chocolates that Valentine’s Day can be expensive, but when you factor in books, rent and meal plans, the budget for romance gets even smaller. Still, ditching the typical clichés for a more creative approach to Valentine’s Day can not only save you some cash, but also make your sweetheart feel extra special.

Fish in the Sea

Buy a dozen or so common goldfish from the pet store, and one special fish you think your partner would like. With some careful budgeting, this should tally somewhere around $15. When your sweetheart isn’t home, fill the bathtub with water (make sure it is the right temperature for the fish) and put the fish in the bathtub. Write a sweet card for your significant other about how they are the only fish in the sea for you and leave it on the edge of the bathtub where they can see it. Decorate with candles, Christmas lights, or whatever you happen to have around to set the mood. Lead your valentine into the bathroom with a trail of rose petals, sweet notes with arrows or even by hand with a blindfold. They get to keep the fish you bought specifically for them and you can give the other goldfish to your friends or family as a fun Valentine’s Day present.

Celebrate Like It’s 1929

Take your valentine back to February 14, 1929 – a time before market crashes and money woes. You don’t have to spend a fortune to recreate the extravagance of the Roaring Twenties, however. Take your partner to a high-end café. Bring a tablecloth, candles and make sure you both dress the part in fancy cocktail garb. Splurge about $30 on fancy coffee, wine or desserts. To play up the 1920s vibe, bring Monopoly and spend hours playing with your sweetheart, buying up hotels and spending “money” like you don’t have a care in the world. You can even make an erotic wager about the winner of the game.

A Work of Art

Making a piece of art for your valentine holds a lot of sentimental value and doesn’t cost a lot of money. In fact, there is a program you can download for free that you can use to make a mosaic for your partner. You can use pictures of the two of you together, erotic pictures of yourself, pictures of things significant to your relationship or all three. Simply download AndreaMosiac and follow the instructions. Put it on the wall of your sweetheart’s bedroom, and cover it with wrapping paper. Hold an art unveiling with a cheap bottle of wine and mood music. Bonus points if you make the CD for them as an extra Valentine’s gift.

Secret Garden

Find a botanical garden near you. Usually, there is an admission charge of about $10 per ticket. Tell your sweetheart to meet you at the address without telling them what it is. Go there early and plant secret clues to lead them through the garden to you. Set up a picnic at the most beautiful spot and wait, sending them a text to set them along the trail to find you. When they get there, be ready with a bunch of handpicked flowers.  From there, you can spend the rest of the day wining and dining in the garden.

When it comes to budgeting your study abroad experience, costs can rack up and most likely, your program won’t include the little things. Preparing for these little snags can help to steer clear of financial woes and reduce stress as you get ready to set off on your trip.

The first thing to consider is your passport. Apply for your passport, even before you apply for your study abroad program. You will need the passport to apply for a visa, which is a long process that you must have finished before your departure. Getting this out of the way early will prevent a passport/visa panic in the weeks before your trip. The passport will cost about $100. If you procrastinate, like I did, you will have to pay to get your passport expedited, which is another $100.

After you get your passport, you should apply to your study abroad program. There will likely be an application fee of $50 to $100. The application process might require you to get a teacher recommendation as well as a transcript, which will cost a small fee as well. When you’re accepted into a program, you will likely have to pay a confirmation fee, which varies from program to program. My particular program called for a $500 confirmation fee.

From here, see if your program will defer the final payments until a financial aid disbursement date. If they do, they will send you a letter to bring to your financial aid office that states that you will be receiving aid at the beginning of the school term. This will afford you time to earn scholarships and financial aid before you have to write a big check. Your study abroad office will send a budget to your financial aid office, making you eligible for more aid and federal loans. If you need to take out a loan for your study abroad experience, opt for a federal loan over a bank loan because the interest rates are much lower. Make sure you have an updated FAFSA.

Once accepted into a program, it is time to start the visa process. If you are studying abroad in summer, where you will only stay for a matter of weeks, you might not need one. However, if you are spending a semester abroad, a visa is definitely required.  Obtaining a visa is a lengthy process that requires you to gather documents like enrollment verification from your home and abroad schools, a financial statement about your budget abroad and a proof of lodging in the country you’re staying. A consulate will look over the documents and grant the visa; however, every consulate requires very specific documents. Log on to your consulate Web site, and print out the list of required documents so you can check them off as you obtain them. Processing the documents and mailing the visa could take weeks so if you procrastinate too long you could put yourself in jeopardy of postponing your trip. The processing fees for a visa vary by consulate and the type of visa. For a student visa, you can expect to pay $70 to $150.

Now, it’s time for you to fill the gaps of what your program doesn’t cover. Most programs will cover lodging, tuition to your foreign university, international health insurance and some excursions. Your program might not cover your airfare, which could cost upwards of $1,000 depending on where you’re studying. Also, your program probably won’t cover all your meals so don’t forget to factor food into your budget.

Finally, how are you going to communicate with friends and family when you are abroad? International calls are expensive, so using Facebook or Skype to keep in touch will save you some coin. However, when you’re abroad you’re going to want a mobile phone to keep in touch with your new international friends. Your program might provide a mobile phone, but if it doesn’t, a cheap way to keep connected is buying a pay-as-you-go phone once you get off the plane.

Don’t forget to leave room in your budget for travel, souvenirs and fun. With good planning, your trip abroad will be the time of your life.

We know people spending hours with open browser windows so their corn can grow. We all have at least one friend berating our homepages with game requests. Some people have ten game applications, and some people seem to use the site just for games rather than a place for friends.

It is all too easy to waste away a boring lecture with a fun, free game provided by everyone’s favorite social networking site. Still, between Farmville, Pet Society, Café World and the myriad of other Facebook games, players can become more than just distracted but even addicted. However, breaking an addiction to Facebook games seems a little tricky. After all, we all have to get on the Internet, and swearing off Facebook entirely means an addict doesn’t get to utilize Facebook for the positive things it can do for them. Fortunately, there are ways an addict can turn their Facebook game compulsion into a healthy habit.

Step One: Admit It!

Being honest with yourself is the first step in knowing you’re addicted to anything, even Facebook. Does the amount of time you spend on the game interfere with other important things in your life like studying, socializing or work? When you can’t get on Facebook to check the status of your game, do you feel anxious? If you answered yes to these questions, you might have an unhealthy obsession with Facebook games.

Step Two: Set Some Goals

Facebook doesn’t have to be all crops and cafes, and you don’t have to delete your page to get your game play under control. If you feel you spend too much time and energy on games, start to break the addiction by setting some realistic goals. Write down what you want to get out of Facebook. Want to keep in touch with high school friends? Keep up with the latest campus events? Create steps to switching your priority from your game to your goals. The steps should be simple and give you room to grow. For example, one step could be “delete one game application today” or “Write a message to a friend back home instead of checking the game.”

Step Three: Make a New Schedule

If you have identified yourself as a game addict, Facebook games have probably consumed your schedule. You play when you wake up in the morning, in class, after school and maybe even into the wee hours of the morning. It’s time to get back on track. Start by allotting a specific time to get on Facebook. Make sure this time is wide-open like a long break between classes or just before bed, and only stay logged in for a predetermined amount of time such as 30 minutes to an hour. Sticking to your new schedule will be hard. You can make it easier by checking your email, reading your favorite blogs, and logging into other social network sites during this specific time as well. This way, you don’t need to get back on your computer all day.

Step Four: Distract Yourself from Distraction

Don’t let Facebook games be a distraction anymore, and start putting your anxious game energy into other outlets. Start by leaving your laptop at home more. You don’t need to take your laptop to class. Chances are you will end up surfing the Internet as opposed to taking notes. Take notes the old-fashioned way—on paper. When it comes time to study, leave your laptop at home and go to the campus library. Most libraries have pages such as Facebook blocked. Take up a new activity to keep your mind busy. You think Farmville is fun? Plant your own real patch in one of the campus gardens. Like Pet Society? Volunteer at a local animal shelter. Universities offer a multitude of free, fun activities for students, so get off the computer and take advantage.

You’re Not Alone

Online addiction is about as old as the Internet, and there are resources for people with an online gaming compulsion. For self-tests, tips on cyber-wellness and more information on online gaming addiction, visit this site.

Some call it the “campus rape crisis.” However, the schools won’t. Despite staggering campus rape statistics, campus crime reports fail to reflect the scope of the problem, according to a report by the Center for Public Integrity.

A hush has fallen over the topic, including secret university proceedings regarding campus rape allegations. Yet, the U.S. Department of Justice tells us that one in five women in college will be the victim of sexual assault before they graduate…And the assailant is more likely to live in the dorms than lurk in a dark alley.

Two federal laws require schools to respond to sexual assault cases occurring on campus. Although these laws, the Title IX and the Clery Act, mean to protect the victims’ rights, a lack of effective sexual assault policies in schools fails the victim in many ways.

Two journalists, Kristen Lombardi and Kristin Jones of the Center for Public Integrity, wrapped up a nine-month investigation of university sexual assault cases and the following campus judiciary procedures. The resulting articles, published through December, uncovered a secretive curtain some universities impose when dealing with sexual assault allegations, including closed hearings and in some cases illegal gag orders.

These secret proceedings do little when it comes to holding alleged assailants accountable for their actions. Sadly, the Center for Public Integrity also reports that there are often dropped complaints and little to no punishment. Some schools even use mediation as a means to deal with sexual assault allegations, reducing a felony crime to a schoolyard dispute. The truth about the campus rape crisis is that it is costing women an equal education.

Impotent sexual assault policies that allow assailants to continue walking the same campus sidewalks as their victims with little consequence will affect the victims psychologically and ultimately academically. Protecting women on campus goes further than little blue emergency buttons and a school speaker warning against neglected Solo cups at the bar. Knowing your school’s sexual assault history is the first step in lifting the veil of secrecy and demanding an equal education for yourself and other women.

Here are some steps to take to better know your school’s sexual assault history.

Step One:

Know the laws regarding campus crime reporting by downloading the handbook.

Step Two:

Request your school’s annual campus security report. Schools are required to collect and publish this data. Check your university Web site.

Step Three:

The U.S. Department of Education also maintains a database of campus crime statistics.

Step Four:

Look for discrepancies between the school crime report and the Department of Education crime report. Different numbers could be a red flag that your school isn’t reporting campus crimes faithfully.

For more information on the findings of the report, check out the Center for Public Integrity Web site.

Easy Way to Protect Yourself

When it comes to campus rape, 90 percent of the victims know their assailants, according to a study by the U.S Department of Justice.  Luckily, there is an easy way to check for the most common date rape drugs.

2 Love My Lips is a lip-gloss that contains drug-testing kit for spiked drinks.

Check out this site for more information on campus rape statistics.

]]> http://www.studentstuff.com/2010/01/26/survey-uncovers-secret-university-sexual-assault-policies/feed/ 3 http://www.studentstuff.com/2010/01/24/music-festivals-that-suit-your-budget-and-support-a-cause/ http://www.studentstuff.com/2010/01/24/music-festivals-that-suit-your-budget-and-support-a-cause/#comments Sun, 24 Jan 2010 20:27:30 +0000 Jen Smith http://www.studentstuff.com/?p=6518

State festivals can save student's money and support a good cause

The second annual Harvest of Hope festival released their line-up and thus kicked off the music festival season. Harvest of Hope is unique because the indie festival benefits the Harvest of Hope Foundation, a charity that provides aid to migrant farm workers. This time of year can prove expensive for music lovers, as the cost of tickets, camping passes and gas can quickly rack up. For students who want to experience the festival atmosphere without going for broke, smaller festivals right in your own state can bring the best of campus radio for less cash and a good cause.

Savannah Music Festival March 18-April 3 Savannah, GA

The Savannah Music Festival is a three-week celebration of music that benefits arts education.  The festival produces programs for children and adults in the theatres, schools and historic venues of Savannah, while bringing in over 400 musicians to perform. This year, Wilco and indie-sweethearts She & Him will perform. Tickets for individual events are now on sale here.

34^th Annual Summer Arts and Music Festival June 5-June 6 Benbow, CA

This is the most comprehensive music and arts festival on the North Coast. Celebrating the arts with an all-media fine arts exhibit as well as 100 performers on four stages, this festival offers a lot for only a $22 weekend pass. For more information, visit this site.

Harmony Festival June 11-13 Santa Rosa, CA

Harmony Festival is going on its 32^nd year of celebrating community activism, environmental awareness and harmony amongst people and nature.  The festival not only includes music, but speakers and activists spreading a message of global peace. Last year featured the likes of India.Arie, Dead Kennedys, CAKE and Bad Brains. To keep updated on this year’s lineup and ticket information, visit harmonyfestival.com.

The 6^th Annual Mountain Jam June 4-June 6^th Hunter, NY

Mountain Jam is all about the best new music as well as spreading environmental awareness. This year brings over 40 bands on four stages including The Avett Brothers, Les Claypool, Gov’t Mule and Michael Franti & Spearhead. Discounted early bird tickets are on sale as of Jan. 25. For more information, visit mountainjam.com.

Jammin’ for the Animals Festival July 30-July 31 Leesport, PA

A quaint festival featuring Cabinet, Flux Capacitor, Mark Furman Band and more that also benefits a local humane society. Besides the music, the festival also offers hiking, swimming, a live art village and workshops in tie dying, pottery and glassblowing. Not to mention the festival is held in the beautiful, rural setting of Blue Falls Grove. Tickets are only $25 in advance and $30 at the gate. For more information, visit jamminfortheanimals.

Don’t forget that performers are rallying together all around the country to benefit Haiti, including a last minute show by Radiohead in Los Angeles on Jan 24. Don’t miss the opportunity to see a band you like in your town for this important cause.

To find out more information about festivals in your state, visit jambase.com.