Don’t worry, I’m not talking about cheating in their relationships. A new study by the American Psychological Association has found that creative people are more likely to cheat when it comes to tests and the like. The study claims that because creative people are so flexible in their minds and can generate ideas, they can justify cheating through “self-serving rationalizations,” which means they don’t cheat so severely to the point where they feel bad about it. This study says they tested individuals for creativity and intelligence. And then the subjects were given lab tests that made it easy to cheat.

Both of the tests were paid and the individuals were basically told how to cheat, which seems to have provided an incentive to do so. The researchers did say that this could have been a problem. I’d like to see what the results would have been without the incentive of money. The study says that those who tested high in creativity were the ones who cheated more. It doesn’t say, however, how the subjects were tested for creativity.

I would, one, like to know how they determined creativity because it’s such an open thing. What makes someone creative? You can say being an artist or a writer makes you creative. Others will say the way you arrive at an idea makes you creative. How do you determine creativity through a test? I’m not quite sure. And, two, how accurate can a test be if you’re setting someone up to cheat? If you’re told that a Scantron answer sheet has lightly bubbled in answers because they were photocopied wrong, even if you’re not trying to cheat, you might subconsciously do it.

Most of the people I know that cheat wouldn’t necessarily be classified as creative. I’d classify them as lazy. I consider myself to be really creative, and if I were to cheat I know I’d feel awful about it. I wouldn’t be able to justify cheating because I’m creative and can contribute thoughts. I don’t think being creative makes me, or anyone, more likely to cheat.

What do you think? Does being a creative person make you more likely to cheat?

Fall is in full swing. The pumpkin spice lattes are a part of your daily ritual. You’ve broken in your new fall boots. You’ve given up that whole turning over a new leaf idea – you know, the one that involved getting your homework done on time. And hey, just in time for midterms too.

Mid semester exams are inevitable. And annoying. Just when you’ve started to think you could get away with not doing any of the reading for your classes and getting all of your notes online (from the comfort of your futon), midterms rear their ugly heads.

Essays?
Quotation identifications?

You are not prepared for this. Time for some serious studying, right? Not just yet, there are a few things you really need to do first….

10. Clean up. Wow your keyboard is really filthy. And your screen? How could you even see? This needs to be done now. Or you’ll never clean it. No time like the present, right? Where’s that Windex?

9. Did your phone just ring? Your BlackBerry just buzzed. That could be important. An e-mail from a professor? A question from a friend? You’re still waiting to hear back about that internship.  Just check… really quickly.

8. Check your Facebook. That text Sarah sent you said that McHottie hooked up with that girl from your bio class this weekend. But you’re not sure how reliable of a source she is. There have to be pictures if it happened right? Just scroll through the newsfeed. You won’t be able to concentrate until you know.

7. Make yourself a snack. You’re starving. You should probably eat something. Brain food. Like fish. No. But there’s a vending machine right down the hall. There’s bound to be something full of dark chocolate there. That’s good for you, isn’t it? And while we’re on the topic, wine’s a brain food these days too, right?

6. Visit your favorite websites. You just want to check your daily websites. College Candy. College Fashion. Texts From Last Night. The usual. It’s not your fault there’s so many awesome new articles up. It’s better you read them now before you really get into your work. Plus, you’ve been busy. You could use a break, really.

5. Oops! Forgot to check Twitter!

4. Watch your favorite show. Okay. So you can hear your roommate watching TV from the other room. You look at the clock. Yep. There’s a Kardashian marathon on. And, wait, is that the KHLOE AND LAMAR WEDDING?! What’s another hour (or 3)? It’s the wedding…and you’ve been PMSing…you could use a good cry. Let it all out, girlfriend.

3. Take up a new hobby. What’s that? Your boyfriend is watching baseball? Well, you’ve never really been a fan before, but these are the important games aren’t they? And it’s important to take an interest in things he enjoys. Maybe he could explain to you what’ going on as you watch…

2. Change your scenery. You know, with all these distractions, you really need to get out of the house. You’ll really get more done if you’re at the library. Just pack up your things and go…

1. Talk to a friend. Is that Melissa sitting over there by the computer? You haven’t seen her in days. It won’t hurt to say a quick hello. I mean, you don’t wanna be rude. It’s common courtesy, people. Just a little holler and then you’re on your way…

If you can find an empty table, that is.

What are your favorite ways to put off studying for midterms? Are you a professional procrastinator or do you get things done quickly?

….I think my preferred method is pretty obvious.

Got a special place in your heart for top 10 lists? We do and we’ve got some doozies.  Get ‘em all out right here.

Someone needs a little more 'bux in her cram sesh.

College. Sigh. It’s unlike any other time in your life. It has its own set of rules, its own unique circumstances. And it’s not always easy to navigate. Enter…me!

Every week I’ll be tackling your questions about college. From classes to keggers, I’ll do my best to respond and be your Pez dispenser of collegiate wisdom. Got questions? Unsure of a decision? Just wanna talk to a pretty cool lady (if I do say so myself)?

Hit me up in the comments or shoot me an email at melanie@collegecandy.com

How can I cram for a test effectively?
Okay, first of all, cramming and effective should not go in the same sentence. But if you lost track of time (or couldn’t pass up a week-long Beer Pong tourny the week of exams…) and you must cram, pick a place that’s quiet and distraction free. Preferably the library or a Starbucks. Load up on caffeine, make an outline of the most relevant points that are going to be on the test, make flashcards, whatever; just writing down the information will help you learn it. If you’re in a time crunch, skip the excess and read (and read again and again ) summaries and Sparknotes.

Cramming is different for everyone. Personally, I crack open a red bull and hide in a deserted classroom and make absurd nmenumic devices. If Redbull’s not your thing, snag the most expensive drink at Starbucks. It’s a 13 shot venti soy hazelnut vanilla cinnamon white mocha with extra white mocha and caramel. $13.76 (with tax). Gross, right?

I need a roommate next year! Who should I pick?

Okay, well I don’t know everyone you associate with, but my advice is to pick someone who gets on your nerves the least. I’ve roomed with a friend from high school, a girl BFF, randoms AND boys. Personally, I adore living with guy friends (though they can be somewhat sloppy and don’t have cute dresses to share) and I had success living with my college bestie as well. Even a few random roommates became close friends of mine. I would suggest picking someone you know very well and that shares similar living styles. Similar sleep, work, party and class schedules are great too. You definitely don’t want to share a bedroom with an early bird if you hit the hay at 4 AM. Look for chicas (or chicos) who are laid back, respectful and aren’t overwhelming. If all else fails, do the random roomie thing. Sometimes it can suck, but most likely it’ll work out!

If I go home with a guy, do I have to sleep with him?
NO. If you don’t want to, don’t. Don’t feel guilty or obligated to do more than you want. Just because you invited him to be a guest in your home (or vice versa) doesn’t mean you’re obliged to do anything that you don’t want to.

When am I going to start feeling more at home here?
I’d say typically towards the end of your first semester, but it’s different for everyone. I never felt at home at my first school, so I transferred. If you’re super miserable? Look into transfer options. In my heart I knew that my first college wasn’t the right fit for me, so halfway through freshie year I applied to transfer and it was the best thing I’ve ever done. I’m not suggesting to transfer the instant you feel out of place, but if you’re so uncomfortable at school, don’t be afraid of the option! Make the most out of college.

That being said, life still just plain sucks sometimes. Whether you’re totally stressed about an upcoming presentation, feel like you haven’t slept in weeks cramming for finals, or are going through a painful breakup with the boy who lives down the hall, it’s inevitable that the blues will creep up on you at some point.

And according to a recent wave of scientists, you should not treat sadness like a horrible disease that needs to be taken care of immediately.

Eric Wilson, author of the new book, Against Happiness, argues that our culture has a fixation on happiness, and fosters “a craven disregard for the value of sadness” and “its integral place in the great rhythm of the cosmos.”

Okay, so the whole “rhythm of the cosmos” thing sounds a little odd, but hear me out.

After going through my recent breakup, everyone told me that I needed to go out and meet lots of people and have tons of fun. Which is all fine and great. But, for awhile, I just really didn’t feel like it. I would go out till all hours of the morning and end up drunk, exhausted, and more upset than I was to begin with. How was this helping me?

It wasn’t. So, I shifted my thinking on it and just did what I wanted to, no matter what that was. If I felt a bit down and wasn’t in the mood to have a crazy night out, I didn’t. I stayed in and read or watched a movie or hung out with a friend that was opting out of the night also. I talked about how I felt or just let myself feel melancholy without rushing out to somehow numb that feeling. And the progress I’ve made doing it this way instead of the old routine is amazing.

Wilson isn’t the only guy to come up with this theory fighting against our obsession with happiness. There are a number of researchers that have been looking into the actual value of sadness and there is a great article in Newsweek that details all of their findings.

My favorite explanation of this whole movement comes from a piece on newser.com. “But like all emotions, melancholy has an evolutionary purpose, driving exploration and change,” it says.

I LOVE that idea. It is when you actually let yourself feel sadness or melancholy that you can then grow, change, and learn something.

Give it a shot, let me know how it goes, and remember, it can’t be any worse than that splitting headache you will feel the morning after trying to forget your sadness by drinking alcohol like it’s water.