A nontraditional student can be described in a variety of ways. Many individuals can be considered nontraditional students, including transfer, commuter and/or adult students. Typically these students are over age 25, potentially work full-time, care for their kids and/or elderly parents, and are returning to school to complete their degree after taking time off. Do any of these criteria describe you?  If so, YOU are a nontraditional student!

OASIS is an organization that seeks to assist nontraditional students by introducing resources that that can be beneficial for them. A nontraditional student can be many things, including adult, commuter, and transfer students that attend EIU. This group is supportive of students that are looking for help connecting with other students while they are at the university.

We would like to welcome all students back for another exciting school year at Eastern Illinois University. We're happy to have students back, both on and off campus, to kick off the Fall 2012 semester.

Every new semester brings new challenges. Whether you're completely new to EIU, an adult student returning to school for classes, or somewhere in-between, having a resource is always a plus. If you're a nontraditional student seeking support this year, look no further than EIU's OASIS.

We'll be hosting a few meetings each semester for OASIS, and the first one for Fall 2012 will take place on Wednesday, September 12th at 11 am in the EIU Union's Adult/Commuter Student Lounge. 

Come have lunch with us, as sandwiches and refreshments will be provided. RSVP over at the Facebook event and tell your friends about it!

We had a great time at Pantherpalooza on Wednesday, August 22. We met students from different backgrounds and fields of study, and were pleased to introduce them to OASIS. It was a great opportunity for us to find out what our nontraditional students at EIU are looking for this semester.

We strive to stay connected with students any way we can, and social media is a great way to share information and updates. 

Find OASIS on Facebook to stay up-to-date with the newest information regarding meetings, School of Continuing Education events, and much more.

Time is a precious resource, especially when a student has obligations outside school. Coming up with a dinner menu can be a struggle. A good student's mind shouldn't go hungry, and neither should his/her stomach!

We've put together some helpful and easy recipe resources, to make your life a little easier as the school year starts. Check out some personal recommendations from our staff:

• 50 After-school snacks - Food Network
• Slow-cooker main dishes - All Recepies
• Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps  - Mel's Kitchen Cafe (pictured above) 
• Spaghetti in Garlic Gravy with Herbs and Lemon Marinated Chicken and Cherry Tomatoes - Goddess of Scrumptiousness Recipes
• Taco Pasta - Plain Chicken
• Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken - Semi Homemade Mom

Having a difficult time adjusting to a new semester with new stresses in your life? Here are a few articles that provide some tips on alleviating your stress. 

Time management can be a big issue for all students, and especially for nontraditional students who are balancing busy lives with classes. This article from Mayo Clinic's website discusses some tips to reduce stress and improve productivity. Plus, here's a video from ABC about reducing stress in college students. We'll continue to share self-help tips in upcoming newsletters.

"If it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you." - Fred Devito

"There is no telling how many miles you will have to run while chasing a dream." - Author Unknown