3 things GetGlue got right

Tech blogs across the Internet have declared GetGlue one of the top apps to watch in 2012, and after watching it rise to popularity at the end of 2011, it’s pretty clear why. Location-based networks such as foursquare and Facebook Places got us hooked to “checking in” to the events and brick and mortar venues we visited on a daily basis; GetGlue provided a way to check in even from the comfort of our own sofas. And though the entertainment check-in app had many competitors (most notably, Miso) GetGlue became the mobile app for entertainment. Here are three things GetGlue got right:

1. GetGlue organized the conversation around live entertainment. More than ever before, 2011 was the year that a mainstream audience experienced the power of connecting with complete strangers over shared entertainment experiences. Reality shows ran Twitter feeds across the bottom of our televisions. Network dramas held Twitter contests using dedicated hashtags. And when viewers were inundated with pleas to share their thoughts on Facebook, Twitter, blogs and other sharing platforms, GetGlue brought all our conversations together.

2. GetGlue partnered with television networks to offer exclusives. If there’s anything foursquare has shown us, it’s that we love exclusives, and through a few under-the-radar partnerships with television networks, GetGlue gives them to us. Each time I check in to a live broadcast of ABC’s Pan Am, I unlock a sticker from the episode I’m watching. Streaming episodes of Psych from Netflix on my boyfriend’s iPad? I’ve just unlocked a discount for 10% off Psych merchandise in USA’s online store. And because the networks have been relatively quiet about their GetGlue partnerships, the exclusives I unlock are always a surprise to me — that’s what makes them so much fun.

3. GetGlue and networks understand how our consumption of entertainment content has changed. As instant streaming services continue to define the way we consume entertainment content, even revitalizing shows no longer on the air, GetGlue is working with networks to provide new content and exclusives to fans who may have “missed the boat” on television shows’ original runs. I love the nostalgic sticker (below) that The CW shared on its One Tree Hill page on Facebook — as the CW airs its final season of the show, One Tree Hill fans are flocking to Netflix to revisit past episodes, and this sticker shows that the network recognizes that.

How are you using GetGlue? Do you use it just to check in, or do you join the conversations happening around your favorite shows and movies?

On approaching the unknown

“You can see only as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.”

E.L. Doctorow

How to consolidate your student loans

About six months have passed since I consolidated my student loan debt, and in that time, many fellow college graduates have reached out to me for information about how to consolidate their own student loans. Consolidating student loans can simplify the process of paying back student loans, reduce the interest rate you pay each month, and eliminate the hassle of working with ever-changing loan servicers. I’m not a financial expert by any means, but I thought I’d share a bit of wisdom from my own experience to help my peers get started with this process.

1. The first step is to compile information about all of your loans eligible for consolidation. Any loans provided through the government (Stafford, Direct, etc.) are eligible for consolidation; I received two loans directly through Iowa Student Loan that are considered private loans, so those are not eligible for consolidation. It’s likely that during your time in college, your student loans switched hands a few times between servicers, so the easiest way to figure out who services each of your loans is to visit the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) site: https://www.nslds.ed.gov/. This is a service of the U.S. Department of Education that documents all federal student loans you have taken out. For each loan listed, you will find information such as the principal balance, the date the balance was disbursed, the interest rate, the outstanding interest that has accrued (if unsubsidized), and the servicer for the loan (important!). NOTE: You may need your PIN to gain access to this database. You would have received a 4-digit PIN when you completed the student loan entrance counseling way back during your senior year in high school, so if you don’t know what your PIN is anymore, you can have that recovered for you through the site.

2. You have a few options when you’re ready to consolidate your federal loans. At the time of my research (spring 2011), there were only four private lenders who offered student loan consolidation – Wells Fargo, Chase, NextStudent and Student Loan Network. These private lenders may also consolidate private loans, if you have any of those, but there’s one caveat to be aware of: whether they will consolidate your loans and the starting interest rate are determined based on your credit score, and your interest rate will not be fixed. More info can be found here.

The other option is to consolidate through the Federal Direct Consolidation Loan program. With the federal consolidation program, there is no risk of being denied a consolidation, and the interest rate is determined by averaging the interest rates on the individual loans you have taken out. I chose to go with the federal program because it was easier than seeking out information from each of the private lenders, and because I wasn’t sure what type of interest rate I would find because I don’t have an extensive credit history yet. I was able to get the process moving more quickly, which was important to me because I dropped down to part-time status before actually graduating and had to start paying my loans back sooner than I thought I would!

3. One other thing to note: regardless of who you set up your consolidation through, if you say that you’re going to use auto-pay on the loans, your interest rate will drop by 0.25% because you’re seen as a more reliable borrower. I would highly recommend doing this — low interest rates are fun, and then you won’t have to worry about remembering to pay each month.

My Prairie Portrait on Silicon Prairie News

I’ve received more than my fair share of love from the Silicon Prairie News team, and I was honored to be featured in their Prairie Portraits series. Click the image below to read more about my role at Lava Row, my favorite Apple product and why I’d want to be Khloe Kardashian.

My Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa guest post

Earlier this month, I was asked to write a guest post for the Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa blog in celebration of the 100th anniversary of Girl Scouts. Click on the image below to read about my own Girl Scouts experience and why I feel the Girl Scouts program has the potential to develop the next generation of female leaders.

Silicon Prairie News, Thinc Iowa & my excitement to wear a conference badge

On a whim, I entered a contest hosted by Silicon Prairie News, the voice of the Midwest’s entrepreneurial community, to win a pass to their inaugural Thinc Iowa conference. Focused on celebrating and enriching the common ground between startups and corporations, Thinc Iowa has an all-star cast of speakers and is THE place to be on October 20 and 21. I’m honored to have been selected as the contest winner and absolutely thrilled to have the opportunity to attend this landmark Des Moines event. Thanks, Silicon Prairie News!

On reading, and not being alone

“The best moments in reading are when you come across something – a thought, a feeling, a way of looking at things – that you’d thought special, particular to you. And here it is, set down by someone else, a person you’ve never met, maybe even someone long dead. And it’s as if a hand has come out, and taken yours.”

The History Boys

“Culturedness” defined by phrenology

Interesting look back at the origins of “highbrow” and “lowbrow” — phrenology. It appears I was destined to stick to “lowbrow” culture.

theatlantic:

tarnoff:

A phrenological chart, mapping the different zones of the human brain. “Destructiveness” is near the ear; “Individuality” is right above the nose.

Why do we talk about foreheads when discussing culture? The word “highbrow” first appeared in the 1880s; “lowbrow” came into use right after the turn of the century. They came from phrenology, a nineteenth-century pseudoscience based on the (entirely false) idea that the shape of a person’s skull revealed something fundamental about their character. The creative, intellectual parts of the brain were located behind the forehead: thus Anglo-Saxons were superior to other, darker races because of their higher foreheads, or “brows.” Italians, Irishmen, Africans, Asians couldn’t create art on the level of Shakespeare or Milton because their brains simply weren’t built for it. They belonged to the “lowbrow,” on account of their lower foreheads.

Check out Perry Meisel’s The Myth of Popular Culture from Dante to Dylan for more on this.

The case for healthy kids

I’m incredibly awkward around children, so I find it ironic that the three issues I care most about revolve around kids: healthy school lunches, girl leadership and confidence-building, and effective fitness programs for children. But these issues are so important. As adults, we know that our childhood shapes who we become – and what’s a better future to build for our communities than one led by healthy, active, confident individuals?

A new model for overdue book fines

Everyone hates overdue book fines, so I love that New York Public Library is doing something to help cut those costs – letting kids “read away” their fines. A terrific idea to attract kids and their families to the library and reward reading!

nypl:

 

 

So let’s face reality – everyone forgets to bring back Library books sometimes. And when they do, they rack up fines. Sure, the fines aren’t that steep, but over time, they can add up. Here at NYPL, if you rack up $15 or more in fines, your card gets blocked and you can’t check out books…