Reflections on My Transition to College

Life throws us curveballs.  That's the way it works.  You play the game, you do what you can to get through.  You plan ahead, but you can't always guarantee that things will go according to plan.

Leaving for college was like that for me.

I chose my school based on gut instinct.  I'd hem-hawed around, avoiding any solid choices, and suddenly decided on an impulse to go to my current institution.  It just felt...right.  Not everyone is lucky enough for their decisions to be that easy.  The only complicating factor I had at the time was a boyfriend who I'd dated since freshman year of college.

To expect that it would be smooth sailing was...idealistic.  And incredibly unrealistic.  It almost felt like a "too-good-to-be-true" situation, and in many ways, it was.  During Freshman Welcome Week, I had the flu, and missed out on some valuable networking opportunities with other first-year students.  I also had the shocking realization that I was the "poor kid on the block."  Coming from a rural background, attending the school primarily on generous scholarships and loan programs, I felt outnumbered.  Many students asked me why I would even have to work, let alone juggle multiple jobs.

Over the last three years, I've learned to be more understanding of the students who come from more...financially-comfortable backgrounds.  It's not their fault, necessarily.  And who knows, maybe all that hard work led to the marketable young professional that I feel I've become, even in my junior year of college.

I didn't anticipate the growing pains that came with building a relationship with a college, especially one so radically different from where I grew up.  Moving from a town of 3,000 people to the wealthiest suburban town in the greater Chicagoland area was a culture shock.  Despite how hard it was, though, I'm glad I'm still here.  I'm glad I stuck it out.  I missed home.  I missed the open spaces of the country.  I missed my family.  I missed my friends.  I missed my dog.  I missed my boyfriend.

However, that builds character.  That overused and cheesy as they term is, I stick by it.  Being away from all the things I held dear helped evolve me into a more capable human being.  It also set me outside of my comfort zone.  I grew.  I gained new experiences.  Mostly, I matured.

So, despite how difficult my transition to my new life in the wealthy west Chicago suburbs was, I'm glad I'm still here, over two years later.  Sitting pretty with a decent GPA and an incredibly bright professional future, I'm glad I did it.  I'm glad I stepped out of my safe zone.

So, if I ever share any advice to any new or future college students, it's this:  don't give up.  Don't let the transition scare you away.  Don't be afraid to be upset, and understand that it's normal.  However, don't ever let someone tell you that you can't do it, and don't tell yourself that you aren't good enough.  In retrospect, the hard stuff makes it even more worthwhile.

Best of luck!

Procrastination, Thy Name is...

I'm a college kid.

Therefore, I'm a professional procrastinator.

You can give me work, a job.  I may hate it, but I'll still follow a worthy time-management schedule for productivity's sake.  If I love it, there will be even less chance of my path diverting.

Give me school-related tasks...homework, studying, group projects, assigned reading...and I will do anything, ANYTHING, to avoid doing it as long as possible.

Good example:

I had a paper due on Monday.
I intended to get back to school on Sunday to work on it from 7 or so, up until it was finished.  I didn't anticipate it going beyond a few hours worth of work.

What did I do instead?

1. I updated my resume.
2. I updated my LinkedIn profile.
3. I took a phonecall from my boyfriend.
4. I got locked out of my dorm room, while my roommate slept inside...she sleeps like the dead.  It took an hour or so to wake her up and get back inside.
5. I chatted with a friend on Facebook.
6. I worked more on my LinkedIn profile.
7. I "reread" the material that the paper was on.
8. I found excuses to take more notes to "prepare" for the paper.

Then, when all other options were exhausted...I wrote.

It took a short period of time, once I actually wrangled my focus and ran out of other things to do.

I think this is a fairly natural occurrence to most members of the college-aged population; even respectable, hard-working, punctual students find a million and one different things to do other than their homework.

There's no real lesson to this post, just some musing over a phenomena that has no true explanation.  With that in mind, I should go to homework...after I clean my dorm room, sit on Facebook for four hours, chat with someone on the phone, run to the store, hit the drive-through, watch Glee, and...well, you get the idea.

"Learning," "Not Learning," and "Lessons"

High school was easy.  Besides for a few places where math tripped me up, I really never had to work at it.  Even stressful periods seemed to be a breeze back then.  I enjoyed small challenges, like 8-page A.P. History papers and extemporaneous essay and speech contests.  Even among panic attacks and stress and concerns like test scores and college, it all seemed so fun and easy.

Now I'm realizing how hard things really can be.  I have no study skills, and the concept of doing homework ahead of time seems foreign to me.  I used to be the student that waved off everything...the one who got everything done with time to spare.  Now, I'm that student that gets a text with a question about a paper and I respond with, "What paper?"  College is hard, and I didn't do a whole lot to prepare myself for it in high school.  At least, not in the traditional means of developing study skills and time management capabilities.

What I did learn in high school is helping to compensate for that, though.

I learned dedication.  I learned not to give up.  I learned work ethic.  I learned determination.  I learned to follow my passions.  I learned to count on my friends.  I learned to be the best person I could.  I learned these things in classrooms, to a point.  However, most of that education happened outside of my classroom.  It happened when I was caught up in the blur of planning a National Honor Society fundraiser.  It happened when I was tutoring kids during band class, before hopping into my car to make the bus for my soccer game.  It happened when I was dazed into a machine-like productivity in the days before our FFA chapter's first ever awards banquet.  It happened when I was completely overwhelmed with excitement to leave high school, but still found a million and one ways to stay lodged firmly into that community.

I never thought of that as learning.  I thought of it as doing.  I thought of it as fun.

I may not be the best at doing homework.  I may not have superior note-taking skills.  I may not be the 4.0 student I was when I graduated high school, but those other lessons have really kicked in.

And, while I struggle with some things, I'm finding that "hard" doesn't always equate to "bad."  I may sit in the lab working on a project that leaves me completely overwhelmed and feeling defeated, but there are few things that beat the moment when you've realized you got it right.  There isn't much that can replace the feeling of accomplishment that you get when you do something you thought you never would.

It's easy to say this now.  It's easy for me to sit back and say all of the challenges are worth it in the end.  It's simple to think about the end result, and overlook just how emotionally, physically, and mentally exhausting the "during" was.  I won't always be able to feel this grateful.

However, in the past few days, and even the past few weeks, I've found myself doing "the impossible" more often.  I never could have done these if it weren't for those lessons I learned when I was busy "not learning."

College will not get easier.  There will always be things that seem impossible for me to do, to handle.  However, as I go, I hope that these instances will continue to make me stronger.  They'll continue to be the lessons I learn when I don't think I'm learning.


"It's kind of fun to do the impossible." -- Walt Disney 

Hiatus

Obviously, Cheap Pizza doesn't see too much action anymore. Part of that is because the stresses of college aren't constantly forcing me to re-evaluate life lessons, therefore the constant need to record my findings isn't as significant. Part of that is because I just don't have time.

Cheap Pizza is still the place where my profound "young-professional-slash-student" discoveries will be recorded. However, my home is my other blog, Midwestern Gold.

So, for the summer, Cheap Pizza is on hiatus. That is, unless I experience some random epiphany that I feel I need to record here. If that's the case, I'll type up some randomly emotionally-charged post and publish it here.

Happy summer everyone! And if you still want to catch my musings, rants, opinions, observations, and quirks, check me out on Midwestern Gold.

A Constant State of Transition

I've written blog posts about transition before on here. They're nothing new or special. But there's a reason that change is a running trend on here; this stage in our lives, this late-teen-and-twenty-something era, is designed for us to learn through change. Nothing stays the same, and I'm constantly reminded of that as I settle back home for the summer.

There's a lot of change going on around me right now. I just moved from school back home. I'm switching from my campus job to my summer job back home. I said goodbye to my roommate today. She's from Sweden, and I don't know if I'll ever see her again. On top of that, my parents are selling the house I'm sitting in right now. This is the only home I've ever known, so that is a big change.

We can't fight it, or stop it. It's a natural thing. Not all change happens according to our plans. In fact, most change is unexpected, and in many cases is unwanted. After spending a decent amount of the day crying over farewells with my various European friends (I hung out with a lot of international students this year), I spent the evening forgetting the whole situation. I'm awful at goodbyes. It wasn't until 12:18 a.m. that I hopped onto Facebook one last time to see my roommate's status.

"There's no such place as home.. but where the hell is home? Going back to normal has never been as painful. Cheers to new experiences and new friends!"

It's simple, but it's exquisite. She said it well. At this point in our lives, is there really such as thing as "back to normal?" I mean, come on. In the last two years of my life, more has changed about me than the 18 prior. She's going back to a culture and a country that she's all but trained herself away from. She's facing a change that goes deeper than geography or time zone. I am proud of her for seeing the bright side in the situation, which I can't always do. Even if this wonderful girl and I never speak again, if we lose touch and forget we slept in the same set of bunk beds, at least she left me with one final, lasting lesson.

Change happens, and it can be the best thing to happen to you. It can open doors and bring some unexpected form of prosperity, despite all the negatives it could bear. She hated America at first. She almost went back. Not long ago, she thanked me for convincing her to stay for the duration of the year. The change that had seemed so difficult to start, was suddenly the best thing to happen to her. And now, going back is difficult...but I'm sure it comes with a rewarding feeling.

I don't have to like everything that happens to me during this pivotal point in my life. I don't like that I had the wonderful experience of living with someone for nine months, only to wonder whether or not the friendship will endure. I don't like that my childhood home could become someone else's home in less than a year.

I can't really fight it, and I definitely can't change either fact. But it's a learning experience in the purest form. Tonight, I am tired. I'm emotionally fried for many reasons, and probably a little too mentally wired to sleep well. I have a huge day tomorrow, but I have a feeling that tomorrow night I'll still be saying, "I have a huge day tomorrow." Every day is a huge day, just like no day is really normal.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, change can be hard. It can be downright rotten. "Normal" is just another word for the constant state of transition that people in positions such as mine face. This constant state of transition is scary and hard and can test the strongest person to their limits. That's what makes it great, though. That's what we learn from.

In between wild weekends, stressful finals, and ripping your hair out over the next internship or interview, we do something amazing. In between classes and projects, we learn. We grow up. If that isn't a change worth taking note of, I don't know what is.

The Ever-Dreaded Group Work

During my various internships and volunteer experiences, I've worked with people that I really enjoy. Across different ages, professions, and outlooks, people often have a tendency to come together for something important. However, this isn't always the case.

Over the last week or so, I've found myself in two distinctly different group work scenarios. In one group, we talked about what each member had a knack for and divided work up based on our specific talents and skill sets. It's worked out swimmingly. Everyone is happy and we have a great end-product. We worked together on the things that required a bit more diversity and understood how to complement each other's talents.

It's been an unlikely success story for a college group project.

In another class, I'm facing the opposite situation. The group doesn't communicate well outside of class, and when we are in contact with each other, there isn't much productivity. Group members are trying to micro-manage each other, and tensions have gotten pretty high at points. When nasty e-mails started flying (when we should have calmly talked out these problems during class) I realized how far out of hand things had gotten. We needed to reorganize and cooperate.

A lot of things had to happen for the group to get back on track:

1. We had to put our egos in check. All of us. Myself included. When you get four (or, in many cases, more) people trying to be right all the time, tempers can get high. Working well in a group requires everyone to admit their limitations and own up to the fact that you're generally equals.
2. We had to acknowledge each other's skills. In this particular group, we need to use Adobe programs to make a finished product. I'm the only person with any experience with PhotoShop, which means my contribution has become fairly focused into that area of the project. The other girls in our group have talents spread across writing, organization, planning...not everyone can do everything in the project, but everyone has something to contribute.
3. We had to figure out how to spread the work evenly (as best we could). No one likes to feel excluded, and no one likes to feel like they're doing all of the work. You can't always evenly split it, since everyone's abilities apply to each project differently. However, being shy to responsibility or being a work hog can reflect on you poorly in the end.
4. We had to remind ourselves to smile. We are all stressed out right now. Finals start on Monday and week ten on a trimester schedule is always stressful. I have three large projects due between Friday and Tuesday, and the next few days are going to be very touch-and-go as far as my stress levels are concerned. One of the things I needed to remind myself about was that all of the people I am working with are in the same boat. We are all stressed out right now. So, sometimes the best thing to do is blow off some steam. Laugh, smile, don't be afraid to have fun while you work together. A happy individual generally equals a happy group member. Don't forget that.

Overall, I was reminded of some valuable lessons today about cooperation. Not everyone understands good group dynamics. Most college students don't have the professional and volunteer experiences I have when it comes to cooperation and working together. In fact, I feel very blessed to have these experiences under my belt. In the long run, they'll help me.

Next time you're faced with the task of working with others (especially ones you may not know or haven't worked with before), think about the mindset with which you step into the project. Respect, cooperation, and trust can go a long way. And please, please, please do not resort to sending snobby e-mails rather than sorting out problems in person. That's a wonderful first step towards an unhappy group.

Taking Criticism

I'm studying multimedia, so a big part of my education is through constructive criticism. At times, it can be rough. There are some professors who will take your work and rip it apart bit by bit, piece by piece, until you feel like your very soul has been trampled upon in the form of your hard work and dedication. Really. It gets hard sometimes. The only thing you can do is grin and bear it, though. A lot of the time, you aren't even allowed to defend yourself.

The thing to realize, regardless of how heartless the delivery, the intention is to teach. The process is sometimes very trying. You get the "nicer" profs now and then, but really...sometimes you just want to go hide away in a lonely dark place and cry. It comes with the trade.

You need a thick skin and a sense of humor. Professional criticism is something I've adjusted to. Sometimes when your work is getting ripped apart, you need to be able to find the humor. I'm sitting in an especially harsh Digital Photography critique as I type this, and I'm struck by the change in the students around me. Many of my classmates have never had formal critiques before. In the seven and a half weeks we've been together, there's been massive growth. People talk now. They joke. They laugh. They don't take things personally.

This is something everyone should be equipped with, not just us artists. Sometimes, when life hands you some trial, whether it's criticism or even a personal struggle, a sense of humor and an ability to take a few blows is the best adaptation you can have.

Coming from someone who gets grades for having grace under fire, this really can make all the difference. Humor can be a wonderful coping mechanism, or can be the thing that turns you into a "duck" as my boyfriend would say. (It just rolls right off your back, like water.) So, as I sit here listening to photographs getting ripped to shreds by a very talented but very ruthless professor, I'm reminded of this.

Smile. Nod. And learn. That's sometimes all you can outwardly do.

Disappointment CAN Teach Lessons

Next Tuesday is the Rall Symposium here at North Central College. It is the honors and independent research event that is put on here every year. Earlier in the academic year, I'd been avidly working to get a grant to do personal research. I'd have travelled around the country meeting the leaders of the agriculture in social media movement. The farmers I would have gone to visit are all actually now heavily involved in a not-for-profit organization known as the AgChat Foundation. I didn't know about the Foundation at the time of my early research and proposal, as it was on lock-down until the Foundation's official launch.

Personal life caught up with me. Or maybe just life in general. My first attempt at getting the grant was rejected, and I had to face the reality that I have too many irons in the fire. I needed to focus on me, my health, and surviving college with decent grades. I mean, internships, classes, and my other job(s) are hard enough to balance. I had no right to try and pursue this great opportunity when my GPA is the lowest it's ever been!

If the research plans had worked out, I'd be presenting at next year's Symposium.

Working in the school's Marketing and Communications Department, I've been heavily-involved in a lot of the Rall Symposium prep work. I've been so busy lately that I didn't get to stop and realize how bittersweet it is. I'm sure at this point in my life I couldn't have handled the project, but it's also a bit disappointing that on the 3rd Tuesday of May 2011, I won't be giving my presentation.

Things could be worse. I could be losing my mind right now over a project that I just didn't have the time, resources, and focus for. I could have let down some great people by getting in too deep and messing up what would have been a well-intentioned project.

There's a lesson here. You can't have everything. You can't please everyone. You should never give up on your dreams, but you should be able to sort them into importance. The research trip? It would have been a wonderful opportunity. I've gotten to know the people I was going to be working alongside in my travels, and they're all wonderful people. If I hadn't had the dedication to approach them and talk to them about this project, I probably wouldn't know them as well as I do now, and I'd be missing out. Someday, I might go visit them without having the excuse (or distraction) of a research grant.

Overall, I think the rejection of my project was a blessing in disguise. In the months following the rejection, I've definitely come to terms with the fact that a steady job, and internship, freelance work, and classes are enough to keep anyone busy (even someone who jokes that sleep is for the weak). I don't think I necessarily "lost" any great opportunity anymore. I was just handed opportunities in different forms.

So, am I a little disappointed to sit here coding HTML about an event that I dreamt about partaking in? A little. More than anything, though, I'm grateful. I've learned a lot about my personal boundaries as far as stress and time-management, and I might have never seen that clearly. Besides, there's time for me to do work and research for the rest of my life. I don't need to stack all of it on in my four short years here in college.

A College Kid's Guide to Microwave Meals

I've been meaning to lose some weight. Really, looking at pictures from high school depresses me in regards to my weight. I think every college girl goes through this. Well, recently, I can proudly and honestly say I've succeeded in doing that; unfortunately, it hasn't been through the means I entended. In fact, I should make a conscious effort to pay better attention to my health. You see, I haven't had much time for real food. Meals at the caf are history, at least right now.

Between a 10-15 hour on-campus job (doing Internet Communications work), an Internet Comm internship for Illinois Corn Marketing Board, and my free-lance video job, on top of class...where does food fit?

Well, there's one type of food that I know I can always have time/space/room for. It's easy to eat it in computer labs, classrooms, dining areas, and my dorm room. Microwave meals.

I've spent plenty of time reconnecting with this forgotten friend lately. If it weren't for microwaves, I probably wouldn't eat.

These used to be limited to frozen TV dinners and Spaghettios. No more! I do love Spaghettios, but sometimes you want something that feels more like "real" food. Well, here's my list of favorites. Most of these are straight forward and just require proper administration of water. They're in no particular order.

1. Easy Mac, and Easy Velveeta. These are both wonderful for different reasons. Easy Mac has that classic Mac-n-Cheese feel. Easy Velveeta has a richer, thicker sauce and shell-shaped noodles. I love both, separate but equal. What I also love about these is that you can add stuff. I've done some experimenting, and you can really customize this stuff. Adding veggies, meat (canned or pouched chicken is my favorite) and all types of seasonings. Garlic Easy Mac is surprisingly delicious! When I'm around the dorm room and have access to a fridge/freezer, I like to add fresh or frozen veggies (obviously microwave the frozen veggies) like broccoli.
2. Bowl Appetit. The ones I've tried have been pretty tasty, although they don't seem to microwave as smoothly as some. Part of this problem is probably that the sauce powder is pre-mixed with the noodles, so you don't have quite as much control.
3. Marie Callender's Home-Style Creations. I love these because of the quality. They're surprisingly tasty, and there are plenty of wonderful options to pick from. The idea here is that the carb product (noodles, rice, or stuffing) is microwaved with water and strained out separately. You then warm and add the sauce and meat product, which is in a separate container. I've eaten three or four of these in the last week and have been pleasantly surprised with the quality and taste each time.
4. Hormel ComplEATS. These are closer to the "TV Dinner" style. These highly-preserved meals aren't necessarily perfect, but they're better than nothing. They don't need refrigeration, and it's as easy as taking off the cardboard cover, stabbing the plastic top, and popping it in the microwave. My favorite is the Chicken and Dumpling, but I was definitely not expecting how good the Beef Roast and gravy meal was. You could tell it was real beef, which isn't always the case with microwave meals. The mashed potatoes were a little odd texture-wise, but I was still pleased. Other great options include a variety of stews and "homestyle" meals like Turkey and Stuffing and Chili.
5. Campbell's Healthy Choice Soup. If you can find it in the microwave-safe foam-and-plastic container, that's ideal. Because of the mixture of broth, veggies, and noodles, this is surprisingly filling and can tide you over for longer than you'd expect. You can also go with traditional Campbell's soups. The Healthy Choice selection is a little narrower, but is often lower in sodium and tends to have more "natural" ingredients and fewer preservatives. If you want more variety, just look at the Campbell's range as a whole, and not just the Healthy Choice products. (I know, most college kids are just happy to have food, regardless of this stuff. I just feel that some honesty is needed.)

I know these aren't really the ideal "healthy benefits" foods. They're food, though, and they're easy. They can be stashed in any purse, book bag, or computer bag fairly reliably. (I've never had one bust open in a bag...yet, knock on wood.) Most of these offer some sort of balance between carbs and protein, and some actually do have some nutritional content beyond calories.

The important thing to keep in mind that even if you can't get access to the healthiest food, you DO need to eat. College, work, and social lives at this stage in our lives...well, it's difficult. You'd be amazed where you can find random microwaves on college campuses. More than once, I've found the staff/faculty lounges late at night and used those. Many of our academic buildings have student lounges will microwaves. (My favorite is the Art and Design building, where I've pulled several all-nighters in the last few years. I once spent 12 hours straight working on a painting, with some down time during drying.)

So, there you have it. A poor, starving college kid's outlook on microwaveable food. They're cheap, they don't need refrigeration, and they will fill your tummy. With that out there, I need to head to one of my three jobs.

Good luck on finals, moving home, graduation, and the like. I know at my school, we're buckling down for the final weeks (which is incredibly stressful on a ten-week schedule), but everyone else is either finishing up or done.

The Unknown

Fear is common. Fear is normal. It's a natural response to help protect us. It can be fairly useful in many situations. It can also be a hindrance. So, what qualifies as a "healthy level" of fear? Fearlessness can be commended, but can also be considered foolish. Cautiousness and cowardliness are separated only by a thin, blurred line.

The future can be terrifying. The great "unknown" that comes after college, after this year, after this term, after this week...it can be pretty scary. Lately, the future has been a pretty hot topic between my boyfriend and I. The idea of talking about "our" future, our collective future as a single entity, is both scary and exciting.

I feel brave enough to talk about that, but the idea of what I'll do after school is terrifying. I'll work, obviously. But where? For whom? Doing what? Will I like it? Will I have to bite the bullet and suffer through to build and resume' and squeak by? Will it tie into my passions? Will I develop new passions to adjust to it?

The unknown can be terrifying. It can be wonderful and exciting and inspiring. It's supposed to be a little of all those things. The future is unwritten. Plans can be changed in an instant. Flexibility and reactivity can make all the difference.

It's okay to be a little scared. Every college student should be, when it comes to their future. Confidence, faith, hope, and enthusiasm should help counter that fear. What qualifies as a "healthy level" of fear? That's based entirely on the individual. The important thing is to never let it stop you from getting what you want.

It's About Choices

Things have been rocky lately, to say the least. Yet, I'm lucky enough to have people that help me bounce back (or try to) when the road gets a little rough. This time in life is meant for learning lessons. Granted, we spend our whole lives learning, but what we figure out (or don't figure out) now will ultimately influence where our careers start and how they grow.

During a conversation today, a wise man who I'm starting to consider a pretty good friend said, "Kelly, it's about choices." A lot of our conversations have stuck in my mind lately for many reasons, but this line stands out especially.

In four words, he got a message across that has been trying to get through my thick skull for years.

Choose. Prioritize. What matters most? Your health should come first, even if today's corporate world seems a bit too fast for that. And by health, I don't mean avoiding colds. I mean cultivating healthy habits, relationships, and outlooks.

If I had a dime for every all-nighter I've pulled because of procrastination or panic, I'd be on my way to getting my car paid off. After those stressful late nights and caffeine-induced crazes, I always felt drained, exhausted. Was it a smart thing to do? At times it was the only thing I could do. I'm sure many of them were unnecessary, though. I was dumb enough to make that choice, though.

Now, I sit nearing the end of an incredibly stressful week. Some of it, I couldn't avoid. A lot of it was self-inflicted, and unnecessary. This stage of life is going to be stressful, if you do it right. You make so many choices in early adulthood. Some of them are dumb. Some of them require careful establishment of your priorities. A lot of the time, your choices influence you a lot more than you'd think.

So, I leave you with the same advice I got earlier today, during a pretty serious conversation. It's about choices.

You're Only Human

So, I'm sitting here watching pictures transfer from the Nikon D40 that I'm borrowing from the school library, to my MacBook. Even before I look at them, I've filled with a sense of dread. They're awful. At least, the ones that REALLY count are awful. The ones that will be graded are awful. As an over-achiever, this irks me. They are PICTURES. I am an ARTIST. I'm majoring in GRAPHIC DESIGN.

This should come naturally, right?

Well, not everything comes naturally. It's important to recall that. Not everyone who can draw, can paint. Not everyone who can take good photographs can draw. Not everyone who can balance a checkbook can trade stock. Not everyone who can...anyways, you get the idea.

I dread the bad grades. I really do. The 4.0 I had senior year of high school has already lowered considerably since I entered college, and these pictures aren't going to help much. (Luckily, half of the pictures I need to process tonight are for a smaller project that is only 5% of my grade. The other half are for a project that is worth 10% of my grade.)

As a graphic designer and artist, I have to accept the fact that I might not get an A in my digital photography class. Sure, I should try to achieve that, but trying too hard and failing might be worse than accepting my lack of natural talent. No one likes to put their all into something, only to realize it's still not that good. (Especially not perfectionists like me.)

So, I must accept that I am human, and move on.

Next year, I'll be taking design classes. I'll be taking print and digital media classes that will play into my talents a little better. I'm already taking two classes in which I'm getting A's, so I can't let Digital Photography get me down.

After all, I'm only human.

Transition

Here at North Central College, we follow the trimester schedule. We have our first term from mid-September until just before Thanksgiving. We have an optional short term from Thanksgiving until Christmas break called D-term (which I normally opt out of to go home and make money). We have another full-length term from early January until Spring Break in mid-March. Then, our third full-length term is from late March until mid-June.

Each full-length term is 10 weeks long, with three days of finals tacked on the end. So, 10.5 feeks total.

All of the other schools are closing up for the season or start summer classes, and those of us here at North Central are just recovering from mid-terms. Some classes still have mid-terms to take (such as my writing class). Despite the fact that we have another five weeks of class, though, we're in transition. We're getting to that place in the year where students are inconspicuously taking home things they won't be needing anymore. Winter clothes, books they won't read, appliances they won't use. (My coffee-maker is going home with me on Friday, and probably won't be coming back.) Moving back bit-by-bit, weekend-by-weekend, makes the final she-bang less difficult. I'm both dreading and looking forward to moving home. This academic year has been the best and worst of my life. Home is, well...home. There are a million reasons to want to be there. There are a million reasons to want to stay here, too.

This is also symbolic of a bigger transition in life. A friend and I were talking last night after our late-night Wendy's Value Menu binge about life right now, at this very point in our lives. When do Billy and Lauren grow up to be known as William and Laurie? (It's easy for those of us whose names are pretty straightforward. Kelly, for example.)

Change can be difficult. Change can be abrupt. But it wasn't until last night that I realized, truly realized, the slow and ever-ongoing change that's occurred since I wore my cap and gown in May of 2008.

I'm almost done with my sophomore year of college. In a few weeks, I'll turn 20, leaving behind teenage-hood altogether. Shortly after, I'll transition back to my slower-paced life back home. Then, I'll transition to junior year of college, where the professional "you" is expected to further solidify.

In the spirit of all these changes, I've thrown together a slightly more polished, "grown-up" look for Cheap Pizza. Because green pizza is just weird. Cartoon versions of me are cool.

Overcome.

Everyone faces hardship in their lives. Life isn't made to be easy, it's made to be lived. Good can't truly be appreciated without some sort of negative to compare it to. These hardships have to be viewed as learning opportunities. A chance to grow. Whether it's a failed class, a personal loss, or the petty drama that comes with the act of "growing up," it hurts. It sucks.

I'm no stranger to hardship. My family wasn't very well-off growing up. I lost my father at a young age, and I've adjusted poorly to college. I'm also bi-polar, which makes things difficult at times. It's contained, controlled, and highly-monitored. It's still not fun.

As much as I'd like to cry and moan about the difficulties I've faced throughout my life, especially in the last year or two, tonight put things in perspective. I watched a friend go through her own inner-struggle, and helping her sort out her feelings was a chance to step back and regard mine. Watching her bravely fight a personal battle against the challenges of this scary thing called "life" helped shed a new light on things.

Hardship and strife are gifts. The ability to overcome them is a blessing. And from here, life isn't meant to get easier. You can't spend your life saying "college will be less stressful than high school," then "my career will be less stressful then college." That then becomes, "After I have some experience, work will be less stressful," which morphs into, "After that promotion, work will be less stressful."

Life doesn't get less stressful. It doesn't necessarily get easier. Your blessings pile up and your things to be thankful for grow. Loved ones, families, homes and hopes and dreams become reality. But the difficulties will always arise. Just like I'll always be bi-polar, life with always have curve balls.

Just overcome. Climb the hill. Get to the other side. Learn your lessons, and grow. That's what it's all about, after all. Live isn't made to be easy, is made to be lived.

Passion.

The title says it all. It's the cornerstone of any successful career. It's the motivation that fills a resume'. It's the thing that keeps you coming back, even when you get knocked down. It keeps you in school when the stress is too much. It makes you pick up that pen and keep filling out job, internship, scholarship, and grant applications after rejection. It translates into other emotions and characteristics...stubbornness, strength, drive. Passion breeds these traits.

Passion is my motivator. Whatever the source of your passion, you need to hang on to it. Dig your claws in and hang on for dear life.

Passion can be a double-edged sword. Too much passion can lead to things like disappointment, burn-out, exhaustion, or even despair. Unchecked passion can backfire. But without passion, what is the point of doing what you're doing?

I'm almost done with my sophomore year of college. I have a few weeks left to a successful internship. I've had my first freelance video production and post-production job. I've gotten hits from news organizations, communications departments, and head hunters. I've been given offers and ideas. I've even created a Monster profile because it's easier to post my resume' there than explain to people why my resume' isn't posted anywhere.

Take a look at the people around you. You can tell who's found their passions. They're the students who stay up until 4 a.m. working on a project relating to their intended career, and don't mind. (I was once told that I was the happiest all-nighter partner a friend had ever had. We were doing PhotoShop work. Why wouldn't I be happy?)

Think about your goals. Think about where you want to go. Are you happy with what you see? Are you happy, or just content? Don't settle for something that just makes you feel "okay" about what you do. It's never too late to re-evaluate your dreams. I've found mine, now go make sure you've found yours.

Death of the Unpaid Intern

Jobs aren't necessarily easy to find these days. Sure, if you're looking to break into a booming industry, there may be plenty of entry-level positions to be filled. One of the best ways to improve your chances of getting a job is through internships.

Previously, many interns fought tooth-and-nail to get the experience and prestige that comes with high-stakes corporate internships. If you haven't seen"The Pursuit of Happyness" I suggest you see it; it's a great movie, but also offers a good example of the vicious competition that comes with high-level, high-stakes internships. These unpaid experiences may be valuable, but to the companies hosting them, they're becoming risky.

The Department of Labor is cracking down, according to Inc.'s online magazine. Come to find out, the majority of these unpaid internships are actually illegal. There are laws in place to maintain a minimum wage for anyone, and the most of these unpaid internship positions directly conflict with those laws.

For years, companies have been feasting upon the necessity for one-of-a-kind experiences. They found that the youthful thirst of prospective interns outweighed the need for income. That era seems to be coming to an end. More and more, these young interns are wising up about the law. Lawsuits, both personal and public, have become fairly standard following or during unpaid internships.

Some unpaid positions are, in fact, legally unpaid. That's a rarity, though. So, as you and I head out to start our careers, we need to be skeptical. We need to understand our rights as employees, interns, and working citizens. Some short-term internships are worth not being paid; however, be sure you defend your rights.

Know When to Say "No."

I'm a proactive person. I love doing things. I love having things to do. Dormancy is enjoyable on occasion. I can be just as lazy as the next person when the mood strikes me. However, I have a tendency to take opportunities and run with them.

I'm told it's an asset. However, it's gotten me in trouble a few times.

Interns of the enthusiastic sort will often face this problem. You're feeling invincible (or you feel like you need to catch up) and something comes along that seems like a good idea. It's something to sharpen your game, or put you ahead of the rest. It's a great chance.

It's a chance that only a fool would pass up. Right?

You take on the responsibility. You may thrive on the thrill of being over-stressed for a short period. Sleep deprivation may turn into an Energizer-Bunny-like state of slap-happiness. But once that wears off, all you can think of is that fact that you are so overrun, exhausted, and overwhelmed.

Who wouldn't be stressed?

I've put myself in that situation way too many times. I'm a glutton for punishment, in that way. I thrive on occupation, but can't always say "no" to the chances that come by. I'm opportunistic to the point of fault.

I've spent the last few months of my life doing some serious personal re-organizing. Priorities, necessities, goals, motives...I've been processing all of these things. And, currently, my biggest obstacle is my random spurts of self-doubt. My second-largest issue is my inability to pass on things.

Learn your limits. Know how much you can handle. Now is the time to learn that, and to push the limit. Never, ever overstep too far, though. It could end up hurting things in the long run. Take care of yourself first and foremost, and as you do that, things should continue to fall into place.

Be Bright-Sided

For an English class, we had to read the book "Bight-Sided" by Barbara Ehrenreich. It was the author's bold analysis of why America's "look-on-the-bright-side" culture is harmful. I'll agree, it can be incredibly frustrating to be pressured to be cheerful when you're frazzled and tired and just plain-out stressed. Sometimes it's okay to just feel angry or frustrated or disappointed. Life is tough, especially during such a transitionary time as college.

Well, keep your chin up. There's a silver lining to extra cloud, as they say.

I had a great discussion with someone last night. This guy has enough stuff to do with his time, let alone have a deep conversation with an uncertain college kid. He's got a family, a new baby on the way, a successful career. Despite all that, he still had time to tell me to slow down, breathe, and enjoy now. Now is an important time, after all. It kind of brought to mind a great saying I heard in a wonderful movie.

“The past is history, tomorrow’s a mystery, today is a gift … that’s why it’s called the present.” - Shifu, Kung Fu Panda

Yes, little animated red pandas can be excellent sources of inspirational quotes.

So, what does all this mean to me, as a college student and growing professional?

It means I need to accept the past, and stop stressing about the future. Always looking back or ahead ruins your ability to appreciate what's here now. Anxiety over long-finished experiences and what's to come hurts your chances of seeing the bright side of what right in front of you.

I'm young, and I like to think I have some degree of talent. I'm outgoing, I'm motivated. I'm in a wonderful relationship, I have plenty of friends and a wonderful family. I have plenty going against me, but right now, I have a lot right in front of me to explore and enjoy. And, despite the stress, the pressure, it's an honor and a privilege to be doing as well as I am.

Based on my post yesterday, it's fairly obvious that there was some inner-turmoil going on. How I look publicly still matters, but worrying about who I'll be in ten years doesn't help me become who I want to be now.

So, that's my bright-sided view for right now. It's up to you to apply your own bright side.

What is "Identity?"

Maybe it's because I work in marketing. Perhaps it's because I have a distant-but-growing obsession with branding. I can't say for certain, but I'm quickly becoming tangled in this task of creating an identity. Who do I want to be? Or, more specifically, what do I want others to see? This is a valuable thing to consider in your career. At this stage in life, it's terrifying to sit and think, "Who am I? What makes Kelly Rivard?"

I'm finding that this is a careful combination of "being yourself" and adaptation. I'm definitely not saying you should run out and create some alter-ego. You shouldn't, by any means, lie about your history or credentials. These should be givens. You never want your identity to be a lie. You need to be who you say you are, whether it's on a resume, or an online account. LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Google Buzz, and various other networking sites can be valuable tools for establishing your professional identity, but they can also be deal-breakers.

This is hard subject for me. My professional interests are pulling me in two very, very different directions. At age 19, I'm contemplating the possibilities of what I'll be doing for the rest of my life.

I know, I'm young. I know my goals can change and that my career could take my places I'd never imagine. But what I do now could influence my opportunities later. If I grab internships in public relations, will it be too late to go to e-commerce later? These questions are common.

For now, I'm going with the flow. Opportunities are finding their way to me. The proactive things I did early on have brought some amazing chances to my doorstep now. I can at least rest assured that I was wise in getting on-the-job experience young.

Going with the flow doesn't make it any less terrifying. I'm shocked at how often I get complimented on how motivated I am, how focused and career-ready I am. I always look at the person talking to me with surprise and confusion. I'm driven, yes. Motivated, yes. But I'm not ready. I'm nowhere near ready. I'm uncertain.

I don't even know who I'm going to be in the work world yet. I may not for a long time. But it's safe to say that I'll cherish the relative safety of college until I have to face the "real" world.

Be a Sponge

You're a young professional. You want to become a BETTER young professional. You want to build a strong resume' and you want to be honest about it. How do you do this?

You become a sponge. A human sponge. A human sponge designed to soak up the knowledge, wisdom, and experience of those around you. The best way to learn is on the job, and usually this is done through others.

For example, I've (accidentally) surrounded myself with people who are gifted at the productive use of social media. Many of these folks are the figureheads of the agriculture-social media movement. Some of them are marketers and advertisers who are knee-deep in the communications world every day of their lives. Regardless of how or why I've connected with them, they've all had things to teach me.

Some have shown me what not to do. More often than not, however, they're role models. They're good examples of how to do things right. They, collectively, are the most valuable tool in the Snap-On box of your early career.

Treat every experience as a learning experience. Whether it's through a screw-up that leaves you a little humiliated, or a success that boosts your ego, they're all valuable. Every moment can teach you something, and every co-worker is a possible mentor.

With that in mind, I'm heading off to do some research. Some folks on Twitter coughed up some rough info on something of interest. I'm going to soak up what I can! Good luck, fellow sponges!

Scarcity

Hi folks!

I know, I've been scarce. I haven't had a whole lot of anything to say lately. Well, actually, that's a lie. I've had plenty to say, but haven't had time to say it. Juggling a job, an internship, a full course-load, my personal life, and my health is tricky. Sometimes you have to prioritize, and Cheap Pizza has not been at the top of the list lately.

HOWEVER, that does not mean the internship world has been barren or empty. No, no, no. I'm shaking things up as best I can.

For starters, I was invited to be a guest on a podcast. That's a big deal, I squealed in excitement when I found out. As far as I know, it can be found here, although I might be lying...I really should find out for sure. Also, while we're recording on February 23rd, I'm not even sure when it's going public. I should look into that, as well. Anyways, apparently I'm going on to talk about the industry from a student's perspective.

I've also been going through binge-emailing sprees lately. The only way to get those internships/jobs/experiences is by pursuing them, and often the first step to it is contact. I just sent emails to six marketing/communications firms in the area. I know I probably won't get any hit backs, but you never know until you try.

Anyways, that's what's going on in the career-development world here. I'm trying desperately to survive the last few weeks of this term without losing my mind; I have two tests on Friday, three final projects due in two weeks, and a proposal for an independent study grant to work on. Things are HECTIC, but that's the life of a college student. (It's also a bit more hectic because we are on a tri-mester system, instead of semesters.)

Priorities. Figure them out. They can make the difference between wasting your time on a pet-project blog, and being the go-getter that will someday rock the career world.

I don't even know if this made sense or not. I'm going to go read about agricultural communications in digital media! Bye!

Bite the Bullet

No internship is created equal. No learning experience, no job, no endeavor will ever bring the same amount of satisfaction or education.

There's no such thing as a perfect internship, but there definitely are experiences that may be "less-perfect" than others.

My "at home" job, the one I'm so in love with...well, it's one of the closer-to-perfect ones. I love the work I do, and I'm trusted enough to be given hefty tasks without overt baby-sitting. Other experiences, though, have not been so good.

I've held down jobs where menial tasks involved hand-holding and babysitting. I could have shown my worth a million times over, but the title "intern" or "student worker" automatically dictated a need for constant supervision. Micromanaging is not the way, people!

However, as the intern, as the "lesser experienced" student of the world, it's your job to shut up and learn. Sure, there are instances where enough is enough. Of course there are times when the practices are so incredibly wrong that you have every right to complain or report. The plain and simple fact is, though, that a lot of the time, interns and student workers are brought on to do the work that "real" employees don't have time for.

Let's face it, not every position we get is about our learning experience. Many times, it'll be about the company or organization's productivity. Cheap labor can get things done.

So, hang in there. I was once told that "Today's interns are tomorrow's CEO's." If that's true, then aren't those awful experiences worth it? I think I can handle some micromanaging and coffee-fetching if it means I'll be the one running the company someday.

Bite the bullet, swallow a bit of ego, and step into your future. Sometimes, the worst jobs bring the best opportunities.

The Healthy Intern

I didn't go to class, or work, today. Why? Because I woke up feeling like death. Couching, hacking, sneezing...not to mention, chills, fever, etc.

When you're in this stage of your life, it's easy to get sick. Stress and close proximity to others make the spread of illness easier. Cold and flu season is generally one on-going epidemic for most college campuses. I seem to have fallen victim!

Well, there are some tricks to getting yourself up and running again in a pinch. Even though I missed classes today, I still have an obligation this evening that I CANNOT miss. So, I turned to some oldies-but-goodies as far as flu/cold remedies:

1. Soup. Soups are soothing on the throat, but can also contain protein and antioxidants that your body needs to stay strong. Chicken soup is a favorite stand-by, but just about any broth-type soup will do. The broth also helps to clear the throat some. Avoid cream-based soups, though, as these can make coughing worse (in my experience.)
2. Fruit Juice. Generally orange or grapefruit juice is the best, although cranberry can be useful too. Don't chug this stuff, though; you only need to drink enough to get about 100% of your daily Vitamin C intake. One 12 oz. bottle of Tropicana oranga-strawberry-banana juice has 120%. It's not hard to get your daily value of C. However, don't try to overdose yourself on Vitamin C in hopes of flushing the sickness; taking too much of it can actually inhibit your body's ability to absorb it.
3. Vicks Vapor Rub. This stuff works miracles. A few dabs under the nose help fight congestion within minutes! Overnight, putting it on the throat, chest, and under the nose can help guarantee a slightly less...gross...coughy...icky...wake-up the next day. Also, if you need some heavy-hitting help, you can use a bit of a steam treatment with this stuff. Put a dollop of the Vapor Rub into steaming-hot water (in a bowl). Hold your face over the bowl, and put a towel over your head. This creates a sort of home-made steam chamber. You breathe in the steam, and with the mentholated Vapor Rub added, it's a great way to minimize head and chest congestion.
4. Sleep. College kids and busy interns tend to go between extremes in the amount they get. Either they get way too much, or not enough. Well, when you're sick, there's no such thing as too much sleep. I had three naps today, punctuated by eating, drinking orange juice, and talking on the phone with my ma about a financial aid error.
5. If problems persist...see a doctor. Most colleges have clinics where there are nurses/doctors on staff for students. If that's not an option, check out walk-in clinics in your area. Here. we have the Central DuPage Hospital's "Convenient Care" Clinics. They're fabulous. They have a full testing facility right there. They can even do x-rays. They helped me kick walking pneumonia last term.

This time of your life is stressful and busy. This time of year is swamped with bugs and viruses and flus and colds and a wide variety of other microbic culprits. Those two facts together means you're at risk. Stay health, keep on top of your sleep, and good luck!

Keeping a Positive Perspective

To put it simply, I'm hanging on for dear life. Even after trimming down to one campus job, I feel like there aren't enough hours in the day. That's alright, though; I feel productive. In fact, despite a lot of turbulence in my personal life, I feel more on top of my career now than I ever have.

Now more than ever, I know the value of counting blessings.

I've been incredibly lucky as far as my early career goes. I've had an incredibly successful internship which is now a seasonal job; I'm in the midst of my second internship, which seems to be going well thus far. For a sophomore in college, that's pretty great.

Sometimes, when things get too busy or two hectic or just too hard, looking on the bright side is the only real option to keep you moving. So, when you get to that place where you think that there's never enough time, enough patience, enough energy, or enough talent, take a breath.

Think of what's going RIGHT.

Chances are, if you're busy, it means someone thinks you're worthwhile enough to demand your time.

If you're stretched out, it's because you're reliable enough to be valuable to more than one person or organization.

It can be hard. It can be VERY hard. However, it's part of this crazy stage of life, this transitionary period where you're learning how to grow from student to professional, from teenager to adult.

Hang in there. Look on the bright side. Don't give up. And don't be ashamed to feel a little fear.

Balance is Key

Now that I have an internship (on top of 2 campus jobs) and mid-terms are approaching, I'm reminded of a key necessity that many people haven't mastered, including myself: balance.

I'm the kind of person who likes to overload themselves. I love to run, I love being busy. If I'm not, I feel all mopey and unneeded...and nobody likes a mopey, unneeded-feeling Kelly. Long story short, I make myself insanely busy. Aaaaand I love it.

What's the problem with this?

To put it plainly, insanity. Or burnout. Either or, no one wants to reach that place. It takes a carefully-crafted system of hectic schedules and down time to survive the college/intern lifestyle amidst all the obligations.

You're trying to stay afloat. You work hard to pay for school (whether you're a recent graduate or still attending). You put effort into building a professional identity. You should at least try to put a LITTLE bit of effort into keeping yourself alive, functioning, and completely sane.

Don't ever underestimate the power of sleep, pizza with friends, a nice walk, or a trip to the puppy store. Take care of you. Don't run yourself down. I'm relearning this lesson now, and it's more valuable than ever.

Shake It Off...Or Try To

I know I just posted earlier today. It was a nice, light-hearted post about food. I love food. I don't, however, love difficult co-workers. Or, rather, difficult superiors. Now, I feel I ought to post about this while it's fresh in my mind.

Consider this a "Learning to Deal with Co-Workers: Part 2." The difference in the situations is a fairly large one, however. Where the first co-worker was in many ways my equal, the new source of trouble is the vice president of my department. (Also note, the jobs are different. The first post was regarding my job at home, where this post is regarding one of my campus jobs.)

My job at home is unique in that, I'm an "intern" that is pretty much treated as a full-time employee, as far as interaction goes. I'm given freedom, and very, very rarely have "bitch work" tasks. I've been spoiled with this first professional experience. I guess I assumed that I'd be treated as an equal in every other job. This particular campus job isn't like that at all.

Long story short, someone in a position of power exhibited some very poor communication skills. This lack of communication isn't just an inconvenience; it means that a large portion of my current project has to be redone.

My initial reaction was shock. How could someone in such a position of power make such a lapse? Then, it slowly dawned on me; no one is perfect, and I know enough about his history at the school to understand why he's a major asset. As frustrated as I am, I have to shake it off. I have to pick up the pieces and fight hard to make sure this project is done for it's deadline. It also strengthens another lesson I've already learned: organization. If it bothers me this much to have poor communication skills and organization interrupt my project...well, I'd hate to ever do this to someone else.

I'll just have to carry this experience with me. I may be frustrated, I may feel walked-over, but I'll have to deal with difficult people my entire career. Better to learn how to deal with it now, I suppose.

A Full Intern is a Happy Intern

There's one dilemma that most "young professionals" face: food. Whether you're trying to survive on cafeteria fare and dorm room cooking, or you're struggling to keep yourself nourished on an unpaid internship, living in some apartment in the city, food can be an issue. Never fear, I've compiled a list of thrifty, tasty ideas. These "dishes" are a combination of my own ideas, suggestions from others in similar situations, and some creative searching.

Pouched/Canned Proteins

If you're completely against preservatives, pass on this section. If you're willing to deal with them for the sake of eating, stick around. Just about anything comes in a pouch or can anymore, although the most common ones are chicken and fish. They're also the most versatile. You can use them to make complete meals, or add them to your favorite microwavable goods to mix things up.

I love salmon in a pouch. Granted, it's no 5-star fillet, but some lemon juice and pepper can make it taste pretty snazzy.

Chicken, usually in a can, can be added to things like Bowl Appetit and Easy Mac dishes for a source of protein. Fish can be, too, but I'm picky and I think chicken goes better with this stuff. Yeah.

Also, BACON comes in a pouch now. I don't mean, like, tofu-shaped-and-seasoned-and-colored like bacon. I mean BACON. Pre-cooked bacon. It has to be refrigerated, yeah, but it's a fairly cheap (and convenient) way to add AWESOMENESS to your dish. (I'm a bacon-lover...I'm sorry if you're a vegetarian. Please don't be offended by my love of eating animals.)

Soups

I love Ramen noodles with a passion...they're actually my biggest comfort food. HOWEVER, if you have a little more wiggle room, I'd suggest "real soup." Soup is great because a little can go a long way; for most people, soup increases feelings of fullness where other foods may fall flat. It's because of the combination of liquid and solid. I really, really, really like Campbell's Select Harvest soups. Obviously, there's plenty of variety here.

Cans of soup are cheapest, but the microwavable bowls are pretty handy. I spend a lot of time eating my lunch at my desk (at both of my office jobs) and those are ideal. All I need to remember of my own is a spoon.

Hot Cereals

Buying in bulk is an option for these guys. I love Quaker's giant tubular oatmeal containers. If you want the cheapest option, buy big bags/boxes/tubes/whatever. If you want quick convenience, there's those little individual-serving pouches. Either way, the "just add water" prep methods for most hot cereals make them idea for fast-paced life. They're cheap, and very customizable. Fruit, raisins, CRAISINS (yum), nuts, brown sugar, honey, syrup...yeah, you can add whatever the heck you want to to these hot cereals. Mmmmm!

Obviously, this is just the tip of the ice berg. Duh. Food is full of millions of untapped options and ideas. The best idea? Just play around. Invent your own delicious dorm room delicacies. Fry up some cheap, intern-friendly inventions. Regardless of what your taste is (unless you're just snobby, but we all know you aren't, right?) there's plenty of inexpensive, flexible, tasty ideas for you to develop and pursue!

I GOT IT!

I got the best, most exciting, most awesomely-cool-exhilarating email today!

That internship I interviewed for last week? I GOT IT. And now that I'm in, I feel comfortable talked about it. This internship is in Internet communications and social media for the Illinois Corn Marketing Board. The responsibilities still aren't entirely hashed out, but, by the gist of things, I'll be working either on Facebook, a blog, or both.

The first thing I did after I found out was send a mass text to all of the people who had been rooting for me. Mama, the boyfriend, a few friends...then, I called my agriculture teacher. This guy was my hero senior year of college. We spent a lot of time talking about the future, about my career, my goals, my dreams, my personal problems...

Now, I got to give him the news that 1. I'd gotten an internship in agricultural communications, and 2. I'm going to pursue an independent study grant.

It was nice to hear about sincerely proud he was.

I'm going to cut this short, since Mama wants me to type some blurb for her to send to my hometown's newspaper. It's a little embarrassing, having to write the announcement of your own achievements. I do, however, need to settle in and buckle down. The work hasn't even started yet, and it's time to get focused.

Take care, everyone! I'm still basking in the glow of my own excitement.

"Run with it."

It's amazing how many wonderful resources schools have...that students never hear about. Students never seem to hear about the research grants, the unsung scholarships, the internships, and the job opportunities that often abound on college campuses. I recently found out about a wonderful opportunity, and I had a light-bulb go on over my head.

The Richter Grant. This research grant can be given to a student, or group of students, who are working with or independently of a professor or faculty member. It's an exclusive thing as my school, yet people don't seem to pursue it as strongly as they ought to. Maybe it's because it isn't heavily publicized. The grant can reach up to $5,000 and can be done in just about any field of study.

I'm going to apply for it. I mean, I need to make sure my plans would work out beforehand. I need to check with some connections in my field to see if the project would even be well-received. A rough outline is that I'd like to spend a few weeks travelling the U.S., meeting with agriculturalists and farmers about the ways in which social media has effected their personal lives, their operations, and agriculture in general.

Agriculture has become an increasingly popular topic on Twitter and Facebook. It's the place to be if you want to meet some tech-savvy ag folks. I'm going to take one of my passions, agriculture, and my career, media studies, and turn them into something worth noticing. At least, if all the tiny working parts fit together.

I pitched the idea to a few people on Twitter, and even a professor. They all said, "Run with it." While it was great encouragement to try and pursue this project, it made me aware of something deeper.

I'll never know whether or not I can get this project through, unless I try it out. I mean, it's a fairly-straightforward idea. I can't let the risk of being turned down scare me away from pursuing a great goal. Tenacity and fearlessness (with a hint of wariness) have gotten people pretty far in the past. Why should I be any different?

In other news, I'm still waiting to hear back on the interview I had last Thursday. If the news I get back isn't good, I'll put my chin up and keep going. Here's hoping things DO work out though!

First Interview Jitters

I've been unrealistically lucky in my career opportunities thus far. I have never had a formal interview. Either my recommendations were good enough, or the job was so menial, or there were personal ties, that no real interview was required. Even my job here on campus hadn't involved and interview. So, as I prepared for my interview today, I was swamped with questions.

My emotions occurred in phases. This morning, I was feeling confident. I went to my 8 a.m. lab, did the 15 minutes of work that was required of us, and returned to my dorm room for a nap. Upon waking up, I felt terror. Yup, terror. You know how I forced it into submission? Putting on my "power shoes." They're those high-heeled shoes that make you feel invincible. Every girl really ought to have a pair...anyways, I wore them around for a bit, because it's been a while. On top of that, I'm naturally uncoordinated and I began working out again this week, so my physical awkwardness is compounded by sore muscles.

So then, I felt better. I go about my business of getting ready. I print directions, and writing samples, and I find myself getting nervous. I'm not terrified this time, but nervous. I also realize that I've gotten ready way too fast, and now am condemned to sit around and wait until the right time to leave...I ended up doing and re-doing my makeup three times, due my anxious energy.

I still somehow managed to leave a half an hour early. The drive itself was two hours, but I still ended up having to drive around for a good 20 minutes or so. I didn't want to show up TOO early!

I really hope that I wasn't overbearingly-cheerful. Smiling and awkward cheerfulness can be side-effects of nervousness for me. I also hope they didn't think I was trying to fool anyone...my answers were all sincere, but what if my enthusiasm and interview-anxiety looked like a charade? Hmph.

Overall, I'm happy with the interview itself. I'm optimistic, and even if I don't get the internship, I highly value the experience that the application and interview process brought! I'll be finding out if I got the spot around Tuesday-ish.

Long story short: first interviews are terrifying. Even if the actual interview isn't that bad (today's was actually quite enjoyable), the preceding time is stressful. Long drives give you more time to be nervous. Here's hoping, regardless of whether or not I get hired, that I did NOT make an ass of myself.

Fun: Intern Style

Pizza doesn't have to be the only cheap...I mean...cost-effective aspect of a college student or intern's life. Cheap (but classy) clothes, cheap furniture, cheap fun...it's all relative. You work hard to build your career, maintain good grades, and stay afloat with your personal life. You deserve some time for fun.

But, alas, there's a big question to be asked: how can I have fun without spending money?

I go to a school in a very wealthy area. If you've never heard of Naperville, IL, look it up. It's pretty spiffy. In many ways, I'm the poor kid on the block. I'm okay with that, though, because it teaches resourcefulness. Lack of funds, plus high cost of living in this area, has brought up some unique sources of fun.

Sledding this time of year is a must. To up the ante (and cut out some cost), cafeteria trays make great make-shift vehicles. Our cafeteria no longer has trays, but every winter someone seems to produce a caf tray from some magical hiding place. Bundle up, grab some friends, find a hill, and slide down it. You'll be glad you did.

Board games have made a come-back lately, too. While my days of Family Fun Nights are long past, games like Blurt, CatchPhrase, Sorry, and Life are once again part of my social life. (In fact, I've been accused of cheating at the game of Life more than once. Apparently, it's frowned upon to marry another player, instead of an anonymous blue peg. I, however, liked the combined income and joint effort.)

Physical activity can be pretty good fun, too. In the last year, I've developed a fond appreciation for walks. Grab a friend or two, or go alone. You never know what you'll see, and a lot of schools have scenic campuses, or are near a nice area. We have the Riverwalk and miles of beautiful residential area here. At Illinois State University, there's a wonderful bike trail. It's a good way to have low-key fun. It relieves stress big-time. If you're by yourself, enjoy the atmosphere and clear your head. If you're with other people, simply chat. Sometimes easy, simple conversation is forgotten in the mix of life. Other great physical activities are games like frisbee (best played at night with a glow-in-the-dark frisbee!) and pick-up games of soccer, basketball, and football.

My big, personal secret weapon for stress relief? Pet stores. Here, we have quite a few pet stores who are very open to letting college kids play with their puppies. It helps the animals socialize, and helps the college kid fight back impending emotional breakdowns. In the last two years, countless puppies have helped usher away massive amounts of stress. In fact, just about any furry baby animal does the trick for me.

I'll admit, in my rush to become a professional, fun can sometimes be forgotten. I've spent plenty of nights wanting to pull my hair out because of "all work and no play." I've promised myself to try to avoid that from here on out. So, next time you're feeling fried or stressed out, step back, take a breath, and put things in perspective. Everyone needs fun. If you're anything like me, you're in a pivotal point in your life. Overtaxing yourself now could end up hurting you in the long run.

So...go grab some friends, some board games, some cafeteria tray, or some puppies...whatever suits your taste. Then, go have fun.

Practicing Perseverance

Life can be great. It really can. However, life can also be rough. In my 19 years, I've gotten knocked around by life a few times. I've felt defeated and let down and hurt...but everyone's been there. Through all of my experiences, the primary thing I've learned is to pick yourself off and keep moving. After my father passed away, my mother always said we had to be a "glass-half-full" kind of family. As cheesy as that sounded to me at age 12, now I know it's true. If things get tough, you have to keep your chin up, see the bright side, and fight through the disappointment.

This advice can be applied to your career, too. And your education.

A perfect example of picking up the pieces and moving forward happened to me last year. I was caught in the middle of some pretty big personal problems. My family, my health, my future...they were all in question. Then, to top things out, I found out I got a D in a math class. Math is a touchy subject for me, as I can't even really balance my check book. Basic adding and subtracting sometimes addles me. To make matters worse, in that particular class, a D is considered a failing grade. So, school was becoming a problem, too.

With a bruised ego, a scarred transcript, and a whole lot of additional stress, I decided I needed to shake it off and move on. Freshman year was hard, I just needed to survive the rest of it and rebuild my reputation and name next year.

I dove into my major-related studies, head-on. If I couldn't do well in my gen-eds, I'd show them what I could with my interactive media classes. I gave myself time to be hurt, to feel sad, to even mope in disappointment towards myself...then I moved on.

I had to.

Now, I know, failing one class is relatively small in the greater scheme. Added to what I was already facing outside of classes, it felt like a massive blow. My overachieving self had trouble handling the thought of ever failing a class.

Whether your Goliath is a bad grade on a transcript, or something much bigger, you have to be willing to stare it in the face. You need to be strong enough to say, "You can't slow me down." Sometimes, that's the hardest thing on Earth to do.

Over the weekend, I was reminded of some of the personal issues that had made that failed math class feel so much more devastating. In hindsight, it's all just a part of my story. It builds character, as teachers and parents all over the world would say. I suppose they're right.

Magical Llamas and Apple Pie

I'm a random person. There is no way around that. I thrive on spontaneous outbursts in public places. In the last few months, in front of large groups of strangers, I have pretended I was a velociraptor, a dragon, a turkey, an astronaut, and a cat. Those who know me will say it's one of my most endearing and dislikeable qualities. It's a gift and a burden. It makes for interesting memories and unusual stories. My friends and family all understand the risk of venturing out in public with me.

The short and long of it seems to be that spontaneous ideas and actions can sometimes breed great things, when used correctly.

Obviously, this post has nothing to do with llamas or apple pie (although, a warm, home-made apple pie sounds fabulous in this horrid winter weather). This is about grabbing the light bulb moments of your life and fostering your originality.

First things first, not all ideas are good, but all ideas are worth sharing. At my current job/internship, I've stuck around long enough to earn the right to bounce ideas off of people. Find someone who is willing to look at it from another angle.

Learn to cull ideas. If you're like me, random thoughts buzz in and out of your head, and sometimes it's difficult to snag the winners before they get swept away like leaves in October. I have a lot of difficulty remembering all my little inspirations, the good and the bad. Don't let them slip away.

These spur-of-the-moment ideas? Sometimes they're the best ones. Sometimes they're the ones that snowball into something fabulous. Not always, but sometimes.

So, don't be afraid to act like a velociraptor and embarrass your significant other on their college campus where you don't know anyone. Don't hesitate to meow when it applies to a joke segwayed perfectly into a cat impression. These types of things, they are what teach you to appreciate your creative juices. They help you create your own brand of originality.

And you know what interns get full-time jobs and plenty of recognition?

Interns with ideas. Good ones. Original ones.

Well, there's my spontaneous thought for the day. I'm off to go play in the snow.

The Power of Textbooks

Every college student has faced the wrath of textbooks. They're expensive. You pay an arm and a leg for them in the bookstore. You find them on Amazon for a portion of the price, but you're never sure whether you'll have your book in time or not. You can rent them off of Chegg, but shipping is pretty inconsistent, too, and you can't always highlight and write in them like you're used to.

Honestly, the entire system is horrendous. I dread buying textbooks every year. However, there is a flip-side.

These books, the ones you buy, could be valuable resources to you later in life. Take a look at your repertoire. Are you sure you want to sell all of them back?

I've become a textbook hoarder, at least in certain subjects. Anything relating to design and writing...yup, they have a permanent home with one Kelly M. Rivard. My collection grows every term, too. I now have a book about Flash animation, journalism, creative writing, rhetoric, public speaking, and...as of today, I have a new crown jewel. Adobe PhotoShop CS4's Classroom in a Book. I wish you could hear my squeals of excitement.

It's not just the fact that I love the program and that the book is fairly interesting to me. While I really did enjoy reading all of the books I've kept, they're a deeper purpose. They're useful.

Think about it: what are the skills you know you'll need later in your career? In your life? Books may become slightly outdated, but a few years' change isn't enough to render the textbooks you buy now entirely worthless. Even when Creative Suite 5 rolls around, Creative Suite 4 books will still be useful.

Your profs are smart (usually). They pick out books relevant to the skills and ideas you'll need to foster (sometimes). These books are meant to teach you, and can continue to teach you into your career. You don't want to be starting a fresh internship thinking, "Man, I should have kept that advertising law book!" You never know how important those books can be down the road!

Give a good thought about what books are going to be sold back to the bookstore or put on Amazon. The books you're considering selling now could be better used on a shelf in the office you'll have someday.

Taking Initiative

I'm a "grab life by the horns" kind of girl. I like a sense of control. As I've grown older, though, I've noticed that a lot of people really aren't like that at all. While that leaves more opportunities to me, it also creates problems for the people who don't necessarily take initiative.

As a college student, and a possible intern, you have to understand one thing: no one is going to just hand you a successful career. Not in the real world, anyways. Even small steps can be made. Be a go-getter, build a positive reputation for yourself. Take it slow at first.

It can begin with a single professor. Making an impression on your educators is a step in the right direction. Find the educational mentor you need to grow. Show off your talent, give them a look at what good, hard work can produce. My first big break here at school was a Flash Animation class taught by the head of our department. I got his attention. With his help, I set up an interview with the Marketing and Communications department here at school.

I also found some helpful shoving coming from a professor who had nothing to do with my department. This is a little off to the side, but I felt that he deserved some recognition. Thanks, Keating.

Until recently, I found myself thinking, "Man, am I lucky to have all these great educational and professional opportunities!"

I feel dumb for that thought ever crossing my mind. I've always prided myself on working hard, and I guess now I'm allowed to step back and appreciate how far I've come. This blog, however unknown and young it is, has let me put a few things in perspective.

1. Work hard. I know, it sound cliche. Sometimes your best effort is all that's required to get someone's attention.
2. Be friendly, but don't be a pushover. I've been at both extremes. I've let people walk over me, and I've been over-aggressive. Find your balance.
3. Never settle for "good enough." This is probably one of the only useful things I learned from a crack-pot business professor last year, but it DID stick with me. This is a more subjective piece of advice, as "good enough" can be drastically different depending on the situation. You'll know when the time comes.
   
4. Look for opportunities. If you aren't willing to hunt for them, why should anyone else find them for you? This is vital. You have to be willing to put yourself out there!

These are not by any means the ONLY things to consider. These are just a few tidbits I've picked up along the way. They've been helpful so far.

In regards to finding opportunities, I recently sent out a few emails inquiring about internships. Ad agencies, public organizations, communications companies, the list goes on.

I'll find more opportunities out there. I just have to continue to take responsibility for my own future.

Back to School

It snuck up on me!

My family can offer testimony of that, as I scurried to get everything organized and packed. I'm kind of shocked at how much I brought home. Well, no...not really. I always over-pack. And it's tricky, because I'm home from Thanksgiving until after New Years. I'm home long enough to need all my personal effects, but not long enough to be considered "moving."

So, 2 laundry baskets, 1 large laundry bag, 1 shower caddy, 1 packed-tight laptop case, and 1 Adidas bag full of all the stuff I needed last night and this morning. I still need to go do my hair and makeup.

This kind of makes me wonder about future internships. If I end up doing any internships in which I have to travel, how will I survive? I would want to bring way too much stuff with me. Granted, my high school's Spanish Club trip to Mexico taught me some valuable travel tips for space-saving and such...but that was 4 years ago and was a VERY different situation.

Taking another perspective at my move back to school, tomorrow is the start of class. I resume office work for the Marketing and Communications department on Wednesday, and I also have mandatory meetings regarding the school-sponsored tutoring I'll be doing this term.

Yeah, I'll be insanely busy. Yeah, I'll probably end up stressed out, but I'll love the feeling of being busy. I'm also going to continuing applying and interviewing for new internships.

Going back to school also draws an end to my winter term at the office. My supervisor had some huge compliments to offer as we cleaned out my office. He commented on my increased independence, and the fact that he barely had to explain anything to me. He said something along the lines that this had been my most productive stretch of time in the office to date. That meant so much to me.

So, here I am, in my bathrobe, getting ready to get all gussied up to go back and catch up with my school friends and the seemingly-alternate life I lead there. I'll miss home, yeah...my family, friends, my boyfriend, my dog, the open spaces...

But it's time to go back. It's just another step in building up my career.