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.