Advice from a Graduate

Written by Thien Van Tran

There are certain encounters in our lives that we know will never be repeated as long as we live. The exhilaration we felt when we had our first kiss, the awe we experienced when we saw the Grand Canyon, the nausea that overcame us after seeing the first Saw movie. Then there are other encounters that we just let slip by unnoticed.

The times that I regret the most are missed opportunities to say farewell to good friends, to wish them long, abundant lives. Like many others, I loathe goodbyes and do all I can to avoid experiencing them. I’d rather cover myself in honey and go on a bear watch. Usually a “later dude” will escape my lips accompanied by thoughts and intentions of reuniting at a later time filling my head. But that time may never come.

While out celebrating and causing mischief a few nights ago with friends, this possibility of permanent separation still had not hit me. Not until a friend whispered to me, “This cannot be the last time I see you.”

Her words were a swift kick to the crotch. While everyone around me continued to dance and sing and make bad decisions, I stood there dumbfounded. Tears grew out of nowhere and my mood changed from stupidly happy to sad. I realized that I was about to leave my dearest of friends with nothing more than a sincere “later dude.”

Don’t let your friends disappear into memories. Take time off from studying and enjoy a bacon latte with your best friend. Put homework on pause to catch up with someone in the midst of a busy semester. Talk to that pretty girl you’ve been wanting to. Ask that guy to formal with you. How much time should you devote to school and life and work? I have no clue. It’s not black and white, and will be different for each person. It’s quite grey, at least 50 shades of grey (if you know what I mean).

So my advice to you is this: stop once in a while and appreciate what you have here. All these people who have come from all over the country, all over the world, to be part of your life should not be taken for granted. We are all here to go to school and get a degree and find a job, but take some time to truly experience it. Living life is like cooking. In order to do well, you must pay attention to the process, the little details.

After all, the journey is more important than the end or the start. And to my friends, I thank you all, and farewell. I await our next encounter.

Is Graduate School Right for You?

By: Bree Blair

Have you been thinking about graduate school? Are you still not sure if it would be a good fit for you? I don't know about you, but thinking about even more school after this is a little frightening to me. With big commitments, making the right decision is extremely important. Here are some tips and questions to ask yourself to make sure you're making the best decision possible for your future!

What is your ultimate career goal? If you have a career in your mind that you know you would love waking up everyday for, then it's worth the time to see if it requires graduate school. If it does, then graduate school would be perfect for you because you have a strong reason behind your decision. Although it may be a lot of work, it will be well worth it in the end to be able to wake up everyday with the career you have always dreamed about! On the opposite hand, if you lack motivation, it may be too much to take on. Sure, many people have ideal jobs in mind, but not everyone is willing to do whatever is necessary to get there. If you are having any doubts or lacking passion in that subject matter, then there are plenty of other options for you; graduate school just might not be the right one.

Another thing to consider is the dreaded F word: finances.
You may or may not already have an amount of money on your loans to buy a mansion, but you're about to pile on even more. If you have plans to move into a new home right after graduating undergraduate studies while still attending graduate school, you might want to rearrange your plans a little bit. Unless you're a millionaire- then it's fine. Graduate school is an investment of not just your time but your money as well, which is why it is so important to make sure you're passionate, confident, and ready to take it on.

 If you're thinking about taking time off before going to graduate school, you might want to look a little more into your ultimate career. Is it easier to advance within the company if you have a graduate degree? If so, of how much importance is that to you? It's a lot to think about all at once, but it is really helpful in the long run. Talking to current employees who are a part of your ideal company could also be very beneficial to you. Learning about the experience of others, especially those whose paths you are interested in, can give you a new insight as to what you should be accomplishing. Lay out your options, follow your passions, and choose what is best for you!

A Deadly Case of SENIORITIS

Curing and Preventing Senioritis

By Priyanka Surio

Everyone gets it at one point in their lives and it can be very very contagious! All of us can admit to being exposed in high school when we got our acceptance letters to college and felt that we needn’t jump over mountains and under hoops to study for exams or work on projects. But according to CollegeBoard and USA Today, what is becoming more common as a result of this attitude is the alarming fact that “every year colleges rescind offers of admission, put students on academic probation, or alter financial aid packages as a result of "senioritis." Now the vicious cycle threatens to continue for us seniors or those graduating from Undergraduate or Graduate school.

Symptoms
• Laziness
• Procrastination
• Excuses
• Lack of interest in all things school related
• Desire to just have fun
• Lack of seriousness
• Frustration and stress

Outcomes
• Can lead to plummeting grades
• Can lead to getting fired from jobs
• Can be chronic and deadly to your career goals

THE CURE!

There is indeed a very effective cure and prevention steps to make sure you don’t fall susceptible to this disease.

• Don’t allow yourself to get in the mindset that you are done and your responsibilities don’t matter, because even in the real world after you graduate, your responsibilities only increase.
• Do not get peer pressured into going out every night. Demonstrate self-control. You can do work Sunday - Thursday and have the last two days to yourself as a reward for working hard throughout the week.
• Do not let things slide and pile up. Time management is not for nerds only! Keep a calendar of activities and a list of things to do, and cross off the list each time you complete something. Even schedule some “me” time in there. You’ll feel more organized, stay on track, more accomplished, and more deserving of your breaks.
• Don’t just coast by with easy classes. By no means do we recommend you enroll in the hardest finance or science class, but enrolling in courses that keep your interest or that will be beneficial to you in the future, whether in graduate school or the workforce, will help to keep your attention. For example, if you are planning on working for ESPN after college as a news writer it might not hurt to take a few communication classes to learn the graphics and technical side of new television. Or let’s say you are aspiring to become a lawyer or a doctor, business classes may not hurt especially if you plan on owning your own practice at some point. These classes will pique your interest especially since they are not something you are familiar with and can just rely on prior knowledge for.
• Don’t burn bridges and don’t get frustrated. Gloria Varley an assistant director of health at the University of Georgia Health Center says, “[Senioritis] is several things – perhaps frustration, you’re done with [school] and want to move on”. A common onset to senioritis is this feeling that we can’t improve our situation or outcome, so we act apathetic or uncaring towards our academics, yearning to move on. One bad grade or an unfortunate experience with a teacher shouldn’t make or break your academic career. The choice is up to you on whether you improve your situation and can make something better out of it.
• School is your JOB! Remember, being a student is an occupation so treat it as such. Make an effort to prepare ahead for classes and be on time. In the real world, unprepared and late workers get fired, so get used to building good habits early on and don’t allow yourself to slack off even in that last semester because it is so hard to climb back up the hill once you’ve rolled down!
• Don’t STRESS! You will manage to get more done if you relax and take it one step, one day at a time. Don’t eat with your eyes and overload your plate full of things you won’t be able to complete. If you feel as if you can’t handle everything or are dealing with more than you can chew, the Counseling Center can help you manage your stress. They are your trustworthy resource in stressful times. The ACAR and Ombudsperson is also here as a resource to listen to your troubles while providing useful tips for future action.

Well what if I’m not going to school afterwards?

The worst thing about this deadly disease is its transmissibility. Senioritis can spread to the job search, securing an internship or applying for that entry level position and following through with employers. Ways to prevent this from occurring are to start EARLY!

Maybe you are confused about where to begin. The Toppel Career Center should always be your go to place to begin your first steps into a successful career. What we recommend for a successful job search:

• Pinpoint – What do you want to do? Take a Career/Personality test to determine your specific field
• Learn – how to write a stellar resume, how to win employers over with a cover letter, and how to knock your interview out of the park, by coming to our workshops or stopping by Walk in Advising hours Monday- Thursday 10:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
• Network – with Networking and Career Events, Information Sessions, Career Fairs, On Campus Recruiting
• Search – for jobs in specific industries and Schedule to meet with our advisors to determine which job is a good fit for you. Also search for employers and recruiters who are part of that company so you can speak with them about their experiences. It’s your turn to conduct the interview in order to find out if this is the potential career you wish to build for yourself.
• Follow up – Don’t just apply and wait twiddling your thumbs. Follow up with a cover letter and/or email to the HR department. If you can, call and let them know you applied, and if you still haven’t heard back after a week or two, check the status of your application.