The hardest part of a job is finding one

June 3rd, 2010

As I graduated college three weeks ago, I anxiously feared my most impossible task yet: finding a job. My stepfather had told me that the hardest part of a job is simply finding one and with the economy being what it is, I could tell I was going to have a heck of a time. I did not have a million internships or a degree in anything applicable to the jobs I was applying for; although being an English major does have some perks. To my surprise, a few days after sending out my resume, I had five interviews lined up, and, that Friday, I got a job. I think part of what happened was that I was lucky; the job I got needed to be filled quickly and I was available to start as soon as possible. But, the bigger part of it was that I was meticulous.

When I started my job, I realized that over 200 people had applied, and over twenty of them had landed interviews. So, what made me special? A few things…

1. I focused on my educational achievements. Since I did not have too much job experience, I tried to emphasize my education by putting my GPA on my resume, which is something that not everyone thinks of doing. If it is good, (I would say 3.5 or above) might as well slap that baby on there!

2. I was real. The guy who hired me at my job told me that, even though I did not have a lot of experience, he really liked my personality. After looking over all kinds of things to do and not do at an interview, I decided to just be myself. If an employer is looking at a bunch of people, being a robot is not going to make you stand out and land a job. On the other hand, if you are funny, or charming, or smart, or even a little silly, an employer will see you as a person and relate to you. And, if they don’t like what they see, then you probably would not be happy working there anyway.

3. I was careful. Looking over the resumes that were submitted after I landed my job, I saw a common theme: people were just being plain careless. Some people had submitted resumes with objectives that were irrelevant; obviously they had sent that same resume to a million jobs and were just changing a line and forgot to change their objective. Others had forwarded the same email to a bunch of different people. Still others made careless errors in their resumes themselves and obviously who would want to hire someone who cannot even look over their resume?

While I might have been an exception to the horrors of the job search, you can certainly be leaps and bounds ahead of the competition if you just pay attention to how you are presenting yourself. If you have something that makes you stand out, emphasize it. Maybe even try a few different resumes or cover letters to see which ones help you land more interviews. And, as always, be yourself–it really does pay off and there really is no point in getting a job you are just going to be miserable in.

-Emily S

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Tying the knot (or not)

June 2nd, 2010

I got married almost six months ago. I had just turned 24, which would have made me a spinster in a different country, but by NYC standards I was one of those nutty, irrational girls you hear about who gets married just when she’s supposed to be at the height of her bar hopping career. None of my peers were getting married (or even thinking about it), and not a single person I encountered could keep their eyes from bulging at the news–especially my little grandma who just kept muttering “But why, Tania? Why?”

My vows (piece of cake)

No, I wasn’t pregnant. No, I didn’t belong to some religious group that ships off girls to the alter at puberty. I was in love, in a caring, supportive, inspiring relationship, and I was just plain ready.

To make matters more scandalous, Brian and I had only known each other for 10 months, and we had moved in together after our second date. Those 10 months seemed like more than enough time for us, but by everyone else’s calculations, we had to be living together for at least four or five years before making any kind of legally binding decision.

It was weird seeing everyone acting so much more nervous than we were. Is it our country’s 50% divorce rate that gets everyone’s proverbial panties in a twist? Is it the fact that our critics haven’t found “the right one” yet, so they assumed it couldn’t possibly be so simple? Or is it that our culture of limitless options (from breakfast cereals to career paths) can’t stand the idea of picking just one of anything? I don’t know.

But here’s what I do know. No one can tell you whether or not it’s the right time or the right person. There’s no rule book for love and no norms. I’d advise that you and your partner are both completely on the same page in terms of expectations and able to talk about your fears and desires openly. But the truth of the matter is that it just has to feel right. Logic helps, but emotion seals the deal. And by the way, for me–it’s the best deal I’ve ever made in my life.

Oh yeah, did I forget to mention we had an Elvis minister? See for yourself 🙂

The Most Romantic Elvis Wedding Ever

– Tania Luna

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Let’s Dance: SummerStage

June 1st, 2010

I don’t often splurge for cabs, but after a long afternoon of traveling back to the city from a short trip home to New Hampshire, I decided to switch up the subway for a cab back to my apartment. This is mostly because it was downpouring and I was trying to catch a dance class (no such luck – too late!), but the reason doesn’t really matter.

Long story short, the cab was zooming through Central Park back to the East Side and I saw groups of people heading towards a stage with large signs reading SummerStage.

Now, I have seen signs and seen the stage set up in years past, but I have never taken the time to figure out what SummerStage was all about – I just figured it would be expensive or impossible to get into. Since I was too late to go to my class, however, I had some time to look into the details about what this stage is all about.

SummerStage is put on by the City Parks Foundation, and it presents a variety of free and benefit concerts. On the list for their Mainstage in Central Park this summer is a wide variety of acts – musicians such as Public Enemy, The Specials, and other famous bands, as well as dance groups such as Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and other performers such as poets, comedians, and actors. I’m really looking forward to trying to see St. Vincent on August 1 and Complexions Contemporary Ballet on August 10, but hopefully I can get into the action earlier than August – there are plenty of shows to choose from!

This event happens every year, and most shows are free – but for the shows that require payment, order ahead. It’s the first day of June, and some shows are already listed as sold out! The free shows just require getting there early enough to find a spot – I’ll try to go to a show soon and see just how early the crowds normally get there. Keep in mind, too, that there are shows happening not just on the Central Park Mainstage, but also throughout the rest of the city and its boroughs. Check out the website for the full listings, and I’ll keep you posted on what I see and find out about this SummerStage deal. But so far, it looks like an amazing program – keeping the arts alive and accessible to NYC residents is a great goal, and utilizing the beautiful parks of Manhattan and its boroughs is a unique way to see the performances. I, for one, can’t wait!

-Meghan Q.

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STD’s and Germ Freaks!

May 29th, 2010

The other day I spent some time with a long time friend of mine. It was a long yet blissful day; we ran all over town, touching down in each borough for at least an hour, well all of the boroughs with the exception of Staten Island. By the time we returned to my apartment, we were exhausted, drained, and well filthy. We had been running the streets of New York, riding the trains, sitting in public places, and using public restrooms. We were both due for a hot shower and a long night of sleep.

My friend, being the germ freak that she is, immediately ran to the bathroom, not only to wash her hands, but to scrub her face with soap and hot water as well. She then sat down to eat her food. While she ate, I asked her if she would take a picture of me. I was so in love with my outfit that day, that I felt the need to take as many pictures as possible in my lovely get up. At first she didn’t want to do it. She complained of touching the camera and then touching her food. She didn’t want to spread germs to her food. “But what about when you have unprotected sex”, I asked? She stopped and looked at me. “I only have unprotected sex with one person,” was her reply. I stared at her in amazement. “How do you know that he’s not having sex with anyone else,” I questioned? Her response, “he’s not.”

This got me thinking, deep, real deep. How could someone be so afraid of getting germs, but not as afraid of putting their life on the line? I mean she had been with this guy for over three years, but still.

I remember being a student in undergraduate school, and doing a project for my Black Studies class about sexual health and how so many young people are misinformed about the dangers of having unprotected sex. Thankfully, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has an abundance of information about Sexual Transmitted Diseases, including, prevention, causes, and treatment. While some diseases have noticeable symptoms, there are other diseases that don’t show symptoms. Some diseases are silent, slowly ruining the health of its victim until the victim decides to go and get themselves checked out.

According to the CDC, each year, there are approximately 19 million new STD infections, and almost half of them are among youth aged 15 to 24. This shows that many young people don’t get checked out. Maybe they think that they are invincible, or are afraid, or they may simply be ignorant about the importance of knowledge of their sexual health status. Fortunately, there are places throughout the five boroughs, where male and female students can get tested for STD’s. So what will you do? Will you become a germ freak or a freak about the safety of your sexual health? I suggest that you choose the latter!

Free and Confidential Clinics in NYC

Shana H

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Let’s Dance: Subway Performances

May 27th, 2010

New York City’s MTA has raised prices and made service cuts since my Freshman year in the city, but one thing it hasn’t cut is the arts. The subway system of Manhattan is a large and sometimes overwhelming beast, but at least it’s never dull.

As part of an initiative to keep the subway stations looking clean, interesting, and exciting, the MTA began the Music Under New York program. We’re not talking about the random homeless guys singing on the subway trains, or the great Mariachi band that frequents the N train. No, the MUNY program sponsors artists formally in the stations themselves, complete with signs and microphones. Artists must audition and attend orientation prior to performing for the NYC public.

One of my favorite performers is Alice Tan Ridley, who I normally see at the Herald Square station. She always attracts a crowd – this is actually her profession, and she is good at what she does. Ridley is well known not just for her soulful singing, but also for being the mother of Gabourey Sidibe, star of the recent movie Precious. She is adamant about not living off her daughter’s paycheck, however – so if you see her rocking out in the subway, feel free to throw a dollar or two her way.

So next time you’re looking for a show and don’t have money for a student priced ticket, just spend some extra time on your next $2.25 subway ride and find a show. There are almost always performances going on at the major stations (42nd Street, Herald Square, etc.) and a more detailed schedule can be found at the MUNY website – and let me know your favorite performer, I’m always looking for new shows!

-Meghan Q.

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Facebook Friends Forever

May 27th, 2010

So, I’m sure it’s obvious by now that I write about friendship, love – that kind of thing. And, with an old friend’s birthday being today, I’ve been thinking…

Okay, so, facebook? It’s there so we can keep in contact with old friends and new friends and blahblahblah. I’m sure most people have one, I know I do. For the longest time I didn’t want one, I saw no reason for it. Last year, though, a friend just went and made one for me and I haven’t looked back…well, I have, but not often. The thing about my facebook, though, is that I don’t talk to the people I’m “friends” with. Those I do, I also text them frequently. All of those people I thought to keep in contact with once we became facebook friends I don’t even bother with, because I realized why we weren’t friends in the first place (and not being close facebook friends with someone is in large part due to their status updates – if I have to read those lyrics to “Airplane” again, I’ll go crazy). What’s the point of having something to keep in contact with people who I already keep in contact with? Yet I still have mine, and probably will for a long time.

As I said earlier, my friend’s birthday is today. Of course, all of her facebook friends are aware and have been sending her well wishes. Now, I know for a fact that half of the people who said “Happy birthday!” are people she doesn’t like, and they probably know it, too, yet they say it all the same. Now, is this an olive branch, a chance at reconciliation? Or is it just something a person does when they see So-and-So’s birthday Today on the side of their page? Another friend of mine was mad that I didn’t wish her a facebook happy birthday, even though I said it through phone call and text. Are things not official if they aren’t facebook official?

I’ve noticed that a lot of people have 300+ friends, and I personally don’t know that many people, let alone am actual friends with that many. My graduating high school class was a little over 700 students, but I can only name 100 on a good day. If I didn’t know a person in high school, why would I connect with them now? One could argue that it’s important to make new friends, but now that I’m in a completely different state, it seems to make new friends with those I graduated with.

Am I thinking too much about this? I don’t even know what my point is, aside from the general confusion I get when some person I’ve never met before, who went to the same high school as me but graduated either earlier or later, tries to be my “friend.” I say no to them, but a lot of people don’t because they like looking at inflated numbers of friends, even if they really aren’t. With friendship, it’s quality, not quantity, right?

-Mary K

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VegEats! An Introduction

May 26th, 2010

Veggies: delicious, nutritious, and cheap!

Hi everyone! My name is Jon, and I’m going to be offering some guidance into the wonderful world of vegan/vegetarian-friendly eating in New York City. For those who aren’t sure, a vegetarian is a person who restricts consumption of meat and animal byproducts. There are several types of vegetarians: pesco-vegetarians, who include fish in their diets; pollo-vegetarians, who include poultry; ovo-vegetarians, who include eggs; and lacto-vegetarians, who include dairy products. These prefixes can be combined. For example, when I officially started identifying myself as a vegetarian three years ago, I was a ovo-lacto-vegetarian.

About two months ago, I began identifying myself as a vegan, which is a strict vegetarian (absolutely no meat or animal byproducts) who extends this philosophy beyond diet into other parts of life. This means vegans don’t use products made from materials like leather, silk, or wool, because these materials rely on animals and animal captivity to be made. Vegans also only use man-made sponges and avoid substances like gelatin, an ingredient in most marshmallows and derived from collagen found in animal bones, or beeswax, commonly used to make candles and produced over a long period of time by bees as an essential part of their home. This lifestyle may sound a little extreme to those who have not encountered veganism before, but when adopted mindfully for the right reasons, it can be a wonderful positive change for many people.

So you may be saying to yourself, well, now I know what they don’t eat; what DO they eat? I eat primarily fruits, vegetables, nuts, and grains, as well as artificial animal-free products such as tofu. When eating out, I often go for Indian, Chinese, Israeli, Thai, or Mexican, as these cuisines offer lots of delicious vegan options, or I go to one of the multitude of vegan/vegetarian-friendly restaurants in New York City. Many people when hearing about this diet have concerns about health, primarily about protein and iron deficiency. Vegetarianism and veganism are actually very healthy as long as the practitioner eats a variety of foods, pays attention to intake of nutrients, fats, and calories, and stays active, (which is true of any lifestyle.) In fact, studies have shown that limiting meat and animal byproducts can significantly lower your chances of major health problems, including heart disease, cancer, stroke, obesity, diabetes, even Alzheimer’s! The average American eats nearly double the amount of protein they need per day, and veg-eaters have numerous alternative to meat and animal byproducts to find protein, iron, and all other essential nutrients.

I’m so excited to help you find ways to eat healthy on a student’s budget. New York can be expensive, but there are lots of tricks to up your nutrients, help the environment, and keep your wallet (and belly) full. To get you started, Campus Clipper has wonderful coupons for great veg-friendly restaurants like Atlas Café, Indian Taj, Monster Sushi, Tahini, Wild Ginger, and many more! Check them out on the coupons page! Happy Eating!

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Tips to Get You Through Your Finals Alive and Well

May 26th, 2010

Finals. It is perhaps the most dreaded word in the vocabulary of any college student – a term that signifies endless nights of studying and memorizing in the last desperate attempt to jam every last bit of information into your brain before test time. No matter how long you have been in college that word does not cease to terrify your poor little brain cells. However, there are certain things that you can do to get you through your tests and on to the freedom of summer vacation.

1. Put test information (day, time, and place) and paper due dates on a calendar. This way, everything will be in one location and you won’t have to frantically search for it later on. In addition, writing everything out will enable you to check for any conflicts, which you will be able to solve well before test time.

2. Schedule your study time in advance. Carefully think about how much time in the library each class will require and plan accordingly. Remember to devote time to those tests or papers with the nearest deadline first so you don’t end up studying for a Economics final on Monday when the test date is four days later.

3. Rewrite your notes. After long hours of studying, the information you are reading literally becomes a giant blur. Writing out your class notes allows your brain to remain active, which, in turn, helps you remember that important detail when taking the final.

4. Take some time to rejuvenate your brain. Studying non-stop for twenty-four hours straight is the worst thing you could do during finals. Your body needs to rest from time to time in order to remain alert. So call a friend and go to the cafeteria for an hour, watch an episode of your favorite show, take a power nap, do something that you feel will give your mind a much-deserved break. A little something I learned from a psychology class I took when I was a freshman is my favorite way to squeeze in a little down time for myself. It’s a technique called voice relaxation therapy. Visit this YouTube link to try. It’s short and sweet, and you will feel a hundred times better when you’re finished. Promise.

-Christina Brower

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Tips for Choosing Your Classes

May 25th, 2010

With the freedom and independence that come along with the college experience, it’s easy to forget that we are here primarily to study and learn. Classes are an important part of college life and, thus, it is important to give a lot of thought into what you want to study each semester. That being said, here are a few things you should keep in mind when choosing your classes:

First, I would advise you to familiarize yourself with the requirements of your school’s core curriculum. The core curriculum is a set of mandatory courses that are specifically designed to provide students with a well-rounded education. Thus, universities and colleges mandate that their students take classes in a broad range of academic disciplines, such as mathematics, biological and physical sciences, the humanities, social sciences, and foreign languages. Depending on your school and your major, the core can take up to two years to complete – gasp! – so it’s best to know ahead of time what you have to take.

Second, use the core curriculum to your advantage! Most colleges and universities offer a number of different courses that can be taken to fulfill a requirement in the core curriculum. Thus, if you already know what you want to major in, look to see if there are any classes that can also count for your major. By doing so, you can: (1) Get a head start in completing your major, (2) Free up some time in your junior and senior years for fun classes or internships, or (3) Graduate a semester early. In addition, if you have not yet declared a major, the core curriculum is the perfect opportunity for you to experiment so that you can find out what fields of study interest you and which do not. You never know what you like until you try so do not be afraid to go out on a limb – that’s part of what college is all about!

Third, do a little background check on the professors who are supposed to be teaching the classes you are interested in. The website Rate My Professors is an excellent source for figuring out how a specific professor operates and what you can expect from taking his or her class. It is important to remember, however, that the reviews on this website are are the opinions of former students, and should be taken with a grain of salt. But, in my own personal experience, the ratings have been extremely accurate in depicting a given professor.

And finally, take the times of the classes into consideration. Although everyone has different preferences, I would advise you to schedule your classes when you are the most functional and active. In addition, I would recommend designating either a specific time frame in each day (i.e. 11:30-3:30, 8:30-11:30, etc.) or specific days of the week for your classes. I have found that it is a lot easier to do other things, such as sports, jobs, internships, and volunteer work, when your classes are arranged in a blocs of times or days.

-Christina Brower

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Commuter Blues: How to Make the Most of Your Daily Ride

May 25th, 2010

For some students, the optimal college dorming experience is not a feasible financial option and the only choice available to them is to make a daily commute to campus. Although it is oftentimes a long, tiresome affair – Believe me I know!  I commuted almost two hours a day from Queens to the Bronx for over three years! – there are some things you can do to make the most of the time that you spend stuck in the car or on the train. That way when you do finally make it to your destination, you will have less work to do and will have more of a chance to relax after a long day of commuting and learning.

If you are taking public transportation to get to school, then your commute is probably the best time to get all of that assigned reading out of the way. So before you bolt out the door in the morning, check to see what needs to be read for your classes and try to devote your commute to completing that task. It’s a relatively easy way to get things done. Honestly, there is not much you can do on a train or a bus, so remembering to grab those books or that e-reader (i.e. Kindle, Nook, iPad) in the morning will also save you from countless hours of commuter boredom. And, on the plus side, when you finally get home, you will have less to do and can maybe even squeeze in a little relaxation time before you have to start the cycle all over again.

Even if you drive a car to school, there are still ways that you can get some of your homework done before you pull into your driveway. Although you can’t actually read a book while driving, you can listen to one. So my advice would be to see if you can find the audio book versions of those novels for English class, and listen your way to some free time.

-Christina Brower

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