Posts Tagged ‘skills’

On Finding Passion

Wednesday, March 13th, 2024

I did not set out to write a how-to guide on “how to find your passion” because the journey of cultivating a college student’s passions amidst a whirlwind of life changes and discoveries is complicated enough. There were moments when I was asked what my passions were, and I was at a loss for words. It was not because I did not have anything I did that brought me joy, but because the act of condensing the multitude of interactions, activities, and relationships into a few words was not simple to me.

I have heard about some exciting passions in college, such as running a small clothing business or working on a radio show, and the obvious answers I would have said, such as “reading” or “baking,” feel as if they do not measure up to the high standards of people’s passions. I’ve understood that my passions or others do not define my worth or identity as a college student and creative person. There is a tendency to equate passion to activities people do in their spare time, but there is more to be said about committing to these passions and having the right mindset.

Rowing in a single with my teammates on a lovely spring morning

Beyond defining passions as the act of doing something you love, it is a state of being. Students do not need to be doing an activity to find passion or to be passionate; instead, students can focus on remaining present in the moment. Whether it is attending a club meeting or going on a walk outside, any undertaking made with intention and active choice is related to passions. The simplest and easiest way of achieving this state is by joining clubs and other groups that share similar interests. The other students you meet in these groups could lead to insights into their passions to gain inspiration or new perspectives on what you want your college life to be composed of. 

Baking with my friend for Valentine’s Day

I have also found that actively taking classes that interest me is more rewarding than taking a class for the ease of getting a good grade or filling up a major requirement. I stay more engaged in my class discussions and am eager to learn another topic that will pique my interest in other fields and activities.

During my first year, I decided to take an entrepreneurship class as an elective rather than a class to satisfy my math requirement. It was a class I took at the right time in my life, as it opened up the world of entrepreneurship for social impact and the fascinating companies people have launched. The entrepreneurship class became my favorite class from that semester because of the topics such as creating a vision, finding a venture, and understanding the vitality and viability of a project. The lessons I learned from my class became applicable to my student life and career goals, pushing me to become a better public speaker and inspiring me on career possibilities from a simple idea. I could not have developed these skills and direction by taking Calculus or any other required class. Rather than looking for classes that fit a standard mold, look for inspiring and exciting classes, and you may be surprised. 

Attending an Harvard iLab talk for my entrepreneurship class

I learned that my true drive is rooted in curiosity. Finding your “why” is the first step in recognizing your calling and taking the initial steps to attain any goal. College is a time to explore what calls to you and your interests, anything that adheres to what you are truly passionate about. It may seem daunting initially with a plethora of experiences you may want to face, but what you will eventually land on will result from understanding yourself and your student’s needs. 


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By Lecia Sun

Lecia is a student at Tufts University studying Classics and World Literature. When she is not reading, she can be found attempting the New York Times Games, trying out a new creative hobby, and dreaming about her next great bake. 


For over 20 years, the Campus Clipper has been offering awesome student discounts in NYC,  from the East Side to Greenwich Village. Along with inspiration, the company offers students a special coupon booklet and the Official Student Guide, which encourages them to discover new places in the city and save money on food, clothing, and services.  

At the Campus Clipper, not only do we help our interns learn new skills, make money, and create wonderful e-books, we give them a platform to teach others. Check our website for more student savings and watch our YouTube video showing off some of New York City’s finest students during the Welcome Week of 2015.

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The Gift of Listening

Wednesday, December 2nd, 2020

The gift of listening is a power that revolves among us human beings on this earth, it is vital to living and may be considered a scare trait. According to Merriam Webster the term “listen” points out specific keywords. Such as, “pay attention”, “give consideration”, and “be alert”. Listening is a skill and is often unexplored territory that despite our sense of hearing it requires wisdom. It requires wisdom because it involves concentration, effort and the ability to distinguish hearing and listening. Listening is more than a trait, it is a process that is filtered because we often choose what we want to hear and what we cancel out. We also forget that with listening comes feeling connected with one another, spiritually, physically and mentally because we are sharing a healthy space, that makes it important to understand each other. 

The Muse, “Improve Your Conversational Skills in 4 Easy Steps” https://www.inc.com/the-muse/4-ways-you-can-become-a-better-conversationalist.html Accessed 1 Dec 2020.

In spite of our noisy and distracting surroundings, it encourages us to be patient and silent. When you’re silent, you are able to grasp more information, be more observant, and it allows you to learn about who you are. Therefore, we should all want to improve our listening skills with some effort and practice. As it benefits you in the long run and possibly could strengthen your relationships with not only others but also with yourself. Listening is very crucial to being successful. For instance, during a job interview, you must listen closely to the questions in order to give effective answers or during a job training process. In 2019, I acquired my first retail job in the industry at Uniqlo. As a Sales Associate providing customer service, accomplishing floor layouts, also following and listening to instructions got me promoted to an Advanced Associate, after three months. A co-worker once advised me, “don’t work hard, work smart” which could be interpreted from different perspectives. In my understanding, I apply this to my work ethic and in my leadership skills. In other words, working hard is part of what got me promoted but it wasn’t entirely the reason for my promotion. The ability to listen to my manager’s delegation of tasks, listen to the feedback, and comprehend what was expected of my work allowed me to build confidence. Responding to constructive criticism and being assertive through engaging positively with my team members made me have a positive attitude. Listening plays a major role in creating a safe culture and environment because when your thoughts, opinions, and ideas are being taken into consideration it makes you feel involved. 

Furthermore, listening is far more than being a good leader but it is also about building worthy relationships and being a wise person. Being a good listener to a friend or your next-door neighbor may not be a big deal for you, but to the other party, it could mean healing and being valued. It may be known as venting but it creates a safe and welcoming atmosphere with someone else that could possibly be in the same shoes as you once were. When you listen to someone it creates a bond between you and the person, a special connection that engages just you and the other, out of the billions of people on this planet earth. Listening to your significant others helps with your own personal development, it doesn’t have to be career-wise but it can also help with your own healing, learning, and communication skills. Sometimes, this world needs more empathy, respect and to be more caring. It is important to be that change and to give your undivided attention as you’d like to be given. Are you a good listener? 

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By: Yadira Tellez

Yadira is currently enrolled at the Fashion Institute of Technology, majoring in Fashion Business Management and minoring in English literature. She’s worked in retail and has had the opportunity to work behind the scenes during NYFW. Her dream is to be a Fashion Stylist but enjoys creative writing to relieve stress and express her mind.

For over 20 years, the Campus Clipper has been offering awesome student discounts in NYC,  from the East Side to Greenwich Village. Along with inspiration, the company offers students a special coupon booklet and the Official Student Guide, which encourages them to discover new places in the city and save money on food, clothing, and services.  

At the Campus Clipper, not only do we help our interns learn new skills, make money, and create wonderful e-books, we give them a platform to teach others. Check our website for more student savings and watch our YouTube video showing off some of New York City’s finest students during the Welcome Week of 2015.

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How Effective Listening Can Improve Our Lives

Tuesday, October 27th, 2020

“I remind myself every morning: Nothing I say this day will teach me anything. So if I’m going to learn, I must do the listening” Larry king once said. Being a good listener is an essential skill in life, and serves as a guide for self personal growth. People often interpret success differently, listening encourages the success of harmony, empathy and conversation amongst one another. The gift of listening is about dominating the qualities of an effective listener and understanding its benefits. 

Drobot, Dean. “Active Listening” 2017, https://www.css.de/blog/2017/03/01/active-listening-active-listening-improve-your-communication-and-build-positive-relationships/. Accessed 26 Oct 2020.

Every day we are required to be attentive and to listen. In the workplace or career path, it plays an important role in self-improvement and it is vital to success. Nathalie De Joya, a student attending Hunter College, majoring in Nursing conveys the power of listening as a health care worker. “Being a good listener is imperative in nursing. The art of nursing highlights the care we give to our patients that foster meaning and relationship”(De Joya) It is a good experience and self-rewarding to not only the nurse but to the patient receiving the acknowledgment that they deserve. One of the biggest emphasis of nursing is that we should always give patient-centered care and being a good listener is definitely something you need to achieve this” (De Joya). A nurse requires skills such as being active and having full concentration. In fact, these skills are tools that allow nurses to work collaboratively with their patients. Patients want to be understood, and feel in the right hands, it helps establish a good relationship with their nurse if communication is effective. I, myself hadn’t realized how much listening revolves around nurses accomplishing their job. Through this interview with Nathalie I’ve learned that being a nurse is much more than studying medicine and a Bachelor’s degree, it goes far beyond that horizon. To be successful in the field, you must instill trust and be empathetic, listening is key. In addition, it opened my mind to learn about new ideas and the different functions of every role within the workplace.

David Mejia, is an overnight Full-time Associate for Target. The company’s objectives involve a commitment to, “Exhibiting honesty, respect and concern for others through every interaction” stated in Target’s Code of Ethics (Code of Ethics, 2019) During his overnight “Stocking” position he is in charge of replenishing the sales floor with inventory in order to create profit. ” I can’t stress enough how crucial it is to listen and work together as a team in order to achieve our end goals” exclaimed David. I took the freedom to ask him, what are your techniques or tips to achieve your delegated tasks? ” You must be attentive to detail, and discipline yourself on time however, listening carefully allows me to have a good work performance because it makes me aware of what is expected of me”. “How has being an effective listener helped you grow in the workplace?” I asked. “It helped me build confidence, work productively but overall it’s given me the opportunity to build positive relationships with my managers” (Mejia). David depicts how effective listening empowers us to be our better selves, and working in a safe environment persuades us to speak up during any situation.

Throughout the happiest moments of our lives, we want someone to listen and share our laughter with. Especially during the hardships of our lives, we want to feel safe. Listening is the core of empowerment, relationships, and living to the fullest. It is the beauty of being human, validating one’s emotions, being able to conversate and share a connection on a deeper level. Overall, listening allows trust, empathy, and positive relationships in our lives.

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By: Yadira Tellez

Yadira is currently enrolled at the Fashion Institute of Technology, majoring in Fashion Business Management and minoring in English literature. She’s worked in retail and has had the opportunity to work behind the scenes during NYFW. Her dream is to be a Fashion Stylist, but enjoys creative writing to relieve stress and express her mind.

For over 20 years, the Campus Clipper has been offering awesome student discounts in NYC,  from the East Side to Greenwich Village. Along with inspiration, the company offers students a special coupon booklet and the Official Student Guide, which encourages them to discover new places in the city and save money on food, clothing, and services.  

At the Campus Clipper, not only do we help our interns learn new skills, make money, and create wonderful e-books, we give them a platform to teach others. Check our website for more student savings and watch our YouTube video showing off some of New York City’s finest students during the Welcome Week of 2015.

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How to Become an Effective Listener

Tuesday, October 20th, 2020

Being a listener means paying attention not only to our five senses but with our hearts. Anyone can be blessed with the ability to hear sound, but being a gifted listener means being attentive. There are techniques, tips, and different approaches that one can take to enhance our listening skills through effort and desire.

According to study reports made by the Florida State University and Michigan State University stated, ” The average listener will remember only about 25% of what was said” (Nichols and Stevens, “Listening to people”) Conveying that listening isn’t naturally a strong element we possess already, it is a gift that is taught and learned. Julian treasure, a speaker and expert upon the mystery behind sound and communication skills describes this learning experience as a mental process of “extraction” and unconsciously “filtered” (Treasure, 2011, Ted talks). One of the reasons why we lack listening skills is because we generally filter what we prefer to hear versus what we rather not or unless there is a benefit behind it. In ” 5 ways to listen better” Treasure expresses the importance of understanding the value of time as we listen in order to be successful.

One technique to become an effective listener is learning to be “silent”. Society has built our minds to always be on the move creating a foggy scenery, Silence helps refresh our ears and minds allowing us to be both physically and mentally present in the room. Another technique called the “Mixer” is described as a mixing bowl of sounds from birds chirping to the different channels of sounds in a noisy environment. This technique requires being attentive to what sounds you’re listening to, how many sounds there are, how far, or how close are these sounds, enhancing your ability to listen. Treasure recommends two of his many techniques to help become more effective as a listener and to improve the quality of listening in your lifestyle.  

Cruse, Rose. “It is important to be a good listener. Why?”, 17 Oct 2017, https://medium.com/@cruserose95/it-is-important-to-be-a-good-listener-why-8823ffb8651d. Accessed 20 Oct 2020.

Oftentimes it feels good to have someone you can confide with, reveal your tears with, or share your biggest aspirations. By natural instinct as human beings, we have embodied emotions that are universal, allowing us to create empathy amongst us. Therefore, apart from how we may feel occasionally, we can also absorb other people’s emotions which depicts the connection between another living soul. One way to be an effective listener is to make eye contact with your significant other, it shows respect and encourages the other person to express themselves. Secondly, as Treasure mentioned silence is key to listening especially in this given situation, it will help you envision and concentrate on what the other person is communicating to you. It can be a lot of information to retain or analyze therefore, you want to listen thoroughly. Thirdly, clean your mind and be ready to be open-minded, without having any judgment or opinions. Most importantly, do not interrupt or try to relate to the conflict. Most of the time the speaker wants to be heard, don’t make it about you. Lastly, once the speaker has finished ask if they would like feedback or advice on any possible solutions rather than imposing your solutions as it can cause stress or tension. The goal is to be patient and to understand the point of the speaker.

Better yet, if the person needs some cheering up or a friend by their side. Campus Clipper provides a fun variety of in house or online coupons you can use to make conversation, and enjoy a lovely meal. In order to have access to these two, 20% off coupons, you must click on the links provided below. Stay tuned there are more to come!

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You can find all of our active coupons at this link. Redeem them here:


By: Yadira Tellez

Yadira is currently enrolled at the Fashion Institute of Technology, majoring in Fashion Business Management and minoring in English literature. She’s worked in retail and has had the opportunity to work behind the scenes during NYFW. Her dream is to be a Fashion Stylist, but enjoys creative writing to relieve stress and express her mind.

For over 20 years, the Campus Clipper has been offering awesome student discounts in NYC,  from the East Side to Greenwich Village. Along with inspiration, the company offers students a special coupon booklet and the Official Student Guide, which encourages them to discover new places in the city and save money on food, clothing, and services.  

At the Campus Clipper, not only do we help our interns learn new skills, make money, and create wonderful e-books, we give them a platform to teach others. Check our website for more student savings and watch our YouTube video showing off some of New York City’s finest students during the Welcome Week of 2015.

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Giving Back: Discovering your talents

Friday, March 14th, 2014

Being actively involved in youth programs for 4 years, I saw many people dive into the deep end and jump out screaming. Working with teenagers has its joys and struggles. Joys: going on camping trips, watching movies, eating junk food…because it’s socially acceptable. Struggles: the drama, apathy, disrespect, family finance issues, “ADHD” that every kid has, oh and the DRAMA.  Sadly for the most part, it is unacceptable to smack kids across the head, even if you want to.

Me and all my children! Okay not really. This is a picture of me and my husband on our wedding day surrounded by the students in our small group. Probably wanted to smack each of them across the head at one point or another...love them!

 

As fun and rewarding as working with teenagers can be, I’ve noticed that not everyone is wired the same way. Watching youth leaders jump in and out was draining and discouraging not only for the students but also for me.

I can be flexible, if the requirement is to be flexible. Although if I’m set on a goal and someone throws another task at me, I may panic a bit. If someone invites me to a party and I know only one person there, I will dread it and spend the whole day planning an escape route. Yet if I’m playing a game of charades with a group of friends, I am totally down to act out 12 different characters.

Why does this matter? Well, I try as best as I can to really get to know myself. I believe that if I can study myself, my strengths, and my passions, I can serve in a way that utilizes my talents. If you serve at an organization, and you’re given the option of different jobs like working with children, prepping in a soup kitchen, or editing video footage, wouldn’t you like to serve using your gifts?

My point above was not to shame the people who tried to be youth leaders and left, but to encourage you to first look at yourself and your skills then start from there. The saying, “choose a job that you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life”, doesn’t have to simply apply to your career, but also applies to where you volunteer. If you are clueless to what you enjoy, hopefully these ideas below can lead you in the right direction.

  1. Extrovert or Introvert?
    Ah, the lingering question. Am I an extrovert or an introvert? All my life I’ve been a very loud little person, but recently when reading a Huffington Post article called, “23 Signs You’re Secretly an Introvert”, I’ve realized that my personality leans towards introvert. The reason why I find this important to research, is not to label someone as introvert or extrovert, because more cases than not someone isn’t what they seem, but instead to use this tool to understand how your own mind works. It’s comforting to read an article from a fellow introvert and realize, I think that way too! By researching this simple trait you can better understand yourself.
  2. Career /Personality Quizzes
    Figuring out a future career during college is hard enough. Chances are you still won’t know what you want to do until you get actual experience. Why not use the info you received from a career quiz to help figure out what area you would enjoy serving in? There are many ways to serve, so choose something that you feel you can excel at.
  3. Find Your Passion
    Sometimes it’s too hard to just ask yourself, okay, what makes me happy? I always hated that question because I felt that there are so many different hobbies I enjoy doing. So grab a coffee (to get some caffeine to kick in), a pen and paper, and write down what makes you angry. Yes, angry. What do you see in the news, or on the streets that just makes you mad. If you can find an injustice in the world that bothers you to the core, then you have realized what is worth fighting for.
  4. Ask Your Friends
    If all else fails, ask your friends what they think. Close friends know you. They see what makes you happy and what drives you mad. Just before my graduation I made sure to ask my dad what he thought I could do for the rest of my life. Clearly, in my life, a degree is just the beginning. We brainstormed about what I’ve done over the past few years that I’ve enjoyed, which encouraged me to press further and figure out my role in society.

Self-actualization is a simple step that can help you understand your talents before you begin volunteering. Now that you have researched yourself, next you must research organizations.

 

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Samantha Bringas

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