Career Student

Four and a half years of my life. Hours spent in libraries, labs, study groups...blood, sweat, and tears shed in abundance. (Also some crazy good times, too, but still.) Earning my Bachelor's of English was tough stuff. And besides a shiny '08 tassel and a crisp diploma, I feel I don't have much to show for it. No job. Sad.

After analyzing my goals and dreams, after consulting the wisest people in my life, after prayer and frustration and rejection letter after rejection letter, I think I might go to grad school. Personally I'm interested in pursuing the Master's of Information and Library Science; that's right, I (think I) want to be a librarian!

photo courtesy of (Erik) on holidays... via flickr.com
Since I am still in the beginning stages of graduate school contemplation, the rest of this entry is devoted to the general. A quick question shot out to wikianswers informed me that only 9.4% of the population has earned a Master's Degree. That's really not very many, which makes me think, is graduate school that fearsome?

Fortunately, our very own Experience.com has some fantastic resources for those of us contemplating higher education. Seriously, if you have ever thought about continuing on with your academic pursuits, check out this page. It has answers to questions you didn't even know you were asking! From whether grad school is for you to how to get in to financial aid opportunities, this place has it all.

So, let me hear it. Anyone else interested in everlasting education?

photo courtesy of Tristan1 on flickr.com

How do we stop this...???

This isn't very entertaining but its something that I feel is a huge problem.

So, I'm sure all of you have heard or at least will within the next 24-hours that there was, yet another, college shooting.

This shooting took place in Phoenix, at South Mountain Community College. A former student shot three people in a computer room at the community college. Authorities say two are in critical condition. They also say that this was not a random shooting.

The police arrested the man responsible for this shooting near the college shortly after he fled. He has been identified as 22-year-old Rodney Smith. The ages of the two in critical condition were a 25-year-old man and a 22-year-old woman. There was no information given on the injuries the two had or if there conditions had changed.

A 17-year-old boy was also injured, but in stable condition. Robert Pryce, the spokesperson for SMCC said that the school was on lock down for about an hour, however there were about 30 people in the computer lab at the time of the shooting as well as 300+ on campus. The computer lab is open to the public.

Do these shooters feel that its the "cool" thing to do this? Is it for the publicity? Because they know their names will be in the paper, their faces on television and their names never forgotten? What reason could they possibly have?

I'm not sure what your opinions on situations such as this one are, but quite frankly I'm tired of this happening. Isn't there a way that we can prevent innocent people from being hurt?!

As cheesy as that sounds, I can't even say that I always feel 100% safe when I attend my classes. I won't even dare take a night class as a woman because I'm terrified of all these shootings. How can our campus/university make us feel more safe and secure? Students should be able to go to there classes everyday and not fear anything.

But how is that possible today? Is it possible to make security so tight that everyone has to show some sort of proof that they attend the university and/or be searched before entering campus? And would people really be willing to do that?

We shouldn't have problems such as these. We should be able to go to classes each day and have nothing to worry about, need no security and routine searches and lock downs should be completely unnecessary.

Goodbye College

One thing no one prepares you for when you graduate is leaving the college culture.

Things I miss about college:

• Walking into people's dorms/apartments uninvited but welcomed.
• Going out to eat and being able to walk.
• Walking, in general.
• Hiking and waterfalls in Ithaca.
• Study groups.
• A big quiet library and computer lab and the convenience of having both - right there.
• Something to do every Friday and Saturday without fail.
• My friends love and passion for music.

With work being as time consuming as it is, I know I haven't been taking the time to appreciate where I am. Some of my friends from high school recently moved to Arizona and were visiting last weekend. My friend Tara and I talked about finding a job. It made me realize that I am very lucky to be working and happy to be in a management position. I like doing something that matters.

Today, I have to take off early from work to go to my other part-time job working for a promotions company called Supernova. I coordinate and organize one concert a month for this company. I really love it. I wish that it could be more of a full time position because it's what I want to do. Sometimes I worry that I won't get to where I want to be, and I'm losing sight of what I want. I don't know if this is a problem for all graduates. But working for Supernova allows me to remember that music is my passion and I want to be as close to it as possible. I love the smell of concert venues and the idea of music bringing people together. When I start to think about working in music and working side by side with people who create music I get excited and even nervous. It's crazy the emotional impact that music has on me.

Unfortunately my boss called me and reminded me that tonight is Warped Tour in Buffalo. It made me sad that I had forgotten. I haven't been to Warped Tour in years but every year I sort of plan to go. I have no idea what it would be like now. Even as an 18 year old going, I remember feeling like the oldest person there. I can feel that my time has passed for just going to shows as a kid, and the experiences I've had in my life are leading me to having a job with music.

My friend Joyce told me the other night, as she's uncertain about her future as well, "We will all get what we want eventually, it just takes longer for some of us to get there." I think she's right.

Movie Madness!!

I don't know about the rest of the country, but my chunk of land is HOT these days. Step outside and you feel like you're swimming in sticky, sweaty air. Gross. All I can say is, thank goodness for the Summer Blockbusters; the larger-than-life movies that offer a 1-3 hour oasis of air conditioned, mind-blowing bliss...

I've already experienced some fabulous films this season. This weekend I am absolutely stoked for The Dark Knight. I believe it's not an overstatement to say 2/3rds of the world agrees with me. (The rest surely would if they paid attention to such matters). Another one I'm eager for? Step Brothers. Yep; I'm a Ferrell fan.

photo courtesy of eddie on flickr.

So, since I've been hitting the theatres up hard-core and suggesting you do the same, here are some mini-reviews of flicks I've seen so far this season:

Get Smart. Hilarious--especially for those of us who enjoyed the old TV show! Anne Hathaway's "99" is pitch-perfect. Die-hard Don Adams devotees beware: Steve Carell offers more stock-Carell comedy than Maxwell Smart. Still, this film is FUN.

The Love Guru. This movie inevitably suffers from what I call "The J Factor." Translation: it has a Jessica in it. Sorry, people, but face it: Jessicas Alba, Biel, and Simpson are not good actors. That aside, this movie had some cute parts, but ultimately was just a mess. Watch Get Smart twice instead.

Hancock. This was a pleasant surprise. It definitely has it's comedic moments, and of course awesome action, but there's a deeper tale that unfolds that, to me, was unexpected and well-played. Touching, even. Plus Jason Bateman is just plain great.

Hellboy II: The Golden Army. I am completely on the fence for this film. The plot is just bizarre...but it's supposed to be. The lines are quite cheesy, which, again, they are intended to be; but they just didn't do it for me. However, the special effects are fantastic. The mythical creatures and directing are both dazzling, and I'd say see it for that reason alone, especially if you dug Pan's Labyrinth. Frankly, though, if you're hungry for a comic flick, watch Iron Man again (GREAT MOVIE!) and then The Dark Knight this weekend!

photo courtesy of tipacali on flickr

Well, there's some of my humble opinions. What do you guys think about this summer's crop of films?

New Beginnings

Yesterday my boss, Josh, called me into his office. It had not been the best day out in the fields. I cringed. Put on my best I'm-really-sorry-I'll-do-better-tomorrow- face and walked into his office.

"The Summer is almost over, Leash."
"Yeah, I know," I said, thinking I was prepared for what was coming next.
"So, I know you applied for the project coordinator position, I know how hard you've been working this year and I wanted to tell you I'm personally going to do what I can for you to get it. Our executive is going to make a trip down here to interview with you."

I smiled. That was not what I expected. Especially before our weekly field managing meeting at the pub down the street. I was thinking I was just about to be reamed out for losing that major donor.

I'm trying not to get as excited as I want to. I've been here before. Promised jobs by people. Told I had a good chance of getting a job and not even getting a phone call. It's been frustrating. The best thing about working this summer has been being too busy to think about what I am going to do next. I had been putting it off. But now maybe things are going to turn around. I will finally have a salary and health insurance, and will still be doing something I care about. I won't be compromising what I believe in for a job, and I won't be bored. I can move out of my parents house and have a small space and lots of potted plants and a bike. Actually, I'm pretty excited.

Luck.

I just read in newspaper that my old high school friend went to the Emmy's this past June because she won the contest that they had. The contest was to write in 25 words or less why you believe you should win the trip to the Emmy's.

My friend, Anna, has always wanted to go into acting and move to LA so this was a huge privilege for her. She was able to bring a friend and shot a commercial in which she was allowed to keep 3 evening gowns, shoes and a purse! She also got to walk the red carpet in style like a star and sit backstage at the Emmys!

When she returned, I gave her a call because I read it in the newspaper and of course, good trustworthy Facebook showed me pictures of the trip! I found out that she will be moving to LA in the fall and attending a school there.

I found this interesting because my luck lately has been horrible and things have just not been going my way. But out of 3,000 contestants, my one friend from smalltown Fraser was able to attend the Emmy's and meet all her favorite stars AND shoot a commercial!! This just made me realize that you have to just be patient. Things do get better and it may take a while but its normally worth the wait.

Get by with a little help from your friends...

I'm sure ya'll are familiar with the term "support system." You know, the people you surround yourself with to cheer you up, cheer you on, etc. The notion is probably a little cliche, but it really is a good idea to take a moment and make sure you've got one in place. School = stress, after all. Or, maybe you're like me--graduated yet no job landed. Not fun. Maybe you've graduated and do have a career in place. Regardless of your specific situation, they haven't coined the term "quarter life crisis" for nothing, right?


Here's a glimpse at my support system. It's only fair that I share mine, because I really want you readers to share yours!

Numero uno: Faith. It's amazing how connecting with something/one bigger than yourself can make you feel secure. Especially if your future is unsure; Faith can really give you a purpose in life, beyond sitting on your parent's couch watching Project Runway marathons. Not that there's anything wrong with that...;)

video courtesy of jimvwmoss...because it's adorable.

Family. Whatever your particular family situation, I hope that there is at least one relation who you can relate to. Get it? Take my mom and step-dad for instance. Last night, I literally (accidentally) burned a giant hole through our front porch. That's fire damage, people. But they still love me, and I still live there. It's pretty nice to know that clearly no matter how much I screw up, they've got my back.

Take a guess on number 3..........yep, you got it---friends. It's hard leaving school and losing your dorm buddies and classmates. Thanks to Facebook and Myspace, you don't have to lose touch permanently. But there's other options, too. Recently, I've started hanging out with one of my best friends from high school again. I also spend a lot of time with my cousins--now that we're older we get a long surprisingly well!

And the last source I've found is a little less intimate, but definitely encouraging. It's the people who work at the places I haunt. Specifically, the local librarian and crew. I spend a lot of time here (I'm typing from the library now), and just by being friendly I've got some people interested in who I am and what I do, which is nice. Also, I've established "my" coffee house of choice, and it's the same deal there. A bit of the Cheers theme song is SO true, sometimes you really DO have to go where everybody knows your name.

Tell me: who supports you??

Summer Canvassing

I have been working for a non for profit organization called NYPIRG. (The New York Public Interest Research Group ---> www.nypirg.org.) I have declined to write about it since it was definitely not part of the graduation/life plan. I have worked for NYPIRG for the past three summers. I always considered it a great summer job and part of what was so great about it was that it ended at the end of the summer. There were no awkward goodbyes when I left because come the end of August, everyone left. In the Buffalo office, there is a small staff of about 20 people, mostly being college aged kids, some in school, and some not. All of them good people wanting to fit in somewhere and all wanting to do their part in helping their community and bettering themselves. I always loved the respect and appreciation everyone gave to each other in this organization. Going door-to-door touting the evils of mercury and green-house gas emissions is not an easy thing. We all understand that, and we're all in it together, day in and day out.

This summer we're campaigning to decrease pollution that is adding to global warming. NYPIRG effects state policy and we plan to win. I'm excited to see what happens when the New York Senate meets again.

It was funny that I fell into working for NYPIRG. I had never been particularly into politics. I always felt personally responsible in reducing, reusing and recycling. Honestly, living at school I didn't have very many "things" at all that I could throw out. (I'm kind of a minimalist.) That was something I had to readjust to at home. Three non-working computers in the basement and buying a new one. (What???) Anyway, I liked the idea of working for the environment being myself, dressing how I wanted to, and having this immediate group of friends who had the same ideologies as I did. Now I was raising money making a quantitative impact on environmental policy through communities that supported my work. I was happy. And again, after every door slam, I would remember, this ends in August.

This summer is not exactly the same case. I was promoted to field manager after three weeks of working as a canvasser. My best friends at work left. I am in a management role for the first time in my life where I am working above people, and realizing relationships aren't quite the same when you're someone's boss. And what about the end of the summer? No going back to school. Am I going to be out of a job?

I have applied to be a project coordinator for NYPIRG which is year round, salary, a real job. Again, it's funny the path that I've been on this far. I never thought I would be a person who would work in politics but I want this job. I care about it, and the organization. I can't really let go of my desire to travel and work as closely to music as possible but I feel like this is a time in my life where I need to figure out where my priorities lie. Maybe this is the answer I've been looking for.

A little bit goes a long way....

I've been reading the news a lot online lately which is something I used to do a lot before I was thrown into two jobs that consume every second of my life.

This past weekend I read an article that I found very interseting about college students. Being that I, like many of you, am a college student, I figured that I would share this interesting article with you!

It was an article on the top ten best jobs for two-year degrees. Many high school students beat themselves up over the decision on whether they should attend college or not. Do I go to a four year university to obtain a degree or should I just opt for a two year degree...should I not go at all? Is it even for me?

College of any kind is always a good decision and although it will be beneficial to you in the long run, four years of your life can consume an awful lot of time and money that you may not have. The point that CNN made was that very few majors can offer financial return that is going to offset the financial debt that most students (myself included) obtain over 4 years.

A two year degree, or an Associate's degree can be obtained in half the time for half the cost because in order to get an Associate's you don't need to attend a four year university. The other point that CNN made was that in having an associate's it puts you at the "halfway point" of a four year degree, should you opt to further your education later in life.

Workers with associate degrees on average earn more money than their counterparts with high school degrees. Anthony Balderrama of Careerbuilder said, "according to the U.S. Census Bureau, over a 40-year period, high school graduates will earn a total of $1.2 million, while workers with associate degrees will earn $1.6 million."

According to Anthony Balderrama and Careerbuilder, the top ten best jobs for two-year degrees are:

1. Computer specialists Median annual wage: $71,510

Current Employment: 136,000 Projected 2016 employment increase: 15 percent

2. Dental hygienists Median annual wage: $64,740

Current Employment: 167,000 Projected 2016 employment increase: 30 percent

3. Fashion designers Median annual wage: $62,810

Current Employment: 20,000 Projected 2016 employment increase: 5 percent

4. Registered nursesMedian annual wage: $60,010

Current Employment: 2,505,000 Projected 2016 employment increase: 23 percent

5. Environmental engineering technicians Median annual wage: $ 40,560

Current Employment: 21,000 Projected 2016 employment increase: 25 percent

6. Radiologic technologists and techniciansMedian annual wage: $50,260

Current Employment: 196,000 Projected 2016 employment increase: 15 percent

7. Industrial engineering techniciansMedian annual wage: $47,490

Current Employment: 75,000 Projected 2016 employment increase: 10 percent

8. Paralegals and legal assistants Median annual wage: $44,990

Current Employment: 238,000 Projected 2016 employment increase: 22 percent

9. Occupational therapist assistantsMedian annual wage: $45,050

Current Employment: 25,000 Projected 2016 employment increase: 25 percent

10. Computer support specialists Median annual wage: $42,400

Current Employment: 552,000 Projected 2016 employment increase: 13 percent

College may not be for everyone, but if you can find a great job that pays well and only have to put in half the time you would at a university, don't you think that makes it worth something? I love being at my university and I know that I have barely any money and I'm an extremely broke college student (like the majority of us) but its a decision I'm happy I made! Don't look at college as a continuation of high school, look at it as a great start to a successful future!

Even if you don't attend for four full years, you can still have better benefits than if you were to just not attend at all. Don't short yourself just because you feel like its a waste of your time. I promise you that you'll love it!!

images by www.womenslawproject.org

Ahhhh.....America!

Given that yesterday was the fourth, I feel a post celebrating this American life is appropriate. I could drone on and on about all the perks, but I think my recent visit to the ER encapsulates some of them nicely.

Preface: Tuesday night (alright, technically Wednesday morning, it was 12:30), I took a spill. Slipped on some miscellany junk on my floor, and wound up landing on my chin. Cut to me rubbing said chin, thinking all's well, only to find a handful of blood. Panic, nausea, and near-fainting ensue. The mom throws a wet wash-cloth on it to slow the gushing, the step-dad pulls up the truck, and off we go to the emergency room.

Now, I'm thinking we're over-reacting a bit. People go to the ER in the wee hours because they got shot. Not because they're clumsy fools like me. The medical professionals, however, agreed with the old folk's that my wound needed some help staying shut. Into the room I go!

Here's where the thankfulness-to-America comes in:

1. We have emergency rooms...and competent staff to boot.
2. We have treatment options; instead of black stitches resembling chin-whiskers, I was able to walk out of there with the wound glued up.
3. Tetanus shots. Sure, they cause discomfort. But compared to the alternative (lockjaw, etc.), they are definitively worth it.
4. Animal planet was on the TV. The show? About man-eating tigers in India. Literally hundreds of people get eaten alive by tigers every year. Eaten by a tiger? Cut on the chin. Perspective, people. We've got it good.
5. Related to 4; when I got home there was a tiny, sweet-as-sugar, stray cat hanging out on our front porch. One that liked to be pet and didn't bite. Much better than finding a stray tiger, no? ;)

Why do you guys love America?




Images by: www.sandiego.gov, and Mandy & Arjin