Final Blog #PBandJterm

Well, this is it. In about ten minutes I will be on my way out of the door and back to my house where I will then prepare for my final semester of college. I can only stop and ask myself, “Where did the time go?” As this question become more and more relevant to my Jterm class, it also become just as relevant to life. This is my final semester, so I have completed 3 years; just like I have completed 3 weeks in this class. The years went by just as fast as the weeks, and I know life will only continue to do so; and at a rapid pace. AND that is what my final week of Jterm has taught me. I now know that I can’t slow down, or take life one day at a time… I must be ahead, I must succeed. 

This week, a man by the name of Derek Mabie came and spoke to our class. At a young age he started his own business in the field of SEO’s, and came to speak to our class about it. Until that day, I have no idea what a SEO was or that it held any relevance to my life. I was tired that day, and didn’t give the presentation much credit at the start. But when he started, I listened. As I listened, I watched my future slide right by me. Derek was talking about a job that didn’t really exist yet, but will be a required field in no less than 2 years. My professors always said that when I graduate there will be jobs that don’t exist today. I didn’t believe it then, but it’s the only thing I believe now.

While most of my time this week was spent pondering the idea of SEO’s, I did give time to learn about what the other guest speakers had to say. Jessica Leitch and Maddie Marshall, owners of ‘City in a Jar,’ came and spoke about how they are successfully attempting to turn blogging into a career. They touched base on the importance of networking and encouragement to be successful. It was great to hear ways that I can network myself in order to stand out and gain the attention of employers. I also liked that they shared upcoming networking events that students can attend, and offered to join if we feel too intimidated. It’s nice to have people, other than professors, on our side to help to become what we know we can.

I am sad to watch this class go. I can’t say that I have ever enjoyed my time so much while learning; nor have I ever walked away from a class as a better person. This class made me ready for the “real world” and what it has to offer. 3 weeks ago, I was skeptical, I was tired and I was ready to quit. Now, now I’m ready to take on the world. Good Luck to my fellow peers of PBandJterm.

Stuck

So you’re stuck? Me too. Right now, I’m stuck on the idea of the decisions I make today affecting my life tomorrow. I’m also stuck in a world of stress that I have resided in since my Freshman year of college. I guess that happens when one works, studies, and plays hard. But, I’m still here. I still battle my way through, and have 1000 reasons why I HAVE to wake up in the morning. I am never depressed, and I never doubt why I am here. I love life, simple as that. And I know one day it will all be worth it. Although, I didn’t come to this mindset on my own… I found it through, what I like to call, vacations.

Vacation to me, is getting away… Setting yourself free, and not worrying about what is, or what has to be. Just enjoying the moment. (I think I had maybe 5 of them tonight in writing this blog.) Times get tough, we all know that, but I feel it’s best to just step back and look around… enjoy what you wouldn’t see normally. Clear you head of stress, and fill it with daydreams and passions.

When I was a baby and couldn’t fall asleep at night, my mother would strap me in my car seat and drive until I was settled and asleep. As I grew, she would tell me about her techniques and I would say, “Noted for when I have a baby, mom.” But now that I am older, almost the age she was while driving me around, I realize that the drive wasn’t only for me but for her too. Today when I’m stressed, tired, worried or have writers block I do as my mother did; I drive. The drivers seat of my car becomes my beach towel and my calm music is the sound of the ocean coming to shore. (Ironically, I never invision myself at the beach, I just find the common feeling of tranquility between the two.) For 5 minutes of my night, I am on vacation. Nothing can stop me, and I am free.

Give it a listen…

My roommate Kim and I have been roommates since our first day at Lindenwood University. 4 years ago, as a science major, I was constantly studying. Kim, as a business major, was constantly partying. I envied the life she had. Meeting new people, going new places… While I became better and better friends with the compound for some group of chemicals I cared nothing for. Some nights, Kim would surprise me at the Library with a sweet tea from Quick Trip; she always had one too. She would pull up a chair and start talking. Before I knew it,  we were in conversation and I felt human again. To this day, Kim will walk in my room, tea in hand, and do what she can to take my mind off of studies. For that short amount of time with Kim, I was on vacation. She never stayed long enough to hurt me studies, but she always stayed long enough to keep me sane.

I guess what I’m saying is… take a vacation. “Life” can be hard, but never let it get in the way of YOUR life. We all need a break, and with the fast pace work and studies we are asked to compete, these breaks are hard to find. Take 5 minutes. Go for a drive, a run or a visit to an old friend. Your work will still be waiting when you return; as well as your freshly rested brain.

Time to Stop Stalling and Start Doing

A Quick Guide to Strive

Do yourself a quick favor and think about your life, and where you currently stand in it. Is what you see, what you want? Where are you in your life? Are there things being left out, important things? It’s mid January. If you are reading this, you are probably on the verge of graduating this spring, or possibly in early December. Do you have a job? Are things on track?

If the answers to most of the questions asked were positive one, great for you! Impressive. But, if they were negative… know that you’re not alone. These are actually common questions and concerns that graduating college students feel on a daily basis. Really, who would want to live in mom and dad’s basement with a car that barely starts and the only aspect of income is that crummy job you picked up while in college for some extra cash. So, looks like it’s time for a change. Let’s turn your future around, let’s get you a job. Take in this advice and learn from it, what do you have to lose?

There is one thing about college that students never seem to understand; the importance and logistics of their professors. While most make it through most of their four years dreading each day they have to hear that annoying high pitched voice of the Literature professor, or the monotone personality of DR. Marketing 101 there is one thing they do not realize… Those people are professionals. Most professors at Lindenwood are either current or previous professionals in what they teach. This means that not only do they know a lot about the field, but they also know a lot of people that are in the field. Take Jill Falk and Mike Wall for example; professionals that know their subjects and their previous colluges. SO TALK TO THEM!

This theory is actually really simple and successful. Choose a professor to whom you admire, respect and appreciate; while also making sure they feel the same for you. Talk to them. Ask them about your field of interest and find ways that they can connect you to people that may be an advantage to you. I guarantee they will be able to find if not someone, but someway to get your name out into the professional world. Since they were once professionals, they will also have ways of connecting you to networking events, and give you advice on how to be successful in that world. Believe it or not, your professors want to help… LET THEM!

If you are not comfortable speaking with a professor, or do not have one that you are close to then do the research yourself; it’s just as easy. Find a person that does what you are interested in doing, and request that you two can set up and informational interview. Informational interviews are usually relaxed and to the point. There is no intimidation, and many benefits; such as networking and future job placement. Most professionals were once in your shoes, so they understand and are more than happy to help you advance.

Before using these two ideas, make sure your resume is in the best shape. The ladies in the career center of the University have great programs to help, and they are skilled and advanced in what they do. If you are going to go out of your way to make an impression, make sure it’s the best one.

And please, take my advise.

10 Ways for a More Productive Day

Below is a list of 10 ideas put together in order to strive for the most productive day!

10. Put Your Face On- Don’t just get out of bed to get out of bed, do it with the mindset of starting your day. Sweatpants? Forget it! Give yourself enough time; take a shower, put on clean clothes, and make an effort to look nice. Not only will this help you to stay awake and not wander into the path of laziness, it also helps for practice of a future professional life.

9. Workout in the Morning- If you do not already have an active lifestyle; get one. If you do, try working out in the morning before your day starts. The energy athletics gives will be enough to successfully get you through the day with no mid day crash.  A lot of gyms offer fun and motivational group classes in the morning. The instructions from the trainer and inspiration from other members will help you to push through and give it our best.

8. Walk to Class- Believe it or not, walking to class can actually lead to a higher work ethic during the day. When walking, you must leave early so that you will arrive on time. This will create your brain to want to leave early for other things you might have to do in your day, causing more production.

7. Turn off Social Media- How many hours a day do you spend on social media? Unless your reason for being on social media is relevant to your day, and not just for fun, turn it off. Think about it… How many times does 9 am become 10 am because you were too busy checking up on what others are doing around you, via Facebook. Get that hour back; turn it off!

6. Study After Class, Not before Bed- You will notice that the less you do before bed, the better you sleep. This will lead to a more productive day tomorrow, and days to come. Yes, it may be hard to stay in a book while the sun is out, but resting your mind before bed will not only improve  you, but your grades too. Although, it does not hurt to give that test a quick overview before crashing… Just dont make it a habit.

5. Snack Every 2 Hours- Eating large meals every four hours can cause you to have a large crash, especially if the carbohydrate  intake is high. Try eating small meals that fill you up; healthy items. This will keep your energy high and you day on the move.

4. Avoid the Couch- Okay, the 20 minute power nap is fine… but try to stay off the couch other than that. Do your homework at the kitchen table or desk. This will cause less temptation to slake, and allow more free time later. It’s good to look at it as a way to enjoy the couch much more when you can just sit.

3. Make a List- Making a list of things to do often helps their ability to be accomplished. Checking items off of a list is quite gratifying to most people; making them feel as if they are getting something done. This will allow them to continue to be productive. You can be traditional and make a paper list, or digital by creating a list on you iPhone or Evo.

2. Time Management- There are only 24 hours in a day. Remember that. Don’t try to do too much, and don’t settle for not enough. Know how long each tasks will take you, and allow yourself the time to accomplish it.

1. Do What You Intend to Do- Doesn’t get much simpler than that. If you know it needs to be done, or want to do it… Then do it. No one can make you, no one can push you… It’s time for you to make the decisions. Make the best one, get your life done.

The Dreaded Week

As for most of my fellow Lindenwood University peers, this is not my first J-Term; it’s my fourth. So I now think of it as more of a tradition, a tradition in the sense that the same thing happens every time. The first week comes, and all is well. I’m learning new things, meeting new people, and even looking forward to the next week. But, that next week comes… and it sticks around for a while. I find every day to drag more than the one before and all of my work to be redundant and tedious. This year, I walk away from the second week thinking “Fourth Time’s a Charm” because not only can I not believe that tomorrow starts my final week, but also that I wished this past week would have slowed down or even paused; just for one second. This can only lead me to conclude that the saying is true; time does fly when you’re having fun.

While I write, I sit back and reflect on what I did learn in those speedy four days. The number one subject that sticks out in my mind is the introduction and skilled attempt to a website called Prezi. As many college students may agree, I always swore by Microsoft Powerpoint. Not because I absolutely loved it and refused to never try anything else, but simply because I didn’t know a higher, more sophisticated form of presentation software existed. Plus, I mastered Powerpoint as far as I could… I mean who wouldn’t after watching three generations of it? But now I have Prezi; I can create what look to be advanced presentations and have them readily available for anyone to see, and at any time. No longer do I have to upload my presentation via Microsoft to a website and wait for it to work. I just simply create and save, much like I do here on my blog site. Below is a tutorial about Prezi and what it entails. Check it out.

After the whirlwind of Prezi in my mind died down, I was able to acknowledged what else I learned last week; a little site called Linkedin. Linkedin is what I like to refer to as an online, social media orientated resume. While I have had a Linkedin profile for two years now, a speaker by the name of @NickGilham, creator of A Branded You, specializes in Linkedin and came to show the class just how important having a Linkedin profile was when trying to network to gain a career after graduation; or even before. I was most astounded in Nick’s presentation when he showed the infrared screen shot of a Linkedin profile. This shot showed exactly where a profile viewer’s eyes go when first glancing at a screen and after staying on it for a while. I was surprised to see that the section where the picture goes held the most infrared and sections such as ‘previous jobs’ weren’t so hot. I found this as another way to emphasize that appearance does matter, and no matter how hard one may work… if you don’t look the part, you wont get the job. Great to think about when putting myself online in hopes of earning a job.

Passion Prezi- How To

Check out my Prezi. Blogs coming soon.

Click Here!!! 

As the first week ends…

As my first week of J Term at Lindenwood University comes to an end, I must sit back and reflect on what I have learned. While this is not a common action after the first week of classes, J Term enforces this action because of the vast amount of learning in just the first four days. The class that I am taking, in which I learn how to build my personal brand, reminded me on day one just why I am a communications major. With little knowledge of who many of my fellow peers were, each of us allowed the acceptance and appreciation of each other. I now feel comfortable in the environment I am in, and this feeling allows me to expand everything I know and reflect on the education of others as well. I normally tend to leave emotions out of class, but being in an atmosphere such as this I feel confident in knowing that I will walk away from this class one step further to creating my dreams; New York City!

Not only has this class so far allowed my feelings to change toward the way I learn, but it has also, with the combination of communications and personal branding, forced me to realize that keeping up with Twitter requires as much attention as a full time job. I have had a Twitter account for maybe 9 months prior to this class, and never once used it. Until last week, I did not know what “RT” meant, and I did not realize just how small the world really is. By keeping up with what I post and what others post around me, I have the opportunity to meet the people I should and portray myself in a way that I’ve always wanted to. The only social media interaction I had prior to Twitter was Facebook; which is appearing to hurt me more than help me. Through Twitter I was able to connect with professional people that were once in my shoes, and allow their advice to help me in the direction I should be heading in. I also learned that there are people in communications professions that are interested in what I have to say; which will be quite beneficial in the near future.

Through the use of the tools I use in class to build my personal brand, I have also learned that there are also people in professional atmospheres that are passionate about the same subjects I am. As the 2012 election progresses, I can only allow myself to live in fear of what may come based on what is already happening. While we have not discussed any politics in this class, we did find inspiration people. People who started out just like you and me. Lost college students that didn’t quite fit in yet. They had no direction to go in, and knew that whatever they were being forced to do at the time was not what they had always dreamed of doing. Today, they are some of the most influential leaders of our time; and it became this way all because of social media. My biggest fear is that we may soon live in an ignorant world filled with people who have prolonged for it to be this way. Seeing that these certain people stood up for what they believed in and made a change really inspires me to do that same and encourage others to do so as well. I would have never known this to be true if it wasn’t for my class, and I’m so happy to walk away with this overwhelming feeling of peace.

Branded!

Danyelle Little

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