Networking, Applications, Interviews, and Aptitude Tests Galore!
It is barely a few weeks into the new year and I have hit the ground running. In the past few weeks, I have been attending all the seminars and networking events I could fit into my schedule. Never did I ever imagine to be where I am now. This past weekend I sent out countless applications, emails, and resumes and just the past 5 days alone, I have responded to dozens of emails, phone calls, and voice mails. How did I get to where I am you must ask? It is every college senior's dream to solidify a job before graduation in the spring but interviews and jobs don't come easy. For someone who has spent the past three years of their life working every moment she could, I can not stress time management enough. Being a full time student with 3 part times jobs, a social life, athletics, and a sorority, I understand the need for self control and balance. I am not here to talk about how perfect my college years have been, I was not always the most studious and academic student but I was a hardworking, motivated, driven worker. I saw little incentive with academics but saw the potential growth in creating a career out of my strengths. You learn to pick your battles. I wanted to list a few things that meant more than anything to me and helped me to get to where I am today. 1. TIME MANAGEMENT!!! Use a planner, or two. I am not even kidding when I tell people that I have over 4 different planners or calendars that are color coded. Every night before bed, I cross-check all of them to make sure I know what I am doing tomorrow and what I need to get done. Give yourself buffers because sometimes the universe may not work exactly how you planned and things run late or get delayed. I use a wonderful website www.kanbanflow.com to sort my to do's. It is my homepage so I am able to see what I need done or what I have already accomplished when I turn on my computer.
2. Organization Those who have been to my room are always amazed at how I literally label my shoe boxes and have a specific spot for everything. Everything is always in its spot and color coded. Color coordination not only looks nice but it lets you differentiate without having to investigate in depth. Colors like Red and Orange scream "HELP! I'M URGENT!" where as colors like Black and Blue just sit there. When things are organized, it not only makes things easier to find, but cuts down the stress when you are in a hurry. Make sure everything is written clearly and it will make referring to them later a breeze.
3. Prioritize There is no way for you to do everything you HAVE to do, let alone everything you WANT to do. Learn to choose your strengths and focus on those. I knew coming into college that I was not the strongest test taker so I opted for classes that were more heavy in writing. Although I focused on what I was good at, I did not completely neglect my weaker side. Being well rounded is the goal of every individual but with the time and budget constraint, you have to learn when to step up and when to back down. As much as I pretend it is not true, your sleep and health are very important so learn to live a balanced lifestyle.
4. Support This may sound weird and out of place but having support is extremely important. This can be in the form of friends, coworkers, family, or even random strangers. Be able to cut off those who do nothing but slow you down but hang on tight to those who push you and have your back. Even the happiest of people will have to emotionally cleanse themselves so it is really important to have support. No leader can rise without followers and supporters.
5. Communication There are many times when I want to just close off the world and not explain why I do what I do. There are also times where I feel like I am the only person who can accomplish tasks so I don't bother asking for help. Communicate with people! This includes your roommates, your parents, your peers, and even your supervisors. Nothing can be done properly without proper communication. It never helps to passively brush things off because if you made a mistake, others can try to help you immediately. But, if you were to brush it aside, it could become a bigger problem and explode!
6. and lastly, HAVE FUN! This is still something I am struggling to do. Learn to relax and just go with the flow. Not everything will work as planned but definitely try to take time off and just hang out with your friends or go take the trip you always wanted to do. You have the rest of your life to work and be boring so step away for a bit and just enjoy life. This is easier said than done, but with the right mindset, those hours spent having fun will make up for the monetary opportunity costs.
With all that being said, it is terrifying to be graduating soon with everything up in the air. But, I believe that with the right attitude we will all make it through college and move on to the next step of our lives. Year 2015, you have been amazing so far. Keep up the good work, this year will be big. I can feel it.
