My Future Path - College, Work & Real Life

College is the second life. Parents like to tell kids that college is the life. High school is petty social wars, bitter underpaid teachers (wait that comes in college, too), a four year experience that will be a gap in your memory as soon as you leave. Don’t we wish that were true. In fact, these days college applications start at birth. Colleges want to know everything about you, as if they’re looking for the perfect sperm donor to their collegiate womb. What have you done with your life since you hit puberty and could think without Mommy’s help? Exactly how many times have you saved the world? And your superhero name is?

The application process is everything and nothing like it’s said to be. They break you down as if you’re a Lego tower to be reconstructed. Orphaned: 10 pts. State soccer team: four points. Divorced parents: four points. Plays an instrument: seven points. Had a late growth spurt: minus ten points. In order to balance out this all-too sterile system (then again, who can blame them with millions of ‘unique’ students vying for a roster spot) there is the all-powerful College Essay. Tell us something about yourself that your application can’t. When was a time that you were proud? The ugly duckling and Martin Luther King Jr. walk into a bar…. in a 500 word essay explain what happens next. Or simply just “Why?” (true question)

But don’t panic. All you have to do is Be Yourself. Every year college bound fledglings are sent off into the world with mace in their fannypacks and Be Yourself stuck to a laminated card next to their hearts, their own version of a WWJD mantra. Colleges want to know the Real Me. Great, I’ll introduce them after I meet the Real Me. They’ll have a grand time together while I play 52 card pickup with myself.

College, oak trees at Berkeley or defrosting your frozen buttocks at Boston, is the next tier. Community college, online college, ivy league way-too-expensive-for-life college. It’s all a new tier. All that jelly junk that comes with it – to get into it – we have to suffer through it, yeah, and maybe we’ll learn a little something about ourselves along the way.

Like, why didn’t I become a world class pianist like my mom wanted me to be in preschool? Blast, I knew I shouldn’t have been a normal summer school going teenager.

Lost: The Real Me. If Found Please Mail To The Following Universities. Reward. Thank You.

School is almost done, if it isn’t already (or, for your sake, I hope it’s almost done!) If you are in college and live on campus and will be returning home for the summer then this means packing. Now, as you look around your room you may be thinking “I don’t really have that much stuff. I only brought what I needed and it’s not like I’ve spent the year collecting stuff,” right? Wrong! Oh sure, it all looks fine now, a little messy perhaps, but that’s ok. Trust me on this, once you start packing, once you start pulling everything out of drawers and cabinets and the space under the bed, you realize just how much stuff you have. And it’s a lot. And you have to make it fit into a couple of suitcases and boxes. It can certainly be overwhelming. So to keep you from suffocating underneath the pile of clothes you thought you’d wear and never did or collapsing from exhaustion into the nearest cardboard box, here’s some packing tips.

Plan Ahead

Figure out what stuff is going to fit where. This is particularly important if you plan on putting some things in storage for the summer or if you will be shipping most of your things back home. Decide what things can stay in boxes until September, such as winter clothes, textbooks, school supplies, and housewares. Take a look at all your stuff and think about how many boxes you’re going to need. Then decide how to organize it. Put all the things in your desk in one or two boxes, keep all appliances in another, pack all your dishes together. Planning ahead will help you stay focused instead of becoming overwhelmed.

Don’t Cram (Like You Did For Finals)

It may seem a smart organizational idea to keep all of one thing together. However, don’t do this with something heavy, namely books. If you put all your books in one box, you won’t be able to lift it, or if you do manage to lift it, the bottom will fall out. I took about three boxes and filled them halfway with books and then halfway with winter clothes that I wouldn’t be needing this summer. That way I was still organized and also careful. If you will be traveling by plane to go home, consider the weight of your suitcases. Remember that most airlines allow you to bring two checked bags and two carry-ons. Your checked bags have a weight limit of 50 lbs. and if they weigh more than this, you’ll have to pay $20 extra. Remember this when deciding whether or not you really need those Harry Potter books or that hardback Romantic Theory of Poetry that you found at the bookstore next door for $5 (not that happened to me or anything.) When you’re getting close to being done with packing, then it becomes difficult for you (and entertaining for those watching you) to balance stuff with space. Find ways to conserve space. Stuff some winter socks into those winter boots. Wrap breakable items in clothing so you don’t waste space with newspaper. Coils wires so they take up less space.

Lift With Your Legs!

When you are packing and moving, remember personal safety. (This is why it’s important not to overpack boxes.) To make boxes easier to lift you can cut handholds in the sides but taking a cutting tool (I recommend a box-cutter if you have one, a serrated knife if you don’t) and cutting a V shape in opposite sides of the box. Fold along the top of the V to form a triangular hole, and now you have an easy way to get a grip on those boxes. It can also help to tie thick string or rope around a box so you can carry it. If you are taking boxes on a place with you, I recommend using string. Some schools have carts you can borrow to help with moving. If there is a special procedure you must go through to check out a cart, make sure you do that early on. Make sure you have the help you need when moving. That’s what friends are for!

Cross the T’s, Dot the I’s

Most schools have a check-out procedure that you need to follow. Make sure you understand the instructions before it is time for you to leave in order to prevent unexpected mishaps. Ask your Resident Assistant if you need clarification. Go over your travel plans. If you will be picked up by family members or friends in a car, make sure they know where to park and where they will meet up with you. If you are traveling by some form of public transportation, like bus, train, or plane, make sure you understand your schedule. Allow ample time to get to the station or airport. If you need to take a cab, call in advance. (I had a 6am flight and needed a cab at 4am, which I don’t think I would have had much luck catching if I hadn’t called the night before.) Before you leave your room, take a last look around to make sure you didn’t leave anything. (My dad calls this the “idiot check” because if you leave something, you feel like an idiot.) And of course, remember to say goodbye to all your friends! If you haven’t already, exchange contact information to keep in touch.

I hope you all have safe trips home and wonderful summer vacations!

“I pack my trunk, embrace my friends, embark on the sea, and at last wake up in Naples, and there beside me is the Stern Fact, the Sad Self, unrelenting, identical, that I fled from.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hello all! Classes and finals have ended for me, and I am now writing to you from my home in California rather than my school in Massachusetts. While I may be done with school for the year and enjoying my summer, I know that many of you are still finishing up. That being the case, here’s some tips to help you make it through finals and get those grades!

The very best advice I have for you is something my dad told me when he called as I was working on two papers last weekend. He said, “Know what works for you.” That means that if you have study methods that work for you, use them! Better yet, post a comment and share your tips with everyone. The tips below are just some things that I’ve learned work for me, but everyone is different.

All About You
Make sure that you are comfortable. If your focus is on your itchy foot or your sore neck, you will not work as well. When you are studying or working on a project, dress in clothes that you can sit comfortably in and that won’t distract you. If you get cold easily, wear a sweatshirt. If you get hot easily, wear short sleeves or a tank top. Wear slippers or go barefoot. Whatever works for you. I always pull my hair back and wear my glasses when I’m working on something. It’s a habit that started years ago and now anytime I pull my hair back and wear my glasses, I’m ready to work.

Location, Location, Location
Environment is very important when it comes to studying. When you are working, do it in a setting that is suitable. For me, it’s difficult to work in my bedroom because that’s a place where I sleep and hang out and watch movies, etc. It’s not a place that I’m used to working in. Think about possible distractions. I like to work alone in a quiet place. However, I know people who work best when there’s a lot of stuff going on around them. Maybe you work best with Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 20 In D Minor playing on repeat, maybe Kanye West’s latest album keeps you focused. Whatever inspired you. Work in a room with a comfortable temperature. Opening the windows allows fresh air in, which can help keep the room from feeling to stuffy. The main point is work in a place that is applicable to your needs.

Fuel the Engine
I think you will agree that all foods have a time and place. Pancakes are for breakfast, ice cream is for dessert, etc. You may also realize that certain foods have a mental effect. You may have “comfort foods,” foods that make you feel good. When you’re throwing a party, I bet there are certain foods you think to buy. The same goes for studying. You need fuel to keep your mind going. Plus the movement of eating can help you work better because it engages another part of your mind. Studies show that chewing gum can help, especially for you kinesthetic learners. When you need food, instead of reaching for a bag of chips, try toast with peanut butter and banana slices on top, a personal favorite. Toast gives you carbs, peanut butter has protein, and the banana provides potassium, all of which are great energy boosters. I also like eating apples cut into cubes because it feel like a snack; you can just pop a piece into your mouth when you need it. Most people, myself included, need their caffeine. Keep in mind that too much caffeine makes it hard to sleep, and you need your sleep during finals. I find that green tea is great for working on a paper or project. A cup of green tea has about 1/3 of the caffeine as a cup of coffee. Plus the act of drinking something works for me the way gum chewing does. It keeps your body and therefore another part of your brain active.

Work it out
Studying can involved quite a bit of sitting, which can leave you sore and tired. As important as it is to stay focused, remember to stand up and move when you need to. In fact, if you need to memorize something, walking around can really help. If you’re working on a paper, change the way you’re sitting every now and then. When you find a good stopping point, take a break to stretch.

Hitting the Books

Writing a Paper
When working on a paper, the best advice I have is to plan ahead. Don’t start with a thesis and try to make everything else fit it. Start with a brainstorm and your thesis will come. Write down all the ideas you have about this paper. From there, see how these ideas relate to each other. You should be able to find topics that can all fall under one thesis. Then, flesh it out. Create an outline. If you need to use quotes in your paper, an outline is a great way to see which quotes will fit where. If you are using quotes, remember to cite your sources! (I cannot stress this enough, especially for college students). Ask yourself questions. Does this make sense? Is that a logical argument? Do these ideas build on each other or contradict each other? A good exercise is to talk to another person. Explain your thoughts to a friend, family member, roommate, classmate, or innocent bystander  and see if they have any questions. This will help you find holes in your argument, or parts of your paper that you need to further emphasize. It will also help you find a natural flow to your paper.

Studying for a Test
Some teachers make studying for their tests easier by giving you a study guide. If you are provided with a study guide, use it! Your instructor gave it to you to help you. If you are not given a study guide, make your own. Go over your notes and whatever information you have about the test itself and create a study guide. Get a study group together with some of your classmates and put your heads (and notes) together. Break up the work and then have everyone teach each other. Quiz each other. Bounce ideas off each other. Whatever works!

Memorize
I cannot tell you how many teachers I have had over the years who have cited the studies that show that the act of writing down information helps you commit it to memory. That being the case, write down anything you need to remember. If you need to remember facts, use flashcards. Make sure you make these flashcards by hand. As easy as it may be to print information, writing things yourself really helps. As I mentioned before, moving around can really help. I do a lot of theatre and when I need to memorize lines, I pace back and forth. That may work for you too.

Working with Books
Whether you are using books to study or writing an analysis of a piece of literature, there are a few ways to keep yourself organized. Use a system of marking pages and taking notes. You can find little brightly-colored “flags” to stick on pages in the office aisle of your local drugstore. If you can write in the book you are using, highlight or underline specific quotes and writing note in the margin. If you will be returning the book, then as you flag the pages, keep a notebook handy to take down notes about specific quotes or passages. You can also use full-sized Post-It notes so you can write notes right by the next without using a separate notebook.

Good luck, everyone! Don’t stress too much. Remember that as important as it is to do well, it is also important to keep your sanity. One test will not keep you from achieving your life-long dreams. Just do your best.

“There is much pleasure to be gained from useless knowledge.” - Bertrand Russell

“What is the difference between a musician and a pizza?

That the pizza can feed a family of four!”

This and other many jokes surround those who want to study music, or other arts.
We live in a society where the ambition for money is abundant. Parents want their kids to be doctors, or lawyers, or engineers instead of musicians, teachers and artists.
In a way, I understand their concern.
They want their children to live comfortably, and they know the demands of this society.
But now, what would the world be like without music? Art? Literature?
It would be a sad world.
We have to open our eyes and see past the ambition.

There are SO many diverse things you can study in college. Don’t be limited!
Explore the possibilities.
Do what you LOVE doing.

The money?
You’ll get success depending on the hard work you put in your job.
The same way an arquitect won’t make one cent if he doesn’t move and search for jobs and opportunities, you won’t make one cent if you don’t put effort in what you do.
It all depends on YOU.

ok i would really like so peoples opinion on colleges and things in Michigan. preferably Northern Michigan University. but i am going to college in four years but thought i would get a head start on information on it!!