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AUGUST 30, 2010
On and Off the Field
As the end of my undergraduate career rapidly approaches, I'm beginning to accept the notion that in merely a year, I will be out in the big, scary real world all on my own! I have done many things throughout my time at Western Connecticut State University to prepare for my future career. I've maintained a high GPA, held a few part-time jobs and had a great internship experience with Church Hill Classics! However, I believe what has best prepared me for my future endeavors is being a player on WCSU's women's lacrosse team.
Every lesson that is learned from being an athlete can be applied to the workplace. Here are just a few examples:
Teamwork
Being on a sports team teaches you to work well with others. You and your colleagues (teammates) are all working towards a common goal and the best way to accomplish that goal is to work together. Sometimes you have to pick up the slack for a teammate that is not performing well that day. Other times you may need to reach out to others because perhaps you are the one struggling. Either way, athletes know how to support each other and know the power behind the saying “united we stand, divided we fall.”
Practice Makes Perfect
Athletes know that luck is not something you should rely on. You will probably never score the winning goal in a game if you haven’t scored in practice first. The endless drills, aching muscles, and relentless coaches always seem worth it when your team is celebrating its victory. My point here is that sometimes things you don’t like are good for you. I’d be lying if I said I love the part-time jobs I’ve held since high school. However, I like to look at them as practice for when I finally achieve the dream career I’ve always aspired to. Phones ringing off the hook, dealing with angry customers, and hours upon hours of mind-numbing data entry… none of these are particularly fun, but all are necessary rites of passage. If you can view the things you don’t like about your job as “practice” for your future success, the half-empty glass suddenly seems half-full; add a little hard work in there and you’ve got yourself a recipe for career victory!
Self-Confidence
Playing sports teaches you to have self-confidence. If you’re up to bat with a fastball coming your way and all you are saying to yourself in your head is, “Oh man, there’s no way I can do this,”- then strike three, you’re out! The best way to approach a difficult task is to believe you can do it from the get-go.
If your boss plops a seemingly insurmountable pile of work onto your desk, don’t panic. Take a deep breath, tell yourself you can do it, and make a game plan. Strategizing ahead of time gives you a clear focus and is far more productive than diving into something overwhelmed and unorganized.
Confidence is especially important for any person whose profession requires them to make sales. Without confidence, your customers are not going to believe in you or the product. If you can conduct yourself with poise and charisma, it is much easier to earn the respect and admiration of those around you. People with high self-confidence are not discouraged by defeat or failure. They can learn from their mistakes and use those lessons to create success in the future.
There are countless other analogies that can be created about athletics and workplace success, (setting goals, valuing a person’s skills, bonding or even accepting defeat),but the categories I brought up are just a few that meant the most to me. So whether you participate in sports or not, the next time you are on the field or in the stands, think about how much the game can teach you. What you learn may surprise you!
Did you enjoy this blog? You might be interested in these other blog posts:
Grads: Time to Earn Your Master's in Life Studies
College Grads' Work Experience Comes in Many Forms
Leveraging Your Woman-Owned Business - TO GENERATE GROWTH
Blog Author: Crystal Wilder - Church Hill Classics 2010 Summer Intern
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AUGUST 16, 2010
College (Undergrad and Grad)
After having an exciting summer by hanging out with family and friends, getting into a "back to school" mode could be a drag. For those going into their first year of college, the nerves don't help either! Hopefully these few tips will help.
College is usually where students tend to gradually find themselves, so it is very important to prepare yourself the best that you can! Usually when students go to college, they move away from home and stay on campus or in an apartment within walking distance, and for most students, this is the first time being on your own or even away from your family and friends! I personally believe that college is a huge transition for a student in every aspect of life.
Please, Please, PLEASE make sure that your financial aid is correct. You will get very familiar with the Bursar’s Office at your college. If something does not look right or if you faxed in a paper and they said you didn’t, make sure you have copies to prove it. Also, you will get to familiarize yourself with FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) which helps you with grants and loans for college.
When it comes to academics, teachers are now professors and many of them will give you a syllabus which contains dates for when assignments are due and when exams are given for the entire semester. It is up to you to create the schedule for studying on your own time. The difficulty for many students when they first arrive on campus is time management. Getting a Daily Planner would be very beneficial to keep everything in order.
In many colleges, there are HUNDREDS of clubs and organizations to join, so make sure you check that out. Joining too many can be overwhelming, especially for a freshman! Here’s a listing of clubs and organizations from UConn, so you see what I mean.
A few of my suggestions for acclimating to college are: a pair of walking sneakers, an Mp3 player, and a laptop. These are all musts on campus seeing that you will be walking to all or most of your classes and the music will you keep you company. A laptop is very beneficial when it comes to getting assignments done and checking e-mails. Depending on your college, if you go on their website, you will be able to find what you can and cannot bring to college.
So when embarking on this wonderful College Experience, make sure you:
- HAVE TIME MANAGMENT
- Remember to check your college website or a general website so that you pack everything that you NEED for campus life (especially if you are going off to school far away)
- It would be beneficial to bring a laptop and a planner
- Good walking shoes/sneakers
- Do your FAFSA!
- Get familiar with the Bursar’s Office and your advisors
- Join activities that you like (BUT DON’T OVERDO)
- ENJOY COLLEGE LIFE!
Now that I have given you some pointers on how to embrace going back to school, hopefully you will do just that. Who knows, maybe you will end up impatiently waiting for school to start!
Did you enjoy this blog? Then you might also like reading:
How Parents Cope With Kids Being Away at College
Strange College Classes that REALLY do Exist
Tips on Adjusting to College Life
Moving into Your Dorm Room (Wow!)
How Do College Students Stay Active in the Summer?
Blog Author: Clarice Diavua - Church Hill Classics 2010 Summer Intern
Connect with Church Hill Classics on Facebook and Twitter!
AUGUST 09, 2010
It's Not So Bad!
All summer long, you got the chance to go to the movies with your friends and talk about how great The Karate Kid was, and the anticipation for Eclipse alone made you feel perfectly happy. You went to cookouts with family, hung out at the beach to get a tan, played some volleyball or took soothing walks just to enjoy the weather. What would summer be without going to an amusement park like Six Flags or a little trip sightseeing to create memories!! Now that you have reminisced on how good the summer was to you, it’s time to think about the one thing people dread thinking about and that is…Going Back to School!!!
Going back to school after having so much fun could be a bit of a drag, but if you get prepared for going back to school, there are much more positive things about it than you think. So instead of procrastinating, get ready for school and embrace it! How can you enjoy going back to school? Well here are some tips to all students (regardless of age) to have fun with the idea:
- When shopping for school supplies, play a game with your siblings or your friends (See who can find all of their school supplies first; that is what my siblings and I would do).
- When you shop for school clothes, instead of just getting random clothing, try to coordinate outfits and look for good prices (I’m sure your parents will appreciate that part!).
- Get your class schedule and look over your classes and think about how you will approach the curriculum in order to start school off right without the stress.
Those are only a few tips but there’s plenty more where these ideas came from. All you need to do is get creative and think outside of the box. Although there are some things all students can prepare for in general, we all know that each grade is different in getting ready for school.
Kindergarten through 8th grade
When you are young, you will want a cool lunch box/bag and the notebooks that have your favorite cartoon character on it (or decorate your own notebooks)! As you grow and go on to higher grades, making friends and having good ones is more important to you than what is on your notebook. Regular supplies (pens, paper, crayons, glue, and notebooks) are good enough to satisfy you; oh, and your favorite cartoon shoes of course!
High School (9-12th grade)
When students get to high school, there is a different feel in the air from elementary and middle school. There is much more peer pressure and work to do. Some students feel that they have to obtain an image to even be accepted in high school.
When preparing to go back to school, make sure you are very organized. With different classes that usually last about 45 minutes back to back, you have a lot of material to obtain. To make sure you take good notes, it’s very helpful to have a good supply of pens, pencils, and highlighters. Some teachers even specify what type of supplies they want you to use in their class, so getting general items such as pens, notebooks, and binders are good, but take into account what your teacher wants too (dividers for your binder, colored pencils…)
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When it comes to a social life, of course you want to look your best!! Remember to look YOUR best, not everyone else’s best, you have to be your own person. Shop for clothes and sneakers that are comfortable and you feel good in since you will be in the outfit for the entire school day. You also want to think ahead about taking up a sport or a club. There are so many after school activities to choose from - from running track to joining the National Honor Society. Make sure the activity is something that you will enjoy doing.
Now, you are ready to go back to school!
Did you enjoy this blog? Then you might also like reading:
Preserving Children's Artwork
Senior Portraits
Sports Shadowboxes
Blog Author: Clarice Diavua - Church Hill Classics 2010 Summer Intern
Connect with Church Hill Classics on Facebook and Twitter!
AUGUST 02, 2010
An overview of FRANKIE the Diploma Frame's destinations as of July 29, 2010!
FRANKIE the Diploma Frame has had quite the summer vacation this year. He has been traveling across the country visiting all of his friends at different beaches, backyards, parks, and summer jobs. He went swimming, flew a kite, played Frisbee, went to a concert, and got to see the amazing beaches in Hawaii too.
While in the United States, FRANKIE saw some of the more well-known sights including the White House in Washington, D.C.; Mount Rushmore with former Presidents Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln; Yellowstone National Park; and Yosemite National Park.
FRANKIE also spent some time shopping in the Big Apple and sightseeing in Chicago. He made his way to Michigan and while there also saw beautiful scenery at Pictured Rocks; it was worth the trip! FRANKIE even got to go to Hogwarts to check out Harry Potter’s world! After Hogwarts, FRANKIE thought it would be nice to go and see Mickey Mouse’s Disney World too.
FRANKIE tried out a few sports this summer too, including volleyball and baseball; he tried soccer too, but being the goalie was scary! He decided it was much safer to watch sports instead of playing them.
Once FRANKIE thought he had seen enough of the good old United States, he decided to go international! FRANKIE put his passport to good use visiting friends in Japan, Africa, Mexico, Haiti, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Argentina, and the Bahamas. There were plenty of amazing sights for FRANKIE to see, like the top of Mount Fuji, but there are still tons of places on his agenda to visit before the summer is over.
FRANKIE's international destinations!
FRANKIE’s summer vacation hasn’t been all about fun though! He did spend some time doing volunteer work in Iowa, found new employment at Pizza Hut in Pennsylvania, and helped out at various summer camps across the country.
Unfortunately, FRANKIE had a few mishaps this summer that resulted in serious injuries and dangerous situations! Luckily, some volunteers at a local hospital were able to help him feel better.
We also noticed multiple entrants were following FRANKIE's thumbs-up!
The only states that FRANKIE hasn’t seen (as of July 29th) but would love to visit are Delaware, Vermont, Louisiana, Kansas, New Hampshire, West Virginia, and Alaska. If anybody in those states is willing to host FRANKIE for a day or two, he would love to be there and make some new friends! This summer has been one full of fun adventures that FRANKIE will never forget!
Red stars represent places FRANKIE has visited
Yellow colored states represent states FRANKIE has not visited
Enter your FRANKIE the Diploma Frame entry before August 13, 2010 (10 am ET)!
Connect with Church Hill Classics on Facebook and Twitter!
Blog Author: Melanie Kondor - Church Hill Classics 2010 Summer Intern
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