Hello once again my dear readers. The time has come for me to put an end to my blogging. It was been a great journey while it lasted, and I am so grateful for the opportunity I was given to be able to share my life with everyone for the past 3-4 years. I hope some people took away some good advice, learned from my mistakes, and laughed at some quirky or silly things I have done.
In the past few months a lot of different changes have come my way and I could not be happier. I have gotten engaged, getting married in October, buying a house in November and life could not be any busier than it already is.
If I could give everyone one more piece of advice it would be to take advantages of all opportunities that come your way because you never know where those opportunities will lead you. Sometimes the world can be scary, sometimes it can be challenging but it’s not about the final destination, it’s about the journey. You will meet good people, bad people, and people who just waste space but hopefully you learn from each person and take away as much as you can.
Best of luck Berkeley students, potential students and everyone else who reads this!
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Metro Cards
I woke up pretty early this morning, and I had a chance to put on the news. Normally I don’t watch the news since I have to be at work pretty early but today I don’t have to go into work until 11 am. I also usually don’t watch the news because it’s always something depressing that they are reporting on and today was no different. I heard about the metro cards that they want to take away from students and it really upset me.
Currently in New York local students get free or discounted MTA cards which allow them to go to school and back home. Part of the budget cut ideas that are on the table includes taking away those free cards so that students can start paying for their cards and the MTA makes more money. If this was to happen many students would lose out on different opportunities as they would not have a way of attending school, work, and events.
It really upsets me that people that are appointed high positions such as councelmen, governors, CEO’s etc consider making decisions that could be so detrimental to our local students who at one point will be ruling this country as well. Many schools especially colleges depend on students being able to use free of discounted transportation in order to attend their classes. There are plenty of students in high schools and elementary schools that have parents with low income and their parents can’t provide transit fare for them but almost every college student is broke!
Luckily I had a car when I attended college but many of my friends did not. Berkeley has 3 campuses in New York, 4 in New Jersey and many times students had to go between the different campuses in order to complete their education requirements. I saw many of those students struggle every day because New Jersey does not offer free public transportation to students and it was hard finding money but bus tickets.
I am totally against taking free and discounted metro cards from students and I hope that you agree with me. Stand up for your thoughts and beliefs and give your opinion as well. Every little opinion and vote counts so if you can please go to the www.CW11.com website and stand up for students like yourself to keep your free of discounted tickets.
Currently in New York local students get free or discounted MTA cards which allow them to go to school and back home. Part of the budget cut ideas that are on the table includes taking away those free cards so that students can start paying for their cards and the MTA makes more money. If this was to happen many students would lose out on different opportunities as they would not have a way of attending school, work, and events.
It really upsets me that people that are appointed high positions such as councelmen, governors, CEO’s etc consider making decisions that could be so detrimental to our local students who at one point will be ruling this country as well. Many schools especially colleges depend on students being able to use free of discounted transportation in order to attend their classes. There are plenty of students in high schools and elementary schools that have parents with low income and their parents can’t provide transit fare for them but almost every college student is broke!
Luckily I had a car when I attended college but many of my friends did not. Berkeley has 3 campuses in New York, 4 in New Jersey and many times students had to go between the different campuses in order to complete their education requirements. I saw many of those students struggle every day because New Jersey does not offer free public transportation to students and it was hard finding money but bus tickets.
I am totally against taking free and discounted metro cards from students and I hope that you agree with me. Stand up for your thoughts and beliefs and give your opinion as well. Every little opinion and vote counts so if you can please go to the www.CW11.com website and stand up for students like yourself to keep your free of discounted tickets.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Who Would Have Thought
Ugh, I have to say I feel like such a blogger slacker. I have been slacking majorly in contributing to my blogging community here at Berkeley. Sometimes life just happens and you lose track of all your responsibilities. About a month has passed since I have blogged but not much has really changed in my life.
Recently I have taken an outlet in reading different books, mostly biographies. I have never thought that I would like reading biographies but after reading one I got stuck on them. Why are they so interesting to me? After reading my first biography from cover to cover I have come to realize that reading biographies is like getting to meet all sorts of people, learning from their experience and actually feeling like a friend to that person.
I am a strong believer that the best way to learn life lessons is to learn it the hard way, on your own. Many times we are told certain things but for some reason things just don’t click until we experience something on our own. By reading peoples stories I feel like I get the best of both. I can read a lesson that someone else has learned but also be able to visualize and feel the feelings that a character in the book has felt where I almost feel like I am the character in the book.
I recently even started listening to the Easy Listening station on my Verison Fios music stations. They always play music that sounds like movie soundtracks so it adds a little background music to your book. Biography books are something I have never thought I would be interested in. I always thought they were dry, boring and uneventful. My lesson learned here is that don’t judge a book by its cover, literally. Sometimes it’s important to try things out of your comfort zone because you just never know what might strike your cord and make you want to play.
Recently I have taken an outlet in reading different books, mostly biographies. I have never thought that I would like reading biographies but after reading one I got stuck on them. Why are they so interesting to me? After reading my first biography from cover to cover I have come to realize that reading biographies is like getting to meet all sorts of people, learning from their experience and actually feeling like a friend to that person.
I am a strong believer that the best way to learn life lessons is to learn it the hard way, on your own. Many times we are told certain things but for some reason things just don’t click until we experience something on our own. By reading peoples stories I feel like I get the best of both. I can read a lesson that someone else has learned but also be able to visualize and feel the feelings that a character in the book has felt where I almost feel like I am the character in the book.
I recently even started listening to the Easy Listening station on my Verison Fios music stations. They always play music that sounds like movie soundtracks so it adds a little background music to your book. Biography books are something I have never thought I would be interested in. I always thought they were dry, boring and uneventful. My lesson learned here is that don’t judge a book by its cover, literally. Sometimes it’s important to try things out of your comfort zone because you just never know what might strike your cord and make you want to play.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Leaders
These past few weeks have been very positive for me. At my job we now have a new Executive Director who took charge the second she got in the door. I have to give credit to our Regional Director for making a good pick for our school and choosing the right person for the job. The lesson learned in this for me in major.
After spending a few days with Jennifer, who is the new Executive Director I have learned how important and hard it is to find the right management for companies. There are many things that have to be considered when finding the right person for the job. From what I was able to observe you have to make sure the individual matches the personality of other co workers, has great team building skills and knows how to be firm but respectful to people.
Another important thing that I have observed is how one person in an organization can change the atmosphere of the workplace. When your employees are happy, they become a lot more productive and they take pride in what it is that they do. Once we got a new leader I could see a total change in the atmosphere in the school. I feel like the educators are a lot more willing to collaborate with each other, students feel proud of their school and our image is slowly changing in the community for even better.
The best thing though is that everyone can now focus better on their job. I am very excited to get back into doing activities for students and getting more involved. Every year students have an annual competition they attend in Hersey Park where they compete nationally with other students in different hairstyling categories. If they win, they can get certain trips, money prizes and other incentives to become great cosmetologists. Due to the hefty cost of the trip we are looking to have some fundraising done for the students so that the whole trip does not have to come out of their pockets. In February we are planning on having a hair show where the students show off their skills and present a hair fashion show for the public. Our last show was very successful and I am very excited to run another one!
After spending a few days with Jennifer, who is the new Executive Director I have learned how important and hard it is to find the right management for companies. There are many things that have to be considered when finding the right person for the job. From what I was able to observe you have to make sure the individual matches the personality of other co workers, has great team building skills and knows how to be firm but respectful to people.
Another important thing that I have observed is how one person in an organization can change the atmosphere of the workplace. When your employees are happy, they become a lot more productive and they take pride in what it is that they do. Once we got a new leader I could see a total change in the atmosphere in the school. I feel like the educators are a lot more willing to collaborate with each other, students feel proud of their school and our image is slowly changing in the community for even better.
The best thing though is that everyone can now focus better on their job. I am very excited to get back into doing activities for students and getting more involved. Every year students have an annual competition they attend in Hersey Park where they compete nationally with other students in different hairstyling categories. If they win, they can get certain trips, money prizes and other incentives to become great cosmetologists. Due to the hefty cost of the trip we are looking to have some fundraising done for the students so that the whole trip does not have to come out of their pockets. In February we are planning on having a hair show where the students show off their skills and present a hair fashion show for the public. Our last show was very successful and I am very excited to run another one!
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Holiday Season
The Holiday Season has come and gone and I hope that everyone had a wonderful week. I hope that everyone got to spend the days that are important to them with the people that they love and cherish the most. I am very fortunate to have people around me that care and love me and helped me get to this point of my life.
Sometimes I wish that we were able to have a holiday season every month of the year. It’s interesting how when this time of the year comes around people get together with family, enjoy a time together and take the time out to be grateful for what they have in their lives. We should be happy every day for what we have and the people that are around us. One thing I have to mention that I am most grateful for in my life is my education. When you think about how many people in the world don’t have a chance to go to school yet alone college you begin to realize how grateful we really are. Thank you Berkeley College for providing me with quality education that I can carry with me for the rest of my life.
This Christmas I had a lot of adventures. My family and I normally celebrate Christmas Eve for the Polish tradition of “Wigilia” which is a traditional meal where a family gets together for with specific foods. This year we ended up having Wigilia in Queens, NY and getting there was a nightmare. I had to work until 4:30 therefore by the time I got home and then drove to Queens it was 8pm. I spent a good time with my family and finally got home around midnight. The next morning at 5am we left on our journey to North Carolina to see other family members. The drive was about 10 hours and it was our first time bringing the puppies Ella and Samson with us. Lucky for us we didn’t hit any traffic along the way but we did notice that this year we had a lot more people on the road than last year. Tomorrow we are leaving bright and early at 8am and hope to get home around 5pm.
Once again, I hope that everyone had a great time this holiday season. It doesn’t matter what you celebrate as long as you are surrounded by good people and people that care about you. Be grateful for that you have and not for what you are missing because happiness does not depend on your circumstances, it’s a choice that you make.
Sometimes I wish that we were able to have a holiday season every month of the year. It’s interesting how when this time of the year comes around people get together with family, enjoy a time together and take the time out to be grateful for what they have in their lives. We should be happy every day for what we have and the people that are around us. One thing I have to mention that I am most grateful for in my life is my education. When you think about how many people in the world don’t have a chance to go to school yet alone college you begin to realize how grateful we really are. Thank you Berkeley College for providing me with quality education that I can carry with me for the rest of my life.
This Christmas I had a lot of adventures. My family and I normally celebrate Christmas Eve for the Polish tradition of “Wigilia” which is a traditional meal where a family gets together for with specific foods. This year we ended up having Wigilia in Queens, NY and getting there was a nightmare. I had to work until 4:30 therefore by the time I got home and then drove to Queens it was 8pm. I spent a good time with my family and finally got home around midnight. The next morning at 5am we left on our journey to North Carolina to see other family members. The drive was about 10 hours and it was our first time bringing the puppies Ella and Samson with us. Lucky for us we didn’t hit any traffic along the way but we did notice that this year we had a lot more people on the road than last year. Tomorrow we are leaving bright and early at 8am and hope to get home around 5pm.
Once again, I hope that everyone had a great time this holiday season. It doesn’t matter what you celebrate as long as you are surrounded by good people and people that care about you. Be grateful for that you have and not for what you are missing because happiness does not depend on your circumstances, it’s a choice that you make.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Holiday Season
Here in New Jersey we are having our first winter storm today. Some people dislike the idea of snow but for me it means fun in the snow! Living in Central New Jersey is surprisingly much different than living in North New Jersey. We usually get much less snow and the weather is a little warmer. I am ready for the holidays and I cannot wait until the end of this week for celebrations to begin!
Today I was supposed to go to NYC and go see the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. I was a little upset to see that its going to be snowing all day and night because it has been my long time tradition to go see the tree before the holidays. If the roads are cleared tomorrow we will see if we can go tomorrow instead of today.
Around the holiday season there are so many things to do and see in NYC. During Thanksgiving you can see the Thanksgiving Parade and enjoy the different holiday decorations in Central Park. Once Thanksgiving has passed the Christmas craze kicks in and everyone gets into the spirit. My two favorite things to do is go see the tree and look at the window decorations at Sacks 5th Avenue. If you are in town or attending Berkeley, Id strongly recommend going to visit.
As an Alumni of Berkeley you have plenty of opportunities to stay connected with people from Berkeley. Every holiday season Berkeley has an event called Breakfast with Santa where past students can get together, bring their families and enjoy some time together. Whether you are a current student or a past student Berkeley always has some type of event for you to enjoy with your peers.
Today I was supposed to go to NYC and go see the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. I was a little upset to see that its going to be snowing all day and night because it has been my long time tradition to go see the tree before the holidays. If the roads are cleared tomorrow we will see if we can go tomorrow instead of today.
Around the holiday season there are so many things to do and see in NYC. During Thanksgiving you can see the Thanksgiving Parade and enjoy the different holiday decorations in Central Park. Once Thanksgiving has passed the Christmas craze kicks in and everyone gets into the spirit. My two favorite things to do is go see the tree and look at the window decorations at Sacks 5th Avenue. If you are in town or attending Berkeley, Id strongly recommend going to visit.
As an Alumni of Berkeley you have plenty of opportunities to stay connected with people from Berkeley. Every holiday season Berkeley has an event called Breakfast with Santa where past students can get together, bring their families and enjoy some time together. Whether you are a current student or a past student Berkeley always has some type of event for you to enjoy with your peers.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Black Friday Madness
The long weekend that started this holiday season has passed by and now the holiday madness has begun. Most people had a nice 4 day weekend which I was able to utilize very effectively on cleaning and getting all my holiday shopping done! I am very impressed with myself that for the first time in history I have ALL my holiday shopping done the first weekend after Thanksgiving. Impressive right?
As I’m sure everyone knows this weekend was Black Friday. A day that is filled with crazy people lining up in front of stores at 3am for a deal, people willing to fight over children’s toys and totally loose human courtesy to get what they THINK is a good deal.
Friday morning I was off from work and decided go buy some decorations for the apartment since now I live on my own. I wanted to decorate the inside and the outside of the apartment to give us a nice warm holiday feeling. First I went to the Christmas Tree Shop where I bought most of my decorations. Christmas Tree Shop is a really great store where you can get decent quality things for a VERY cheap price. I have never seen a store beat prices of competitors like the Christmas Tree Shop does. The store itself isn’t the best when it comes to customer service or everything being beautifully on shelves but hey you have to sacrifice somewhere for a good price.
After the Christmas Tree Shop I said oh what the heck lets go to Walmart and see if they have any ornaments for our first Christmas tree. When I got to the store they had all this equipment outside of the store to control lines and customer flow but lucky for me most of the crowds were already gone when I got there. The store was a disaster! Nothing was in its right place, people were scrambling for any leftovers of electronics, nothing was marked with the right price so needless to say I got frustrated and left empty handed.
On my way back home I thought back on the prices of things and realized how silly people are on Black Friday. You think you are getting a deal on things but in reality you are not. If you are a smart, clever shopper you know that you can get everything cheaper online these days. Shopping on places like Amazon or E-bay saves you a lot of money if you know how to shop well. For example I am getting my dad a GPS for Christmas. At Walmart the item was $193 but on Amazon it sold for $153.
If you want to be an event smarter shopper I would recommend not only shopping online but to also look for savings coupons on websites such as Dealigg, FatWallet or CouponCorner. There you type in the store that you are sopping at and it gives you all the coupon codes you need to save on certain items. It’s really that simple.
In conclusion on my Black Friday ranting, please do your researches before you buy. Everyone loves savings and if you can save $20 on each gift you guy this season more power to you. You can get yourself something nice with your savings so that you have something more to show off to your friends than grandma’s sweaters! Happy holiday shopping!
As I’m sure everyone knows this weekend was Black Friday. A day that is filled with crazy people lining up in front of stores at 3am for a deal, people willing to fight over children’s toys and totally loose human courtesy to get what they THINK is a good deal.
Friday morning I was off from work and decided go buy some decorations for the apartment since now I live on my own. I wanted to decorate the inside and the outside of the apartment to give us a nice warm holiday feeling. First I went to the Christmas Tree Shop where I bought most of my decorations. Christmas Tree Shop is a really great store where you can get decent quality things for a VERY cheap price. I have never seen a store beat prices of competitors like the Christmas Tree Shop does. The store itself isn’t the best when it comes to customer service or everything being beautifully on shelves but hey you have to sacrifice somewhere for a good price.
After the Christmas Tree Shop I said oh what the heck lets go to Walmart and see if they have any ornaments for our first Christmas tree. When I got to the store they had all this equipment outside of the store to control lines and customer flow but lucky for me most of the crowds were already gone when I got there. The store was a disaster! Nothing was in its right place, people were scrambling for any leftovers of electronics, nothing was marked with the right price so needless to say I got frustrated and left empty handed.
On my way back home I thought back on the prices of things and realized how silly people are on Black Friday. You think you are getting a deal on things but in reality you are not. If you are a smart, clever shopper you know that you can get everything cheaper online these days. Shopping on places like Amazon or E-bay saves you a lot of money if you know how to shop well. For example I am getting my dad a GPS for Christmas. At Walmart the item was $193 but on Amazon it sold for $153.
If you want to be an event smarter shopper I would recommend not only shopping online but to also look for savings coupons on websites such as Dealigg, FatWallet or CouponCorner. There you type in the store that you are sopping at and it gives you all the coupon codes you need to save on certain items. It’s really that simple.
In conclusion on my Black Friday ranting, please do your researches before you buy. Everyone loves savings and if you can save $20 on each gift you guy this season more power to you. You can get yourself something nice with your savings so that you have something more to show off to your friends than grandma’s sweaters! Happy holiday shopping!
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Bermuda, Bahama, Come On Pretty Mama...
I haven’t had a chance to write a blog in a while because I have been away for a few days. I have been fortune enough to take a 7 day cruise to the Bahamas, Dominican Republic and the Virgin Islands. We had beautiful weather and a great ship. The vacation could not have been any more perfect than it already was.
If you are looking to go on a vacation I would strongly recommend going on a cruise. Cruises in my opinion are worth the most for your buck. In one price you get all the food and entertainment for free and you literally have a buffet of food open for you 24/7. Not only do you have unlimited amount of food but you also have entertainment every night also for free. The time goes by slow because you are doing so many things that you don’t notice the time. At the end of the day you realize how many things you have done and surprise yourself that you fit it all in one day.
First we arrived in Samana, Dominican Republic. The country is beautiful but outside of the tourist areas it was very run down and poor. On the boat they offer island excursions but I would strongly recommend waiting once you are off the boat to do tours through the locals. Yes, it may be less reliable sometimes but you almost save 50% on all the activities off the boat. For example a tour on the boat of the island cost $69 per person but off the boat we paid $50 for 2 people. I think that the tour off the boat was a little better because we were shown around by the locals who really know and live the culture they were able to pass onto us.
The second island we stopped at is St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands. This island was mostly for shopping and seeing around town. It was basically like Key West, Florida. Since it is owned by the USA, not much was different than Key West. We did some shopping and came back on the boat to explore and spend time in the sun by the pool.
The third island was Tortola, British Virgin Islands. On this island we took a tour with the locals of the island and the island was just beautiful. The island was mostly made out of huge mountains and a lot of palms. When we were driving though the town the roads looks very dangerous. It made things a little awkward because they drove on the opposite side of the road. In addition to that change they didn’t use any road signs like we do. If they were going to pass you on a street or turn you don’t use blinkers you just honk your horn really loud.
The last island we arrived to was a private island called Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas. This was by far my favorite island. The water was as clear as post cards truly show it and the water was really warm. We went snorkeling on this island because I couldn’t pass this clear water. Even though we didn’t go snorkeling deep we saw a ton of beautiful fish. I think I even saw Nemo! At the end of the trip I felt that 7 days is a perfect amount of time on a cruise. If I was to be there any longer I wouldn’t appreciate the adventure as much because you get too spoiled.
Tomorrow is back to work day! I probably have a ton of work and e-mails piled up for me so I better lift up my sleeves and get to work! It’s always good to bring your best foot forward after a vacation in a work place so people see that you can handle a large load of work.
If you are looking to go on a vacation I would strongly recommend going on a cruise. Cruises in my opinion are worth the most for your buck. In one price you get all the food and entertainment for free and you literally have a buffet of food open for you 24/7. Not only do you have unlimited amount of food but you also have entertainment every night also for free. The time goes by slow because you are doing so many things that you don’t notice the time. At the end of the day you realize how many things you have done and surprise yourself that you fit it all in one day.
First we arrived in Samana, Dominican Republic. The country is beautiful but outside of the tourist areas it was very run down and poor. On the boat they offer island excursions but I would strongly recommend waiting once you are off the boat to do tours through the locals. Yes, it may be less reliable sometimes but you almost save 50% on all the activities off the boat. For example a tour on the boat of the island cost $69 per person but off the boat we paid $50 for 2 people. I think that the tour off the boat was a little better because we were shown around by the locals who really know and live the culture they were able to pass onto us.
The second island we stopped at is St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands. This island was mostly for shopping and seeing around town. It was basically like Key West, Florida. Since it is owned by the USA, not much was different than Key West. We did some shopping and came back on the boat to explore and spend time in the sun by the pool.
The third island was Tortola, British Virgin Islands. On this island we took a tour with the locals of the island and the island was just beautiful. The island was mostly made out of huge mountains and a lot of palms. When we were driving though the town the roads looks very dangerous. It made things a little awkward because they drove on the opposite side of the road. In addition to that change they didn’t use any road signs like we do. If they were going to pass you on a street or turn you don’t use blinkers you just honk your horn really loud.
The last island we arrived to was a private island called Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas. This was by far my favorite island. The water was as clear as post cards truly show it and the water was really warm. We went snorkeling on this island because I couldn’t pass this clear water. Even though we didn’t go snorkeling deep we saw a ton of beautiful fish. I think I even saw Nemo! At the end of the trip I felt that 7 days is a perfect amount of time on a cruise. If I was to be there any longer I wouldn’t appreciate the adventure as much because you get too spoiled.
Tomorrow is back to work day! I probably have a ton of work and e-mails piled up for me so I better lift up my sleeves and get to work! It’s always good to bring your best foot forward after a vacation in a work place so people see that you can handle a large load of work.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Life Lessons
Every day you learn something new that you may not have known before. It always seems that whatever age you are, you know everything but that is far from the truth. College teaches you theoretical things but little do you know how much the work force teaches you. I myself have learned certain lessons lately from watching people and getting involved myself and I have to share them.
Lesson Number One: Promote Teamwork
We were taught since we were children to work as a team, share and that there is no I in team. As we grow up we get teamwork homework assignments, work as teams in groups and learn how to better interact with others. You would think that by the time we reach adulthood we got this teamwork thing down right? WRONG! From witnessing people and seeing how some people really interact in a workplace its difficult to see how people still do not work in teams. There are certain people who will always try to be independent in hopes that it make them look better. There are people who will purposely do certain things to make another person look bad so that they can point out how great they. Little do they know that good managers will always spot the good guy without help from others.
Teamwork gets you further than working alone. When trying to work as a team don't look at each others and what one person is doing wrong versus what you are doing better. What is important in team work that everyone is looking in the same direction. As long as a team has the same goal in mind everything will fall into place. Coaching people along and teaching them what you know shines more to a manager than one person complaining about another. Being a team means supporting one another and making sure the work gets done.
Lesson Number Two: Don't Get Involved in Drama
Nothing is worse in a workplace than drama. Working with students I see a lot of drama on a daily basis. Whether the drama is between two students, students and educators, students and administration or between two co workers. Whatever it may be it never looks good on you. Drama causes issues which causes a team to loose its focus on the goal of the organization. Its one thing to be part of a dramatic event but its even worse when you get involved and its not even any of your business.
All in all, don't get involved! It is much beneficial for you to keep your name clear of drama and issues in the workplace if it does not pertain to you. When it comes to running programs and events your manager will be more opt to choose you for the job because he or she knows that you can get along with everyone. Not being involved in workplace issues shows that you can solve issues easily and you can be relied on. Then when some problems escalate to bigger problems you can feel good that you didn't have to be in the middle of it.
These are my two lessons for today. Sometimes we have to learn these things the hard way and sometimes we are lucky when someone warns you about them ahead of time. There are many times I think its best that we learn some things the hard way but this time, I hope you take my advice!
Lesson Number One: Promote Teamwork
We were taught since we were children to work as a team, share and that there is no I in team. As we grow up we get teamwork homework assignments, work as teams in groups and learn how to better interact with others. You would think that by the time we reach adulthood we got this teamwork thing down right? WRONG! From witnessing people and seeing how some people really interact in a workplace its difficult to see how people still do not work in teams. There are certain people who will always try to be independent in hopes that it make them look better. There are people who will purposely do certain things to make another person look bad so that they can point out how great they. Little do they know that good managers will always spot the good guy without help from others.
Teamwork gets you further than working alone. When trying to work as a team don't look at each others and what one person is doing wrong versus what you are doing better. What is important in team work that everyone is looking in the same direction. As long as a team has the same goal in mind everything will fall into place. Coaching people along and teaching them what you know shines more to a manager than one person complaining about another. Being a team means supporting one another and making sure the work gets done.
Lesson Number Two: Don't Get Involved in Drama
Nothing is worse in a workplace than drama. Working with students I see a lot of drama on a daily basis. Whether the drama is between two students, students and educators, students and administration or between two co workers. Whatever it may be it never looks good on you. Drama causes issues which causes a team to loose its focus on the goal of the organization. Its one thing to be part of a dramatic event but its even worse when you get involved and its not even any of your business.
All in all, don't get involved! It is much beneficial for you to keep your name clear of drama and issues in the workplace if it does not pertain to you. When it comes to running programs and events your manager will be more opt to choose you for the job because he or she knows that you can get along with everyone. Not being involved in workplace issues shows that you can solve issues easily and you can be relied on. Then when some problems escalate to bigger problems you can feel good that you didn't have to be in the middle of it.
These are my two lessons for today. Sometimes we have to learn these things the hard way and sometimes we are lucky when someone warns you about them ahead of time. There are many times I think its best that we learn some things the hard way but this time, I hope you take my advice!
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Berkeley College has been having quite some fun with all the creative ideas that SGA and Ms. Young, have been coming up with! When I was in college we started doing the JDRF walk and collecting donations for JDRF. We had a ton of fun doing this so I noticed that the tradition has continued. I have to find out how it went this year but I love their flyer and they motto that they came up with! Check it out:
From what I can see Berkeley has gone such a far way just from the time I have graduated. When I look at their website it looks so good that I cannot even remember what it used to look like. We now have all these events posted on the website such as plays, career fairs, art galleries, etc. where before you had to log into Blackboard in order to view any events. I am very eager to continue following up with Berkeley and seeing where it goes next.
One thing I have to give Berkeley huge props for is that it never uses models for its advertising to the students. I feel that Berkeley gets its warm feeling and a trusting feeling towards students because it has true Berkeley students that give examples to potential students on what the college is about. The students on the front page are Berkeley students, the career fair pictures are Berkeley students and event the professors on the page and real Berkeley professors.
You know you can feel good about a college when it’s not afraid to show its own students work. Berkeley is proud of the work that it’s done with its students and that makes us as students proud to be Berkeley graduates.
From what I can see Berkeley has gone such a far way just from the time I have graduated. When I look at their website it looks so good that I cannot even remember what it used to look like. We now have all these events posted on the website such as plays, career fairs, art galleries, etc. where before you had to log into Blackboard in order to view any events. I am very eager to continue following up with Berkeley and seeing where it goes next.
One thing I have to give Berkeley huge props for is that it never uses models for its advertising to the students. I feel that Berkeley gets its warm feeling and a trusting feeling towards students because it has true Berkeley students that give examples to potential students on what the college is about. The students on the front page are Berkeley students, the career fair pictures are Berkeley students and event the professors on the page and real Berkeley professors.
You know you can feel good about a college when it’s not afraid to show its own students work. Berkeley is proud of the work that it’s done with its students and that makes us as students proud to be Berkeley graduates.
Halloween is Around the Corner!
Halloween is just around the corner, and I have been on a Saw watching spree. So far I have watched Saw I, II, III and IV. Today I should see Saw V and then my life will feel complete! It seems like every year Halloween looses a little bit of its holiday feel. I remember when I was a child everyone went trick or treating with their kids! Our town used to have to set a curfew for kids to stop walking from house to house but last year it was nothing like that. We barely got any kids coming to our house or even walking around the neighborhoods.
I’m guessing since the world has gotten a little more dangerous in the past few years parents are a little more fearful for their kids. First it was the envelope powder that killed people, and then it was contaminated candy and let’s not forget all the kidnapped children that have been all over the news lately. Parents instead of sending their children trick or treating send their kids to Halloween parties with their friends that are monitored by parents. In a way I do believe that is the better alternative but it does lose a lot of the Halloween spirit.
Today is already Wednesday and the week is just floating by for me. I work 2 late days so I could accommodate the evening students and this kind of confuses my life cycle making my week go by so much quicker. On Wednesdays I go over student grades and let them know what they have to do in order to pass. Some students care, and some don’t. Some tell me they will do something about it some tell me they will do something about it and never do anything. Sometimes I feel like I am talking to a tree and sometimes I feel like I just want to bang my head over the wall because you can tell someone something 10 times and then when their dropped they come crying to you. I guess that’s just how the world goes sometimes.
I’m guessing since the world has gotten a little more dangerous in the past few years parents are a little more fearful for their kids. First it was the envelope powder that killed people, and then it was contaminated candy and let’s not forget all the kidnapped children that have been all over the news lately. Parents instead of sending their children trick or treating send their kids to Halloween parties with their friends that are monitored by parents. In a way I do believe that is the better alternative but it does lose a lot of the Halloween spirit.
Today is already Wednesday and the week is just floating by for me. I work 2 late days so I could accommodate the evening students and this kind of confuses my life cycle making my week go by so much quicker. On Wednesdays I go over student grades and let them know what they have to do in order to pass. Some students care, and some don’t. Some tell me they will do something about it some tell me they will do something about it and never do anything. Sometimes I feel like I am talking to a tree and sometimes I feel like I just want to bang my head over the wall because you can tell someone something 10 times and then when their dropped they come crying to you. I guess that’s just how the world goes sometimes.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Student Loan Changes
Student loans are something that almost every student has to face unless you are one of the very few lucky ones. Student loans are given to students in need of financial aid based on their income information. Loans com in 3 different ways: Subsidized, Unsubsidized and Parent PLUS loans. The difference between Subsidized and Unsubsidized is that Subsidized is interest free until 6 months after you graduate and Unsubsidized is not interest free.
I have taken out student loans for my education and have finally started paying them off in May. You have a 6 months grace period after you graduate to find a job and get yourself stable so that you can start paying off your loans. When the paying off time comes you have a choice of consolidating your loans and keeping them separate and letting Sallie May send you one statement. Now, the trick with consolidation is that it’s best to consolidate if your interest is more than what is currently offered. For example I have 5 different loans and for all of them I have different interest rates. One has a 2.8%, 4.7% and the rest are 6.8%. It wouldn’t make much sense for me to consolidate my loans right now at 6.8% when I am paying less interest on some of my loans.
The reason I am mentioning student loans is because there have been some changes going on with student loans. In recent months my bank account has been getting charged more from Sallie May than the Sallie May website has been stating. This is like you seeing your credit card bill is $100 but you are being charged $130 a month for your bill. I decided to give them a call and I found that apparently one of my loans has been sold to the Department of Education but Sallie May still manages it.
What this means is that Sallie May is charging my bank account more so that it can also cover the other loan that is under the Department of Education. There is no specific reason why Sallie May has sold certain loans and not the others so there is no need to worry if your loan was sold. They were simply restructuring their company and this is what ended up happening.
If you see any changes in your billing give Sallie May a call as soon as possible so you can find out what is happening to your account. The man I spoke to on the phone said that most people did not get notification about this change even though they were supposed to. It’s important to keep all your information together and keep track of your payments because it’s very easy to lose track of things. Stay on top of your bill and make sure you call as soon as something doesn’t make sense to you about your payments.
I have taken out student loans for my education and have finally started paying them off in May. You have a 6 months grace period after you graduate to find a job and get yourself stable so that you can start paying off your loans. When the paying off time comes you have a choice of consolidating your loans and keeping them separate and letting Sallie May send you one statement. Now, the trick with consolidation is that it’s best to consolidate if your interest is more than what is currently offered. For example I have 5 different loans and for all of them I have different interest rates. One has a 2.8%, 4.7% and the rest are 6.8%. It wouldn’t make much sense for me to consolidate my loans right now at 6.8% when I am paying less interest on some of my loans.
The reason I am mentioning student loans is because there have been some changes going on with student loans. In recent months my bank account has been getting charged more from Sallie May than the Sallie May website has been stating. This is like you seeing your credit card bill is $100 but you are being charged $130 a month for your bill. I decided to give them a call and I found that apparently one of my loans has been sold to the Department of Education but Sallie May still manages it.
What this means is that Sallie May is charging my bank account more so that it can also cover the other loan that is under the Department of Education. There is no specific reason why Sallie May has sold certain loans and not the others so there is no need to worry if your loan was sold. They were simply restructuring their company and this is what ended up happening.
If you see any changes in your billing give Sallie May a call as soon as possible so you can find out what is happening to your account. The man I spoke to on the phone said that most people did not get notification about this change even though they were supposed to. It’s important to keep all your information together and keep track of your payments because it’s very easy to lose track of things. Stay on top of your bill and make sure you call as soon as something doesn’t make sense to you about your payments.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Small Thought
This morning I was at the store and I had a small gift card for it. At first I didn't really know what I wanted to get but then I saw some really pretty fountains and smelly diffusers. Then my train of thought was do I want to get it for my house or do I want to get it for work. After pondering for about 3 minutes I had a thought. My thought was did we ever noticed that we spend more time at work than at home? I was thinking to myself where will I get more use out of it home are at work and the answer was very clear! WORK!
Sometimes people think that work is all about making money but is it? If you have to spend most of your time only to earn money are you working to live or living to work? I believe that many people need to ask themselves these questions before starting college. What is it that you want to do? When do you want to do it and how do you want to do it? What goals do you want to achieve in your life? What time frame do you want to achieve them in? Who do you want along with you achieving these goals. its amazing how many jobs you can narrow down by simply asking yourself those questions.
For example if you want to be a business man and own your own business you have to be flexible. You have to have a partner who will want to sacrifice some things with you. You may not be able to take off from your business whenever you want so many vacations may not always be an option. Maybe you want to travel the world so working for a big corporation that allows you to travel and do business in many places is a great option for you. If you enjoy working with children maybe you need to be a teacher. If you like to read maybe you should be a researcher.
There are many career options for everyone but first you need to ask yourself some very basic simple questions. Doing what you choose to do will take a lot from your life so make sure you re doing something worthy and something you really enjoy. Money is not the most important factor in your life and when you are in a store looking a fountain to put on your desk, make sure its a desk where you enjoy spending time at.
Sometimes people think that work is all about making money but is it? If you have to spend most of your time only to earn money are you working to live or living to work? I believe that many people need to ask themselves these questions before starting college. What is it that you want to do? When do you want to do it and how do you want to do it? What goals do you want to achieve in your life? What time frame do you want to achieve them in? Who do you want along with you achieving these goals. its amazing how many jobs you can narrow down by simply asking yourself those questions.
For example if you want to be a business man and own your own business you have to be flexible. You have to have a partner who will want to sacrifice some things with you. You may not be able to take off from your business whenever you want so many vacations may not always be an option. Maybe you want to travel the world so working for a big corporation that allows you to travel and do business in many places is a great option for you. If you enjoy working with children maybe you need to be a teacher. If you like to read maybe you should be a researcher.
There are many career options for everyone but first you need to ask yourself some very basic simple questions. Doing what you choose to do will take a lot from your life so make sure you re doing something worthy and something you really enjoy. Money is not the most important factor in your life and when you are in a store looking a fountain to put on your desk, make sure its a desk where you enjoy spending time at.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Interesting Weekend
The weekend has come and gone and its time to get back in business. Saturday my school had a show called "Beauty Within". We decided to run a hair show for family and friends to raise money for Domestic Violence Abuse. The show went really well and the students really had fun with it. My Sunday on the other hand was not so good. First thing in the morning I realized my long time fish named Jimmy died. He was happy swimming in the morning and then by the time 10am came around he wasn't really swimming anymore. I cried, I pouted but in the end everything was ok. I knew he was in a better place.
Later on that day I decided to go to the pet store and see if I like any other beta fish to replace my Jimmy. The fish tank looked very sad and empty without him so I needed to replace him quick. Once I was at the store I walked around and came across one of those large talking parrots that hang out on a stand and talk to you. For some reason this parrot was looking at me strongly and swaying back and forth. At first I didn't know what that bird was doing so I just went to turn around and walk away to keep looking for a pretty fish. As soon as I turned around the bird jumped off the stand and started flying towards me! it clawed its feet in my hair and attached itself to me! Now this bird was about one foot long and quite heavy! I ran around the store screaming because I had this huge bird stuck in my hair!
When the clerk came out he took the bird out of my hair and said the bird has been doing it all week. I thought to myself that maybe they should tie this bird down since they know the issue that's going on with this bird! Apparently the bird got attracted to my neon green ski jacket and my long hair that was down. He must have thought I was a friend or something! So not only did I loose my fish but then I got attacked by a bird too!
So I thought that was the end of my bad luck but little did I know. Later on I decided to go get a small bar table so I can put my wine on it and my wine glasses. I went to the store, got one and it took me about an hour and a half to put it together. This little bar table was really a pain in the but to put together. When I was finally done I wanted to go it a test run and come to find out that the bar does not hold standard wine glasses, it has a be a specifically fitted glasses! I was so frustrated at that point I just took the whole thing apart again and returned it.
Lucky for me Monday was a lot better. On a better note, whenever the weather gets cooler and the leaves start turning colors I get in the holiday spirit. Before we know it all those holidays will be around the corner and we will all be in a celebration mood. I think that my favorite holiday is Thanksgiving. I think its my favorite because I never got to celebrate it in Europe and now its like an additional holiday I get to celebrate. I love getting the family all together and talk about things we haven't had a time to catch up on all year. its great having those people around you that get together with you at least once a year to show you that they care.
Later on that day I decided to go to the pet store and see if I like any other beta fish to replace my Jimmy. The fish tank looked very sad and empty without him so I needed to replace him quick. Once I was at the store I walked around and came across one of those large talking parrots that hang out on a stand and talk to you. For some reason this parrot was looking at me strongly and swaying back and forth. At first I didn't know what that bird was doing so I just went to turn around and walk away to keep looking for a pretty fish. As soon as I turned around the bird jumped off the stand and started flying towards me! it clawed its feet in my hair and attached itself to me! Now this bird was about one foot long and quite heavy! I ran around the store screaming because I had this huge bird stuck in my hair!
When the clerk came out he took the bird out of my hair and said the bird has been doing it all week. I thought to myself that maybe they should tie this bird down since they know the issue that's going on with this bird! Apparently the bird got attracted to my neon green ski jacket and my long hair that was down. He must have thought I was a friend or something! So not only did I loose my fish but then I got attacked by a bird too!
So I thought that was the end of my bad luck but little did I know. Later on I decided to go get a small bar table so I can put my wine on it and my wine glasses. I went to the store, got one and it took me about an hour and a half to put it together. This little bar table was really a pain in the but to put together. When I was finally done I wanted to go it a test run and come to find out that the bar does not hold standard wine glasses, it has a be a specifically fitted glasses! I was so frustrated at that point I just took the whole thing apart again and returned it.
Lucky for me Monday was a lot better. On a better note, whenever the weather gets cooler and the leaves start turning colors I get in the holiday spirit. Before we know it all those holidays will be around the corner and we will all be in a celebration mood. I think that my favorite holiday is Thanksgiving. I think its my favorite because I never got to celebrate it in Europe and now its like an additional holiday I get to celebrate. I love getting the family all together and talk about things we haven't had a time to catch up on all year. its great having those people around you that get together with you at least once a year to show you that they care.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Log In
Yet another week has passed by and today is finally hump day. For the longest time I didn’t know what people meant by hump day but I finally asked someone and got my answer. Wednesday is called hump day because it’s in the middle of the week. It’s that day where we are finally half way through the week and we are getting over the hump of the week being almost over. The answer was so simple this whole time and I can’t believe I didn’t get it.
For some reason I sometimes have issues logging into my Berkeley account after I have not logged into it for a while. The other day I was trying to log in and it was not allowing me to. I knew that Berkeley has created new passwords for students where the password is more complex and not so easy to crack, but my new password was still not working. The good thing about Berkeley is that they always have help available.
When I couldn’t log in I simply went to live chat help on the Berkeley website. They transferred me to the right department and I got to talk to a woman that was very helpful. She reset my password and within 5 minutes I was able to log into my account without any problems. I was able to do all that without even picking up a phone. Just a few clicks and my problem was solved. Many times I hate talking on the phone, staying on hold, and having to explain my situation 5 times to 5 different people. This service was great and very helpful.
There are many events going on at Berkeley all the time but one caught my eye that I am very interested in. Berkeley is presenting a play called B Free Franklin that is acted out by students of Berkeley College. This play is playing on many dates and everyone should come out and see this play to support Berkeley students.
For some reason I sometimes have issues logging into my Berkeley account after I have not logged into it for a while. The other day I was trying to log in and it was not allowing me to. I knew that Berkeley has created new passwords for students where the password is more complex and not so easy to crack, but my new password was still not working. The good thing about Berkeley is that they always have help available.
When I couldn’t log in I simply went to live chat help on the Berkeley website. They transferred me to the right department and I got to talk to a woman that was very helpful. She reset my password and within 5 minutes I was able to log into my account without any problems. I was able to do all that without even picking up a phone. Just a few clicks and my problem was solved. Many times I hate talking on the phone, staying on hold, and having to explain my situation 5 times to 5 different people. This service was great and very helpful.
There are many events going on at Berkeley all the time but one caught my eye that I am very interested in. Berkeley is presenting a play called B Free Franklin that is acted out by students of Berkeley College. This play is playing on many dates and everyone should come out and see this play to support Berkeley students.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Media Everywhere
Ever notice the power of online media these days? Who would have thought that college, stores and almost anything can be ran online just a few decades ago? Today the possibilities are really endless. What is most important today that each company stays on top of its game and Berkeley is doing just that.
Ever notice all the websites that Berkeley is on? Here is just a few to give you an idea: MySpace, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, Linkedin, Flickr, and Blogger! I think it’s a great idea that Berkeley stays connected to its students not only on a student level but a personal level too. I have always said that college is not only bout the education but about the experience as well. Students like to stay connected and it’s important that the college stays connected with its students.
Today I was reviewing my college statements online and seeing what I paid for my tuition. As we all know Berkeley is a large investment just like any college and then it made me wonder where did all that money go to. I pondered and it didn’t take me long to realize all the benefits that I got at Berkeley versus a typical state college. First off you will never get the small classes you get at Berkeley at a typical state college. Professors are great and they always had time for you to meet one on one. In addition to great education you had great activities too. College is what you make of it and if I didn’t participate as much as I did my memories would not have been as fond as they have been.
I am very grateful for the education I received and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love to stay connected and see how much Berkeley is still changing today. I love getting e-mails that new career fairs are being planned out and that new events are going on for not only current students but alumni too. Stay connected online and check out all the benefits that Berkeley has to offer through many channels that Berkeley offers.
Ever notice all the websites that Berkeley is on? Here is just a few to give you an idea: MySpace, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, Linkedin, Flickr, and Blogger! I think it’s a great idea that Berkeley stays connected to its students not only on a student level but a personal level too. I have always said that college is not only bout the education but about the experience as well. Students like to stay connected and it’s important that the college stays connected with its students.
Today I was reviewing my college statements online and seeing what I paid for my tuition. As we all know Berkeley is a large investment just like any college and then it made me wonder where did all that money go to. I pondered and it didn’t take me long to realize all the benefits that I got at Berkeley versus a typical state college. First off you will never get the small classes you get at Berkeley at a typical state college. Professors are great and they always had time for you to meet one on one. In addition to great education you had great activities too. College is what you make of it and if I didn’t participate as much as I did my memories would not have been as fond as they have been.
I am very grateful for the education I received and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love to stay connected and see how much Berkeley is still changing today. I love getting e-mails that new career fairs are being planned out and that new events are going on for not only current students but alumni too. Stay connected online and check out all the benefits that Berkeley has to offer through many channels that Berkeley offers.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Wear Sunscreen
I was driving to work the other listening to a radio station and I heard a very interesting song. This song is called “Everybody’s Free to Wear Sunscreen” by Baz Luhrmann and I was shocked how much meaning this song really had. Please view this video here or look it up on YouTube.
When I first heard this song it made me laugh a little. When they said stretch, I stretched, and I bet you did too. When they said floss I thought about how much I hate flossing but do it anyway. One thing I noticed about this song is that no matter what age you are this song will still have a meaning to you. When you are older you will realize how this song was really true. When you’re younger you will think about the advice its giving you and see how it can apply to you.
This song really motivated me on the day that I was driving to work. Whenever I drive anywhere now or have a bad day I try to listen to this song to put a smile on my face and I wanted to share it with you. In case you can’t view it here are the lyrics:
Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of '97. Wear sunscreen.
If I could offer you one tip for the future, sunscreen
would be it. The
long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by
scientists whereas the
rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my
own meandering
experience... I will dispense this advice now
Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth; oh,
nevermind, you will not
understand the power and beauty of your youth until
they've faded. But trust
me, in 20 years you'll look back at photos of yourself
and recall in a way
you can't grasp now, how much possibility lay before
you and how fabulous
you really looked. You are NOT as fat as you imagine.
Don't worry about the future; or worry, but know that
worrying is as
effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by
chewing bubblegum. The
real toubles in life are apt to be things that never
crossed your worried
mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm on some idle
Tuesday
Do one thing everyday that scares you.
Sing.
Don't be reckless with other people's hearts. Don't
put up with people who
are reckless with your's.
Floss.
Don't waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you're
ahead, sometimes you're
behind. The race is long, and in the end, it's only with
yourself.
Remember compliments you receive. Forget the
insults. If you suceed in doing
this, tell me how.
Keep your old love letters. Throw away your old bank
statements.
Stretch.
Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do
with your life.
The most interesting people I know didn't know at 22
what they wanted to do
with their lives; some of the most interesting 40 year
olds I know still
don't.
Get plenty of calcium.
Be kind to your knees, you'll miss them when they're
gone.
Maybe you'll marry, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll
have children, maybe you
won't. Maybe you'll divorce at 40. Maybe you'll dance
the funky chicken on
your 75th wedding anniversary. Whatever you do,
don't congratulate
yourself too much or berate yourself either - your
choices are half chance,
so are everybody else's.
Enjoy your body, use it every way you can... don't be
afraid of it, or what
other people think of it... it's the greatest instrument
you'll ever own.
Dance... even if you have nowhere to do it but in
your own living room.
Read the directions, even if you don't follow them.
Do NOT read beauty magazines they will only make
you feel UGLY.
CHORUS
Brother and sister together we'll make it through.
Someday your spirit will take you and guide you there.
I know you've been hurting, but I've been waiting to be there for you.
And I'll be there just helping you out whenever I can.
Get to know your parents, you never know when they
might be gone for good.
Be nice to your siblings; they're your best link to your
past and the
people most likely to stick with you in the future
Understand that friends come and go, but for the
precious few you should
hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography
and lifestyle because the
older you get, the more you need the people you knew
when you were young.
Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes
you hard. Live in
Northern California once, but leave before it makes
you soft.
Travel.
Accept certain inalienable truths. Prices will rise,
Politicians will
philander, you too will get old. And when you do, you'll
fantasize that when
you were young, prices were reasonable, politicians
were noble, and children
respected their elders.
Respect your elders.
Don't expect anyone else to support you. Maybe
you have a trust fund,
maybe you'll have a wealthy spouse; but you never
know when either one might
run out.
Don't mess too much with your hair, or by the time you're
40, it will look 85.
Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with
those who supply it.
Advice is a form of nostalgia; dispensing it is a way of
fishing the past
from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly
parts, and
recycling it for more than it's worth.
But trust me on the sunscreen.
CHORUS
Everybody's free. Everybody's free.
When I first heard this song it made me laugh a little. When they said stretch, I stretched, and I bet you did too. When they said floss I thought about how much I hate flossing but do it anyway. One thing I noticed about this song is that no matter what age you are this song will still have a meaning to you. When you are older you will realize how this song was really true. When you’re younger you will think about the advice its giving you and see how it can apply to you.
This song really motivated me on the day that I was driving to work. Whenever I drive anywhere now or have a bad day I try to listen to this song to put a smile on my face and I wanted to share it with you. In case you can’t view it here are the lyrics:
Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of '97. Wear sunscreen.
If I could offer you one tip for the future, sunscreen
would be it. The
long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by
scientists whereas the
rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my
own meandering
experience... I will dispense this advice now
Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth; oh,
nevermind, you will not
understand the power and beauty of your youth until
they've faded. But trust
me, in 20 years you'll look back at photos of yourself
and recall in a way
you can't grasp now, how much possibility lay before
you and how fabulous
you really looked. You are NOT as fat as you imagine.
Don't worry about the future; or worry, but know that
worrying is as
effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by
chewing bubblegum. The
real toubles in life are apt to be things that never
crossed your worried
mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm on some idle
Tuesday
Do one thing everyday that scares you.
Sing.
Don't be reckless with other people's hearts. Don't
put up with people who
are reckless with your's.
Floss.
Don't waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you're
ahead, sometimes you're
behind. The race is long, and in the end, it's only with
yourself.
Remember compliments you receive. Forget the
insults. If you suceed in doing
this, tell me how.
Keep your old love letters. Throw away your old bank
statements.
Stretch.
Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do
with your life.
The most interesting people I know didn't know at 22
what they wanted to do
with their lives; some of the most interesting 40 year
olds I know still
don't.
Get plenty of calcium.
Be kind to your knees, you'll miss them when they're
gone.
Maybe you'll marry, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll
have children, maybe you
won't. Maybe you'll divorce at 40. Maybe you'll dance
the funky chicken on
your 75th wedding anniversary. Whatever you do,
don't congratulate
yourself too much or berate yourself either - your
choices are half chance,
so are everybody else's.
Enjoy your body, use it every way you can... don't be
afraid of it, or what
other people think of it... it's the greatest instrument
you'll ever own.
Dance... even if you have nowhere to do it but in
your own living room.
Read the directions, even if you don't follow them.
Do NOT read beauty magazines they will only make
you feel UGLY.
CHORUS
Brother and sister together we'll make it through.
Someday your spirit will take you and guide you there.
I know you've been hurting, but I've been waiting to be there for you.
And I'll be there just helping you out whenever I can.
Get to know your parents, you never know when they
might be gone for good.
Be nice to your siblings; they're your best link to your
past and the
people most likely to stick with you in the future
Understand that friends come and go, but for the
precious few you should
hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography
and lifestyle because the
older you get, the more you need the people you knew
when you were young.
Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes
you hard. Live in
Northern California once, but leave before it makes
you soft.
Travel.
Accept certain inalienable truths. Prices will rise,
Politicians will
philander, you too will get old. And when you do, you'll
fantasize that when
you were young, prices were reasonable, politicians
were noble, and children
respected their elders.
Respect your elders.
Don't expect anyone else to support you. Maybe
you have a trust fund,
maybe you'll have a wealthy spouse; but you never
know when either one might
run out.
Don't mess too much with your hair, or by the time you're
40, it will look 85.
Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with
those who supply it.
Advice is a form of nostalgia; dispensing it is a way of
fishing the past
from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly
parts, and
recycling it for more than it's worth.
But trust me on the sunscreen.
CHORUS
Everybody's free. Everybody's free.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Milestones
Hello everyone! Summer is gone and the weather is getting colder by the day. I was almost surprised how after Labor Day fall made an entrance right away and didn’t spare the summer any time. It’s officially been a year since I have graduated college and boy what a journey it has been. I was lucky to still be able to participate in a lot of Berkeley activities which made me feel like I was still in college but now that I’ve moved away it’s a lot different.
Many times people feel that once you hit 21 all your birthday milestones are over. First you become a teenager, then you have your sweet 16, then you become legal and turn 18 and lastly yours 21 and now you can drink and get into every bar and club (Except boys, sometimes they require you to be 23! He he). From my experience yes, your age milestones are over but you are far from finishing reaching certain milestones.
Now I totally see why people should go to college right after HS rather than work and then go. Once you start earning that money and you get the taste of that money it’s hard to set it aside. Once you earn money you have the tendency to spend it. Maybe you will move out, maybe you will spend it on something that needs monthly payments and then you can’t stop working to go to college because those payments have to be made. Word of advice, if it’s possible, go to college right away!
My latest milestones have been getting my first full time job, getting your first out of college car and moving out on your own. Getting my first full time job was very liberating. I now support myself and I no longer rely on someone else to care for me. Getting your first car feels very achieving because you know you earned it. It’s your baby and you now care for it more than any other car you have had before because you know that you’re responsible for it. If you break it, you have to fix it!
Moving out on my own had definitely been the biggest step for me by far. It has its good sides and it has its bad sides. The good side is that it’s very freeing. You can do what you want, when you want, don’t have to tell anyone where you are going, when you will be back etc. You do things as you please and you have all the freedom you want. On the downside it can sometimes get lonely. I’m very family oriented and sometimes it’s hard for me not to have them around. Another downside is now you need to make rent payments and buy food! You never know how much living on your own costs until you do it so throw those estimates you may have made away!
Life has been really good to me though so I really can’t complain. I have great people around me that do help me get through certain things when life gets tough. It’s very important to keep people close to you and never burn bridges because this world is small and you never know who you may need.
Many times people feel that once you hit 21 all your birthday milestones are over. First you become a teenager, then you have your sweet 16, then you become legal and turn 18 and lastly yours 21 and now you can drink and get into every bar and club (Except boys, sometimes they require you to be 23! He he). From my experience yes, your age milestones are over but you are far from finishing reaching certain milestones.
Now I totally see why people should go to college right after HS rather than work and then go. Once you start earning that money and you get the taste of that money it’s hard to set it aside. Once you earn money you have the tendency to spend it. Maybe you will move out, maybe you will spend it on something that needs monthly payments and then you can’t stop working to go to college because those payments have to be made. Word of advice, if it’s possible, go to college right away!
My latest milestones have been getting my first full time job, getting your first out of college car and moving out on your own. Getting my first full time job was very liberating. I now support myself and I no longer rely on someone else to care for me. Getting your first car feels very achieving because you know you earned it. It’s your baby and you now care for it more than any other car you have had before because you know that you’re responsible for it. If you break it, you have to fix it!
Moving out on my own had definitely been the biggest step for me by far. It has its good sides and it has its bad sides. The good side is that it’s very freeing. You can do what you want, when you want, don’t have to tell anyone where you are going, when you will be back etc. You do things as you please and you have all the freedom you want. On the downside it can sometimes get lonely. I’m very family oriented and sometimes it’s hard for me not to have them around. Another downside is now you need to make rent payments and buy food! You never know how much living on your own costs until you do it so throw those estimates you may have made away!
Life has been really good to me though so I really can’t complain. I have great people around me that do help me get through certain things when life gets tough. It’s very important to keep people close to you and never burn bridges because this world is small and you never know who you may need.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
New Job
In my graduation speech I said, “When one door closes, don’t get discouraged because life is just waiting for you to open a better one”. This statement is so correct that it encourages me every day. As you all know I have been job searching for quite some time, and I’ve come across many different obstacles. Many times you feel really discouraged and sometimes even depressed that you may not be able to find anything. All I have to say is that being patient really is a virtue and if you work hard enough your work will pay off.
Beginning of July I started my new job as a Student Service Coordinator at Concorde School Of Hair Design. Concorde is a school for students who are looking to become a cosmetologist and want to get their license. My job is to be the student coordinator and take care of various duties for the students. Majority of my time is spent counseling students about their grades, attendance, and student problems. A big part of my job is also creating school activities, fundraisers, and anything that may make the school more fun and enjoyable for students.
The best part of the job is that I get to have fun on the job! I feel like I am right back in college creating events and running activities for students. Being the SGA president was just that and lucky for me I can bring a lot of that experience into Concorde. Prior to me the school did not have a Student Service Coordinator so it’s great to be able to start from scratch and create everything new that surprises the students.
Now, all fun and games aside, I have to stress to you how important it is to network and always put your best foot forward. The Executive Director of the school knows me from Berkeley College because she used to work there. All my work with the school, volunteering, representing the school and even blogging gave her a good picture of how I am as a person but also as a worker. Every time you do something remember that someone is watching. It may not be a pay off right away, but everything will come back to you in time.
Now as I mentioned my quote earlier, remember everything has its place and time in your life. If a certain door does not open it simply means that it is not meant to be. I have interviewed for many jobs that I would have learned to like but I knew from the start it was not my ideal job. Then came around an opportunity where I knew the job would be something that fits into my life well and something that I would really enjoy.
Beginning of July I started my new job as a Student Service Coordinator at Concorde School Of Hair Design. Concorde is a school for students who are looking to become a cosmetologist and want to get their license. My job is to be the student coordinator and take care of various duties for the students. Majority of my time is spent counseling students about their grades, attendance, and student problems. A big part of my job is also creating school activities, fundraisers, and anything that may make the school more fun and enjoyable for students.
The best part of the job is that I get to have fun on the job! I feel like I am right back in college creating events and running activities for students. Being the SGA president was just that and lucky for me I can bring a lot of that experience into Concorde. Prior to me the school did not have a Student Service Coordinator so it’s great to be able to start from scratch and create everything new that surprises the students.
Now, all fun and games aside, I have to stress to you how important it is to network and always put your best foot forward. The Executive Director of the school knows me from Berkeley College because she used to work there. All my work with the school, volunteering, representing the school and even blogging gave her a good picture of how I am as a person but also as a worker. Every time you do something remember that someone is watching. It may not be a pay off right away, but everything will come back to you in time.
Now as I mentioned my quote earlier, remember everything has its place and time in your life. If a certain door does not open it simply means that it is not meant to be. I have interviewed for many jobs that I would have learned to like but I knew from the start it was not my ideal job. Then came around an opportunity where I knew the job would be something that fits into my life well and something that I would really enjoy.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Back In Business
Hello everyone once again! It has been a while since I have written a blog but I have a good excuse! There have been a lot of changes going on in my life and catching up to them has been quite a challenge even for me. For starters, as I mentioned I got 2 baby puppies who have been growing quite fast. They sure are a handful but they bring many joys to my life. I have moved to Matawan, NJ where I live very close to the beach and enjoy it very much. My last change is that I have found a new job. In addition to that I will be having a lot of visitors starting next week so it was important to get the new apartment put together fast so family and friends can have a nice place to stay.
I'm going to start off where I left off last and try to bring you back up to speed. Last time I wrote Berkeley was still struggling to keep its TAG grant because congress tried taking financial aid away from proprietary schools. One morning I got a random call from Dean Hughes asking me if I was busy and if not if I would be available that day. Lucky for me, I was available because I was still in the midst of a job search and I had the afternoon available.
That day, which was a Wednesday was the last day that we had a chance to meet with the governor of NJ and tell him how we feel about him taking away financial aid from Berkeley. It so happened that this day was New Jersey's birthday! There was an event going on in Trenton where Governor Corzine would be at. Wwould try to speak to him then because this would be the last day before a decision on the budget would be passed. I got to Berkeley around 10:30 am and we left to drive all the way to Trenton. We got there about 3 hours early but we definitely got a good seat. By the time the event started there were about 300 people there.
When the event ended I was on a mission to find the governor and try to speak to him. I knew that he was going to cut the cake that was in the shape of NJ, so I went by the cake to wait for him. At first I thought I probably looked a little ridicules but then I thought of how many students I am doing this for. He cut the cake and started to walk away. I got in line of where he was greeting people and I finally got to speak to him when he came towards me.
I expressed to him how important TAG is to students and what a difference this fund makes to the students. After he found out what I wanted to talk to him about he tried to ignore me. I caught up to him again and told him that its not fair that he is singling out Berkeley College and that he should do something about that. He said that he will "try" even thought I knew he was just saying that to get me away from him.
I was not happy with how Governor Corzine treated me and Berkeley Students. I don't know where he gets the idea that our students are not good students and don't deserve this financial aid grant. Later on in the week I found out that he did pass the budget but without Berkeley in it. I was disappointed because I know many students will have to drop out. Some people are so closed minded and it worries me that people of that kind of power like Governor Corzine is one of them...
I'm going to start off where I left off last and try to bring you back up to speed. Last time I wrote Berkeley was still struggling to keep its TAG grant because congress tried taking financial aid away from proprietary schools. One morning I got a random call from Dean Hughes asking me if I was busy and if not if I would be available that day. Lucky for me, I was available because I was still in the midst of a job search and I had the afternoon available.
That day, which was a Wednesday was the last day that we had a chance to meet with the governor of NJ and tell him how we feel about him taking away financial aid from Berkeley. It so happened that this day was New Jersey's birthday! There was an event going on in Trenton where Governor Corzine would be at. Wwould try to speak to him then because this would be the last day before a decision on the budget would be passed. I got to Berkeley around 10:30 am and we left to drive all the way to Trenton. We got there about 3 hours early but we definitely got a good seat. By the time the event started there were about 300 people there.
When the event ended I was on a mission to find the governor and try to speak to him. I knew that he was going to cut the cake that was in the shape of NJ, so I went by the cake to wait for him. At first I thought I probably looked a little ridicules but then I thought of how many students I am doing this for. He cut the cake and started to walk away. I got in line of where he was greeting people and I finally got to speak to him when he came towards me.
I expressed to him how important TAG is to students and what a difference this fund makes to the students. After he found out what I wanted to talk to him about he tried to ignore me. I caught up to him again and told him that its not fair that he is singling out Berkeley College and that he should do something about that. He said that he will "try" even thought I knew he was just saying that to get me away from him.
I was not happy with how Governor Corzine treated me and Berkeley Students. I don't know where he gets the idea that our students are not good students and don't deserve this financial aid grant. Later on in the week I found out that he did pass the budget but without Berkeley in it. I was disappointed because I know many students will have to drop out. Some people are so closed minded and it worries me that people of that kind of power like Governor Corzine is one of them...
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