College is a barrage of new things; new people, new places, new classes, new room, new surroundings, new food, basically new everything, which makes college a scary place to be. It never seems like a big deal when you're safely behind the walls of the high school you've been at for four years, surrounded by people you've known for years, only miles away from the house you are completely comfortable in but when move in day comes and your parents drop you off somewhere completely foreign to you, trust me its a big deal. Now that I have successfully frightened you I have some advice for you to make college less scary.
First off whatever you do, do not go home at least for the first month. The second you go home you will realize everything you miss and want to go back home every weekend thus missing all of the opportunities college has to offer. Make friends, it is extremely obvious advice but go out of your way to talk to new people, especially people in your classes because you will want a friend in your classes. Find all of the buildings your classes are in before classes start, actually find them twice. Get a planner and write in it every day, most importantly do everything you wrote down, no excuses! Study every day, read the material, make notecards, highlight notes, do anything and everything to be prepared for your classes. Whatever you do, don't stress out. Take college and everything it throws at you day by day.
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
To-Do List of College
1. Maintain a 4.0
2. Graduate with a Masters Degree
3. Join a club
4. Study Abroad
5. Have an internship
6. Volunteer...a lot
7. Make friends that will last a life time
8. Be a better me
9. Get A JOB!
10. Have the best time of my life
To achieve almost everything on my list I will have to work very hard for four years of my life, now three and a half. It's always been my goal to have a 4.0 in college, mostly because my parents expect it of me and believe I can and no one likes to disappoint their parents. Having a masters degree will benefit me in the long run and give me an edge over other applicants applying for the same job. Joining a club, volunteering, making friends and studying abroad are all things that help develop you as a person and contribute to making college the best time of your life. However, it doesn't hurt that these things also look great on a resume. It happens that I have an internship lined up or in the making for my sophomore year. Internships help prepare students for the scary world that awaits after graduation. Which leads me to getting a job, I know you should start applying for jobs about three months before graduation but being the silly freshman I am I know nothing about the act of searching for a real job, but that is where the career center is here for! College is supposed to be four years of growing as an individual and having the best time of your life. It is impossible to say how to achieve this but judging by my first semester here, college is going to the best time of my life.
2. Graduate with a Masters Degree
3. Join a club
4. Study Abroad
5. Have an internship
6. Volunteer...a lot
7. Make friends that will last a life time
8. Be a better me
9. Get A JOB!
10. Have the best time of my life
To achieve almost everything on my list I will have to work very hard for four years of my life, now three and a half. It's always been my goal to have a 4.0 in college, mostly because my parents expect it of me and believe I can and no one likes to disappoint their parents. Having a masters degree will benefit me in the long run and give me an edge over other applicants applying for the same job. Joining a club, volunteering, making friends and studying abroad are all things that help develop you as a person and contribute to making college the best time of your life. However, it doesn't hurt that these things also look great on a resume. It happens that I have an internship lined up or in the making for my sophomore year. Internships help prepare students for the scary world that awaits after graduation. Which leads me to getting a job, I know you should start applying for jobs about three months before graduation but being the silly freshman I am I know nothing about the act of searching for a real job, but that is where the career center is here for! College is supposed to be four years of growing as an individual and having the best time of your life. It is impossible to say how to achieve this but judging by my first semester here, college is going to the best time of my life.
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Study Abroad
I've always known that one day I would travel the world, study abroad just happens to be the first real opportunity to truly experience the world. Australia has been at the top of my "places to go list" since I can remember. In my mind it is a beautiful and exotic place that is teeming with adventure. However, when I went to the study abroad presentation the speaker almost has me convinced to go the Vienna, Austria.
When I called my mom after the presentation on Thursday she was shocked that it took only one hour to change my mind about a decision I had made many years ago, as I am a very stubborn person. But I had a good reason, if my dream is to seize the opportunity to travel the world through study abroad, why would I want to go somewhere that I would be confined to the whole semester? Sure Australia has many different things to offer, but in Vienna I could travel across Europe knocking several different places off my list of places to go in one semester.
While abroad I plan to get the full experience, and the fact that I have a whole semester to experience Vienna and its surrounding countries makes that possible. I would get to do all of the typical touristy things while also experience some of the cultural aspects that could not be experience with a shorter visit. Some people go abroad with the hope of learning a new language or making new friends. Though those are both great reasons to go abroad I would like to go to help develop myself as an individual. As I believe I have mentioned previously, the most important things in life are the experiences that help propel you to be a better person. The opportunity to study abroad and immerse ones self in a completely foreign environment is a great way to better oneself.
Although I have all these wonderful plans to study abroad and see the world I can not say that I am very well prepared to do so. I have yet to set up an appointment or get further information about studying abroad, I don't even know when I want to yet! It is easy to tell that I am still in a Freshman state of mind, believing that everything is so far in the further when in reality everything is right on the horizon. With all that said it is my goal to have spoken with someone or at least attended a study abroad information session by the end of January.
When I called my mom after the presentation on Thursday she was shocked that it took only one hour to change my mind about a decision I had made many years ago, as I am a very stubborn person. But I had a good reason, if my dream is to seize the opportunity to travel the world through study abroad, why would I want to go somewhere that I would be confined to the whole semester? Sure Australia has many different things to offer, but in Vienna I could travel across Europe knocking several different places off my list of places to go in one semester.
While abroad I plan to get the full experience, and the fact that I have a whole semester to experience Vienna and its surrounding countries makes that possible. I would get to do all of the typical touristy things while also experience some of the cultural aspects that could not be experience with a shorter visit. Some people go abroad with the hope of learning a new language or making new friends. Though those are both great reasons to go abroad I would like to go to help develop myself as an individual. As I believe I have mentioned previously, the most important things in life are the experiences that help propel you to be a better person. The opportunity to study abroad and immerse ones self in a completely foreign environment is a great way to better oneself.
Although I have all these wonderful plans to study abroad and see the world I can not say that I am very well prepared to do so. I have yet to set up an appointment or get further information about studying abroad, I don't even know when I want to yet! It is easy to tell that I am still in a Freshman state of mind, believing that everything is so far in the further when in reality everything is right on the horizon. With all that said it is my goal to have spoken with someone or at least attended a study abroad information session by the end of January.
Monday, October 21, 2013
A Career in Public Relations
Over my fall break I did not "break" as much as I worked. The first day of Fall break I went to work with my mom at AAA of the Carolinas. While I was there I spent two hours in the Communications department talking with different people about what their role in the department was. I spent the majority of of the time speaking with Angela Davey Director of Communications. She told me all about what she did and gave me some advice. In her job she is over running the magazine, writing press releases, talking to the media and running the remainder of the communications department. Before being in public relations she was an English teacher with experience as a free lance writer and editor of the Charlotte Observer. Some of the advice she gave me was to get involved in the paper or magazine, do volunteer work and to learn a variety of skills.
The only information that I have learned that has worried me was the amount of research they do and Angela Daley said they use math in everyday work. Even though I am worried about the amount of research I was reassure when I talked to Whitney, manager of traffic safety, she said that researching is much easier when it is something that you are interested in. Though I hate math it is supposed to be simple math.
I do see myself enjoying this career, when I was talking to Angela Davey she said that some of the skills required are to be a quick and efficient writer, organized, detailed oriented, creative and a good communicator. All of the skills are skills that I have, which reassures me in pursuing this career. They do a variety of things in the field including running social media sites, putting together magazines and writing stories for the press of a company. Doing research was very rewarding and I feel that I have learned a lot.
The only information that I have learned that has worried me was the amount of research they do and Angela Daley said they use math in everyday work. Even though I am worried about the amount of research I was reassure when I talked to Whitney, manager of traffic safety, she said that researching is much easier when it is something that you are interested in. Though I hate math it is supposed to be simple math.
I do see myself enjoying this career, when I was talking to Angela Davey she said that some of the skills required are to be a quick and efficient writer, organized, detailed oriented, creative and a good communicator. All of the skills are skills that I have, which reassures me in pursuing this career. They do a variety of things in the field including running social media sites, putting together magazines and writing stories for the press of a company. Doing research was very rewarding and I feel that I have learned a lot.
Monday, October 7, 2013
Stress in College
Everyone knows the dreaded myth of the "freshman fifteen." It is rumored that every freshman gains fifteen pounds within their first year of college, but why? First let me tell you that I know lots of people who have come back from their first year of college thinner and more fit that when they left for college and I also know plenty who gained more than fifteen pounds. In no way am I saying that the freshman fifteen is a legitimate claim, but I could see how many freshman are overwhelmed with their work load, new environment and social activities of college and are driven to the many comfort foods made readily available to students! Luckily, I am well acclimated to the stress of college because I manage my time well, I organize, plan and have dealt with juggling many different responsibilities for quite a while now.
The work load in college is different and somewhat overwhelming to any student who had the typical high-school experience of being babied through their education. In college is is a student's responsibility to know what is due and when, to prepare themselves for test and to take notes regardless of the professor's teaching style. It is stressful to do all of these things when the majority of freshman are woefully unprepared for the style of education that is common in college. To deal with these new struggles I have made good use of my lovely Lilly planner, that makes organization a little more pleasant. I write down my daily to-do list throughout the day and put all of the most important assignments all the way to the end of the semester. I have found it easiest to completely plan out my day including study time, workout time, relaxation time and time to socialize because I am more likely to do my schoolwork when I know I have time to watch Netflix later in the day. I also try as best as I can to not procrastinate on my schoolwork including study time. This way I am not overwhelmed the day before something is due.
Though the workload and school is one of the biggest stressors, the new environment and social part of college can also be very stressful. Most people left their home, friends, structure, and comfort zone at the beginning of college and are lost without this place they love. Being away from home means a lot of the times you are missing family and friends that have always been a part of ones life, some deal with this by going home every weekend but I feel by doing so you miss out on a crucial part of the college experience, gaining independence. College means you have to go outside of your comfort zone, make new friends, do your own laundry and learn to miss your parents but be strong enough to be by yourself for a little while. However, being away from home also means you don't have your parents to tell you when to go to bed, when to study and fuss at you when you mess up. A lot of students come to school and the it's okay to skip class, not do work, stay up late every night and party hard. Though we all have the freedom and capability to do these things we all need to learn to regulate and restrict our own actions like mature adults. The consequences are much more grand than being in high-school and being grounded for a bad grade, this is our future we're building. Though the pressure of being on my own is stressful I was well prepared because in high-school I was independent and able to balance multiple sports, part-time jobs, social life and schoolwork. Being prepared before college made the transition all the more simple for me.
We will all experience stress and will probably experience stress for the rest of our lives. It is so easy to be buried under the burden of everything going on in our lives when one is determined to do it all by their self. It is so important to know when to ask for help in all we do, whether it be with school work or a personal problem someone will always be there to help you. At this school alone there are tutoring programs, teachers and R.M.s made available to everyone here. Though being stressed in almost guaranteed in life it can be managed.
The work load in college is different and somewhat overwhelming to any student who had the typical high-school experience of being babied through their education. In college is is a student's responsibility to know what is due and when, to prepare themselves for test and to take notes regardless of the professor's teaching style. It is stressful to do all of these things when the majority of freshman are woefully unprepared for the style of education that is common in college. To deal with these new struggles I have made good use of my lovely Lilly planner, that makes organization a little more pleasant. I write down my daily to-do list throughout the day and put all of the most important assignments all the way to the end of the semester. I have found it easiest to completely plan out my day including study time, workout time, relaxation time and time to socialize because I am more likely to do my schoolwork when I know I have time to watch Netflix later in the day. I also try as best as I can to not procrastinate on my schoolwork including study time. This way I am not overwhelmed the day before something is due.
Though the workload and school is one of the biggest stressors, the new environment and social part of college can also be very stressful. Most people left their home, friends, structure, and comfort zone at the beginning of college and are lost without this place they love. Being away from home means a lot of the times you are missing family and friends that have always been a part of ones life, some deal with this by going home every weekend but I feel by doing so you miss out on a crucial part of the college experience, gaining independence. College means you have to go outside of your comfort zone, make new friends, do your own laundry and learn to miss your parents but be strong enough to be by yourself for a little while. However, being away from home also means you don't have your parents to tell you when to go to bed, when to study and fuss at you when you mess up. A lot of students come to school and the it's okay to skip class, not do work, stay up late every night and party hard. Though we all have the freedom and capability to do these things we all need to learn to regulate and restrict our own actions like mature adults. The consequences are much more grand than being in high-school and being grounded for a bad grade, this is our future we're building. Though the pressure of being on my own is stressful I was well prepared because in high-school I was independent and able to balance multiple sports, part-time jobs, social life and schoolwork. Being prepared before college made the transition all the more simple for me.
We will all experience stress and will probably experience stress for the rest of our lives. It is so easy to be buried under the burden of everything going on in our lives when one is determined to do it all by their self. It is so important to know when to ask for help in all we do, whether it be with school work or a personal problem someone will always be there to help you. At this school alone there are tutoring programs, teachers and R.M.s made available to everyone here. Though being stressed in almost guaranteed in life it can be managed.
Monday, September 30, 2013
Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost
In my opinion everyone thinks they are different than everyone else, but also in my opinion I really do believe that I am just a tad bit different than most people. J.R.R. Tolkien said "Not all those who wander are lost" and ever since my ninth grade English teacher used it in a prompt for an essay I've adopted it as a sort of motto to my life.
Ask any of my friends and they'll tell you that I've never been one to follow the crowd, and I've always been one to stand out in the subtlest of ways. I've always been one to question, to ask why things are done a certain way and why they can't be done another away. Living outside of the box is a normal thing to me. In my opinion my dad fostered this behavior when he would ask why I needed the clothing item that everyone else had, why not get something different because standing out is always better than fitting in. Being different, even in the subtlest of ways, has its struggles. It's hard at some points to not completely fit in with even your closest of friends. Tolkien's quote reassures every person that wandering does not mean that you are lost. It is completely okay to question everything, to explore every option, just because you don't know where you're going doesn't mean that you don't know where you are right now.
College is a fresh start for everyone and a small part of me wanted to use this opportunity to fit in and be a little less different. To do so I participated in rush to be in a sorority. All of my friends from home were shocked because it is so un-Tyson-like to do be in a sorority. During sorority recruitment I met lots of people and learned a lot about myself. The whole time I felt out of place, not because I had bad conversations in the houses or didn't get back my favorite house, but because it all felt so fake to me. At first I thought it was because the girls were being fake in order to give me a good impression of their house but by the end of the week I realized the girls were genuine and I was the one being "fake." I wanted to show them what they wanted to see in order to get into the houses I wanted and I realized on pref night that being fake to get what I wanted was not me. Yes, I wanted the "sorority experience" but if it was something that the real me questioned why should I force myself to do it? I reasoned that it was a good way to make friends, meet people, it would look good on my resume, I could do lots of community service and I would have lots of fun in the process. But in reality I don't need a sorority to help me to do those things, I am an individual that is perfectly capable of having a fantastic college experience without paying for it.
Part of me wanted to fit in because I did feel a little bit lost in this new place where no one knew my reputation. Though this is a place to completely redo the way people perceive me, I don't think I want to lose the reputation of being different and one to be a complete individual. I want to question, to wander and it's easier to do so while remember that I'm never lost as long as I know who I am and I have friends and family to point me in the right way every once in a while.
Ask any of my friends and they'll tell you that I've never been one to follow the crowd, and I've always been one to stand out in the subtlest of ways. I've always been one to question, to ask why things are done a certain way and why they can't be done another away. Living outside of the box is a normal thing to me. In my opinion my dad fostered this behavior when he would ask why I needed the clothing item that everyone else had, why not get something different because standing out is always better than fitting in. Being different, even in the subtlest of ways, has its struggles. It's hard at some points to not completely fit in with even your closest of friends. Tolkien's quote reassures every person that wandering does not mean that you are lost. It is completely okay to question everything, to explore every option, just because you don't know where you're going doesn't mean that you don't know where you are right now.
College is a fresh start for everyone and a small part of me wanted to use this opportunity to fit in and be a little less different. To do so I participated in rush to be in a sorority. All of my friends from home were shocked because it is so un-Tyson-like to do be in a sorority. During sorority recruitment I met lots of people and learned a lot about myself. The whole time I felt out of place, not because I had bad conversations in the houses or didn't get back my favorite house, but because it all felt so fake to me. At first I thought it was because the girls were being fake in order to give me a good impression of their house but by the end of the week I realized the girls were genuine and I was the one being "fake." I wanted to show them what they wanted to see in order to get into the houses I wanted and I realized on pref night that being fake to get what I wanted was not me. Yes, I wanted the "sorority experience" but if it was something that the real me questioned why should I force myself to do it? I reasoned that it was a good way to make friends, meet people, it would look good on my resume, I could do lots of community service and I would have lots of fun in the process. But in reality I don't need a sorority to help me to do those things, I am an individual that is perfectly capable of having a fantastic college experience without paying for it.
Part of me wanted to fit in because I did feel a little bit lost in this new place where no one knew my reputation. Though this is a place to completely redo the way people perceive me, I don't think I want to lose the reputation of being different and one to be a complete individual. I want to question, to wander and it's easier to do so while remember that I'm never lost as long as I know who I am and I have friends and family to point me in the right way every once in a while.
Monday, September 16, 2013
Dear Future Tyson,
Dear Twenty-Eight Year Old Tyson,
In ten years I will be twenty eight, but as of today I am eighteen and a Freshman in college. I recognize that not everything goes as planned, and it is very possible that I will look back on this post in ten years and laugh at how silly my plans were for twenty-eight year old me. But as of age eighteen I have a plan for future Tyson.
I am attending the University of South Carolina to earn a degree in Public Relations. I also plan to get this degree in three years as opposed to the traditional four year college experience and I am well on my way to doing so. When I graduate at twenty-one I would like to have multiple internships that will "wow" major companies and assist me in getting a job at a major company. I hope that there will be a job opportunity present in the South so I won't have to leave this place I love. In this grand plan that I have envisioned I see myself in an apartment in a bustling city. I see myself working hard to work my way up in the standings of a company while gaining the experience I need to be successful in this world. It would be silly of me to not mention my personal dreams as well as my occupational dreams. By twenty-eight I would hope to be married and not have kids just yet. I hope that I would have traveled and done some crazy things before I begin settling down for kids.
This well thought out dream that I have for my future self is nothing without a substantial plan to back it up. By next semester I will technically be a Sophomore and with the two Spanish courses I plan to take this summer at my community college I will start next year as a Junior. In my next year of college I want to study abroad in my Spring semester. Studying abroad will give me an opportunity to broaden my knowledge of communicating with others. I have signed up with Habitat for Humanities to gain some experience in their office doing P.R. for them.The summer after my Junior year I would like to get an internship away from home if possible and hopefully in a large city. I already have a savings account in which I put money away periodically, more during the summer than any other time. This savings account will help me get a jump start on starting my new life. As for getting married there is nothing I can do to prepare for that one except wait on the perfect guy, whether or not I have already found said guy will only be known after some time has passed.
I am very excited about my future and though I hope that I have this "perfect" life that I have envisioned the more realistic side of myself is very aware of the way life has a tendency to stray away from the way I believe it should go. Because I am well aware of this aspect of life I am open to new opportunities, experiences and most importantly I am open to change. Stubbornness to change is the only sure-fire way to fail at anything. Finally, to myself I hope that I always remember through every struggle that I face that "Life ain't always beautiful, but it's a beautiful ride", Gary Allen.
Sincerely, Eighteen-Year-Old Tyson
In ten years I will be twenty eight, but as of today I am eighteen and a Freshman in college. I recognize that not everything goes as planned, and it is very possible that I will look back on this post in ten years and laugh at how silly my plans were for twenty-eight year old me. But as of age eighteen I have a plan for future Tyson.
I am attending the University of South Carolina to earn a degree in Public Relations. I also plan to get this degree in three years as opposed to the traditional four year college experience and I am well on my way to doing so. When I graduate at twenty-one I would like to have multiple internships that will "wow" major companies and assist me in getting a job at a major company. I hope that there will be a job opportunity present in the South so I won't have to leave this place I love. In this grand plan that I have envisioned I see myself in an apartment in a bustling city. I see myself working hard to work my way up in the standings of a company while gaining the experience I need to be successful in this world. It would be silly of me to not mention my personal dreams as well as my occupational dreams. By twenty-eight I would hope to be married and not have kids just yet. I hope that I would have traveled and done some crazy things before I begin settling down for kids.
This well thought out dream that I have for my future self is nothing without a substantial plan to back it up. By next semester I will technically be a Sophomore and with the two Spanish courses I plan to take this summer at my community college I will start next year as a Junior. In my next year of college I want to study abroad in my Spring semester. Studying abroad will give me an opportunity to broaden my knowledge of communicating with others. I have signed up with Habitat for Humanities to gain some experience in their office doing P.R. for them.The summer after my Junior year I would like to get an internship away from home if possible and hopefully in a large city. I already have a savings account in which I put money away periodically, more during the summer than any other time. This savings account will help me get a jump start on starting my new life. As for getting married there is nothing I can do to prepare for that one except wait on the perfect guy, whether or not I have already found said guy will only be known after some time has passed.
I am very excited about my future and though I hope that I have this "perfect" life that I have envisioned the more realistic side of myself is very aware of the way life has a tendency to stray away from the way I believe it should go. Because I am well aware of this aspect of life I am open to new opportunities, experiences and most importantly I am open to change. Stubbornness to change is the only sure-fire way to fail at anything. Finally, to myself I hope that I always remember through every struggle that I face that "Life ain't always beautiful, but it's a beautiful ride", Gary Allen.
Sincerely, Eighteen-Year-Old Tyson
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