Category Archives: Sydney

New York, New York

Posted on by
Reply

When I was ten years old, my mom and I visited New York City for a summer vacation. Of course, at that time I was going because I wanted to visit the American Girl Store, but little did I know that NYC has so much more to offer. Not only did I enjoy tea with my dolls, but also the beautiful Central Park, the amazing food, and the wonderful shopping. My love then blossomed into a dream- a dream to eventually live in the city. On a later visit, we walked past the NYU campus and I had my hopes set on going there.

While I ended up not applying to NYU and am instead on the other side of the country, I would still love to one day end up in the city. It will always be a dream of mine. Until I live there, it will remain an enchanting and glamorous place that I loved to visit with my American Girl dolls. However, I know that there is a harsher reality to living in NYC than my ten year old self would like to think. The cost of living is outrageously expensive, jobs are hard to come by, and there are a lot of people.

So what makes it more enticing than other places? For me it’s the beautiful city lights at night, the magic of being in a big city, Central Park… And it seems like there are so many things to do there.

1361564661_central-park1

I think it all changes, though, when you are living and working there. You automatically have to earn a certain salary in order to afford your living arrangements and food, and things naturally become a little less glamorous.

So is where you live important to finding a job and being able to survive? Many professionals and career sources say it is. Sometimes, moving to a new place may be the best option to find a job. Certain cities have larger amounts of available jobs, while others are pretty jam packed. Though it may seem hard and unrealistic, it is definitely an option to consider. Especially for those of us in college and searching for jobs in the future, leaving for a new place after graduation can provide a new adventure as well as a good opportunity for work.

Take a look at the most expensive zip codes (for fun as well as to see where living might be easier), and let yourself imagine what your life could be like in the future. Also use it to consider where you might want to end up after college in looking for a job and housing. Don’t let it squish your dreams, however.

Bring It On!

Posted on by
Reply

Life can be messy. Especially during midterms and the stress of college life. Fortunately, I am able to call myself a very organized and productive person, so my mess didn’t amount to too much. While I came into college very well prepared, there are still a few tricks that I’ve learned from my first year here so far.

First, I always make sure to get things done pretty quickly after they’re assigned. If I am assigned a paper on Monday that is due on Friday, I will start working on it that day. While I won’t necessarily sit down and write it all at once, it is easier to space it out and get it done. I also then don’t have to stress about it on the day that it is due.

Also, I’ve gotten very good at scheduling out my time. I give myself an hour to do something and tell myself to finish it within that period, and I usually will. You have to set aside all distractions and use time to focus yourself. That way you won’t have any wasted time!

It is also important to prioritize what you are going to spend time on. While there may have been a few Core readings that didn’t happen (oops…), it’s because my writing paper was due the next day and was much more important to finish. And that’s ok! As long as you make an effort to learn what you missed, and catch up on the information later, it’s best to get done what you need to.

Surprisingly, I have not yet been overly distracted by Netflix. Though it’s hard to refrain from watching the millions of hours of TV and movies, use it sparingly to provide yourself with a well-earned break. And definitely make sure that you take breaks and give yourself some time to breathe.

I have also found my little corner in the butt of Clark that keeps me focused on my work and where I won’t be distracted. It’s good to have a place that signifies work and motivates you!

As with college, all of these skills are applicable to many other aspects of life. Overall, I try to accept life with open arms instead of running after it trying to catch up. While each person has their own ideas that work for them, it’s definitely better to be on top than to suffer from being run over by life.

photo

 

Everything

Posted on by
Reply

If you didn’t go to any of the events put on by Career Planning & Resources during Life After Scripps, you really missed out. Not only did I gain a lot of valuable information about careers and how to pursue the one you want, but I also got a free froyo and got to make a pretty collage. While I may have been one of the only a few first years at many of the sessions, I fit in amongst the eager students learning how to act in an interview and catch the attention of big businesses.

So, if you were unable to make it to one of these events, don’t worry. There are many more throughout the year put on by the wonderful CP&R that you can partake in. The froyo might not be included in the deal, however.

Although I enjoyed and benefited from all of the sessions that I attended, my favorite was by far “Create Your Gap Year.” I felt a little bit hypocritical while there because I just spent so long planning for college itself and deciding where to spend the next four years of my life, and now I’m planning what to do when that is over. I moved on pretty quickly.

Not actually, though. I’ve always had a dream to travel abroad after I graduate from college, and so I though that starting to think about a plan for a gap year would be a great idea. It makes me happy, as well, to think about all of the cool things that I can do and as some of the other girls at the session said, discover some things about yourself that you couldn’t and didn’t have time to at Scripps.

During the session, we were able to go through stacks of magazines and create collages to map out our gap year. Mine was pretty broad and mainly included things that I like and enjoy doing, and the vague ideas I have for what I want to do after my life at Scripps. It pretty much reflects the very few concrete ideas I have, and more just shows my excitement and optimism towards the idea of a gap year since the paper has a lot of bring and pretty colors.

photo

Making my collage made me realize that there are plenty of opportunities to do the things that you want to do after college, and that you can always change your path. It’s possible to stop doing something if it’s not what you like, and many times it is even worth it to change. As some of the big wigs at one of the career panels said, a job is a significant part of your life and thus you should enjoy what you do. Know what you’re getting into before you do it, but also be willing to change it if it’s not working out well. If traveling is what it takes for you to figure out what you want to do, go for it. And that’s just what I might end up doing at this point, since I have no idea otherwise!

My Dream Job

Posted on by
1

As a kid, there was never really one thing that I wanted to be when I grew up. I mean, who didn’t want to be both a cowgirl and an astronaut? And while I never really dreamed about being the first female president, I definitely at one point thought it would be cool.

To this day I still do not really know what I want to do when I grow up. I feel silly saying “when I grow up,” because a lot of people would consider me to already be at that point, but I think I still have a little while. I don’t even have a real job picked out yet, so I can’t already be there.

If you were to ask me right now what I wanted to do with my life, I would most definitely say that I want to be a travel journalist. My dream job would be to write for a travel magazine and get to go all over the world writing about food. In one job, I would be able to combine three of my favorite things: food, travel, and writing. I would love to be able to spend my days in foreign cities speaking different languages and immersing myself in their culture.

While I wish it were possible to create any job that you wanted and make it happen, I know that is not quite how it works. I know that these jobs exist, but they seem far and few between. How do I get a job like this?

Two summers ago, I spent the day at a local newspaper shadowing the editor of the food section. Though it was shocking to see the effect that technology has had on journalism and newspapers, it was even more interesting to hear about the changes that the field has gone through. Journalism remains a highly sought-after field, but the amount of jobs available are slowly dwindling. However, when I asked someone about jobs with travel magazines, they said that there are actually many jobs available due to the fact that people don’t go after them because they think they are all taken.

So I guess the moral of the story here is that I may someday be able to be a travel journalist! Essentially, though, it’s never a bad idea to ask around and try for the job that you really want. Putting yourself out there is the best thing you can do. You should always love what your work and the job that you are doing, so it’s a good idea to start looking for one that will make you happy.

Is This Real Life Now?

Posted on by
Reply

It’s strange to think that my life is never going to be the same again. Never again will I be living at home with my parents (hopefully) for more than a summer, and never again will life be what it was like just a few months ago.

Going to college signifies for most of us a transition into the real world. After our four years of college we will be spit out into jobs and internships and new places on our own. Although four years seems like a long time, that world will be here before we know it.

As a first-year in college, it’s hard to think about anything other than the freedom at hand. Coming from high school, college feels like heaven. We no longer have to sit at school for eight hours a day and abide by the school-determined schedules. We now have thousands of classes at our fingertips that aren’t just chemistry or biology, but astronomy and geology and the physics of music. It feels like your options are unlimited, and they pretty much are!

However, every once in a while I remember the real reason why I am here. College prepares you for the ever looming real world. I am here in order to get my degree, to help me get a job, and be successful once my schooling is over. While college also provides a fun and enjoyable environment, it has a larger purpose and that’s hard to remember sometimes!

Even though I am only a first-year, I feel as if I need to have the rest of my life figured out. I am the type of person that likes to know where I’m going and what I’m doing, and I typically do. That’s why college frightens me; I have fewer plans now for my life than I have ever had. With the prospect of the real world looming so near in the future, it’s hard to create imaginary ideas for what I want to do with my life when I know that I should now take it much more seriously. What if I don’t take the right classes, or I don’t find a major that interests me? These questions probably seem trivial to older students who have already gone through this process, but for me it seems so terrifying. I have no idea what job I want to have, let alone what I even want to study.

When I saw an opportunity to attend a panel of esteemed writers, I thought, why not? I’m interested in journalism and publishing and writing and thought it would be interesting to hear what they had to say. They continuously told us to start branching out early and making connections, and be constantly working towards what we want to do. They told us that you have to be willing to put the work in, and that we should start soon. So of course I left the panel and went right to work looking for internships and potential jobs and ways that I could start networking.

In the excitement of the panel, I spent so much time thinking about what I would do after college that I forgot about where I was and the following day. I had to bring myself back down to earth and remind myself to do my homework that was due in two days, and not worry too much about work for four years in the future. Although it is important to know why we are here, there is definitely a balance between appreciating the now and preparing for the future. College is inclusive of both, and no matter what you do while here, it should help you be able to make decision for the future.