Tag Archives: blogging

What Keeps me Blogging

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In early high school, I had a blog of my own. I had an alias and kept the blog a secret from my friends but open to the internet as a sort of online diary. I talked about school, books that I was reading, and what (in general) was on my mind. It’s unpublished now, so you won’t be able to find it. 😉

After a year or so, I discontinued blogging and went back to good old paper and pencil writing and continued with poetry as well as journaling fiction to produce the same reflective or cathartic effect.

When I entered college, I didn’t expect to go back to blogging. However, when I was looking at positions on campus on Handshake, and I saw that a position to blog was open for the Career Planning & Services center was available and began to think about starting to blog again. I emailed to ask some initial questions about post content and time commitment and was happy with the answers that I received. So, I submitted an application — the process was straightforward — and here I am today.

First semester and for part of this semester I blogged weekly, but now I am blogging bi-weekly. I’ve been happy with the flexibility of my blogging schedule, and I’ve been able to get a week or two off if I had big deadlines as well.

I haven’t had much time to write or read independent from school work this semester. I’ve barely touched a book I’ve been reading for ages except for over breaks, and I feel bad about not updating my stories on Wattpad for more than a month…

However, blogging forces me to set aside time for me to have the reflection time that I need. Thorough blogging, I create space for myself to take some time to consider some of the things going on with academics or careers and synthesize them in a way that is hopefully helpful and productive to readers as well as myself.

Blogging for CP&R has made me more comfortable going in to ask questions about my resume or cover letters during drop in hours and to check out other services. I’m happy to have been able to be part of the blogger team at CP&R my first year, and I’d recommend it to anyone hoping to set aside time reflect and to think about what she/he/ze wants to do moving forward.

 

 

The Glorious Benefits of Starting Your Own Blog

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In last week’s post, I mentioned my blogging project I started over the summer.  After comparing notes with a few friends with blogs too, we agreed that there are many glorious benefits of starting your own. Here are just a few little nuggets of our wisdom.

1. It’s fun and creative!

Focusing your entire energy on work and academics can sometimes feel lacking. Adding a little creative control into your day is sometimes all you need. A blog is a very personal project for every individual, yet it’s the perfect opportunity to immerse yourself in something you actually love doing. For example, if you love cooking, then share your tips and favorite dishes. When people start reading and responding what you do, you find yourself positively reinforced to continue doing what you love. Who knows? Maybe it will help lead you to your dream job? [Check out Scripps’ most famous blogger, alum Emily Schuman (author of “Cupcakes and Cashmere.”] Whatever you are passionate about, there’s a place out there in the blogs-o-sphere for you.

2. It boosts your personal branding.

I did a lot of research on different job opportunities online. Regardless of what field you are interested to work in, I found that many employers are very interested in your existence on social media platforms, not just on LinkedIn and Facebook. Blogging is like a living portfolio that gives readers a clear insight on your personality, passions, ethics, and lifestyle. For a future career in PR and marketing, blogs are considered a must. A strong online presence can easily be a double-edged sword, but it’s definitely skewed in your favor since you have a lot of control about the way you want to be perceived.

1. It helps you learn important skills.

Believe it or not, blogging is now considered a marketable skill. Not only are you constantly writing and copy editing, you are also developing a lot of self-discipline since you have to hold yourself accountable for original content, deadlines, and supplementary materials (photography, research, etc). Plus, there are always opportunities to generate revenue through attracting blog followers and advertising firms. If you have the entrepreneurial spirit, then you have the potential to be your own BOSS and run your own small business through blogging. If you manage a successful blog in one summer, I guarantee that employers shall be very impressed.

4. It adds perspective.

On a personal note, blogging about what makes you happy or about what happens in your daily life adds a wonderful sense of accomplishment and appreciation in what you do. It took me a month into blogging before I realized that my life is pretty darn packed with incredible tiny adventures. In all truthfulness, blogs are vanity projects. Yet the point is: everyone has an interesting life. Sometimes it takes something like making a blog for people to realize that fact.

I can go on and on with this list, but alas! This is where I shall stop for now. Blogging has a very strong online community, so if you have any questions whatsoever, shoot me a heads up or just figure it out on your own. Be brave and have fun!

Happy blogging! Allons-y!

No summer internship… and it was the best thing that ever happened to me!

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I found myself in a tricky situation last school year when I applied to dozens of internships in the LA area without any success to actually landing a position. When summer finally came around, I began to freak out (a lot)! So, I did the most rational thing, apply to more and more internships. Basically anything I qualified for!

Once June passed with no news from the additional internships I applied to, I went into full “rejection” mode, consisting of a lot of Nutella, burrito-ing in my bedsheets, watching Netflix, and wallowing in my childhood books. It took a while, but after allowing myself a few days to recover from being completely burnt-out, I drafted my “Plan B” summer plan. First, go to the gym regularly and cook amazing meals for my family. Second, help my parents out with their small business. Third, have fun. Fourth, write about it in a blog. So I did them all!

By the end of my summer, not only have I started a lovely blog, I also visited NYC, went to Disneyland and Universal Studios, drove to Venice Beach, made amazing food, enjoyed fantastic company, and overall, made a lot of amazing memories!

I would be more happy to devote a future blog to the magical wonders of having a blog, but the moral of my story I want to share with you, fellow readers, is that not having a summer internship is not the end of the world. I know some may disagree with the way I spent my summer, but it was definitely a conscious and rational decision I made. I decided to focus on what I believe are important: learning new skills (blogging, photo-editing, cooking), being productive (traveling, exercising, helping), and pursuing self-growth.

I can’t even express at how formative my summer was for me and how it immeasurably improved my optimism for the future! Down the line, I hope everyone achieves success in their job/internship journey. If you don’t succeed, remember to always invest in yourself and I’ll guarantee that you’ll be surprised at what you’ll find!