10 Things We Need Before Graduation (aka AnnE’s Graduation Registry)

Posted on March 30, 2015 by AnnE

It occurred to me recently that upon entering the Real World I’ll need to be armed with more than my Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology. So I’ve been soliciting advice from real live grownups (and created some of my own) about what we actually need to function in the real world.

FOR THE HOME:

1. A George Foreman Grill

I make really excellent cereal and Poptarts, but my talents end there, hence this recommendation. A George Foreman Grill has you covered for everything from a panini to chicken breasts, and BONUS, it’s really easy to clean.

2. A rice maker

Rice is delicious, cheap, great with absolutely any dish, and really easy to make perfectly once you have one of these gizmos. Much adult. Very grownup.

3. A crockpot

Did you know you can just put food in a crockpot in the morning and when you get home you have a meal?! THAT IS SO COOL. This totally feels like cheating at adulthood, but I’m ok with that.

4. A refined taste in alcohol

When attending a Happy Hour or cocktail party at work, it will no longer be appropriate to request vodka and Redbull, vodka and whatever-Crystal-Light-package-you-have-on-hand, vodka shots with orange juice chasers, or Natty Light. Put the “adult” back in “adult beverages” and learn to order something like a boring glass of wine and refrain from openly gagging when drinking a Manhattan.

5. Renter’s Insurance

This advice comes from one of CP&R’s own career counselors, Lesley Bonds, who watched the ceiling of her apartment fall down onto everything she owned because of a broken water heater in the apartment above her. She spent the next few months on friends’ couches until her apartment was repaired and had to pay for all of it herself. Needless to say, she highly recommends renter’s insurance.

6. Laundry know-how

Yes, this was supposed to be something we learned in college, but we didn’t. So, here’s how to fold a fitted sheet, here’s how to know what spin cycle and temperature to use, and here’s what all of those mysterious symbols on your tags mean.

FOR YOUR CAREER:

7. Financial knowledge

This requirement breaks down into 3 sections: budgeting, investing, and saving. We need to learn to budget because allegedly part of this whole career-thing is that someone is going to give us money every 2 weeks or so, meaning, we’ll need to start keeping track of how we spend it. Here’s a helpful guide for learning to budget (and another) (and another)! As for investing, it may not be as essential as budgeting, but knowledge of the stock market does seem to be one of the topics that is important at boring grownup dinner parties, so we should probably learn about it. (Here are a few other reasons investing might be important, in case you aren’t convinced.) Which brings me to the hard one: saving. As I said, money is going to be put into our account EVERY MONTH. THAT’S SO EXCITING, but according to my budget, I can’t spend all of it on ice cream and Golden Oreos… A lot of that salary is going to need to be saved for future expenditures like vacations and houses, but also for more prudent investments like retirement. This seems like a lot, but we still have 2 months and CP&R regularly hosts finance workshops that I highly recommend!

8. A baby lamb voice

If you aren’t lucky enough to know Grace Ditsworth, this title might not immediately make sense, so I’ll explain: Grace has a voice that can calm any pushy employer, annoyed parent, or overwhelmed student and quickly convince them that everything really will be ok. This voice will be absolutely necessary in any stressful work environment, airline confusion, and family engagements. DO NOT graduate without it. So far, I don’t have any references for how to attain it, but I’m hoping that Grace will teach an EPP class on it soon.

9. An (Updated) LinkedIn Profile

There’s much debate about this, so let me start of by saying, Pre-Med Students: no, I’m not talking to you; please don’t get frustrated with me. Everyone else, why not make one while you can still get help from Valinda Lee (Assistant Director of CP&R and Scripps’ Unofficial LinkedIn Master)? Pros: more and more people are using it these days; networking becomes super easy; and (my favorite part) there’s no one page limit! Cons: yet another thing to do.

FOR GENERAL SURVIVAL:

10. Bravery.

Let’s face it, there’s a theme to my blogs this semester: THE REAL WORLD IS SCARY. We’re leaving our very comfortable Claremont bubble and aren’t really sure about what’s ahead. But, as Rory not-so-eloquently states in the penultimate episode of Gilmore Girls, “There are a just a lot of things right now in my life that are undecided. And that used to scare me but now I kinda like the idea that it’s just all kind of… wide open.” So we’ll need to be brave and gain a sense of adventure.

… while keeping our parents on speed-dial and remembering that we can continue to make appointments with CP&R even after graduation.

A Day In the Life of Elle Woods

Posted on February 7, 2015 by Elisabeth M

While I am no longer legally blonde–and by the way, anyone who wants to discuss the musical version of Legally Blonde with me should go for it–I have been interested in being a lawyer for as long as I can remember. It wasn’t Legally Blonde that inspired my career goals, but my dad. He was an engineer–before I was born–and then decided to take control of his career because he wasn’t happy. Instead of staying an engineer, he became a patent lawyer.

Naturally Blonde…way back before I was a Scrippsie!

I certainly can’t be a patent lawyer because I have no plans to pursue engineering, but I can be a lawyer in another capacity. I want to be an advocate for people, not patents. So as soon as I saw a law school fair listed on ClaremontConnect, I signed up! I had never been to a law school fair before last weekend, but I was excited. In this post, I’d love to share some of what I learned:

1. Research! Know which schools are going to be there and which you’re interested in talking with.

2. Have a list of questions to ask the representatives. Try to have general questions and also specific questions for the schools that you’re really interested in. For example, I asked most representatives about what kind of internships and summer experiences they like to see applicants having. I knew one school had a particularly strong criminal justice program and asked their representative about that program.

3. Dress the part. You want to look professional and presentable. I wore a business dress, cardigan, and nice flats. It never hurts to make a good and professional first impression on these representatives. And you’ll probably stick out if you don’t dress up a little.

4. Make eye contact and be engaged during presentations and panel discussions. These events can be really draining, so it’s important to put in extra effort to pay attention.

5. Have fun and make the most of it! CP&R has great events like this that can show us our potential opportunities. Taking advantage of CP&R’s resources can make all the difference. If you hear about a school or field of law that you like, check Life Connections and see if you can connect with alumnae who went to those schools or work in those fields.

Another–less useful–check list!

Law school fairs can help you decide whether law is for you or help you decide what kind of law program you’d want in the future. I left feeling fairly certain that I want to go to law school. I would recommend going to one if you’re at all interested in careers in law. Actually talking to admissions representatives can give you a sense of what law schools are looking for and what you can do to start planning for law school if that’s the path you choose. All in all, it was a good experience and I’d recommend attending a law school fair.

Pro-tips: Navigating Real World Internships

Posted on December 15, 2014 by Isabella

Countless times since starting school at Scripps, I have heard this town and our consortium being referred to as the “Claremont Bubble.” In a way, this isolated collegiate and academic sphere really does exist. I mean it takes me a reallllly long time to even remember that I can drive places once I go home or that I can’t use my ID card to get everything I need, including essentials such as the invaluable Ben & Jerry’s Red Velvet Ice cream (now that stuff is beautiful folks, if you haven’t tried it, I recommend it 100%).

Anyways…attending college can often take you out of the real word, even though it trains us to enter into it once we graduate. The difference between college and the “real world” is often so different, making internships so crucial in gaining experience in the fields that we hope to be working in (or even just to test the waters and see if our interests are actually worth pursuing).

Test the waters like this adorable Hippo he he he. Photo via Team 358.

During my internship last summer at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C. I was fortunate enough to have this exact experience. Entering into the professional world gives you a clearer image than any online article (or blog post can- which is why y’all should start those internship applications now!), but here are some trade secrets that I have learned along the way that may help you out in your future!

1. Although the internship experience is very much about you and your interests, this is a great time to learn from others, so do everything you can do help others (always lend a hand to help your co-workers, they’ll really appreciate it!)

2. Show up early and stay late (although you should explore the city/surrounding area you’re in, don’t forget this work opportunity is the real reason you are here, show you care about it!

3. Better to dress up and look overdressed than underdressed (so yeah wear those high heels or fancy dress and own it!)

4. Learn everything you can about your future co-workers before you arrive at your internship (connect on LinkedIn, see the work they’ve published, created, or learn about the projects they’re working on). It’s a great conversation starter!

5. Keep in touch (both before your internship and afterwards). This is just a great way to enhance your relationship, either for future recommendations or staying connected with this line of work.

6. Try to as positive as possible. Enthusiasm and passion are noticed, especially in the workplace with few other co-workers. They may not remember all the little tasks you did, but they will remember your attitude while doing them!

7. Don’t sell your soul… this one sounds a little strange, but let me explain. While you do want to be professional (of course don’t be immature/rude) but don’t be afraid to show these people your silliness in a good way if the relationship permits. Personality traits/demeanor will be one of the ways your being evaluated and remembered, so once you get comfortable, still get working, but show them the bright beautiful person you are and shineeeeee! (#sorrynotsorry for the cheesiness).

So place those jitters aside and conquer this fun and exciting learning opportunity! Believe in yourself friends, you got this!

Toodles,

Isabella

Attending Conferences: What to Expect and What to Do

Posted on October 4, 2013 by Selene

I just came back from a weekend conference in Dublin, Ireland and I have a lot to share about conferences in general!

I went to the Interdependence Conference, hosted by the nonprofit group CivWorld and its founder, Dr. Benjamin Barber, a world-renowned political scientist. This political conference aims to bring people from all over the world to discuss ways in which we are interdependent on each other and how we can best bridge the gap between people and countries. This is a pretty small conference with about 100 participants and 20 youth delegates. Two of the youth delegates were from Scripps, so that’s a big deal!

Youth delegate group photo: I’m in the center wearing the blue dress. Fellow Scrippsie Zoe Jacobs ’15 is in the red jacket to the right. She served as an intern for CivWorld and this conference!

This was my first conference ever so I’ll just share a few nuggets of wisdom. This is what I learned:

1. How do you get invited to a conference?

I got my foot-in-the-door from my friend and fellow Scrippsie, Zoe Jacobs ’15, who is an intern for CivWorld and helped put together the Interdependence Conference. Without her, I do not think I would have been able to go to the conference on my own. I asked other delegates on how they were invited and basically, we all got in because we knew someone in the organization already, whether it was through a professor or their next-door neighbor. Networking is key to learning about conference opportunities!

2. Receiving Funding from Scripps

I was lucky to have CivWorld cover my housing and meals in Dublin, however, I had to cover the airfare and transportation myself, which was the most expensive part. I looked for funding at Scripps and ended up getting $100 from SAS. Later, I am going to check the Motley for additional funding.

From my understanding, SAS caps all funding to students at $100, so keep that in mind when planning for conferences. Although it is better than nothing, it barely covered the Super Shuttle ride to LAX from Claremont… So when preparing for a conference, make sure you know your budget! Don’t count on receiving a significant amount of money from Scripps! Although there are limited funds available, Scripps is eager to help they want to see you succeed! Just be persistent!

3. Once you get to the conference… what do you do?

A conference is basically a place where people convene to talk about specific topics. Many are experts in their field, but sometimes you get people who are curious and are added to the general discussion. You are expected to attend as many lectures as you can and participate in conversations through questions.

There are sometimes cocktail receptions and galas with musical guests and entertainment, like the ones I attended in Dublin. Be careful! They’ll serve a lot of wine and food and it is very tempting to get hideously drunk. You are under a lot of scrutiny at these events and it really reflects very poorly if you forget your manners! Believe me, I have witnessed a few adults make fools of themselves there and it’s quite shocking!

Gala dinner on the second night of the conference

Traditional Irish harpists and singers performing at the gala

4. Networking

The Interdependence Conference hosted the mayor of Dublin and Belfast, scholars in art and politics, and business men and women. These speakers are really eager to help anyone who asks, especially if you express interest in their field. NETWORK LIKE CRAZY at conferences! Honestly, this is the sole purpose why people our age attend events like these!

Note: Zoe was personally offered a job by the mayor of Belfast! NETWORK!

5. Never say “No” (within reason, of course)

Bonding with your peers is as important as networking with distinguished speakers! There were about 10 youth delegates from around the world and an additional 10 from Trinity College, Dublin. Every night, we had the opportunity to go out to pubs and events to hang out. No matter how tired you are, DON’T SAY NO.

We celebrated Culture Night in Dublin where the entire city is open until 4AM to celebrate the it’s rich cultural identity!

In the four days I was there, I probably slept a total of 10 solid hours. The point is, you can sleep when you get home. When you are abroad or attending a conference, you need to maximize all the time you have available!

Many of the youth delegates in this conference just finished earning their Master’s degree in their field and are very knowledgeable in giving advice about what to do after finishing undergraduate studies. Just because your peers are young, do not rule them out!

6. Be a good sport

You are not the only one there trying to network. Many might even find you a valuable resource! In any case, be gracious and accommodating to others. Networking is a give-and-take of favors and information, so make sure to reciprocate peoples’ generous gestures the best way you can!

Of course, I cannot speak on behalf of all types of conferences (medical, biology, psychology, etc.), but these are the most basic pieces of advice I can give on the subject. I really encourage everyone to jump on opportunities like these. You really never know unless you put yourself out there!

Good luck and I hope this helps!

Resume Makeover

Posted on December 12, 2012 by Poonam

Last Friday was the deadline to submit a resume for this year’s Resume Book published annually by the lovely CP&R. One of CP&R’s many wonderful resources, the Resume Book is a collection of resumes from current graduating students sent to the greater Scripps community as a networking tool. The first requirement to submit asks that your resume be a maximum of one page in length (with exceptions for science resumes). Thinking that I would just do a little trimming and send mine off easy breezy, I opened my resume and found two full pages loaded with material. Forget hacking it down to a single page– I didn’t even know where to begin deleting a word. (This suddenly reminded me of Bryn’s meme from a couple of weeks ago– check them out for some laughs if you haven’t already!). All of the information on my resume (education, skills, extracurricular activities, community service, honors and awards, work experience) seemed vital to communicate to a potential future employer. Since I have been involved in a mixed bag of very different kinds of activities, I didn’t want to cut down on breadth and risk excluding a skill that may be appealing for a particular type of position. So, of course, my next step was to waltz into CP&R and schedule an appointment for a much needed resume makeover.

In just one hour, I left with a fully transformed, ready to submit resume (thanks Leslie!!). I learnt many worthwhile tips that I wasn’t aware of before– hope some of these are helpful to others looking to clean up their resumes. One of the reasons my resume seemed so bulky/ overwhelmed with information was because I had overly detailed and lengthy descriptions after each activity. I had written explanations of the organizations, rather than focusing on conveying my personal contributions, responsibilities, and achievements within each involvement. I reworded and shortened the descriptions to make them more concise using the list of “Action Words” found in the CP&R Career Services Guide. Check it out for inspiration– super helpful!

Another major thing we did was completely restructure the formatting of my resume. Because I now have a clearer sense of the direction I am headed career wise, we used public health and social justice as a central theme around which I tied together and organized my resume. I replaced the various sections listed above with: education, public health experience, advocacy experience, and development experience, and then sorted each involvement into the most related category– this revolutionized the presentation of my resume and created a much more targeted and focused message. One piece of advice my friend recently received from a Scripps alumna was to have a common thread connecting all of the activities on your resume. This may seem close to impossible given the fact that many times we find our interests through our involvements, and not vice versa, but I think we can all be strategic about the way in which we present our experiences on a resume.

Leslie then explained that it is important to highlight the most relevant experiences specific to the opportunity for which you are applying. Employers and organizations appreciate if you have a diverse background with a wide range of skills, but they are most interested in the experiences directly linked to the position or field. This meant removing the descriptions for all activities except those under ‘public health experiences.’ As you can imagine, listing just the name, position, and time frame for all other involvements cut out a huge chunk of my length, and voila– I had a one page resume! Success.

Pop into CP&R to schedule an appointment for yourself or stop by for Drop In hours Monday-Friday from 10-4! Friends, any other resume perfecting tips you would like to divulge? I know mine always has room for improvement!

Beyond the Elms

Exploring Careers with Scripps Students

Tag Archives: tips