The Ethics of Self-Care

Posted on March 3, 2016 by Amanda

Ever since I submitted my cover letter and résumé to the internship opportunity made available to me last week, I haven’t done much in the professional world. Maybe I’m putting too much stock into this alumni connection, but after last week, I felt like I had earned a well-deserved break from all my internship searching and networking and cover letter writing. It can be exhausting work to constantly put yourself out there, and to always have to ask people to help you out through connections and recommendations. That’s why this week’s post will be about self-care, something that I find to be incredibly important in terms of how to be your best self.

As I began to manage my own time in high school, I found that carefully weighing my choices about what to do with my day helped me create a healthy life balance. For example, if I had the choice to study for a test or watch a movie with some close friends, I would genuinely consider which one was best for my mental health. I’d ask myself if I really believed that I would retain what I studied, or if I could watch a movie with friends another time. In college, this choice is a lot easier to make, as I have more time to schedule my day without having to worry about eight hours of school a day, or five hours of work. I always prioritize getting meals with friends, but at the same time, I have no problem with shacking up in the library for a few hours and working on a paper. Weighing out the consequences of the choices I make has really helped me develop a healthy life balance between my social life and my academic/professional one.

Despite all my careful time management, there are still times when I feel like the forces of the universe are conspiring against me, such as last semester during finals week. I was already scared about being physically murdered by my papers when I got sick with a nasty cold, and got dumped. Not one to let boys ruin my life, I adopted the attitude similar to that of Miranda Presley in The Devil Wears Prada: work was all that mattered, and it was all I was going to do.

As we all know by the way that The Devil Wears Prada ends, this was not a healthy attitude to adopt. By the end of the third day of finals week, I found myself floundering, unable to focus on my papers. So, I began motivating myself with little acts of self-care throughout the day, whether it be wearing my favorite sundress, or buying myself an iced matcha-chacha on a study break. Similarly, I found that surrounding myself with people who were struggling equally as hard as I was with papers really brightened my spirits. Honnold-Mudd is a great place to develop this weird sort of camaraderie during finals week; they’re open 24-hours, and there isn’t a single person in there who isn’t struggling.

At the end of each day, no matter what, I took time to take medicine, put on really comfy pajamas, and do an activity that I enjoyed before I went to sleep- whether it be reading, watching an episode of my favorite show, or, if I was lucky enough to have the time, watching a movie. I thought about all the other forms of love I had in my life, and just how lucky I was to be at Scripps. I ended up surviving, and passing all my finals. I think the biggest thing about self-care is admitting that it’s okay to need, and that needing it doesn’t make you any less strong or independent. This was something I had to do during finals week, as I abandoned my “Miranda Presley” attitude. As one of my favorite poets, Clementine Von Radics, put it, “No one else gets to tell you what your tough looks like.”

Work With Friends

Posted on April 13, 2015 by Elisabeth M

I love working at Phonathon, but something I have been thinking about lately is the dilemma that is working with friends.

NOPE! This is not a game people!

Not only am I friends/friendly with everyone at Phonathon by virtue of being on the team for almost four semesters and being a manager, I also have a couple outside-of-work friends on Phonathon with me. This is both good and messy sometimes.

Elisabeth not LOVING something about Phonathon? How could this be?! PS: I love these two <3

Don’t get me wrong! I love having friends on shift with me and I am so glad that I work in a friendly and awesome environment. A friendly Phonathon is a happy Phonathon because you really need solid morale in the call center some shifts. Part of my job as a Shift Leader is to make things fun and to make sure that people are building rapport on and off the phones.

Okay, so no one looks like that while calling….no one.

So I love making friends at Phonathon and having friends at Phonathon. But it gets messy because the lines between caller and manager start to blur and suddenly there can be a totally different tone in the call center–sometimes even out of the call center.

Realistic reaction to me in the call center….basically I don’t dress up to go to the basement. DUH!

I really try to make sure that everything in the call center is the best mix of professional and friendly. I want all my callers to like me and for everyone to feel valuable to our team! Sometimes I struggle with the balance, but it’s good to know that I’m not alone in this. Our management team is trying as a whole to strike a good balance between a casual and professional work environment. We all want Phonathon to be fun and still a professional space. At the end of the day, I remind my friends, if an issue comes up, that I’m just doing my job and that they’re paid to do theirs.

But sometimes it still ends up being awkward.

Business Attire: Stylish yet Professional

Posted on May 4, 2014 by Jessica

Hi everyone. Previously, I blogged about The Fullbridge Program for several posts. Now, I will be moving on to more general topics as we wind down for the semester.

Today, I want to explore the world of business attire.

Here’s an example of what not to do:

Reese Witherspoon is a gorgeous and talented actor, but even she can’t pull off this all-black (mostly black) ensemble. Aside from the gold embellishments, there’s not much to look at here. Rather than slimming her down and looking professional, the all-black outfit makes her look rather nondescript.

Please avoid wearing all black. You are not dressing for a funeral. I’ve learned from experience that black is not only extremely boring, but it guarantees you’ll blend into the background as completely unmemorable.

I like black just as much as the next person. But black is not the most cheerful of colors, and is usually regarded as unapproachable. It’s helpful to pair black with a brighter (but not too bright) color, or single pattern. “Dressing to impress” might sound like an obvious decision, but you would be surprised at how little thought people put into their attires. Although it might sound unfair, employers may not hire you or regard you respectfully if you don’t look the part.

In the image above, the silver metallic elegantly offsets the white suit jacket and white heels. This may work well in a more creative work environment, but make sure it’s not too flashy for your particular field of work.

Why not try a grey jacket instead of the traditional black? The bright blue underneath gives off a happy and friendly vibe, though most other colors would work as well. Keep in mind to choose a single pattern, whether it’s one on the outside jacket or the blouse underneath.

The outfit above suggests a more casual vibe, but still allows for a clean and polished figure. The colorful pants and flashy jewelry may be a bit much for some work settings. Again, you’ll have to make your own judgment call.

A bit darker in shade, but not all black, this outfit perfectly balances elegance and professionalism. Careful with the heels though– more than a few inches high may appear ostentatious– and worse, may hinder your job performance.

A solid-blue jacket offset with black buttons looks chic, yet professional. A black blouse is a smart choice, as any other color would look too bright and distracting. Even white would not be advised, as it seems quite informal. Considering pairing this ensemble with black pants or a skirt– even a subtle pattern if you can pull it off.

This particular shade of green may not look great on everyone, but this example proves it’s possible to dress up without looking drab. A darker shade of green– emerald or olive, perhaps– would also work quite well. The patterned shoes might be rather risky– check with your workplace if you’re not sure.

The riskiest of this lot, the outfit above may turn heads for the wrong reasons if you’re working in a more formal setting. The jacket makes good sense, as do the plain black heels, but the dress calls for second thoughts. The dress’ colorful neckline looks too much like party wear, unless you’re working in the fashion or entertainment industry.

Want more ideas? Check out additional suggestions on my Pinterest board.

What makes you feel most confident in an interview or at work? Do you have a go-to pair of shoes or set of colors?

Fullbridge Program: A Day off Work and More

Posted on April 20, 2014 by Jessica

This post will highlight the last four days before the concluding day with the Fullbridge Program. Spoiler alert: There will be lots of fun pictures in this post.

1/12/14 On Sunday, everyone was glad to receive a full day off from work. But it wasn’t all fun and games. We also had to pack for our move from the dorms to the alumni house, as students were returning from their winter break and moving back into the dorms. As for fun, some people went out to visit the Griffith Observatory as well as LACMA and other popular tourist attractions. As for myself, I explored the neighborhood with a friend of mine and went hiking for a few hours.

discovered this awesome art design while exploring the area

1/13/14 Monday’s work day started at 9:30 A.M. instead of 9 A.M. due to our moving schedule. Those who had brought their cars made room for everyone’s luggage, making several trips back and forth. Lunch was also pushed back to 1:30 P.M., which made me glad I had brought snacks to munch on throughout the day. In addition to moving house, we also split up our teams and worked with new people, with a focus on buyer-seller interaction skills. But Jennifer and I remained roommates after the move.

chilling with my roommate, Jennifer, in our dorm at Oxy

1/14/14 Tuesday had us working on presentations yet again, with another encounter with the Starbucks company. We worked in our usual teams of five. Later on, we updated our resumes and gave each other feedback on them. Although somewhat tedious, I appreciated the chance to look over my resume again, as I had not touched it since my first year at Scripps. Today, I’m proud to announce I have about 10 different resumes tailored for a variety of fields.

coincidentally wore shades of red and maroon on the same day= perfect photo opp

1/15/14 Wednesday marks one of my favorite days because we all got to know each other better through the career and values exercise. In fact, I wish we had started out with this project on one of the earlier days. Divided into new teams, we explored a number of career and lifestyle options. At the end, I felt satisfied to learn that the exercise verified my need for independence and freedom, whatever career path I pursued in the future.

hanging out in downtown LA and getting to know new people

1/16/14 A guest speaker from Cairo, Egypt came to visit us on Thursday to offer words of advice based on her own business experiences. Emira spoke about her experience as Muslim woman from the Middle East, and her travels throughout Africa, South Africa, United States, and the UK. The advice that resounded most strongly with me was her reminder that we should not expect “the perfect job” straight out of undergrad.

Here’s a preview of our last day at the Fullbridge Program– and the last post on on the subject by yours truly.

taking silly pictures with the team 😛

Fullbridge Program Day 3: Personal Finance

Posted on March 12, 2014 by Jessica

Day three of Fullbridge focused much less on group activities and required more attention to individual tasks. The workload was quite dense, and none of us wasted time chatting. On-task and quiet, we immersed ourselves in a world of tutorials, videos, PDF files, and Excel. Most of us listened to music while we worked. I frequently stood up to stretch and give my back a break from sitting too long.

Personal finance stood at the forefront of the day’s work, complete with facts and figures full of jargon. We explored a range of financial settings. These included learning the difference between variable, fixed, and discretionary expenses, as well as the value in renting v. buying a house. While I did not find this information immediately applicable for myself, I knew it would help to know the information later down the road— perhaps after I graduated from Scripps. Even now, some students choose to live in a house with others instead of opting for on-campus housing.

Another topic fell under the category of how to choose a bank based on a three-pronged guide: fees, convenience, and interest paid. Although many of us may already own savings or checking accounts, CDs or mutual funds, we can always benefit from securing additional knowledge. After all, the economy literally changes overnight and new policies appear more often than we might think. Personally, I would have appreciated information about traditional banking v. online banking, given the recent shift to the latter.

By the end of the day, my mind had accumulated a wealth (puns!) of information about personal finance– enough to make me rethink my spending and saving habits. I reflected on the way I had spent my paychecks last fall, and resolved to act more thoughtfully this semester. I set a new budget for myself, and have followed through with it this spring. As of now, I’m happy to say my piggy bank’s been nothing but smiles.

On a tangential note…

My personal accomplishment of the day was working out at the gym for the first time since my arrival at Oxy! Given how difficult it is to find any extra time outside of work, I felt extremely accomplished. I imagined what it would be like to find similar pockets of time for fun or recreation in the future, and am thinking about it still.

When one works an 8 A.M.-5 P.M. work week, one either has to work out early in the morning, or late at night. Eat. Get dressed. Drive to the gym. Work out. Shower. Get dressed again. Sit in traffic. Work. Eat again. Sleep? Throw in a family and kids (which I’d like in my future), and no wonder people in the “real world” can seem so stressed out! The eight-hour workdays at Fullbridge have led me to think more concretely about the kind of lifestyle I hope to adopt in the future.

What priorities do you currently stress in your life? How often do you take the time to sit down and re-evaluate these priorities? Does a budget make its way into the picture? I hope your piggy bank finds a reason to smile. 🙂

Beyond the Elms

Exploring Careers with Scripps Students

Tag Archives: work

The Ethics of Self-Care

Work With Friends

Business Attire: Stylish yet Professional

Fullbridge Program: A Day off Work and More

Fullbridge Program Day 3: Personal Finance