Month: April 2019

Five Tips for Commuter Students

By: Cody McHale

Attending college as a commuting student is a great option. Commuting separates school life from life at home, is generally a cheaper option than living in a college’s residence halls, and if you’re living with your family, you most likely won’t have to worry about budgeting for things like food.

That being said, commuting can be seen as a daunting task. As a sophomore at Roosevelt University, I have been commuting on the Rock Island Metra Rail most weekdays for almost two years. Here are some things I have learned to make my life as a commuter as easy as possible.

Tip 1: Have a Backup Route

As a commuter, there are bound to be delays, so commuters should know all their options. To best adapt to delays, download apps like Ventra, if you use public transportation, or Waze, if you choose to drive. Before leaving home or school, check these apps for alerts. If it is seen that delays are unknown, you should consider taking a different route that can be used to get to the same destination. For example, if I see that my normal train, the Rock Island, is delayed for an unknown period of time, I would probably take a different train, like the Southwest service. This option might normally take ten more minutes, but it is a safer bet than unknown delays.

Tip 2: Use a Five Subject Notebook

At Roosevelt University, a student is considered full-time if they are taking between twelve and eighteen credit hours. With most classes being worth three credit hours, many students take five classes at a time. These classes can be scheduled every other day or once a week. As a commuter, it is important to take necessary supplies and readings to class on the right day. A five subject notebook makes this task much easier. Five subject notebooks, which often have built in folders and calendars, eliminate the need to take multiple spirals and folders to and from school, and reorganize supplies every day. A five subject notebook effortlessly makes a commuters life more organized.

Tip 3: Utilize Your Resources

Roosevelt University has multiple student support systems to make sure that their students succeed. Services for first generation students, low income students, and students from underrepresented groups are located in the Multicultural Student Support Services Office in the auditorium lobby. Disability services and peer mentoring are housed in the Academic Success Center in the library. Tutoring and computer access are available in the library’s Learning Commons. This emphasis on student success also applies to computers. All Roosevelt students receive a CTA U-PASS. That U-PASS cost $153 per semester, which is a great deal since CTA monthly passes cost $100 per month. The U-PASS will allow commuters to ride the “L” and CTA buses. The University also has lockers that commuter students can rent for one or two semesters at a time. These lockers can be rented from the office of physical resources, which is located in WB B16A.

Tip 4: Get a Nice Coat!

Chicago is the windy city, and a commuter has to brave the windchill. Whether it is a five minute walk to the Harold Washington Stop or a twenty minute walk to Union Station, a nice coat is going to make a commute easier by making it bearable. It is certainly best to get a thick coat with a hood to make the walk to and from the train station, bus stop or parking garage as warm as possible. Other commuting necessities are gloves, a scarf, and a winter hat.

Tip 5: Budget Your Time Wisely

It is always important to remember that time spent commuting is not time wasted. For those who take public transportation, the commute could be used to read for clas, organize and write an essays, or study for test. If a student drives to school, the commute can be spent listening to class readings on audiobook or listening to news podcasts. In courses like economics and political science, current events often correspond to the subject being discussed in class. Listening to the news could give the students an edge in class. The commute could also, of course, be used to relax, listen to music, and de-stress.

Finding a Diamond in the Rough

I am one of the few college students who knew what they wanted to major in upon starting college in the Fall. A political science major and a writing minor perfectly encapsulated two things that I’m passionate about: politics and writing. I have no idea what I want to do after college, but I have a general idea of what kind of work I’d like to get into. And on the days where I’m running on five hours of sleep and an iced coffee, frantically writing in my planner and trying to organize seemingly every aspect of my life, that’s enough.

So, if I know what I’m interested in, and I’m confident in my major then why take gen-eds? I’m bad at math, I know I’m bad at math, so why do I need to take a math class? Well, the answer to the second question is simple enough: basic Algebra will, most likely, be something I need to use in the future when I’m figuring out college loans. So, there’s that to look forward to. But, in the grand scheme of higher education, gen-eds play an important role in figuring out not only what one may want to do in life, but what else one wants to do as well.

To start, for those who are undecided, gen-eds are an excellent opportunity to try out a variety of different classes. This allows you to figure out which classes you like, and which you don’t. Even if you’re required to take a class in a certain discipline, make sure you check out what types of classes that discipline is offering. For example, if you need to fulfill a social science requirement and you’re planning to do so with a Psych class, see what different Psych classes are being offered that semester. You don’t have to take Intro to Psych – you can take a Psychology of Racism class, or a Psychology of Human Sexuality class if either of those sound interesting to you. If you don’t take risks and try new things, then you’ll never figure out what you like and what you don’t.

For me, a lot of things changed when I took my first Sociology class. The class was about Urban Inequality, and when I was registering the previous semester, I figured it was something I’d be interested in. After all, I do go to school in the city and I’m interested in social justice. It wasn’t until halfway through the class that I realized how much I was learning, how much I didn’t know before, and, most importantly, how much I looked forward to the class every week. Urban development and inequality, I discovered, is something that I’m intensely passionate about. Why? Because I believe that I’m part of a generation of activists, one that can make real progress fixing decade old problems that have led to urban inequality.

At the end of the class, the professor told me that she looked forward to seeing me in her other classes in the future and that I had a real knack for urban development discourse. Midway through the semester during registration, I registered for Sociology 101 in the Fall and added a second minor: Sociology. If I didn’t have to take gen-eds, then I wouldn’t have had to take any other classes outside of my major and minor ones, and I never would have realized that I love sociology. Admittedly, I almost love it more than Political Science.

So, make the most out of your gen-eds! Try and find a class that both interests you and fulfills some general education requirements. Two birds, one stone. You may just discover that you’re passionate about something you never considered before. And while finding that passion may mean suffering through Algebra or Biology (unless you’re into those sorts of things), it’s definitely worth it in the end.

By: Kaitlyn Greenholt

 Dr. Norbert Cordeiro

Dr. Cordeiro is a current Biology Professor at Roosevelt University. He received his undergraduate degree from Hampshire College in Massachusetts, and completed his Doctoral degree from UIC. His PhD is in Ecology and Evolution. I have had the opportunity to be a student of his and work side by side during research. He is a wonderful professor of Biology and passionate about everything he pursues. During Biology 202, Ecology and Evolution, I had the opportunity for one-on-one feedback and was able to form a relationship I would not have had at a bigger school.

Because of the small class sizes and type of learning environment Roosevelt creates I have had the privilege of doing research with Dr. Cordeiro at the Field Museum. We have been working on a project with birds from Africa. He has been observing these birds for years now and through some digging found there may be a new species that has been mistaken for another.

 

I asked Dr. Cordeiro a few questions about his research and work in Tanzania, Africa.

 

“I know you are very active with research, what are a few of the projects you are working on currently?”

Cordeiro: “Most research I am involved in is over a long term span. Because there is so much variation in the environment we need long-term research to understand the processes involved with biodiversity. There are two of several projects I can tell you about currently. The first involves vegetation plots in the East Usambara Mountains in Tanzania, we recently received a national geographic grant to continue our work with the plots. The East Usambara Mountains are important because they are considered an evolutionary center and sometimes coined the Galapagos of Africa. The purpose of these plots is to see where continued human disturbance creates more species of lower density. It would be like converting all prairies in the United States to lawns.”

 

“And project two?”

Cordeiro: “The second project we have been working on is detailing conservation over 20 years, we did a census, collected ecological information and conserved endangered long billed forest warbler of the East Usambara Mountains. Over the last 10 years the population stabilized, which is a good sign since in 1990 it was considered to be headed towards extinction”

 

“How often do you get to Tanzania each year?”

Cordeiro: “It is dependent on funding but usually around two times. One of the two is a trip with a Roosevelt University course I teach which happens every two years. The trip entails learning from Tanzanians and full cultural immersion with the Maasai people. The students are exposed to the Saharan climate and dry often named “hostile” environments. We also travel about 6 hours one of the days to a rainforest where students see the ecology of a tropical rainforest and learn about conservation. The trip is all Tanzanian run which is what makes it unique, it caters to the students and not a westernized experience of the area.”

Dr. Cordeiro says some of his students have described the trip as “life changing”. He said some have even become world ambassadors because of the respect and social consciousness they had when interacting with the people of Tanzania.

 

“I know you have a special place in your heart for birds, do you have a favorite?”

Cordeiro: “The African Crowned Eagle because it represents strength, wisdom, agility, and the cruelty of nature.”

 

“Last question, if you could give a future Roosevelt Science student one piece of advice, what would that be?”

Cordeiro: “Follow your heart and passion in whatever you do and make that a central part of who you are.”

 

I would like to thank Dr. Cordeiro for sitting down with me and spending some time giving us a little insight into his life apart from being a professor.

 

By: Zoey Bezilla

 

NAME:

Zoey Bezilla

EMAIL:

zbezilla@mail.roosevelt.edu

ANTICIPATED GRADUATION DATE:

Fall 2019

HOMETOWN:

Harbor Springs, MI

WHY YOU CHOSE ROOSEVELT:

I chose Roosevelt beacuse I wanted to be in the city and I love downtown Chicago, I also came here because I recieved the opportuninty to play for the Women’s Soccer team.

MAJOR/MINOR:

Biology, BS

WHY YOU CHOSE THIS MAJOR/MINOR:

I love Biology and science and learning about the body, I chose this major so I can eventually go get my doctorate of Physical Therapy.

DREAM JOB AND WHY:

Own my own PT clinic with a wellness clinic or gym attached because I love helping people feel helathier and educating them on making the right choices for their bodies.

EXTRACURRICULARS (CLUBS, ORGS, JOBS, INTERNSHIPS, VOLUNTEER WORK, ETC.):

Soccer, SAAC, Job in the Dean’s Office, Job at Athletico, Research at the Field Museum with Dr. Cordeiro

ADVICE FOR INCOMING STUDENTS:

Get out in the city and try new things, it is the best part of being in Chicago.

FAVORITE SPOT IN CHICAGO:

Lakefront Trail because I love the water and it is a great place to walk, run, or bike.

YOUR ROLE MODEL AND WHY:

My mom, she is the hardest worker and smartest person I know. She made me who I am today.

CAUSE YOU’RE PASSIONATE ABOUT AND WHY:

The environment, because we all share this planet and its important we take care of it.

WHAT I WISH I KNEW BEFORE COMING TO COLLEGE:

No matter what happens, everything is probably going to work itself out in the end.

On my first day of orientation at Roosevelt University, thirty students – myself included – filed into a classroom. It was one of the many seminars you receive at orientation that teaches you about resources available to students on campus. While I cannot clearly recall what exactly the seminar was about or what resource it was advertising, I do have a vivid memory of the activity we took part in. The seminar leader directed first-generation students to stand on one side of the room, and those who had parents and other immediate family with college degrees to the opposite side of the room. As I stood on the first-generation side with only one other person, I realized that being first-generation wasn’t as common as I thought it would be. In that instance, a sense of isolation encompassed myself, and there was a single thought I couldn’t shake for the rest of the day: How am I going to do this?

The isolation, while exaggerated by the physical distance between myself and the other students, was all-encompassing. I realized, perhaps not for the first time, that those students had a valuable resource that I had been lacking throughout the beginning of the college process: familial advice. First-gen students often times have to figure things out on their own with little help from parents – there are no stories about college acceptances and experiences passed down through the generations, no wisdom passed from parent to child before they embark on the next four years of their lives. Whether it be applications, college stories, or financial aid, we often times don’t have someone in our immediate family who knows how to easily navigate forms or who can bestow their college-related wisdom upon us. In fact, the very notion of pursuing a higher education is often alien, both to parents and to their children, thus making the college process more challenging and tenser than it is supposed to be.

Of course, it is not a parent’s fault that they didn’t attend college – higher education is expensive and costs both money and time, two valuable resources those from lower income backgrounds cannot afford to freely expend. In my family, college wasn’t really an option if one wanted to start making money quickly. It’s expensive, and often times it is too hard to maintain a full-time job and be a full-time student. Even today, many first-gen students put themselves through college by working and taking out large loans that help them pay their way through school. Around 48% of first-generation students can only attend school part-time, which often means that it can take up to six years for a first-gen student to get their degree if they don’t drop out before then. Drop out rate amongst first-gen students is also typically higher than others, and most will leave school before their third year (PNPI).

Depressing, trust me, I know.

Without the right resources – both before and after college – first-gen students more frequently express lower rates of college readiness than a typical student. Whether it be inside the classroom or in the financial aid office, there’s innumerable moments where I’ve felt dumb for not knowing something that seemingly is basic information. It’s not so much about not understanding the material, it’s more like having a lack of knowledge regarding the college experience as a whole that can hinders students, myself included. Questions like what’s a personal statement? Or what’s an assistantship? Or How do I apply for outside scholarships? Constantly plague our minds, and much too often we’re too nervous or embarrassed to ask faculty or friends for help.

So, what? College is nothing but challenges for those who are first-generation? Luckily, it’s not all bad – Roosevelt provides an extremely valuable on-campus resource that caters specifically to first-generation students and students of color who have questions about the college experience as it pertains to them. I cannot stress enough how important it is to utilize resources like Multicultural Student Support Services (MSSS); MSSS provides academic support created to improve retention and graduation rates of first-gen students through programs such as advocacy and financial literacy. MSSS is literally designed to help first-gen students with questions we may have. It’s natural to ask about something your unfamiliar with, and I can definitely say it helps in the end. Not only that, but creating ties on campus, both with faculty and friends as well as through various programs like MSSS, first-gen students are more likely to acclimate to the college environment (PNPI).

So, yes, there are a lot of challenges. I still dread filling out FAFSA every year because my mom and I still don’t understand what we’re doing, I still occasionally feel isolated from my peers who have seemingly endless knowledge of the college experience, and, at times, I still feel like I’m not entirely prepared and ready to be in college courses. But I’m here – I was accepted and I’m passing classes and I am most certainly not dumb. In the end, the thought that motivates me the most is that I will be the first in my family to walk across the stage at graduation to accept my degree. I genuinely do want to make my family proud, and I want to prove that even though I may have started with a slight disadvantage, I will still prevail and graduate just like everything else. If you too are a confused, first-gen student who feels insecure in their status as a college student, I urge you to remember what you’re doing it for. In the end, it will be worth it.

Sources:

“First-Generation Student Fact Sheets.” PNPI, 26 Sept. 2018, pnpi.org/first-generation-students/.

By: Kaitlyn Greenholt

 

What is the Honors Program?

An Interview with Sarah Maria Rutter

On a cloudy, March afternoon I had the pleasure of sitting down and interviewing Sarah Maria Rutter, academic advisor and administrator for Roosevelt’s Honors Program. What’s this? You didn’t know the school had an Honors Program? Maybe not sure what the Honors Program actually does? Well, good thing for you, this article is all about the Honors Program and why you, talented and exceptional Roosevelt student, should join!

The Honors program is an immersive academic opportunity for students seeking an enriched undergraduate experience with intellectual rigor. The program offers an inter-disciplinary approach to creativity and intellectualism and experiential learning. And then, obviously, the biggest difference between Honors courses and regular courses is that the Honors Program requires its students to write a thesis at the end of their Senior year. The thesis is done in collaboration with a professor from your major and is supposed to reflect your passions and interests as they pertain to your discipline.

I know what you may be thinking: so, it’s harder than normal classes? No, actually, it is not. I asked Sarah Maria if she believed that Honors level courses were harder, and she said that they were not. In accordance with the National Collegiate Honors Council, classes are not harder, but they do place more focus on risk taking and inquiry. Honors classes address the general topic, but they also make the complexities of what’s happening come to the forefront of the conversation.

And still, all of this sounds incredibly intimidating. But, in my own experience, I have found that Honors classes are not as challenging so much as they are fulfilling. Classes will require you to delve deep into topics and material, and delving in deep typically requires one to think carefully and contribute their nuanced ideas as they pertain to the subject matter. Professors in the program are always there to guide you through the process, whether that process be writing a thesis, applying research methods, or understanding your discipline the slightest bit more.

When I asked Sarah Maria how the Honors Program prepared students for life after college, she responded that the courses students take throughout the program have the intention of preparing students for whatever they may choose to do after school. The Honors Program’s classes will change the way you think, it’ll change the way you approach life after college. Whether your transitioning into grad school (as many honor students do), social service, or a job, the honors programs rigor will ease the transition.

Personally, I’ve never regretted my choice in joining the program. It’s allowed me to apply knowledge learned in the classroom to various experiential activities – like tutoring – outside of it. Not to mention that my honors classes are typically much more engaging than the average class, often encouraging discussion and careful thought. The program offers a variety of courses each semester, and this semester I was lucky enough to register for Professor Bethany Barratt’s “Honors Politics of Harry Potter” class, which has been as entertaining as it has been interesting. I mean, we talk about Harry Potter for two and a half hours, who wouldn’t love that? Well, Twilight fans, maybe.

Sarah Maria also said that the Honors Program has a lot more in store for its students in the coming semesters. Recently, the program has reduced the number of credits each student has to take. It’s also allowed for a two-semester thesis approach; in your first semester of Senior year, you will take a prep course that will prepare you for your thesis course the following semester. For those who have no idea what to focus their thesis on, this course is ideal to get ready for the thesis-writing process. The program also hopes to incorporate less formal Honors programming into campus culture, hoping to get students from all disciplines involved in events on campus even if they’re not apart of the Honors College.

This year’s Honors Program theme was “Research as Social Action” and two films were shown on campus in keeping with the theme. This year also happened to be the 20^th anniversary of the program and Sarah Maria and Marjorie Jolles, director of the Honors Program, have been busy advising and assisting Honors students, as well as keeping up with Honors courses, thesis presentations, and various events on campus. Next years theme will be “Living and Dying” because, as Sarah Maria says, “you can hardly talk about a life well-lived without using death as a comparison.” This, in my opinion seemed like a perfect quote to end on. Why? Because it is exactly a statement like this that, even on a small scale, inspires the careful thought and discussion that the Honors Program encourages. And if that doesn’t sell you on the program, then I don’t know what will.

By Kaitlyn Greenholt

How to Balance School and Work

By: Amparo Perez

As we all know, being a student is a challenging process on its own. There is always so much work to complete, that even when you think you have some spare time to watch an episode of Friends on Netflix you remember you have an additional assignment to complete, so you say goodbye Friends and hello draft number one. But, for many students, like myself, school is not the only thing on our plate, we also have work on the side to get those bills paid.

In my experience, working and going to school in the beginning of my journey did not result as well as I hoped. I got my first job as an accounting specialist at Society for Vascular Surgery during the middle of my first semester as a freshman. Not only was I beginning to experience my life as an undergraduate student, I was also faced with understanding the principals and responsibilities that came with being an employee. Unfortunately, I did not take the correct approach with balancing school and work. For some time, I was simply juggling them both with the hope that things would just get better on their own but they did not. After having reached a point where my grades were dropping and my performance at work was demonstrating some concern to my manager and coworkers I knew things had to change.

I knew that the only way to excel in both school and work was to find ways in which I could effectively balance different aspects between school and work. Through the upcoming months I tried different approaches until I found the correct one which lead me to coming up with 4 basic rules that help create an effective balance:

 

1. Create a realistic schedule between school and work

School is priority, so it’s important to create your work schedule around school schedule but you need to make sure that the hours you put for work are going to effective. If you can only work weekends and possibly Friday then that is great because school won’t necessarily interfere during those days. But if you work during the week only like I did, then you need to make sure to take into consideration different aspects like the commute from school to work, or how late can you stay at work in order to still give you time to complete any assignment for the next day. In my case I would always chose all the morning classes and would work in the afternoon. My commute was about 30 minutes so, if my class ended at 12pm I would schedule to be at work at 1pm. By doing so I had 30 extra minutes incase class took longer one day or there was traffic and this allowed me to always be to work on time.

2. Stay Organized

                                                                                         Source: Flicker (thucungcuatoi)

 

The best tool that I used to stay organized was OneNote. OneNote is accessible to all Roosevelt students for free with the use of your school email. With the use of this source you are able to create different journals and tabs for that journal that helped you stay organized. For example, I had a journal for each class that I was taking. Within that journal I had different tabs like assignments, notes, discussions etc. In the assignment tab, I had all the assignments that I would be completing that semester with due dates that I would set for myself based on my work schedule and when the assignment was actually due. In the additional tabs, I made sure to take as much notes as possible and keep everything organized so I could find the information quickly when needed. In addition, I had a work journal in which I kept my schedule, any new assignments, my deadlines, my notes, etc. Everything that I needed to complete in both school and work was organized using this tool which allowed me to complete all tasks effectively.

3. Create an agenda for the week

                                                                                        Source: Flicker (Ana C. Arantes)

 

By creating an agenda for the week, this allows you to stay on top of everything and make sure the work gets done within a right amount of time. For example, I would look at the assignments that I needed to complete during a certain week for both school and work and scheduled different times within each day to make sure I either finished the assignment or get a head start. With creating the agenda, I had a set process to follow which allowed me to not be juggling things around and get everything done by the day of the due date.

4. Stay Motivated and Think Positive

                                                                                     Source: Flicker (m.tamer2255)

 

The most important thing that I found was to stay motivated. If I did not have motivation I was not going to get things done. Its extremely difficult to balance both school and work but everyone needs to think positivity and attempt to find a way to do it even if it means changing your process 20 times. Positivity and motivation is key in being able to accomplish your goals.

 

Now, these rules might not apply to everyone but it’s a good way to start thinking of what rules could work for you in the process of staying balanced. There will be a point where things get difficult but that does not mean you need to give up in school or work. You simply need to stay focused, motivated and positive in achieving your goals and getting the work done.

GIVE THE GIFT OF READING

College of Arts and Science Student Advisory Council Presents:

Incarcerated Women’s Book Drive

All book donations will go to The Chicago Books to Women in Prison

Who they are:

The Chicago Books to Women in Prison is a nonprofit organization that distributes paperback books to incarcerated women nationwide, free of charge.

Why is it important:

Reading provides the opportunity for self-empowerment, education and entertainment for all people. So, let’s support all women and trans/non-binary people!

Help us by dropping off new or gently used paperback books at the following locations:

 CSI (WB 323)

Wabash Lobby

Michigan Ave Lobby

When:

April 8^th– April 19^th

 Questions? Contact us at cassac@roosevelt.edu

5 Things You Hear When
You’re a Psych Major

By: Amiracle Williams-Anderson

With over thousands of people studying psychology around the world, we all
tend to hear some of the same things from everybody around us. Here our a
few things as a Psych major you’ve probably heard:

1. “Can you tell me what I’m thinking right
now?”

People often confuse psychology with telepathy for some reason, and we
constantly explain that’s not how that works…

2.“Stop analyzing me!!”

Once we learn certain terms, ideals and defense mechanisms, , it’s kind of hard
for us to not apply it to the people around us. Some consider this an unfair
advantage, I consider it a superpower.

3.“Psychology is like the easiest major.”

For some reason we also get told that our major is the easiest one you could
pick…. we Psych majors could probably laugh hysterically at this
misconception as we try to remember the weird names of theorist and which
study is theirs.

4. “Psychologist aren’t real doctors.”

This one…this one is just disrespectful. After all the tears, studying , writing,
and research it took to get your degrees somebody telling you this one is sure
to make your blood boil.

5. “You must really like dealing with crazy people.”

This weird idea that everyone with a Psychology major wants to be a
therapist or counselor is totally wrong. Psychology is sooo broad that
there’s no way that those could be the only options. With school
counseling, music therapy, industrial organization, teaching, etc. all
being career paths the only question we should get is what CAN’T you
do as a Psych major.

THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES STUDENT ADVISORY COUNCIL (CASSAC) PRESENTS….

* KARAOKE NIGHT!! *

Who:

All Roosevelt students and staff are welcome to attend!

WHAT:

CASSAC is hosting a Karaoke Night!

WHEN:

Tuesday, April 16th from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.

WHERE:

Wabash 317

WHY:

There will be free food, good music, and the chance to see your peers rock out! This is also a great way to meet new people and perhaps bond over the same embarrassing go-to karaoke songs.

Join us Tuesday, April 16th from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. in WB317 for a few hours of tone-deaf joy and sweet, sweet stress relief! Can’t stay the whole time? That is alright–grab some snacks, sing a song or two, and be on your way! Don’t want to sing? That is alright, too–watch your friends take the stage. Can’t wait to see all of you at CASSAC’s Karaoke Night!

Here is what a typical day as a student-athlete might look like:

• Start with a 7am lift before class, making sure to wear your team gear.

• Head to your first class, maybe you had time to shower or maybe you didnt, most likely still wearing team gear. #Golakers

• Hang out with your teammates at lunch or whenever your break happens. (Basically you are never not with  them)

• Off to the next class and to maybe spend time doing some homework (or maybe not, a nap sounds better).

• Grab dinner before heading to an 8:30pm session where you actually play the sport you are involved in.

• Study, eat, and go to bed! (or just fall asleep right where you’re sitting)

 

By: Zoey Bezilla

The thought of graduating and going out into the real world used to scare me. And, honestly, it mostly still does. But I used to be deathly afraid of it, like curl-up-into-a-ball-in-the-corner-of-the room afraid.

And then I got an internship. Internships are a requirement for graduating for Journalism majors, so I applied with the sole purpose of graduating at all and expecting no more than school credit.

I got an internship at Chicago Agent, a real estate magazine on the north side and I went in convinced that I wasn’t going to know anything or be able to do anything.

Nevertheless, I put on my khakis and my one nice shirt and trekked in the snow to my first day, sure that I was about to make a big fool of myself.

But I didn’t.

It turns out that all of the time and work I had put into the Torch (where I am currently the Managing Editor and spent a year as a reporter prior to that) had given me all of the experience I would need to survive those first few days. It was there that I learned how to go on interviews with sources, how to write an article, what a “byline” was and why it mattered, among many other things.

Because of my involvement outside of class, I was able to go into my internship with relevant knowledge and experience that prepared me for my first project. And luckily, years of watching and re-watching the Office gave me sort of an idea on how not to conduct myself in an office environment (Thanks, Michael). So, I had that going for me too.

I still know nothing about real estate, and I think I’m just going to have to fake it until I make it in that case. But as for everything else, I’m doing pretty well.

I am only doing as well as I am because of my involvement with the Torch. I would have never learned how to do half of the stuff I can now if I had never begun working there.

So, look for opportunities to further your skills. Don’t rely solely on classwork and your stellar GPA to teach you the things that you need to know, there is so much to be learned from a hands-on experience than you ever could in class. Look for clubs, organizations, internships; there’s always something to do or somewhere to go to learn and grow your skills. If nothing else, they’ll at least make you feel more prepared on that much-dreaded first day.

It might not be all that easy at first, take it from someone who applied to 52 internships last summer and didn’t hear back from a single one: it’s really hard. It is so much easier to just go to class and do the homework and pat yourself on the back for doing everything you were supposed to, but in just doing that, you miss out on so much.

So, keep trying, keep applying. Something will stick. And when it does, you will feel more prepared than ever to face your future bravely. Never settle, seek more.

By: Evi Arthur