January 22, 2007

The holidays are officially over, sigh, and it’s hard to get back into the swing of things, especially for some with a distracting white wonderland outside. Focusing on school may not be the easiest thing to do, but remember, summer is coming, so use it as an incentive to pay attention for a few more months.

Whether an underclassman or a graduating senior, you’re counting down the days until May arrives. As an underclassman, it’s a three-month holiday, but for a senior graduating from high school, you’re off to possibly battle college life. Now is as good of a time as any to make sure grades are in order before the close of the semester. I know you’re thinking about a thousand different things, but try to push those aside and concentrate on the never-ending homework, dreaded papers, final projects and overall grades—because those will be transferred to your preferred school, college or university whether you’re a junior or senior and whether you like it or not.

Focusing on school doesn’t only refer to high school. I’m talking about college, too. As a graduating senior, your high school days are soon to be behind you. Make sure you have everything you need to take that big next step. Did you take the ACT or SAT (possibly more than once)? I know you’ve applied for as many scholarships as possible to get as much money as you can for college, right? And, unless you want to sleep on the street, send in the housing application for placement on campus. Sometimes there’s a waiting list. Final transcripts have to be sent to the college or university you’ll be joining next semester, so keep the grades up. You wouldn’t want a last-minute bad grade (due to senioritis or laziness) to affect your admission status (which can affect you as a sophomore or junior, too, because grades are permanent). Your parents would not be pleased, and if it makes more of an impact, it might also have an affect on your much-anticipated summer plans.

So, the moral of the story? Keep your head in the books until summer officially arrives. Check off your “need-to-do” list. Start another list to help you in your next educational adventure. Enjoy the last few months before summer, and have fun.

September 25 , 2006

So, it's definitely that time of year again. School's started, and classes are back in action. Sporting events, choir and band practices and try-outs for an upcoming production take center stage in school districts around the country. Clubs and organizations also arrange their plans for the new school year. There's so much going on and everything to look forward to at the start of a new school year, and it's these extra-curricular activities that colleges everywhere are looking for in a prospective student.

Since I come from a small rural high school in the Northwest corner of Missouri (53 students in my graduating class), we only had a handful of sports, clubs and organizations to choose from. And since it was so small, students could participate in numerous activities and clubs. During high school, I participated in softball, basketball and track, and they kept me occupied year-round. I loved it all (except for those practices that made lunch rise to my throat). I was also a football cheerleader, which made for great Friday nights with friends.

I also participated in Star Events for FCCLA (formerly FHA), which stands for Family, Career and Community Leaders of America. Through this organization, my friends and I traveled to San Diego; New Orleans; Boston; and Fort Worth, Texas. As if that wasn't enough, I signed up for Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), Students Against Drunk Drivers (SADD) and, at one time, Future Teachers of America (FTA). Future Farmers of America (FFA) was another organization at my school, and even though I wasn't a member, it probably had the biggest membership compared to the other organizations. I also had a great appreciation for people who could sing, play a musical instrument and perform in front of hundreds. I do sing, but it's always in the car or shower, and when I get in front of a group of people, I tend to turn red and blotchy and break into hives. (It's really a good look for me.)

Looking back at my high school résumé, I don't know how I ever did it all. I do know, however, that when I was visiting colleges and sending in application packets to the schools of my dreams, I was glad they were on there. I often wonder, though what other types of clubs and organizations are out there now that my school didn't have or that has drastically changed since I was in high school. Feel free to fill me in on the new and improved activities in your area. I'd love to know what you're adding to your résumé that will make you stand out among millions.

June 16 , 2006

Last May, I graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a journalism degree in the magazine sequence. Coming from one of the best journalism schools in the U.S., I learned a lot about copyediting, design, ethics and writing style. I worked part-time at The Candy Factory, home of the best homemade chocolate ever. I made tons of new friends through my sorority and enjoyed “the best days of our lives” with them. I thought nothing could compare to the past few years. And I was not looking forward to making that big jump into the “real world.”

A month before graduation, I found out I had received the internship position in the Homes Department for Southern Living magazine in Birmingham, Ala. One month after graduation I moved south. Just to let you know, Southern Living is owned by Time Warner and is the largest regional magazine and 9th largest magazine in the U.S. That was part of the spiel I gave when readers would call and ask about it, especially those from the Midwest or the West Coast who happened to stumble across it and became interested in our magazine. Talk about a résumé booster. It was a 6-month internship that didn’t last long enough. Besides being featured in one of the best magazines in the country, I made great friendships with some Southern girls who fixed the best Southern dishes I have ever had. It still didn’t quite feel like I was supposed to be out of college, but it was one of my best experiences yet. I still keep in touch with my newfound friends and a couple of the editors and writers at SL.

I moved back to the Midwest, where I’m originally from, and continued to do the ever-dreaded job search. When I thought about my life before and what it was going to have to be, it gave me the chills and scared me to death. I was the type of person who worked hard in school, got good grades, and eventually found my passion was writing—about what, I don’t really care. But as a lifetime commitment? I had never made a decision that required so much time and pressure. When attending college, you don’t think that far ahead. You go to class, go to your part-time job, go home, grab the huge jug of cheese balls, sit down with your roommates, and talk about who knows what until 1 a.m. The weekends were more eventful, and that’s what I loved. There was nothing stressful about it, except for the occasional test and finals, but that pressure was temporary. It wasn’t a long-time commitment; it wasn’t a “real world” commitment.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized there wasn’t anything I’d rather do in life than write. I just needed some confidence in myself and inspiring words from my parents and relatives. “You worked at Southern Living. You shouldn’t be worried about anything,” they’d say. I’d nod and hope they were right. One day during my intensive job hunt, I ran across an ad for a staff writer at Townsend Publishing in Kansas City. I remember thinking, “I love KC; it’s close to my family; and I’d get to write.” After a phone and in-person interview, things panned out, and I started working right away, which was just a few months after my initial job hunt began. Now, I’m editor for several publications including College Outlook. Since I have been working in the “real world” for several months now, I’ve found it’s not so bad. I get to do what I love on a regular basis. I interview all different types of people, find new, interesting parts of Kansas City and watch each issue evolve into a finished product. What could be better than that, well, besides having the big jug of cheese balls on hand?