Category Archives: biz geek

Kicking the “S” Out of Stress

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Picture this: You are walking on campus and you begin thinking about your day. All of a sudden, you realize an assignment is due tomorrow that you haven’t finished yet, you have a test next week that you haven’t studied for, your phone bill is due and, to top it off, your friend wants you to go out tonight. That is when you feel this overwhelming sensation that makes you want to scream! That mean ugly monster called stress has taken over and you don’t know how to get rid of him. Relax; I have a few tips on how to relive this stress. These methods are some that I use and they may seem out of the ordinary, but they really do work. I have tried many stress relief methods and none of them have worked. When I went through my fifth “stress relief squeeze ball,” I decided to do something different.

Here are my methods:

1. Pace yourself.

Academic success is a marathon, not a sprint. Do not study for everything at the same time. You will overload your brain and it will begin to rebel. Instead, study for one subject at a time for one to two hours depending on the assignment. Once you have completed it, stop for one hour before you go on to the next assignment. This pause will give your brain the rest it needs and you will be able to retain most of the information you covered in your assignments.

2. Watch one hour of mindless television.

Now you may be thinking, “I don’t have time for that! I have too many things to do!” Well, by following number one you now have an hour study break. You can use that time to watch an episode of your favorite TV show. This will also allow your mind to relax. It gives you a chance to think about something else besides derivatives or supply and demand. This is your opportunity to escape the stress you are feeling by watching someone else go through the hassles of their life.

3. Schedule accordingly.

One of the advantages available to us as college students is the ability to make our own academic schedule. When course selection begins avoid scheduling back to back classes. Give yourself an hour to an hour and a half in between classes to allow you to breathe. This time will let you write down any important dates and maybe even get started on an assignment before your next class. This will also allow you to take your time and not be in a hurry. You will not be forced into sprinting across campus to make it to your next class.

4. Take a walk.

If you have been studying in a stuffy library or dorm room, then this is what you should do. A leisurely stroll in between homework assignments will help you think about what you have just read or allow you to plan for your next assignment. Another benefit would be the fresh air and movement that you need to recharge. This energy boost will help you conquer that next assignment.

These are only a few stress relievers that I use. There are many more and I will be happy to share them with you. Do these methods get rid of all of my stress? No, but they relive stress enough to allow me to study and free up my schedule to be active on campus. Writing this post has taken me about an hour. So what’s next? Pretty Little Liars! (Why…is that weird?)

Mark Belmarez is currently a senior at the University of Houston where he is majoring in Business and Hotel & Restaurant Management. He is a graduate of Houston Community College where he received his Associate Degree of Applied Science in Hotel/Restaurant Management as well as his Associate Degree of Arts, both with highest honors. While at Houston Community College, he joined The National Society of Collegiate Scholars and served as the VP of PACE for the Houston Community College Chapter.

Mark is very much the non-traditional student. He first started his college career in 1994 at Sam Houston State University, but left school in 1996 to work as a general manager of a restaurant. Fourteen years later, he returned to school and enrolled at Houston Community College. It is there that he found a gift for helping students understand the importance of filing a degree plan and only taking classes that they need to take. Since his transfer to the University of Houston, he has been giving advice to other community college students about making the switch from community college to the university.

Categories: biz geek, campus geek

Inauguration 2013: My Love-Hate Relationship with Politics

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Politics have never been my thing. Whenever anything government or politics-related came on the news, I usually would turn the channel to something else or change websites to avoid reading anything related. It wasn’t that I didn’t care about my country and what was going on. I guess, as a journalism major, I realized to an extent how skewed and biased the news and media truly are nowadays.

For someone who wants a career in media, that’s frustrating and a little bit annoying, especially when people have long, monotonous and, at times, demeaning and downright ugly political “discussions” on Facebook or Twitter or any other means of communication.

Today’s media, doesn’t really case government in a flattering light for those like me, listening across the nation.

So, I admit it was kind of ironic for me when I received an electronic invitation to attend the 2013 Collegiate Presidential Inaugural Conference in Washington, D.C. Sure, I was extremely honored to be considered smart enough and accomplished enough to be have been invited to such a prestigious event handed to me.

But then, it is politics.

Hesitant, I wasn’t psyched about going. I’d have to miss classes, and I’d have to find a way to get to the airport and back. I’d have to network and open up in order to get to know a large, random group of people from all over the world for a few days, with my expectations of the whole experience being fairly low/neutral.

I should know by now that if my expectations are one thing, then usually the opposite will happen. Or at least everything will work out for the very best.

Even if it is politics.

Actually, I really enjoyed not having a clue what was going on flying into Washington early in the morning. Not having any knowledge of who the speakers were outside of their names, or not knowing anyone there, or not knowing much (if anything) about our political system and why people liked or disliked Barack Obama. It’s humbling not being the knowledgeable one in any given situation, but the unknown actually is quite enjoyable….at least I thought it was.

The schedule itself was intense and chock-full of activities, speakers and events all four days of the conference. From the very beginning, the conference put a number of us nervous, anxious scholars at ease. Our first group meeting and a separate networking event late at night helped lighten the mood a bit and allowed the scholars to get to know somebody to give the conference more of a comfortable and a more familiar feel.

Those group meetings also struck a chord during the long weekend. I’ve been to conferences just as large and what makes me anxious more than anything else is gaining a new group of great relationships and friends, especially in such a small window. Are we going to connect? Will conversations be deep and insightful? Will we want to be with each other and hang out with each other? Because of the six scheduled meetings in four days, this almost could set the tone for the conference. If I enjoyed the meetings, I would enjoy the conference as a whole a lot more. I hoped for a ‘yes’ to each of the above questions, but, looking back, I am still awestruck by the resounding ‘YES!!!!!’ that resulted as the answer to my questions.

At a conference like this, it is so easy to get lost within the enormity of the crowds and feel alone, especially when not knowing anyone. Blessed, encouraged, thankful don’t really begin to cover how I still feel to this day weeks afterward. We have a Facebook group, we exchanged numbers and contact information, we had fantastically deep conversations, we hung out with each other and wanted to be with each other for the most part even when we didn’t have to be.

The inauguration and conference itself was of course fantastic. It’s the inauguration…it’s really hard, (even when one wakes up at 4:30 in the morning), to not have fun and enjoy the spectacle that is the Presidential Inauguration itself. The sunrise over the capitol building and the quiet before the big, climatic ceremony (and the early access to the Museum of Natural History) made waking up at such an absurd hour worth it all. Sure, we weren’t right up close to the president, but we were close enough where we saw the building and the podium and were in a central location to fully enjoy the experience.

This country has its faults. That’s a given….we have issues and we have problems that we as Americans are (and will be) dealing with. On a cool Monday morning on the National Mall, however, there was a rejuvenating feeling of hope and (more importantly?) of unity. Hundreds and hundreds of thousands of people, Americans and non-Americans, gathered together, all with American flags waving back and forth, in one moment of celebration. Democrats were there. Republicans were there. Moderates were there. Many different races were there. Many different ethnic groups were there. For a short moment, pride and joy about being a citizen of the United States of America was displayed for miles and miles. Despite our problems, a sense of ‘there’s no other place I’d rather call home’ swept across the crowd. At least I felt it…can’t speak for the almost one million other people.

Do I love politics more now? Not so much, but I definitely feel have obtained a keener interest in the state of the country and now, at least, I care about what’s going on.

For pictures that I took during the event (there are a lot of them), go to this site or copy and paste the link into your browser: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10200471517217233.2200318.1436136815&type=3

Robby Veronesi is a sophomore at the University of Tennessee, studying Journalism and Electronic Media. He’s a member of The National Society of Collegiate Scholars and a regular contributor to their blog, TalkNerdy2Me. He has his own blog where he mainly writes about sports, but he also loves writing about places he’s traveled.

Tags: inauguration 2013, national society of collegiate scholars, NSCS, photos from inauguration, politics nscs, president Obama inauguration

Categories: biz geek

Five Ways Resume Lies Hurt You

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You don’t need to be told that the job market is tough for new grads. You probably have friends looking for work or you may be looking yourself. The pressure to obtain full-time employment is powerful and can tempt those struggling to turn to less than savory means to distinguish themselves as job applicants. The phrase “resume padding” might sound harmless, but make no mistake in thinking it means anything other than “lying”. Calling a day of volunteering a semester’s worth of volunteer work? Changing your old job title from “representative” to “supervisor”? Those are lies.

You might think that a resume lie can only hurt you in the short term and that if you can just get your foot in the door and “fake it till you make it” you’ll be able to put the lie behind you. The integrity of your resume, however, has repercussions that extend far beyond any one job application or interview. Your resume is your first “introduction” to a potential employer and so it sets the tone for the impression you make. Ultimately, your resume is the foundation of your employability and as such you can’t afford to have any cracks in it.

Here are five ways resumes lies can hurt you:

1. Lies create more work for you
Lies typically require you to tell more lies to support them. If you fabricate a job title and put down “supervisor” what are you going to tell an employer when they ask about your supervising experience? More lies. With each additional fabrication your deceit becomes more difficult to maintain and it increases the chances you’ll get caught. Just look at the recent case of chemist Annie Dookhan: an initial resume lie about her education spiraled out of control as her web of deceit grew over the years in attempt to support the false identity she had created for herself.

2. There’s a good chance you’ll get caught
Employers can afford to be picky in today’s competitive environment – for every job opening there are hundreds of applicants waiting to fill it. If you make it to the final rounds of an interview you will face a high level of scrutiny. Your references will get called and an employer may even seek to independently verify your work and education history through a company like Virtrue. The Internet has made the world a much smaller place and it’s never been easier for employers to spot applicant lies with a little bit of online research.

3. A single lie can torpedo your career down the road
As the saying goes, trust takes years to build, seconds to break, and forever to repair. A resume lie can instantly break that trust in the workplace, no matter when or where you told the lie. Former Yahoo! CEO Scott Thompson learned this lesson the hard way after the company fired him when they learned that he never received a computer science degree (as he had claimed for years at various companies). Decades of solid, proven job performance and promotions can be instantly undone by the discovery of a single lie in your resume, past or present.

4. Lies create unrealistic employer expectations
Employers hire applicants based on their skills and experiences with the expectation that they will perform at equivalent levels. Claiming skills or proficiencies on your resume that you don’t actually possess sets you up for failure in the workplace. If you’re hired, your overall performance will suffer as you try to learn these skills on the fly, not to mention it will be painfully clear to your new employer that you’re not cut out for the job.

5. Lies can cost you references
Personal references are often one of your biggest assets as a job applicant, especially if they can introduce you to a potential employer. Jeopardizing the trust your personal references have placed in you by lying on your resume is doubly foolish: it can not only cost you the job, but it can cost you your reference as well, making it even more difficult to land that next job.

We know it’s tough out there, but we urge you to steer clear of padding your resume. A lie on your resume can reverberate well beyond any single job application and set you up for professional failure in the long term. Instead of weakening the foundation of your employability with lies, try strengthening it with real experience. If you don’t have a needed skill for a job then take a class or online course or teach yourself. If you don’t have relevant experience then do an internship or volunteer work on the side. Showing initiative and a desire to improve yourself as a job candidate will set you apart as an applicant. Good luck!

Adam is the CEO of Virtrue, an online identity platform that solves ID verification and background check challenges for businesses around the world. To learn more visit www.virtrue.us or feel free to tweet Adam at @adamspector2.

Tags: college resume, lying on resume, NSCS, professional integrity, resume prep

Categories: biz geek

Penny Pinching & Dollar Saving

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Are you getting ready for spring break or summer study abroad? It’s exciting to look ahead, but have you thought about how you are going to fund an abroad experience? Yes, those dreaded dollar signs are staring you in the face. You spent a ton over the holidays on stuff, how are you going afford an awesome break or a experience abroad? I hope that this helps you collect those pennies and dollars!

Eat On-Campus or In Your Kitchen
While you are on your way to your on-campus job, you can eat in the cafeteria, (if you have a meal plan), or, even better, buy groceries and eat in your kitchen. Let us do the math:

Your favorite fast-food meal: $5-8
Weekly frequency: 2
Monthly frequency: 8
Total: $40-50/month

That is the cost of your new swimsuit or a 1/5 a plane ticket! You will be surprised what a little creativity and budgeting can do!

Skip the Starbucks
This does tie in with eat on-campus or in your kitchen, but I think people try to put the coffee in a separate section! Starbucks and other coffee shops can total to $5-10 per meal. A grande vanilla latte is 350 calories; caffè vanilla frappuccino is 530. Talk about many calories AND money?! Recently, I found International Delight Iced Coffees! This and other recipes cost the price of one blah-blah latte and you can get WAY more servings!

Get an On-Campus Job
This is understood as one of the easiest ways to help you achieve your fiscal goals. Working in the cafeteria does not seem ideal; however, working on-campus has the most flexible schedule and will cut down the amount of gas you will spend. In addition, it will help you since you are already on-campus, you can leave from work and go straight to class or vice versa. (Bonus points for working at Starbucks: Money + discount coffee!)

Ask Yourself, “Do I Really Need That?”
Those emails you get from your favorite store are dangerous to your goal and your bank account! While you are in your must-save mode, put all those emails in a separate folder so you will not see them. You do not want to get distracted, and those things, you really do not need at all.

Cut Those Coupons
Now, sometimes, those emails we get are not too bad. Sometimes, they are filled with coupon offers that can save us pennies and dollars at the checkout line. Coupons are underrated and underappreciated. I shop at Kroger because many times they already apply the discounted prices with the Kroger card.

Traveling Size= Economy Size
There are some necessities that I use sporadically, like shaving cream or other cosmetics. For those things, I do not buy the regular size, but the traveling size. It’s budget friendly and I know that many of my items will not expire so fast.

I hope that these tips helped you out! I have some other tips on a similar post on Dormify. I also have a Budget Pinterest board that you can check out for more helpful hints!

Good luck and Happy Saving!

VaNessa Thompson is a graduate student at Lawrence Technological University majoring in Technical and Professional Communication. She graduated with a BA in Communication from Michigan State University where she was a NSCS member. Currently, she is one of NSCS’s Social Media Ambassadors and one of Dormify’s Style Advisors! In her free time, she blogs and vlogs! Feel free to tweet her @nessabirdie!

Tags: college saving, pay for spring break, pay for study abroad, save for spring break, save for study abroad, saving money

Categories: biz geek

Maximize Your Break and Get Pumped for 2013!

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There are two kinds of people you will encounter over winter break; (1) The Sleepers, and (2) The Doers! It is your choice to decide which one you are, but here are a few tips if you plan on being the latter of the two.

1. Don’t sleep your break away.
Go ahead and sleep in a little bit, but don’t be one of those people who sleeps till 2:00 PM every day and wastes their break. You will be surprised how much more you enjoy being up by 10:00 AM and having more time.

2. Make those trips to see your family.
No matter how far or wide you are spread this is the time to take a few days to see those loved ones you don’t see often! You will thank me later.

3. Call your old friends.
No matter how long it has been since you last saw them, or the childish drama you left behind, you will enjoy seeing those people you grew up with. Give them a call and rekindle those lost friendships.

4. Vacation.
There are only so many vacations in a year. Don’t miss out on this one!

5. Take some much needed time off work, even if for a little bit.
You will need this for Number 4. You can get ahead in work after the long weekend you take. It will make you more productive, I guarantee!

6. On the other hand, ACTUALLY work!
This is the time where you can save up your money for when you have less time in the semester to work full time.

7. If graduation is in your near future), look for a serious job.
It is never too early (or late) to begin the search for you career. You won’t know what you want until you start looking. Winter break is the perfect time for that.

8. Take time to read a book for leisure.
Forget the text book, pull out your novel from your grandma that you never got a chance to read, start the fire and dive in. It will be the most relaxing thing you do all break.

9. Work out.
Time to get in shape!!!

These are only a few of the many things you can accomplish over break. If you only do even a couple of these tips your break will be well spent and when you get back to school in the spring you will be proud of all that you accomplished and ready to start a new semester!

Bianca R. Kofman is a senior at San Diego State University majoring in Kinesiology and minoring in International Studies. Originally from Monterey, California, Bianca moved to San Diego for college and will be graduating in May, hoping to pursue a career in nonprofits and international business. She joined NSCS during the spring of her freshman year at SDSU and is a member of Delta Gamma-Epsilon Sigma Chapter, Rotaract and Mortar Board. Visit her website to talk about community service, travel or business or connect with her on Linkedin. Click here to view her other writing samples and blog posts.

Tags: college break, maximize your time, new year's 2013, productive, winter break

Categories: biz geek, fit geek

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