Goodbye For Now

This will be my last post for a little while. Classes are over, finals have begun and I am getting ready to head to the beach, graduate then fly off to Europe. So, you won't hear from me for awhile. The good news is that I will be back for the summer to hopefully relay some useful post-graduate experiences. When I decided to blog for Experience, I really just wanted to help people my age figure out what they want to do and be able to relate to someone who has gone through the whole college/internship/job search experience.

So, I hope I have done that and given you some worthwhile advice at the same time. For those of you starting an internship this summer, keep an open mind. If you're graduating and just hanging out, good for you. Here are some of the topics I hope to talk about upon my return from Europe:

• my European vacation
• apartment searching...the real deal
• work at my summer camp
• anything and everything relating to my transition from college to the real world

For now, I'm getting ready to move out of my apartment here in Richmond. Remember when your moving to save things for your new apartment. Each roommate will bring different things so hopefully you can decently furnish a place without having to break the bank.

I'm looking forward to my parents visit for graduation. They will get to meet more of my friends and be with me one last time before I graduate and head off to D.C. Show your parents a good time at graduation and they will think you were cool in college. It works every time.

For now, enjoy the next few weeks and I'll be back post-Europe!

College Classes Are Over

Friday officially ended my college career. That is if we are characterizing college by going to class. As I sat in my Elementary Latin course (and yes, I am the only senior) I felt an overwhelming sense of that "now what?" feeling. If you aren't close to being done you might not know exactly what I mean. It's that, "I've fulfilled my purpose in life, I've received an education, now I'm supposed to go and do something with it? Are people expecting a great deal from me? What if I mess up in the real world, what am I going to do without college parties, my girlfriends and our weekly dining hall brunch to gossip about the night before? Did four years really go by this fast, oh my gosh I'm getting old, let's just go back to freshman year and do it all over again" type of feeling. Confused? Yeah, me too.

Without having to go to class and do homework, what am I going to do all summer? Then when I start work, if I get home at 6pm, what do I do until bed? Watch tv or maybe read the newspaper, perhaps some exercise? All this free time with nothing to do? Well, I guess it's kind of like second semester senior year....I'm sure I can figure it out.

As for the summer, do something fun with your friends if you don't have to start work right away. I'm going to Europe to travel for three weeks. After all, I'm going to be working for the rest of my life. Try to do things you've always wanted to, this is your last chance! Take that job as a lifeguard and sit by the pool all day, who cares if you're only making minimum wage. If you're lucky your parents might keep you on the payroll through the summer.

So, though classes are over, college isn't. Fortunately I've still got finals week and beach week to make some more memories. Even though I won't have boring classes or tedious homework anymore, I'll take it if it means going out on Thursday night and being able to sleep until 11am on Friday. So next time you find yourself complaining about class or homework, just think about waking up at 7am everyday and be thankful you're still in college because pretty soon, you won't be.

Fore!

It's really a shame that I am awful at golf. Well, I am currently awful at golf. However, according to an article on CNN, I better learn to play real soon. Apparently moving up in a company is contingent upon one's ability to swing a club. I mean, I knew that golf was a business game, but is it really going to hurt my career if I can't play? Some say yes.

The funny part is that my internship the summer between sophomore and junior year actually paid for golf lessons for us as part of the internship program. Every Thursday, without fail, we went to the local course and learned how to swing, putt, etc. Yet you wonder why I am still so miserable at the sport, it must be a lack of hand-eye coordination or something. But the fact that a company would go through the trouble of having golf lessons for the interns tells you something...that you should know how to play without making yourself look like a complete idiot.



Simply put, golf outings help professionals to develop business relationships. I mean, what else are you going to talk about during for a few hours while driving around in those little carts? But, apparently there's some business etiquette that goes along with it too. Check out some of Hilary Bruggen's golf tips in this article, some of them are actually pretty funny. Note to self: do not wear bold pastels, those are for the men. Darn, the Richmond wardrobe won't get me very far.

VA Tech Makes You Think

After the recent events at Virginia Tech last week, I, like many others, have been thinking about all of the things in life that I take for granted. I can't even imagine the grief that a school, which is so close to mine, is experiencing now. It is times like these that we all take a step back and recognize the amazing people that surround us and the opportunities we have been given to succeed. As I prepare for my post-graduate life, I think back on my college years about some of the assumptions I made and things that I thought were normal. So, here are some common misconceptions and things that I took for granted that you should really think about as you head out in to the real world.

• You don't automatically get a job and don't assume that anyone else does either. Some people get really stressed about the job search process, so help them out and don't be too boastful about your own successes (although you should be proud).
• Tell your friends you love them. They will be the ones who are always there for you. No matter how much success or good fortune you have, it won't be as sweet without your friends to share in your joys.
• Doing well academically is only as important as you make it to yourself. I only strived for good grades because I knew I would be disappointed with myself if I didn't. Although they matter, not nearly as much as you think.
• Take care of yourself and the rest will fall into place. It's okay to be selfish sometimes.
• Though this sounds contradictory to the previous comment, look out for others and listen when you can. Being a good listener can take you a long way.

Moving to a New City

When I left my hometown of Abington, Massachusetts almost four years ago and set out for the University of Richmond, I wasn't sure if the South would become my new home. Well, I guess Richmond is not technically the South, but it's pretty close. My mom had the feeling that I wouldn't return to the Boston area and has convinced me that she will be moving to the D.C. Metropolitan area within the next five years. I don't know if that will actually happen, but making a decision of what city to live in after graduation can be a tough one.

After interning in Washington, D.C. for two summers, my decision was not as hard as it may be for some. However, I did interview for jobs in New York, those with flexible city choices and even tried to find some opportunities in Boston. In the end, though, I ended up choosing a job in D.C. Ultimately, I thought it was where I would be happiest and have the opportunity to succeed. I am sad that I will not be close to my family, but I will have many friends around to keep me company, and the flights to Boston are pretty cheap. Now comes the hard part: preparing for a life on my own (a.k.a - not in a dorm room) which means finding a place to live in a thriving city.

Lucky for me I already have one roommate and maybe two. Of course we want to live in a fun part of the city where there are many people our age. So, first we are going to contact our older friends that already live in the area. Most of them live in Arlington which is actually a part of Northern Virginia. By researching most cities, you can find out where the hot spots are. Of course, being close to public transportation (in D.C. - the Metro) makes any property significantly more expensive. However, sometimes it is necessary, particularly in consulting jobs when much time is spent commuting to client sites. Although I am not starting work until the beginning of September, we have already started researching different areas of D.C. and Virginia and will hopefully be able to narrow our search into the places we are very interested in, then particular apartments, condos or houses.

Here are some great websites to start searching for housing, no matter what city you plan on living in.

Craig's List

Apartments.com

For Rent

Rent Net

Apartment Guide

Responsibility? Oh my.

With barely three weeks left of my senior year, I must admit I am starting to get just a little bit nervous. I mean, graduating is exciting, but it also means becoming a working girl in the real world; and with that comes responsibility. Not that I haven't had significant responsibilities over the past four years, but being in the real world is like REAL responsibility.

As I think about all of the new things that I will be responsible for, I am slightly overwhelmed. I actually have to show up to work looking presentable (code for not hungover). Unfortunately you can't skip work like you skip class because, well, they'll fire you. Not only that, but now I have to pay for things? That's unheard of and I am not even spoiled. Here's a nice little list to help you think about what your paycheck will be going toward:

• TAXES
• Car payments if you have them
• Car Insurance
• Health Insurance
• Rent
• Utilities (water, heat, etc. - those things are important)
• Cable
• Internet
• Cell Phone Bill
• 401K
• School loans

And those are just the things you HAVE to pay for. Going out on the weekends and buying new clothes, electronics or other desirables would be nice too. Oh my. Perhaps it is a good idea to have a separate bank account with your disposable income so you won't overspend. It works for me. Your new consulting job will pay you a good amount, but to live comfortably, you'll have to spend some of it. So, as I prepare to enter the workforce, I'm doing some financial planning, embracing this new responsibility and trying to act like a grown up. After all, I almost am one.

Watch Your Language

I don't think twice about the lingo I use when talking to my friends on a daily basis. But, obviously when I am going on an interview, it would be nice to sound relatively intelligent. You should use this mentality once you start a job or internship. Though it might seem like common sense, you shouldn't be talking to your boss/coworkers about how drunk you got over the weekend or your latest hookup. I have witnessed first hand really inappropriate conversation, which then just turns into your coworkers talking about how in awe they are of your lack of censorship. It's not good.



Not only should you censor your conversations, but you should also eliminate the "umm's", "ands" and "likes" from your vocabulary. I know it's difficult, but it really does enhance your credibility if you can discuss something intelligently without sounding like a valley girl (or boy). So, make yourself sound cultured and talk about things that matter.



Lastly, absolutely no cursing! Many people actually get very offended by this and it could hurt your chances at a job, promotion, or getting hired after an internship. Everyday is like an interview in the real world in terms of moving up and going places. So, be on your best behavior, but not a total nerd. Be yourself, but keep it G-rated.

Make Some New Friends

After being out of town this weekend with some friends from school, it reminded me of what it was like to be a freshman. You're kind of awkward, don't really know anyone but try to be friendly so that people will like you. Well, that's what I was like at least, don't judge. Of course, now everyone knows each other and everyone else's business, gossip is flying, and we don't try as hard to make new friends because we already have our set group. Well, times are a changin' as you prepare to enter the real world.

Your college friends won't be by your side anymore. Though some may move to the same cities, we must come to the realization that post-graduation is a new chapter in our lives. This means new friends, which isn't necessarily a bad thing! If you're school is anything like mine, it's a bubble filled with relatively narrow-minded individuals who are all seemingly similar. I know that the real world is filled with potential friends who are more diverse and certainly more interesting than the people I encounter everyday in Richmond, Virginia. Don't get me wrong, I love my school and my college experience, but I'm embracing the changes in my near future.

I know that I am not going to immediately have a large group of friends, but am really looking forward to meeting friends of friends, people from work, and expanding my social network in general. I'll have a new found fortune, wait, scratch that, a slight increase in disposable income, with which to do cool things with my new friends. If I'm lucky, maybe people will even be more mature in the real world and go out on dates or socialize without being extremely intoxicated. I know these are high expectations but you never know, it could happen.

As I prepare to enter the real world, I have set some subconscious goals for myself:

• Don't be judgemental.


• Keep an open mind (kind of goes along with not being judgemental)


• Be friendly but not fake


• Speak intelligently


• Be genuine

Make It Worth It

So, I know that I am supposed to be giving you advice on how to get interviews, jobs and a heads up on internships and what not, but I also feel like I should talk about things that you wouldn't necessarily be able to find at a career development center. Considering that I only have four weeks of college left (tear), one of the most important things you should know is that you should make your college experience WORTH IT.

It is so easy to get caught up in the competitiveness of academics and over-involvement of extra-curriculars. You should strive to do well, but don't forget you are also human. As a second semester senior, or just a senior in general, grades really don't matter anymore. And if I'm saying that, you should take my word for it, because I am OCD about doing well academically. Finishing out the different commitments I had and just relaxing was the best thing I could have done as a senior and I would recommend the same to anyone, especially if you already have a job! I'm not saying to skip class compulsively or do zero work, because that's bad, but a few B's won't hurt you.

If you can, try to do cool things with your friends. Weekend trips, concerts, roadtrips, tubing, and camping are all fun. Your senior year of college will be the last time you will have this kind of freedom, so use it to your advantage. At a consulting firm you will most likely be working at least 50 hours a week, leaving little time for much else. With that said, skip the library and hang out.