State of the Blog Address

So the year is winding down, and my Online Journalism course is over.

I know, I’m depressed, too (NOT SARCASM!)

This, of course, left me wondering what to do with this blog.  I question this for several reasons:

1. I really learned a lot writing these posts for you… Well, I guess they were for me, too.

2. I had a lot of fun, actually, working on it.

3. I think I did some pretty cool things, and talked to some interesting people.

4. I don’t give up on things.

5. This blog has been my “baby” for the entire semester.  Leaving it alone for the rest of my online life would be like abandoning an infant just as it was learning to speak its first words.

With all that being said, I’d like to recap my best work– or at least, my favorite posts.

- “Study Abroad” brought something to my blog that wasn’t there before.  Not only was it my attempt (and as I’d like to think, success) at branching out beyond the Rowan campus to get some interviews from professionals in the area, but it showed us that a good education isn’t always about tangible things like a resume, but about life experiences.

- My map gave me hope about my future.  I got to see graduates going out and working hard to do the thing they love: Journalism.  And soon I’ll be there.  This post was a way to examine what everyone else out there is doing and what to expect, as well as get advice about the real world from those who have recently learned what it’s all about.

- My interview with Tina was so fun to do!  Tina is spunky, funny, and real.  I liked this post because I had pictures and also, Tina’s actual voice telling you her story.  And it’s a good one.

- “Do the Math” was one of my most original posts that didn’t contain an interview.  I was really proud of it, even if it only described simple things you can do to save money.

- “Pick Her Up” gets a lot of hits.  This puzzles me, since it’s not exactly on topic.  I posted this in a moment of facetiousness, but I ended up cracking myself up while doing so.  It’s fun, it’s cute, and I guess it’s useful if you actually do go abroad.  I never thought people would like it as much as they do, but that’s part of the fun of blogging!

So there you have it, excerpts of my finest or most interesting work.  But as you can see, I’ve still put off answering the question of what to do with my blog.

I think I’ve decided to keep it around.  I’m not going to post as often, but I will post.  As I learn more things, or become curious about more things, I will write about them.  I don’t want to let this go.

Thanks for reading, and please continue in the future!

~Kristen

Adults Give Advice

I ran out and around the town of Glassboro, NJ and talked to adults about what advice they would give to college graduates about the real world.  Take a look at what they said:

Pretty good advice, right?

I found some useful tidbits for the Class of 2010 as graduation fast approaches:

- New graduates may get lucky and land a job.

- But don’t let it be any job.  Reach for the stars.

- Work on your after-graduation checklist.

Happy last few days of this academic year!

Changing Some Oil?

I’m going to say it right now, up front, just so you know exactly who you’re dealing with: I know nothing about cars.

However, I have friends who do.  And they work here:

in Pitman, NJ.

One of them introduced me to Justin, who was quite a nice guy for showing a clueless girl like me all about how to change the oil on a standard vehicle.

The first thing he did was open the hood.  I have labeled the structures within that will be used for an oil change.

He replaced the wiper fluid in the tank shown in this diagram (it’s the blue stuff.)

Then, he opened the cap to the oil tank, looked at the dipstick to see levels, and then lifted the car to drain the old oil out (you can just crawl underneath yours to do this.)  He used a ratchet to take off the plug first.

It got pretty messy!

Justin asked me, at this point, to take note of the dark color of the oil that had been in the car for 2000/3000 miles.  This differs in comparison to the color of new oil.

It was flowing pretty quickly, so make sure if you’re doing this you have a decent size bucket and some old clothes on.

After it’s done draining, you should remove the old oil filter as Justin is doing in the photo above.  Then put in the new filter and put the plug back in.

Justin said it was important to put the right kind of oil in the car.  You can see the oil type (this one was 5w-20) and the amount of quarts of oil the car takes–both IMPORTANT INFORMATION– in the owner’s manual, or on a sticker inside the hood.

Next, he took the right amount of oil and put it into the tank under the hood that I labeled in this picture.  He poured slowly so he didn’t spill inside the hood.

Then, he wiped the dipstick clean and put it back in the tank.  He then pulled it out one last time, just to make sure the level was appropriate, before putting it back inside a final time and tightening the cap back onto the top of the oil tank.

So, I learned to change the oil in a car! I understand that not everyone has lifts and fancy equipment to do it, but these are the basic steps it takes to get the job done.

I wish you all happy and safe driving!

Study Abroad?

I was giving a tour of Rowan University for my job with the Admissions Ambassadors there, when I said the words, “Study Abroad not only gets you valuable lifetime experience, but it looks great on a resume!”

I stopped for a second and checked myself before leading the tour group into the Science Building.  What an inference I had just made.  How do I know if this looks great on a resume?

From that moment forward, it became my project to find out.  I examined the benefits of studying abroad and then researched ways to add your Study Abroad experience to your resume to showcase those benefits.

But Phase II of this investigation was to email employers to see how they feel about Study Abroad, and whether it would affect their choice when hiring a college graduate.  Out of the 10-15 that I emailed, three responded.

Take a look at what they had to say:

“If I was impressed with a job candidate for other reasons (quality of their writing, editing experience, life skills, past work experience, the way they comport themselves) then I think that them also having studied abroad would be an asset. It would definitely catch my attention and depending on their foreign language skills and understanding of other cultures, could be an asset in the newsroom and in reporting the news.”

-Tammy Paulino, Features Editor of the Courier Post

“I strongly urge students to study abroad which is an experience that truly broadens their horizons as well as understanding the freedoms we experience here as American citizens. I wouldn’t necessarily choose someone over another because they studied abroad. Qualifications and credentials as well as experience should be some of the determining factors.”
-Santina S. Haldeman, Principal of Glassboro High School

“The best journalists are not necessarily those with the best formal training in communications.
A diverse background, a curiosity about the world and the ability to handle last minute – or last second – challenges aid in one’s skills. I hired one reporter – this was 25 years ago – whose last job was operating the carousel at Clementon Lake Amusement park and also was a singer-songwriter. Those jobs gave him a strong set of people skills.
That said, journalists have to also have a sound education in the part of the world that affects their job.
I have had applicants who do not know who their governor or U.S. Senators are.
Sorry for the round-about answer. Studying abroad, I assume, would offer the potential for a diverse background and a curiosity. I’m not so sure that studying abroad would separate that person from a candidate who had a strong knowledge of government and a familiarity about New Jersey and what makes it unique.”

-John Barna, Editor of the Gloucester County Times

So, do I have one definite answer?  Maybe not.  But what we can glean from this is that study abroad is nothing if you use your time overseas incorrectly.  When you study abroad, really get into it.  Learn about the culture, learn about the world, take time to experience everything you can.  And when you get home, remember those lessons.  Apply them to your life here.  Stay worldly.

Employers, it seems, do value Study Abroad to some extent.  However, other things are what actually win them over.

Facebook Failures

My academic adviser posted this link on her Facebook, and I “liked” it instantly.

Now, you could be thinking one of two things:

1. “Wow, that’s a really good link!”  Or, the most probable choice,

2. “You’re friends with your academic adviser on Facebook?”

However, my point is exactly this: sometimes, having professional friends on Facebook helps keep us in check.  Not to say that my online “friendship” with Professor Cuddy isn’t beneficial in other ways; for instance, she gets constant news about my journalistic endeavors when I post them on my Facebook, and she gets insight into my character that could help her with recommendation letters.  But either way, these are things you must consider when adding any professional to your friends list.

And although this man is a bit creepy, he still makes a good point.

So here’s what you do:

See up in the right-hand corner?  Go to Account, then Privacy Settings, and figure out the options that will work for your needs.

So, still think I’m just full of it?  Think again.

(And just for kicks, I found out how Facebook itself conducts job interviews when hiring employees for the billion-dollar company.)

Happy Facebooking.

Project: Get a Job, commence.

Is life after graduation always like this?  I sure hope not!

I set out to see what the recent Rowan University journalism graduates are doing with their lives one year after their graduation.  I also asked them to tell me one thing they learned about the real world post-graduation that they wish they had known ahead of time.

They were more than receptive, and genuinely nice people. They also offered me some wonderful advice.  I wish them all the best of luck on their future endeavors and am proud of what they are doing with their adult lives so far.

It’s all displayed in map form. Click the pictures/icons to find more information about that graduate:

View Larger Map

Notes:

1. I could not get pictures for all graduates, hence the pin placeholders.

2. In the Glassboro area on the map, icons tend to overlap.  Zoom in to see the exact placement of each of the graduates who are still located near or at Rowan.

One Year Out

I’m curious.

As the graduation date for this year’s seniors fast approaches, I find myself asking them, “What are you going to do after Rowan?”  The typical response: “I have no idea.”

This is disheartening at the least.  How can we even hope to snag jobs if so many people are jobless?  Even graduates from my own university?

This only begs the question, “What are last year’s graduates up to?”  I am currently crunching the research I have done over the past week into a highly informative, and entertaining (I’m hoping) post that I will put up by the end of the week.

But in the meantime, there is hope.  For instance, don’t choose a job in these industries (which seems highly impossible.)  Try not to think about this. 

You don’t want to end up like this guy: