Suddenly I See

Future Goals

2007-03-01T20:49:00.000-05:00

I'm a junior in college, so you know what that means.... I need to start planning my future. The thing is, I've been doing that since high school. I'm definitely a person that likes to have a set plan, and stick to that plan. I set my goals and everything I do is a step toward those goals... occasionally I may take a few steps back, but I'm always looking at that goal and striving for it. I've always been a believer of setting your goals high because I have that "you can do anything" attitude.

College is a type of wake-up call. Yes, I still believe in setting my goals high... but practicality has really set in. There are some things that just aren't in the cards for me. I mean, lets face it, I won't fly to space, I won't be the richest woman in the world, I won't be the first woman President (hopefully that's not because Hillary beats me to it), I won't travel to every country, I will never be a professional athlete or a famous movie star or musician, and I won't save the world. This I've always known... and these have never been goals of mine. I'm not saying they can't be goals of someone else's... but you have to make goals that appeal to you.

In Italy, we had a leadership seminar where we were "coached." We basically vented to a professional "coach" and they told us what they heard: what makes us happy, where we see ourselves in the future, how we need to get there, what about ourselves we don't like and what we need to work on. I'm not going to lie, I did not like this exercise one bit... because who wants to share all their hopes, dreams, disappointments, and regrets to almost a complete stranger. Yet, in the end, it allowed me to map out a plan for the rest of my life. I made a mission statement and set realistic goals for my future and created steps to achieve those goals. I realized this about myself: in order to be happy I need.... to be challenged, adventure, close ties with family and friends, a family of my own, success, a community/church to be involved in, and security. After understanding that about myself, I did some research into the finance field and looked for careers that I could be happy in. I came up with investment banking.

Investment banking is an intense career. It requires long hours, hard work, strong analytical skills, and flexibility because of the constantly-changing businesses. Since Italy, I've been working toward a goal of a career in this... starting with an internship to get my foot in the door and get a little experience. My thought was that I can get all my excitement and success after a few years in investment banking and then I'll be set to change into any other less-demanding finance career. The problem is getting an internship in this intense, exceptionally hard business. All the companies that are investment banks only hire extraordinary young talent from the top universities. What I've realized is that most people in this business have not heard of Clemson and therefore do not have much respect for the education or experience you get at these local, small-town southern schools and workplaces. Hence, practicality sets in... and lowers those goals that I once set. At some point, you just have to realize that you may not be able to get where you want to get and it may have nothing to do with how hard you work, or how smart you think you are.

I guess what I'm getting at is I've learned a few lessons in college about the real world and the reality of "you can be anything." In truth, you can put 100% into everything and only get so far... but maybe that's all you're cut out for. Maybe you weren't meant to do great things, or even average things. Your plans may not be the plans God has made for you. It's not necessarily about lowering goals and standards... it's about changing them. It's about realizing that just because your original dream may not work out, it doesn't mean you are settling for a lesser future. It just means, there might be something out there that is better suited for you and that will make you happier than you thought. All I know is God knows a lot more about what I need and what will make me happy in life, and whenever I run into a wall or a setback, I have to realize that there is just another path for me, the path that is more right for me.

A New Semester, A New Year

2007-01-22T13:41:00.000-05:00

Wow, I have really been behind in blogging. Of course, now I'm not required to do it every week, but I still like to update every once in awhile. I guess I can start with Christmas break.

It started off pretty slow. It was great to just relax at home and spend family time as well as catch up with friends. Christmas was a lot of fun and it was nice to have all the kids home for Christmas Eve. Then I got to experience my first Clemson bowl game.... it didn't turn out too great. Despite the actual game, I had a blast in Nashville with my friends. I got to meet up with a girl I met in Italy and we had a great time catching up. My next stop was Maryland. I drove up to spend some time with Brandon and his family. They even rented a beautiful cabin in the mountains at a ski resort... it didn't have a whole lot of snow though. So we just hung out in the cabin and played games and relaxed for a few days. On our way back home, Brandon and I stopped by Newport News to spend a few days with my sister and her husband. We had a blast exploring the area and getting to hang out with my best friend! It was time to head back to home and then Clemson. Those few weeks flew by, but I was also well rested and ready to start another semester at Clemson.

My schedule this year is pretty awesome. I went through my plan for the rest of my college life and I realized that I only needed to take 12 hours for the next three semesters. So, as soon as I got to Clemson, I dropped my most inconvenient class and now have two classes every day in a row and get out at either 11 or 2. Still, I know my classes are going to be hard and I will still have to work and study a lot to keep my grades up, but it's nice not to have to stress as much. I get to spend more time enjoying the college life with friends that are graduating soon, as well as just have fun with my other friends, boyfriend, and family. I may or may not get a job, it just depends on if one comes along that I might like. If I don't get a job, I can focus on some of the more important things, like people, my future, school, and God.

While I'm on the subject... I mine as well list my goals for the semester, sort of like a New Year's resolution.
1. Focus on school and grades. No slacking off even though I have a lighter load.
2. Find an internship/job for the summer.
3. Keep up with family by phone or visits as much as possible.
4. Cherish time with Brandon and do whatever I can to make him happy.
4. Hang out with friends once a week and catch up with old friends.
5. Go to more Clemson athletic events.
6. Read the Bible more/get closer to God.
7. Exercise 3 times a week
8. Practice cooking

That's all I have for now. And although it seems simple, I will have a hard time sticking to this list. I give ya'll permission to hold me accountable for these goals. I hope everyone had a great break and I encourage ya'll to also set a few goals for yourself. Until next time!

Another semester ends...

2006-12-15T20:52:00.000-05:00

I made it through exam week... without having any major breakdowns too! For my 4 exams, I studied as much as I could and know that I did the best I could. I probably ended with one B and the rest A's, which I think qualifies as a successful semester considering I had 18 hours.

There was a time when I would have cried when I received a B, but I'm proud to say that I've accepted this one. I used to think that having all A's was a must and it was the only way I can be successful in life. Well, I'm happy to say that I've grown up a little. The thing I've realized is, the grades don't matter, it's how you got them that matters. I can honestly say I did my best this semester, and that is what's important. I'm not so concerned about my GPA anymore, I mean as long as I keep it high enough to keep my scholarships, because I know that employers will only glance at it. The GPA is not why you get hired, your character is. An employer will hire you if they like you, see potential in you, believe you are a good fit for their company, and think you will be a great asset to them. So to all of you that are stressing about grades, remember that. Try your best and use this college experience to become a person your parents would be proud of... an honest, hardworking, and admirable person who always sets high goals and strives to reach them. Now this is not to say that I won't be stressing about grades anymore. Grades are important because they give me a goal to work for during school. As long as I keep striving for A's, I know my best work will come out. And whatever my best work earns, I will be happy with it.

There are more important things to be concerned with other than schoolwork. This was a successful semester in more ways than grades. I developed some amazing friendships and relationships. After being gone last spring, I realized how much I missed Clemson and what it means to me. I grew a lot closer with my roommates this semester because we finally got to spend some time together. I also got to experience Clemson with the friends I made in Italy, Marshall and Caitlin. I know they will become lifelong friends, because we shared a life-changing three months travelling through Europe together and now we can finish off college together. My group for this Business Writing class is worth mentioning here. Its amazing how we all just met this semester and yet we became friends so soon. And I can't go without mentioning Ryan. We went to high school together, but have never really spoken. Then, we end up in class together and in the same group and I get to find out how cool a guy he is. It's always nice to meet another Byrnes alumni, and even nicer to become friends with one. Thanks Ashley, Kim, and Ryan for making it a great semester! I also have to say thanks to Brandon here. Brandon kept me sane, kept me safe, and kept me happy. Clemson is an awesome place, but its even cooler experiencing the college life with someone special to you. He spoiled me and treated me like a queen and even though I don't deserve it, I definitely won't take it for granted. He may be from Maryland, but he is still a southern gentleman and a great boyfriend! The one thing I wish is that I could have spent more time with family. Busy semesters rarely lend enough time to go home and visit with your loved ones. Still, they also helped me through the semester by standing by me and always being a phone call away. It was extremely hard being back at Clemson without my sister there, and even harder knowing she was all the way in Virginia. However, I also have to thank her for letting me call her at anytime and get her advice on whatever I was feeling at the moment. My family has always been there and always will be, so they are, of course, the main reason it has been another successful semester.

So, thanks to everyone I mentioned, and didn't mention. I hope everyone had a great semester, as well. During this holiday season, spend time with your loved ones. Don't let a day go by without telling them you love them and thanking them for staying by you and helping you through life. Merry Christmas and remember the reason for the season!!!

Reflection

2006-12-06T09:34:00.000-05:00

The semester is ending and I am sitting in my second to last Business Writing class ever. We have been given the assignment to reflect on this semester: the blog, the client-based project, the book, the assignments, etc. I have to say to begin that I've truly enjoyed this class. It has been one of my favorites at Clemson.

I am not going to lie, I hated having to think of some topic to blog about twice a week. Now that I'm finished, I am glad I did it. Blogging gave me a chance to vent a little, offer my point of view, thank other people, communicate with my group and client, and just basically get out some of my feelings. It was a great way to keep our client updated on our project, as well as keep my family and friends from home or wherever updated with things in my life. I talked to my mom the other day and she mentioned how much she enjoyed reading my blogs because it felt like she was right there with me. Also, I think it made our group closer and our relationship with Angie a lot closer. We learned more about each other than we normally would have and that enabled us to work much better together. The blog was really a great idea, although it was hard to keep up the entire semester. I think I may even continue this blog after this semester, but there will probably not be 2 posts a week anymore.

The other part of the class I enjoyed was the client-based project. I loved the fact that we were creating marketing ideas for the Red Cross that they will actually be using. I felt like it helped me learn more about business writing than by just reading a textbook and making up examples. At the end of class, I believe everyone in here felt like they made a difference. We are helping the Red Cross train people so that more lives can be saved from accidents and emergencies. Not many people can say they have done that just from a simple business writing class. In the future, even if the client is not the Red Cross, I still think having a client is a great way to motivate students to do their work, as well as get them excited about what they are doing.

The rest of the class almost got pushed into the background. I probably only read 1 or 2 chapters from the book and I really only used it to look at examples of resumes and cover letters. The book was good for that, but not much else. If there is a cheaper way to find great examples, I would suggest not even using a book. The portfolio I created was the one assignment that really mattered to me. I knew that learning how to do this will help me in the future. Like I said in one of my blogs, employers are now looking for more online portfolios to reduce paperwork and make the recruiting process a little more simple. So, the portfolio was very important for me and I am thankful that we had the chance to create a professional one.

This may be the last post about this class. So, to all my classmates, it's been great! To Angie, thanks for everything!!! I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and good luck on exams!

85 years!!!

2006-11-30T13:57:00.000-05:00

My mom called me the other day to invite me to Sunday dinner with the family this Sunday. I asked what was this special occasion for me to drive an hour to eat at Fatz on Sunday, considering I will have lots of schoolwork to do that day. She reminded me that it is my grandaddy's birthday. Not only is it his birthday, but it is a very special birthday.... his 85th! I can't even imagine 85 years and all the things you can see and do in that time. I have an enormous amount of respect for my grandad and am amazed at how much he has accomplished in his lifetime. So, I have decided that in honor of this special occasion, I will make a trip home to spend some time with the family and celebrate. I can do homework at a different time.

Grandaddy is the only one I have left. He is my mother's father and has always had a significant role in my life, as well as his other grandchildren. As of 11 years ago, our family moved back to mom's hometown and about 10 minutes from our grandparents' house. We see them often, although not often enough. I love visiting them, but before a visit, I always have to make sure I have no plans for a few hours. Once Grandaddy gets someone's attention, he will talk his or her ear off for awhile! Thankfully, it's all interesting stuff. My grandaddy has the most interesting stories, but how can you be surprised when he's had 85 years to build them! He loves talking about how he was a cook in the war and lived in Alaska. He also loves talking about the horses he used to own and how he would race cars when they first came out... and win! I can go on and on about the stories he's shared over the years. Although you can hardly get a word in, you can definitely learn a few things from chatting with him. I am so thankful for the special relationship I have with my grandaddy and I can't wait to celebrate his 85th birthday with him!

How to....

2006-11-27T18:36:00.000-05:00

Our assignment is to write instructions for something. Inspired by Thanksgiving and the amazing food, I decided to write instructions for my favorite dessert to make.... Peanut Butter Pound Cake. So, with help from my mom and her recipe... here are your instructions.

How to Make Peanut Butter Pound Cake

Introduction:
Pound cake is one of the best desserts ever, but sometimes it is just a little too plain. In this guide I will show you how to jazz up a classic dessert. Peanut Butter Pound Cake is a great twist to an ordinary dessert, and it's very easy to make. I am not a cook, a baker, or a chef, and I don't claim to be, but I can make a mean PB pound cake and so can you with this amazing recipe!

Ingredients:
2 cups granulated sugar 1 cup milk
1 cup brown sugar 3 cups plain flour
½ cup creamy peanut butter ½ teaspoon baking powder
2 sticks of margarine ½ teaspoon salt
5 eggs ¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon vanilla Extra flour and margarine

Supplies:
Large mixing bowl Electric mixer
Small mixing bowl Oven
Medium mixing bowl Bundt Pan

Steps:
1: Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2: Combine sugar, brown sugar, peanut butter, and margarine together in large mixing bowl and mix until creamy.
3: Place eggs, vanilla, and milk in small mixing bowl.
4: Sift together measured flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in medium mixing bowl.
5: Add small bowl (egg mixture) and medium bowl (dry ingredients) alternately to large bowl (creamy mixture).
6: Grease bundt pan with extra butter and flour.
7: Pour mixture into greased bundt pan.
8: Place bundt pan in oven for 1 hour and 10 minutes.
9: Remove from oven after time expires and let it cool.
10: Eat and enjoy!!!!

Thanksgiving!!!

2006-11-21T10:28:00.000-05:00

I am sooo excited for Thanksgiving this year!! I've had a busy semester, so I really have not been able to go home a lot.... which means I haven't had hardly any good homecooking since this summer! Besides that, I cannot wait to hang out with my family. It will be a relief to get away from school and just enjoy my time with my family. The saddest thing this year is that my sister and her husband won't be able to come home for Thanksgiving. This may be the first Thanksgiving without Jenna, and I already miss her terribly. However, like she said, it is better for her to miss Thanksgiving for work than Christmas! Brandon will be taking her place at the "kids" table this year so he can be down here for the USC game... I hope he's ready for some Southern food!!! There's nothing better than my grandaddy's Coca-Cola ham, mom's mac'n'cheese and sweet potato souffle, and grandma's homemade dressing. I could go on with the list of foods that will be served, but it is already making my stomach growl!!! So, everyone eat some wonderful food, relax a little and have a happy Thanksgiving!!!!!

Crit Session

2006-11-21T10:20:00.000-05:00

I've never had a Crit session, so I wasn't sure what to expect on Monday. Still, I wasn't very worried about it because I knew it wasn't a formal presentation and that it was just so our classmates can help us make our projects better. I was very glad we went first so that we could get it out of the way. I was expecting a good amount of criticism and a long list of things we need to change because we had really only worked on the letter, brochure, and plaque design that weekend.

Surprisingly, the class was very positive about our work. They seemed to like all three of our pieces. Our only critiques were design-related, like different fonts, font sizes, another picture etc. They really liked the plaque design... I have to give Ryan a lot of credit for that because he did an amazing job! I am so impressed with my group and with everyone's ability to get the job done, even at the last minute. Not only can we get the job done, we can also make it look great! I am glad we are not satisfied with just average and that we strive for above average work. It is a relief to know that we do not have to work on it during our Thanksgiving breaks. The changes we need to make can be done when we get back, so we can all enjoy our breaks a little more! I hope all of ya'll have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!!!

Busy Weeks

2006-11-16T12:06:00.000-05:00

Well, this week has been very interesting. I had 4 tests, a short paper, portfolio, and an Excel project due. Luckily, I have learned not to procrastinate (as much) and started on my portfolio and Excel project last week. I interviewed a Real Estate agent on Friday for my short paper, wrote the paper when I got back on Friday, and then I went out for the evening. I started studying on Saturday night after the game for my 2 tests on Monday. Of course, these tests were worrying me the most because I was on the A/B line in each class, and they had to be on the same day. Then Monday night through Tuesday, I studied for my Real Estate test which was on Wednesday. Wednesday night I studied for my Finance test which was on Thursday. In my free hours, I worked on my project and portfolio. So, basically I studied for 5 days straight.

This semester hasn't been too bad so far with the amount of work I've had to do. It all accumulated in this one week, though. I now realize why taking 18 hours is such a hard thing to do. However, this isn't a complete gripe blog. I also realized that the more I have to do, the more motivated I am to keep working, and the more focused I am when studying. I think pressure adds a lot to my work as well. I've found out that I work well under pressure and under a time constraint. I know in my mind what needs to get done, and I do it, completely focused. I didn't even suffer a huge loss of sleep or anything. I just put aside the trivial stuff I normally do and focused on my work. I have already received my Monday test grades back and they were 91 and 88 respectively. Considering how worried I was for those tests, I was dang proud of those grades. I don't know about my other 2 tests for the week, but I do know that I studied better for them than I have in the past. I guess I was just in the "study" mode. So, even though this was a hectic, no fun week, I'd have to say that I'm fairly proud of how I handled it. I've yet to pull an all-nighter or walk into a test feeling completely underprepared. Although I don't wish for another week like this, I now realize the importance of staying busy. If I start to slack off, I could lose some of the good study skills I have right now and lose the motivation and determination that got me through these four tests. Therefore, next time I have a hectic week, I will look more on the positive side of things and hope that it can only bring up my grades.

First Aid Training

2006-11-09T23:59:00.000-05:00

Well I finally got my First Aid training by Red Cross. I seemed to always have something going on when these trainings were taking place, but I actually got to go tonight. I was in a room with 10 complete strangers, mostly non-students. That made me more nervous going in, because I am usually shy when I do not know anyone and am in a large group. However, this older man sat down beside me and just chit-chatted (is that a word?) with me all class. He definitely calmed my nerves and the class seemed very easy after that.

We learned about all the types of first aid training and then, practiced on partners. We practiced bandaging wounds and burns. We also practiced making the four different splints. Our instructor was very helpful and very easy to listen to and understand. We took a test at the end, all passed, and were out of there an hour early. We did not, by any means, rush through it... it just came easily to everyone. So, I got my small certificate and left.

I am proud to say that I have First Aid certification for three years now! Now, I just have to get my Adult CPR certification at the next session. I can't wait!

Fall Break

2006-11-09T23:46:00.000-05:00

Fall break was AMAZING!!! I really thought I was going to burn out from all the school work I've had to do. I found it so hard to believe that Clemson gives us a fall break sooo much later than everyone else and sooo close to Thanksgiving break. Then I realized that our break happens to fall on election day. That's just like Clemson... they didn't want to give us another day off, so they made sure fall break would coincide with election day. Nevertheless, I still had a great, much-needed break. I don't know if I would have been so grateful for a break if it had been earlier anyways.

I went up to Maryland again, and this time it did not rain at all! It was, however, very cold! Still, I got to stop in Virginia and visit my my sister and her husband. I have missed my sister so much since she moved up there this summer, so I was very excited to see her. Then, we went on to the beautiful state of Maryland. We drove through the Bay Bridge Tunnel and up the Eastern Shore. The scenic drive was gorgeous!

I also went fishing for the first time ever! Of course it was absolutely freezing that day, but we took the boat out in the middle of the bay (well all over the bay) and caught some fish. The biggest one we pulled up was 16 in... haha. Hey, at least I got the experience of reeling one in. We also went shopping and visited downtown Annapolis. That downtown is adorable! I loved all the shops and we ate at a wonderful Irish restaurant! Other than the sightseeing, we just relaxed and had a good time, which I needed very much.

I have to say it was one of the best fall breaks ever!

My Future at Clemson

2006-10-31T17:01:00.000-05:00

I'm going to go ahead and apologize for those of you that decide to keep reading this blog because I'm about to vent for a little bit.

As all you students know, registration is coming up. Therefore, this weekend, I have been looking up classes I need to take and planning out the rest of my semesters here at Clemson. I also had my advising meeting today to help me make sure I am taking what I need to take.

Let me just explain some of the problems I've run into so far. When looking up classes that I need next semester for my major, I found a few things Clemson needs to work on. For example, 3 of the finance classes that I need to graduate, one of which I need next semester, are not being offered in the spring and are only offered in the fall. Also, 3 of the classes I need next semester are only offered for one section, and 2 of those are at the exact same time. So then I started checking out other classes that I am supposed to be taking later, but will have to go ahead and take them. To my shock and amazement, I found at least 3 more finance classes that are only offered one section! Luckily, I have an early registration time and should be able to get in these limited sections, but what about everyone else? Isn't one of the reasons that business students are paying an extra $1000 a semester so that we can have enough sections of our classes and enough teachers to teach them? Apparently, those benefits won't kick in til I've graduated, which means I am throwing my money out the window. Or, at least I'll be investing in the education for student's after me. Those same students that can come in and take my job from me because they had a better education, because of the "extra benefits" the Business school at Clemson is offering.

Ok, so maybe I'm being a bit dramatic, but anyone can see how I can get a little frustrated. My advising meeting didn't help much either. Apparently, there is no way for me to get a double major unless I go 30 hours longer than my required. Well, I'm a semester ahead, so that really on means one extra semester... except I don't have the money for that. So I can either take some slack classes and the minimum hours my last 3 semesters or I can just graduate in December and waste the scholarship money I have that goes through May. It is also apparently not a good idea to go straight to graduate school as a finance major unless I want an academic degree that could land me back in a university teaching other college students, which I know I don't want. So, I have to graduate and work a few years and then go back and get an MBA, which totally screws up my plans.

Needless to say, I have a lot of thinking and planning to do. Things almost never work out the way you originally plan them. But... I guess the moral of the rant is, things will work out because God may have another plan for me than I had.

Different Cultures

2006-10-29T12:33:00.000-05:00

First of all, I just want to say I'm sorry about the length of that last post. It was only supposed to be 500 words, so I'm sorry for everyone who read all 700! Haha!

This post is on different symbols in different cultures. I just want to write on my own experience with this instead of what our group googled. Living in Italy opened me up to a lot of culture shock. Things that we were used to doing, apparently meant completely different things in Italy. For example, certain hand signals were interepreted differently. Have you ever noticed how you count to 5 with your fingers? Most everyone I know starts with your "1st" finger or your pointing finger. When you ask for 2 of something, you show a peace sign. Well in Italy, they count starting with their thumbs. So, when you order 2 of something in a restaurant, you use your thumb and first finger. If you give them the peace sign, they think it means the peace sign, not 2. Also, their wave is a little different. Have you ever waved to a little baby? That's what it feels like when you wave in Italy. You keep your fist pretty tight and act like you are clapping with one hand. Our waves are big open-handed movements. It's amazing because the way you wave fits your personality. Americans are big, showy people and wave like they are. Italians are more reserved, and you can tell that by their wave.

There were also big differences in the way Italians live their lives. They are much more laid-back and family-oriented. You'll find that stores and restaurants are closed a lot more. They take very long lunch breaks, because lunch is the biggest meal of the day for them, and they go home and eat with their entire family. A lot of stores will even be closed two days a week, because most businesses are small, family-owned and they make their own hours. Coffee is a big deal in Italy, as well. Never order a cappuccino after, I think, 10 am. If you order a "cafe" which means coffee, expect a small cup of espresso. If you want a normal American cup of coffee, you have to say "cafe americano." Yet, many Italians find it rude for Americans to order American coffee in Italy. Italians are very proud of their culture and appreciate it if tourists give a solid effort to learn their customs and language. A lot of Italians won't speak to you if you speak to them in English first. If you even attempt Italian, then they will talk to you. They like to know that you are trying to branch out of your little American box.

Those are just a few of the rules and customs I learned in Italy. There are so many more, and it is very hard to remember them all. It is also hard not to offend anyone there. I remember visiting an outdoor market in Florence and some of my guy friends almost got into a fight with the vendors because one of the guys made some kind of gesture, which was apparently offending, and then said, "Well, we didn't know because we're American!" That was obviously the wrong thing to say and the Italians got very upset. We had to leave the area. It's sad that most Americans use this excuse way too often. I think it is very important to learn about other cultures, especially when you visit their homeland. Americans are a little too cocky about these things sometimes, and we should realize that we are not the only nation or culture in this world.

Electronic vs. Paper Portfolios

2006-10-23T10:44:00.000-05:00

Creating the perfect portfolio is a significant part in preparing for an interview. Whether you are applying for a school, internship, or job, portfolios are extremely helpful. Presenting your interviewer with a professional-looking portfolio could be the difference between you and the other applicants. However, interviews are very stressful. There is so much to worry about such as what to wear, how to get there, how to answer those difficult questions, etc. It is almost too difficult to also remember to spend the time printing off a portfolio on fine paper and putting it all together in sophisticated folder. It would be very easy to forget something. Imagine if you had several interviews in a short amount of time. The amount of money you would spend making these portfolios could be over a reasonable budget. Even if you have all the money in the world, and you have the best memory, paper portfolios still may not be the best option. Bringing in a bulky folder to an interviewer may just mean you are adding on to the paperwork that he or she already has piled up on the desk. Once the decision is made on whom to hire or accept, all of those portfolios will just be trashed. Maybe your portfolio that you worked so hard on will be kept and filed, yet it will probably never be looked at again. It might be stored in a basement accumulating dust with all the other accepted and rejected portfolios since the company began hiring. By the end of the process, I would feel like my time and money was wasted on perfecting this packet of papers because they did not get the attention I wanted.

Thank goodness for a growing economy where almost everyone has become technologically adept. Not only is our society learning more about technology and computers and the advantages of using these, but also our society is becoming dependent on these things and not in a bad way. We are taking advantage of the mobility and freedom that technology gives us. Through technology, it is almost as if we can be anywhere at any time. Companies are making great use of technology through teleconferences, video conferencing, email, websites, Powerpoints, smart boards, etc. Schools are also incorporating these tools in the classroom as well as teaching their students how to use them. It makes sense to use these tools we have learned when applying for jobs especially since most employers are looking for technologically proficient students that can teach them a thing or two about a computer. Electronic portfolios are perfect for impressing these employers.

With electronic portfolios, you cancel out all the disadvantages of paper. You can apply for a position by sending that employer or admissions person a link to your online portfolio. Also, you can go to your interview with a simple card that has your information on it and a way to access your online portfolio. Do not worry about security issues because you can set up your online portfolio to share with only those people you want to see it. You can also do a lot more with electronic portfolios. Put as little or as much as you want on there. The employer only has to look at what he wants or needs to look at. There is room for as many writing samples as you feel necessary and you can write a description about yourself and what your portfolio contains. You can also do more with the design without worrying about printing costs. You can make it colorful, but still professional, and you can even add graphs, charts, or graphics. It is up to you what information you put on there. Online portfolios are not hard to create and do not take a long time; therefore, if you want to personalize them for a specific job, making multiple portfolios would not be a big deal. Online portfolios make interviewing so much easier and less stressful, especially if you are applying for a position far away. It would be almost impossible to have a face-to-face interview, so online portfolios would be perfect. Email and phone would be your main way of communication, and sending them a link to your online portfolio would impress your employer and make his or her job a little easier. There are so many advantages to using the internet, and our society is beginning to take notice of its benefits. It is only fitting to grow with society and take advantage of the opportunities technology has presented. I see a much greater use to online portfolios than paper portfolios, and I know that I am not the only one. Here are some links where you can read more about this:

Opeus

McGuhlin.net

The Electronic Portfolio Project

Mock Interview Reflection

2006-10-18T11:30:00.000-05:00

I've had quite a few interviews in my life. Yet each time, there is always at least one question that surprises me or stumps me. Still, the more interviews I go through, the easier each one gets. I have definitely noticed a difference in my confidence level. My first real interview was when I was a senior in high school and I was applying for a scholarship. The Board of Directors of the firm that interviewed me actually knew my grandparents and parents, so the pressure was very high. Back then, I was a timid, nervous, immature girl and it could not have shown more in that interview. Needless to say, I did not get the scholarship. I never wanted to complete an interview like that again, so I prepared much more for every interview thereafter.

However, as much as I prepare, I will never be able to completely anticipate every question, or control the stream of answers that fly out of my mouth. For example, in the mock interview, I know I did not start off well. She opened with one of my least favorite questions, "What makes you the best for this position?" I stumbled all over that answer. I never know what to say to that question that will set me apart from the other applicants. Everyone has almost the same education, work experience, community service, etc. If there is any one thing that I need to work on for future interviews, it is finding a unique answer to that question.

I believe the rest of the interview went well. The other questions were more about my personal experiences, which I could talk all day on. I especially love sharing the experiences that have significantly shaped who I am today, like my internships, studying abroad, and my childhood and family. I was surprised at how easily the answers to these questions flowed and how comfortable I was while interviewing. I am gaining confidence in my abilities and am getting over the nervousness that plagued my first interviews. I only wish I had elaborated on some experiences more, so that the interviewer could really understand me and what I am all about. I have to say that this mock interview was a great experience and helped me see what I need to work on, as well as build up my confidence for future interviews.

Business Ethics

2006-10-13T11:54:00.000-05:00

We had a very interesting topic in class the other day on Business Ethics, particularly in writing. It is so ironic, too, because I had just written up a report for my Accounting class on two business ethics cases. It seems like this is becoming a major issue in our world, and thank goodness our professors are teaching us about it. My accounting cases were basically stories of accountants or CEO's cheating on their financial statements or smudging numbers, or even renaming some accounts. Sometimes, it's hard to even see the line that you aren't supposed to cross. So, I'm thankful that we have been able to explore ethics issues in our classes.

I've never thought much about ethics in the workplace until the issues were brought up in class. But now I realize, it is a major problem. I would be surprised to find one company that has done everything ethically, whether it be its financial statements, treatment of employees, or even within its operations. Almost every business cuts corners in today's society, either to get ahead of the competition, or just to make themselves look better. What they don't realize is that, somehow they are hurting either themselves or others. Business is a cutthroat world... I've been warned of this many times when I tell people that I major in finance. However, it doesn't have to be all about lying and cheating to get ahead. It can also be fun, and worthwhile, if approached the right way. All I know is, I would much rather have a successful company as a result of hard work and honesty than a company I can't be proud of because I ignored all the rules of ethics to become successful. The problem is, there are not many ethical people out there today... and the line between right and wrong is getting much harder to see. This is why it is so important for our generation, the future of the business world, to learn about ethics issues in school and then stand up for "right" when we are out in the business world. There are too many corrupt business people out there today and I think it's all on our generation now... I just hope we are up for it.

Teamwork

2006-10-10T21:55:00.000-05:00

I have to say that I am extremely happy with my group so far. I have been in some awful teams before for projects, but this is not one of them. I am somewhat of a control freak and I used to hate group work... where MY grade would depend on someone else doing the work. I used to never trust my teammates to do their part, which was justified, because usually no one ever did. So, I would always do way more than my share to get the grade I wanted. I am a little obsessed about getting high grades... I always have been. I guess it comes from being the baby in the family and wanting to do everything better than my brother and sister. Needless to say, I did whatever it took to get A's on group projects, even if it meant doing some of everyone else's work, too.

This group is so different. Granted, it is not the course I am most concerned about (I mean I would stress a little more if it was one of my finance classes), but I have not worried about what my teammates are or aren't doing once. I really trust them and know that they will do just as much work as me, if not more. We all seem to care about our grades and turning in a great project, so I know I have nothing to worry about. My group is also very flexible, which I love! There is no hand-holding or arguments, we just go with the flow. We work around everyone's schedules and we don't waste time arguing or babying a particular teammate (all of which I've had trouble with in the past). We've got the good idea down, now we just have to work on the proposal of it. We are pacing ourselves so that we won't be too overwhelmed with work when the deadline comes. I can finally trust each of my teammates to do their part and that feels great! I think my outlook on group projects is starting to change a little bit. Good job team... thanks for being awesome!

I Made It!

2006-10-05T12:25:00.000-05:00

Well, I made it through the week! I managed to get all my work done and still have time to have a somewhat normal life. The Access project turned out ok, even though I'm sure I could have done more to it with more time. My finance test was pretty hard, but I feel okay about it. While studying for that test, I realized how much more I enjoy Corporate Finance than any of my other classes. So, I'm starting to sway myself away from a financial planning concentration into a corporate finance concentration. There are no definites, yet... but I'm definitely considering it. Anyways, that's a topic for another time.

I'm writing this before I head out the door. Although this week was rough, it feels so amazing to be done on Thursday instead of Friday. I have an extra long weekend to look forward to... and I get to spend it on vacation in Maryland! I think I"ll use this weekend to catch up on some sleep, relieve some stress, and get away from school, mentally and physically. Hopefully, it will recharge me so that I can get through the next few hard weeks of tests and mountains of assignments due. I think it's a great idea to take a break every once in awhile just for this reason. So, everyone have a wonderful weekend... I know I will!

This Week

2006-10-03T13:17:00.000-05:00

This week has been one of my most hectic weeks so far, which is why my blogs for the week will be very short. I'm starting to realize why taking 18 hours is such a bad idea. I can't complain about my tests because I haven't had an overload of tests in one week. Usually I just have one or two, which are still very hard, though. It's just the extra work that I can't stand. I would much rather study for a test or do some finance problems than do a project. I hate doing projects. My computer science class has an Access project due this Thursday. I haven't had too many problems in Access so far... it just doesn't seem that hard. However, this project will take the most amount of time of any of my work from other classes. I have to create a whole database from scratch about a Real Estate firm and make up all the data for it. This will be a challenge, and something I just really don't want to do, or see the point in. So, this is the reason why this week is going to be so awful.

On a positive note, I'm looking forward to Thursday when all my projects and tests will be over and I will be heading to Maryland for the weekend. I've never been there before and I get to have my boyfriend and his family show me around. So, I'm just praying to get through this week as fast as I can.

Presentations... again

2006-10-01T10:19:00.000-05:00

Don't worry... I'm not going to complain about how much I hate giving presentations again. Instead, I thought I'd share how my last one went and reflect on the others that I heard.

I ended up presenting on my favorite place in the world... the Amafli Coast. I was only there for a weekend, but it doesn't matter, I fell in love with the area as soon as I got there. So, giving a presentation on it didn't seem like it would be that hard. I was right. I created the powerpoint, and even wrote out a script, which I do for every presentation because it is inevitable that I will forget what I'm talking about. I practiced it the night before and found that every time I went through it, I didn't even glance at the script. It was all there, every memory still vivid in my mind... so much so that I didn't need a piece of paper to tell me what to say about it. Then, I made a risky move, I threw out that piece of paper and decided to wing it. I honestly think this was the first time I've ever given any presentation or speech without even a notecard in front of me. It was great. I mean I was still very nervous and I started talking really fast, which always seems to happen, but the words just kept spilling out. It's so different presenting about something you love, because you don't have a fear of forgetting what to say. Anyways, the presentation was a success. I don't think I'll ever get rid of the nerves, but at least I know now that I don't need to rely on a script anymore. If I know as much as I should know about a subject that I report on, then I won't need that paper as a crutch, and the presentation will be much more interesting.

The other presentations were great, too. This is probably the first class I've been in when not one person messed up, or seemed to not know what they were talking about, or was just so nervous that they looked like they wanted to cry. I have to say I was impressed. A lot of the presentations really stuck out to me. I loved Marice's because she did the same study abroad program that I did, just at a different time, and her presentation took me back there. I really enjoyed all of the presentations and I wish I had time to say something about each of them. But instead, I'll just say... well done ya'll. Everyone in this class is awesome and I know we will all bring something special to our final project for the Red Cross.

Online Portfolios

2006-09-26T13:05:00.000-05:00

We learned how to make online portfolios in class the other day. I had no idea how easy it was on Blackboard... and apparently it's pretty easy through the web, too. Honestly, I wasn't sure what I was going to be getting out of this Business writing class. I figured it would just be a class of busy work learning things like memos that really seemed common sense. BUT, I really think I'm going to see some major benefits from this class.

Besides learning how to create a professional resume and cover letter (which I really needed to learn), I think the most beneficial part of this class will be the final portfolios. I know that it will come in handy when applying for internships, grad school, and jobs. I mean now that I know how to create one, it will be a breeze to update it every year. I think this is something that employers and college admissions will value greatly when accepting or hiring students. With our society become increasingly dependent on technology, having an online portfolio should really impress future employers. And that is exactly what I want to do... have something that stands out and sets me apart. Hopefully my final portfolio will add that extra edge that I need to get an internship or get into an awesome grad school.

So, whenever I finish this portfolio, I'll try to post it so that you can see the outcome and offer any helpful advice. I really can't wait to complete this project, because I know that I will be using it as soon as it is up and, hopefully, it will help me lock up a great internship for next summer.

Project Update

2006-09-22T12:31:00.000-05:00

Our Red Cross project is coming along, slowly but surely. I think it's taking awhile for 4 classes of 15 groups to all pick an audience and marketing strategy that doesn't overlap with any other group's. Luckily, our group idea is to market small offices and businesses and we are the only ones who chose that, so we have no competition. I think our only snag is finding out whether or not we have to actually attempt to implement this plan. I mean mailing letters to thousands of small offices around the upstate could take awhile, and a lot of resources. I'm pretty sure it's safe to say that we aren't going to be doing that. So now we just have to make one letter that can apply to the wide range of businesses we are targeting.

The letter and the brochure will be the easy part though. The hard part will be planning every aspect of this new association that we are creating: The Red Cross Health and Safety Association. The whole idea is to create an association that businesses can join by contributing a certain amount of money. Some of that money would go back to helping the community during emergencies and disasters, and the rest of the money will go to allowing the business's staff to be trained in CPR, AED, and/or First Aid.

I think our idea is awesome, it is just going to take a lot of thinking and planning to get it just right. I have full confidence that our group can pull it off, as long as we continue to meet regularly and work hard on our own to do research, which I'm sure we will. I can't wait to see how this idea progresses... and I'll keep posting updates as well.

Presentations

2006-09-19T21:48:00.000-05:00

We have a presentation coming up in Business writing class. Apparently it can be about anything... it's purpose is just to show our presentation skills with a powerpoint. I'm not going to lie, I'm pretty sure I know how to create a good powerpoint for a presentation, but my presentation skills are definitely lacking. What can I say? I'll just never be that person that is comfortable standing up in front talking to a large group. They say the more you do it, the easier it gets. In some ways, that's true... but the nervousness, the hands' sweating, and the shaking are always there.

I've had to give all kinds of presentations and speeches throughout school and work, but there are 3 that I remember as the most terrifying: speaking at graduation, and the final presentations at the end of my 2 internships. At graduation, I had to come up with that speech completely on my own and then speak to a football stadium full of people with no powerpoint to rely on... talk about nerve-racking. At Milliken, I had to present the results of my projects to the rest of the interns and to the high-ranking officers of the company... that kind of thing is never easy. The speeches went well, but I would never want to go through them again. I honestly hate the feeling of a huge audience staring at you listening to and critiquing every word you say, just waiting for you to make a mistake and catch you on it. I thought that taking public speaking at Clemson would help calm those fears, but I was pretty wrong. I suffered through that class and came out with one of my only two B's ever. So, needless to say, I'm not really looking forward to this presentation in class.

Granted, this is just a routine, class powerpoint presentation and there is absolutely no reason to be nervous... but tell that to my shaking hands every time I give one of those routine presentations. Since I can pick whatever topic I want for this, I'm looking for one that I'll actually be excited about giving, so maybe I won't be so nervous. It has to be something I've done, know a lot about, or am just a fan of. I'm thinking about giving a "report" of some sort on my trip to Europe, or maybe just pick one of my favorite cities and tell about that. My study abroad experience was 3 of the best months of my life, and I'm sure I would love to retell part of that. So, hopefully giving this presentation won't be nearly as nerve-racking. If anyone has any ideas on an awesome topic... or just a cure for my fear of public speaking, I would love to hear it! If not, I'll let you know how it goes.

"Suddenly I See"

2006-09-10T10:21:00.000-05:00

I stole the title of my blog from a song that I love right now, KT Tunstall's "Suddenly I See". It's not so much that I love the singer, I just love the song and the lyrics, and it seemed to fit right in with what I want this blog to be about. The song talks about this girl that has it all and inspires you to be all you want to be. Part of it goes, "Suddenly I see, this is what I wanna be. Suddenly I see why the hell it means so much to me. I feel like walking the world, like walking the world...." I guess I just want to be that girl that is so happy because she's living her dreams, whatever they may be.

This blog is required for my Business Writing class, but I hope to make it more than just a required assignment. I'll write my reflections of class, but also on how I "see" things on any given day. I think it'll be a great stress-releasing activity to get all my thoughts out and tell anyone who wants to know, how I "see" the world. Who knows, it may be an eye-opener for some, maybe even me.

So far, I'm pretty happy with this Business Writing class. I went in thinking it would be my easy class this semester, but found out that I would have a much different experience than my friends who took this class. I'm pretty excited about working with an actual client, and even more excited that it is the Greenville Red Cross. It's great to work with a client, but to work with one that truly makes remarkable differences in people's lives is, well, an honor. It'll be more work than I expected, or wanted, considering I am taking 18 hours and have other classes I would rather spend my time on, but I'm thinking it'll be a pretty rewarding experience. And hopefully, I can help the Red Cross touch a few more people, maybe save a few more lives. I see the bigger picture here, which isn't getting an A to boost my GPA and marking off a required course... it is making a difference in the community.

So... to my fellow classmates, welcome to my first complete assignment. And to other friends and family that want to read this, welcome to my thoughts.