The Best Gift You Can Give

As you rush around purchasing all your last minute gifts or stocking stuffers, I have a gift suggestion that has a very low cost. You don’t need to go online or request rush shipping, and you don’t need to max out your credit card, for this gift you can give without visiting a store or a web site. What is the gift? It’s the gift of TIME.

Last week our family lost my father-in-law, Sonny Childress, who lived a long full live to the age of 90. His passing so close to the holidays just got me thinking about all the times I got caught up in my life and didn’t stop by (he just lived down the road!) to visit with him. I’m not saying I was a terrible daughter-in-law--for example, we had many Sunday evening meals with Sonny, spent holidays and special family events with him, and took him to a family reunion this past summer. But, I know I could have done more and spent more time with him.

As you select those last minute gifts, add to your list the coupon you can fill out below where you can give the gift of time to a loved one or friend. Go spend the afternoon with your Dad doing something he loves. Take your little sister to see The Hobbit. Bake a traditional holiday favorite with your Grandma. Ask your Mom to go out to lunch. Have game night and invite over all your friends who are in town for the break.

Life is so fleeting. Give the people you care about the best gift you have to give – time spent with YOU!

Finals: 5 Keys to Perform Better

Man, that 7:30 a.m. alarm seemed too early, but Brittany jumped up anyway to go grab breakfast at Deet's Place and do a final review before her 10:05 a.m. final exam. She's wondering if she should have stayed up another hour cramming last night, but feels pretty good that she got some sleep. At least Jacob helped her review the formulas she needs to know this morning. She can't wait for after the exam when she's going to meet Alex to go for a run on the Huckleberry Trail. That should clear her head.

Does this story sound like you? It should. Brittany is doing 5 key things this semester to perform better on her finals.

Eat 3 "squares" and make them healthy! My mom, a physician, used to always preach to me how important breakfast is to our bodies. "It's called breakfast for a reason, Claire," she said. "You need to break your fast and get your metabolism going." This is especially critical when your mind needs to be sharp for exams. I rarely ate a big breakfast as an undergrad, but when finals week came around, I had a hot breakfast every morning. I think it payed off.

Sleep. Get enough of it. You will fare far better if you get 8 hours of rest rather than pulling an all nighter to cram for your morning exam. I' m no scientist (thank God) but your brain will function better with more rest.

Stress: Reduce it. Be sure you take breaks from studying. Go for a run. Play a video game. Watch your favorite show on Hulu. Playing the piano helped me relieve stress when I was an undergraduate. My residence hall had a baby grand piano in the lobby and I took an hour break to play when there were no quiet hours. I also went running with my best friend, Ruthie, which brings us to the next key.

Exercise. Like it did for Brittany, getting exercise can help clear your head and make you feel better. If you reach a fitness goal for the day, you will be more energized for the next exam hurdle. and have a feeling of accomplishment.

Find a study buddy. The best way to learn a subject is to have to teach it to someone else. Studying with a friend can help you make sure you understand the material.

Try these key steps as you gear up for your finals. What other suggestions do you have for improved exam performance?

Oh yeah, and give your finals your best shot!

ACHIEVE: Prepare and Your Chance Will Come

As you enjoy this week away from your regular university routine, take a minute to think about our third topic for National Career Development Month: ACHIEVE. What is your plan for after you complete your studies here at Virginia Tech? Do you need help creating one? Career Services is here to help you put together a plan to set and reach your goals. Below are tips or resources to put you on the path to ACHIEVE.

Whichever direction you choose as you finish your degree, Career Services can help you reach your goals. How can we help you ACHIEVE? Let us help you get started!

Cook Counseling Center - To Time Management Strategies and Beyond

In the blink of an eye, we're already over halfway through the semester.  With a little over a month left to go, we're getting to that dreadfully busy time - end of the semester projects.

Maybe you've known the assignment since day one, or maybe you're just starting to hear about it for the first time.  Chances are that you're at the point where you're deciding if it's worth beginning any of those projects now or if you'll wait until you finish just one more mission or side quest in that game you've been playing.  Or two more.  Oh, but this next one shouldn't take too long...

By this point, you probably have an idea of how well you've been able to manage your time.  For those of you with time management troubles and are looking for some help, I've got some good news for you.

Meet Virginia Tech's Cook Counseling Center.  While most may know that Cook Counseling Center is where students can go for psychiatric care and counseling, the center also has a number of other services to provide.  Not only do they have various seminars and programs
for students looking for some extra help with their academics, but they have some great online resources on their site.

Right now we're going to focus on their time management strategies.  If you have trouble with procrastination and time management, you are definitely not alone.  This issue is so prominent among students, Cook Counseling Center has a whole page dedicated to strategies to help you.

Their time management strategies page gives step-by-step instructions on great ways to both schedule your time and keep yourself from getting distracted from you work.  There's even a small quiz to "grade" how effectively you use your time.

Of course, every person has their own way of working.  If you find that the strategies and suggestions explained on their website don't work for you, Cook Counseling Center is always welcoming if you want to contact them directly.

And don't forget- there are plenty of other great opportunities to be found on their website.  From concentration help, to note taking, to improving test performance, you have a lot to gain by taking a few minutes to check their website out.

Good luck with your end of the semester projects.  I promise your game will still be there when you're done.

Why You Should Make Sure to Stop by Gobblerfest

As awesome as Virginia Tech is, joining a large college can be overwhelming.  Maybe you weren’t prepared for that chemistry class held in Hahn’s big lecture hall with three hundred other students.  Maybe having to write your student ID on the top of your tests makes you feel like as far as the school is concerned, your entire being is summed up in a number.

If the first week of school has you feeling like a little fish thrust into the big blue, fear not.  Virginia Tech is very welcoming, and the best way to feel right at home is to find your niche in the community.  But how do you find that niche in such a big school?

It’s so easy that it only takes one word to sum it up. Gobblerfest.

For new students, one of the best resources Virginia Tech has to offer in the first few weeks of school is Gobblerfest.  Since 2008, Gobblerfest has acted as a welcoming festival for students, faculty, and people of the Blacksburg community.  Here you’ll find a fun and relaxed environment to meet all sorts of people and organizations, eat free food, play games, and socialize with new people.

One of the best parts of Gobblerfest is finding clubs to join that really interest you.  With over two hundred booths featuring student organizations, businesses, and non-profit organizations, you might not even know where to begin.  However, here within lies the beauty.  There’s no pressure, so you’re free to mosey around and see what captures your interest.  Pet the dogs near the Pre-Veterinary Medical Association booth.  Start a conversation with the Philosophy Club.  Gawk at the giant metal hokie bird towering over you.  Check out the Greek community.  Hug a furry.  Just have fun.

Feel free to join as many listservs (email subscriptions) as you want, but try not to go overboard.  From both professor suggestions and personal experience, I suggest that in the long run, you stick it out with two organizations: one that has to do with your major and one for fun.  Joining a club for your major is a great way to not only socialize with professors and students you’ll be seeing through your college career, but you’ll find out about great opportunities and events you might not have known about otherwise.  Then when you’re feeling burnt out from classes and ready to scream at your computer, you have your fun club to de-stress and socialize.  Of course, it might take a while to find the clubs right for you, so don’t be afraid to go to the introductory meetings.  The clubs know not to expect everyone who shows up to the first meeting to stay forever, so this is a great time for you to get a feel for things before making a commitment.  Then once you have an idea what clubs you like, you can start becoming more involved.  Who knows?  Maybe you’ll even become an officer. 

Even when you aren’t looking for organizations to join, Gobblerfest can still be a lot of fun.  Between the live music, the pep rally, and other scheduled events, there should be plenty to do.

So, in conclusion, you should stop by the drillfield on September 6th between 4pm and 8pm.  Gobblerfest is a great opportunity and you should totally get your tail feathers down there for the festivities.

Experience Matters and Other Things I Wish I Knew when I Turned 20

August 20 is a special day in our house. Why? It’s the day that the baby of our family arrived, even though it took her several hours to decide to join us. As we celebrate that we’ve had our youngest with us now for two decades, it makes me think about things I wish I knew when I turned 20. So read on, all you 20 somethings, here’s my list.

Things I Wish I Knew when I Turned 20

Raise your hand in class. It doesn’t matter if what you say sounds stupid. Better to get your question answered than look stupid for just one minute. Had I done this more often when I was 20, my GPA might have been even better than it was. And, raising your hand to share an idea you have might be just the answer to a problem classmates or colleagues at work are trying to solve. Speak up. Your questions, ideas and opinions matter.

Men and women are wired differently and don’t think about relationships the same (if you don't think so, read Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus). Just because a significant other doesn’t contact you for a few days doesn’t necessarily mean she/he doesn't want to have anything to do with you. If you want to spend time with someone special in your life, reach out to them. I finally realized this in my mid-twenties and am married to the man I called when I hadn’t heard from him for a while.

Being chicken doesn’t get you anywhere. Get out of your comfort zone and try new things and meet new people. When I was 20, I was shy when I got around people I didn’t know. I missed out on so much because I hung back. If you get past your shyness, you will encounter some of the most interesting people and have some of the most engaging conversations. I know I now have.

You have more skills than you think you do. As I was looking for my first job and fine tuning my resume, I had a difficult time. What skills did I have? Zero, then, in my opinion. I had been a server at a conference center, an economics tutor, an intern for the local Legal Aid, an international student at a British university for a year, and a leader in several organizations, but I still didn’t think I had any skills. Boy, was I wrong. Need help figuring out what you should showcase to employers? Come see us in Career Services - we can help!

Experience matters. Get as much as you can whether the experience is gained from work, leadership, travel, research, a clinic, athletics, a volunteer role or a combination thereof. Pursue experience whenever you can. Relevant experience and leadership experience are two of the top items employers look for when they review candidates’ resumes. The more experience you have, the better! Advisors at Career Services can help you in your search for experience.

Watch your language. Just because you are in an interview with a recruiter close to your age, don't get too comfortable and let the F-bomb fly during your conversation. Refrain from using slang and cuss words in such a professional setting, and if you're not sure if it's a professional setting, err on the side of caution and use a better word. I cuss as much as the next person (maybe more), but I try to avoid doing so at work, with students, in meetings, and other settings. I learned this lesson early on from my dear mother when I got my mouth washed out with soap at age 13 for saying a four letter word after I lost a card game.

And finally, although I was well aware of this when I was 20, again thanks to my mother’s teaching, many 20 somethings are not, so…Say THANK YOU whenever you can. Being shy is not an excuse. Being scared of the person to whom you should show appreciation is not an excuse. People who did something for you deserve to receive your praise. Thank the parent, guardian or other person who helped you get settled in for fall classes; thank the family who took you on vacation with them this summer; thank all the people who gave you graduation gifts; thank anyone who lets you crash at their house; thank a faculty member when she writes you a recommendation; thank a co-worker when he covers a shift; thank a host as you leave an event. You get the picture. And, never feel like you can thank someone too much. Thank her/him again.

In closing, thank you to the woman who made this blog post possible and who has brought such joy to our lives, my daughter, Maggie. Oh yeah, and Happy Birthday to my new favorite 20 year old Hokie.

Make it a habit to tell people thank you. To express your appreciation, sincerely and without the expectation of anything in return. Truly appreciate those around you, and you'll soon find many others around you. Truly appreciate life, and you'll find that you have more of it.  Ralph Marston

Time to Review Your Summer Internship!

As the beginning of the next academic year is creeping closer and closer, summer internships are drawing to a close. Some people might happily be receiving full time offers, some people might be leaving knowing what they do not want to do with their life, and hopefully all of us are leaving with a better understanding of what to look forward to when we graduate.

A great way to wrap up your internship is to reflect on the various things you learned throughout the summer. Not only will you (hopefully) have a better appreciation for your new experience, but you'll be set to go when you're asked about it during future career fairs and internships.

So here is what I learned this summer! Maybe it'll help you organize your thoughts about your internship.

What I Like

One of the best lessons you can walk away with is knowing what you like in your work, your workspace, and your coworkers. Do you like to be surrounded by people? Would you prefer a job where you can work from home? Can you see yourself doing the work you've done this summer for a lifetime? Internships are great in that you can figure this out before applying for a full time job.

I spent my last ten weeks testing software - i.e., playing and working with the software to make sure all of the functionality works properly before it's deployed. I came into this internship with little experience in software testing, and am leaving having learned that I absolutely love this aspect of the software development life cycle. Beyond the jokes of how I'm getting paid to crush the hopes, dreams, and egos of developers, I've found out a few things about software development that isn't really taught in class. Developers are given a piece of the software that they are in charge of coding. Testers have to not only understand how all of the pieces work together, but how it fits into the business that the software is providing for. Testers need to understand the bigger picture. I absolutely love that. I love understanding the ins and outs of everything and why aspects might have to be adjusted or completely redone.

And yes, I did rather enjoy getting to break things.

What I Don't Like

Just as important as knowing what you like is knowing what you don't like. Maybe you've realized you can't handle working in a cubicle. Maybe you now know that you don't want to work in the city or town your internship was in. This is good to know! It will help you narrow down your choices for applying for full time careers.

After spending a summer where my manager, mentor, teammates, and I were all located in different states, I learned that I don't like being completely on my own. Not only was it a little lonely having no one in my office that could help me with my work, but I had a couple of "fun" experiences trying to figure things out. Sure, I was able to ask around to get help working the fax machine for the first time, but trying to figure out how to join a telepresence on my own when everyone has already left for the day was an experience I'd rather not repeat. However, the experience taught me to look for jobs where the teams are all located together. I also have a few funny stories added to my arsenal, so that's something.

Learning the Business

Learning about the business you're working for can go beyond knowing whether or not you "like" or "dislike" the business, although that too is important otherwise I wouldn't have made the first two sections. When you work for a company, especially a big one, you're not working in a vacuum. Everything you do is going to affect the company. That's why it's important to learn what business issues you are solving, what competing companies are doing to solve those same issues, and keeping in mind issues that your new solution might be causing in turn. Having a great understanding of these aspects and being able to express them in a comprehensible manner is a great skill to have, and interviewers will appreciate that you think about the bigger picture. Just make sure not to share information you're not supposed to!

I unfortunately can't share too many details here, but I can say I've learned more about dispatching and legacy companies than I could have ever imagined ten weeks ago. As I mentioned earlier, I love learning the bigger picture, so I really enjoyed learning all of this!

Getting Responses: "Politely Pestering"

There are a lot of little nuances about working in an office and/or with other people that you don't really learn until you've been thrown into the center of it. One of the most important little skills I learned this summer was how to "politely pester".

Let's be honest- sometimes it's really hard to get the responses you need. Especially when you're only way of contacting someone is through email and instant messaging, it can sometimes feel like you're talking to a brick wall when you need answers or something done. I use the term politely pestering to refer to that balance between overly persisting for an answer to the point of coming across as rude or annoying (which can often make people less likely to respond) and not persisting enough.

Since most of my contact with people was through instant messaging, I found what worked best for me was waiting about twenty minutes. If I got no response, I would explain again what I needed and why it was important to get a response as soon as possible (usually because my work was on hold until this situation was resolved). I made sure to reread my message two or three times to make sure I came across as polite and not passive aggressive, and always thanked them for any help they could provide. Most of the time, it turned out my receiver got distracted and forgot to respond to me, and immediately apologized for taking so long. If they were too busy to work with me, they were almost always happy to refer another person or two who could possibly help me.

In short, don't offend or provoke the people you work with. It reflects poorly on you, and you're just making it harder for yourself to get the help you need. Remember coworkers might have different priorities in their day's work than you do, so you need to respect that your problems do not always come first.

Things Happen. Just Breathe.

I had a technological black cloud following me around this summer. I got kicked out of the HR system my second week, my hard drive was fried my third week, I was given the wrong telephone number so no one was able to contact me for a few weeks. The list goes on. Things happen. Things go wrong. It's not an "if"; it's a "when". One of the biggest lessons you can learn is that not everything that happens is within your realm of control. Sometimes, you just need to learn to go with the flow. So take a deep breath, accept it for what it is, and do what you can. However, taking it out on the helpdesk is only going to reflect poorly on you. Take a walk, get a stress ball, do what you need to. Just remember to breathe!


Hopefully this list of mine has helped you think about what you learned during your internship.  Enjoy your two weeks before the semester starts, and I hope you had a great summer!

Office Hours and Why They're Awesome

This is mostly meant for you incoming freshman- but this still applies to all students.

Today I'm going to get up on my little soap box and preach about office hours and how awesome they are.

I get it- you might be that straight A student from high school who never needed to study, never asked questions, never needed help with anything.  I was right there with you.  There was so much pressure as one of the "smart honor students" that even when I did need the help, asking for it was downright embarrassing. 

When I got to college, that had to change fast. 

College courses are fast paced.  Things you used to spend an entire academic year on are now squished with even more content into fifteen weeks.  Most of the time, your professor can't cover everything in the classroom, and you're expected to do a lot of your learning on your own time outside the classroom.  Especially in the big introductory classes you'll be taking in giant lecture halls, you might feel really distant from your professor and the information being forced down your throat.  It's a lot to swallow at once.

Professors understand this.  Most of them will even admit the text book you're using for class isn't perfect (because they rarely are).  This is exactly why professors hold office hours.  For certain hours during the week, your professors are sitting in their office for the very reason of being available for you.  If you cannot make their scheduled hours, professors are always willing to schedule a special appointment with you if you reach out to them.

These office hours are an amazing resource.  Not only can you get help and clarification on topics you are struggling with, but having the one-on-one time helps your professor put a face to a name.  Now instead of being another body in the classroom, you have a relationship with your professor.

Establishing relationships with your professors helps in a lot of ways.  Many Virginia Tech scholarships require professor recommendations, so having your professor know more than "he/she showed up to class and did decent on my tests" will definitely make for a better recommendation.  Since Virginia Tech is a big research university, many professors have research they would love to have students help out with.  Even if their research isn't in a topic you're interested in, they might have a colleague who has something more up your alley, and once again a good recommendation can get you further. 

And who knows?  If your professor likes you, maybe they'll let you blow something up on the last day of chemistry lecture.  (I suppose personal experiences will vary, though.)

So freshies and upper classmen alike- don't pass up this amazing resource and visit your professors in office hours.  You might just find the hardass in the front of the classroom is secretly a big teddy bear.  Just don't say it to his or her face.

As I finish this up and step down from my box, I have one last thought to leave you with- who better to prepare you for your tests than the person writing them?

Calling all 20 somethings! Great advice for you!

Take 5 to Be a Pro at Work

In a recent Society for Human Resource Management survey (see this post), employers shared their largest concern: recent graduates’ professional skills were lacking. How can you be a pro at work? Take five and follow these tips to be a pro.

Be kind. Support staff in your office can make or break you. For example, our receptionist controls my calendar. If I’m rude to her, guess who might get the next challenging student on her schedule? Me! Want to know the office scoop? Support staff usually know what is going on better than anyone else in the office. Whenever I need a hand with a project, I turn to our receptionist. Be good to your support staff, and they can help you do your job.  

Be savvy with social media. Should you friend your supervisor on Facebook? Probably not—research the office culture to find out if this is acceptable at your workplace. And, if you are Facebook friends with co-workers in your office, avoid writing negative statuses about work; you don’t want to have “poster’s remorse.” Many of us use Facebook or other social media to do our work. If tweeting and updating statuses aren’t in your job description, avoid posting during work hours. Use LinkedIn to connect to your boss and other colleagues and share relevant updates about your work.

Be good to your boss. Keep your boss up to date on projects and share news that your supervisor should know. Find out what is important to your boss. When I first starting working for my supervisor, she told me she didn’t like surprises. I strive to copy her on emails and keep her in the know so she isn’t caught off guard. My husband always tells me to “be a problem solver, not a problem finder.” If your boss assigns you a project, and you discover it won’t work, research solutions so you can share them along with the bad news. Set up regular meetings with your boss; come prepared for these meetings with updates on your goals, questions you have and pen and paper to take notes.

Be social. As you are invited to work events, reply to invitations if requested; RSVP means that you should let the inviter know yes or no. For invitations with Regrets Only, you only need to let the host know if you are not attending. As you reply, be sure to thank the host for the invitation. As you attend work receptions, remember your goal is to meet people, not eat all the shrimp and drink all the free beer. Fill your plate (use a clean one!) and then move away from food tables. Introduce yourself to the host, and thank the host before you leave an event. Work on your introduction and handshake – get a friend to tell you if you need to improve them. Wear a nametag on your right shoulder so it’s easy to read as you meet people.

Be appreciative. When are the times at work when you need to say two critical words, Thank you? If your boss gives you a present, write a handwritten thank you note. If your supervisor supports your attendance at a training program, write a note of thanks upon your return.  When you receive a raise, convey your thanks to your superior. If someone goes out of their way to help you out at work, send a note of thanks. And, after interviewing for a new position, send your thanks in writing as well. Few people take the time to show their appreciation at work. You will make yourself stand out in the office if you do.

What questions do you have about being a pro at work? Share your questions with us.

Are you ready for work? Read what employers think about current grads based on results from a recent Society of Human Resource Management Survey.

Going PRO: The First 5 B’s to Get There

No, I know you’re not like Corey Fuller and Vinston Painter, two Virginia Tech football players, who got to Go PRO this year in the National Football League (NFL) when they were picked in the sixth round of the draft back in April.  But, you can still take the effort to look like a pro when you’re at work, even if you, too, are a rookie in your first full-time job, but you’re not on TV playing on Sundays for the Detroit Lions or the Denver Broncos like Corey and Vinston. What does it take to be a pro?

Be on time. If Corey and Vinston want to get playing time at their positions their first year, you better believe they will be on time for every practice and every game. And, the same thing should be true for you at your position. Respect others’ time by pacing yourself and making sure you are punctual for meetings and for arriving to work. Your punctuality or lack thereof, is an indication of your organizational skills and work ethic. And, if you are running late, text or call your supervisor.

Be dressed to impress and for success. Corey and Vinston will suit up in their uniforms every Sunday for a game. Before and after games and when they travel to games, they have dress codes to follow. What does the dress code look like where you work? Even if the code is not in writing, there is a standard – just observe what co-workers wear. If business casual is the norm for your organization, what does it mean? Find out what is acceptable for your employer. And, being dressed to impress at work is very different from how you dress to impress to go clubbin’ on Saturday night. Read more about dress here.

Be aware. As Corey and Vinston embark on their NFL careers, they will be building professional images. Even though your image may not be as public, in your rookie year, you will also leave an impression on the job. What impressions do you make? As you shake hands, work on a firm handshake, make sure you repeat a person’s name, maintain eye contact and smile. Stand up for introductions when a visitor joins a meeting. Sit forward in a chair so your energy is directed outward to those with whom you are talking. Do a hand check--avoid playing with your hair, biting your nails or fiddling with a pen.

Be in the moment. Although Corey and Vinston probably text and tweet as much as you do, they are not allowed to have their phones with them at game time. What’s your game time? Work: meetings, conversations with co-workers, lunches, dinners, conferences. At these moments, give those you are with your undivided attention. Save the tweet or text for another time. Like Corey and Vinston’s coaches, your employer expects you to bring your “A” game, and only your “A” game. If you’re reading a text, you will not be focused on the business at hand.  If your Mom is having surgery, and you are waiting to hear from the doctor, let the host of the meeting know that you are expecting a critical call prior to the start of the meeting.

Be polite. Unlike Corey and Vinston, whose main “office” is a football locker room which can get really crazy and loud, your work environment requires some courteous behaviors. Be mindful of co-workers’ time by asking if they have a minute and knocking (even if their door is open) before you barge into an office. If you are having a loud conversation, close the office door, and watch your volume in public areas, like at a reception desk or lobby. Ask before you remove items from someone’s office. Avoid being too comfortable at work by keeping your feet on the floor and your shoes on; even if you work for a really laid back company, don’t start out putting your feet on your desk.

Dale Carnegie, author of How to Win Friends and Influence People, once said,

“There are four ways, and only four ways, in which we have contact with the world. We are evaluated and classified by these four contacts: What we do, how we look, what we say and how we say it."

Do these 5 B’s to reach your own pro status like Corey and Vinston. Check back next week where we’ll tackle 5 more B’s for going pro.

P.S. Corey and Vinston, can’t wait to see you “be a pro” on Sundays!

Studying? Take Care of YOU with 4 Hints + 1 Treat!

Get 8 hours of sleep. One lesson I learned my first year as an undergraduate is that you are better off to get a good night’s rest than to stay up cramming. Your mind will function better, and you’re not going to remember those chapters you first read at 1 a.m. Close the book, turn off the computer and get some shut eye instead.

Eat breakfast. And, after you have slept well, start your day off right with a healthy breakfast. During my week of finals, I regularly got up and ate a hot breakfast before I took an exam. My mother, a physician, used to harp on me that I always needed to eat that first meal of the day. “It’s called breakfast for a reason, she said. “You are breaking your fast. You need to get your metabolism pumping.” And, while you are eating, make your choices healthy. Have some protein!

De-stress. As you allow time for studying, make sure you build time in your schedule for some stress busting. What do you do to relieve stress? When I was studying for finals, I would take a break and go play the baby grand piano that was positioned in the lobby of my residence hall. Playing Fur Elise and Moonlight Sonata along with other pieces took me to a calmer place. If I didn’t play the piano, I ran 3 miles with some of my good friends. Get outside, breathe the fresh air. Take a walk around the Duck Pond or the Drill Field. Go to McComas and work out your frustrations. Move! Which brings me to my next tip…

Exercise. Play Ultimate Frisbee or Quidditch. Attend a yoga or zumba class. Go lift weights. Bike the Huckleberry Trail. Run to campus from Hethwood. After the grind of studying those awful financial ratios or writing that huge history research paper, your mind and body will feel more refreshed with a break for a workout. Your brain and your body will perform better for your next exam or paper with some exercise added to your routine.

Treat yourself after you remembered all those ratios or finished that paper. Make an A on your first exam? Celebrate with a burger at Mike’s Grill: a mahi mahi taco from Cabo Fish Taco; a hike to the Cascades; a pedicure at Polished; or a new haircut at Inside Out Salon. Take a break to celebrate your success and pat yourself on the back.

A final piece of advice comes from my favorite undergraduate professor and mentor, Dr. Carl Stern, an economics professor: When you leave an exam, think about all the answers you got right, rather than obsessing over all the ones you didn’t know. After I heard this advice, I strived to follow it. His suggestion really helped me feel better coming out of exams. Try it! What other tips do you have? Please share!

April 16: An Opportunity to Remember – “Take Five” to Do These Five

When I did research for a presentation on working a room last fall, in Networking for People WhoHate Networking, author, Devora Zack, emphasized that having to network can be seen as an opportunity, even for introverts. As she pointed this out, she shared the Chinese character for crisis above which includes two signs: one for danger and one for opportunity. Being the positive person I am, the idea that opportunity can be found in a crisis really resounded with me and I now have the character on my desk. As I thought about crises I have experienced in the past, one that came to the top of my mind was April 16, 2007.

As the six year anniversary of this tragedy approaches, let’s look for opportunity after this tragedy by “taking five” and doing these five:

Tell your parents, guardians or grandparents you love them Dr. Bryan Cloyd, an accounting professor at Virginia Tech and father of Austin Cloyd, one of the victims of April 16, sent this email to the students in his class, soon after the tragedy:

“If we don’t meet again, your final assignment from me is perhaps the most important lesson you will learn in life. Go to your mother, father, brothers and sisters, and tell them with all your heart how much you love them. And tell them you know how much they love you too. Go out of your way to make good memories…at some point these memories may be all you have left. May God bless you all, Bryan.”

I can’t say it any better than Dr. Cloyd. Tell them today.

Take a step to achieve that goal you have resisted Those 32 members of our Hokie Nation lost their chance to pursue their goals that day. Need help? Read Steven Pressfield’s book, Do the Work. He gives us tips to beat the resistance that is always hovering inside us as we make excuses about reaching our goals. As Eleanor Roosevelt said, “You must do the thing you think you cannot do.”

Pay homage. Visit the April 16 Memorial, Deriek Crouse Memorial and War Memorial, pausing to reflect on the lives of those in the Hokie Nation whom we have lost. Reflect on what an honor it is to be a part of the Hokie Nation. How are you going to represent this university well with your life and your life’s work?

Thank a Virginia Tech faculty or staff member who has made a difference in your life as a way to honor the faculty who fell that day. The instructor or employee may not even know what an impact she/he made unless you tell that special person. And, gratitude is a powerful emotion to embrace and share. Start making saying thank you a regular routine.

Live up to Ut Prosim, “That I May Serve.” Join VTEngage, or some service organization to make a difference in this world, following the example of so many of those whom we lost that day. Our commitment to service on this campus makes this community a special place and is the glue that binds the Hokie Nation together. Commit to serve whenever you can. Do it for the 32.

Take five to do these five as a means of creating opportunity out of such a horrendous crisis that occurred on our campus. Do it. Do it now. Do it for the 32.

Are you managing your personal brand? Read about its importance and reinvent your brand:

One of the First Things to Do when You Return from Break: Unplug!

The Friday before Spring Break, I spent my day at an advising conference on campus where the keynote speaker, Dr. Peter Doolittle, an educational psychology professor at Virginia Tech, talked about mindfulness. One definition I found in Psychology Today identifies this term as “a state of active, open attention on the present.”

For us to be more mindful, we need to take a break from all the messages that are thrown our way and just be. March 20 is the first day of spring, so here is my mindfulness prescription for all of us.

Unplug. Take a break from your smart phone for a whole afternoon on the next beautiful spring day (come on, you can do it!). Put your phone down, turn off your laptop and head outside.

Savoring Spring: Top 10 Things to See or Do on Your Mindfulness Journey!

1.       Look for your first Robin, a sign that Spring is on its way.

2.      See if you can find some daffodils and crocuses blooming, another sure sign of the start of Spring

3.      Visit the fields near Smithfield Plantation to see a newborn foal or lamb

4.      Walk around the Duck Pond to view the baby ducks or geese

5.      Visit the Drillfield and the April 16 Memorial  for a moment of silence and appreciation for those who went before us

6.      Take a blanket outside, soak up the sun, and catch up on some reading

7.      Throw a Frisbee, kick a soccer ball, or play catch with a friend

8.      Look at the view from the Pylons at the War Memorial and pause for a time of thankfulness for those who gave up their lives for our freedom

9.      Admire the blooms on the Bradford Pear trees across campus

10.   Enjoy an ice cream cone, smoothie, milk shake or some other frozen treat

Rejoice in the rebirth that comes with spring! Get unplugged and celebrate the world right in front of your eyes, if you will only take the time to look. Savor the Spring!

2 Important Words to Always Say: THANK YOU

Remember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language. From Dale Carnegie, How to Win Friends and Influence People

Although I am a huge fan of Dale Carnegie’s book, and buy in to the principle that a person’s name is the sweetest sound they ever hear, I think two very simple words are right up there with our names. What are those critical words? Thank you. I grew up having to write thank you notes every time I turned around because my mother was a real stickler for them. If she didn’t receive a thank you note from her grandchildren or relatives within a week after sending a gift, this genteel Southern lady would call to make sure they received the gift. Hint, hint…”You’re tardy writing a thank you, so I’m calling to make sure you got what I sent because I am still expecting a thank you,” was the point of my mother’s call. Even though she is no longer with us to nag about social graces in person, her voice still runs through my head. “Claire, you need to write that note thanking your oldest, dearest friend for having you for the Clemson game. And really, two weeks is way too late for you to be expressing your thanks to your college best friend for your visit to her SC mountain house.”

Due to my dear mother’s influence, I now preach regularly about the importance of the thank you letter to the two Hokies who periodically reside in my house, as well as to the many other Hokies with whom I meet. Recently several students questioned my recommendation of this action step in their job search which gave me pause. How could they miss seeing the value in showing appreciation, interest and professionalism to a potential employer? For, after an interview, the thank you note can be a tool and a difference maker.

Thank You’s as a Tool

Use the thank you note to remind the interviewer of something that came up in your conversation. Was she really interested in the promotional strategy project you did last semester? Mention it in your note and let her know how what you gained from this experience will benefit the company. Or maybe you didn’t have the chance to mention something really relevant in your interview—the thank you note is a forum where you can share. In addition, this missal can be a tool to overcome an employer’s objections. When I interviewed for a marketing/PR position at a hospital, the administrator was very concerned that I did not live in the county where the hospital was located. I brought this up in my thank you note and tried to refute his objection. After I was hired, I learned from a co-worker that I had impressed the administrator by doing that in my letter.

Thank You’s as a Difference Maker

A thank you letter after an interview can make a difference in a number of ways. For one, you are demonstrating to an employer that you know the proper business protocol to follow after someone gives up part of their day to meet with you. Secondly, so few people write thank you notes, you will stand out by being one of the few, the appreciative professional. And, third, the thank you note could be a deciding factor in a hiring decision. A few years ago I was hiring a student intern for a Human Resource Internship to assist me in running a national search to fill an advising position. I interviewed seven students and just could not decide. They were each strong for different reasons. How would I ever make a choice? The applicants made the decision easy on me, though. How many thank you notes do you think I received following those seven interviews? One. Who did I hire? The author of the thank you, for she demonstrated she knew the professional way to behave in a job search, and that was the kind of professional I needed.

In today’s competitive job market, making yourself stand out is imperative. Go the route that so many detour. Write each person who met with you in an interview a handwritten thank you note to follow up your email thank you. And mail the handwritten note within the first few days after your interview so yours will be the first they receive.