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!

Counting the Gifts You Already Have

Thanksgiving week came and went, and I never wrote the post about things for which I am thankful. I was too busy having fun cooking (and eating!) and spending time with family.

Since the season of giving is upon us, and Tuesday is Giving Day, I created a list of 25 gifts for which I am grateful, one for each of the first 25 days of December. How many gifts do you already have? Can you think of at least 25? 

Here are mine:

1. My husband, Charles, and the family I married into: we just celebrated our 28^th anniversary on November 30.                                                                                                       
   
    
2. My two children, Preston and Maggie. Having a child is truly a miracle.
3. Being a mother - my most important job.
4. My parents, Professor Huey and Dr. Mary Tom Long, who were wonderful parents and two terrific role models for me to grow up around.
5. My brother, Darden Long.
6. All my nieces and nephews.
7. My second mama, Becky Ford.
8. Since both of my parents were only children, I don’t have any aunts or uncles. But was blessed to have relationships with relatives and close family friends I claimed as such: Frank and Liz, Aunt Frances and Uncle William, Uncle Bob and Aunt Marion          
   
9. So many dear close friends. Some I have had since growing up in Blacksburg; more since my four years at Randolph-Macon Woman’s College. And even more: my Girls Night Out friends and my close friends in Career Services at Virginia Tech and at other schools!
10. My faith in God which keeps me grounded and going.
11. Growing up in the small Southwest Virginia college town of Blacksburg, VA.                 
12. Living in the country in Montgomery County and raising our children on a farm.        
    
13. Our dog, Lexi, and the many other pets (mostly dogs!) that have been a part of my life for most of my life.
14. My job as a career advisor. I love what I do!
15. The amazing team of co-workers I have the privilege to work with in Virginia Tech Career Services.                                                                                                                             
    
16. The leadership in Career Services and the Division of Student Affairs who support and encourage pursuit of professional development and leadership opportunities on campus, in professional organizations and across the US and embrace trying new initiatives.
17. All of the Career Services Interns and Graduate Assistants I have had the pleasure of working with throughout my time in Career Services. Still stay in contact with many of them, including Ariel Cohen who helped create this blog and still writes posts and maintains our site!
18. The multitude of students and alumni who have touched my life. That means you, Ashleigh Waddle.
19. The participants in our Friday English Conversation Group at Cranwell International Center. I have learned so much from people I have met on the Fridays I spend there.
20. Dr. Carl Stern who was one of my economics professors and supervisors when I was an undergraduate. Dr. Stern knew all about appreciative college instruction and applying positive psychology to teaching and advising years before the concept of appreciative advising was introduced.
21. The experience of studying abroad for a year at the University of Reading, England, as an undergraduate.
22. Having a liberal arts education from a single sex institution, Randolph-Macon Woman’s College.
23. Being a Hokie MBA!
24. My mentors and personal board of directors. Feel fortunate to have them to lean on and miss the ones no longer with us, like Dr. Norrine Bailey Spencer.            
     
    
25. And finally, I am grateful for these co-workers and/or friends who left us way too soon: Barbara K. Tipton, Mark Hunter, Paul Driscoll, and Christine Lindell

A Child Hears the Voice of God

A childhood memory I recently shared with the Roanoke Times that was featured Sunday in their Corner Shot column.

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!

Go out and Experience!

Explore. Experience. Achieve.

After talking about Explore, it's time to discuss experience.

As you might have gathered from my post about Gobblerfest, I'm passionate about my fellow Hokies getting out and experiencing everything they can.  College is a great time to do this, since for most people it's your first time having the freedom to find yourself and only be responsible for you.

You've probably heard it before - you can't learn everything in the classroom or from a textbook.  Some things you just need to experience for yourself.

However, experience is so much more than just getting internships and learning what "living in the real world" is like.  Experience is putting yourself out there, making mistakes, and getting in touch with your inner self.

Academics are important.  I'll never deny that.  As a computer science major myself, I have missed out on a plethora of opportunities while I slaved away over programming projects in the CS lounge.  However, everyone needs a break.  Why not take a break by trying something new?

Once again, Virginia Tech comes to the rescue by being the huge university that it is.

Did you know that vt.edu has a calendar that lists a number of events that happen every day on campus?  Although a number of the events listed are academic, there's also a great list of different exhibits and performances by students and professionals alike.  Of course, many of the bigger performances are also posted over at student affairs.

Fine arts not your style?  The Virginia Tech Union (VTU) hosts concerts and films on campus all throughout the semester for significantly cheaper than you'd find anywhere else.

Although it's getting into the colder part of the year, Virginia Tech is also within a half hour's drive to Cascade Falls, a beautiful hiking trail that's dog friendly.

So next time you're sitting in your dorm, lazily browsing Reddit or Facebook for hours on end, remember there are plenty of awesome activities and events going on within walking distance or a short drive.  There are a multitude of better ways to put off your homework.

Get off those tail feathers and go experience all this Virginia Tech (and surrounding areas) has to offer!

But try not to put off studying for your finals for too long.

Have a question for an employer? Get answers TONIGHT!

Have a question for an employer? Get answers TONIGHT from employers! Need some job search tips? Questions about interviewing? Unsure about starting your first professional position? Find answers tonight and network with employers.
Employer Panel starts at 6 pm in Smith Career Center:
More information here

 

November: A Perfect Time to Explore Careers

November. When we think of November, many things come to mind. For Americans, Election Day, Veterans' Day and Thanksgiving are all November events. THANKSGIVING BREAK! For us sports fans, the start of the college basketball season as the college football season winds down. No Shave November. On top of all these observations, November is a special month in career centers across the US because it is National Career Development Month.

How can Career Services help you develop your career? 3 key ways we highlight in our slogan: Explore. Experience. Achieve. In this post, we're focusing on EXPLORE.

Our newest tool to assist you in your career exploration, CandidCareer, can be accessed right from our website; be sure to start at our web site rather than going directly to the CandidCareer site. This site features 1000's (that's right, thousands!) of interviews with people in all sorts of different careers from A - Z:

Alumni Association Exec, Broadcast Producer, Career Counselor, Dentist, Environmental Scientist, Food Safety Manager, Golfball Diver (for real!), Home Inspector, Insurance Analyst, Judge (Circuit), Lumber Dealer, Mutual Fund Manager, Nurse Neonatal ICU, Operations Manager, Public Relations VP, Real Estate Broker, Social Media Manager, Technology VP, US Ambassador, Veterinarian, Writer and Editor, Yoga Instructor

Each interviewee shares a job description, loves vs. challenges, preparation tips, the speaker's story, and final advice. One feature I really like in this site is that you can search for careers by major.

In addition, many of the professionals in Candid Career share career advice on a variety of topics including tough interview experiences, phone interviews, how to dress, cover letters, networking, resume writing, salary negotiation (mostly about asking for a raise), and more. Need career advice at 2 a.m.? Visit CandidCareer to see if you can find an answer there.

For more resources to help you explore, check out our Columbus Day post on exploring.

Start the journey to your career during this special month devoted to career development. Explore careers as you map out your future. If you need help charting out your exploration, call 540-231-6241 to set up a meeting with one of our career advisors. What questions do you have about the careers you want to explore?