Keep Calm: It's Only a Speech

A speech in front of hundreds of people about a difficult topic. That's the position I found myself in earlier this week. Because of my position in student government, I had to give a speech to open a presentation. Confession: I hate public speaking. I'm not good at it. I've had 2 classes. I dont have it down. Here are some of my survival tips.

1. Do not look at the crowd beforehand. Trust me, I still regret it.

2. Don't write paragraphs. Use an outline. I learned this the second time around, which taught me the big difference between public speaking and public reading. 

3. Don't move your feet, keep them planted. I learned this the hard way when a teacher commented on this freshman year. yikes.

4. Keep your hands glued to the podium. Seriously, I fiddled with my hands in my sweater pockets and I still feel dumb about it.

5. Lastly, be able to laugh at yourself. If you say something wrong, let it go. If some technical difficulty happens, just smile and laugh. It's much less awkward that way.

What are some other tips y'all have? It's an important fact of life that we're always looking to improve!

xoxo,

A+C

How To: Wait for a College Admission Decision Patiently

Hey, I'm C and I am the most impatient person on the face of this planet. I admit it. You all have no idea how much anxiety I've gotten waiting for college decisions. (and I'm also a chronic-non-procrastinator,) making my wait longer.

5 Tips To follow:

1. DO NOT CHECK COLLEGE CONFIDENTIAL. If you don't know what that is, don't seek it out. I promise you. It's far to stressful.

2. Be prepared for one of four results: Accepted, Deferred, Waitlisted, or Denied. And imagine your situation for all situations. It helps a lot to be mentally prepared.

3. Don't start countdowns on countdowns on countdowns. Yup, I had countdowns on my phone, planner, every notebook, laptop, and yes: on my mirror. Which were great, until my dad told me how unhealthy that was. And he has a point. Limit yourself to one countdown. That's what I did, and it helped.

4. Distract Yourself. Working out has helped me a lot. I can focus my nervous energy on a bike, and not on staring at a piece of loose leaf writing XYZ University in my planner.

5. Remember, what's meant to be, will be.

PS-Am I the only one that is this crazy to have problems like this? It's just so hard when you know the exact day!

xoxo,

A+C

How To: Be The Favorite Babysitter

Babysitting. We were all babysat at one point. Many of us probably still babysit. I mean who could blame us? Babysitting is a way to make good money fairly easily. (for the most part!) Here are our tips on how to be the "one and only babysitter." (my qualifications: a babysitter for a family for 5-6 years who cancel their plans if I am unavailable.)

via

a little humor.

1. Become CPR certified. Remember those days when "babysitting class" was all the rage? We're a little bit beyond that, but it's a major plus to the parents knowing you're CPR certified.

2. Get down on the kids level. If parents see you not wanting to pick up their three year old, your chances of being hired are slim to none. If little Jimmy has a new Thomas the Tank Engine toy, you better act like it's the coolest thing in the world!

3. Clean up. The rule: the house should never be messier than when the parents left. If the kids go to bed, put the dishes in the dishwasher and pick up any left out toys.

4. Bring something for the kids to do. Depending on the age, this can be really easy or more challenging. Of course, this does not apply to babies! For little kids (2-3), I bring a favorite children's book. For 5+ I bring a fun "project" or "craft." Anything from pipe cleaners to picture frames they can color. (make sure you bring the proper supplies.)

5. Do not sit the kids in front of the TV. One of the family's that I babysit for only allows the kids to watch one TV show while I'm there, which helps you keep the kids playing.

6. Show interest in the family's life. Ask when the kids' birthdays are, ask about their Thanksgiving plans, ask what sports they play. Anything.

7. Come well informed. Be sure to ask questions like: what time is bed time or is Janie allergic to anything? It's important to know these facts! Also, make sure you know where bandaids are and what acceptable snacks are.

Keep babysitting!

xoxo,

A+C

How to: Survive A Group Project

You know what's worse than regular individual projects? GROUP PROJECTS. They are dreadful. The work load never seems to be split up evenly between each member of the group. There's almost always that one person who somehow manages to evade completing their part of the work load.  Finding a time for the entire group to come together to work on the project is awfully difficult. There are often disagreements over the content of the project. 
Ok, enough ranting. Here are some tips on how to survive these painful group projects while avoiding the aforementioned situations ultimately coming out of the experience with an "A" next to your name in the grade book! 

via

• Planning ahead is so key for group projects. Don't ever leave a group project for the last minute. Although you may be able to pull off a last minute project on your own, you can't be sure that the others in the group are able to do the same. When you first get the assignment, make sure to look over it as a group and begin to brainstorming. Figure out the direction in which you all want to take your project from the get go. 
• Assign each member a specific job for the assignment. All of the work that needs to be done should be divided evenly. Don't be the one to do the entire project for the group (guilty) and definitely don't be the one who leaves slack for the others to pick up. It's all about everyone carrying their own weight. 

Don't be that person.

via

• Set deadlines and check in points for the group. It often helps to have a deadline in mind to keep you continuing with the work you're doing, as opposed to procrastinating. Make strides on the project little by little and the task will seem less daunting. Depending on the amount of time between the day the project was assigned and the day it is due, establish one or two dates to meet with the group as a whole to check in. 
• If your schedules are all crazy and you truly cannot find a time to congregate, Google Docs is a great option. As long as all the members have Gmail accounts, each person can create a document with all of their work in it to share with the other members. This way, you can keep updated (literally to the second!) on the work that the others are doing. If you have any suggestions or comments, they can easily be shared through Google Docs. 

via

• Regardless of whether you opt to use Google Docs to communicate or whether you can pull off a meeting or two before the due date of the project, I highly suggest a meeting to make final changes and review the finished project before it is handed in. Being physically together makes the process much easier. 
• If the project is to be presented to a class, teacher, or other group of people, its important to rehearse the presentation! Make sure that each member of your group has a specific part of your work to discuss and elaborate on. This too should be divided as evenly as possible between members. Public speaking is a hard task, so make the process easier by all being on the same page.
• Present and/or hand in the project and get that "A", ladies! 

via

Good luck, ladies! 


xoxo, 
A+C

How to: Survive A College Interview

Imagine this- Fidgeting in your seat, you fix your hair for the 10th time this minute, look around the room to scope out the competition, question your outfit one more time, and give yourself a last minute reminder not to forget to talk all about your latest charity project. A serious looking woman walks into the room and calls your name. You reach your hand out, look her in the eye, smile, and give her a firm handshake. Where do you think you are?

Throughout these past few months, my (A) life has literally been consumed by the college application process. Countless applications completed (I know my SS number by heart at this point...), countless supplemental essays written, and a large number of college interviews survived. The thought of a college interview can definitely be intimidating to many, but it was actually one of my favorite parts. All you really have to do is talk about yourself. And who doesn't love that? 

• By the time you form a list of schools that you will be applying to (around the end of junior year), I suggest immediately checking their admissions page(s) online to see which of the schools require or suggest interviews. Write this information down in a place where you will remember it! Remember: Optional usually means that you should do it. There's nothing to lose and everything to gain, anyways. Some schools require appointments to be made very far in advance and others designate a certain time for interviewing the applicants, so be on top of the ball and know the dates. Always be ahead of the game!

Don't forget your deadlines!

via

• Talk to your parents to pick (a) date(s) to schedule your interviews. Some schools offer alumni interviews, where you will be paired up with an alum from your area to interview you; this allows for the interview to take place closer to home if you are unable to travel to the school. Some schools even offer Skype interviews, where you can Skype chat an admissions interviewer in the comfort of your home. Side note: I have a friend who chose this option for almost all of his interviews and wore an oxford and a blazer on the top, while wearing his pajama pants on the bottom for every single interview (Obviously the interviewer could only see him from the waist up. Haha!) If the only option is an on-campus interview, discuss a time to visit the school. Figure out which option is for you.
• Once you have a date picked, call the admissions offices and make your appointments! Some schools have a first come first serve list for interviews, so make sure to schedule your appointment as soon as possible.
• Start preparing! Part of your preparation is to research everything about the school with which you are interviewing. Your knowledge of the school's history, current events, majors, and other availabilities will show your interest in the school. The interviewer may throw you a curve ball by asking who your favorite famous alum is or who the school's mascot is. Always be prepared! At the end of the interview, the interviewer usually asks if you have any questions for them. Be prepared with a series of questions to ask him or her. Consider questions like- "Why did you chose ____?" or "What was your favorite class at _______?" (If they are an alum). If you are interested in going to business school, medical school, or law school following graduation, ask the interviewer about the school's acceptance rates to each of those respective types of schools. 

Bonus points if you can guess which school belongs with this mascot.

via

• As your interview date gets closer and closer, start preparing what you are going to tell the interviewer about yourself. Compose a list of "talking points" or notes of preparation comprised of what you are about and what you have done during your high school career (i.e. extracurriculars, clubs, sports, academics, service work). Don't feel embarrassed to rehearse these talking points in front of your mirror. Ask someone you feel comfortable with to ask you random questions to practice staying on your toes. You never know what those interviewers may ask you. My favorite question during an interview was- "If you were a breakfast food, what would you be and why?" I definitely had to think on my toes to answer that one. 

via

• So its the night before your interview and you obviously have to look way better than the rest of your competition. Appropriate interview attire can vary from school to school. My philosophy is that it's always better to look overdressed than underdressed. You don't want to be that girl wearing jeans to an interview...(Yes, I've seen it done). Western business attire is usually suggested. I also suggest putting your hair up if you have a tendency to play with it out of nervousness. Nothing too loud or flamboyant- you don't want to distract from your responses, which are ultimately the most important part of what you bring to the interview. Here are the two outfits that I usually stick with:

• First impressions are everything. As soon as you meet your interviewer, look them in the eye, smile, and give them a firm handshake. A friend recently told me the story of how she got her most recent job. She explained that after she was hired, the interviewer admitted to her that after her strong first impression and confident handshake, he knew he wanted to hire her. True story. Confidence is everything. 

via

• Answer the questions you are asked honestly and sincerely. Be yourself. Talk about all that you've done thus far in your high school career. If you are genuine, your passion will be undeniable to the interviewer. 
• Eye contact. You need to find the perfect balance of it. You want to appear attentive while avoiding shooting a creepy stare into the eyes of the interviewer. Don't think about it too much and it should flow. 
• Obviously you are the one being interviewed, but after a while, the conversation should flow so that it seems more like a conversation. Try to talk about your hobbies, involvements, and accomplishments so that each leads to another. If you can do that successfully, you will secretly be the one controlling the interview.
• "That's it?!" you think to yourself as the interview comes to an end. That was easy, huh? Before leaving, make sure to thank your interviewer for spending time with you and (whether it was or not) tell them that it was a pleasure to meet them. 
• Follow up emails are great. Although most interviewers will send you an email themselves, I always try to beat them to the punch and send them an email a few hours following the interview. Again, you should thank them for spending time with you and express your interest in the school. If you have any additional questions for them, now is a great time to ask. 

Good luck to all who are in the process of interviewing! Remember- it is incredibly rare for an applicant to be rejected based solely on their interview performance. You have nothing to lose. Make them love you! 

Love, 

A+C