Archive for February, 2009
Whether you’re a busy high school grad, a college student looking into his/her first profession, or a budding career changer, one thing you’ll wonder is how a job will fit with your life schedule. Will you have time to get home and tend to your responsibilities? How about just having the time to have fun or work on furthering your skills or education?
We’ve thought about these questions too and narrowed things down to three careers that can accommodate a busy schedule as well as the training they require:
Nursing: In addition to helping out those in need, a nursing career gives you an alternative to the average 9-to-5 office routine. While some nurses do work normal office hours, the various 24-hour hospitals and care services around the nation allow nurses to schedule work shifts that compliment and accommodate their busy home lives. Need the daylight hours for errands or school? Then work evenings or nights as a nurse. Of course, you’ll need the proper degree and licensure in order to land a nursing career. Depending upon the specific field you are pursuing this may take anywhere from two to four years.
Teaching: Though teachers for elementary schools and above often have workweeks that exceed 40 hours, they often enjoy a two-month vacation for the summer. In addition, many preschool and kindergarten teachers work part-time in light of the shorter school day schedules. In either case, the teaching profession allows you a greater amount of flexibility when it comes to scheduling your day or year. In order to get into this field you’ll need the right credentials. All teachers, except private school teachers, need a license to teach, but depending on the age group you instruct you may or may not need a bachelor’s degree in education.
Medical Billing and Coding:
If you’re interested in health care but prefer the behind-the-scenes approach, medical billing and coding may be the career for you. While medical billers work on the business side of health care, keeping records on the costs and nature of various hospital services provided to patients, medical coders specialize in coding info on patients to provide to insurers. Thanks to the nature of their work many people with medical billing and coding careers work from home, setting their own hours, or establish their own businesses. To get your own medical billing and coding career you’ll need to train with an accredited program and attain national certification in billing and/or coding.
– Genevieve M. Blaber
February 25th, 2009
As you may have well heard, the student occupation of New York University (NYU, NYC, NY) ended earlier today with NYU security guards rounding up members of Take Back NYU! (the student organization responsible, and yes they like their exclamation point so don’t take it away from them). NYU admin also served the students with suspension papers and is booting them from student housing. While there’s plenty more to the story (NYU has offered them amnesty as long as they don’t get into more trouble, etc.) it’s pretty clear right now that TBNYU! lost their battle. But there was one winner during the whole debacle: NYULocal.
NYULocal is the official blog of NYU, and it takes a more conversational approach than its more traditional newspaper counterpart, Washington Square News. But the aim is the same: keep students informed — and NYULocal took that to the next level. While other news outlets relied on secondary information and info passed from TBNYU! and NYU administration, NYULocal had one of its writers, Charlie Eisenhood, on the scene. Barricaded in with the protesters, Eisenhood offered frequent and — as much as they could be given his location — uncensored accounts of the goings on.
Eventually Eisenhood was barred from talking about and even listening to TBNYU!’s meetings, but his presence still served a purpose: readers got a more objective look into the events as they happened and discussion was sparked. His posts greatly complimented NYULocal’s coverage of events outside the Kimmel Center and statements made by officials and TBNYU!ers.
If you have time, I suggest going back through their archives and reading about the TBNYU! occupation from the very beginning. It’s not the whole story, but it’s a better look than some media will or can give you.
*Image courtesy of NYULocal.
– Genevieve M. Blaber
February 20th, 2009
College students have been staging protests for as long as there’s been a campus to stand on. But last night at New York University (NYU, NYC, NY) dissatisfied students took their demands to another level, barricading themselves into the cafeteria floor of the Kimmel Center for Student Life. The students, calling their movement “Take Back NYU,” have a website dedicated to their effort and have listed their demands. (They even Tweet.)
Now, full disclosure: I’m an NYU alumna. Over my four years I had the privilege of attending a school with students who were passionate about their beliefs and who were willing to take a stand, even if it was unpopular. I witnessed many a protest and while some of them I less-than-loved as their chants interrupted my finals, I always supported them on principle.
I can’t say the same this time.
I’ve read over their list of grievances and demands, and many are the same things students asked for when I was in school. I can even agree with them on some points. A public release of the school’s budget? Reasonable, considering that tuition rates are on the rise. Allowing workers and T.A.’s to collectively bargain? Something NYU students have protested about for many years. There’s just one problem: their method.
Boycotting aspects of NYU life and staging protests in front of NYU buildings is a valid way of showing the administration that you and other students have concerns that are not being addressed through usual channels. Forcefully taking over an entire floor of an NYU building and barricading yourself and the area from security and NYU students who would otherwise use the space, is a juvenile move that’s more akin to a temper tantrum than a calculated protest. If anything, this decision may make coming to an agreement even harder as I doubt NYU will want to give students the idea that they can get what they want simply by acting out.
College is a time to work on your communication, leadership skills, and maturity levels and these students have thrown that to the side for a bullhorn, viral marketing, and a giggling slumber party in a school space. I have a hard time taking them seriously when they’re not going about their efforts maturely. And while I do support one of two of their demands I do not support them at all.
*Picture courtesy of CBSNews.com
– Genevieve M. Blaber
February 19th, 2009
Colleges can change a lot over the years, but one thing that doesn’t seem to change is the complaints college students make. Every day I go through dozens of college blogs and articles that ring out with the same moans and groans that I and my peers made back in the day. So here, in no particular order, are five common college complaints you’ll have and how you can solve them.
1. I’m so exhausted! Why do colleges have to schedule classes at nine in the morning?
Most workdays and offices open at 9 am so if there’s a time to get used to it, college is your best bet. Make an effort to ditch the weekday partying and get to bed early. And try not to pull out the (lame) excuses if your professor notices your consistent tardiness.
What Not to Say to Your Professor: Tales from College Faculty
10 Simple Things You Can Do To Conquer College
2. I’m never leaving my dorm again. The Freshman 15 is the worst thing ever!
Yes, it pretty much is — but there’s plenty you can do to ward it off or beat the pounds you already gained. Forgo the fast food, cheap eats, and Cup ‘o’ Noodles, and make time to eat healthy. Try walking around campus more too.
Just Say “No” to Excessive Weight Gain
Nutrition 101: Your Syllabus To Healthy Eating
3. I have so much reading to do. There’s no way I’ll have time for all of this!
I’ve been guilty of this complaint too, but here’s a secret: practically no one reads all of the assigned reading materials in college. The key is to become a master of scanning, using your class notes as a guide to what to read and what to skip. If you do have the time, go back and read everything thoroughly and whatever you do, don’t procrastinate!
The Procrastination Monster
Six Steps to Collegiate Success
4. My college is a bureaucracy. I hate it. Nobody ever helps me.
Colleges are gigantic institutions and, while they care for you as student, they don’t imbue any one administrator with the power to solve all your problems. You’ll have to go through a chain of command, be shuffled between multiple people, and repeat your story ad nauseum, but it will help you build your self-confidence, communication skills, and independence.
Getting in the Door of Waitlisted College Courses
Survival Tips From College Students
5. I had friends in high school but I can’t seem to make any here.
While it’s not your fault, on a big college campus you’ll have to do some legwork if you ever expect to have a social life. Join clubs that you’re actually interested in, chat up classmates before and after class, and take a chance and sit down at someone else’s table during lunch. Your new best friend could be around the corner.
Join the Club: Extracurriculars Can Help College Feel More Like Home
Self-Esteem and the College Student
– Genevieve M. Blaber
February 19th, 2009
The deadline for the Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF)/Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. High School Scholarship is tonight! Luckily, you can still apply online by following this link and the person who is recommending you has until March 2, 2009, to submit the appropriate materials.
The Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF)/Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. High School Scholarship is awarded to high school seniors of Hispanic heritage on a competitive basis. In order to further qualify, the student must enroll as a full-time student in college for the 2009-10 school year as the award (in the amount of $2,500) is distributed for use during the fall semester of 2009.
– Genevieve M. Blaber
February 18th, 2009
What do you get when you invite more than 100 college students to Capitol Hill? A chance to strengthen the fight against extreme poverty and preventable disease.
Earlier this month, student leaders from the top 100 campuses competing in the ONE Campus Challenge (OCC) came together for the Power 100 Summit, hosted by ONE, a global advocacy and campaigning organization. OCC is a nationwide competition among colleges and universities where students earn points by engaging in social activism.
The elite three-day conference consisted of speakers and workshops at George Washington University campus and culminated with a lobby day on Capitol Hill. Students were joined by members of Congress and leaders of international organizations such as Oxfam and the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
One of the activities in the jam-packed conference included a screening of “Sons of Lwala,” a documentary that tells the story of two brothers, Milton and Fred Ochieng’, and their community’s efforts to bring health care to the small, rural village of Lwala, Kenya. Students were able to talk directly with the brothers after the film:
“We know personally the devastation of disease, and we know the tremendous power of people coming together to do something about it,” said Milton Ochieng’.
With the education and training they received at the conference, student leaders deepened their understanding of extreme poverty and preventable diseases like AIDS and malaria and acquired skills to be more effective advocates on their campuses. The goal is for them to return to their campuses energized and ready to engage other students in new ways, utilizing the ideas, relationships, and techniques they learned at the summit.
But can college students really make a difference in something as broad as global poverty? ER’s Dr. Greene believes they can:
“College students have tremendous energy and creativity to bring to the fight against extreme poverty and preventable disease,” said actor Anthony Edwards, board chairman of Shoe4Africa, an organization that specializes in creating unique health initiatives and promotes AIDS awareness.
That vote of confidence was echoed by model and designer Lauren Bush:
“We believe that students have incredible transformational power to create widespread awareness of global diseases and extreme poverty,” added Lauren Bush, co-founder of the FEED Project, which raises money to alleviate hunger through the World Food Program. “Small actions, done by lots of people, can make the world a better place, and that’s what these students are doing.”
Click here to learn more about the ONE Campus Challenge and Power 100 Summit.
– Robyn Tellefsen
February 18th, 2009
That’s what some students at Cornell University (Ithaca, NY) are saying. According to a recent article in The Cornell Daily Sun, married Cornell students are finding that the domestic life not only brings them together in matrimony but academically as well.
Kelly Camin and Brian Gainor’s commitment to each other partially manifested itself in their mutual commitment to succeeding in their studies. Camin recalled that, before their engagement, her fiancé had a tendency to procrastinate. After their engagement, however, they both “worked harder to push each other.”
In fact, as The Cornell Daily Sun reports, studies by groups and publications like the National Council on Family Relations and The Journal of Marriage and Family have said that marriage gives students a different approach to college life that results in better grades than their single counterparts.
But before you tell your significant other that they “shoulda put a ring on it” consider this: married life isn’t always bliss for college students. Some of those interviewed in the article found that wedding bells ushered in uncomfortable living situations, tighter finances, more social pressures, and a willingness to make sacrifices so that one partner could attain their degree.
If you’d like to read more, check out the original article at The Cornell Daily Sun.
– Genevieve M. Blaber
February 13th, 2009
Valentine’s isn’t until Saturday, but here’s our early gift to you: the 10th edition of the Carnival of College Admission. Once again hosted by Mark Montgomery, the carnival selects and presents the best of college- and job-related posts from across the ‘net. While we hope you check out all of the posts, and leave plenty of comments, here are a few of the must-reads we came across:
- David Petersam tells you what not to do on your college applications over at myUsearch.com.
- John at Universities and Colleges gives the rundown on how you can get As in college without breaking your back.
- Jessica Gross of Unigo, details the best and worst of college dating confessions and advice.
And of course, our very own Dawn Papandrea and Amanda Fornecker made the cut with posts about what to do after being laid off, and the supply and demand of financial aid.
– Genevieve M. Blaber
February 12th, 2009
Move over Wikipedia and Urban Dictionary, there’s a new user-generated knowledge database in town known as Leximo.org. Created and maintained by Ian Balina and Asad Mahmood, two juniors from The George Washington University (Washington D.C), Leximo.org is on a quest to amass the definitions of every word in every language with the help of users like you.
We’re not just building a community around it,” said Balina, a computer engineering major. “The number one thing people want to do online is talk to other people, so we’re basically trying to bring that aspect to Leximo and dictionaries because we think that people want to interact together, instead of just by themselves.”
– From GW University’s school paper, “The Daily Colonial”
In a system similar to the one used by Urban Dictionary, users’ submissions are subjected to review by other community members, allowing the accurate definitions to gain priority over the error-laden, or just poorly written, ones.
But with somewhere in the range of 475,000 to 600,000 words in the English language alone, and a little over 93,000 total words added to the site so far, Leximo.org has pretty far to go.
Want to make a contribution? Then head to Leximo.org and sign up.
– Genevieve M. Blaber
February 11th, 2009
Windows PCs have dominated the market for decades, but Macs have been invading college campuses thanks to a hip image, better spyware reputation, and preferred provider agreements with many colleges. Despite this, Macs get the snub from most computer science departments — where PC-centric programming and courses continue to reign supreme.
But that’s starting to change.
The University of Utah (Salt Lake City, Utah) just announced that it will be offering a series of Apple-geared classes so that students can learn how to use, maintain, and update computers that use Mac OS X. The news comes just in time too! At the end of January, Veritude, a staffing service provider, released a new report on IT hiring trends for the coming year; according to their data, 17 percent of employers are looking to hire Mac developers — a 12 percent increase from the last survey they conducted.
So while the economy may not be greatest right now, the job outlook for Apple gurus is starting to ripen up.
– Genevieve M. Blaber
February 5th, 2009
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