So You Want To Be An Intern?

The word internship can conjure up many different emotions. Images of frantically fetching coffee, running all over town, and trying to stay afloat amongst the more seasoned professionals usually are the first to come to mind. While it may be stressful, interning doesn’t have to be a bad experience. With careful planning and a clear focus, you can turn the application process and possible internship into a positive experience.

1. Update your résumé and portfolio. Before you can start applying for internships, it is important to have all of your materials together and up-to-date. Many employers will not give your résumé more than just a quick glance, so make sure it is appealing to the eye and highlights your accomplishments. Make sure that the language you use is consistent with the position you are applying for. Show your creativity through the design of your résumé while maintaining professionalism (templates are a no no!). Make sure your portfolio includes your best work.
2. Create a personalized cover letter. The cover letter is often an employer’s first impression of you, so show your personality. This is your chance to brag about the things that you couldn’t fit in your résumé. Don’t be afraid to talk about your quirks that would make you good for the job. Make sure you personalize it for each company you are applying to. Show that you’ve done your homework. Businesses can tell when you send out something generic.
3. Create a LinkedIn account. Of all of the social media networks available, this is the one you want future employers to notice you on. LinkedIn is a professional site that lets you network and show off your skills to others. It is like an online résumé that allows you to expand on your experience and involvement. Don’t be afraid to network with people that you know and make as many connections as you can.
4. Don’t wait until the day of to apply. Although summer seems far away, many internship deadlines are approaching. Keep up on new internship postings and update your master list of places you are interested in applying to. Below we will link you to a few resources to help you get started.
5. Apply at places you actually want to work. It’s easy to get caught up in the flurry of finding an internship and mass apply. However, in doing this you may end up in a position you didn’t look into and may not even have really wanted, and end up unhappy. While it is good to have options, make sure that you are confident that you are applying to places that interest you. Use this opportunity to discover what you like about the field and what job you want to have in the future.

Overall, the best advice we can give is to stay confident in yourself and don’t let the process overwhelm you. Although it may seem like a hassle, the internship process will ultimately benefit you and your future career.

For additional resources check out:
www.indianaintern.net
www.internships.com

https://bsu-csm.symplicity.com/students

www.internqueen.com

Getting Through the End of the Semester

Tags

end of the semester, stress, tips

It’s finally here: the mad dash to the finish line. There’s just a little over two weeks of school left and the holiday break is so close you can almost touch it. However, professors seemingly have other plans. Suddenly you are bogged down by papers, projects, last minute assignments and, of course, finals. While part of you wants to get in the holiday spirit and celebrate the end of another semester with your friends there is another part of you that is in full-on panic mode.

So, what do you do? Do you throw all caution to the wind and live as if you don’t have a care in the world in order to keep from going crazy (but possibly not doing too hot in your classes) or do you freak out (and possibly lose your sanity along the way)? I’m here to tell you that there can be a nice, healthy, balance right in the middle, really! So, without further ado, here are a few tips for pushing through the end of the semester.

• Breathe. Sometimes it seems like there isn’t even enough time in the day to take a moment to sit and relax for just a few minutes. Taking the time to take a little breather every now and then has been scientifically proven to be, not only relaxing, but different breathing methods can also be used to train your bodies reaction to stressful situations.
• Organize. 9 times out of 10 students stress out more because they don’t have their list of things to do prioritized. Utilizing a planner or even just jotting down assignments, tests, and due dates on a piece of paper can make a world of difference.  I for one, could not make it throughout school without my trusty planner. I highly recommend  getting one! Also, look at what you think will take the most time and plan accordingly. When you have a game plan in motion things will go a lot smoother!
• Reward yourself. Give yourself something to look forward to. Whether it be an hour of free time after X amount of hours working, a little retail therapy at the end of finals, or your favorite sweet treat after owning a test, having something to look forward to can work wonders. If you work hard you deserve to be rewarded for it!
• Make time for friends. It can be easy to shut yourself away as finals approach but doing so may make you more stir crazy than focused. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT become a hermit. You don’t have to go to a crazy party or completely put off your study time in exchange for a social life, but getting coffee with a friend or joining someone for dinner will give you some interaction. Staying cooped up alone for hours or days on end is enough to drive anyone a little crazy and may take your focus and drive away inadvertently.
• Utilize resources on campus. Ball State offers many options for students who need a little break from the stress. The Rec. Center is offering a stress management class this Tuesday that will offer pointers on managing stress. The Counseling Center’s resource room offers a variety of information on dealing with test anxiety, stress and anxiety. The Rec. Center also has an array of workout equipment and classes. Studies show that working out is a great way to relieve stress and let your mind take a break.

Most importantly, go into these last two weeks with the attitude that you can do it! It may seem daunting now, but you will survive and will be relieved and proud of everything you accomplished. Good luck!

Treat Yourself This Fall

There are plenty of ways you can have a fall-themed good time without ever leaving the comfort of your own home. The best (and most enduring) part about fall: the delicious tastes and smells! Here are two sweet and very fall-like treats you can whip up and enjoy, no matter the weather:

Pumpkin Spice Latte: (via: http://www.recipegirl.com)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon unsweetened canned pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon packed light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup hot brewed, strong coffee
2 tablespoons half & half cream
1 teaspoon granulated white sugar, or more to taste
whipped cream, optional
ground nutmeg (or cinnamon)

Directions:
1. In a glass measuring cup or microwave-safe bowl, whisk together milk, pumpkin, brown sugar, spice and vanilla. Microwave for 1 to 2 minutes- watch closely and remove it from the microwave when the milk is hot and frothy.
2. Pour the pumpkin milk into a tall mug or glass. Add hot coffee. Pour in the cream. Add a teaspoon of sugar. Stir, and taste. Add more sugar, if desired.
3. Optional, but oh so good… add whipped cream on top and a sprinkle of nutmeg. Serve immediately!

Pumpkin Spice Cookies: (via: http://www.skinnytaste.com)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp butter, melted
1 egg white
2 tbsp pumpkin puree
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°.  Line two cookie sheets with non-stick silicone baking liners or lightly spray cookie sheets with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, combine the flours, baking soda, salt and pumpkin spice; stir to blend. In another bowl, whisk the sugars, butter, egg white, pumpkin puree and vanilla together until light and fluffy.
Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in two additions until the batter is very well blended. If needed, add a few drops of water to smooth out the batter.
Drop spoonfuls about 1 inch apart onto baking sheets. 
Bake 8 – 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, and let them stand 5 minutes before removing the cookies from the pans to cool on wire racks.

Enjoying The Season

Now is about that time of the season where many of us are questioning our relationship status with fall. In the beginning, it was exciting! We had some good times and you were so pretty. But now, you’re just so indecisive. Sometimes you’re warm and sunny, other times you’re freezing cold and dreary.

It’s not me, it’s definitely you.

There are, however, ways of salvaging the last remaining bits of goodness out of the fall season. What is the key to weathering the storm, you may ask? Avoiding the weather! That’s right. There are plenty of ways to enjoy the season while staying indoors and only spending free time outside when the weather is in, shall we say, a good mood.

On Campus: Your fitness doesn’t have to suffer just because the weather’s turned cold. The Ball State Student Recreation & Wellness Center houses everything from a five-court gymnasium and indoor pool to an indoor turf field and a rock-climbing wall. Instructional classes, intramural sports and other recreational activities are available through the SWRC. Visit http://www.bsu.edu/recreation to check out the facility’s hours.

There are also plenty of other fun indoor events happening on campus every week. University Program Board is the programming organization in charge of many of the events on campus throughout the week. Every weekend you can count on Friday Night Filmworks or Late Nite to provide good indoor entertainment. Visit http://www.facebook.com/upbatbsu and http://www.facebook.com/latenitebsu for upcoming events.

Welcome to the College Survival Guide

College: your first taste of independence. You can now make your own rules about what you study, what you eat and how late you stay out. You can choose (for the most part) which classes you want to take, when you’ll take them, and even whether or not you’ll go to them. But with all of this comes the more difficult parts of independence: living on your own, grocery shopping, paying rent and an overall sudden need to be responsible for every aspect of your own life. That’s where we come in.

DN Campus would like to introduce to you the College Survival Guide. Here we’ll supply you with tips and tricks for surviving college and life on your own. We’ll tackle everything from dealing with roommates, finals week, and filling up your portfolio, to easy and fun recipes, workouts, and things to do around campus.

College is your bridge to the very thing professors, counselors and parents have been preparing us for, and even sometimes, threatening us with, for our entire lives: “the real world.” Dealing with school, jobs, relationships, adulthood, and life in general can be difficult (and lets face it, kind of annoying).

No matter how far along you are in your college career, we’re here to help. And you can help us as well! Feel free to submit questions, comments or even suggestions on subjects you’d like us to cover or advice that has helped you in the past to dncampusblog@bsudailynews.com

So follow us along on this journey as we connect the dots, explore the big picture and figure out life one day at a time.