The Last Day…Or Is It?

Don’t let the title fool you because yes, I’m definitely graduating, with flying colors I believe (I should check on that flag I ordered…) Today is officially my last day of classes as a college student and, let’s be honest, probably forever. But am I sad? No. Am I anxious? Not really. There are a few classes I’ve taken throughout my college career that I’d take forever, but I’d totally cool with the idea of never taking a college course again.

This may be my last day of classes, but it’s not the last time I’ll be on this campus, wear the color orange, attend an SU sporting event or see my friends. Today just marks the end of forking over $50,000/year and trekking up and down hills to distant academic buildings and slaving over studying for exams. So, in a sense, today is a pretty good day.

Graduation will just confirm everything I mentioned above, so over the next 2 weeks leading up to graduation, I hope to accomplish everything that’s left for me to do–pass my 2 final exams, hand in my 9-12 page paper on the scoring style of Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor.

That’s all for now!

Down By the (Job Market) Bay…

Well, it’s been quite some time since I’ve sat down to type a little type for you all to read. But, I’m back…not from outer space, but I see you still have that look upon your face.

I’ve been pretty busy with school work, running recruitment via my position on Panhellenic and other (not so) wonderful things before I graduate in May. Yup, just making the most of the last few months of my college career.

I’ve started applying to jobs, so that’s cool. Technically I should wait until March, but I couldn’t contain myself any longer. Why wait so long you ask? Well, for entertainment jobs usually employers are looking to fill positions to start immediately. So had I applied for a job in, let’s say January, they would have skipped right over my resume simply because I wouldn’t have been able to start for another 4-5 months. So, the journey has begun. If you know someone who’s “in the business” and they’re looking for a fabulous recent college graduate to do entry-level work, particularly as an assistant to a producer, writer, director, celebrity, desk, canine, etc–let them know I’m interested!

So call your distant aunts, uncles and cousins–THEN GET BACK TO ME!

 

Just kidding, but seriously…I need a job.

Hugs and no kisses because I don’t know who most of you are,

Ditk

The Only College Bucket List You’ll Ever Need

Hi everybody!

So recently I was pitched an idea by USA Today College to write a post for them, and here’s the end result! I was told it is going to be their featured article tomorrow, but it was published today, so I figured I’d share it with my loyal followers! That is, if I still have any left. Anyways, here’s the link! Just a brief background, I was asked to write a piece about the generic college bucket list–a list of things each student must do or see before graduating into the real world. I hope you all enjoy the final product!

The Only College Bucket List You’ll Ever Need!

They Won’t Grow Up

High School graduation–a time to say goodbye to long, tedious school days, 5 days a week, and having your parents breathe down your neck with countless questions like “have you finished your homework yet?” and “are you studying? I hear Guitar Hero, why don’t I hear a calculator!” Right?

For most, the answer is yes, but for a select few the answer is unfortunately a rather large “N-O”

There’s a growing epidemic out there. One SO large that there has yet to be a name for it, but for old Ditk’s sake, I’m just going to go ahead and take the liberty of doing that all myself. I will call it “NeverReallyLeaveHighSchoolItis”

What is this epidemic you ask? Well, it truly is quite simple, actually. You see, NeverReallyLeaveHighSchoolItis is when a teenager physically graduates high school, diploma and all, but mentally their brain is still in high school. Symptoms include:

-Causing excessive drama

-Visiting home more than once a month (family and health emergencies are of course exceptions)

-Constantly trying to be “cool” and “popular”

-Not doing any work/rarely attending classes (a.k.a extended senioritis)

-Unrelated vomiting and diarrhea

-I added that last one in there.

These are just some of the many symptoms of NeverReallyLeaveHighSchoolItis. It may seem totally sad and unprofessional, but some teenagers just cant grasp the concept of moving on from one stage in their lives to another.

Drama is just completely unnecessary. It’s just plain old stupid. I couldn’t wait to escape high school drama, it was like quicksand. I found myself watching it unfold and before I could even blink I’d somehow find myself at the epicenter of it all–it just sucks people in. Fortunately, being that college campuses tend to be much larger than high schools, if there are particular drama-full students you’d like to avoid it’s much easier to do so in college because of all the places to go, things to do and people to meet.

Going away to college is an experience that I believe is completely necessary in life. It is a true test as to if you will be able to survive on your own one day, sans your parents, in moderation and with lots of security. If you choose to go away to attend college, but return home weekend after weekend, not only are you wasting thousands of your parent’s money, but you’re virtually canceling out the concept of being independent and on your own. Of course, some kids are forced to live at home due to financial situations, but these cases leave them with level heads and a drive to be on their own one day. Those who simply return to home, wasting their parents money, have no sense of independence and will either live with their parents forever in a basement that smells like cat urine, or just wither and fray when they’re thrown into their own apartment with no prior “away from home” experience. My advice for this symptom is to try being away for at least one year and see what happens because you may be quite surprised with the outcome. If it still doesn’t seem like something for you at the end, then you can consider your other options, but until you’ve stayed the full school year away from home, only coming home for major holidays and emergencies, you’ll never know what it’s truly like, and you may miss out on something you love.

Another issue is when someone with NeverReallyLeaveHighSchoolItis believes there is still such a thing as the “popular” crowd in college. Ok, so your high school may have had 1,000 kids in each grade and there was still a clear-cut popular crowd, but I can guarantee your college has thousands of more students than your high school did, leaving there one of the slimmest chances there is for anyone to be known by everyone, let alone be considered “popular”. My advice to address this symptom is to just be yourself. I guarantee more people will like you once they see how genuine you are around them. If you’re constantly trying to be cool and “awesomely popular” you may lose sight of who you really are and end up burning important bridges along the way.

If you’re in college and not going to the majority or all of your classes, you’re just a moron. Your parents are PAYING for you to take these classes, and by not attending classes, your basically giving away their money. If your idea of college is being away from your parents so you can party 24/7 and slack off, save them the money, do not pass go and do not collect $200 and just head straight for their basement. NEWSFLASH: you don’t need to go to college to drink, party and waste your life away. Don’t get me wrong, partying is fun and ok but in moderation. Balancing your classes, work and your social life is a great skill that definitely will come in handy after college graduation when you’re launched into the real world. I PROMISE there will be plenty of time to have fun, even if you do attend classes and stay ahead on your work. My advice: TIME MANAGEMENT.

I’m sorry if I just diagnosed anyone out there who is reading this post, but at the same time, you’re welcome because I may have just opened your eyes to the bigger picture–there is more to life than slacking off and sheltering yourself from the world that lies before you. When you walk out of your high school gymnasium one last time take your mind with you and don’t look back. Unless you’re attending an alumni day/reunion or plan on becoming an educator, there is no reason for your brain to remain. Pictures of the good times you had while in high school will remain and you’ll hold onto memories as long as you can, but all of that is fun to look back on and recall when you’re financially independent, not while you’re still down the block from where it all went down.

Get out there. Thank your parents for affording you a higher education. And be yourself.

Oh, and as for the possible vomiting and diarrhea, TUMS usually help.

Thanks mom and dad = ]

-Ditk