Getting Back in the Game

Welcome back to the land of papers, deadlines, and responsibility! I hope you enjoyed your Summer vacation to the fullest. Now that we are back for the Fall semester, it might seem daunting to think of going through classes AND working AND getting an internship. No worries, it is completely possible to get all of these things done and still have time to grab a coffee with your roommate! Just a quick warning, completing these tasks may require some work.

TIP #3  “All work and no play...”
...might just add to your stress levels. Just as important as it is to get your work done, it is important not to burn out. Don’t forget about yourself! Schedule a time during the week that is “me time”. Whether it is taking a 30 minute break to watch an episode of your favorite show or catching a yoga (or boxing) class at Koret, it’s healthy to take a step back from everyone and everything. Be careful to set an alarm on your cell phone or something, so that you don’t make a 30 minute break turn into a 3 hour break.

TIP #2 Note to self: Eating and Sleeping are NOT optional
Do not forget to eat, and when you eat, eat well (i.e. go for the water, not the sugar-filled soda). Remember, what you put into your body will be the energy that will get you through the day.
As crazy as it may sound, set a bed time and a wake time for yourself. Easy enough, right? Sometimes. It will take some work to keep to your schedule. Things come up and things fall apart, thank goodness you had a schedule. Getting a consistent amount of sleep every night will help keep you more alert for the next day!

TIP #1 Time Management:
“You will never "find" time for anything. If you want time, you must make it.”--Charles Bruxton
Unfortunately, not everything will simply fall into place this semester without a little grunt work. If you do not own a planner, get one, or some sort of organizing device (i.e. iCal, Notebook for planning...). It is essential to know what will be going on in your day or days to come. This will come in handy when you are scheduling those many interviews and appointments. By the way, if you need help with your resume/cover letter to apply to jobs/internships or are just looking for some career tips, stop by the Career Services Center! Regular drop-in hours are from 11am-2pm. (UC 5th floor)
“Ordinary people think merely of spending time. Great people think of using it.”--Author Unknown
There is a time to watch movies and a time to buckle down and get to business. Use your time wisely, so that you can actually enjoy your free time...granted that you scheduled in free time. Set aside times to research about your future job to make sure that you are on the right track, or to apply to internships in your field of interest. Think of the many ways you could brighten up your resume with more experience! You can explore your Dons Career for different jobs/internships you could apply for this semester.

There is so much more advice out there, but those are the few nuggets that have stuck with me throughout my college experience.
Carpe diem! It’s going to be a great year.
--Victoria

EXTRA TIP:
Use social networking sites to your advantage!
Be sure to check us out on TWITTER & Facebook for career tips and more information!
Tweet: @USFcareer
FB: USF Career Services