Interning in the most magical place in the world – Part I

Today’s post is from Hannah Chai, a hospitality management major on our campus  and one of our delightful student workers, who spent last fall as an intern at Walt Disney World.

It all started when I was sitting in a hospitality class. Our professor had a guest speaker come in to tell us about his experience as an intern at Disney World. Just by his motivation and enthusiasm I knew this could be a wonderful opportunity for me. I could always use more experience, and it would help fulfill my practicum hours as part of the hospitality management major.

Once the class was over, I immediately rushed through the hallways to find a flier for the Disney College Program.

I went into a computer lab and applied online. A few days later I had an email telling me I needed to set up a time for a phone interview. After setting up the time and date, I researched interview tips and practiced possible questions and answers with a friend who also applied to the Disney College Program.

A person who had already completed the program suggested that I smile doing the interview. It sounds cliché, but it’s true; they can really hear it. They asked me some questions I was prepared for and some I didn’t think they would ask: Have you ever had a problem with your roommates, and if so how did you resolve this issue? The interviewer talked to me about possible positions and what my interests were. Based on that interview, they placed me in what they believed was a suitable position.

I became very nervous when I saw posts on Facebook from people who said they were denied. Many people said they were accepted and were rejected later because of senseless decisions they had made.  Luckily, I only waited five days, and then I got an acceptance letter. I was thrilled! I was accepted into the role of housekeeping, or as Disney may refer it to “mousekeeping!”

One thing I definitely wasn’t prepared for was the fee. They gave me 10 days to pay $304, or I was automatically declining the offer. Fortunately, the money I had been saving was just enough to pay it off. The next thing I had to purchase was airfare, and I was well on my way.

Next: What Hannah’s internship was like.

7 things you should never wear to class

We end our month-long self-improvement posts with one we hope will make you smile.

We’ve all done it, rolled out of bed at 8 in the morning and rushed to class wearing something well, questionable. Our friends at USA Today College lists seven things you should never wear to class. Some of these are no-brainers, but others? Well, you decide.

A swimsuit

Furry shoes

Sunglasses 

Visible bra straps

Leggings as pants

Thongs plus low-rise jeans

Jean shorts that are too small – Junderwear

Got that? And, if you think wearing sweatpants is the lazy man’s – or woman’s way – to dress for class, USA Today says there are worse things you can wear than sweatpants, though let’s hope you haven’t worn any of them.

A tutu

A mermaid outfit

A speedo

Basketball shorts from the 1970s 

A hula skirt

So, now that you know what not to wear, how ‘bout what you should wear? USA Today College has that cover, too.

Blazers

Flats

High-waisted skirts

Button-down shirts

Skinny jeans

Maxi dress or skirt

Linen pants

3 things you should stop doing in class

All this month we’ve been giving you suggestions on how to improve your life in 2013. We gave you nine habits that will make you happier, suggestions on how to get motivated and recipes for healthy
snacks you can make in your residence hall.

Today, we deal with class, and what you need to stop doing, according to USA Today College. You may already know these, but it doesn’t hurt to review.

Texting
You’re in class to learn. You won’t learn if you’re too busy texting your roommate or girl (boy) friend, or mom or dad.  This won’t surprise you, but research indicates that students who text often during class have a hard time paying attention to the lecture and often don’t do well in the class.  And don’t try to be sneaky about it. Your professor will know what you’re doing. Nothing in your lap is that interesting.

Showing up late
If you’re habitually late, you’ll only make your professor mad. And who wants to do that? Also, some may have an attendance policy, taking attendance when class starts. If you’re not there when he/she takes roll, you may not be given credit for attending even if you arrive just a few minutes late. Why take the chance? Besides, when you have a job, your boss will not let you show up for work late.

Staying quite during class discussion
You may think that if you show up for class, you’re golden. Well, that might not be the case. Some professors may consider class participation as part of your grade. Also, the more you participate, the more your professor will remember you.  And you may need him or her when it comes time to getting reference letters. Also, think of participating in class as practice for when you’ll have to participate in meetings and talk to your boss in the future.

Next: What you shouldn’t wear to class

5 healthy snacks you can make in your residence hall

2013 is the year that we’re going to be awesome. Right? So, we’re all going to improve the way we do things , like saving money by eating out less and cooking more and trying one of these five healthy snacks you can make in your room instead of hitting up the vending machines that will empty your wallet and leave you feeling sluggish.

These tips come from our friends at Grad Guard.

Pizza bagels
All you need are bagels, a jar of pizza sauce and shredded mozzarella. You can get fancy by adding other toppings such as pepperoni or veggies. Spread the sauce on the bagels, add the cheese and toppings, and put in the microwave for about a minute until the cheese melts.

Chicken quesadillas
These are quick and easy. You’ll need flour tortillas, shredded cheese and pre-cooked chicken. To soften the tortilla, heat it on a plate in the microwave. Once it’s soft, add the chicken and cheese. You can also add veggies such as onions and peppers. Then fold it over and heat for another minute or two or until the cheese is ooey-gooey.  You can add salsa and/or sour cream for a little extra flavor.

Yogurt parfait
Layer vanilla yogurt – though it doesn’t have to be vanilla – with granola and fruit. The best part is that you can change the combinations anyway you like. Try strawberry yogurt with granola and fresh blueberries. Or, pineapple yogurt with granola and pineapple chunks. You’re limited only by your imagination.

Microwave potato chips
To make your own chips instead of getting an itty-bitty bag out of the vending machine, try this recipe. All you need are potatoes, vegetable oil and a microwave bacon tray or casserole dish. Make these and you may be the most popular person in your residence hall.

Peanut butter and banana oatmeal
Cook a packet of plain oatmeal as directed. Add the mashed banana, mix and microwave for 30 to 45 seconds. Then top with peanut butter or any other topping you may like.

Enjoy.

Next: Three things you should stop doing in class.

5 easy college cooking tips

We probably all want to save a little money by eating out less and cooking at home more. But, that’s not always easy. After all, eating out is so convenient, especially when you’ve got chapters to read, papers to write and meetings to attend. However, we all pay for that convenience.

Our pals at Hack College have five cooking tips just for you that can help you save money.

Cook with friends
Everything is more fun if you do it with friends, right? If you cook together you’re sharing the cost and the load.

Make something truly fool proof
Like what? Well, oatmeal. You can have a hot breakfast by mixing oatmeal and hot water. Or, make scrambled eggs. Just put eggs in a hot pan and stir. Pasta is even easier. Just put it in a pot of hot water. Easy-peasy.

Don’t cook
There are many good things you can eat without even cooking. Yogurt. Crackers and carrots with hummus or cheese. A sliced deli meat, such as turkey, on whole-wheat bread.

No processed meals
It’s easy and tempting to buy microwave meals, but don’t be tempted. You can use the money that you’d spend on them for something that tastes better and is better for you.

Cook a lot
When you cook, make enough for a couple of meals. Chili and spaghetti  are two meals you can make a lot of so you can eat them later and not have to worry about cooking on those days.

Next: Healthy snacks you can make in your dorm room

57 ways you can manage your time

Effectively managing time is a challenge for everyone. But if you’re committed to being super in 2013, managing your time more effectively may be one of your goals. So, we’re here to help. College at Home offers 57 time-management hints. We won’t list all 57. We’ll just include some of the biggies:

Don’t overload your schedule
Taking more than 18 credits a term may be too much. And, if you have too much, you’ll be stressed and have a hard time getting anything done.

Don’t procrastinate
We know it’s tempting, but you have to work hard to resist that temptation. If you put something off until the last minute you’re not going to give yourself enough time to finish the project. And it’s going to make you crazy. Trust us on this one.

Take advantage of down time
Instead of watching your laundry go round and round in the dryer, why not study?

Make realistic to-do lists
Set realistic goals instead of super lofty ones, which you will probably not get done anyway.

Take care of yourself
If you don’t take care of yourself, you may get sick. If you get sick, you’re going to have to take time to get well, time that could be better spent accomplishing what you need to.

Make time for things you enjoy
If you don’t have a little fun, you’ll burn out. If you burn out, well, you probably know what will happen. Make sure you make time to do something you enjoy.

Get up early
Seriously? Yes, we’re serious.By getting up early you’ll have more time to study and get your homework done.

Sleep
You’re going to need enough sleep so that you perform well. If not, your grades may suffer.

Next: Easy cooking tips

Get a new attitude for the New Year

A new year may call for a new attitude. You may not remember singer Patti Labelle, but that’s exactly what she sang about:

You can get one, too, for 2013. How? It’s easy. Our friends at Life Hack offer several suggestions:

Love life, not stuff
The quality of your life will bring you the most happiness, not how many things you have.

Be patient
No one gets the life they want immediately. It takes time. Enjoy the journey as you get there.

Believe in yourself
Life will be much more pleasant if you have faith in yourself. You’ve already accomplished a lot, perhaps even more than you ever thought you could. Continue to believe in yourself.

Smarter not harder
We tend to think that anything worthwhile will take a lot of work. That isn’t always true. Don’t make things harder than they have to be.

Learn from experience
When you don’t reach your goal, learn from it so you can be better in the future. Remember it’s important to continue moving forward.

Stop wasting your time worrying
We all tend to spend too much time worrying – worrying about what we’re going to say, worrying about making the grade or getting that job, worrying about finding “the one.” Instead of all that worrying, focus on the work you need to get done. Pay attention to the people around you who need you. Enjoy each of life’s experiences.

Hack College also offers a few suggestions:

Get an internship
An internship is a great way to prepare for life after college. It’s also a great way to help get a job. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employer’s 2011 Student Survey, almost 40 percent of students who had an internship got a job.

Try a new club
You will never have more opportunities to try new things than in college. Joining a club will give you the chance to meet new people or learn something new like white-water rafting or rock climbing.

Be a better roommate
This will help you and your roommate, a relationship that can be pretty tricky. Your roommate will appreciate your efforts to be more considerate.

Next:  How to manage your time better

In a slump? Here’s how you can get out of it.

If you’ve been following along with us in 2013, you know we’ve been offering suggestions on how you can make 2013 your best year yet. Earlier, we gave you nine ways you can be happier and seven suggestions to help you be more productive.

But, you may be in a bit of a slump now that the holidays are over. It happens to the best of us. So, how do you get out? Our friends at Hack College have some suggestions:

Just get started
Sometimes that’s the hardest thing to do. Have to write a big paper? Commit to writing the first page only. Need to read six chapters? Get started on the first.

Work slowly
Spread your work out in front of you. See what needs to be done first and get started on that.

Just make progress
If you can sit down and bang out a 10-page paper in one sitting, good for you. However, if you’re stuck in slump, follow the first two suggestions. Remember, making progress is what’s important.

Famed comedian Bill Cosby offers his own humorous suggestions on how to get motivated.

Good luck.

Next: Setting a good mood and attitude.

7 ways you can be more productive

Happy New Year. All this month we’ll be offering suggestions to help you make 2013 the most awesome-est year yet. Last week, we gave you nine habits that could make you happier. Today, we have seven suggestions for how you can be more productive.

This list comes courtesy of Ilya Pozin from Linked In.

Break down projects into small chunks
By breaking down a project – whether it’s a class presentation or a big research paper – you’ll be able to see the individual pieces that need to be completed to finish it. For example, if you’re writing a big research paper, your first step should be getting the resources you’ll need. The second step should be reading them. The third, taking notes on what you’re read. OK, you get the idea.

Focus
There is ample research out there that tells us that multitasking does not work.  Focus on one project. Finish it, and then move on to another.

Eliminate distractions
Cut out whatever you need to so you can focus. Lifehack.org offers many suggestions, including sending out busy signals, making technology work for – not against – you, and trying not to be so accommodating.

Don’t check your email all the time
Checking your email all the time will lower your productivity. Set times during the day when you’ll check it and then leave it alone during the other times.

Use the phone
Sometimes you just need to get something done, and sending someone two or three emails may not be helping you get the task accomplished. In that case, just pick up the phone.

Set goals each day
Set prioritized goals for each day. That way, you won’t wake up wondering how you’re going to tackle all that you think you have to do in one day.

Don’t think you have to work 24/7
It’s important to take a break from your work. Take a walk. Have a snack. Call a friend. It’s important to recharge your battery.

Next: Getting out of a motivational slump

9 habits that will make you happier

Happy New Year!

The festivities are over. The presents have been opened. All of the holiday decorations may (or may not quite yet) have been put away. The new year has started, and you’ve probably considered how you can make 2013 the best year yet.

Well, we’re here to help you. All this month we’ll be offering suggestions to help you make 2013 awesome: How you can make your life more productive, ways you can get organized, how you can beat the motivational slump and today’s post – nine daily habits that can make you happier. The hints come from Inc. magazine.

Start each day with expectation
Life usually lives up to our expectations. So, when you wake up, think “Something great is going to happen today.” You’ll probably be right.

Take time to plan and prioritize
We usually get stressed because we think we have too much to do. Rather than fret about it, pick the most important thing that needs to get done in a day and do it.

Give a gift to everyone you meet
Yeah, we know, you already gave gifts to people last month. That’s not what we mean.  The gift can be as simple as a smile, a friendly nod, a kind word, a compliment.

Don’t talk about politics or religion
Let’s face it – there never seems to be a “right” answer when you’re talking about either of these subjects, and it usually ends up in a heated (maybe even worse) discussion. Instead of getting caught up in something you can’t control, just avoid them. You’ll feel better for it.

Assume people’s intentions are good
Attaching evil motives to people’s behavior is just going to add extra misery to your life, and who wants that?

Eat good food slowly
It’s not unusual to hoover down a meal or two, particularly if you’re in a hurry to get to class. But try, at least once a day, to eat something really delicious and eat it slowly. Savor it.

Stop worrying
A big enemy of happiness is worry, which stems from focusing on things you just can’t control. Instead of worrying, focus instead on the job at hand.

Turn off “background” TV
Who needs to see all of those shows and commercials that make your life seem unfulfilled? Do you really need to see celebrities flaunting their millions or rail-thin models wearing the latest – and expensive – fashions? Probably not.

End each day with gratitude
Be grateful for your day. In fact, you may want to write down one great thing that happened. It could be a simple as getting a compliment from someone you respect.

Next: 7 changes you can make to be more productive