On Twitter

I just got a Twitter account for this blog. My user name is CollegiateDown, so please see if you can find me. Also let me know if you have a twitter for your blog and would like to be followed. I will gladly comply.

Personal Ethics and the Job Hunt

In applying for jobs, I cannot help but notice a lot of the jobs that are hiring are companies that I don't feel right working for. I know that in this job market I can't always be picky, but its more than just a matter of not wanting to do the work.

As an environmentalist, I do not support a lot of energy companies' practices. I would feel like benefiting from working for, say, a coal company, would make me hypocritical. Or I've seen job ads for various alcohol or tobacco companies, but seeing as I'm pretty against their product, especially tobacco, I haven't even considered applying for any of those jobs.

I guess it all comes down to where I want to draw a line. Sure I may not like brand name drug companies and the way they sell drugs, but am I willing to work for a generics company? For a long time I've tried to support small businesses, but so far that hasn't extended to only applying at local companies that support the local economy.

Fun uses for credit cards

This is just a random story I found awhile back. As soon as you turn 18 it seems like you get bombarded with credit card options and this is just a fun way to make use of them. Just make  sure that before you throw out any credit cards, make sure they are destroyed completely.

http://allweirdnews.com/crazy-uses-for-credit-cards/

When to Start a Job Hunt

Image via Wikipedia

Job hunting sites are filled with disheartening tales of well-educated folks who had to look for a job for over a year. This makes it seem like seniors should look for jobs alongside of finishing their final year. While this may be necessary in some cases, there are a few flaws in logic with the plan.

For one, not everyone has time for the job hunt before graduation. It is said that job hunting should be a full-time job, and with a part-time job, classes, sleep and eating, it isn't possible to cram anything else into the schedule. While senior year has the reputation of being the easiest year because that's what students try to make it, that isn't always the truth. Capstone can kill us, and its when we're forced to take those classes we've put off for four years. In fact, job hunting distracted me from my school work more than anything.

Job hunting before you can accept an offer is not really practical. If there are immediate openings, they will be filled by the person who can accept the job now, not a year from now. Meanwhile, the company isn't going to hold on to your application for much longer than six months. You will just end up reapplying.

At the beginning of senior year your resume isn't as good as it could be a year from now. I took most organization leadership positions during my senior year, and added another year of work experience.

Finally, in my opinion, if you have to look for a job for a whole year, you're doing something wrong and you need to change your methods. It's the same reason why I don't think job hunting should be a full-time job. If you are spending that much time, I think that's a sign that you need to take a break and change something. Build experience through a part-time job or volunteering. Join some networking organizations. Maybe take a few classes. Or just target the companies you apply to better.

Related articles

• tips for job hunting on-line (manchesterlibrary.wordpress.com)
• 14 million working hours spent job-hunting every week in UK and Ireland (jobcontax.wordpress.com)
• Job Hunting Isn't Cheap (diggingoutandup.wordpress.com)

Community Colleges

Did any of my readers out there decide to go to a community college? What were your reasons for doing so? How has your experience compared to your friends who attended four-year institutions? Do you feel that it prepared you well enough, especially if you transferred? What are the benefits that you have noticed? Down-sides? Do you notice any stigma associated with community colleges?

According to this article, not only is community college enrollment on the rise, so is the tuition.

Finally, do you feel you made the right choice?

Related articles

• Community College: A Viable Option (education.com)
• Community College: Transfer Agreement and Timeline for Transfer (education.com)
• What's Next After Community College?: Four-Year Colleges Will Want You! (education.com)
• As Deep Cuts Threaten Programs, Community Colleges Look to Future Budget Battles (slog.thestranger.com)

Dorm Room

Throughout my four years at college, I have lived in the dorms on campus. While there are some downsides, it has been a positive experience.

A dorm room can be a very important part of your life on campus. It serves as a haven from everything else that happens on campus. It can also be a relflection of your personality since you get to decorate it almost any way you want it. I've only just starting taking advantage of this, with two posters on my wall.

In decorating your room, posters and masking tape are your best friend. See this article for the most cliche posters ever: http://collegecandy.com/2010/06/23/the-10-most-cliche-college-posters-of-all-time/. Of course, they've left a few out. The best way to make sure you aren't getting a cliche is to skip the beginning of the year poster sale and look elsewhere.

If you have a billboard, make the most of it. Get a calendar, and tack your favorite knick knacks to it. On your door, a white board is going to be a must for notes from friends. Also, although themes are fun, avoid going all out. For example, don't deck out the room in your school or organization's colors. Also consider your roommate when decorating. Do not take up all of the space, and respect their wishes when choosing decor.

Related articles

• Personalizing Your Dorm Room (bestcollegesonline.net)

Guns on Campus?

Bringing guns on campus has been in the news lately. States such as Arizona and Texas have been considering revising their gun laws to allow looser regulations controlling guns on campus. Something like the Virginia Tech Shooting makes people worried, and no one wants to be caught unprotected.

If my campus ever allowed guns on campus for anyone other than police officers I would transfer immediately. In all honesty, guns scare the heck out of me. Most people I know were raised in households with at least one gun, and plenty of my friends like to go hunting. I, however, come from a pretty anti-gun, anti-violence family. This probably has done a lot to shape my feelings about guns.

Police officers have been professionally trained to use guns in dangerous situations. Stopping a violent murder is nothing like going hunting, but people have this idea that just because they know how to use a gun, they will be able to calmly draw a gun and shoot a person. In reality, they might end up hurting an innocent bystander and end up in court.

I've seen situations that seem harmless escalate quickly, and if one party has a weapon, things can get ugly fast. In my hometown, two people had a snow fight that ended with one person stabbing the other. We've all witnessed fights, and those could have ended badly if one person lost control. I will never believe that guns are an acceptable solution.

As always, I want to know what everyone else's opinion is on this topic.

Related articles

• Students Speak: We Don't Want Guns On Campus In Texas (news.change.org)
• Response to shooting: Looser gun laws? (salon.com)
• States Consider Allowing Guns on Campus (foxbusiness.com)
• New UI student group backs carrying guns on campus (thegazette.com)