The Aunt Betty Syndrome

Imagine you're sitting with your family for Thanksgiving dinner (or insert any other holiday where family will be attending).  Aunt Betty (again, insert name of relative that fits this scenario) is there, sitting in her usual spot, and she looks across the table at you.  Then comes the million dollar question.  (Choose from the following...)

• What are you majoring in?
• When you are starting college?
• What do you want to be when you grow up?
• Cousin So-and-So is getting his degree in May.  What are you doing with your life?
• Why can't you be like your sister/brother instead of living in your parents' basement?
• What are you going to do with your life?

There are many more questions that could be added but you get the idea.  So what do you do first thing Monday morning after the long weekend full of family and questions?  You head to your nearest community college, apply for admissions, and register for classes.  You're not sure what major you want to pursue but Aunt Betty's comments and questions got you thinking about your life and future.  You meet with an Academic & Career Advisor and you tell him/her, "I'm just here to do my generals."  Which is true.  Aunt Betty said you should go to school but she didn't help you figure out a major and career path.  

Too often, students feel pressure from family and friends to attend college.  Which is not always a bad thing since you have your foot in the door.  Did Aunt Betty's annoying yet kind way of saying get your stuff together make you go to school?  Was it your parents telling you to go to school or get a job or do SOMETHING that got you moving?  Were your friends pressuring you to hang out with them at school since THEIR parents are forcing them to go?  Whatever your reasons, you're here. So now what?  What makes you stay?  What motivates you to continue each semester?  What drives you to complete a degree?  Those are important questions to ask yourself each and every day as you strive to complete a program.  But now it's for you, not Aunt Betty, not your family, not your friends, YOU. Take advantage of the resources available to you in school.  Resources that help you decide on a major and career, help you plan out your semesters, help you find a job, help you with tutoring, help you with understanding how to be a successful college student.  Aunt Betty inspired you to start college, now it's up to you to finish.  So next time you are at the table with family at insert holiday here and Aunt Betty asks you about college, you'll have a well thought out answer to give her and the rest of the crew.  You may even have your graduation date readily available so she can prepare to attend the celebration.  Hopefully with a nice check and a card.  

For resources to assist with major and career exploration, visit http://www.slcc.edu/academicadvising/careeradvising

Will your real self please stand up?

As we approach our 100 days benchmark in this first ever "100 Days of Career Exploration" project, it's time to reflect on the past 75+ days.  A lot of information has been covered, dissected, mulled over, discussed, and posted on social media.  One recurring theme has been in regard to career assessments and their importance.  In this new world of technology, free assessments can be found just about anywhere.  Sometimes that's all students need to make a decision on a major and career. Most times, students need something more comprehensive.  An assessment that comes with a one-on-one advisor session with an interpretation and a deep discussion on results and validity. Those types of assessments cost money but fortunately, SLCC offers the cheapest in the state.  Myers Briggs Type Indicator and Strong Interest Inventory cost $25 for one or $40 for both.  So what's stopping you from finding your True Type (personality)?  

Stephen Colbert felt the need to find his true self.  After many years of being a comedian, writer, producer, actor, and media critic, Colbert moved into the late night television host position replacing David Letterman.  In this role he had to begin playing himself.  But who is Stephen Colbert?  Ask yourself the same question.  Who are you?  What do you like to do?  Where do your interests lie? What do you want to be when you grow up?  Watch this funny clip and then...  Will the real you please stand up?  

The Money Shot

I'm not a photographer and I don't have any formal training.  I HAVE been taking a ton of pictures this semester for this #100daysSLCC campaign.  And I've been using my trusty old iPhone.  Partly because I don't have a camera to use and mostly because even with a camera, I don't know a lot about adjusting to light, getting a nice shot that doesn't have a yellow tinge, and not wanting to be responsible for a camera I don't own.  So my iPhone camera has been the "go-to" for pictures.  Quite honestly, it's been easy to use since I can pick up Peep and go at any time.  The more pictures I've taken and the more I post to this blog, on Twitter, and on Instagram, the more I think about photographers (people who actually know their way around a camera) and that "money shot".  The picture that says a thousand words.  That one angle, subject, setting that tells the story and stirs feelings within people.  One of my teenage daughters has that eye for photography. She knows how to get that certain angle that catches the light in just the right way where a flower looks as if it's in 3-D.  Or she can angle the camera (she uses her phone, too) so the color is vibrant and the focus is on a flower or a bunch of flowers.  She can even get up close and personal to catch the water drops on a flower petal.  It takes time, effort and patience.  Not unlike exploring majors and careers.

The "money shot" in major and career exploration is not going to fall into your lap.  You have to go out and search for it.  If you live in the city and want to get a great shot of a bear in the wild, obviously you need to travel, hike, search, camp, and do whatever it takes to get that golden picture. The same holds true for major and career exploration.  You have to research, study, interview, job shadow, volunteer...  Whatever it takes to find your money shot and a major.  The satisfaction of looking through your photos and finding that ONE shot that held all of the perfect elements of lighting, action, angle, and color is the same feeling you will receive when you land on a major and career decision.  So, have you decided on YOUR money shot?

Button Bar

Introducing our #100daysSLCC BUTTON BAR!

Coming next week!

Monday, 11/16:  Taylorsville Campus

Student Center Hallway, Noon-2pm

Tuesday, 11/17:  Taylorsville Campus

AAB Foyer, Noon-2pm

Wednesday, 11/18:  South City Campus

Near Information Desk, Noon-2pm

Get your Chinese Zodiac animal button, postcard with career information, more major and career exploration information, and fill out the 75 Day Benchmark application to receive a prize and a chance to win a tuition waiver or $300 bookstore gift card!

I can see clearly now...

I had to get new glasses the other day because my prescription had changed enough to warrant some new specs.  I am nearsighted.  Which means I can't see far away.  Things are blurry and squinting doesn't really clear things up.  But now, according to my doctor, I am also farsighted.  Which means I can't read with my glasses on and when I take them off, I have to put my book (or phone) near my face to read.  Needless to say, I'm struggling right now.  Picture that cute little old lady who looks over her glasses to read a piece of paper or that patient old man who has glasses that help him see both near and far.  I'm not cute nor am I patient so having to play "sneak a look over my glasses while I'm trying to get a student's "S" number off of their student ID card" has been frustrating.  I usually fall off the deep end when my spouse or children stick their smart phones right in front of my face and say, "Look at this!"  And I slowly (while glaring at them) push their hand and phone back because I CAN'T SEE!

Don't we feel that way about major and career exploration sometimes?  Sometimes we see clearly and we feel like we know what major we want to study but then something happens to make everything blurry.  And we're searching for something new, something different, something CLEAR.  Or maybe we have absolutely no clue what we want to major in and what career path we want to follow.  When I was in college, I sought help from an advisor but guess what?  That advisor was no help at all.  I knew there were resources that could help me find a major and career but I didn't know who to ask or maybe HOW to ask for help.  So I stumbled in the dark, my path blurry, until I took some classes that made me interested in media.  With my experiences, I seek to assist students in the major and career exploration process so they have the correct "prescription" and will be able to see the path in front of them.  The resources are endless when it comes to major and career exploration but I would recommend starting with those offered at Salt Lake Community College.  Start with the Major and Career Discovery Series.  A free online course (you are not graded!) that can clear your pathway and at least help you start that self discovery process.  If you are still unsure, make that small investment and take the Myers Briggs Type Indicator and Strong Interest Inventory assessments.  It may not give you an exact major, but it will surely narrow down your ideas or reinforce ideas you already had brewing in your mind.  Like a new glasses prescription, the resources and assessments offered at the college can help you see clearly so you are no longer squinting at your future.  Get back to 20/20 vision and meet with an Academic and Career Advisor soon to obtain valuable resources and information on major and career exploration.

The greatest magnifying glasses in the world are a man's own eyes when they look upon his own person.

Alexander Pope

The Odds of Winning

Odds of winning the lottery with one ticket are 1 in 175 million.  Odds of becoming a lightening victim in the United States in one year is 1 in 700,000.  Odds of becoming a professional athlete is 1 in 22,000.  Odds of being born with 11 fingers or toes is 1 in 500.  Odds of winning the #100daysSLCC grand prize of a tuition waiver or $300 SLCC Bookstore gift card?  1 in 5.  Yes, you read that correctly.  So to those 3 people who have submitted their benchmark applications and had their names entered into the grand prize drawing, you are facing amazing odds!

Wait!  What?  You haven't been following the activities for the benchmarks?  You are just finding out about this crazy campaign NOW?  No problem!  There's still time!  (Just like there's still time to explore a major and career.  Do you like how I dropped that right in there?  Just like dropping the mic!  Boom!)

The 75 Day Benchmark is sneaking up on us (November 16th to be exact) and there are plenty of benchmark activities coming up.  In fact, this Thursday, November 5th, we have a flash event where you can attend the Boosters workshop on Staying Motivated and win great prizes.  AND you can count that as a benchmark activity and fill out the 75 Day Benchmark application AND submit your name for the grand prize.  Where do you find this wonderful information?  Look up.  Do you see the tabs on this blog?  Everything is there from benchmark activities to the application to upcoming events.  Don't worry.  I've got you covered.

Katniss Everdeen knew the odds were against her in the Hunger Games but she fought on anyway. May the odds be ever in your favor as you follow the benchmarks for #100daysSLCC and find a major and career.