HELP I need your ideas! :)

I'm planning content for this fall and I would LOVE to get your help. I just got a new camera and am going to try to do some more YouTube videos this year, but I can't do it without YOU.

Check out the video below and either comment with your ideas on this blog or submit them to the anonymous Ask Isa inbox.

I want to help you this year by sharing content that can really help you  move forward in your life (college or career) as well as try to make you smile in the process. 

I really appreciate any ideas you can share or any questions you have! Thanks a million. 

College To-Do List: Week 5

The end of the fall semester is here, and there's one more thing I recommend you do before you leave campus and head home for a few weeks! Check out the short video below to find out what it is. :)

What to expect when starting college

Starting college can feel scary, especially if you are the first in your family to go. I've had a few first gen students e-mail me over the past few weeks about how nervous they are about starting college this fall. This video was inspired by them. :) 

Vlog: College Tips for Your Freshman Year

Below is a video with four tips to start your freshman year on the right foot. If you're not a freshman, you might still want to check out the tips to ensure you did them when you were a freshman. If you haven't - you still can :)

10 things to do before you graduate college

I recently read an article on a college website that said things like getting a fake ID and getting drunk in vegas were "must-do's" before you graduate college.

A lot of the items on their list seemed more like good ways to get arrested than to have a successful college experience.

So...

My list is a little different. It might not be attractive to the college party-hards out there, but it's guaranteed not to have you found passed out on a street (unless having a rockin' awesome successful college experience makes you faint). ;)

10 things to do before you graduate college 

1. Travel outside the country
2. Join a club based on a culture outside your own
3. Visit your college career center
4. Become president of a club
5. Take a random elective that fascinates you
6. Job shadow someone with a job that interests you
7. Do something that's always scared you
8. Mentor a HS student or freshman to help them through college
9. Have a conversation with a professor outside course content
10. Lead a new initiative, project, or event on your campus

Feel free to add to this list by adding a comment below or sharing an item from your list at Facebook.com/CCSuccess!

How to make your learning more fun

I'll never forget the moment when my 5th grade teacher took out an oatmeal cream pie (the crinkling sound of it coming out of its wrapper making my mouth water) and crushed it up, stirring it into a big container of water.

He then went on to give us a science lesson about the digestive system.

I've never forgotten that moment, because it was fun and relevant.

In elementary school it is accepted that learning should be fun, to keep the kids engaged. I'm currently learning Spanish right now, and I frequently watch Blues Clues in Spanish to help me learn. And you know what, it is pretty fun. 

I'm sure Blue couldn't do much when it comes to teaching calculus, but then again, what if? Fun and learning can and should always be connected. 

I always looked forward to the classes that were fun. They were the classes where I also learned the most. 

Field trips to Publix to learn about how a deli works, interactive coffee houses where we read poetry, acting out a period of 13th century history using silly costumes...these are the moments I treasure. And they are what kept me waking up every day for school - excited. 

Sadly, those moments waned with every year, with the exception of a few exceptional teachers. Our society assumes we grow out of a need for childlike fun and wonder. That it's time to grow up and stare at books. I don't believe this. Who said coloring stops being relevant? (Bring out a pack of markers for a college assignment and watch what happens in a classroom). 

Learning should never stop being fun. But you can't always rely on other people to make it fun for you - that is a part of growing up.  

Below are some ways you can bring the fun to your learning every day:

• Start study groups and develop fun games to practice the content together. Illustrate concepts with markers. Develop a trivia game with points and prizes. Make people laugh. 
• Have contests between your friends when it comes to getting the best test grades (e.g. person with highest grade gets to pick where you all go to dinner afterwards) 
• Volunteer with or spend time with elementary school kids you know. Watch how they play and learn. Chase your dreams like they chase bubbles.
• When you're reading your textbook or listening to a lecture, always be thinking about how you can connect what you're learning with what you already know about the world. Make it relevant for yourself.
• Listen to music you love while studying, and take short dance breaks.
• Organize your own field trip with a few classmates to a place that will help bring your course content alive. 
• Look into study abroad or other field study courses.
• When you give a class presentation, don't just do the bare minimum and read from slides. Make it fun for your audience. Bring relevant humor, props, videos, and your personality to the table. Entertain while you educate. Invite your audience to have fun with the content. 
• Pick classes that really fascinate you. Never just pick a class because it's convenient to your schedule. Engage with learning that excites you and encourages you to want to wake up every morning. 

When learning is fun, you actually learn. You retain it, treasure it - and you never look at oatmeal cream pies the same again. 

Big news - quick tips video premiere!

Below are the first of twenty-four college success quick tips that will be premiering over the year on TCC22. They are part of a new college success show called The SKiNNY that will premiere later this Fall. The show is for a cable station in Tallahassee, but TCC22 is showcasing everything on YouTube too! Be sure to subscribe to their channel to get the latest :)

I am so excited and wanted to share the first three videos with you to help you with scholarship essays, transferring, and choosing your  major. 

Please show your support by sharing and liking the videos. I hope they help!

How to Write a Winning Scholarship Essay

How you can transfer to college anywhere with an A.A. degree

Why you should choose a major ASAP

How to make the most of social media

Social media is the primary way most of us connect with other people, and despite the proliferation of meme's and pictures of people's pets (which I'll admit, I love), social media can lead to some of the most meaningful connections in your life.

However, the most powerful social media relationships occur when you add the other senses to your interactions (e.g. you need to see them in person, shake their hand or hug them, hear their voice, and...smell them? Ok that'd be weird, but you know what I mean).

There is something chemical that happens when we meet with people in person that will never be replicated online. And the bonds you create with people in person are the ones that will affect your life - both personally and professionally. 

So how do you turn a social media connection into a more meaningful connection? There are two strategies depending on your purpose, for friends or for business:

For Friends

Too often we let social media take the place of in-person hang outs with friends. I call it the social shortcut - and I am so guilty of it. 

Instead of making the effort to invite a friend to coffee or chat on the phone (do people even do that anymore?), the social shortcut allows you to just write something on their wall or send them a message. This works great for most things, but it keeps us from getting really close with people. And as humans, we need to feel that closeness with others in a live community. 

So here's what you can do (don't worry, I'm not going to make you call anyone): instead of just messaging a friend or writing on their wall an open-ended "I miss you" or "we should hang out," look at your calendar, figure out when you're free, and then text or message them an invite to do XYZ on one of your free days. Give them all the times you're available that week and ask them to pick the time that they're free too.

Make the effort. Keep inviting people until someone says yes. Don't get discouraged. Because once you come home after hanging out in person, you will notice you get a feeling that social media just can't touch. 

For Business

There is a lot of hype around how social media can help people in business. Some are skeptical, however, because it's difficult to quantify how social media effects sales or careers.  

I've always been a huge believer that social media can help you find mentors and develop professional connections, and I've recently experienced how valuable those professional connections can be - especially when you translate them to in person meetings.

The third section of my book is all about how to do this, but in short, simply  interact with them as you normally would wherever you "met" them (e.g. Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook) and get to know them by what they do on social media. Build a casual "internet" relationship first. 

Then, send a direct message or e-mail saying why you admire them and ask to chat on the phone for ten minutes to ask their advice. If they live nearby, ask to meet them in person. Something magical happens when you connect with someone in person. I'm sure this is documented in a sociology book somewhere (and I'm almost sure 'magic' is the scientific term). 

When you make that in-person connection, you become familiar with someone in a deeper way - a way that lends itself much more closely to developing a mutually beneficial relationship where you help each other in your careers, and many times, your lives. 

I owe so much to social media, and some of my most treasured in-person friendships and business opportunities have come from Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

And just so we're clear: Don't meet online strangers in dark alleyways. Do make the effort to make your social media connections count. 

Transfer advice from a former international student

Below is transfer advice from one of my good friends and incredible community college alums Alejandra Pozzo (she's also in my book). After attending Palm Beach State, Ale (short for Alejandra) transferred to the University of Miami and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in May 2012.

As a Jack Kent Cooke scholarship winner and former international student, Ale has incredible advice to offer that I wanted to share with you. Below is an interview I had with her recently: 

What led you to community college?
As I graduated high school, I learned that my parents’ economic situation was deteriorating. To make matters worse, my citizenship status was not resolved, which meant that I would have to pay for college as an international student. International students pay two to three times as much as regular students, something that seemed out of reach for me. I made the decision to attend community college part time, while I worked full time to pay for my tuition.

How did you make your transfer decision? 
I knew I wanted to transfer out of community college eventually and obtain a Bachelor’s degree. However, I was facing many challenges. I applied myself and became very involved on campus. I met a great mentor, who introduced me to private scholarships that I could apply to and guided me through the application process. When I became a Jack Kent Cooke scholar, my life changed and my biggest obstacle suddenly tumbled down.

What were your biggest obstacles in adjusting to your transfer institution?
The academic course load. I went from being a part-time student to having 17 credits my first semester.

What helped you the most in getting adjusted at your transfer institution?
As cliché as it may sound, what helped me the most was the fire within me; the passion I had to get a nursing degree is certainly what empowered me to push through all the difficulties I faced.

What helped you make friends at your transfer institution?
Making friends was easy because I went into a nursing program, so I had classes with the same group of students all day. My second year, however, I expanded my friendships beyond the nursing school. I joined different committees and organizations that were interesting to me. I met one of my closest friends in one of these organizations. It is important to surround yourself with people who share the same values and ideals as you.

What advice can you share that you wish someone would have shared with you before you transferred from community college to a university?
Transferring is not easy at first. But once you get through that hurdle, everything will start flowing better. However, it is essential that you have a clear vision of what your goal is – beyond getting an education. Be passionate about the career you chose to follow, your drive and determination will determine your success. Also, know which study habits work for you, everyone is different. Do not be afraid to seek guidance from your professors, especially if you are struggling with your academics.

Make a point to identify your weaknesses and strengths – and work on both. Do not compare yourself to others, you are as good as all you give and that is a wonderful thing. 

Effective time management is crucial when you are juggling school, work, organizations…and life outside all of these areas! Organizing my days, weeks, and months (yes, months) worked well. If I knew a certain time of the month would be very busy, I would attempt to complete as many tasks as possible when I had free time so that my responsibilities would not pile up.

And most importantly, enjoy every minute of it – academics should be your priority, but they should not take over your entire college experience.

Great advice - thanks Ale! 

If you have a transfer success story to share on the blog, please visit isaadney.com to learn more!

What NOT to do when networking

With only about 30% of all jobs posted online, networking is the best way to get a job. And as I share in my book, the best way to network as a college student is to ask professionals you admire for advice. The formula is pretty simple:

1. Say why you admire them.
2. Ask to meet with them for 10-15min to learn more about them & their job.
3. Leave an easy way for them to make the appointment. 

I've used this formula over and over again. From winning a $110,000 scholarship to now being able to live my dreams working from home, the mentors I found through my career center, mutual friends, and social media changed my life. 

However, now that I have progressed in my professional career, I am now on the other end of those e-mails, with students asking me for help and professionals asking me for business. 

Most of the e-mails I get from students are genuine asks for help, and I love nothing more than carving out 10 minutes of my day to e-mail them back a heartfelt answer.

But there are some e-mails that don't warm my heart. There are some that are just plain annoying. And trust me - you do not want to be one of the annoying people when it comes to building relationships. Because whether or not that person can help you get a job right away, you never know how they could affect your professional life in the long term. 

Below are the worst types of e-mails I get. I wish I could show you examples of the ones I receive, but I can't because these types of e-mails get deleted immediately. You do not want to be one of these people:

1. The Generic. These are the form e-mails that people send out in mass, without any personalization. Something like "Hi friend - I've read your blog and I think you would love for me to write an article for it as I have a lot to say about your topic." 

Any e-mail sent in mass is not worth sending. Personalize any e-mail request you ever send to a specific person. Use their name, and do your research so you have something unique to say to show them you care about who they are and what they do. 

2. The Me Me Me. These are the e-mails that devote a few words to the recipient of the e-mail, and then go on and on about themselves and their work and what they want. They share too much about their accomplishments just for the sake of it, and by the end of the e-mail you can tell they've never actually done any research on you, have any interest in what you do, and are just trying to get something from you and benefit from the work you have already done. They seem like they are trying to take a short cut.

Getting advice is a short cut, the best kind, but you can never seem like you're trying to take an easy route. The way to avoid this is to dedicate 90% of your e-mail to genuinely complimenting the person you want advice from on their work. If you can't do that, then you're e-mailing the wrong person.

3. The Too Much Too Soon. This is the kind of e-mail where someone asks for a huge favor before taking the time to get to know someone first. You can't e-mail a stranger and ask them to edit five scholarship essays for you. Your first encounter should be for the sole purpose of you listening to that person and learning from their experience, and for no longer than 15 minutes (unless they insist they can spend more time with you). 

The more a person talks in a conversation, the better he or she feels afterwards; studies show that the person who talks the most rates the conversation the highest. So when you're networking initially, ask lots of questions and let other people talk about themselves. You will make them feel great, and when they feel great about the conversations they have with you, they will want to bend over backwards to help you. 

In short, the longer you spend building a genuine relationship with a person, the more vibrant and beneficial your relationship will be. 

There are no "vegas weddings" in networking. Real networking happens over time, and feels more like friendship than a business exchange. 

Five reasons to travel in college

I used to hate it when people talked about "finding themselves" through travel. Backpacking through Europe during college seemed like a rich-kid fantasy. My family could never have afforded something like that.

So for me, travel was only a luxury - something I could never afford and something I didn't need to "find myself." I still don't believe you "find yourself" in travel. But through my travel experiences in college, I learned that travel can be an important stop on your journey to creating yourself in college.

Whether you're like me and figured you could never travel in college because you can barely afford tuition itself, or if you're deciding whether taking that student loan to cover study abroad is worth the money, I hope the the five reasons to travel in college below will help you think more deeply about what you could gain. 

1. It's cheaper, and sometimes freer, than you think. I never flew on an airplane until the end of my sophomore year of college, to the Phi Theta Kappa International Convention in Nashville. And as the president of our Phi Theta Kappa chapter, the entire experience was free.

Many community colleges have clubs whose leaders get to travel to conferences, as well as offer scholarships to travel abroad. I got a scholarship that covered a two-week trip to England I took my junior year. And my senior year my University flew me to New Orleans to present my senior thesis (and try the famous, delicious beignets), absolutely free. These opportunities are out there for you too - start with your college website and ask your professors. 

2. It makes you memories. I know this may sound cheesy, but there is such value when college is treated as a complete experience. And when you commute to college, it can be hard to really bond with new friends through new experiences. 

My most treasured memories happened on trips in college. Those memories are what tie you to your friends long after you graduate. 

3. It adds to your academic curiosity. Have you ever driven home after class, put your car in park, and then realized you totally zoned out and cannot even remember driving home? This is what happens when we get familiar.
When you travel outside your hometown, your senses awaken in a way they just can't when we're in our familiar routines. 

Something powerful does happen when we explore new places and new people - we realize there is a huge world that exists outside our daily lives. We know this intellectually, of course, but it's another thing entirely to experience it. This kind of experiential understanding can't come from a book, but it does have the power to make books (and lectures) come alive. 

Once you start to see the world in a new way, you'll find you'll develop a thirst for knowledge that stays with you forever (and has an incredible impact on your grades).

4. You actually do have the time. With the exception of the college students who have full-time salaried job while going to school (and/or kids), you will never have more free time in your life than you do now. Once you accept a full time salaried job, it will not be easy to take off big chunks of time to travel. 

College jobs and the college schedule is much more flexible. This is the time to do it. And while yes it will require sacrifices, I hope these reasons are helping you see they're worth it.

5. You'll gain independence & motivation. When I first signed up for the two-week field study trip to England, I did so with a friend. However, a month before we were scheduled to leave, she couldn't go. I didn't know anyone else going on this trip, and without her, I questioned whether I could do it. But quickly I realized, no, I am still going to go. And I went.

Being totally alone, forced to make new friends, was one of the best experiences of my entire college journey. It was empowering. When you learn that you can manage yourself anywhere in the world, with anyone, you start to feel like anything is possible for you. This attitude is worth every penny when it comes to motivating yourself to achieve big goals in college. 

Whether it's a semester-long study abroad trip to learn a new language or a weekend-conference across your state, make it a top goal to travel somewhere during your college experience. You won't find yourself, but you will find yourself changed for the better. 

Top 5 ways to relieve job-hunting stress

Below is another great question from my advice@communitycollegesuccess.com inbox, whose answer I thought would benefit you too. 

Leslie writes...

...I have loved my first job teaching Kindergarten, but I'm only getting one-year contracts and every year I feel like I'm back at square-one trying to find another job. Do you have any tips on how to handle the stress that comes with looking for a job and trying to pursue my passion?

My response...

1. Find someone who has a job you want - As I lay out in my book, the #1 thing to do when you're stressed about finding a job is to get to know and ask the advice of professionals who are currently in that job. As much as possible, get to know other teachers who are doing what you want to do and ask them their advice for finding a job.

They will have the best insider information for your particular industry - and as you get to know more and more people you will grow connections and might even get a job that way, though the main purpose is always just to ask for advice and to listen.

2. Read career books - What also really helped me with the stress of finding a job was checking out every career book I could at the library. Not only do they offer a lot of helpful tips to implement, but the act of reading them and trying out different tips relieves stress as it makes you feel like you have more control. 

It's also good to read biographies or autobiographies of people who interest you. In their stories you'll often see most great people go through a lot of hardship and failure and stress in their journey. Their stories also hold subtle tips on how to get through the hard stuff and continue towards your goals, shedding a little light at the end of your tunnel.

3. Make time for you -  It's so important not to let the job hunt consume every waking moment of your life (I remember scrolling through job listings on Indeed.com the summer after college until 2am one night - not a good idea). Make time for friends. Exercise. Do something fun that makes you feel like YOU. It can be so demoralizing not to have a job and it can start to make you feel horrible. It's vital to maintain confidence and to remember that a job doesn't define you.

4. Journal - Looking for a job is stressful and the rejection sometimes forces you to face some of your deepest insecurities. Getting your thoughts out on paper is cathartic and will help you learn from the journey itself. It's important to keep the journal positive and hopeful, but it's also okay to vent your frustrations too.

5. Remember that you're not alone - Getting a job is so hard. For pretty much everyone. And while our society talks a lot about the unemployment rate percentages and the importance of a college degree, no one really talks about the awful feeling that you get in between. 

Keep asking for advice and talking to other people who are going through the same thing to remind yourself that this is a journey, an adventure. And if you've found something you really want to do, you just have to keep trying and keep the faith that your hard work will pay off, even if it feels like it never will.

Good luck on your job hunt, and keep sending your questions to advice@communitycollegesuccess.com!

Do you have Olympic focus?

The Olympics are over, and while for some athletes it marked the end, for many it marks the beginning of four years of training. Four years until they'll see marked results from their daily work. Sound familiar?

It also takes about four years until you walk on that stage to get your diploma. 

There was one particular Olympics commercial about the journey itself that really struck me. While images flashed of the road from the perspective of a cyclist, the blue mat from the eyes of the gymnast, and the splashing water from the goggles of a swimmer, these words played: 

Take a day off? I don’t even take a morning off.
I haven’t ordered dessert in two years.
You know that best selling book everyone loves? I haven’t read it.
I haven’t watched TV since last summer. Hey, I’ve been busy.

Your first thought may be, wow, they have no lives. While I'm a big believer in balancing work and play, I do think there is some powerful truth in this commercial --> If you want to be average, spend your time doing things average people do, but if you want to be great, you've got to spend your time differently. 

Just like the Olympics, we live in a competitive world, and standing out requires sacrifice. However, it's not about sacrificing for the sake of misery, but for the sake of something you want more than what's tempting you in the present.

If you want to be good, that's totally okay - we need more good people in the world. But if you want to be great, you have to work harder than everyone else.

The good news is, what someone else is doing in his or her lane doesn't actually matter - all that matters is what you're doing in yours, and how focused you are on your goal.  

So how do you know if you have Olympic focus? Take a close look at your daily habits and the way you spend your time. Choose one day this week to write down what you do each hour, without judging yourself. Then write down your goals and analyze the way you're spending your time with their goals. Do they align? What could you replace in order to make more time for the things that really matter the most to you?

It's the daily habits (and yes, sometimes sacrifices) that make big dreams come true. Dreams really do come true, but only for those who realize that every spec of fairy dust requires is a drop of sweat. 

The business of dreams is hard work. But the rewards - they're as good as gold. 

How to showcase your personal brand (Pt.3)

It's time to finish up our discussion on personal branding. If you've missed the previous posts you can check out the links below and then come on back here to join us for the end. 

Your personal brand consists of your: 

• Origin story
• Core values
• Core skills
• Core community
• Defined contribution

Once you've finalized your origin story, values, and skills, it's time to think about how your personal brand is relevant to the world. Brands are only as strong as their audience. 

When I ask you to think of your favorite brand, what is the first one that comes to mind? 

Why do you love it? 

What about it speaks to you? 

Do you tell other people about it? Why?

That is the kind of power you want your personal brand to have. The power to elicit a positive response. 

But what you must keep in mind is that a brand is special because its audience is special. Your favorite brand doesn't appeal to everyone. It is special because its specific. 

You of course are a specific individual - you are unique. So you've got that covered and you've defined it by doing the previous three personal branding exercises. 

Now it's time to think about who will care about your uniqueness. Namely, your core community and defined contribution. In short - who will pay you to do what you do best?

This takes a lot of research and thought, so don't worry if this doesn't come easily to you. If you do these exercises you will already be far ahead of your peers. 

Core Community

Reflect on your origin story, core values, and core skills for a moment. Who are the kind of people your skills and personality can best help? Does a specific company come to mind? A specific demographic? People with particular values? Who could benefit from who you are and the skills and talents you bring to the world? If the answer is "everyone" you're not there yet. 

Think deeply, search online, and read articles about your desired industry. Who is it you can help most, so much so that they might even pay you (or someone else might pay you to help that group?). Write it all down. 

Defined Contribution

This is where everything you've written so far about your personal brand culminates. When you read through everything you've written about who you are, what you do well, and what kinds of people could benefit from your skills, they should lead you to your contribution to the world. What are you seeing so far?

Again, this isn't easy, and it requires specificity. Don't worry if you don't know it all now. Just write what you see yourself contributing to the world in the most detailed way possible. Consider your story, values, skills, and community. Bring it all together and let it simmer. Close your eyes and picture yourself in 10 years. What do you see? Write it down.

Personal branding is a long-term process and will evolve as you evolve. The only mistake you can make is to not think about it at all. 

Because whether you know it or not, you are creating your personal brand every day. When your name is brought up among friends or professionals, they will associate you with certain characteristics, certain contributions. Personal branding isn't about creating a fake persona or caring too much about what other people think -  it's about ensuring you reach and communicate your full potential. 

Once you define your personal brand you will be able to identify jobs where you'll thrive. And the best part? You will be able to share your unique self and contributions with the world. And trust me, you have way more to offer than you think. We need your personal brand.

Top 5 things to do before college classes start

In most states, college classes start up again next week, and to be honest - I'm jealous. I miss the anticipation and excitement of beginning a new semester.

If you're not feeling particularly enthused (or even if you are), below are the top 5 things to ensure you enjoy and are prepared for the beginning of what can be a truly exciting semester. The best news? It's up to you. 

1. Start setting your alarm for school time (don't hate me). When I have extended periods of time off I tend to stay up later and later, waking up closer and closer to the PM. And it's always those first few days of adjusting back to waking up early that hit the hardest. Starting to get up early a few days before you have to will ensure you are truly refreshed and ready for your first class. 

2. Get all of your books. I know this sounds obvious, but if you've already been to college you know there are often many people (maybe even you) who wait and get their books the same week of class. True story: I've never had to stand in a long line in the college bookstore - ever - because I always went weeks before class. The long lines and the stress are not a great way to start off the semester, and the truth is they can be avoided (with the exception of last minute course changes of course). As much as possible, grab your books early (and, huge bonus, professors will notice you're prepared). 

3. Set out an outfit. Okay so I know this can sound cheesy and it may not be for everyone, but I still got a thrill from laying my clothes out the night before class (and/or getting a new outfit when I could afford it). It was something I did in middle and high school before the first day, and it's a habit I carried over to college. Picking it out the night before saves time in the morning, and the care you put into your appearance on that first day really does send a message that you are excited to face the new semester.

4. Get a backpack/tote you love. Another thing I loved doing was getting a new tote for all my college stuff (doesn't have to be expensive, just something you really like). Since I was a commuter, being able to carry as many things as possible was key, since I couldn't drop stuff off in a dorm in between classes. I know it seems simple, but these small touches can make you feel surprisingly good. Building up that emotional momentum the week before will motivate you to have a successful semester. 

5. Choose an event to attend on the student life calendar. Many students start class and wait a while before getting involved in clubs and organizations. Starting out early enables you to get leadership positions (some come with scholarships) and start connecting with people early on. The earlier you get involved the more engaged you will feel in your day-to-day college life. So after you finish reading this blog, go to your college's website and look for the events calendar. Choose at least one event to attend the first week or two of classes (I highly recommend any sort of Club Recruitment event). And then - show up. 

Figuring out what it takes to get you excited about school is more important to your grades, and even financial success, than you may realize. Your level of emotional engagement affects your success. So figure out what gets you excited and go for it! Start school off with a positive and prepared attitude, and you might just be amazed at the things you make happen this semester.  

How to create your personal brand Pt.2

Whether or not you are intentional about creating your personal brand, you have one. Deciding to be purposeful in creating your personal brand is just about controlling the message and thinking about how the things you do both online and offline affect your professional identity. 

As I talked about earlier this week, there are five top components that have helped me when it comes to personal branding: 

• Origin story (part 1)
• Core values
• Core skills
• Core community
• Defined contribution

Once you've figured out the key points to your origin story, it's time to think about your core values and core skills. Open up a word doc or grab a pen and write yours down (be sure to include your origin story points too); when this all comes together, you will be happy you did. 

Core values

Core values are the things that define your decisions. They are the concepts that, when defied, make you angry. For example, my top three core values are inclusivity, diversity, and sincerity. What are yours?  

There are lists online to get you thinking about your values. Think about what makes you angry and you will usually be able to find a core value. When it comes time to look for a job, you'll want to make sure it aligns with your core values or you could find yourself in a very unhappy place, conflicted with a company's core values. 

Core skills

What are the top three things you are really good at and really enjoy doing? What do people compliment you on? What do you feel like you do exceptionally well? These are your top skills, and writing them down and thinking about how they relate to all of the other elements of your personal brand will help narrow down your search for your future job. 

If you're having trouble you can also scan skill lists online to think about where you really shine.

We'll talk about your core community and defined contribution next week, and when it all comes together you will be on your way to controlling your brand message and being memorable in a way that wins you scholarships and jobs. Woo hoo! 

Personal branding can be a big topic with a lot of elements and great discussions, so if you have any questions about it please send them my way at isa@communitycollegesuccess.com or ask on the Facebook wall. 

Stay tuned and have a great weekend!

 

A spring fling...scratch that, I mean a spring filing.

Study Tipping Tuesday

Getting your files organized 

So I have a confession to make. I love puns. 

And I love puns-for-titles even more. 

As cheesy as my title might be now, it took more effort than you can imagine to avoid using X-files in the name of this post. 

Today's study tip is really really simple: 

Organize your files to save yourself from the turmoil of not being able to find important information when you need it. 

You are swarmed with e-mails and documents every day - and trust me - when you get a job it only gets worse. These documents often seem incredibly unimportant - until the moment you need them and cannot remember where they are.

The key is developing a file system (I told you this was a sexy topic). 

Seriously though, it will save you more headaches than you can imagine. 

My favorite filing box.

Paper

Step 1: Buy a small, cheap, filing box. 

Step 2: Use it (e.g. create files for things such as: FAFSA info/PIN, tax info, transcripts, degree audits, standardized test scores, diplomas, awards, resumes, product manuals, college application mailings, etc.)

Word Docs

Step 1: Create a lot of clearly labeled folders and files on your computer.

Step 2: Use them (e.g. organize by semester, by classes, and then combine folders into archives when you're done). 

E-mail

Step 1: Create a lot of labels for your e-mail (I'm a huge fan of Gmail).

Step 2: Use them (e.g. clean out your e-mail at least once a day and label things away when you're done with them. What's also helped me tremendously is keeping an e-mail marked as unread until I've replied to it and am ready to file away). 

Happy Filing! ;)

To read more about Isa's personal story & how you can build relationships to: make positive friends, be more successful in academics and work, find the right people to connect with, and access the hidden job market, grab a FREE e-copy of the first chapter of Community College Success: How to Finish with Friends, Scholarships, Internships, and the Career of Your Dreams! Claim your free copy on the Facebook page!

Study Tipping Tuesday - Building a Task List to Manage Your Time

Happy Valentine’s Day!

I got you a gift…a study tip for your Tuesday- I hope you like it ;)

One of the questions I am most asked by students – and one of the ones that I think requires the most attention – is “How do you manage all of the things you have to do at once?”

In a word? Prioritize.

I build a task-list, and then I prioritize it. 

Let’s try it together; I will walk you through my process.

Open up a MS Word document. In bold, create a few categories that best represent your "life" categories when it comes to tasks. For example, right now, my task list is divided into the following:

• Today (where I put tasks I will do today)
• Due Dates (where I put tasks that have specific due dates)
• Grad School (where I put my grad school HW)
• Miscellaneous (important things but do not have specific due dates)
• Business Priorities (this is not a to do list, it's a reminder of my most important goals and priorities for the next 6 months. It helps keep me focused when choosing which tasks to tackle first; for you this should be your educational priorities or life priorities).

The next thing that I do is go through my work calendar, my business calendar, my syllabi for grad school classes, and then any other personal or professional commitments that I have and fill them in on the task list. I do it in bulk whenever I receive a lot of dates/tasks at once (e.g. on a syllabi) and then update it about once per day.

Try this now – work your way through your syllabi and fill in tasks and their due dates for your projects/tests/exams are this semester. Make sure you write your to do list tasks using specific action words before each task (e.g. do, read, write, create).

(Example of one of my to do list categories right now.)
Grad School
- Research Meaningful Reception Learning and write paragraph for presentation *due Feb 13
- Create MRL PowerPoint slide for group project *due Feb 16

I compliment this with my Google Calendar. I place every item with a due date in the calendar and set SMS reminders that get text-messaged to my phone (i.e. I call this my life-saver). Whatever system you use, find a way to set up automated reminders.

Every  morning I review the task items in my to do list and move any urgent items to the "Today" category so I know to tackle them that day before or after work. And then all I have to do is focus on the "Today" category and can ignore the rest for the rest of the day. The key is knowing your priorities, and keeping it simple. As soon as you have too many things on your task list you'll never want to look at it. Stick with the most important things and never let it get too cluttered.
  

A lot of you ask me about procrastination, and the truth is, I really never procrastinate. While some people work better under pressure, I work better without pressure. I love the feeling of true free time, with nothing hanging over my head. And this kind of system does wonders for your grades.

Ask yourself: do you always feel on top of your life and schedule? Are your grades the best they can possibly be? Are you known for being organized and responsible? Are you meeting the goals you have for your life? If the answer is a resounding YES to all these questions then the organizational system you use now is working great.

If the answer is no - why not give this a try, and let me know how it goes!  And if you have any great systems you use, feel free to share. =)