How to win BIG scholarships in community college

Below is a video dedicated to El Centro College's Phi Theta Kappa chapter, Sigma Tau! They asked me some questions about winning BIG scholarships that they wanted answered in video form for their member and officer retreat tomorrow!

And here are some links for things I mention in the video:
Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship
Facebook Page

101 Secrets for Your Twenties

Disclosure: The author of the book I'm referencing in this post mailed me a free copy of his book and asked that I write about it if I liked it, with the full understanding that I was under no obligation to write about it, especially if I didn't like it. Turns out, I loved it and wanted to share it with you. I was in no way paid to do this and all opinions are my own. I only share resources on this blog that I personally think will be helpful to my readers. 

I got Paul Angone's new book 101 Secrets For Your Twenties in the mail yesterday. I opened it up and read it completely in one sitting, with laughter punctuating every few minutes. 

I'm currently twenty-six, so I loved the way this book outlines the twenty-something crisis with humor and a healthy dose of reality, plus heaping helpings of hope.  

My first few years out of college left me feeling frustrated and depressed; you could often find me gorging on Oreos and Full House re-runs, wondering if I'd ever feel like myself again. 

I read a lot of books about the twenty-something crisis during that time, but none made me feel like what I was going through was part of the process of getting to where I eventually wanted to go. 

A lot of them felt like they were saying "yes, there is a 20-something crisis, aren't you glad everyone is miserable and it's not just you?" I wanted more. I wanted hope. I wanted something to do. I also needed to laugh. 

Paul's book will definitely make you laugh, make you feel less alone, appreciate this time of live, and give you courage to take the risks necessary to take your life where you want it to go. 

Below are some of my favorite secrets and tips in the book:

#2 The possibility for greatness and embarrassment both exist in the same space. If you are not willing to be embarrassed, you're probably not willing to be great.

#3 Making and keeping friendships in your 20s is harder than G.I. Joe's abs.

Giving everything you have to find the right job is the most important job you'll ever have.

#22 The grass is always greener on the other side, until you get there and realize it's because of all the manure.

From the "22 Signs You're Having a Quarter-Life Crisis" list: You glare at your cat as you get ready for work and say "Gosh I wish I had your life.

#43 The most dangerous job you can have in your 20s is a comfortable one. 

#99 Success in your 20s is more about setting the table than enjoying the feast.

I watched a special on TV billionaire Simon Cowell once where he was being interviewed about the unprecedented success of American Idol. He sat back in his interview chair and, looking sincere and thoughtful, told the interviewer that the best part of the experience was really the beginning, when they were working long hours, taking risks, and had no idea if what they were doing would be successful. That part, he said, was the most fun. 

Growth is painful, but looking back, even billionaires find working to make the money was way more exciting than having it.

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. :) 

How to get a job where you meet people like Jay-Z & Lenny Kravitz

This summer I connected with some amazing professionals who were willing to share their wisdom. Each profile will feature how their first job out of college led to their amazing careers today (that they love, by the way), as well as their advice to help you do the same. 

First Job Profile: Chris McDonald, Senior Producer of The Tavis Smiley Show

 1) What was your first job out of college and how did you get it? 

My first job out of college was a production assistant for the CNN nightly news series "The World Today." I had interned with CNN and after I graduated I just went in and asked for a job. Luckily we had built such rapport during my internship they were gracious enough to employ me as a Production Assistant. 

2) What was the most important thing you learned from your first job? 

I took a lot away from my first job, but one bit of experience remains, and it's a doctrine I continue to live by.

CNN is a big company, so if you work there you deal with a great number of people. I worked out of the Los Angeles Bureau, so the big anchors were always coming through town. Since I was always eager to learn, I pretty much became the designated P.A. for all the big anchors, including Wolf Blitzer, Connie Chung, Lou Dobbs, Soledad O'Brien and more. 

Some anchors their producers have egos, and these people tend to make their power known by stepping on the people below them. In my case, it was me. 

Like many large organizations, the hierarchy was very evident and I found myself getting stepped on. I bottled up how awful it felt and vowed to never be that way to anyone working under me.

Yet for every egomaniac, there's a producer who remembers where they came from and is always open to offer help and advice. 

The funny thing is when I left CNN and got a job with some leverage and power, I was in a position to help an old producer at CNN with a huge favor. She was one of the 'good' producers, so I stuck my neck out for her and gave her her solid.  

I learned to be gracious to everyone you work with in business, and treat them equally no matter the position, because your paths will cross again someday and the tables will be turned. 

 

Chris with Lenny Kravitz

3) What did you do to leverage your first job to help you get where you are today? 

When you come out of college, there is an edge you have above the older working crowd - you're used to burning the midnight oil with term papers and reading hordes of books.

Thus, you have bounds of energy that the average adult no longer possesses. If you're ambitious, take advantage of that! It is a skill that has legs for miles!

I realized that very early on in the beginnings of my work years, and I applied myself in any way I could. Fortunately for me, I worked for a company with my facets to it - CNN had an entertainment unit, a news unit, a sports unit, a business unit and CNN Espanol. 

I went out of my way to work overtime and offer my production assistance to all those departments, and they complied. In doing so, I learned a lot! 

More importantly, I developed trustworthy working relationships with the Los Angeles CNN bureau across the board. Moreover, they started noticing my tenacity and allowed me to work beyond my title. 

Although I eventually earned the title of researcher, my job tasks extended beyond that by writing news reels, associate producing, producing and even conducting interviews on the red carpet and backstage at movie premieres and award shows. 

This enabled me to color my resume so much more than I could have if I simply stuck to the parameters of my job title. 

4) What advice do you have for a recent graduate who is struggling to find their first job after college? 

I always give the same advice that was given to me: you're young and you have the whole world ahead of you! Life is indeed short, but it's the most abused statement about our mortality. You actually have time! You're new to the job force, so your canvas is very large and blank!

You may begin painting a pretty portrait over here, but if you splotch it up, scribble it away and move further down your large blank canvas and start fresh. A lot of people, including myself, expect to come out of college and get that dream job right away. There is a TINY percentage of people that happens to. The rest of us have to work extra hard for several years to get there. 

And that's a rough notion to stomach, because even the most humble of students come out of college with a sense of entitlement - why wouldn't you? You just paid so much for good schooling; your newly acquired knowledge is fresh; you're up-to-date with the latest technology and the person you'll be working for has never heard of it. Frustrating, right? 

But let me tell you... in any industry there is absolutely no knowledge like years of experience and hard work. Take your time, work hard, and your time will eventually come.

Don't get discouraged either when it doesn't happen in three years when you're 25. That's called a quarter-life crises. You still have lots of time ahead of you. You'll get there. I promise. 

Thank you Chris for some of the BEST advice in this series so far! You can check out the Tavis Smiley show on PBS! :)

Your morning routine in the summer still matters

Even if you work over the summer (as I do), there is something about these warm months and the anticipation of fireworks and cookouts that make us all want to slow down a little bit.

Slowing down is good, especially if you are a busy college student. You need that time to recuperate. 

However, most college students have to work and go to school year-round. It can be difficult to find that relaxation time.

And sometimes those who do have that free time in the summer tend to let go completely, causing boredom.

I've struggled with all of the above at some point in my life.

I realized today that I'd let my morning routine go a little bit this June. I had been jumping right into work, letting random things distract and guide my day, and - the cardinal morning sin - checking my e-mail from my phone right after turning off my alarm. 

So this morning I said "Isa, what the heck are you doing? Get back on the metaphorical horse, girl!" (See, not doing your morning routine can make you a little crazy).

My particular routine includes writing in a journal, reading my goals for the year, reading a few pages of the non-fiction book I'm working on while eating breakfast, and going through my to-do list to choose the top three things I need to accomplish that day.

Make your routine your own, and then do it. Every morning. Even in the summer. 

Centering yourself each morning will ensure that you can end the day feeling refreshed and accomplished. 

Don't let your summer slip away. It's still a great time to grow.