Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Complimentary Remarks

Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment."
~Jim Rohn


Wow! In the past few days, I went from stressing about internships (which I still haven't heard back from, by the way), to realizing the accomplishments achieved by many sleepless nights this semester. I'm still having a hard time believing it!

Apprehension plagued my morning. I didn't accomplish much over spring break, leaving myself far behind on honors work, reading, and generic papers. I was a bit overwhelmed. Augmenting my apprehension was my nervousness about the paper I was about to receive back in my first class. I was up until 4:00am writing it and still had no idea what the reading was about when I handed it in (or so I thought).

My heart was palpitating as the professor handed back the assignment, especially when he placed mine face down on the table. Preparing for the worst, I turned the paper over to reveal a 98, with the words 'great essay' written amongst the comments within the text. I was astounded. When I reread it, it was better than I had remembered. Maybe I was being to hard on myself when I handed it in. Either way, I was extremely pleased.

Then to increase my happiness, another professor had some insightful (and very complimentary) insight on my senior thesis. I think I may have found a thesis adviser and the beginnings of a topic.

I'm so thrilled! Not to mention, my nerves were completely eased. I actually got 8 hours last night :)

Until next time, Sweet Dreams!

--The Sleep Deprived Student

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Internship Nightmare

Just when you think you're settled--you've reached the approval of your University's career advising center with the stellar internship with seemingly limitless extensions--the economy goes sour.

Last spring, I happened across my dream internship--politics, advocacy, and writing all in one. It seemed too good to be true, that was, until they extended me. Flattered and thrilled, it didn't take me long to accept the extension. Sure, things were a bit different in the Fall Semester. After all, my summer had been focused on the election. Now, it was focused on the long-term goals of the organization for which I worked. I loved it just the same and dreaded my December termination.

Soon enough, though, my perfect birthday present presented itself. Two days, before by birthday, I was extended yet again through the Spring semester. Life was good.

Now, there are no more paid internship positions of which to speak. Although, I plan on continuing to volunteer for the organization, I find myself in a hopeless job search in hopes of some sort of summer income. Unfortunately for me, it isn't looking so good.

I could return to my retail job. There's nothing wrong with it. I'm lucky, too, because a lot of people will be unable to encounter that type of position. Still, with my impending graduation, I'm concerned that lacking more internship experience will detract from my workplace marketability. And, with organizations like the Wall Street Journal suggesting that college grads seek internships, I'm concerned that even unpaid internships may be lacking.

I've applied to several organizations in the past few weeks, only to receive the generic "we've-received-your-resume" response. That doesn't instill much hope in me, as of course, it doesn't mean that anyone will ever see it. I'll keep you updated, but until I get a concrete response on anything, I am in summer job limbo. Bring on the nights of worry-induced insomnia.

Until next time, Sweet Dreams.

--The Sleep Deprived Student

Friday, March 13, 2009

17 hours of sleep in 5 days

Spring break is finally here. It couldn't have come sooner...

You see, there's one thing I've learned being an RA. I've learned that Spring Break is designed to keep residents from beating the others to death with an over-sized biology textbook--something that came uncomfortably close to happening approximately seven to eight times last week.

The near-fatal conversation of midterms, sickness, unpredictable weather, and spending too much time together causes residents (...and yes, even RA's--we're not as perfect as we're expected to be) to endure a rapid regression of their interpersonal communication skills. In a matter of hours, the most mature, soft-spoken college junior can return to the interpersonal skills of a teenager with an over abundance of testosterone.

For me, this is the hardest time of year. In my sleep-deprived state, I find it extremely hard to drum up the empathy necessary to appropriately mediate the conflicts. I find myself locked in an internal debate about which was stupider--signing up for this or allowing the person in front of me to whine for half-an-hour. It's about that time, I cut them off and give them my advice causing them to become enraged, question my competency, and slam my door as they exit.

It is a thankless job. Inevitably, the residents see the correctness of my view point and act on my advice. Despite their concession, they never verbalize an apology to me and choose to act as though the conversation never happened.

I shutter to think what would happen to my sanity without spring break. I'm looking forward to escaping to my alternate life--one of a professional atmosphere where I can separate my personal life from work, where crying girls won't be pounding on my door at 2am, wear I can escape the obnoxious nature of drunken frat guys, and where I can actually get more than four hours of sleep a night.

Spring break, I salute you.

Until next times, Sweet Dreams.

--The Sleep-Deprived Student