Life Before Noon: A Millennial’s Manual

I recently read the post, ˝Do You Have Regrets? What Should You Tell Your College Self?˝ by Tiffany Monhollon from Personal PR. I really enjoyed Tiffany’s ideas on what she would tell her college self. Many of her ideas are what I too would tell myself.

In particular what struck me was the section on ‘Broaden your horizons’ because it is a situation that I am in right now. No matter what happens abroad, I know that I can go back to Virginia and live with my parents and try something else if the international experience ends up not being up my alley. It’s the opportunity to try something different without too many repercussions is what makes the position that much more appealing.

Tiffany ends the post by asking what would we tell our college selves now. I would tell myself to take more chances. It’s not that I really regret anything that I’ve done or haven’t done, but if I could go back I would do so much more, whether it ended up being good or bad to just at least try it. The things that matter to me the most are what Tiffany writes about with relationships. The people I met throughout college are what I will remember the most, not the statistics test or environmental science lab. The good, bad and ugly relationships that developed during college are something that I will always keep with me.

Even though it would be fabulous to go back, it’s also good to take note and make the future that much better, knowing what we know now. I can’t go back to being 19 and terrified of what lies ahead, but I can realize what has and hasn’t worked and make my new chapter that much more memorable- and have this really be the best time of my life.

-Aida

The time has come to be blunt: commuting sucks. The ridiculous cost of living combined with rising gas prices and increased summer traffic has led many workers to ask: can I afford to commute?

As a recent college grad struggling to get my foot in the door, the issue is one I’m constantly debating in my own head as I search for jobs. I’ve gone on interviews and received a few offers, but all are far away, and I’m forced to ask myself if a job is really worth the time, money and effort it will take to get there. After all, gas is now over $4 a gallon with no signs of stopping. Some offices are even shortening the workweek in order to lighten the load for commuting employees.

There is some relief in public transportation. If a job has easy access to a bus or metro station, I consider that quite a perk. Web sites such as CommuterPage.com help workers calculate how much they can save by using public transportation. I’ve found that taking a bus as little as once a week can truly increase savings and reduce stress.

I don’t think there is a right or wrong answer to the question of commuting. Each person’s drive is different, and many commuters find other job benefits that far outweigh the stress of transportation. Furthermore, there is always the possibility of moving if you plan on staying at one company for an extended period. In the end, I suppose it’s like anything else in life. There will be good days and bad days, easy drives and drives that make you want to punch the guy who just cut you off for the third time. If you arrive home at the end of the day, even when it takes you two hours to get there, and say it’s worth it, then that’s a very special job indeed.

-Haley

I recently went on two job interviews and was extremely disappointed by the results. Not so much what I did, but the experience itself. Because my interviews resulted from job hunting Websites, I have since become wary about online career sites like Monster. Not that these sites won’t help speed up the process and occasionally give you great advice, but I have now learned that not all companies posting are professional.

Here are some things to look out for:

• The job description is extremely vague. In this case, call them and ask for more information. However, if they seem unwilling to give it to you or whoever answers the phone claims they have no idea, this could be a sign of trouble.
• They want you to apply without knowing the company’s name. How do they expect you to research what they’re about?
• Once there, you are really unimpressed with the location or office. If the office gives an impression of being unprofessional, there’s a high probability the job will too.
• The interview takes less than ten minutes. Enough said.
• You have finished your second interview and no one has discussed salary or benefits with you. It could be that the job has a performance-based salary, which you should have been told in the first interview, not the third.
• You have an overall bad feeling about the job or the company. It seems like common sense, but you need to trust your gut. Don’t get dragged into something because you’re nervous and afraid you’ll never find work. You need to have the confidence to step back and say, “I can do better than this.”

Whether you are searching for a job online, in the newspaper or via networking, make sure right away that you are not wasting your time. It may seem like you’ve accomplished a lot if you e-mail your resume to everyone who claims they’ll read it, but remember that you have a right to know what you’re getting into. It will save you a lot of time and energy.

-Haley