How To Remain Productive in Lab Settings
Learning how to remain productive in lab settings is a vital soft skill for any student interested in pursuing a career in science. Learn how by reading here.
Read MoreHow to Choose the Best Gifts for Movie Buffs
If you are looking for great gift ideas to give the movie or TV show fan in your life, it can be tempting to buy anything with their favourite film or show on. However, chances are, they will already have a collection of memorabilia you will be adding to, and you don't want to be wasting your money buying a redundant gift that they already have.
Know your movie lover
Before you even start looking for gifts, you need to know your movie lover a little better. Some of your best friends may be very different to your loved one, they might enjoy more than just one or two genres, or they might not be that interested in things you are into. What you will need is a starting point, so once you have that, you will start looking for items that fit the person's interests.
You will probably find that there are many items that they are interested in. Once you have a list of films, characters, and movies, you need to do a little research and then ask for ideas.
What should you include in your movie lover gift basket?
The first thing you need to do is decide what movie you are basing your gift on. Do they love obscure independent films or recent blockbusters? Is it an adult fan of classic movies or a comic book fan? Then you need to decide what you want to include in your basket. This is where you can decide what items will work for your movie lover.
Become a detective and have a little snoop around items they use regularly or ask close family members or friends to check out items they already have. You can sometimes find unique personalised gifts based on the movie or TV show. If you really want to go all out, then why not buy a ticket to a location the movie was filmed at or at a themed attraction, such as visiting Disney or Universal Studios for Harry Potter fans.
Gifts on a Budget
Many people don’t have a lot of money to spend on things and may only have a limited amount of money to spend on the people they love. However, you do not want to go into a movie junkie’s house and give them a piece of junk to remind them of a movie. So here are some money-saving gifts for movie lovers. Consider taking them to a reshowing of their favourite movie or a surprised patrick meme toy for Spongebob fans that can act as a fun novelty gift and shows you wanted to give them something they will enjoy.
Alternatively, skins for laptops, phone cases, or even socks and underwear are great budget gifts to choose from and will be useful to have.
Regardless of what you choose, there is always going to be an abundance of memorabilia for a wide variety of films to choose from.
Reflections on Buying Our First House
As my wife, our daughter, and our dog all settle into our new house, I figured it was a good time to reflect on the experience now that we’ve been here for a month.
This process began in earnest after the Thanksgiving holiday last year, still deep in the throws of quarantining with no end in sight. We knew we wanted to move to be closer to family and friends and we were having bad luck finding apartments that felt right or even getting responses from people. We’d gotten a short extension on our lease until the end of March 2021 and figured it might be time to make an adjustment toward buying a house since my wife knew a realtor in the area.
Once we did some budget calculations, we realized this would be doable and starting setting up house tours (masked and distanced). Overall, we saw over two dozen houses and had a handful of our offers be rejected. It was a very exhausting experience but we eventually found a place we really liked that needed a little bit of work but had everything we needed in a great location.
April was the first full month in the house and we started unpacking and getting things setup. We also were taking an inventory of the work we needed and wanted to do on the house to make it our own and make sure that everything was well maintained. This process made it clear we needed to continue to keep a clear budget of the increasing costs of these renovations, figure out what we can do ourselves, and plan to save a set amount each month to cover everything.
This has been a hard month of transitions after an already hard year, but we’re all excited to have more space and a home to call our own.
Episode #124: Sarah Baker Andrus on The Future of Work & Career Advice for Students
Welcome to another great episode of the podcast!
We have a merch shop! Go find tons of cool gear and support the show at our storefront.
Support the show on Patreon to get exclusive perks!
Our guest for this week’s episode is Sarah Baker Andrus, Founder of Avarah Careers as well as an adjunct professor and Assistant Director of Career Services at the University of Delaware. Sarah shares stories from her career as well as insights from her deep knowledge of supporting students navigating the world of work.
Listen to the episode below, or subscribe and listen via Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Spotify.
Music by pond5.com
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The Benefits of a Master's Degree in Today's Job Market
The primary objective of studying for a postgraduate degree is to gain specialized knowledge in an academic area. This area of study is industry-specific and adds to an individual’s expertise and career credibility. For the year 2020 alone, an Insidehighered.com survey discovered that master’s degree enrolment grew by 2.5% in the US, indicating that more people see the need to upgrade from a bachelor’s degree level. If you’re considering taking up a master’s course, here are some benefits you stand to gain in today’s job market.
Career advancement
The US job market continues to be highly competitive, and unless you have a competitive edge over others, it’s impossible to break through the crowd. Fortunately, a master’s degree helps you stand out as it offers job seekers the opportunity to take on senior positions in management.
According to 2018 research, more than 74% of US employers revised their requirements for educational standards. They demand that job applicants have at least one master’s degree in a field relevant to the position applied for. Additionally, even for employees already in contract with such companies, the expectation is higher as they’re required to upgrade their educational credentials with a master’s degree to secure their employment. In some industries, such as healthcare, it’s essential to obtain a higher degree for career progression. For example, if you’re interested in public health, consider seizing the opportunity to get a Masters in public health administration to advance your career in that regard.
A strong professional network
When you enroll for a master’s degree, the people you encounter will form part of your professional network. Usually, master’s degree holders are professionals who aim to upgrade themselves where academics are concerned. Therefore, whether you enrolled for an online or on-site program, you stand a chance to connect with a diverse group that enriches your repertoire as an expert in your field. Besides, having a good and expansive network is a way to thrive in a progressive career field.
Enhanced earning potential
One of the goals of having a career is to make a decent income worth your while, skills, credentials, and experiences. In terms of academic credentials, a master’s degree puts you above persons without any. On average, master’s degree holders earn $77,844 annually, while first-degree holders earn significantly lower ($65,400). Moreover, with a postgraduate degree, you stand a chance of a 23% income rise, depending on the organization you work for. For instance, persons who work with Fortune 100 companies admit that salary increments tend to rely on experience, employee success rate, and high academic credentials.
Furthermore, especially in companies focusing on life sciences and biology, employees with a master’s degree or higher earn about 63% more than those with a bachelor’s degree, a statistic revealed in a 2019 Georgetown Center on Education and Workforce survey. Fortunately, some companies pay for their employees’ postgraduate schooling. Why not take up the opportunity to secure your financial future with a higher paycheck? A college degree is great, but with a master’s, it’s even better.
There are many benefits to having a master’s degree, especially in today’s competitive job market. As people race to have that essential piece of certification that gives them the needed competitive edge over bachelor’s degree holders, you shouldn’t be left out.
Top Mistakes To Avoid When Live Streaming Professionally
Whether you’re virtually gaming, teaching, or hosting a company event, these are the top mistakes to avoid when live streaming professionally.
Read MoreEpisode #123: Karthik Krishnan on MentorWorks and Alternative College Student Financing Models
Welcome to another great episode of the podcast!
We have a merch shop! Go find tons of cool gear and support the show at our storefront.
Support the show on Patreon to get exclusive perks!
Our guest for this week’s episode is Karthik Krishnan, CEO and Co-founder at MentorWorks who gives a glimpse at how his team is helping to reshape the landscape of how students pay for college and the support they get throughout their studies.
Listen to the episode below, or subscribe and listen via Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Spotify.
Music by pond5.com
Thanks for listening!
How To Choose the Right Computer for Your Needs
Are you considering a new computer but are overwhelmed by all the different options and types available? Learn how to choose the right computer for your needs.
Read MoreEnd Of College In Sight? Don't Panic!
College always does fly by in the blink of an eye. So quick in fact that many students are left with that flighty panic as the end date creeps up. Maybe you haven’t got an internship, you haven’t applied for a job, not sure about your finances and you’re just not sure what you want to do. Try not to panic. Everyone who goes to college goes through this period of scary uncertainty. Hopefully some of these tips can help you plan the next stage in your life. It’s something to be happy about, and certainly something to look forward to.
What Did Your Idols Do?
Sometimes, looking up at the people you respect most can really help you. You can see what they did after college, how they approached life and what they did to get their working life up off the ground. It can add some levity to the situation. Especially when you see some may have dropped out, or worked minimum wage for a few years. Whether you’re looking at business leaders like Elon Musk, college experts like Stephen Troese or are keen to follow in the footsteps of your favourite celebrity. Knowing what they did can always help take some of the pressure away from where you are, and can also give some insight into what might come next. The point is that everyone does stuff at their own pace. Don’t look at others and benchmark yourself against them. Don’t let what they do, panic you.
Go It Alone?
Starting a business comes naturally to some people. Having that business acumen, the knowhow and the gift of easy communication might see you thrive in the business world. If you’ve studied business in college, or if you’ve decided to focus on entrepreneurship of some sort this might be for you. Whether you’re looking to start a business yourself, go into partnership with a friend or help out with a family business. It can be hard, it can be lonely too. But if you’ve got what it takes, you’ve spotted a gap in the market or have industry knowhow, you can really get into a great position right out of the gate. You don’t have to worry about the stress of getting a job, though of course there are other stresses in owning your own business, no matter what it is.
Can You Specialize?
You might be at the end of your undergraduate course and not really know what to you. However, if you’ve enjoyed your subject matter, to the point where you want to make a career out of it, you could move on to do a master’s degree, and then perhaps a PHD. It depends what you want and what you’ve got planned. If you’ve done well in your undergraduate degree you might be able to get a scholarship or nursery, even if you didn’t get this in your undergraduate. It’s certainly worth thinking about. However, you don’t want to get into the position where you’re just doing it because you don’t know what you want to do. Only go for it if it’s what you really want.
Top Tips To Help You Prepare For Higher Education
Whether you decide to apply for college straight out of high school or take a little break in between, you’re bound to feel a little nervous. After all, the jump between high school and college is no doubt a big one - and you need to be prepared for whatever changes this throws your way - whether that means you move out of your parent’s house for the first time or have to develop new skills in research or academic writing.
However, despite the challenges that come alongside it, there is a lot of real value in higher education that lies outside of the grades you get or the reports you turn in. For example, at college, you can:
Grow at both a personal and professional level - discovering who you truly are.
Make new friends and join a variety of clubs and societies.
Challenge yourself to try something new.
Focus on studying a subject you genuinely love.
Figure out precisely what kind of career is right for you.
Make important professional connections.
Expand your worldview.
Due to its importance, many people focus their energy on getting into college in the first place. However, it’s also important that you keep working hard once that acceptance letter has found its way to you - as you need to ensure that you are prepared for the work and journey that lies ahead, too.
With that in mind, here are some top tips that you can use to suitably prepare yourself for higher education!
Get started on your reading list early. No matter what subject you choose to study at college - be that literature or business management, you’ll likely be given a length reading list ahead of time. While you will go over the materials in class and be given a date when you should complete the reading, getting started ahead of time is essential if you want to put your best foot forward. It can also help you develop your confidence in class, as you’ll have at least a base understanding of the subject.
Buying your books ahead of time also means you can look out for deals - saving yourself a great deal of money in the long run. Alternatively, you could check them out of the library ahead of time, meaning you won’t turn up on the week of the assignment to find that your peers have taken out the books.
Consider taking an AP class. Before attending college, many students may find themselves asking the question Should I take an AP exam? This is hardly surprising as not only will they look great on any application, as they demonstrate a unique level of skill and academic interest - they can sometimes help you obtain college credits before you even walk through the door. As a result, participating in an AP (advanced placement) class can help you gain an understanding of what a typical college class will be like.
Prepare for different styles of learning. In high school, you quickly get used to a certain style of learning and teaching - after all, many classes use the same format over and over again. However, college classes often use a variety of different teaching styles and methodologies - meaning that you have to be prepared for different scenarios. For example, you will likely be taught by a variety of lectures, presentations, and smaller discussion groups (seminars). You should also prepare for the eventuality of online learning in some cases - as this continues to be the norm for teaching as we continue to battle the COVID-19 pandemic.
Choose your modules wisely. When it comes to obtaining your degree, you are given more academic freedom than ever before. For example, not only do you get to choose what subject you study - but you can also choose which specific topics you want to study within that course. Furthermore, many colleges encourage students to study modules in courses outside of their department to broaden their knowledge and skill set. However, it’s essential that you don’t choose a subject on the basis of it being fun or easy. Instead, think about whether or not it will present you with a challenge or help you obtain the skills you need to succeed in the future. For example, if you’re studying marketing full time, a minor in business management can help you gain the necessary skills that can help you obtain your dream job in the future. Remember, you’re going to spend a lot of money on your education, and you need to ensure this is a wise investment. Challenge yourself now to reap the rewards later.
One way to make the decision process easier is by carefully reading the information pack for each class. Find out who is teaching the course and what their credentials are, what subjects are covered and what the reading list looks like - as this is the easiest way to gain an indication of what you should expect. You should also pay close attention to how the course is assessed so that you can ensure it aligns with your skillset. For example, if you tend to perform poorly on examinations, you may want to choose subjects where your grade is based upon a presentation or an essay instead of a sit-down exam, as this means you will likely get higher grades.
Brush up on your time management skills. Many students find that the biggest difference between higher education and any studying they have done previously is the freedom. However, while this is exciting, it also means that nobody is telling you when you should do work - and you need to motivate yourself, especially when you are working towards multiple deadlines at once. Therefore, you can suitably prepare for higher education by brushing up on your time management skills. Getting to grips with your time management early can save you a lot of stress in the long run - meaning that you won’t have to spend hours in the library on the night before your deadline.
Introduce yourself to your tutors. If you are given the name or contact details of your professors ahead of time, then it is definitely worthwhile to reach out and introduce yourself to them. This means that you can start forming a relationship with them as early as possible- and they will be more likely to help you if you reach out in the future. Additionally, this gives you the chance to discuss your options with them and ask any questions you might have about the course or college life in general. The more advice you can take on, the better - as it will help you make more informed decisions.
Set up the perfect study space. When it comes to studying, you need to ensure you have the perfect setup that enables you to focus on the work without any distractions. For example, if you need to concentrate for long periods of time - don’t try and work from your bed, no matter how comfy it may be. Instead, set up a desk and surround yourself with the tools you need to get the job done. This could include books, highlighters, pencils, and more. Remember, while some people prefer to study in silence, others find it beneficial to listen to music when working - so take a little time to figure out what kind of environment allows you to thrive. If possible, turn off your phone during your allocated study hours - or at least put it on silent so that you aren't tempted to check it every few moments.
Sign up for extracurricular activities. As mentioned previously, your degree is not the only thing you get out of attending college - and you can often develop a lot of important skills outside of your academic training - such as teamwork, leadership skills, and confidence. One way in which you can develop these transferable skills is by signing up for a range of extracurricular activities. Be sure to research ahead of time what clubs and societies operate at your college - and allocate a certain amount of time for them in your weekly schedule. If your ideal society isn’t already out there - consider launching your own - this will give you the chance to try something new and will look great on your resume.
Find ways to destress. While managing your workload and studying is important, you should also ensure that you know exactly how you respond to stress ahead of time, as this will help you put the appropriate coping mechanisms in place. This means that you can avoid potential burnout, ensuring that you are always on top of your game.
Remember what your goals are. As mentioned before, college can be hard. There will be times when you will doubt your abilities, or feel as though the paper you are going to submit isn’t the best it could be. However, during this time, it’s important that you remember why you came to college in the first place and what your goals are. This can help you refocus your mind, putting you firmly on the path of success.