Dream BIG

Martin Luther King, Jr. had a dream.  I have a dream.  And I’d be willing to bet you have a dream, too.  Upon entering Community College of Vermont, students dream of earning an Associate’s Degree.  Initially, some CCV students don’t know what their dreams are beyond a degree, and their dreams take shape as they progress through their degree plan.  Other students start CCV with clearly defined career goals and dreams.  

Sometimes students doubt they can achieve what they really want, sometimes the path to achieving the dream seems long and arduous, and sometimes unexpected snafus rudely insert themselves into students’ lives, making goal-realizing-journeys even more difficult.  The good news is that commitment and a strong desire to earn a degree paired with grit and perseverance are more powerful than obstacles students may encounter.

CCV is an Achieving the Dream leader college.  Achieving the Dream is a national nonprofit helping community college students overcome obstacles to finish school, earn degrees and realize dreams.  Last year, Achieving the Dream asked students how their college experiences are helping them dream big.  

You can check out the entries of community college students from around the country.  And we want to ask you – are you a community college student who DREAMS BIG?  

Procrastination Station

by Alisha Leu

Student Services Intern, Community College of Vermont

It’s 10PM the night before a big assignment is due. If you’re like me, this is when the panic sets in.  You realize that you have too much work to do and not enough time. As that all-nighter looms over your head, I would like to officially welcome you to procrastination station. I’ve spent many nights here and it’s really not fun at all.  After many years of struggling to manage my own procrastination, I’ve discovered some good tips to help you avoid those late night panic sessions. Cal Newport described it as a Procrastination Battle Plan in his book How to Become a Straight A Student.  So here’s how you do it:

Keep a work progress journal
This was a new discovery for me, but I think it’s a genius idea! First, obtain a cheap spiral notebook (you may have one lying around the house or you can pick one up at grocery stores, WalMart or Staples for around $1).  Each morning, write a list of tasks to complete for the day (feel free to include your school work with your other daily tasks). As you go through your day, check off your accomplishments. At the end of the day, look at what you were not able to complete and write a brief (and honest) explanation about why you weren’t successful at completing the tasks. Doing this will help you feel accountable to your work and help you recognize the things that are preventing you from doing your work on time-maybe you’ll see a pattern. Oh, and if you get all your work done, write “all complete” with a smiley face and pat yourself on the back!

Make an Event out of the Worst Tasks
We all have those assignments that we dread. For me, I hate writing the first paragraph of a long paper. I can never find the right way to start. So, to make even the worst things fun, make an event of it! Try to take your work on the road. Head somewhere away from your house that is conducive to school work, like a library or a café, and tell everyone that you’re going. The more people that know about it, the harder it will be to cancel. Once you get started, the pain of the assignment will begin to fade away and you will have just had a good, productive afternoon!

Build a Routine
The power of a routine cannot be underestimated. Find a consistent hour or two every day that you can dedicate to your work. If you do this, your work will be much easier to accomplish. Your brain will begin to understand that the hour after Math class is for studying and your productivity will increase.

Choose your Hard Days
By following these tips, you can cut down on your procrastination significantly. Unfortunately, you will still have that day when you have too much work to do than you have hours. It’s the nature of college. You can help minimize the negative impact of these days by paying attention to your syllabi. If you see that you have 3 large assignments due in one week, plan your hard day in advance. That way you are still in total control of your work. I like to think of it as outsmarting my assignments.

By following these steps, you will never have another all-nighter and you will be in total control of your schoolwork. You’ll be amazed at how much easier it will become for you to manage your school, work, and personal life! 

Savvy Money Management: The Minimum Payment Trap

Credit cards are simple, right? You charge stuff and pay it off – what’s so complicated about that?  Besides the fact that you can quickly charge more than you could easily repay, credit card companies also charge interest and fees (the average late fee is now $34).

Here’s a good example of how interest works. Suppose you’ve charged a total of $2,000 and then stop making new charges.  If your card has a typical interest of 19% and a typical minimum repayment policy of 2% of your balance per month, it will take you more than 22 years to pay off the card and the total cost will be $7,000 – if you make just the minimum payment.

How is that possible?  Even though you pay off 2% per month, the amount you owe grows every day because of interest – your 2% mainly pays the interest and a fraction of the original $2,000.

If it’s not possible to pay off your entire balance each month, pay as much as you can.  Most debt counselors recommend paying at least twice the minimum payment.  That way you will pay off part of the debt, not just the interest.

10 Tips to Make Some Math Magic

1. Get attitude – an I can rock this math attitude.  Studies have shown that we are not born with fixed IQs.  Some people are not simply “good at reading and bad at math,” as so many students believe.  Study after study has shown that our attitudes toward learning and good ol’ fashioned hard work are the most predictive indicators of success.  So adopt a “I will rock with this math course” mantra. 
2. Do every single homework problem.  A soccer player improves his game by playing soccer.  A guitar player sweetens his tune by strumming the strings.  A math student masters math….drum roll please…..by doing math.  Yes – DO math.  Your instructor assigns problems so you can practice and learn the concepts.
3. Think like a general. Generals are strategic in their problem solving.  Consider what type of math problem you are solving and think about the different strategies you can use to solve the problem.  MathTV shows how different students approach and solve the same problems differently.  Check out the site to learn different solving strategies. 
4. Be a neat-nick.  If you read a number incorrectly because you wrote in a hurry, your problem solving mojo will be thrown off.
5. Do all of the steps.  Yup.  All of them.  If you aren’t able to solve the problem correctly, it is easier to find the error when your thought process is on paper in black and white, or red and white, or blue and white – you get the point.
6. Know thyself.  If you struggle solving certain types of problems, determine where in the problem-solving process you are getting stuck. You are more likely to get the helpful stick you need to pull you out of the mud if you know what’s making you stuck. If you’re at home and you need some additional explanation to help you master a concept, check out Khan Academy.  This revolutionary website is approaching cult-like status among educators, techies, students and math lovers worldwide.  If there is a concept that needs explaining, Khan Academy has a short video that does the talking.
7. Test thyself.  You’ve heard the adage “practice makes perfect.”  Well it’s true.  Complete as many practice problems as you can.  Test yourself; this is the best way to study for a math test.
8. Seek reinforcements.  Every good soldier knows that if help is needed, reinforcements must be called in.  You can get additional support in the Learning Center or through eTutoring.
9. Strength in Numbers.  Consider forming a study group with some students in your class.  The benefits are many.  You can learn from others, get support from classmates, master concepts as you explain them to your study groupies – and you are even likely to make a new friend or two.
10. Seal the Deal.  When you have successfully rocked your math course, celebrate.  Then contact your academic advisor and make arrangements to take the quantitative reasoning assessment immediately.  I don’t know about you, but I often must re-learn math concepts that I have not practiced in some time.  If you want to avoid re-learning all the concepts you just worked so hard to master, then take the required quantitative reasoning assessment pronto. 

 Source: Jacobs, Lynn F., and Jeremy S. Hyman. The Secrets of College Success. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2010. Print.

This Is Your Brain on Berries

Summer 2012 is the summer of the superhero.  The Avengers, Spiderman, and Batman will perform heroic deeds on movie screens throughout the summer.  While we ordinary humans may not ever possess super powers, we can consume super-foods for the brain.  Super-foods?  Yup.  Super-foods.  

Blueberries – we all know what a blueberry is.  But many people do not know what a nutritional wallop these little gems pack.  Specifically, blueberries are a super-food for your brain.  The colorful fruit is packed with anthocyanins, the flavonoid which gives the berry its blue color.  Anthocyanins help improve the flow of information to the brain and halt the rate at which cells deteriorate.  In fact, studies have shown that drinking blueberry juice daily can improve memory by 30%.  Blueberries are also high in vitamins K and C, manganese, and fiber.

According to Dr. Weil, a half cup of blueberries provides the antioxidant power of five servings of peas, carrots, apples, squash or broccoli.  Talk about power. 

We CCVers are super-lucky because blueberries grow abound in Vermont, and there are many farms where families can go to pick their own. Off season blueberries can be costly, but frozen blueberries are reasonably priced and the frozen berries retain their nutrition.  Frozen berries are also perfect for making smoothies.

If smoothies aren’t your thing, check out All Recipes collection of blueberry recipes.  You can sneak the super-goodness into muffins, cakes, pancakes and pies. Yum.   

Don’t you feel just a little bit smarter already?

Read, Baby, Read

 
by Debby Stewart, 
Dean of Students, Community College of Vermont

Whether you’re taking classes this summer or have filled your calendar with other obligations (like work, weeding, and keeping the kids from launching into mayhem), don’t forget to carve out some time for reading. After all, nothing suits a lazy, hazy day—when the inclination to barely stir settles over you—than a good book. “I’m moving,” you can say to the one whose eyebrow is arched in your direction, “inside my head.” 

Finding the right book to accompany you in your hammock is a bit challenging. Of course, you can search the web or talk to friends or step inside the local library—all good strategies—but you might also check out one of these four recommendations:  

·         Want an Oldie But a Goodie? John Steinbeck’s East of Eden

o   Yes, summer is the perfect time to catch up on one of those books you barely remember or only experienced in a film. East of Eden is a great book with epic themes like good versus evil and free will versus destiny.  But it’s also a tremendously enjoyable read with characters so real you’ll wish the book wouldn’t end. Trust me: it’s that good.  

·         Looking for a Deserving Sequel? Hilary Mantel’s Bring Up the Bodies

o   In 2010, Mantel published Wolf Hall about life under Henry the VIII (from the perspective of his right-hand man, Thomas Cromwell). This is the period captured in the popular Showtime series, The Tudors. The novel won several awards and was a best-seller. Bring Up the Bodies continues Cromwell’s story, focusing on the downfall of Anne Boleyn.  Mantel is particularly good at making this period—this world—come alive. You won’t be able to put it down.

Let Me Shake Your Hand

When you go into a job interview, the first impression the interviewers make will be based on your attire (remember to dress to impress) and your handshake.  If you want to start the interview strongly, the key is to perfect the handshake.

You might be thinking, "Handshake.  I've got this down.  What's in a handshake?"  Well, apparently, quite a bit.  Nearly 20% of surveyed folks admit they form an instant impression of a person based on The Handshake.

Career training experts have cataloged different types of less-than-desirable shaking styles.  The Lobster is when the shaker grasps the tips of the recipient's fingers just as a lobster would with its claw.  Shaker etiquette enthusiasts suggest that shaking the tips of fingers displays lack of engagement.  In contrast, The Grabber shakes a person's hand while simultaneously grabbing the person's forearm.  This handshake should be reserved for people you know well or someone you plan on inviting to a date - not an interviewer.  The Pumper grabs onto someone's hand and keeps on shaking, holding the other shaker hostage in the grip.  The interviewer may perceive the pumper as nervous and child-like or as overly aggressive; you don't want to shoot for either of those impressions during an interview.

The Limp Fish handshake seems to draw the most criticism from hiring experts and hand-shakers everywhere.  In addition to just being blah, the limp fish connotes nervousness and insecurity.  Conversely, you are not the Hulk or Wonder Woman, so your handshake does not need to be overly firm or aggressive.  You want your handshake to convey confidence and aptitude - not to inflict discomfort.

And remember, the golden rules of  exemplary handshaking are gender neutral.  The same principles apply to both guys and gals.  So, what makes for a good interview handshake?

• Make sure your hand is dry before you greet the interviewer.