Make Your Master Plan

I don't know about you, but I often wish I had a clone, a butler, a personal assistant - or just more hours in the day, so I can tackle my long and mighty to-do list.  Alas, I do not have the luxury of Alfred the butler or a Hollywood-style personal assistant.  What I do have, though, are some time management tools and a master plan. 

A syllabus informs students of their responsibilities and  instructor expectations and provides a semester roadmap of class topics and due dates.  However, those due dates on the syllabus are likely not the only priorities you are juggling.  Many CCV students have to schedule work and family obligations along with CCV assignments.  And many students are taking more than one class, so they are having to reference more than one syllabus.  Can you imagine driving with more than one roadmap?  If I have to pay attention to the road and try to read a few maps at a time, I very well may end up lost or in a road-side ditch.  Drivers should follow one set of clear directions.  Well, the same principle holds true for student time management - students should work from one time management tool.  To be most successful, you should devise a master plan that allows you to track and manage all obligations from the different facets of your life - work, school, family and community.

The CCV Student Planner is a great tool to help you track your assignments and obligations.  The planner has the added benefit of providing the CCV Handbook, CCV policies and procedures, and tips and tricks for student success.  The 2012-13 planner has tools specific to time-management:

•  Planning Your 168-Hour Work Week, pg. 12-13
• Time Management Self-Assessment, pg. 15
• Semester Planning Calendar, pg. 16-17

 I also recommend writing in major tests and assignments for all of your classes on the semester planning calendar on pages 16 and 17.  The calendar provides an at-a-glance view of your entire semester.  If you notice you have 4 assignments due the same week, you can plan ahead and allow plenty of time to start your work and avoid a seriously stressful work crunch.  A larger, printable version of the semester calendar is available online.

Google Calendar is another powerful time management tool - and it's free.  Google Calendar allows students to view obligations in a daily, weekly, or monthly format.  Users can also create and track tasks and print an agenda that serves as a to-do list.  Another bonus of this application is that users can access their calendar from any computer with their Google username and password.

 Finally, I recommend you take the advice of Jimmy's Time Management Fairy.  And if you know of any cool time management tools, please let us know what works for you.

Making the Most of Your Back-to-School Launch

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

You chose the classes, signed all the papers, and bought (or rented) your textbooks. Getting to this point has taken a fair amount of preparation, but now what? Launching into the semester can feel a bit like starting a marathon. Sure, you’re excited but the finish line is miles away and there’s a good deal of work (and some apprehension) between you and that moment of completion with its ice cream, cheering fans, and photo finish. 

So…how to get from here to there? Whether it’s one class or four, online or on-ground, there are some simple things you can do during your first weeks of the semester that will help you to be successful over the long haul, and—most importantly perhaps—make this experience one you want to remember!

#1 - Ask Questions

For most of us, entering college is like being part of a whole new world. There are new processes and terminology. Even if you've been to another college or taken different classes at CCV, there are bound to be differences. The most successful college students ask questions early and often! 

So don’t be afraid to ask for clarification or feedback from faculty and staff. They want you to succeed and will appreciate your willingness to do your best. In fact, asking questions is one of the best ways to distinguish yourself as a serious student. 

#2 – Bring On the Meet & Greet

Take some time at break or outside of class to introduce yourself to others. Worried you won’t have anything to say? Start by asking questions about your classmates, why they chose a class, what they want to do with their lives, how they juggle their different responsibilities. Most people enjoy talking about themselves, so a few open-ended questions can really break the ice. 

Getting to know your classmates will not only make the semester a more satisfying experience for you, it may help you learn more and retain it longer. Collaborative learning is a type of activity when students work together in small groups to solve problems and complete tasks. Many CCV faculty use collaborative learning, for the benefits it offers students, but even if you don’t find yourself using it in class, you can use your introductions to pave the way for study groups and other helpful discussions.

#3 - Try a Different Perspective

One of the most rewarding aspects of being in college is meeting people who are different from us. It’s one of the reasons we travel to new destinations, try new experiences, or entertain ourselves with the tales of different characters. While it’s meaningful to work with new people, it can also present us with challenges, particularly if we haven’t had a lot of practice.

To get the most from the experience of working with other people in your class, try listening empathetically—seeing it from the other person’s perspective—first. Seek to understand by asking clarifying questions. If you find yourself disagreeing strongly with something that’s been expressed, take a moment to understand your own thoughts before speaking. When you’re ready to express your disagreement, focus on the ideas or actions, not the person speaking them. Be respectful. It can be difficult to give and receive criticism or manage disagreement, but this too is an important part of working effectively with others.  

#4 - Prepare Your Pep Talk

No matter how well you plan for the semester, you will probably encounter some unanticipated obstacle or problem. It’s the one constant in life! If this is your first semester at college, you may even begin wondering just why you wanted to start in the first place.  Changing your life—like running a marathon—is challenging work, the kind we take one quarter-mile at a time. 

That’s why it’s important to know, right now, what you’re going to say to yourself when things get tough, when you face that long, steep climb up a hill, and when you feel like giving up. Think about the reasons you want a college education, visualize yourself walking across the stage to get your associate’s degree (the cheers of your adoring family and friends), and remind yourself of things you’ve accomplished in the past, things that were hard but worthwhile. Write down these thoughts now—while you’re excited and fresh—so you’ll have them when they’re needed. And talk with your most supportive family and friends: give them an assignment! Ask them to cheer you on—and treat you to a cup of coffee and a sympathetic ear—when you find yourself discouraged. In fact, make a date now for somewhere around the halfway or three-quarter point.  

Adventures and Learning in Costa Rica

Have you dreamed of exploring tropical rain forests? Spending the night in a village with an indigenous community?  Swimming in warm tropical waters? 

Have you always wished you could experience first-hand the central role culture plays in all forms by exploring the music, dance, food, art, sport and language of a different country? 

 Nope – you do not have to live an Indiana Jones-like life to have such adventures.  You might consider enrolling in CCV’s fall study abroad course Intercultural Communication with travel to Costa Rica.

This course offers students the unique opportunity to travel to Costa Rica to experience first-hand the central role that culture plays in all forms of communication. During the first half of our trip, students will center themselves in the mountain community of San Luis, a small community located right next to Monteverde, near the “Tico” village of Santa Elana, and adjacent to one of the world’s most famous tropical cloud forest reserves that sits high along the continental divide. The second half of the trip will begin with an overnight in the tiny indigenous Bribri community of Yorkin, where CCV students will travel up river in a motorized canoe and spend time with a women’s artisan group. The rest of the trip will be spent in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, a tiny and lively beach village on the Southern Caribbean coast that is home to many distinct cultures, including Indigenous as well as Afro-Caribbean and Latin peoples, and residents from some 40 different nations. In both locations, CCV students will immerse themselves in Costa Rican culture by engaging in a wide variety of educational and nature-based activities. 

•  Experience the music, dance, food, art, sport, and language of three distinct Costa Rican communities.
• Contribute to the development of a socially responsible ecological tourism movement by staying at two beautiful and modern eco-lodges: one is nestled in the breathtaking mountains and the other in a stunning tropical coastal paradise. 
•  Improve your cultural literacy skills by visiting an Indigenous reserve; interviewing community leaders; eating meals at local folks’ houses; touring an organic coffee farm; helping local farmers milk their cows; listening to live calypso music, participating in a fiesta; and taking dance, cooking, and craft lessons.  
• Engage in some of the following once-in-a-lifetime optional activities: do a zip line canopy tour; take surf lessons; take a guided bike ride or horseback ride along the coast; relax at the beach; learn traditional fishing techniques; visit a botanical garden, hummingbird garden, and/or butterfly garden; take a night or sunrise hike; or participate in a community service activity with young children at an Iguana captive breeding center. 
•  Visit one of Costa Rica’s largest and most diverse traditional craft villages and purchase locally made souvenirs for your family and friends.                                                         
   

Visit http://www.ccv.edu/study_abroad to learn all of the details about this course, the trip, and the application and enrollment process.  You can also ask your advisor for more details. There are only a few remaining seats, so please submit the application as soon as possible.

Buenos dias!

Good Clean Fun - With Your Trash!

Photo from http://lessonplans.craftgossip.com/recycle-your-lunch/2010/08/28  

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

If you have children, you may feel a little like a beleaguered recreation director by this time in the summer. Good weather sure makes things easier, but the pace at which kids can burn through activities is daunting, if not exhausting. What's a poor parent to do – especially when the parent has end of summer semester papers to revise, projects to craft and exams to ace?

Look no further than your recycling bin. Cereal boxes, oatmeal cylinders, toilet paper tubes, and egg cartons can all be used to fuel your kids’ imaginations. If kids are old enough to handle scissors, you can give them a roll of masking tape, a pair of kid-approved scissors, and access to the paper garbage.  Since a blank page or empty canvas can be a bit overwhelming, start by issuing a challenge: Create a robot! Design a sculpture that looks like grandma, dad or the dog!  Build a town, a kingdom, or an amusement park!

Sometimes kids can be slow to warm to these kinds of projects, and may need a little help getting started. Don’t let that discourage you. Few things are more satisfying than the act of transformation--making something out of nothing.  Depending on the age and interests of your child, you may want to play together. An imaginative project can “romance” both children and adults alike, particularly as the possibilities unfurl. One robot or sculpture begets another, castles multiply, roads require vehicles, and everything can benefit from a layer of paint.

You can also use plastic recyclables—like mini bottles of shampoo or mustard and ketchup containers—to create magic potions for play in the tub or wading pool. Add a little shampoo and a few drops of food coloring to each bottle, fill with water, and you've got the makings of a terrific witches’ brew or silly soup. If your kid delights in the creepy, toss some small plastic spiders or snakes into the mix.

For toddlers, you can simply freeze ice cubes of different color and then slip a few at a time into their water as you bathe or play with them. The contrast of frozen cubes and warm water can be fun for young children, particularly as the colors dissipate and mix to create new blends.

Once the creative energy is flowing and your child is engaged in a project, you can steal some time to focus your energies on end of semester assignments – or, you just might decide to take a time out and dig in to some imaginative play with your child.

For more ideas on how to crank up your children's creativity through simple and easy projects, check out this website: http://madebyjoel.com/.  What are your best tips for keeping kids entertained during the dog days of summer?

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.