7 Things College Graduates Need to Know About Their First Job

I’m writing this at 7PM on a Saturday. I worked today and I am totally and utterly exhausted. I was watching a video on Youtube where one of the lifetstyle vloggers spoke about her internship experience. She mentioned not enjoying the office environment and found it crazy that she had to wake up at 7:30 each morning (I wake up at 5:30. I’m very jealous). I feel like there’s a huge difference between the college life and the working world. Most of the time, graduates are not prepared. So here are some of the things I think college graduates need to know about their first job.

  1. This may not be the job for you- Guys, this is SO SO SO important. Sometimes your first job may not be for you. I had a friend join a company where she was utterly miserable and could not hide it. She would do the bare minimum of work to get by simply because it was not what she wanted to do. Not every job is for every person and I don’t think lots for people realise that.
  2. You may not have your dream job- Similarly your first job may not be the job you wanted. I spent four months looking for jobs in Media and Publishing before giving it and taking the first job I got. Was it in the field I wanted? No. Did I learn from it? HELL YES!
  3. There will be a transition period for you- Adjusting from the world of skipping classes just coz you could to a workplace where you need to be in is a HUGE adjustment. I’ve been working for ten months and it still makes me sad that I can’t just skip work on Fridays and stay in bed. Damn you, Uni for spoiling me.
  4. It is not always pretty or fair- Such is life. Guys, I can’t even tell you how many times I have been left gaping at the sheer unfairness of life especially in the working world. There’s lying, back-stabbing, betrayal. Think about a Housewives reality show and you have a good idea. WATCH YOUR BACK!
  5. You probably won’t have the salary you want- Starting salaries are incredibly low. I also feel like Durban salaries are especially pathetic. Please can someone explain to me how to survive on R2000-R3000. Have you heard of a little expensive thing called petrol?
  6. Your degree probably won’t count for much- It is very rare to find a job in your field especially if, like me, you studied something in Humanities (also, can I please point out that Humanities is the biggest college in my university and yet they do nothing for the students to find a job? Yes, I am still pissed about that. You’ll  soon see why). At the beginning of your job hunt, your degree might not make much of a difference in your career. I had a friend (non-Humanities of course) who worked for three years after university before he finally got a job in his field. I was equally parts impressed and jealous.
  7. It’s not what you know- Following from the above point, it’s more about who you know that what you know. The wonderful job where I learnt so much? My aunt recommended me for the position. While I am grateful to her, it annoys me that my degree was so useless. Why did I waste three years studying when I could have just had someone recommend me for a job. That being said, NETWORK! It is a great way to make connections and you never know where your next opportunity will come from.

Fiction Friday- Book Review: The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen

The Moon and MoreThe Moon and More by Sarah Dessen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Emmaline lives in the beach town of Colby where it seems like she is nothing but a face in other people’s stories and holiday memories. Emmaline has been with her boyfriend, Luke for practically forever. They’re a great match. Almost perfect.
But things start to change in the summer before Emmaline goes off to college. Her absentee father returns with his son (and some secrets) while a visitor from New York, Theo seems taken with Emmaline.
While Luke is small town, Theo is ambitious and showy. Nothing like the life Emmaline knows but Theo represents the life she could have…If she only chose to move out of Colby.
This was a wonderfully written novel about growing up and finding your identity. Emmaline is a girl from a small town who longs for something more than her ordinary life. However when that something more is given to her, she isn’t so sure anymore if it is what she wants. I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a contemporary read or a sweet family story.

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Healthy Snacking For College

As a college student, it’s difficult to find snacks that are both healthy and quick. So I searched all over the internet and here are a few of the snacking options I found:

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-Bagel or crackers with cream cheese
-Yogurt with fruit or granola
-Dried fruit and nuts
-Bran muffin
-Pretzels
-Cereal bars(these aren’t good for a meal though. I tried them for breakfast and was still hungry)
– Peanut butter sandwich
-Chicken or tuna salad(these both are really tasty and healthy).

Fashion Inspired by Elena Gilbert

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Elena has a super-simple approach to fashion. She dresses like she woke up, threw on the first items she saw and doesn’t care because she KNOWS she looks good. I love that her style is so casual but still looks great. Here are a few tips for getting her look as seen in season 1.

1) Keep it simple- Elena generally has little to no make-up and her hair is left straight and flowing. Who has time for getting dressed up when you’re being chased by your doppelganger ancestor’s old boy – toys (creepy dude in the hoodie, I’m talking about you).

2) Solid, dark colours- I don’t remember seeing Elena in any kind of patterned top. She chooses dark colours like purple and green and her tops are of one solid colour.

3) Bootleg jeans- Again, I think this is just her way of showing how amazing she looks without trying. When last did you see anyone with bootleg jeans? Elena pulls them off effortlessly.

4) Comfortable running shoes- when you’re walking around in graveyards or running away from vampires, you need shoes for comfort. While Katherine chooses to strut around in heels that she’s compelled from some poor soul, Elena chooses to wear flats and Chuck Taylors.

5 Tips For Improving Your Productivity in College

My words to live by are “Work hard, party harder”. This is excellent advice especially if you’re in college. But how do you manage to be productive when you’re just not feeling it? Here are a few tried and tested tips to help you be as productive as possible,

1) Keep a constant routine- have a set time for sleeping and waking up. Try as much as possible to stick to this because it reduces the possibility of you falling asleep in class. Yes, we all want to sleep in class because it’s boring but that’s not very productive.

2) Pay attention in class. Always record the lecture- when I first started sleeping in class, it was totally accidental. First my mind would wander off, then I’d try to rest my eyes and then I would jerk awake. If you know you’re tired/lazy, record the lecture to listen to later. This works especially well for assignments since you can go back and play the recording to find out precisely what is expected of you. Also when you’re actually listening to the lecturer it’s easier to remember what’s being covered in class.

3) Write things down as soon as possible- use your school calender plus your syllabi (is that the plural of syllabus? I’m not entirely sure…) and note down important dates such as tests, projects, when campus closes and reopens as well as the last day for changing your courses. This will a) help you to see important dates and b) you’ll know when you’re busy with a pile of essays or tests.

4) Set your own deadlines- if you have your own deadlines preferably a day or two earlier than the actual due date you’ll get work done faster. You may also have enough time to get a tutor to edit your essay or cover last-minute concepts with your lecturer.

5) Start work as soon as you get it- I don’t mean write the essay or read 3 chapters for that test. Do something small just to make a tiny dent in your workload. List points for your essay or skim a chapter in the textbook. It makes things easier if you start off small. You’ll eventually be able to tackle the entire essay/textbook.

The Playground of Randomness Guide to College: Orientation

I remember my Orientation as if it were yesterday. Though in reality it was 2 years ago. Time really does fly!
Orientation or O-week as some call it is possibly the most exciting time for a freshman. It’s your first look at the campus when you know with absolute certainty that you’re going to be a part of it.
But try not to lost yourself in all the magic of the moment. Orientation is your time to familiarise yourself with campus and learn how everything works.

What Actually Goes On:
Some colleges may be different but my Orientation started with a long speech from the Chancellor(that I sat outside for since I had heard the same speech when I arrived for Parents Day).
Most colleges have a campus tour. Pay careful attention to this because not only will it prevent you from getting lost, it will help you understand how everything functions.
Handouts about courses are passed out some times. You may even get a handbook- guard it with your life! I have both an actual handbook and a pdf file. I also stalked my college websites and social networking sites for months before I was accepted but I don’t recommend that. I still feel very creepy about that. But my point is- I was super-excited about college. And you should be too.

What I Did:
(Or also known as ‘Mistakes I Made That You Should Avoid’)
I swear there’s gona be an entirely separate blog post on all my college mistakes but that’s for another day.
For Orientation my campus tour guide wasn’t audible to the people in the back of our 40-50 people group…so I skipped the tour and went with a friend’s cousin instead.
The plus of this was that she completed our registration for us(ie the part where you choose your classes) and we didn’t have to wait in a line. We also got our own private tour.
The downsides was that I didn’t receive a handbook(the copy I got was one that I found) and I also was lost about how to use the library and the computer labs.
Eventually, with the help of a few older students who were friends, I managed to figure out what needed to be done but I still have no idea how to use the library copier or how to print out anything should I need to.
I also missed out on fun activities. I knew colleges had events for freshmen to bond over but only saw the flyers once my first official week of college had started- which was too late.
Bottom line- do yourself a favour, attend your Orientation and pay attention! You’ll be grateful later on.
Xoxo

My Most Anticipated 2018 Reads

Okay, so I know it’s already February but I have only just realized that there are so many great books coming out in 2018. Previously I was just excited for the sequels to 2017 reads but I just found some new reads and I HAVE to share. Also I’m running out of blog ideas (feel free to share some down below):

  • All Your Perfects by Colleen Hoover- Collen Hoover is back with another heart-breaking romance (well I’m guessing it’s heart-breaking since most of her books are). “All Your Perfects” follow a married couple and the secrets between them. I was not really interested in this book since it seems more on the heavy side and less of a romance. However I read an excerpt and it looks GOOD!!!
  • A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas- Why is there frost in this title? Has Winter come to the Night Court? Anything with Rhysand is a win for me. Also, how gorgeous is this cover???

  • Bright We Burn by Kiersten White- I love love love this series so much. I think this is possibly my most anticipated read for 2018. I can’t wait to see how this series ends.
  • Hero at the Fall by Alwyn Hamilton- This is already out and I NEED IT (so that I can finally finish “Traitor to the Throne”). Note to self- do NOT spend all of your money at the booksales.
  • Hello Stranger by Lisa Kleypas- I think about this book alot. I don’t know why coz I never had such an attachment to the other books in this series. Oh well, this is a historical romance and if you’ve been here a while you know how I love those.

What are some of your most anticipated reads for 2018? I’d love to know below!

Fiction Friday: Book Review- My True Love Gave to Me by Stephanie Perkins

My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday StoriesMy True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories by Stephanie Perkins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

For some bizarre reason I have really been feeling for a YA contemporary read. Normally I don’t do YA contemporary. I am strictly a YA fantasy and adult contemporary fan (don’t ask me why but this is the way I have always been).
I picked this up to try and fill that craving and it definitely worked! This is a collection of twelve wonderful romances that can be read in one setting. Many of these authors are some of my favourites and it was great to see them write these bite-size stories. For me, personally, I hated that Real Life got in the way of me reading this book but I loved that I could read a story a day. It was like having Christmas in January (which is something I really needed). I also enjoyed the fact that these stories were all guaranteed a happy ending. The stories range from cute and sweet to magical and mystifying. This was a cute holiday read that I recommend to anyone who is looking for a good contemporary. I can’t wait to read the Summer anthology.

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Budgeting 101

Nothing makes me happier than having money at the end of the money, BEFORE payday arrives. I’ve been working for about a year and it still amazes me that the one thing in my life I have relatively good control over is my finances. Is it because I live with my parents? Is it because I have fewer expenses than most people? Maybe. But I personally believe that it’s my very strict budget. All through my life my father has told me that I don’t know how to budget (which at the time was true). However when you start working for your money, you learn quickly what works for you and what doesn’t. Here is my quick course on budgeting:

 

1) Save before you spend: Before you start drawing up your budget, be sure to put aside some money in a savings account. I have a certain amount set to transfer to a savings account every month as soon as I get paid. Which leads me to my next point…

2) Pretend you earn less than you actually do: I consider my earnings as a little less than the amount I have left AFTER I have saved. For example, if I have R500 after saving then I pretend I earn R300. That R500 is to remain untouched until absolutely necessary (I will discuss this later). This method work out as a great way for me to save money since at the end of every month I am surprised by my bank balance. Why do I still have money? Oh, yes- I earn more than I think I do. It feels like a present from me to me. Thank you, me.

3) Make a budget…but round everything up: I like to round up my expenses to the nearest hundred. This ensures that I am able to cover them sufficiently as well as having some extra money in case I need it. For example, the petrol price went up by a HUGE amount one month. It was a major strain on finances but it affected me just a small bit because of all the money I have saved.

4) Similarly, round up your spending budget as well: Make a list of what your usual purchases are and round that up too. I always over-budget for food (which I rarely buy) and clothes (just in case it turns out that I’m outgrowing them…AGAIN) so I know that I am always covered.

5) Remember to keep something for a rainy day: This is very important. Put aside money to use in case of an emergency. When I first started work, I was crazy about this. I insisted on keeping R500 in my account no matter what. I wouldn’t use the money even if I had no money for petrol or food. That money was not to be touched. This came in handy when all of a sudden, my car battery died and needed to be replaced. I was thrilled that my responsible ways finally paid off.

How do you budget? Are there any tips you have that I might have missed? I’d love to know below.

Waiting on Wednesday: Hello Stranger (The Ravenels #4) by Lisa Kleypas

I love Lisa Kleypas and her historicals. This series is no different. It is a sort of combination of her “Wallflower” series and her “Hathaway” series. This specific book follows the only female physician in London. This series has really strong feminist themes which are still relevant today:

Release Date:  February 27th 2018 by Avon

 

Official Synopsis from Goodreads.com:

A woman who defies her time

Dr. Garrett Gibson, the only female physician in England, is as daring and independent as any man—why not take her pleasures like one? Yet she has never been tempted to embark on an affair, until now. Ethan Ransom, a former detective for Scotland Yard, is as gallant as he is secretive, a rumored assassin whose true loyalties are a mystery. For one exhilarating night, they give in to their potent attraction before becoming strangers again.

A man who breaks every rule

As a Ravenel by-blow spurned by his father, Ethan has little interest in polite society, yet he is captivated by the bold and beautiful Garrett. Despite their vow to resist each other after that sublime night, she is soon drawn into his most dangerous assignment yet. When the mission goes wrong, it will take all of Garrett’s skill and courage to save him. As they face the menace of a treacherous government plot, Ethan is willing to take any risk for the love of the most extraordinary woman he’s ever known

 

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