MORE SCHOOL MEANS MORE DOGS

Updated version of my previous guide.

Always ask to speak to the manager or the person currently in charge (i.e. the assistant manager or the team leader.) The manager is the one hiring; they’re the one you want to impress. In some highly competitive retails, some sales associates will throw away your resume before it even gets to the boss(es). 

If you’re being accompanied by a friend or a family member, ask them to wait outside while you hand out your resume. Do not let them enter in the shop with you. Do not let them stand beside you as you speak with the manager/the person in charge. It’s unprofessional!

If you’re handing out resumes with a friend, do not apply at one place at the same time. Take turns instead.

I don’t know if it’s only a personal pet and peeve, but I utterly hate when people’s first question is “Hello, are you currently hiring?” It makes it as if you’re only interested in the workplace if they’re hiring. Maybe currently they are not, but in a few weeks they will? Maybe someone will suddenly quit and they’ll have to dig in old resumes?  

“Hello, may I speak with the manager or the person currently in charge? It’s for an application.”

“Hello, my name is ___.” Insert handshake here. “I am looking for a part-time/full-time job and I’d like to apply here. Here’s my resume.”

Know what you want. I’ve witnessed so many people answer “I don’t know” to the questions they were asked. 

On that note: Always be ready to answer some basic questions. Prepare the answers before you go, it helps looking confident. The most common questions are: 

How many hours do you want? What are your availability?

Which position are you aiming for? 

Why are you applying here? (to which you can easily answer: “It’s near home”, “It fits my interests”, “I’ve heard some good stories about working here”, etc. Do not lie though. Be truthful.)

Do you have any experience in that particular field? (if no, “No, but I want to learn”. If yes, “Yes, I have worked here and here”.)

Smile. I swear to God, the only reason I have my current job is because my manager was “charmed by my smile” (to put you in context, they just had hired someone and they weren’t looking for anyone else.)

Put one ounce of extra care in your appearance when handing out resumes. Tie your hair if you need to, do not apply in your school uniform, put your bestest clothes and look genuine. Also, please remove your shades when speaking to the employees…

perfect resume for someone with no experience

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Big handwriting tips:

Practice (as with all things)

Imagine you’re sleepy (maybe you are sleepy) and your pen nods off a bit and keeps walking longer than you intended

{how to take notes for math classes}

Some of you have been asking for advice on how to take notes for math classes, so here are some pages from my 6.006 Algorithms class, where we try to minimize the runtimes of computer programs. I know that these are not the neatest, most aesthetically pleasing notes, but they help me study, and hey–that’s what notes are for :)

Here are some things to keep in mind:

don’t be afraid to mess up

date and number the pages

formatting and underlining are your friends

mo’ colors mo’ problems – keep it simple

make a big box around equations

leave tons of space

Hey friends!

I envy everyone with gorgeous handwriting! Notes are clearer, concepts seem simpler, and studying becomes super easy when you’ve got notes that look like works of art! In celebration of the upcoming school year, here are some tips for nice handwriting:

• Posture, people!

Sit up straight when you’re writing! Not only is it good for your back, but you’ll also be able to use your whole arm when writing and avoid too much strain on your wrist.

• Choose your weapon

Different pens and pencils work for different people. Try out some different supplies and see how they work for you. Most of the time, you don’t need expensive materials to write nicely!

• Practice makes perfect

Write in the air, doodle on paper or write out previous notes. While you’re practicing, focus on making your letters even and smooth. Try to practice X’s, L’s and O’s and work with lined paper!

• Sharing is caring

You’d be surprised to find that if you are writing notes that you’re going to be sharing with others, you’re writing turns out much nicer! Write your notes as if they’re being distributed to the class or posted on Tumblr!

• Take your time!

Obviously, if you’re taking notes in class, you’re going to want to get everything down without having to worry about spacing or even letters. But if you’re writing those notes out at home (which is great for remembering material!), work patiently and consistently.

• Inspiration motivation

Keep a picture of your favourite handwriting/note sheet as your lock screen when you’re writing! Look at it from time to time and try to replicate the letters and sizing.

• Trace it out!

If you find a font you like, print out a sheet and try to trace the font. Handwriting uses muscles that will have to be retrained and practice is a great way to do it!

1. Choose the right pen

Before you write a word, think about your pen. Slippery ballpoint pens tend to exacerbate messy handwriting, fine point gel pens lend a little more traction, slows down writing and gives it better readability. 

So what type of pen leads to what type of writing? If your font is very readable but you’d like to give it more form,you should use bold, inky pens. Such pens have broad tips that make lines smoother. The broad lines help cover subtle imperfections and give your handwriting more of a flow and room for flair.

If your writing weakness is legibility, then you need is a pen that gives you cleaner and more defined lines. Rather than bold pens, you probably should go for a finer point that helps make your letters more distinct.

2. Check your posture

Sit with your back straight, feel flat on the floor, legs uncrossed. Relax your hand and arm. Shake your hand until it feels floppy. Handwriting benefits from sitting up straight, with your forearm resting on the table, so that the arm moves the fingers rather than the wrist.

3. Slow down

Writing quickly won’t just cause bad handwriting, it may also prompt grammar and spelling mistakes. When your handwriting is rushed, it is very difficult to stop and start your letters. Unless you are in an exam and forced to rush, there’s no need to write at a galloping speed. So take your time, write slowly and avoid scribbling over the page.

4. Examine your writing

Take a sheet of lined paper and write the alphabet, aiming to join every letter. Focus on which letters you have the most trouble with. Are some letters not properly formed?Circle the letters you’re not happy with and work on improving those. Does your handwriting slope backwards or forwards, or is it upright? You need to know your writing in order for you to improve.

5. Copy handwriting you like

If you particularly admire a different style, get some tracing paper and start to copy it – the more you imitate a particular way of writing, the easier it will be to bring elements of that into your own writing.

In the end, it all comes down to practice. So…

Student: Why do we need to learn how to do essays and cite our sources?

Learn to study.

When I was younger, my studying routine consisted of rewriting notes and highlighting everything. It worked then, b/c my classes weren’t so difficult, but it was inefficient. My top 3 tips? 1) For classes like Math, Chemistry, and Physics, practice is key. Don’t make super detailed notes; do practice problems (even if they’re not due). 2) If you are going to rewrite your notes, don’t just copy them. Organize the ideas in different ways (Understanding, not just memorization). 3) Review content throughout the year.

Pay attention in English.

It doesn’t matter where you end up, you need to be able to write well. From my experience, it is easier to get higher marks in English than other classes so put in that extra effort (esp if you need to boos your average). Also, Sparknotes and LitCharts will save you.

Be respectful.

A little respect goes a long way, and a lot of people don’t seem to understand this. Teachers are people too. As well as janitors. Seriously, please realize that someone has to clean up the mess you make.

Learn to drive. 

I procrastinated getting my license and it sucks being the friend who always needs a ride. Driving lessons are super helpful if you can afford them.

Explore your interests.

Once you get out of high school you’ll probably have to pay to learn new things. So take that class you’ve always been slightly interested in, whether it be French or History or Theatre.

You don’t have to date anyone. 

Don’t date someone just for the sake of being in a relationship. The right person will come along (and not necessarily in high school so don’t stress).

If you date someone, don’t ditch your friends.

If you can make time for your boyfriend/girlfriend/significant other, you can make time for your friends too. If this does happen to you, an apology will go a long way with your friends.

Get involved.

There’s so many opportunities available to you in high school. Throughout high school, I’ve been involved with soccer, volleyball, basketball, and leadership and it has helped me form great friendships. When I look back on high school now, I remember team dinners with my volleyball team, planning spirit week, and not the Chemistry test I had to study for.

Learn to say no.

When I was heavily involved in soccer (18 hours a week plus 8+ hours of travel), I said no to playing volleyball. My friend said yes but she was always stressed out/tired and couldn’t really commit to volleyball. Another friend of mine was stuck with piano lessons, that she hated, for years b/c she couldn’t figure out how to tell her parents no. Be realistic about what you can handle and what you like and don’t like

If you have a job, don’t let anyone take advantage of you.

Research the employment laws for where you live to ensure you’re getting proper breaks, treatment, etc. And don’t let your employer overschedule you. My friend ended up working the night before every final exam, because she was convinced she had to. Your place of employment can manage without for a few days. Don’t let  your coworkers take advantage of you either. Don’t constantly cover someone else’s shifts if they never return the favour.

Get a planner.

Get into the habit of using a planner (or something similar) and write everything in it! It will help you avoid that Sunday night panic when you realize there is an assignment due Monday morning. And other people will love you for it. Without fail, I always had a couple of people texting me on Sunday, asking about homework.

Save your money.

When you have to start paying tuition or rent you will thank your younger self for saving your money. If you tend to spend lots of money on things you don’t really need, put aside 90% of each pay check into a savings account and the remaining percent is your spending money.

If you have a free period, use it!

I would usually go home for my free periods and it was such a big mistake. I could not focus at home. The times I got the most done was when I sat alone in the library and focused on my work.

Pay attention in Math.

It’s super important that you know the math basics. This especially applies if you plan on taking any upper level math course.

Start studying early for final exams.

Teachers always rush to finish teaching the last units at the end of the semester, which isn’t helpful when you’re stressing about exams. I usually set out a study plan for 3 weeks before exam week (and take a day to organize your notes by each unit).

Know that you don’t have to college right away.

Taking a gap year is a valid option and actually really smart. Get to know yourself better, become more independent, and save up some money! Just consider all of your options.

“Senioritis” is real.

I thought I would be safe. I was wrong. With all the excitement of graduation and , your last weeks, months, and year of high school will be hard to focus on. Your last semester will be difficult, but please don’t let your grades drop. For Physics, studying with friends usually helped me figure out how to do problems, but in the last few months my friends were more of a distraction than a help. Figure out how to keep your focus.

Have fun!

As important as school might seem, you don’t have to study constantly. Learn to prioritize and be efficient. Make time for your friends.

Check out my other posts:

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If you’re in high school or even university, and you still struggle to understand how to write a thesis for an English essay, here are a few simple ways to break it down. I will be using Anna and Elsa for my example. 

Start by looking at your story’s largest theme and what message is explicitly told to the audience. Frozen, focuses on the theme of true love and sends the message that true love can come from family. But to say your thesis statement is  “Frozen shows true love isn’t just romantic love”, is too obvious. However, it helps to create your thesis by writing down what your story’s major theme is first, before trying to come up with an argument. 

Now that you know what the topic of your essay will be, consider what literary tools are used to express the major theme of your story. In Frozen, true love is expressed through the literary/narrative tools of song, body language and contrast (Anna and Elsa’s opposing personalities). For a novel, look at the repeating metaphors, similes and imagery that expresses the theme you are looking at. Now you are starting to critically think and not just make a statement about the plot.  

You can finally write a thesis statement once you have decided the strongest factor or detail that is used to express the story’s theme. For Frozen, true love is expressed by the sacrifices characters make for each other. In particular, the sacrifices Anna makes for Elsa, and the latter reciprocates this love by making a grand sacrifice at the end of the story to save Anna. Therefore, my thesis would be: Anna and Elsa demonstrate true love is formed by the willingness to make sacrifices, instead of happening by an inexplicable infatuation. There are many types of thesis statements, there are comparing ones like mine, but what’s important is that you are arguing something. You can make a thesis statement be about one character, the influence of setting, mood, or the effect of vernacular (style of the language in the narrative like colloquial or formal, or culturally specific). Once you have written your thesis statement ask yourself, “why does this matter and what is being argued for or against?” If you can answer those questions you have a plausible essay that can be written!

High school cliques make it entirely too difficult to just be yourself, but being yourself anyways, through all of that insane social scrutiny, will be the best decision you ever make.

Collectively hating a class can bring a group of previously unconnected strangers together faster than the teacher can organize a pop quiz on the textbook material you forgot to read.

Staying awake during the period after lunch is just as difficult as staying awake during first period.

Prom is either the best thing or the worst thing that will ever happen to you.

AP classes are high school’s own version of medieval torture chambers. B-R-U-T-A-L, amirite?!?

High school drama is pretty much unavoidable. Just embrace it.

Teachers aren’t actually out to get you, they just see your potential and want to help you make the right decisions and get you on the right path for your future.

It is entirely possible to make life-long friendships in high school; the people standing next to you at graduation might be the same people standing next to you on your wedding day.

Do not eat the sloppy joe’s from the lunch line. Just don’t do it, it’s just not worth it. NOT. WORTH. IT.

Mom: You’ve been working hard on that homework! Here, I made you a little treat.

Me: Oh! Ha, uh, thanks 

Me:

One of the most expensive college experiences is buying textbooks.  There are some various options that you have though.  My main point is in regards to the last option “loose-leaf books”.  Even if you usually buy used and think you save the most money possible, look at this option as it is something I have never heard of before and assume that most other people haven’t either!

What to take into consideration when purchasing/renting books:

How long will you keep the book (for the semester vs. forever)

Do you plan on marking in the book 

Price/Budget

Is the book for your major or for a general education class 

If you purchase used: quality of the book (markings, highlighting, tears, wear, water damage, stains, broken binding, etc.) 

If you purchase online: reliability of the seller (look at feedback)

How long will it take for you to receive your book (is it on back-order)

Purchase from the bookstore: Please don’t do this.  This is the place that you will probably spend the most on textbooks.  Unless you wish to spend hundreds of dollars more than you need to, there is no reason to purchase books at your school’s bookstore.

Purchase New:  If you want to buy a book in pristine condition, you can buy new books online via amazon.  Usually this is a cheaper option than buying through the bookstore.  This still isn’t the cheapest option but if you plan on keeping the book for future classes or for your career and you will repeatedly refer back to it, then this is a good option.  You don’t have to worry about wear/tear from previous owners and there isn’t any writing or marking in the book which is always nice. 

Purchase Used: Most of the books I have purchased throughout my undergraduate/masters programs have been used.  You can look for these books through amazon, half.com, and other similar sites.  You can even ask around on campus and see if there is someone who is willing to sell you their old book.  Make sure to check out or ask about the condition of the book.  If there is some scuffing, is this really such a big deal?  On the other hand, if it is all marked up and written in is this going to benefit you or confuse you?  When purchasing used the main thing I pay attention to is the amount of marking that is in the book. 

Rent: This is another option for saving money on books.  The biggest flaw (in my opinion) is that you won’t be able to mark in the book.  I guess you could overcome this problem via sticky notes, but you would still have to worry about accidently spilling on the book in those late night study sessions with coffee.  I guess as clumsy as I am, this is not an option as I would consider but to each their own.  If you do this, I would put a heavy-duty book cover on the book and be very aware of liquids or other things that could damage the book. 

Loose-leaf books: This is something that I just learned about in the past month.  I figured this out via amazon.  There was a book I had to purchase for the upcoming semester that was going to cost me around $250 new or upwards of $200 used in good condition.  I don’t know about other people, but I really don’t want to spend that much on a statistics book that I probably won’t use again after the class is over.  As I was searching amazon (my preferred site for buying books) I noticed there was a copy that was posted for about $110.  My first reaction was “what is wrong with this book?” You want to be aware of cheap copies usually because there is something seriously wrong with the book when it is that cheap (usually, not always).  As I read the description I realized that it was a “loose-leaf” copy of the book.  Basically it is the textbook, but unbound and three-hole punched.  I purchased this, it came wrapped in saran wrap, and I put it in a “heavy duty binder” (because I always have at least 3 empty ones on hand.  If you love binders like I do… I have a weird binder fetish… then this is a great option for saving money!  The nice thing too is if you just need one chapter of the book, you can place it in another binder and not have to carry the entire thing to the library or across campus.  Honestly there is so much information about the previous options I listed, but I had never previously heard about this option and I don’t know how common it is.  If you love binders and want to save money though, you should seriously consider this option! Here are some pictures for all my “visual” followers.  

How I received the “book”: 

Placed in a binder:

If you have any questions, as always feel free to comment or message me! 

Happy Studying,