For the past 15 years, I've been encouraged by teachers, parents, and peers to broaden my horizons. To try new things and look at the world from a different point of view. That was then.
Lately, I've found that I haven't been pushed to discover and explore as much. I've been told to sit down and listen to what I'm told. Don't think outside the box. Don't be creative. How terrible is that? I'm only 20 years old and I'm already being encouraged to quit while I'm ahead and settle for second best.
I've never been the kind of person to sit back and let someone else tell me how to live or experience the one chance I have at life on this earth. So, I've taken matters into my own hands.
While looking for internships, I've found a few telltale signs of my own ignorance. Some requirements mention programs or skill sets that I have never even heard of. The latest example of this is Microsoft Project. Only after researching and applying for multiple internship opportunities did I stumble upon this program. None of my professors had ever mentioned it and it certainly didn't come standard with my Microsoft Office package. So I did a little digging to try and understand what I was missing.
And boy, I was missing a lot.
Microsoft Project is a fantastic organizational tool used to manage projects large and small within an organization. Unfortunately, this software comes with a hefty price (far to hefty for a poor college student who is simply trying to get her feet wet). So instead of shelling out over $1,000 for the software, I decided to go the innovative route. After a couple of quick google searches, I was able to find and sign up for an open source program called Teambox (now called Redbooth).
Teambox is a fantastic site for student or small business owners. It is free, for the basic program, but has the option to upgrade to the premium plan. Everything I need to complete a project in an organized, timely manner is included. Project organization, task assignment, notifications mailed to my inbox, the ability to add more members to the group, file upload and storing option, online whiteboard collaboration application. I can even connect to my GoogleDrive or Dropbox account to access my files more easily, if I so choose. Everything is there and ready. There is even a Video Conference application that is currently in beta.
I couldn't be more thrilled to have found this marvelous site. It has taken the terrifying task of managing 2 group projects in one semester and turned it into a reasonable assignment. My group members, who were also unaware that such software existed, are just as thrilled with this new addition to our bag of technological tools.
The internet is a wealth of good, solid information if one only knows where to look. I've found hundreds of blogs, videos, podcasts, tutorials, and PDFs that give me more information than I could ever hope to retain. Teambox is just the beginning of all the amazing sites and tools I am sure to find as I continue my search to find the best and most helpful tools the internet (and the world) has to offer.
