Malaysia, Anyone?

HI!

I don't know why that was such an enthusastic greeting, but I'll go with it. To be honest, I'm in a surprisingly good mood for the immense amount of work I have to finish before three o'clock tomorrow afternoom.

My fellow Global Comm folk know what I mean. Tomorrow's the due date for phase 1 of our semester-long country project.

Although it's an interesting project and I'm learning a lot, it's incredibly stressful. It's a pretty big deal. Basically, it's a research project on the media industry and culture of an assigned country, except it will be web-based. So rather than handing in a massive research paper at the end of the semester, I will instead be "handing in" a massive website. The site will be a mixture of my own writing and analysis plus pictures, video and sound clips, and links to other sources.

So, in order to take a break from phase 1, which is pretty much just a LOT of research on a basic website, I'm still trying to be productive by preparing myself for phase 2. This will consist of more research and adding some essential design elements.

Then, of course, there are the interviews. That's where my AMAZING readers come in! I know that I have a small international audience (you guys are awesome!), so I'd like to give a shout out to anyone reading this who might be from Malaysia. Please, if you're Malaysian or you're currently living in Malaysia, contact me. I need to speak to people who have personal experience living in the country. It would be great to get to know you, not just because I need to do this project but it would also be so cool to talk to some of my readers.

So, if you're from Malaysia, you're still reading, and you'd like to help me out, please contact me via Facebook (Lauren Kopchik), Twitter (@LaurenKopchik), my school email (lkopchik@mail.smcvt.edu), or Formspring (Lauren Kopchik).

(And if you're not from Malaysia and you read this anyway, you're awesome! As always, feel free to contact me whenever you want if you have questions about Saint Mike's.)

I should get back to my project now. Thanks for reading!

Lauren

Career Development

If you know anything about Saint Mike's, you probably know how much it prides itself as a whole on being an extremely supportive community. As a small liberal arts college with just about every student living on campus, how could it not be?

Something that shouldn't go unnoticed, though, is that the community aspect does not apply only to students--it applies to faculty, staff, alumni, and visitors as well. I can't think of a place where this would be more evident than in the Office of Career Development.

Although I've only just begun to visit the Office of Career Development, it's an on-campus resource that's available for everyone to use, from first-years to grad students or even alumni. Now that I've started getting serious about looking for a summer internship, I've been scheduling appointments with career development to work on my resume and discuss my options.

I started out by going to a resume workshop, which is an event that takes place almost every week to help students figure out what they should put on their resumes and how to format them to suit different internships or opportunities. The workshop that I attended had been run by Ingrid Peterson, and she was incredibly helpful in answering my initial questions. After that, I decided to schedule a one-on-one meeting with Ingrid so that I could figure out what I wanted to do this summer and where I should go to look for internships.

During our first meeting, Ingrid looked over my resume and helped me make a few small adjustments to showcase the experiences I've had that I want my employers to know about. She asked me some questions about what kind of work I was looking to do, and had me fill out a form by checking off which types of jobs sounded interesting and which major cities or regions I would like to work in. As an MJD major with a lot of experience in blogging and writing or editing content for the web, I am mostly interested in finding an internship that would help me further those skills. I also checked off subjects like photography, web design, newspaper writing and editing, service work, and non-profit organizations.

After that, we looked at a few websites that would be useful in finding internships that cater to my interests. Ingrid also showed me how to get the best use out of SMC JobLink, which is a database that allows anyone in the SMC community to set up a profile and browse resources for finding jobs, internships, careers and other opportunities.

Today I had a second meeting with Ingrid just to follow up on my final resume and cover letter for a specific employer. We talked about application deadlines, how to go about setting up interviews and how to graciously turn down other interviews once an internship is landed.

Although it's a lot of pressure to make yourself look awesome on paper to a complete stranger, I found that the right resources really do help. Everyone in the Office of Career Development is incredibly nice, and they know exactly what you're going through. Most importantly, though, they really care. Ingrid was as excited as I was about the interships I was finding, and she told me to let her know once I hear back from the employers.

I think that this attitude is definitely one of the things that has always set Saint Mike's apart from other colleges for me. Everyone here helps each other out, and it really is a supportive community. From professors to fellow students, from the office faculties to shuttle drivers to the custodial staff, everyone is looking out for each other. I think that's also why we have such a huge network for such a small school. We keep in touch with every contact we make; we touch base to see how everyone is doing. It's not that we're just thorough--it's that we care. That's why, when people look at a resume and see a Saint Michael's student, they say "Hey! I know that place!"

So, not to get off topic, but I think that all really does relate to Career Development and the wonderful work that they do here. Shout out to them!

And to all of the other members of this fabulous community, know that you are appreciated. It's nice to know that someone's got my back. Remember that I've got yours too.


Cheers,

Lauren

Vlog: Important Announcement!

You're just dying to know, aren't you? :)

Links:

 http://www.sit.edu/studyabroad/overview_moj.cfm?cp=2013SSP#.URxD26VX0rV

http://www.roundearthmedia.org/

Fossil Free SMC!

We've had some really cool environmental awareness things going on around campus over the past few  weeks. Not that this is anything unusual--at Saint Mike's, most students aim to live daily with the environment in mind. However, we're at the beginning of a new, huge movement, and it all started with Bill McKibben's visit to Saint Mike's at the end of January. His talk was incredibly inspiring, and I was quite thrilled to be able to write an article for Her Campus SMCVT about the event.

Bill McKibben is one engaging speaker.

As one of the most influential people on the topic of climate change, Bill McKibben is quite a role model for people all over the world, and the student body was so excited to have him here. He is a founder of the website 350.org, an organization that attempts to instill environmental and legislative change through its campaigns. In the past, it has succeeded in launching huge social activism movements worldwide, and it continues to make an impact on how global citizens view personal responsibilities for the way we treat our planet.

One of 350's recent campaigns is its divestment campaign, which has been asking colleges and universities across the nation to divest stocks from its list of 200 top oil companies. This "Fossil Free" movement, if taken on by enough schools, could make an impact--but more importantly, it's a statement that a great number of our population will no longer stand by and see nothing done about climate change. We want to protect our future, and we will not support something that will inevitably harm it.

So, this week a group of about thirty or forty students got together to start planning our own divestment campaign. We are currently waiting to hear back from the school's administration about exactly which companies we are invested in, and once we find out about that, we're going to start planning talks about divesting from any oil companies. It's kind of surprising that we'd be investing in stocks in the first place--I don't know, it's just something I never thought about. But I'm so glad to be taking this next step. When you're fighting something as gigantic and ambiguous as climate change, everything counts. ESPECIALLY money. And where we put our money is a statement of our beliefs. Taking our investments away from these companies sends out a clear message: this is NOT okay.

I'm really excited for what the rest of the semester holds for this campaign. It won't be easy work, that's for sure--after all, we don't want Saint Mike's to be losing any money in this process, and we will need to find new companies to invest in that will make up the difference but also follow in accordance with our beliefs, environmental and otherwise.

To support Saint Mike's in the divestment endeavor, like our Fossil Free SMC Facebook page. Find out more about the divestment campaign and how you can set one up for your own school here at 350's campaign website. If your school is already participating, see how you can get involved. Most importantly, SPREAD THE WORD. Knowledge is power, and the more people who know about this movement, the better. Remember that if we keep ourselves educated about the issues we want to face, and band together to change those issues, we really can make a difference.

Stay informed!
Lauren

Vlog: Study Abroad and Feeling a Little Awkward

It's been a while! I forgot what it was like talking to a camera. And I have so many awesome readers to impress, y'all made me a bit nervous. So enjoy watching me squirm! (Gee, Blogger chose such an attractive still...thanks, technology.)

Here's a link to the SMC Study Abroad page: http://www.smcvt.edu/en/Experience/Study-Abroad.aspx

And here are links to the specific programs I'm looking at:

http://www.sit.edu/studyabroad/overview_moj.cfm?cp=2013SSP#.UQ7D0qVX0rV

http://www.aifsabroad.com/england/london/

My awesome (and incredibly weird) class schedule

Hello readers! So, I know I said I'd do this over the weekend and it's now Tuesday afternoon, but better late than never right? Besides, today kind of starts the week for me for real. And then it kind of ends on Thursday. I know...most of you are probably thinking that it sounds like the best schedule ever. And mostly, it is...just not for the same reasons you might think!

So on Mondays, I have one class from 8:30 AM to 9:35 AM. Why on earth would I choose to get up early on a Monday for an hour of learning? Well, I hate wasting time, but I never realize how much I hate it until I've already wasted away my morning by laying in bed. So this keeps me from procrastinating! Anyway, once I'm done on Monday mornings, I can't help but remain in weekend mode--the day seems infinite with "nothing" to do! But the truth is, there's always something to do, especially after avoiding homework the whole weekend. So Mondays are big homework days for me.

Anyway, on Tuesdays I have class from 3:00 to 4:35 PM and then a 3-hour photojournalism course from 6:30 to 9:30. Again, a huge chunk of the day is "free," but it's good workout and library time. And, I like to get my homework done before photojournalism, because I would hate having to start everything late at night--especially after a 3-hour class!

On Wednesdays I have my 8:30 class again, plus ANOTHER 3-hour class from 1:30 to 4:30. Thursdays is my one afternoon class at 3:00 and Friday brings me back to the 8:30 AM and then a seemingly infinite weekend!

I wanted to talk about my schedule first because on the surface, it looks like I have a lot of time to kill 3 days out of the academic week. But the important thing to remember is that my class time equals the same amount that most other students are taking, it's just that two of my classes only meet once a week for an extended period of time. This means that my week actually takes a lot of planning, especially around Tuesday and Wednesday. Having large chunks of time out of class can be beneficial because I can often sit down and get something done in one shot. However, not having that time period broken up can mean a slow start, procrastination, and daydreaming, which are all things I happen to excel at. It can also lead to thinking that I have a lot more time on my hands than I actually do. On Sunday night, I went to the library and checked out two DVDs, thinking I'd watch them after I finished the rest of my homework on Monday. It's Tuesday afternoon, and I still haven't watched them yet!

Anyway, I'll spare you guys a lecture. Just remember that if you have a freaky class schedule, you should be realistic about how much time you have. Manage it well.

Now to the fun part: a review of my classes! Prospective Journalism and Environmental Studies friends, listen up:

1.) PH-209A Philosphy of Science, Technology and the Environment (MWF 8:30-9:30 AM): I will admit to you all freely that I am no philosopher. I mean, I can think pretty deeply (believe it or not) but I don't have much interest in philosophical reading or debate. I took this class because it fulfills the Liberal Studies requirement of a second-level philosophy course, and it also counts toward my Environmental Studies minor. So, I was not thrilled to be enrolled in a philosophy class early in the morning, but I did it out of practicality.

That being said, I will also admit that I had no idea how much I'd really enjoy this class. But as soon as Professor L'Hote began her discussion with us last Monday, I've been pretty hooked. This class has a pretty self-explanatory title: we're looking at the impacts of each of these concepts through a philosophical lens. It's probably no surprise to you that the first question our class was asked was, "What is science?" and it also may be no surprise that none of us had a definitive answer. What the course title doesn't tell you is that these concepts actually have a lot to do with our own ideas, observations, and especially our varied views on religion. Our interpretation of science, for example, can show someone how we percieve the rest of the world.

I'm just skimming the surface here. In all honesty, a lot of the stuff we've been discussing is way over my head. But every now and then I catch an idea and things make a lot more sense. You know, philosophy is a pretty "messy" subject. There's really no right or wrong answer. There probably are no answers at all.

Anyway, I can't wait to get to the "technology" and "environment" sections of the course. Not that I want to rush science along at all, but those are the two I'm really interested in. Technology, as you know, plays a huge role in social and global media, and its very existence affects the way I will someday be doing my job compared to the way past journalists and other people in the realm of media creation did theirs. And don't even get me started on the environment. Just the word itself implies a lot, but I won't go there. All I will say is that as an environmentalist, certain movements and current environmental issues are close to my heart.

Which brings me to my next class:

2.) ES-201B Environmental Problems (W 1:30-4:30 PM): Okay so I'm not going in order, but I just had to take advantage of that transition. Anyway, in this class I will be taking a look at current environmental problems and trying to figure out ways to solve them. You all know from past posts that environmental studies encompasses multiple disciplines and there are often several ways of looking at any particular problem. This class is no different. We will be doing a lot of reading about problem solving, policy making, economics, ecology...you name it. We will also be having "field trips" to different areas where we will assess issues going on in those locations. There's also going to be tons of research, as majors in this class need to start one of many projects that will help them focus on their concentration. Since I am a minor, I think my assignment will be to find a project that relates environmental issues to my major.

I've only had this class once so far, but I am quite excited about it. I have Professor DeCarlo, who is incredibly experienced in the field and has a lot of hands-on knowledge that she's ready to share with us. She's a very inspiring person, too, and you can tell that she really gives her whole life to her work.

3.) MJD-250A Global Communications (T TH 3:00-4:35 PM): Here's the zinger! Whenever I hear anything about the MJD major, it's almost always about this class. People will say they've heard "horror stories" and that this is the most difficult class in the major. They warn you about it.

Want to know the truth? I'm being sincere: it's not that scary. Seriously. It's a demanding class, yes. There is a lot of reading and there are a lot of expectations. Limits might be pushed. But I can tell already that it is worth it.

First of all, any class that has the word "global" in it should indicate a lot of reading. And to be truthful, most college classes in general are a LOT of reading. Global Comm is the class that helps MJD students prepare for media in the global sense. We try to look outside of our New England perspective and see real-world issues through an objective lens. We look at how the media have changed the way we see the world, discuss this phenomenon called "global culture," study geography (yes, geography in a journalism class--it's actually really important!), and keep up with current events in every region of the world. At the end of the course, there will be a huge research project that will incorporate skills we've learned in other courses, like having to use a web design program.

This course is taught by Professor Hyde, and he helps bring the classroom to life in really interesting ways. On our first day, he told us to work with partners to try to fill in a blank world map as fast as we could. Of course, none of us have terribly wonderful geography skills, so it took a while. We listened to different forms of music from all over the world as we worked. We also filled out index cards with information on it like our "personal ideology." Heavy question! We sort of stared at each other for a while like, is this serious? But once we got used to thinking outside the box, some interesting answers came to us. I can tell that this class is going to help me rethink the world and see it in a different light. So, all I have to say is challenge accepted!

4.) MJD-210A Photojournalism in a Digital Age (T 6:30-9:25 PM): You might be thinking, "who would want to take a class that late at night?" Well, to be honest, I'm a little bit too used to hanging around academic buildings during late hours. Besides, this is the "fun" course! First of all, I got a shiny new toy: a beautiful, magical, incredibly expensive camera. Admittedly, I'm a little scared of carrying this thing around with me.

However, who doesn't like to have fun taking millions of pictures? I think that after this weekend, most of my friends probably won't want to hang out with me anymore unless they want their lives to be documented at every moment. It's like they've got a personal paparazzi!

Sheila took this class last semester, and I used to go out with her when she was working on projects. So, I already have an idea of what to expect. For example, I know that the "Day in the Life" assignment will require me to follow a classmate around for the day and document their interactions. My friend Cara is taking the class with me, so I'm hoping we can be partnered with each other!

I'm incredibly stoked for this class because I've always loved taking pictures but I've never learned how to use professional equipment or how to get the most out of an image. I'm hoping that I'll be a much better photographer by the end of this course. Maybe not National Geographic-worthy just yet, but a bit closer!

Here are some of the pictures I've taken so far (I only picked a few out of the 684 that I took this week!):

And now I'm off to my photojournalism class! Sorry I don't have time to caption the photos--but hopefully you get the picture! (Ha!)

Cheers,

Lauren

New Year, New Routine

Welcome back, readers! It's a new semester here at Saint Mike's, and a new year for all. You've all probably had your fill of celebration and Auld Lang Syne, but now the the party is over, how do we keep that excitement and feeling of renewal going strong?

Well, I have a few ways. Now, I'm not one for new year resolutions--I don't have the best track record when it comes to maintaining them. However, I made a personal goal over the winter break that I don't really see as simply a new year resolution, but a daily reminder of the lifestyle that I want for myself. That one goal: "Live well."

I know, I know. What does it mean? It may seem a bit ambiguous to anyone else, but for me it has become a bit of a mantra. I wake up in the morning and think, what can I do to live well today? Because, in fact, it is a daily goal, even though it sounds much bigger. But I do small things that add up to that one big goal: When possible, (which as of right now is looking like two days out of the academic week) I start my morning with exercise. On the days that I can't do that, I don't sweat it (excuse the terrible pun), but if I can I might try to find another time to sneak in a small workout or at least stay conscious of my wellness choices throughout the day. I eat healthy meals, but I don't spare myself the occasional cookie (because who can really deprive themselves of those Alliot butter-scotchies?!). I attend class and make sure that I am also attentive, taking notes and participating in discussions. I do my homework in the library, where I can pay attention. I drink lots of water and tea. I spend meals and downtime with friends. I go to bed at a reasonable hour. And, above all, I keep a positive attitude, come what may.

Sounds like a lot, right? And of course, I'm not perfect. Everyone slips up, and I don't expect my semester to always go well, because that's an unrealistic expectation for life in general. Especially when the workload gets heavier, I know I'll be staying up later and I'll be more drawn to fast food or take-out. It's easy during the first week of classes to load up your plate with a ton of goals, because your classes are only just taking off and the pace is slow at first. However, setting a routine now will help keep some of those principles in place later on. Someone once told me that it takes 21 days to form a habit. I'm not sure if that's true, but if it is, I'm well on my way!

It's also no surprise that many of these actions fuel each other. If I eat well and get enough exercise, I'll also sleep well, and I'll also have enough energy to go about my day. If I have enough energy, I'll be able to focus better in class and get good grades. If I stay on top of my work, I'll be much less stressed later on in the semester. And if I take care of myself and am doing well in school, I'll feel good--which means that I'll naturally have a positive attitude.

So, this is my personal goal for 2013 and beyond.

Come back this weekend for more posts--I can't wait to report back about my first week of classes! Have a great day, everyone. And whatever it means to you, remember to live well!

Cheers,

Lauren