You Down With OPP!!! Yeah You Know Me

Hey guys! Its been awhile. The school year is coming to an end and it is time to deal with opportunities, papers, and portfolios (O.P.P)! I am lucky enough to be in a program that does not have an enormous exam at the end of it but we do have an even more enormous final portfolio. Between trying to figure out what opportunities are out there, what opportunities I want, writing papers and literature reviews for my current courses AND working on this huge portfolio my head is spinning. With all of that going on and trying to keep up with a social life things got to be very over whelming for me started to feel like I could not keep up. I had to take a deep breathe, count to 20 and then start again. It was a bit difficult but I am glad I did it. Here are some of the tips I did to deal with the end of the year OPP:

1. When it comes to opportunities look ALL over. Do not take anything for granted. Just get your resume out there. PENN is good at hosting many career fairs and at first I did not want to go to all of them. I had to take a step back and think that just applying online was not enough. I had to do the leg work and it's good to get your face out there to employers. 
2. When there is a career fair make sure your resume is updated and you have you 2 minute elevator speech prepared. It is also good to see what companies will be there and just read up on them to see if they fit into what you would like to do. 
3. If you talk to anyone and they give you their business card make sure to FOLLOW UP with an email thanking them for taking the time out to talk to you. Just think, they most likely see hundreds of people all the time and the faces and names get blurred. By taking the small step of sending an email you remind them of who you are and some of the things you all spoke of. They are going to respond back and that opens up a line of communication and you will be on their mind when they are thinking about job openings.
4. Never limit yourself to one area. When it came to job searches and looking at other programs I just put myself out there. You never know what will come up and who know who. I applied and sent my resume out to jobs all over the country and even outside the country. I am a large believer in having options. It feels nice to be able to say no to a company due to the fact that you have so many offers and not be the one being told no. Expand your horizon! 
5. This is the one that took me A LOT of work. Don't get upset or snap at people who ask you what you have planned after graduation lol. I know for me being asked this by literally everyone in my personal life and then at school too made me go absolutely insane. I remember yelling at some of my friends and even giving a very rude yet funny response which I do not recommend to anyone. People are only asking because they are concerned and some are asking to maybe see if what you are doing is an option for them. I know I know being asked the same question over and over is sooo annoying and makes you want to scream but just calm down and take a breather.
6. When it comes to all the papers and the large portfolio that come at the end of the semester make sure to PLAN PLAN PLAN. I usually wait until the last minute to write large papers just because I work best under pressure and I feel like my best ideas come at the final hours. With some papers I can get away with this BUT when you have a 15-20 research paper the whole last minute thing does not work lol
7. Set small goals- When ever I have to open a new word doc to write a long piece of my portfolio I have to set small goals for myself. I can't just sit down and write an entire 15 page section of the portfolio it just won't work. My brain will just freeze up and nothing will get done. So to combat that I tell myself that I have to write at least 2-4 pages SINGLE SPACED before I stop or go on to something else. When I do that I feel like I really accomplished something and the task is not as daunting.
8. Work on a few things at once. This may not work for all people but it works for me. If I have a few papers that I need to work on, which in my program I always do, then I go back and forth between two or three of them. When you have to talk about the same thing for over 10 pages you can get a little bored so I hop around and just give that part of my brain a rest. Switching back and forth between the tops and concepts that I have to write about just puts my mind at ease and gives me a little bit of a break. Plus I am less likely to get bored and it keeps me on my toes.
9. Put the due dates for all assignments on your calendar on the WRONG days. I know this sounds a little odd but hey it works for me. I always make all assignments as reminders either in my phone or on my laptop calendar 2-3 days before they are actually do. Like I said I am a bit of a procrastinator sometimes and that little 2-3 day window really helps me out. I do it at the start of each semester and by the time I see all the reminders I forget that I have put them for the wrong dates so I get them finished by the false dates. This either makes me turn things in early or after I have finished them have a few days to look them over and revise if need be.
10. Take breaks to have fun! I know this sounds really crazy but stressing about everything never works. It basically gives you writers block and when that happens ideas cannot flow through you. I always give myself small breaks or naps when I feel like it is needed. Sometimes writing till the wee hours of the morning gets a lot of words on a paper but not many full fledged ideas. Taking time to watch a show, listen to music or even an all out dance break helps to put your mind at ease and relaxes you so that you can continue to write.

I hope my few tips have helped. It is now a countdown until graduation and things are moving so fast! Relax, Relate and Release folks. Until next time....you down with OPP yeah you know me!! Lol
~Chow

Where Will You Be?

We are planning to have Holiday Reception/Meet the Dean events in both Chicago and NYC.  It will be a great opportunity to meet leaders from GSE, find out more about our degrees and programs, network, and enjoy some delicious food. You can register/RSVP for these events by visiting our events page: 

http://www.gse.upenn.edu/admissions_financial/events#off_campus

Here are the details for each event: 

Chicago
Tuesday, December 10th, 6-8PM
Gleacher Center at the University of Chicago
450 North Cityfront Plaza Drive
Room 420 (South Lounge)

New York City
Thursday, December 12th, 6-8PM
Grand Hyatt New York
Park Avenue at Grand Central
Uris Room

Thanksgiving Is Soon Approaching...

Thanksgiving is right around the corner guys! With the anticipation of turkey, family, and football in the air I just wanted to take a moment out to spread the importance of being thankful this year. The last few months for me has not been the easiest and it made me think about what and who I am really thankful for this year. Sure I am excited about all the food I get to consume and be surrounded by but I am more excited about spending time with some close friends and my family. Now I am the first one to involve food in pretty much everything in life lol. I am a self proclaimed foodie so A LOT of tomorrow will be centered around what I am cooking and what I can eat lol but it is not the most important thing to me this year. I will be going to my high school's annual turkey day football game and be cheering on kids who I do not even know while having a mini h.s reunion in the bleachers. Some of the most important people I am thankful for this year are my older sister and a few very close friends. I feel as though it is important to let them know this while eating ourselves into a frenzy. To me the written word is one of the most if not the most beautiful things that people fail to do. In the age of text messaging, twitter, skype, email, and facetime many forget how touching a personal hand written note can actually be. This year I am going to be sending the most important people letters along with some flowers telling them how thankful I am for them this year in my life and what they have done for me. I have had some really good people around me so far this year and I do not want to wait for Christmas to acknowledge them for all they have done so on Thanksgiving Day I will let everyone who I am thankful for and I encourage you all to do the same. Don't just eat and be merry give thanks to the people that mean the most to you :)

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!!!!!!!!

Teacher Education Information Session!

Interested in becoming a teacher? Join us for an on-campus information session!

Whether you want to teach pre-kindergarteners or 12th graders, ourTeacher Education Program (TEP) can get you on track to certification. 

Through a commitment to social justice and urban education, TEP prepares prospective teachers to transform students and schools. You can read more about the program on their extensive website: http://www2.gse.upenn.edu/tep/.

Read through the website and want to learn more in-person?
Join the Urban Teacher Education program for an on-campus information session on Saturday, December 7 from 10am-noon ET. RSVP here. (Please note only the Teacher Education program will be represented and discussed at this event.)

Blues!

So last week I went to an amazing BBQ place for food that is not to far from GSE. Baby Blue BBQ is great. I really do not like to go out to eat that much but the members of my group really wanted to go out and just have a few hours to not talk about work. Since it was cold and late we did not want to go somewhere too far away. We also did not want to spend a bunch of money on food and drinks either. Baby Blue BBQ is right on Sansom which is about a 2 minute walk from GSE. It is a cute little restaurant with a really good homey vibe. There are 2 dining rooms and a bar for people. There are also flat screen TV's with sports playing. I am a major sports fan so to be able to watch 3 different games at one was something that made me VERY happy. Another thing was the food. I am a bit of a selective eater but the menu was really good. They serve some really good BBQ and sides as well. A friend and I split 10 wings and sweet potato and regular fries. I got a pink lemonade with free refills and my friends all got mixed drinks which were not badly priced. The food was amazing and the sauces were really good too. I was very full at the end of the night and when the bill came and I saw it was only a little over 10 bucks!! I was sooooo excited. All in all this place was a lot of fun and I recommend people really check it out :)

If It Makes You Happy...

So it is getting to the time in the semester where things are getting a bit more hectic. Between term papers, inquiry projects, power points, fieldwork, AND all the readings my brain gets a little bogged down. Granted there are only classes four days a week but with all the work and final projects it feels like I am always doing work. It never seems to fail that every night I spend with my new boyfriend Microsoft Word 2010 lol. It is easy to work yourself into a frenzy with trying to make sure that everything is perfect. Well for me it is easy to fall into that routine. I have started to get sick a lot recently and am now realizing that it is important to take some time for myself. Yes school is important but if I am not taking care of myself then I will not have enough energy to do school work properly and to my fullest potential. I have started to do things that make me extremely happy and conformable. Even if it is not something that other people will understand or even agree with, if it makes you happy then go for it! I am an old soul at heart so I adore being at home with a good book or an old movie and some tea. I also take bubble baths to relax. I do love to dance but once it starts to get cold outside going out is not my thing. I also write poetry to help me relax and debrief. It also helps because for a few moments I do not have to worry about grammar, punctuation, and making sure I have sited my sources correctly lol. I love the Hallmark Channel, OWN Network, Food Network, Syfy, and a slew of others. I think it is important to find some personal time to refill your emotional tank so that you can forge ahead with all the work. Here are some things I do:

1. Read good books. I am currently reading 2 different series. I love all romance, action, and drama novels. GoodReads, Amazon, and Google helped me find a lot of the books I am reading now. I just typed in a book or an author that I liked and searched for books similar to it. Voila I know have a very long but exciting reading list awaiting me.
2. Good Movies. I have already said this but I love love love old movies. Gone With the Wind, Great Expectations, A Street Car Named Desire, A Clockwork Orange, Orlando and so many others. I also love funny movies and comedy specials The Best Man, Love and Basketball, The Wood, Katt Williams, Aziz Ansari, Anjela Johnson, and so many others. I try to watch at lest one thing during the weekend that will make me laugh.
3. Good Music. I am an eclectic person who loves all types but I try to save the dance music for more during the week to keep me going. On the weekends I like slow soft music that helps me to relax.
4. Good Drinks. A good tea or a nice hot cup of cocoa always helps me. I have tried different concoctions to see what is best for me. I love hot chocolate with milk and a little but of coffee for a zing. I also put nutmeg, cinnamon, and marshmallows to make my cup really rich.
5. Spa Day. This goes for guys too. I think it is very important to take care of your body inside and out. Taking vitamins and drinking lots of water and eating veggies is great. A good massage or a hot bubble bath with epson salt is even better. If you can't afford a spa treatment like I can't then DYI's at home are always good. Give yourself a nice leg massage with warmed oils. I use lavender, jasmine and coconut oil. If you have back problems there are loads of massage chairs and pillows that work great as well.
6. Working with your hands. Doing something with my hands has always been something that has relaxed me. Cooking, baking, building a shelf or even working on my car are all things I do to help me wind down. 
7. Do It True.. No matter what you do to relax even if it is one of my suggestions or not just make sure you do it true. As long as you enjoy it then that is ALL that matters. That and nothing that breaks your budget. We are in grad school people got to ball on a budget as I say :)

My Mirror Starring Back At Me....

It has been about three months of my first semester in Grad School. A lot has happened, changed, and remained the same. Looking back at things I have noticed that many of my previous assumptions and fears I had about Grad School did not even exists. When I came in I had this idea that I had to know everything  and that if I did not that I would be deemed stupid or something. There were a bunch of things running through my brain when I came in and it made me feel very intimidated. It was not until I actually sat in my first class that I was like "oh okay I can do this." Yes things were a little difficult but a lot of the material I knew. There were some words, theories, and books I did not know but many of the things were really just building on things I already knew or things that were just common sense. I am glad that I am learning new theories and ideas to work with children and new ways to look at reading and writing itself. In the short few months of being here I have also learned a lot about myself. I came in with a lot of ideas and my own teaching philosophy. Although many of my ideas have not changed and neither has my philosophy of teaching, I got to read more things that made me look at my ideas a little differently. I got to see things from a different lens and see how other people's ideas, theories, and practices fit into and help to develop my own views. While I am not saying all my ideas are 100% correct, I do not think anyone's ideas are, the things I have learned so far have helped to really solidify why I want to work with children and why I do what I do. I have also learned that there are a lot of people willing to help. In my program all the classes try to provide a safe space for people to freely speak their minds without feeling bad about it or being judged. I think this is a great idea because it opens up the class to discussions that would not otherwise be had. I get to learn and observe people and how they think and why they think the way they do and there is ALWAYS a debriefing after it. This helps everyone to express their opinions and sometimes gain empathy. I did this a lot in my undergraduate classes but not to the magnitude of how it is done at Penn. I thought that my ideas and mindset would be seen as childish and was intimidates to speak up but the conversations flow from what is seen in the media, politics, religion, gender, sexuality, movies, and books that most people are reading today. I have learned to appreciate everyones opinion and not get too upset when they say something that baffles me lol. I have also learned how to work in groups in a graduate school setting. For me it has been very different and challenging more so than being in undergrad. Here many people are full time teacher or are commuting from different states. It is a little more difficult to just meet up in the library during lunch to do a group assignment. Now a lot of things are done using google doc, skype and email. I had to let go of all the bad assumptions and be confident that I am smart and what I have to say. Reflecting back on how I first came into grad school until now I have grown a lot, gotten use to the cold weather lol, realized street meat is AMAZING, and met some great new people that I can see myself being friends with for a long time. I am hoping that I can learn something new and face new challenges every week from now on.