Achievement Unlocked: PUBLISHED IN A MAGAZINE

So one of my ideas in creating/revamping this blog is to track my progress as a writer. I’ve had my articles published with both my high-school and college newspaper, and I’ve had short stories and poems published in both my high-school and college literary magazine (see a trend here?) And those are all well and good, and I’m proud of those achievements, but it’s nice to have some actual credentials, to have your name attached to an important publication.

So I present to you this small, but wonderful achievement: published in a magazine. Yes, it was with my internship (Time Out New York magazine) but the editor’s could have decided not to run my piece. It’s a feeling similar to completing a level or a quest in a game; your hard work has payed off and you are rewarded with a gift of sorts. In this case, my name in print. This is the link to my article, and this is a scan of the actual piece in print:

 

Brushing dirt off my shoulder.

Survival Tips for the Not-So-Suave (Myself)

My Ghirardelli hot chocolate mix was disappointing.  You would think that a decent chocolate company would make hot chocolate. Not so. Makes me miss European hot chocolate. I also want to go to the Hot Chocolate Festival in NY real soon. Like real soon before it ends.

But that’s not the point of this post. Today I would like to offer a small list of guidance and survival tips based on mistakes I’ve made over these few days. Some of them are genuine advice, while others are just me giving myself an internet “facepalm.” Enjoy while I chide myself.

Survival Tips for…Trying to Land a Job:

1. If there is a Career Fair at your school, make every effort to go, even if none of the businesses listed have anything to do with your major. *coughFairfieldcough*
2. If you do end up going to the Career Fair make sure you printed out more than 2 resumes. “I can’t go
3. Don’t drop all your stuff on the floor. And don’t say “I’m not cut out for the professional world,” TOO loud. You never know who might hear you…
4. DO collect business cards. (Holla at yo’ girl, TIME Inc. But seriously, please?)
5. It’s probably best to, you know, talk when you approach a table/company you might be interested. And ask questions too. Nothing says interest like nodding and blank stares.
6. Professional appearance! I’m always fighting with myself over this because why should I have to dress up to impress you? Can’t you just take my credentials and me for who I am?! But seriously, appearance is important. I felt so out of place in my skinny jeans and boots…although I did have  nice cowl-neck shirt on. It also didn’t help that a good 1 to 2 inches of my hair is dyed a purple-red-pink mix.
7. If you’re going to shake hands, make sure your hands are nice too. No ripped nails or ink-stained cuticles…whoops.

Survival Tips for…Writing Workshops (Yes, I realize this may not apply):

1. Don’t hand in what you know is a totally flawed story. And by that I mean an idea that you could have fleshed out perfectly over the course of the two weeks or so you were writing it, but then procrastinate until after Super Bowl Sunday and finish at 5 a.m. when you’re just worried about page limit. DON’T DO IT.
2. If you’re ashamed of your writing and have mentally prepared yourself for necessary constructive criticism, it is okay to hide your face in your turtleneck. Truth.
3. DO take notes on what everyone is saying. They’re just as serious (maybe even more so) about your craft/life as you are.
4. DO make eye contact with the teacher. (Michael White, I’m sorry I’m a nervous pansy).
5. Smile and nod, smile and nod.
6. When it’s time to criticize and comment on someone else’s work, give them the same respect they gave you. And make good comments.

 

Yea, just your average everyday struggle as a last semester senior.