Keep your mouth shut

The Power and Possibility of a Slippery Slope                                                                                                                                                How one event in your day can possibly change and affect the rest of your life

Frustration in the school and workplace for college working students

Last week I was working at the restaurant and asked if I could go home early. 
(http://images.dpchallenge.com/images_challenge/0-999/734/800/Copyrighted_Image_Reuse_Prohibited_580275.jpg) 

It was a Friday night and I had a paper due for my online class at midnight.  It was about 9:30 and there were less then 10 people in the entire restaurant.  It had been over a half hour before anyone had entered the restaurant and I was so bored that I was counting menus.  My boss walked by and I wasted the next three minutes of my life conversing with him.

“Sir, do you have an idea of when I will be going home tonight? It would be helpful if I left early.”

“I don’t think so Laura, we close at 11ish.”

“11ish? So that means I will be here till 11?”

“11ish.”

“Okay. It’s just that I have a 6 page paper to write and I only have 4 pages done so far.”

“You can do that when you leave.”

“Well, It’s due at midnight for my online class so that wouldn’t be possible.”

“You should have done it today then.”

“I woke up at 5 to substitute teach all day and then drove over here to work so that would not have been possible.”

“Well maybe you shouldn’t work so much.”

“Exactly, so can I go home?”

“Since you asked if you can leave I’m going to keep you here longer.”

About an hour after this conversation I asked again if I could leave and he finally said I could.  However, right when I was packing up the phone rang.  The customer wanted to order food to go so I had to stay at the restaurant past 11.  I left at 11:20, handing in my paper late.

Now I know to fake being sick to leave work early.
(http://pad2.whstatic.com/images/thumb/1/17/224-365---Dear-Flickr,-I%27m-Sick.-4.jpg/251px-224-365---Dear-Flickr,-I%27m-Sick.-4.jpg)

Teaching Kindergarten

The Power and Possibility of a Slippery Slope                                                                                                                                                How one event in your day can possibly change and affect the rest of your life

Frustration in the school and workplace for college working students

Last Friday I decided to substitute teach 3^rd grade at a public school far from my house.

(http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedImages/schools/tildenms/homepage/schoolbus.jpg) school bus

I have heard from many teachers that 3^rd grade is the best grade to teach, so I decided to pick a school that was far away from my house to teach at because I wanted to teach 3^rd grade.  My parents needed a ride to the airport that morning but I did not want to be late for work, so I had my little sister miss school to drive them.  I arrived at the elementary school a half hour before school started and introduced myself to the principal’s secretary.  My optimistic mood changed to rage when she told me that the teacher I was subbing for actually showed up today.  I was confused because I drove a half hour to get to this school and now they were telling me to go home. 

While I was driving home, I called my boyfriend and he looked up other substitute jobs for me on the computer.  He called a school that was forty minutes away that was looking for a substitute.  At the time I did not think to ask what grade I would be teaching because I was excited that he found me another job.  It was not until I arrived at the school that I found out I would be teaching Kindergarten.   

A day with these Kindergarten children made me question if I ever wanted to teach again.  They ran around the room, screamed and hit one another, refused to learn, and would not stop crying.  There were 3 students that would cry for no reason and it was impossible to think in the classroom.  I tried and failed to control the class and counted down the hours till school was over.

Now I know to teach children old enough that do not cry on a regular basis. 

(http://magglesdotpi.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/going-crazy.jpg) going crazy

Work, School, and NO social life

The Power and Possibility of a Slippery Slope                                                                                                
How one event in your day can possibly change and affect the rest of your life

Frustration in the school and workplace for college working students

Work, School, and NO social life

This week I decided to take a day off from work.

 (http://nycitynewsservice.com/files/2008/11/dayoff.jpg) (day off work!)

 I am usually a model employee and hardly take days off, but decided to have a social life for a day.  I should have accepted the fact that it is NOT POSSIBLE to have any type of social life while working and going to college.  All working college students need to understand that their lives have a predictable order every day that may be similar to mine.

6:00 A.M.- Try to find the strength to wake up

7:00 A.M.- Drive across town to school

8:00 A.M.- Attend class all day and have no time to eat

2:15 P.M.- Speed to work

10:30 P.M.-Drive home from work

10:45P.M. -12:30A.M. - Complete homework and study for school

A schedule like this leaves no time to socialize with friends or family so I simply had to take a day off.  I spent the day arguing with a friend that bailed on me and getting in verbal fights with my sister.  Instead of enjoying myself and going out, I spent most of the day catching up on homework and dishes.  The entire time that I was “enjoying” my day off, I was thinking about all of the money I was losing by not working that day.

Next time I will know to simply understand that I can relax when I’m dead.

(http://www.stephaniegehring.com/wp-content/uploads/coffee-you-can-sleep-when-youre-dead.jpg)

Dogs

The Power and Possibility of a Slippery Slope                                                                                                
How one event in your day can possibly change and affect the rest of your life

Frustration in the school and workplace for college working students

Dogs

Last weekend I decided to spend some time with my two dogs.

http://www.zazzle.com/never_trust_anyonenot_covered_in_dog_hair_bumper_sticker-128662328978426715 (people with dog hair)
I was working on my Shakespeare homework and decided to lay down on the floor so I could cuddle with them.  I have a German Shepherd and a Terrier, both of which are extremely hairy.  Since I was on the ground, both of my dogs demanded attention.  I tried to please them both by using both hands to pet them and read King Lear at the same time.   

While petting my German Shepherd, my terrier rolled over on my book, breaking the already fragile binding.  The book ripped cleanly in half, and a few pages fell out as I try to put it back together.  Sensing that I am paying attention to something other then him, my Shepherd tries to lie down on me, getting hair all over my outfit.  The cuckoo clock in my house rings which lets me know that I am late to work.  I stand up with my broken book and look down at my uniform that is now COVERED in dog hair.  I spent the next ten minutes getting hair off my outfit and failed to be on time to work and study for class.
http://www.truckmountforums.com/threads/hair-hair-everywhere.15279/ (dog hair)

Next time I know not to multitask while doing my homework.

How to Read William Faulkner

The Power and Possibility of a Slippery Slope                                                                                                                                                How one event in your day can possibly change and affect the rest of your life

Frustration in the school and workplace for college working students

 How to Read William Faulkner 

I enjoyed writing my How-To last week and decided to write another one focusing on English students in the classroom.  In one of my classes I had to read a William Faulkner novel, which was extremely difficult to understand.  Therefore, I hope these tips help other students that will need to read him one day.  

http://www.mantex.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/faulkner.jpg

(Picture of Faulkner)

1. Read the text very slowly 

2. Write down everything you actually understand so you can look back on your notes.

3. Re-read the chapter twice to see what you missed.

4.  If you are reading Absalom Absalom! or The Sound and The Fury, pay close attention to whom is telling the story. 

5.  After reading the entire book, read the Spark notes to see what you missed.

6. After knowing everything that happened by reading the Spark Notes, go back and re-read the book and notice the details that you missed the first time reading the novel.

http://en.nkfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/William-Faulkner-Quotes-1.jpg (quote from Faulkner)

NOTE: These tips are necessary when reading William Faulkner because his works are too complex to make into a movie.  You have no choice but to read the book.  

How to keep a job

The Power and Possibility of a Slippery Slope                                                                                                                                                                 
    How one event in your day can possibly change and affect the rest of your life.

Frustration in the school and workplace for college working students

(http://www.howtobeginabusiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Employmentorbeginabusiness.jpg) employed :)

How to Keep A Job

 As my Blog focuses on college working students, I would like to offer a few pointers that I have learned over the years. 

Tip #1.  Show up on time

Show up early or on time to let the boss know that you take your job seriously.  Even if you don’t take your job seriously, smile and let your boss think you do. 

Tip #2.  Always show up.

Your grandmother can only die so many times before your work becomes suspicious of why you cannot show up.  Make sure you plan in advance if you need a day off because you do not want to call a few hours before saying you cannot come in.

Tip #3.  Pretend you care.

When a customer or boss tells you something, try hard to look like you are listening.  Even if you are not completely listening, make sure your face conveys sincerity at all times.  Pretending to care about people or the company is essential.

Tip #4.  Do not use vulgar language. 

When a manager or customer has a complaint and you feel the need to yell and swear at them, try your best to resist.  Simple focus on breathing and know that you are getting an education and will be making more money than this person one day.

Tip #5.  Sleep with your employer.

Personally I do not know if this strategy works, but a girl I used to work with tried this to keep her job.  She was sleeping with the employer’s brother (a 30 year old age difference) and the only reason she doesn’t work there anymore is because she quit.  So this strategy is one of the best, but it does have its drawbacks. 

(http://www.growyourselves.com/images/happy.jpg) happy worker

Overwhelmed College Student

The Power and Possibility of a Slippery Slope                                                                                                                                                                       
How one event in your day can possibly change and affect the rest of your life.

Frustration in the school and workplace for college working students

“I decided to listen to my counselor and take 4 English classes and one Teaching class in the same semester.”

(http://i.i.com.com/cnwk.1d/i/tim/2011/05/27/stressedout_000012685215XSmall_620x414.png) (stressed out)

When I started college over 2 years ago, I enjoyed taking English classes because I felt smart in them and loved to read.  However, when I took my counselor’s advice and signed up for 4 English classes as well as an online teaching class, I did not know the amount of work I was about to face.  I still love reading, but do not enjoy being forced to read so many novels at the same time.  Let me walk you through an English Major’s daily week:

 Day 1 & 3: American Literature

In this class we have to read a 200-300-page novel a week.

In addition, we have to pretend we know what the book is about and give a few classroom presentations and research papers.

 Day 1 & 3 (Continued): Advanced Comp

This class is one of the only classes I enjoy, but it involves a lot of thinking before you complete your assignment.  I am more of an academic writer so this class makes me focus on the way I am writing. 

In this class we must peer review blogs, keep up to date with writing logs, and post original blogs every week.

 Day 2 & 4: Shakespeare Tragedies

I have already expressed how this class has been ruined for me because of the teacher’s lecture on the first day of class, but we must read a Shakespeare Tragedy each week.

In addition, we must watch the movie, have a comparative/contrast quiz on the text and movie, give a class presentation and write research papers.

Day 2 & 4(Continued): British Literature

This class requires memorization of 120 poems and to remember one line from a 20-page poem and analyze it.  

In addition, we must read about 50 pages of poetry I do not understand every night to take the most difficult tests I have ever taken.

 Each class by itself does not sound terribly difficult, but when you have to do all of this reading and writing in the same week for the entire semester, it can be quite hard. 

“Next time I will know to mention to my counselor that I work 3 jobs before taking on all of these English Courses.”

(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51OLioQUSTL._SL500_AA300_.jpg) 

(working too much)