3 DIY School Supplies

Happy August everyone and you know what that means .... school supplies time! This is literally my favorite time of year. Funny story ... this weekend I moved into an apartment with my fiance (sorry for the absence) and my mom and I were going through all of my school supplies ... literally two and half boxes filled with notebooks, post-it notes, folders, paper, pens, and so much more! Nonetheless, I am not-so low-key obsessed with school supplies and saving those pieces that have not quite lived their full life. Because of this, I wanted to dedicate a post into DIY-ing some cute school supplies before you head back to high school or college.

All of these items are things that I used everyday when I was in school and college, so I figured that they would be incredibly universal and customizable to whatever you like or what your color style is! Let's get started!!

FOLDERS

How can we even have a conversation about school supplies without recognizing the almighty importance of pocket folders. If I can recall my school lists over the past years, at least 4 folders have been on that list each year. As these can get pretty bland for the older kids (unless you love Hello Kitty and the Avengers ... no shame), I thought we could snazz them up a little bit! 

This first one is just a painted monogram that I created. What's great about the type of folder I bought (less than $1.00 at Walmart) is that you can make imprints on it if you press hard enough, so I drew the monogram I wanted, you can print yours too if you would rather, and then just traced it right onto the folder.

After that I got the paint color I wanted, which was regular craft paint that my mom had in her cabinet, you could also use paint pens if you prefer. Then I just started painting over the indents from the tracing. 

Because my gold paint was on the thinner side, I did three coats on it to have it stand out a little bit more. Once that dried, I added some dots around the rest of the folder to give it more decoration! 

This next folder design was a no fuss one which is great for those of you who want to be creative, but don't have the time or the mess to put into painting a folder. All of the stripes are made of Washi tape (also from Walmart - about $3.50) and you can put them into any design you want. 

The one thing I like about washi tape is that it sticks, but not so much that it's hard to get off if you make a mistake or if your line isn't straight ... it took me three tries! 

NOTEBOOKS

I love a good sparkle, so when I saw this Washi tape, I knew I had to get it to decorate my new notebook. 

So, another great thing about using tape or paint for decorating your notebooks or school supplies is that you can have it be functional, as well as, cute. I always had to label my notebooks when I was in high school, especially with only two minutes at my locker between class, which was really only 30 seconds because of the treks down the hallway and the stops to talk to friends! 

For this one I just layered the tape to cover over the hideous "70 sheets, college-ruled" that is printed on it, and also on the top to make it symmetrical. It actually did take a steady hand to make sure everything was even, but again, luckily it can come off and be re-taped to fix any mistake. 

To add some extra snazz, I added a "MATH" label using the Washi tape cut into the letters. It is a really simple way to add that label that you need without having to write it out in Sharpie. If you have to put your name on it, you could also do that! This would also work with other folders as decoration too!

BINDERS

So, this one was definitely a "let's see how this goes" design. I love the look of watercolor designs, especially as backdrops for quotes, so I wanted to recreate that on this binder. I have to say...I'm quite proud of how it came out.

First, I put painter's tape around all of the edges so that paint wouldn't get on the inside or on the binding (basically everywhere I didn't want it to end up). This actually made it a lot easier when I was painting so that I could easily go off the edges without the fear of getting it everywhere. 

Next, I put a base of white craft paint all over the binder using a foam paint brush. To help with the blending on the paint later on in the process, I put a decent amount of white paint on a small paper plate so that I could add pink to it to slowly pigment it. 

Each time I added a drop or two of pink into the white on the paper plate, I started about an inch from the top of the newest shade and painted the rest of the way down. Then, add another two drops of pink to made the shade a little bit darker, and paint about an inch below the start of the next lightest pink. 

This is to create that gradient effect that water color does. Once I had it all painted and was pleased with the outcome. I put a small coating of polyurethane over top of the binder to smooth it out. (Craft paint can be pretty chalky and can even rub off if it isn't treated.) So, this binder was I think $1.00, but it definitely looks a lot better than just a plain 'ole black binder! If you don't like pink, try blue or green! 

The great thing about DIY-ing your school supplies is that you can completely make it your own, if you hate the color pink, get blue sparkly Washi tape, or purple paint for your monogram. If you hate monograms but love a good emoji, trace and paint that onto your folder. It is all about you so make it something awesome to keep you motivated throughout the school year!!  

If you plan on DIY-ing some of your school supplies, feel free to tag me on Twitter (@chasing_college) or on Instagram (@skylarclapperton). I'd love to see them, you may just inspire my next project!! 

enjoy the chase,

skylar

Marketing Your Summer Job

Hi everyone! I hope you all liked the College Road Trip Series from last week. I would appreciate any feedback about it or about future blog posts that you would like to see, so please contact me through the options on my Contact Page or comment below!

Because we are ripe in the middle of Summer and you are most likely counting down the days that you have left in your summer job at the office, factory, or at that sleep-away camp, I wanted to talk with you all about how you can market your summer job for jobs on campus or even for applying to your first 'adult job.'

In 2014, Forbes released a list of ten attributes/skills that employers believe make a college graduate a successful job candidate. Here is the synopsis

1. Team Work
2. Decision-making and problem solving
3. Ability to communicate with people in and out of the organization
4. Information processing and synthesizing
5. Ability to analyze data (quantitative and qualitative) 
6. Specific knowledge related to the position
7. Understanding of computer software programs
8. Written communication skills for writing reports
9. Ability to sell and influence others (Customer Service)
10. Organization and planning 

You may have read that list and thought to yourself ... 'ummm no, I did not analyze data nor did I use any software this summer.' Which could be true, but you can try really hard to make the valuable experiences you did get from your job this summer fit into those criteria. Let's try!

1. Any job nowadays requires you to work cooperatively with other employees. You can highlight this in a number of ways on your resume! Did you have to work on the same project as someone and divide the responsibilities. While you were life-guarding, was there another lifeguard too who you depending on to watch the shallow end? There are so may examples of team work in your summer job, so make sure you highlight that when you talk about your experience!

2. and 9. These too are pretty similar in that they both deal with customer service and how you are interacting with your constituents (swimmers, shoppers, followers ... etc.) At any point if you had to track someone or something down to make someone's experience better, that is quick decision making and problem solving. Your experience should be written within your resume so that future employers can see how you handle issues that can arise while on the job. If there was an especially defining moment within your summer job where you pulled more than your fair-share, I would highlight that as a great growing opportunity in your Cover Letter!

3. Employers want to know that you are able to talk with your colleagues and talk with customers or other people outside of your job efficiently.  This goes along well with Number 1, but it also works if you've ever done fundraising, had to contact fellow employees in another office, or worked with visitors. If you've ever needed to act professionally among other people, this is where you apply that knowledge. **Also, if you've ever had to present a research poster, this could be applied to this attribute as well!

4. and 5. Processing data isn't always being an accountant or working with a budget. It could be deciding how many tour groups need to go out or even managing the time of the kids in your cabin at Summer Camp. All they want for your experience is that you've looked at data, read it, understood, and then used that to come to a specific conclusion that helps the group you are working for.

6. and 7. So these two may be a little bit more difficult to apply if you were a Camp Counselor and you are applying for a research position, but see if you can find someway to apply it. Did you have to survey all of your campers about the food, activities, or their overall experience and then report it back to your director? That's a great way to show knowledge related to the position. If you are applying to a position in business or education, you can usually use your customer service experience as that specific knowledge. **If you aren't getting anything remotely close to specific knowledge, you may want to ask your director for an extra project or something to better help you grow your experience and resume! Something to also remember, as long as you show that you are flexible and willing to learn, that can replace the knowledge of a specific software system since most companies use different systems!

8. Written communication can be applied from almost any position. Did you write e-mails? Did you write reports? Did you write notes to your students or their parents? Did you proofread manuals for your boss? You would be surprised how much written communication is used consistently throughout any job, just think back on your days at work and locate that experience!

10. Finally, organization is something you need in every job, whether you are hauling lumber into the back of a truck or teaching small children the ABC's. You need to be able to coordinate and keep your thoughts and actions together.  How this could work in your summer job is as simple as organizing the tasks that you needed to do during the day, scheduling appointments, categorizing moving materials, or scheduling when you are going to clean or see different customers. There is organization in everything you do, so think real hard and add that to your resume!!!

So, it may take some highly intense thinking on what you've accomplished so far, but you should be able to find specific experiences throughout your summer job that can apply directly to those ten items Forbes lists in their article. Make sure though that you are making your summer job exactly what it needs to be for you so that you can grow from it in the future!!

enjoy the chase,

skylar

Facing your Fears for your Future

Hi everyone! I hope you all had a great start to your week and are gearing up for a fun weekend ahead ... Memorial Day!!

Something that I think is really great about this blog and about me writing and providing my advice for you all is that I too am feeling and going through the same experiences that you all are. I also am on the brink of a big transition in my life and am facing my fears at every turn to determine what is best for my future! So, today I wanted to address that.

Take advantage of art opportunities in your area.
If you have a creative side, why not enter your work in a contest!

Earlier this week, I was incredibly fortunate to be offered an in-person interview for a position in another state. With it being 800 miles away, I had to fly to my destination and rent a car and do all of that exciting travel stuff! The travel itself was a huge part of facing my fears for my future! I was not raised to be a flyer, I was raised to be a road-tripper, so handling all of the airport stress and flying by myself was so new to me! While I was anxious and nervous to do it all, I did it with grace and only got lost once! (Ironically, and luckily, with my aunt who had a GPS!)

So, while this new phase of your life can induce stress, fear, anxiety, and nerves, it is important to remember that everything you are working towards and trying for is only going to better help your future! Face your fears and do something you would never think about doing or think about trying. College and life after school is all about growing as a person and finding your place in the world. You aren't going to be able to do that if you stay in your comfort zone.

Take advantage of "Share" opportunities in your community
to find new hobbies and meet new people. If there isn't one,
try and start one for your area!

I'm not saying you need to travel around the world to face your fears, but even if it is something as taking a class you normally wouldn't or working in a job that makes you nervous, but excited. All of those experiences are going to make you a better and more interesting person for future opportunities! These can also lead you to places that you never knew were possible!

My challenge to you all is this: Get our of your comfort zone and face your fears about your future. Apply to an internship you never thought about, work at a summer camp to get more experience working with others, or take a karate or ballroom dance class that expands your creative and athletic world. Take advantage of new opportunities and don't say 'no' if they strike a little bit of fear in you! (Obviously, if it is something dangerous or not safe, then 'no' should certainly be your answer!)

Face your fears my friends and see what comes from it!!

enjoy the chase,

skylar

P.S. What are you challenging yourself to do? Make it something that you want to accomplish for the month of June and start planning for it!! Share your plans in the comments below, I'd love to hear!

Should I Take a Gap Year?

Hi everyone and Happy May! I cannot believe that May is already here and 2016 is almost half way over! I hope you all had a great time making your college decisions as yesterday was the National Enrollment Deadline. Just remember as you plan for the coming months, don't focus on the could'ves and the should'ves, instead focus on the university you accepted admission to and the great experiences you want to have there!

In follow up to Malia Obama's news that she will be attending Harvard University in the Fall of 2017 after a gap year, I thought I would talk to you all about planning to take a gap year.

A gap year is the 12+ months between high school graduation and entrance into a college or university as an undergraduate. Oftentimes, students will take this gap in education as a time to travel, spend with family, or work a little to gain some extra cash. Especially if you are interested in doing a Rotary Exchange experience in a foreign country, you can do it between these years. But, here's the major question: Should I take a gap year?

The first thing you need to think about is if a gap year is actually going to benefit you in the long-run. Did high school exhaust you or did you do everything you could to get through the last four years of high school? If so, a gap year or even a gap semester may be a good idea. It gives you an opportunity to refocus and enjoy a break from testing and homework. Especially if you had an illness, whether physical or mental, that left you grasping to complete the school year, take the extra time to focus on yourself and becoming healthy again!

Next, you will want to check with the university's admissions and financial aid office to determine if deferring your admissions (saving your acceptance/place for next year's class) is a possibility. There may be deadlines or guidelines that they can provide you to make it an easier transition and decision-making process. They may also be able to help you with any credit courses or experiences you may complete during your gap year.

Third, you will want to see if it is financially feasible for you to take that gap year. If you are choosing to travel, you will want to double-check and make sure that you or your family will be able to pay for it. This will be time without a part-time job and without schooling, so the only thing you will gain is life experience. While invaluable, make sure you consider the financial ramifications. If you decide to use your gap year to work at home, make sure you are using that money to save for the future, as opposed to spending it frivolously while you live at home. No matter what though, when making your decision try to make the best financial decision for your future as well.

Lastly, it is necessary to recognize that your goals and future aspirations may change during your gap year. Especially if you are traveling or working, it may show you a new career path to pursue. Because of this, a result of your gap year could be needing to reapply for admission to another university for another program. While you can't plan on this happening, it is important to have that conversation with yourself and with your family that these new experiences could provide you with a new mindset and future plan!

Taking a gap year is a serious decision to consider, so it is important to weigh the options correctly and appropriately. Have conversations with your school counselor, your family, and your admissions counselors to see if it is feasible and to gain advice on what to pursue during that gap year!

Are you planning to take a gap year or are you wondering more about it? Comment below with your plans, thoughts, or questions! I'd love to hear about it!

enjoy the chase,

skylar

P.S. Follow me on Instagram at @skylarclapperton  to keep up-to-date on blog posts and new YouTube videos! 

Jump Starting Your Career in High School

Hi everyone and Happy Thursday!! I don't know about you, but I am particularly ready for the weekend ... only two more days!! Today, I want to talk to you all about how you can get started on building your career while you are still in high school or college.

Oftentimes, I feel like students are really excited about their future career and want to jump start into it right away. I was no different as a high school and college student. Because of this passion for the field you plan to work in, you should certainly channel some of your energy, time, and focus into it if it is your passion! So, here are some of my tips and ways that you can build your career while you are still a student!

1. Start a Blog - Blogging is not just for the experts and professionals, you too can get started building your career by creating a blog that caters to a topic you are interested in. Every career is applicable but especially: education, business/marketing, fashion and style, engineering, writing/communications, and the arts. For some of them you may need to brainstorm a little harder, but creating a blog that helps you learn about your future career, as well as, establish that you're hardworking and passionate is especially amazing. This can connect you with other people in the industry and expose you to other opportunities in your future field!

Starting a blog about something your passionate about only helps
your knowledge of the subject grow!

2. Find a Summer Job - While this may be fairly obvious, finding a summer job that fits the career you would like is a great way to jump start your career experience. If you are interested in studying art, try working at an art store or gallery. If you are interested in business, any position in retail or sales can really help you gain general experience and understanding about the business world, which will be incredibly helpful. Babysitting is always useful if you plan on working with other people in the future (think: education, speech pathology, social work, psychology ... etc.). These jobs can set you up for even more opportunities once you get into college!

3. Create a Business - You don't need to be 30 years old with a college education to start your own business. Think about what you love doing and what you may be able to offer your community or the area surrounding your home. If you love photography and want to study it in college, offer to take pictures of area families or set up an Etsy account and sell your favorite photographs. If you want to be a mechanic or retailer, offer to help out family members with odd jobs in their vehicles like changing the oil or cleaning them! This gives you customer service experience and great references for once you officially apply for full-time jobs! ( My boyfriend was 15 years old when he started a lawn mowing business, once he had a few clients in his community, he opened it up to other lawn work and landscaping projects!)

4. Volunteer - I talk about volunteering a lot (Check out this post and this post) but it is truly amazing how you can start your career just by simply volunteering with someone once a week. If you want to study Hospitality, volunteer with Relay for Life or with a festival near your hometown, if you plan on studying Education, then offer to help a teacher or tutor some students. The opportunities are endless, if you want to work as a dance instructor or choreographer, volunteer with a local theater troupe and your dance studio! Truly, it is without a doubt a great way to get a jump start on your career and make connections for future internships or job opportunities!

These are just a few ideas, but when you are only 16-17 years old, your opportunities may be limited, so make sure you get creative and ask family members if they have any suggestions. All of these opportunities will not only help you gain knowledge on your career field, but it will also help you gain those skills (active listening, time management, customer services) that are going to be necessary no matter the career you follow. Just remember, you are never too young to pursue your passion!

enjoy the chase,

skylar

P.S. If you are thinking about starting a blog or finding an opportunity in your community and aren't sure where to start, feel free to contact me and I would love to give some ideas or suggestions that may help you!! You can reach me through my contact page!

Setting Goals

Hi everyone. I hope you all had a great week and are settling well into your classes and getting excited for the events to come this Fall!  So, yesterday was my 23rd birthday and I am using that as inspiration for today's post; Making Goals.

If you have ever read Sean Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens, you know that he stresses the importance of Habit 1: Being Proactive and Habit 2: Beginning with the End in Mind. (If you haven't read it, I highly suggest doing so. I got it as an 8th grade graduation gift and the lessons in it transformed my High School and College experience. Parents: this is a great gift for your child or even a niece or nephew.) Both of these habits can be supported by making goals in and out of school.

Some examples of goal lists include:

Goals for this year
Goals for college
Goals for the next ten years
Goals for Senior year
Goals for next Softball season

Your goals should include items, events, and experiences you hope to accomplish within that time frame. Anything from applying to five colleges, to getting three home runs this upcoming softball season. They can be simply worded like, "Get my Bachelor's Degree in Nursing" to "Travel to Italy, see Papal mass, throw a penny in the Trevi Fountain, and go to the Colosseum." These are your goals, not anyone else's. Think about what you want out of life and what you want out of that time frame and commit them to paper.

Setting goals can help you realize your dreams and what you want out of certain experiences like college or your Senior year of High School. Planning ahead can make sure that your experience is worthwhile and you accomplish all that you want! 

Write your goals in a format that is going to make you excited about them. Use decorative paper, bright colored pens, a cool app on your phone or tablet, and tack them to your bulletin board to keep you accountable and focused on what is important. It is going to be much easier to skip that trip to the store when you need to study, if your goal list is staring you in the eye!  

** Don't forget to reevaluate your goals every so often and cross them off as you accomplish them! Feel free to add new goals, too, if your dreams change, so can your goals!

enjoy the chase,

skylar

Wish I Knew Wednesday

"I wish I had known about taking some of my pre-requisite courses online the summer before I started college, so I didn't have to worry about completing my program on time." 

Hailey T., 21, Afton, New York

Knowing the requirements for the program you are going to enter is important as soon as you enroll at that college. Some programs have a specific timeline that is necessary for completion within the two or four years (depending on the length of the program). A huge example is a Nursing or and Education program; you have certain courses you need to take before you can start your clinical rotations or student teaching. If you have yet to complete the pre-requisites for the courses that you need, then you will take more time to complete your degree because of that.

Once you are enrolled as a student, reach out to your program director or your Academic Adviser to discuss the timeline for your program with them. If you don't have a specific course that is needed to start the first sequence, then ask them what they suggest you do. They will know your options, ie: courses at that university or from another college that can be transferred in and count as that pre-requisite. Online courses are becoming increasingly popular, so the opportunities to find a course you need to take quickly can be more feasible. You will, though, want to check with your university's Registrar to make sure those credits and that class will transfer into the university. 

You have to take an active role in your academic experience. Talk to your Academic Adviser, other professors, the Dean of Academic Affairs, whatever it takes to make your education a success. Find options and do not just settle for one answer; it may be the only option, but you'll never know until you look down other avenues. 

enjoy the chase,

skylar

Visiting Campus: Part 4 - 1st Visit vs. 2nd Visit

Hi everyone! For all you upstate New Yorkers, I hope your first week of school goes well! If it is your Senior year, be sure to meet with your Guidance Counselor soon to keep them up-to-date on your college search process!

Today, I am going to be talking about your first and second visit to a college how you should approach each differently. This will help you make your decision to apply to the university, as well as, help you decide where you ultimately want to go!

FIRST VISIT:

• This is when you want to get the overall impression of the college. Find out its culture, what the students are passionate about, what types of programs they have, how their campus is ... etc.
• You can do your Admissions Interview at this point if you want. Mostly this is an opportunity for the college to get to know you and for you to get to know the finer aspects of the college and how they apply to you. **It was in my first visit and specifically the interview that I realized I didn't want to apply to a specific university anymore. If I hadn't visited, I wouldn't have known that it wasn't the right fit for me. 
• Attend during an Open House or a Junior Visit Day. These days are designed for students new in the search process to get more general information about the university. There are a lot of great presentations to give you an inside look at the university, too.

SECOND VISIT:

• This is best during a one-on-one visit, an overnight visit, or during an Accepted Student Day. They can be designed towards your needs and the needs of an accepted student that wants to make their decision. (Check out my post on Overnight Visits here!)
• Insider Tip: If you visit close to May 1st (the National Enrollment Deadline) chances are the university will do anything to make you happy, as long as you give them timely notice to prepare. Use this to your advantage to get to know exactly what you want and need to make your final decision!
• Visit the places that you want to see. Use this one-on-one time to visit the chemistry lab, the video production studio, the squash courts, and the row house across town. If there is a place that is vital to your major, you will want to look at that place at every college in order to compare them when you make your final decision.
• Ask all of your questions on this final visit. You should leave the campus knowing everything you want to know and everything you need to know. Also, if an Admissions Counselor says that they need to ask someone specific about your questions, follow up with them! They know how important it is for you to get answers, so be sure to follow up with them if you haven't heard back in a week to two weeks.

I hope this comparison between your visits helps you, once you get to that stage! For myself, visiting both of the colleges I applied to really solidified exactly why I wanted to apply there. I knew that each university's culture fit my personality, I liked their academic programs, and their campus feel. If it weren't for both of my visits to each university, I wouldn't have known!

enjoy the chase,

skylar

Summer Before Freshmen Year

    The summer before your Freshmen year of college can be one of the best summers of your young life. You are busy celebrating your and your friends' accomplishments, taking vacations with your families, and making as many memories as possible before you leave home for the first time.
    This can be an exciting time, however it can also be filled with much anxiety, nerves, and questions ... Am I going to like the school I chose? Will I change my major? What if my roommate is messy and inconsiderate?  Below I give you some tips on making your summer before your freshmen year of college exciting, memorable, and prepared for the school year to come!

1. Spend time with your family - As silly as that may sound, things will change in your house after you leave for college. Relationships won't be exactly the same, as you assert more of your independence and transition into acting more of an adult. Play that game of kickball with your younger brother, go on the camping trip into the mountains, stay home for a game and movie night, and be totally consumed by your family while you're in that moment. After you move into your dorm in the fall, these memories and relationships will help you with your transition, so nurture them while you have the chance.

High School Graduation 2010

2. Maintain your passions - Whether you danced in high school, played three sports, sang for your Church choir, or just loved running, continue those passions into the summer. All of these activities provide a support network for you and are a great thing to continue even into college. They will help clear your mind when you need a break from studying and they also might provide you your first college friends! Take the summer dance class, do the required workouts for your soccer team, and continue singing! Keep these healthy habits going because they will be even harder to break once you start classes.  * FYI: Joining a club or sports team as soon as you arrive on campus can really help avert homesickness. 

3. Enroll in the Early College Program - If you are invited to enter any early programs at the college, whether they be through an EOP program, the Honors program, or through a sports team, enroll in and complete them. These programs will help ease your transition into college. They will bring you together with like-minded people and will provide you the resources you need to be successful for the next two to four years. Yes, it can be tough to leave for college two weeks before all of your friends, but the experience you gain from the programs and their mentors will really help once the fall semester begins!

4. Attend Summer Orientation - Most orientations are mandatory, so don't even consider not going to them. This is usually when you will register for your classes, fill out your housing survey (which will be used to match you with your roommate!), and meet the professors in your major/program. You will also get a lot of good information, like where to buy your laptops from, how to register for on-campus parking, and which building would be best to live in! This is the first step that makes going to college REAL. Go with an open mind and take it all in. (Take notes during those information sessions because you won't remember a thing once you get back home.) 

5. Enjoy Every Second of Summer - Take a walk with your sister, go blackberry picking with your grandfather, camp outside, go on a road trip to all of your colleges with your closest friends, read the summer reading for Freshmen Writing, attend as many graduation parties as possible, prepare your resume for on-campus jobs, make good decisions, snuggle with your dog on a rainy day, tell your parents you love them everyday, take pictures (and print them for your dorm room wall), and make as many lasting and unforgettable memories as possible.

My graduation gift from my parents was to go on our French Club's
 trip to France the spring/summer before I went to college.
What an experience!!

This summer begins an entirely new chapter of your life; embrace it!

enjoy the chase,

skylar