Posts tagged ‘work’

Mar 6

Have Pen Will Travel

Are there any budding writers out there? Students who really feels they have something to say or simply like to give their opinions–maybe a restaurant, a favorite punk band, or perhaps a book or author?

There is a class being taught at PSU that may be right for you. WR 458, Magazine Writing, taught by Prof. Paul Collins. I am taking this class right now and I find it very interesting and useful…for if you follow the class closely, listen to an expert on the subject, you could in time have your own magazine articles published…AND be paid to do so. Read more

Feb 20

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When you become the interviewer

Last week, I had the experience of being on the other end of the table for several interviews. As part of my job as a resident assistant, I am required to interview people for the positions that will be open for next year.

I found it interesting to see the process through the eyes of the person conducting the interview. There were so many things that I had in my head as a personal checklist: dress, eye contact, sincerity, understanding of the job, and a drive and willingness to be there. I was thoroughly surprised with how little confidence I saw in several of the candidates. I’ve been involved with Residence Life for two years, so many of the things that I took for granted, things that I naturally expected from those I was interviewing, apparently did not seem to be so obvious to the candidates. I guess it goes to show you what experience can do to change your attitude, view, and expectations.

Overall, what I took away from this process is that presentation is everything. That doesn’t mean you have to be obnoxious and speak over others at every given point, or digress onto points that are unnecessary. Rather, be clear and concise with your ideas and don’t be afraid to speak up when prompted. Also, there’s a lot to be said with the phrase “dress for success”: your clothes reflect that you’re collected, professional, and ready for business. Even if you aren’t the most confident person in the world, just fake it ‘til you make it.

Feb 1

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Portland State is More Than a School.

The first university I visited during my middle school years was Portland State. I vaguely remember seeing the Smith cafeteria and the Broadway computer lab. At the time, I was curious about attending college, but by my freshman year in high school, I knew I was going to college. I had no school in mind, but I was determined to enroll with or without financial aid.

During my senior year in high school, I made a trip to Phoenix, Arizona. All of my mother’s side of the family moved there a decade ago. A cousin of mine was attending Arizona State, and she suggested that I should enroll there. I visited the enormous campus and was excited at the idea of leaving Oregon for something different. Ultimately, I chose to stay and enroll into Portland State for financial and family reasons.

I had come to the conclusion that I simply could not afford to attend Arizona State. My lack of knowledge about financial aid blurred an opportunity for me to go out of state. I had worked hard in my rigorous classes in high school and had harvested pears and cherries during the same time. However, many low-income people of color do not have access to a solid education let alone higher education.

I have been fortunate and privileged to have both. Portland State and all the institutions of higher learning are more than just a mascot, brand or colors. They are the places where we should gain knowledge, develop our skills, and empower ourselves. It has been a journey for me to mold a better life and to give back to my family and community.

Nov 19

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You Are Not Alone

For the longest time, I felt that no one could ever really understand my troubles. We all have issues, concerns, and problems, but I felt I was on my own. I am the first one in my family to attend a university, and this tends to be a bit overwhelming and exciting for most students. Yet, over time I kept feeling frustrated, lost, and even sad. I simply didn’t know what was going on with me. This kept happening for a while and it got worse.

It wasn’t until I had several panic attacks that my family and I knew something was wrong. Our family doctor knew what was going on. He diagnosed me with Anxiety Disorder. I was a bit relieved to know what I had yet; my symptoms persisted even after getting on medication. Time passed by and I started to feel better.

However, I just had a recent panic attack. It has been over a year since I had one. I realized that I needed to take care of myself better by getting professional help and by reaching out to everyone I know. I was relying on my medication too much, and hadn’t developed a support system. This is critical for a well-rounded and healthy recovery and growth. I advise everyone to reach out for support from everyone they know and to go to SHAC or any medical center to get professional help. You are not alone, there is help out there.

May 24

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Where Is My Financial Aid?

Money makes the world go round, and even more so when I am waiting for my money to kick in. Like most students at Portland State, I have to apply to FASFA every academic year I am enrolled in. and while the deadline was months ago, I am still waiting to see how much I will be offered the upcoming year. Why? There is this step called “verification” I have been told that students are selected randomly to take this extra step in applying for financial aid. It essentially verifies that all the information that is provided is true.

I have been selected not once, not twice, but three times. At this point, it is no longer random in my opinion. Most students by now know their financial package for this fall term, I do not. My parents always file taxes in April and have the documents to prove it. Not only do I need to fill out extra paperwork, but I also have to turn in a copy of my parent’s taxes. However, there is a new system or process to being verified. PSU is now asking to turn a “tax transcript” instead. While this may be easy, it is complicated for me.

My parents don’t speak English, and thus any financial step or information they need to provide, an interpreter has to be present. Like any student with who has immigrant parents, this is part of our lives. This not only prolongs my financial aid distribution, but also holds me back from planning and estimating my living and school expenses.

Apr 23

Moving In and Moving Out, With Friends or Without.

There is nothing like moving into a new place, a new environment, and I could even say into a new chapter of life. The city has always attracted me, and with it came many opportunities to meet people and make new friends. Being one of the few Mexican Americans living on campus made it interesting trying to fit in. Nonetheless, with time I made new friends, and eventually got close with a few. At the time, I was living alone in Broadway but knew that I eventually wanted to move in with my friends.

From my experience, the more roommates you have, the more issues and tensions come up. The question is how these issues will be addressed and solved in a respectful manner?

I am a pretty laid back person, and I admit, shy. It takes me awhile to trust any person, I observe first, talk little, and try to understand the person. However, we all have different personalities, different ways of thinking, and making friends.

At the beginning of one of my move-ins, everything looked promising. We all expected to get along, go out during the weekends, and even throw parties at our place. However, issues came up. Someone wouldn’t clean up after themselves, someone would always be late paying bills, someone would constantly have their girlfriend over, someone had a huge ego, and someone was under age, the list goes on. By the end everything had changed, the lack of communication and respect didn’t help. I saw it as a learning experience, good and bad.

In the end the six of us separated, three of my former roommates stayed together and found a new place to live. I fortunately, paired up with one of my other roommates and found a new place. Nonetheless, some friendships were lost and others were changed.

Mar 8

Living in Downtown Has its Advantages

Coming from a small but rural town, I’m used to having stores, restaurants, and other places beyond walking distance. It’s very common to see young teenagers get their license and start driving to high school and elsewhere, I certainly did when I had the chance. Most cities have the same layout, where you need a car to get around. But Portland is small compared to other cities.

Powell’s bookstore, restaurants, Pioneer Place mall and are all within walking distance. Our public transportation makes it easy to travel one side of the city to the other. The street car makes it easy for me to get around. The street car, along with the MAX line and TriMet buses, are vital to many students and PSU commuters.

Without fail, the streets and public transportations are full with people every weekday who are ready to start a new day. It is nice to live near PSU so I don’t have the hassle of waiting for a bus or the Max and taking up some of my time commuting. It is expensive to livedowntown, but the experience and the independency are invaluable. I have been living in Portland for more than two years and I’m planning to stay here for a few more years.

What do you think: Are there more pros than cons living downtown?

Jan 25

You Are Not Your Khakis

As the Martin Luther King Jr. Tribute VIP reception wound down, I found myself wandering around the Smith student union Browsing Lounge looking for a misplaced coat. Most of the guests were upstairs in the ballroom for the main event. I was tired and my navy blue blazer was a little too warm. As I poked around under chairs and tables, employees from Aramark, our campus catering service, were busy clearing plates, napkins and wine glasses. A young man pushed a cart towering with dirty dishes and napkins past me. “You guys are awesome!” I blurted suddenly. He looked up and smiled. “Always cleaning up after everyone so they can enjoy themselves,” I continued.

“Well, this is just my second time doing this,” he replied. “I worked in the restaurant business before this…this is just a temporary thing. The restaurant I was working for closed down just before Christmas. I’m used to being more in the public eye and not so much behind the scenes. But it’s kind of nice, actually.”

“Yeah,” I replied. “I’ve had a quite a few jobs where I was more of a ‘behind the scenes’ person. It’s really different from what I’m doing now as a Student Ambassador.”

We chatted for another couple of minutes. The missing coat was located and I headed upstairs. I thought about the conversation I’d had and why I had felt moved to say something in the first place. I remembered when I’d had less glamorous jobs. I’ve been a gas station attendant on the graveyard shift, worked on the receiving dock of a major department store in the wee hours of the morning, and been a theater usher, among others. I recall how I was often treated, which was rudely and with a certain amount of distain. This made me angry. I wanted to yell, “You don’t know anything about me! I’m an educated person! This isn’t what I wanted to be as a child! I have bills to pay just like you!” Of course, I never said those things. I just smiled sweetly and continued doing my grunt work.

Just because I now wear a blazer to work and have a fancy title doesn’t make me any better or more important than the people who clean up after me. I’ve made a promise to myself to always remember that.