Feels like (a new) home 

I hosted a special visitor over the weekend. One of my very best friends from school was up to see me and her significant other. It’s not often that I do much around here on the weekends, but this one was different.

Thanks to my tight budget, and no source of income for at least 10 more months, I tend to stay in a lot.  A typical Friday or Saturday night for me and the roomie is not anything you’d expect from two 22-year-olds.  Not that I’m sure anything could be considered typical for our age group, but let’s just say we don’t know really know much about anything—from where to find the closest movie theater  to where you can get cheap drinks with an exciting crowd.

So, having visitors? That’s quite an event around here!

I asked around where I’m doing my internship: What are some casual/inexpensive places to go out? Which areas would you recommend.?Where do we even park?!

It’s not too often that I get excited about living here, mostly because it’s still a little overwhelming. I’m not sure I’ll ever be used to an hour commute, or a Metro ride into D.C. just for the day. But then the suggestions rolled in, and my co-workers told me about all these things that go on when it starts getting nicer outside (example: movies projected onto the backs of buildings, and you bring lawn chairs and food. Um, that sounds great!), and all the things to see around Christmas, and where you can find the “college crowd” and where it’s a little bit more expensive but so much fun.

Hmm, that changes things a little bit.

And then there was the weekend with my parents. There was too much to do. We were busy for the full four days, and they even squeezed in touristy things while I was at work.  It was a good time, and about an hour before they left, my Mom decided that they’re just coming back in the spring to fit more in.  Because, really, how can you skip watching the cherry blossoms bloom? Or walking through the American History Museum (currently shut down for renovation)? Or even spending an afternoon in Annapolis to taste-test all the ice cream shops and eat fresh crab cakes by the water?

Well. It may have taken three months, but I’m starting to really appreciate that this is where I am. I’m finally recognizing exits and roads, and remembering where that parking garage is if we want to go to this seafood restaurant or that shopping center.  Now, to add to the list, I know a few places that don’t charge cover, and one that has a dueling piano players (that’s talent right there).  Good times.

I know how important it is to open your eyes to new places. I’ve lived in four states over the last five  years! Each move is hard and definitely takes some adjustment before it feels like home. But, with each new place there is a new adventure, and more importantly…..a new opportunity.

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When you start to apply, where do you start? 

This time last year all I remember thinking is, “Um, where do I start?”

I knew what I wanted to do (the internship I’m doing now), but there were a lot of things I didn’t know. Where do I want to live? Which program would fit me best? Should I pick by location, convenience, program layout, cost, school, hospital….?! Whoa.

My “free” time during the months of November and October were spent doing these things: checking internship web sites, checking for internship programs, making a list, checking things off the list, adding things to the list, agonizing over the list, stressing out.

Luckily, we had a job-search class specifically designed to help us with this. This process of narrowing things down, deciding where to apply, putting together application packets, and then….the interviews and the results.

Honestly, I don’t know where I’d be right now if it weren’t for that class. But, not everyone is so lucky. Not everyone has that kind of guidance, and not everyone has that time frame laid out in front of them to make everything just a little bit easier.

Without a little help I wouldn’t have known a lot of the “little” things, things like the date by which we should have asked for our recommendation letters, the variety of people we should consider to write our recommendation letters, who we need to send a “thank-you” note to, how to dress and prepare for an interview, and then....even the post-interview etiquette. Oh yes, there’s always etiquette.

Here’s my point: If you plan on doing an internship, grad school, or any kind of continuing education program next year…..start NOW. Go to your career center and take some job-search workshops.

Then, start looking at programs, evaluating them based on your wants/needs/goals, make your lists, edit your lists, and then edit them again. Make sure you’ve looked everything over. Put some thought into it.

Read over the program’s web site at least three times. Don’t. Miss. Anything. They make those web sites for a reason—because they expect you to read them. Most programs will offer suggestions, everything from who to ask for recommendation letters (e.g., One from a professor, one from a boss, one from [fill in the blank]) to what kind of folder to put everything in. You’ll be amazed at the detail some people require. Don’t ignore it. That’s definitely not a good move.

At this point you will probably feel sufficiently overwhelmed. So take a deep breath. And get busy!

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