Towards this time of year, it can seem like your life is like a game of Jenga.  With so many blocks being pulled out as you finish different tasks and new ones are added on top, it can seem overwhelming. However, realizing that this tower doesn’t have to fall is an important part of having a fulfilling end to the semester.

You know how during sports practices and the likes coaches always say “finish strong?” Well, this can apply to a wide array of things. Anything from organization’s final moments to those tests that you just feel like you can’t study for anymore, should be treated with this “finish strong” mentality.

I know that for me, a lot of my extracurricular activities focus heavily on end of the year involvement. Shaun Cass Improv’s biggest show is always our last. It involves planning, promotions, and practice. This can be tiring. But, once it is done, the fact that I remained committed is enough.

For Lifestyles, the Peer Education program comes with banquets and applications for the following year. This means filling out forms and having to move schedules around. But these final things are still important to attend and making it work around your schedule involves a lot of time management.

Other things that can make studying feel impossible are work schedules. While often able to do homework at the desk, sometimes it can be hard to focus. The way to beat this, I have found, is to only bring homework to the desk. Whether that means leaving your laptop or just having less to occupy your time, you can help yourself focus.

That being said, final notes I would give is to realize that at the end of the day, school does come first. And, while this college offers a lot of opportunities to expand yourself, it is a college and gaining professional knowledge is what matters. Good luck to everyone with the final weeks of the semester.

Summer is coming up. That is a fact and while everyone is excited for one of the longest breaks of the year, students everywhere will be left unoccupied by extracurricular work. For some this is a blessing, but for others summer, while fun can also be a simulative lull. For those needing to occupy their brains with entertaining, but experiential work during the warm months, here are some things I think will help.

4. Start a summer blog. No matter what club you are in, chances are your experiences through that club, your interests, and your personal thoughts can be applied to some blog form. Whether its useful tips, entertainment reviews, or opinions on certain matters; establishing a strong summer blog can be great for the mind to filter out information and ideas, while also providing possible work examples.
5. Stay sharp by practicing. A lot of different clubs can provide summer work if students choose to accept it. For clubs that feature performances in any form, find local open mics and attempt to do your act at them. In addition, clubs that are more major-driven can be made much easier by calendaring the schedule. By getting a jumpstart on the year ahead you can spend your time more evenly.
6. Do an internship. In terms of no-brainers, this point may seem obvious. Internships can definitely help you build professional experience and experience to help in your organizational commitments. Building skills while also building your resumes is the way to getting a step ahead.
7. Learn new skills. One way to occupy your time constructively is to pick up some new skills. Things like photo editing programs, web programing, and the likes help make you look technologically advanced for your future. Even learning the fundamentals of these various things can help you in the future when looking for a job.

As previously written, I always knew that in college I wanted to be as involved as possible. I knew that it was a great way to build social relationships as well as professional ones. Coming into Oswego I wanted to join everything. Instead, I wish I had known what I know now about joining organizations because it probably would have made things much easier.

1. Try out for things, even if you’ve never done it before. Coming into the school, I definitely had a love for comedy but had never done any form of improv or acting. When I heard about Shaun Cassidy Fan Club (the improv troupe), I was unsure whether I would/could do what they set out to do on a weekly basis. Skipping their table at the involvement fair out of fear, I went to their first show and found their brand of comedy to be something I could fall in love with. I moved on to try it out and proved myself to be right.
2. Mix clubs of entertainment and leisure with professional ones. While clubs can be fun and social experiences, the benefits of joining organizations that push you towards a career can be extremely beneficial. Major-driven clubs (Like PRSSA) and honor societies are great because they allow you to gain real work experience (not to mention they look good on a resume).
3. Pick a few clubs and excel at them. As stated, coming in I wanted to be a part of everything. I love clubs and feel that they provide people with great social and experiential opportunities. I signed up for a double digit amount of clubs during the involvement fair without realizing the commitment they would take. After quickly dropping some, I’ve wished that I had picked a few from the get go to become deeply invested in (at the very least, it would have saved my wrists from having to write my email down so many times).
4. Realize that integration is a process. This one should have been a no brainer, but for me it wasn’t. When I joined my chosen organizations I had hoped for swift bonds and engagement. What I realize now is that no matter what the organization is, becoming truly invested in it and creating long lasting bonds is a journey in itself but the rewards are terrific.
5. At the end of the day, Oswego offers enough organizations where there is multiple things for everyone. Not being able to find a club is as remediable as a Google search. Picking a few awesome clubs is a great move for anyone!

Every year, Admitted Student Days, open houses,  and involvement fairs sweep the campus. It seems like every year, more and more clubs and organizations appear. Every year, these organizations also seek new membership. Whether it be writer positions at The Oswegonian or dancers for Del Sarte, open memberships to campus organizations can prove to be beneficial and fun ways to integrate into the school community. So, with these days fast approaching, students both current and incoming should look forward to getting their foot through the door of clubs early for some of the benefits I have laid out below:

1. Club membership helps establish bonds, early membership does too! Nothing can be better for a student looking to get to know some other students than joining a club with people who share similar interests. For instance, a club like Shaun Cassidy Fan Club, finding fellow comedians to build off of has proven important for many members. Early recognition through involvement fairs allow you to sift through the clubs you might be interested in joining.

2. Don’t discount day one facial recognition. Following the hustle and bustle of tabling and member sign-ups, many clubs have general interest meetings. For both the e-board and yourself seeing those friendly and recognizable faces can be comforting!

3. Show your determination. Nothing says you want to be involved more than signing up for updates from a clubs! Use this as an opportunity to show that you mean business when you write your name down. This puts everyone in a better mood because doing so shows that you’re willing to put in the effort.

4. Lastly, strong foundations lead to quick advancement. While this seems obvious, it is still important to point out that, if you show interest early on, you are more likely to advance in the organization. Speaking personally, I know that my sophomore year saw me through to the e-board of Shaun Cassidy Fan Club and know that this is true of other organizations as well.  Showing the immediate interest helps you, along with the previous benefits, build a support system that will further you along on your professional and  interested path.

Since freshman year, I have been writing for SUNY Oswego’s The Oswegonian. Writing for the college’s newspaper has been a rewarding experience that has helped me grow professionally. I currently am the promotional director of the newspaper and operate the social media of The Oswegonian. I also do various promoting through tabling and giveaways.

1. Deadlines exist for a reason. Frequent writers for the school’s newspaper may understand this more than others, but the lesson applies to all. With a limited timeline to have each of the newspaper’s creation processes completed, having articles in timely has proven to be of utmost urgency. During my time with the newspaper, I have had the opportunity to write multiple articles each week and be featured in both the paper and digital website and without deadlines the work that must go into addressing these multiple aspects and pieces could never get done.
2. Commitment matters. While possibly never seeking a staff membership on The Oswegonian, one amazing aspect of the organization is the ability to rise in rank based solely on merit and weekly writing alone. Beginning as a contributing writer, and ending a year as a staff writer, while small, is a victory in and of itself.
3. Writing can be enjoyable. While not necessarily the most newsworthy or pressing, the ability to write increasingly well through discussing topics you find energizing, helps in multiple ways. Firstly, writing skills will benefit you no matter what your future holds. Many careers expect strong writing skills. In addition, writing is good for the mind and can be stimulating and relaxing.
4. Double checking of sources is key. Nothing is more embarrassing than not editing your work or rechecking your sources. Months ago, when writing about a music duo I really enjoyed, I failed to check their names after writing them into my piece, later that group that I had come to be obsessed with, actually tweeted at me to let me know that, while they appreciated my review, I had gotten one members name wrong. From what could have been an exciting moment for me, I experienced red cheeks and disappointment at my mistake.
5. Becoming better is an endless, but rewarding process. While being “the best” at something is an entertaining and freeing time, understanding that you can always achieve greater skill levels will leave you feeling better in the long run. I feel as though The Oswegonian has taught me that I can always be improving and learning, no matter how good I get. It has helped me better understand and utilize constructive criticism and for this I am happy.

Major-driven clubs present terrific opportunities for students to gain valuable experience in their future career paths. Real work experience, presentations on a variety of professional topics, and networking through people currently working the field, allow for some of the most influential moments in someone’s college career.

The Public Relations Student Society of America is no different. Through hard work, determination, and constant organization the leadership of this organization provides all who want to learn the chance to do so.

Presentation is important.

Through the PRSSA, the ideas of presentation become increasingly clear. Each week, the women who lead our organization showcase an uncanny ability to put forth new ideas, tasks, and experiences through their ability to present professionally and connectedly. Never amateurish, the PRSSA is able to make materials seem relevant to college students.

 The necessity of real work experience.

Constantly pushed through PRSSA is the idea that real experience is the most important way to get your foot into the door. This is clear through their presentations on networking, the accepting of clients, and the lectures on internship ideas and tips. It is one of the most important takeaways from the club.

Writing skills are crucial, no matter your major.

Organization advisor, Sarah Bozek, strenuously places a great deal of significance on writing skills. Through her teachings and those of the organization which produce a variety of written material, including brochures and signage, writing has proven to be of crucial.

 The principal of a “Thank You.”

The PRSSA does a yearly event on the value of thank you cards and through this I have begun to understand that a simple email or phone call is not enough to tell someone how much you appreciate their help. Handwritten notes, despite some articles noting their death, are certainly more effective than I ever knew.

 Organization, organization, organization.

For the E-board, the ability to provide participating members with new endeavors on a weekly basis is only something that could be accomplished through highly-skilled levels of organization. It is something admirable and educating for peers to take note of and something I have definitely tried to adopt more as a result of being a member.

The Accounting Society at SUNY Oswego is similar to other major organizations on campus in that its goal is to provide future graduates with the skills and tools necessary to enter their career field. Through professional interactions and presentations, The Accounting Society covers a variety of topics ranging from interview tips to establishing a strong LinkedIn profile. In addition they frequently address how to get an internship, how to become a part of Public Accounting firms, and more.

Every year, the Accounting Society at SUNY Oswego hosts an event that allows students to meet and network with current professionals in both the public and private sectors of accounting. Simplistically named “Meet The Accountants Night,” the opportunity to talk to current members of the accounting career path is an important one for all perspective accounting majors and future graduates.

Through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program, the Society has created an opportunity for continued real life experience by allowing members to participate in preparing tax returns for individuals in the community.

Overall, if this organization is anything like the Public Relation Student Society Of America (PRSSA) or like other major-driven organizations on campus, the opportunity to learn a lot is present. Networking seems to be a key aspect of the club and in today’s network-driven society this club seems like a great addition to the campus!

I would like to thank Lauren Ryan, President of The Accounting Society, for providing me with the answers to my questions! Anyone interested in pursuing the Society can contact them through email: acctsoc@oswego.edu.

http://www.oswego.edu/academics/colleges_and_departments/business/student_activities/accountingsociety.html