New Chapter

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Hello all,

For those who may not know, I just graduated from Oswego in May, and I must say it still hasn’t hit me that I actually am done there. I guess that’s kind of because I’m in graduate school at Syracuse University now.

As of tomorrow at 4pm, I will have successfully finished my first semester of graduate school with 3 more to go, and I must say I am excited. It’s weird that just three months ago, I was rushing to hand in final papers, and stories. Flash forward to now and I’m rushing to hand in designs, edit feature viedo stories and cover local feature stories.

As much as many recent graduates encourage taking a break between undegrad and grad school, I have truly appreciated going straight though. Since my program is only a year long, I’m basically studying as long as someone my age who may be doing an extra year o undergrad. So in just 5 years, I would had accomplished two degrees. I think that is a great accomplishment and ready to tackle even more.

For now, I’ll be starting fall classes in two weeks, work as the assistant housing director of Bryant and Stratton College, and TA an undergraduate journalism ethics class. This may seem like a lot, but in fall 2011, I had three jobs, three internships, three class, while also working as the president of a club and an RA. So this should be a breeze right?

Although I’m no longer a student at Oswego, I would love to keep writing on this blog and kind of show a glimpse into post-graduate life. The ups and downs. Good, bad. ugly. And whatever other cliché outcome that comes mind.

To commemorate a successful first semester at Syracuse and say goodbye to a hectic last semester at Oswego, I leave you with this video. It is my first multimedia piece from grad school. I’ve done work like this before, but I am especially proud of this video in particular because it marks the beginning of something great for me… my career as a multimedia communications professional.

Look! Up In The Sky! It’s A Bird! It’s A Plane! It’s…Some Guy Introducing Himself!

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Hmm… given that we’ve been out of school for almost a month, you’d think I would’ve posted at least something by now. It seems procrastination, sleep, summer classes, sleep, looking for a job, procrastination, finding a job, sleep, working at said found job, eating, and sleep have gotten the better of me.

But now I’ve finally arrived, and am ready to finally make my first appearance on this fine Student Blog of ours!

My name is Tom Kline, and I’m a junior Cinema and Screen Studies/Creative Writing double major (with a minor in Theatre). I hail from the lovely (and rather quiet) town of Endwell, NY (which is about 20 minutes from Binghamton, for those of you playing along at home). I went to high school at Seton Catholic Central High School in Binghamton, where I graduated as a member of the Class of 2010.

I have what you’d call a “spirited” personality, which is to say that I tend to get excited fairly easily, and my voice often carries as a result. This ability to project is key to being an actor; in the real world, however, it often doesn’t fly. But that’s okay, because I find I’m still able to express my views and opinions (as well as fictitious anecdotes and the like) through writing, which in my experience has been an arguably quieter activity.

And if what people tell me is true (which is not always the case, sadly), I’m pretty good at this whole writing schtick.

Needless to say, much of my extra- (and even inter-) curricular activities involve extensive writing, editing, and other ways to mess around with the English language:

- I’m a member of the College Honors Program.

- I’ve been a regular Staff Writer for The Oswegonian for two years now, and some of my movie reviews have won journalism awards. I even served as a Copy Editor for a semester.

- I am currently a tutor in the Writing Center for the Office of Learning Services. Our office in Penfield Library is a perfect place to find help with papers and other forms of writing.

- My screenplay “The Chase” was featured in the Spring 2012 edition of The Great Lake Review, SUNY Oswego’s semesterly literary journal.

- Last semester, I was inducted into the Alpha Sigma Eta chapter of Sigma Tau Delta, the International English and Creative Writing honors society.

- And of course, I’m writing for this blog!

As I mentioned, I’m also an actor; I most recently made my return to the stage in last semester’s production of Much Ado About Nothing, in which I played Friar Francis and the Sexton. Here’s a photo, courtesy of Lakeshore Images:

That's me in the front, with the Obi-Wan Kenobi-esque robes.

It was my first college theatre production, and I’m really proud of how it turned out. I’m looking forward to working with the Theatre department in the future.

When I’m not chained to a desk, writing, acting, or sleeping (or acting like I’m sleep-writing while chained to a desk), I enjoy playing video games and watching action movies (my favorites are Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 and Die Hard, respectively). I’m also interested in mythology; as part of my Honors thesis, I’m researching the various ties to world mythologies found within anime, manga, and popular culture at large. It’s just one of the ways I’ve been able to fully embrace my “nerdy” interests by integrating them into my academic studies (but more on that some other time).

Well, I guess that’s me in a nutshell. In closing, I’d like to thank Tim Nekritz and the others involved with this blog for allowing me to become a contributor. I’m looking forward to posting some of my more interesting stories about SUNY Oswego sometime in the future.

Until then, thanks for reading!

 

Post-Grad

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As I patiently await my degree in the mail, I often contemplate all the amazing things that I can do with this token for my four years of sleepless nights, extracurricular activites galore and stressful events. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had a great time in Oswego, but I think that this book is coming to a close. And although I’ve enjoyed reading, it’s time to move on to a new story.

This is why I chose to move on with my life in grad school. Why not move as far as I can away right? How about Syracuse, right? Well that’s how far I’m going for now, for graduate degree in magazine, newspaper, and online journalism. But what’s next?
After that year, where is my path? Boston? Chicago? California?

One of my best friends and I  joked that we would move to LA, intern at E! News and become the new Kardashians, except we would actually have college degrees.
It’s interesting to have so many possibilities in the dreams that I possess. I could be practical and live at home with my mother in New York City and get a job. This would save money, and NYC has millions of opporunities. But who wants practical? I have a bachelors degree and will have a masters in a year?

I’ve been practical for the past 21 years. Can’t I venture into a spontaneous and irrational goal in the future if I wanted. Now I won’t say I’d fly to LA without a dime in my pocket, but I’ve lived for so long looking at my dream of being an entertainment journalist as a mere dream. But why can’t this dream become reality? I guess reality will let me know in a year.

Who? Anna, That’s who!

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My first entry as an official SUNY Oswego blogger? I feel so cool! What’s a better way to start everything than with an introduction. Bear with me because this entry will be extremely cliche!

Hi. My name is Anna. I will be starting my Senior year come Fall 2012 at SUNY Oswego studying Broadcasting and Mass Communication. I am from Brooklyn, New York and am as city as a person can get! I am a member of WTOP10-TV, the student run station on campus. More specifically, I am the current Underwriting Director and more recently I was elected the Editing Director. I am also a Lab Assistant at the Communication Studies Labs. As you can see, I live, eat, and breathe Broadcasting!

I am a typical college student, as lame as that may sound. I sleep, I go to class, I go do my extracurriculars, and I drink lots of caffeinated beverages. Energy Drink, coffee, Tazo tea are my favorites in that exact order.I currently live in the Village, which are the On-Campus townhouses. Next Fall will be my second semester there!

On a personal level, I have a lot of hobbies outside of my academics. I enjoy video games, especially First-Person shooters, comic books, and Panda bears. I am very fond of the color purple and baked goods. (I’m serious, bake me some cupcakes and you’ll probably be my best friend forever..)

Blogging has always been a nice little hobby of mine, and I’m excited to be starting this new adventure!

The Future

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The future has always been a concept that terrifies me. Even though it’s a reality for all of us, I hate not knowing what’s going to happen. I hate being afraid that the future isn’t going to be what I envision, isn’t going to work out. This creates a great deal of anxiety for me, and that was anxiety that I felt when I graduated from high school. I was terrified of leaving an environment with which I was comfortable and entering one with which I was not, and my freshman year of college was not very enjoyable; I made mistakes, and I made decisions of which, to this day, I am ashamed, and I can only imagine that it was because, emotionally, I was not ready for college. That’s not to say that I wish that I would have waited a year or two – definitely not; the only way that I could be ready was to experience it, which is ultimately why I’m glad that I did make mistakes. Still, though, I can’t help but feel a deep sense of dread that I’m going to make more, that I’m not ready for the “real world” and what dangers that it has to offer, the worst of them probably being uncertainty.

Luckily, I’m armed with something that I didn’t have four years ago; I’m armed with love. Four years ago, something that really beat me down was the thought that I was meant to be alone and that that was how I was destined to spend the rest of my life. I know; it was kind of ridiculous, but at the time, that’s what I believed, and if I hadn’t found my boyfriend Ray, I very likely would still feel that way. As a teenager, I didn’t really experience a real connection with another person like most teenagers do. Every time that I went to a prom or a ball, I went with a friend; I never knew what a real date was, a real romantic experience. Now, I do, and that very strong connection gives me faith that I didn’t have before.

Yesterday, I graduated, and it felt so strange. I knew that I was supposed to be overcome by an immense amount of bittersweet feelings – happiness because I have gotten through the last bloody and sweaty four years and sadness because I was leaving Oswego behind, a very special place to me that will always have a place in my heart, but I just felt embarrassed because I had lost my tassel. I looked around me for others that weren’t wearing one, but I didn’t see anyone, and I felt so embarrassed. Even now that it’s over, the fact that I graduated from college with an undergraduate degree hasn’t sunk in yet.

I’m now pursuing a really great, ideal job and hope that I get it. I could finally be looking at enough money to buy a car, which would really feel like a major step forward. I don’t even have my license because I’ve never had the support system that I would have needed, and I’ve never had the finances to afford a car. That may finally be a reality, but of course, it’s dependent upon whether or not I get the job. From experience, I don’t seem to interview well; I applied to be a DA on campus three times, was interviewed each time, and each time, I was rejected. I try to be positive, though. and I try to look toward the future as promise. My goal is to have a car by the end of the summer, so by August, and to then have an apartment with my boyfriend by January. On June 9th, I take two teacher certification tests, which is going to be really rough. They are in Syracuse, and the first is at 7:45 a.m. while the second is at 1:00 p.m. Then, I have another on July 14th. I am not good at taking tests; I never have been, so I’m nervous, but hopefully, I’ll be fine. I will definitely make an effort to write as often as I can throughout the summer.

quest report: minding your manners.

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Submitted by Gabriela Santos

I attended “Etiquette: Minding Your Manners” at Quest. During the presentation, I learned about business etiquette and how to act respectively in the workplace.

When you are going for an interview, be early. Introduce yourself to everyone and shake hands with everyone as well. Dress professional, as a first impression is very important. Listen carefully to your interviewers for all information about the job. After your interview, you should send a thank you card, thanking your interviewer for their time. Make the card personal to help them remember you and stick out from the rest.

At your job, you should always be prompt and prepared. You must make sure that you use proper language around your co-workers and bosses. Keep the conversations appropriate and refrain from swearing. If your job requires you to travel often, make sure you research the culture, proxemics and hand gestures. Some countries take offense to things that have positive meanings in the United States.

E-mailing is a major way of communication today. It is used in the workplace frequently so there are a few guidelines you need to follow. You should always put a subject line in your emails. This will make it easy for the receiver to have an idea of the email and it is also easier to find this way. If the email is long, put “(long)” in the subject line as well. This way, a reader can put time aside to read your email. Make sure your grammar is perfect and reread your email.

If you want to quit your job, there are a few ways of doing this without burning any bridges. You may want to use your boss as a reference for the future. You want to give your boss a two-week notice of your leaving. Some jobs, such as a teacher, you should give your boss notice of your leaving at least six months ahead of time. When telling your boss you should write a letter as well as telling them face-to-face. Make sure you thank them for the opportunity and stay positive. You should offer to train your replacement. Someone had to train you and it looks professional to do the same. Make sure you tie up all of your loose ends. You do not want to leave your replacement with unfinished projects. Also, it is smart to ask for references from your boss and co-workers. Following these guidelines will allow you to succeed in the workplace in a positive way.

quest report: business and leadership sessions

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Submitted by Kaila Curatalo

Etiquette: Minding Your Manners

The first presentation that I attended was a presentation about the different types of business etiquette. What to do and not to do in the work place, interview etiquette, email etiquette and in case you ever want to quit your job, the successful ways to go about it. To start off with the topic of interviewing, always be early. Whenever attending an interview it is crucial that you dress appropriately in business attire. When meeting the person who is interviewing be sure to shake their hand and be prepared for small talk. Also be sure that you listen carefully through out the interview and if you do not understand something, speak up and ask them to repeat themselves. Make sure you always being extra resumes and although most people do not think to send a thank you note, it shows that you are appreciative and serious about the job position.

Through out the presentation the group discussed the six rules of business etiquette, which are promptness, preparation, appearance, decorum, e-mail formatting and communication appropriateness. By being prepared in those six skills you will look more professional and more likely be hired for the job. One of the most important skills to have in this technological day in age is good email etiquette. Be sure that you are not using email just to avoid face-to-face communication. Always know that email is not private, so your messages need to be professional or work related in case they get into the wrong hands, and as always be sure to reread your emails and make sure your grammar, spelling and punctuation are all correct.

Quitting a job always seems like it would be an awkward or uncomfortable process, but after watching this presentation, leaving a corporation or business in the correct fashion can actually help your future endeavors. Always give enough notice to your job when you are putting in your recognition. The standard is two weeks, but some companies may require up to a year in advance notice. You never want to burn any bridges with your employers so letting the company have adequate time to replace you is the respectable thing to do. Ask if you can train your replacement, finish any projects that your working on, leave a clean workspace, ask for references and thank your supervisor for the opportunity and training.  After watching this presentation I am more familiar with what I need to have to have good business etiquette.

Networking: Your Key to Success

The next presentation I attended was about what may most be the most important aspect of our society today, networking. Networking opens up new doors for you every day. Meeting new people and making new connections proves to be very beneficial in the business world.

There are many places right on campus at SUNY Oswego that open opportunities for you to network. The Compass has services such as the Leadership Development Program, Major Career Exploration, Career Services and Experience-Based Education. The ASK mentoring program pairs you with an alum to explore your field of career interest. With the help of your alumni mentor, you can find what truly interests you and they can help you to begin to network yourself.

Being involved around campus can quickly increase your networking status. The many different jobs the school offers in places such as residence life and housing, Cooper and Glimmerglass gyms and the dining halls can help you meet new people and create networks. Also the different activities and clubs such as Greek life and the numerous different varsity sports can help you network yourself. Although social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter have become highly popular within the last few years you have to be extremely careful about what you put on your site. Some companies hire people who can hack your account to see the types of things you put on your page. Always make sure you are putting things on the Internet that you would want people to see, not something that people could use against you.

Managing Conflict: A Soft Skill

The third presentation that I attended was about conflict management. Many people view that conflict it a bad thing, but throughout this presentation you being to see that sometimes conflict can be a good thing. Conflict is normal in the everyday workplace and normally if everyone communicates properly it can be easily solved. Conflict will test the strengths of individuals, and will help you learn about the strengths of others. It has been proven that when conflict is involved it actually improves your performance rate.

When being faced with a conflict don’t be afraid to ask questions. Getting a variety of different sources is crucial in the resolution of a conflict. In the pre-negotiation stage, first start of the conversation, and find out if everyone is willing to communicate. Then agree on the discussion rules and be organized. During the negotiation bring everyone’s concerns to light and show the current options. Once this is done, evaluate the options then write a written agreement. Last in the post-negotiation make sure you take action and seek outside support if needed. The most important aspect of solving a conflict is that both parties need to be willing to negotiate. Solving conflict will help you and your business succeed.

Becoming a Leader

The last presentation that I went to was about becoming a leader. Every good business has people that step up and become leaders to their co-workers. Every leader must have good communication traits and create different approaches to management. There are five different leadership styles, which are social, task, balance, leaderless and moderate. A balanced leader has a high concern for the task and a high concern for the people. The balanced leader is the ultimate leader and has great communication skills. A moderate leader has moderate concern for the task and moderate concern for the people, and although this is not the best case, this is in reality what most leaders are.

Leaders need to have good communication traits that will continue to make them better leaders. They have to have a willingness to communicate. Leaders also need to have a sense of argumentativeness, which is being able to exchange ideas that state positions providing support for those positions. Leaders that are high in argumentativeness are likely to have more influence in an organization. Leaders need many skills in order to be successful such as strategy, writing and speaking. Emotional intelligence, cultural literacy and listening are also key character traits of a leader. One of the most important traits of being a leader has to be credibility; if your co-workers do not think you are credible you are most likely not going to be taken seriously in the workplace.

quest report: “current issues in media law”

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The 2 p.m. presentation of “Current Issues in Media Law” featured a panel of  Jason Zenor, Asa Stackel, Leigh Rusyn, Annie Palmer and Carly Olds discussing provocative issues in this evolving field.

The presentation discussed the legal issues various forms of broadcast media have to deal with. One situation given was libelous statements via the Internet and whether anyone saying things on the Internet should be held responsible for their statements. One interesting point given was that people have claimed that any offending statements could have been said as a spur-of-the-moment event, and that making these hurtful statements newsworthy would only increase the publicity.
The other topic involved copyright infringement. Under today’s protection, a copyright stays active until a considerable amount of years after the copyright owner is deceased. Examples of potential copyright-infringing material includes fan-fiction (the use of copyright characters in an original story), parody (a mostly satirical comment on a specific work, usually depends on how much the original work is duplicated) and music sampling (using clips of a copyrighted song without owning the rights to create a new song).

quest report: panel on mental health

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Submitted by Jen Roerty
I attended “Mental Health: Unlocking the Combination to Finding Your True Potential” with a panel of four participants including three psychologists and mental health professionals and one SUNY oSwego student going into the mental health field. They discussed medication, how caffeine affects your mental health, meditation, exercise and diet. I believe it was very beneficial to hear certain opinions from different people however  I did not necessarily agree with their opinions. It was very informative.