The Gift of Giving

After celebrating Christmas about 21 times, I can say that this particular year held the most meaning in my heart.  I’ve been given many gifts over the years, from toys to games and money. However, this year included more giving rather than getting.  Seeing the smile on another’s face is a gift in its own.  I experienced what it truly means to be selfless, and I must admit that the results were great.  I was given a large amount of money in gift cards that I planned to spend on myself, but instead decided to use on my father and sister, and it turned out very well.  It’s especially pleasing for me because I’m not really good at choosing physical gifts; I’ve always been the type of person to buy gift cards and allow others to choose on their own.  When you give a gift to another person, you tend to be so elated from their happiness that you forget about your own, and that’s what being selfless is all about.  I realize now why it’s called the season of giving and not receiving.  The true gratefulness in the holiday comes from being charitable rather than covetous. 

My thoughts before and during the break

This winter break has been an extreme relief for me.  I have never been so worn out from working until coming to Year Up, which took up so much of the social life that I once had.  I find myself waking up and going to sleep thinking about Tech, BC and Pro skills every day, making sure that I’m organized and ready to take on the next day’s challenge, whatever that may be.  The meager 4-5 hours of sleep that I get every night doesn’t make anything easier for me, but now I totally understand why so many adults drink coffee in the morning.  During the last week before Christmas break, I spent every day mounting my anxiety because I desperately needed some time to rest, relax, and be with the people whom I love.  I wanted to make sure that I get through the week working hard, but it felt like I had senioritis for a second.  I was so focused on free time that I didn’t feel like I was putting out complete efforts in class.  My head is much clearer now that I’ve been able to wake up in the morning, look at the clock, and throw the covers over my head again without thinking about the consequences.  My head is finally clear and I feel relieved waking up and not thinking about what assignments I need to make sure I have turned in. Although there is homework due, I take it as working from home, because I choose when to complete it myself and don’t have to worry about physically getting the assignment in by a deadline.  This week was most definitely needed and will be a great charge for my brain so I can come back to Year Up primed for succeeding beyond expectations.

The Way of the Intern

Someone who in internship ready is constantly responsible and holding themselves accountable for their actions on and off-site.  They are leaders to say the least, and they show up ready to learn and be an example to others.  Also, someone who is internship ready knows the material well and can execute what they’ve learned without any issues and won’t allow themselves to fold under pressure. 

I have a couple of ways to show myself as “internship-ready.”  One way is converting on all of the growth areas presented to me from my first evaluation. I had issues with my dependability due to lack of organization and discipline, and with only a handful of weeks left, I must and will perfect this skill so I can be nearly flawless.  Also, I will make sure to reduce the amount of infractions I have received by at least half, but the ultimate goal is to avoid them altogether.  I found myself earning infractions that were so petty and could’ve been avoided so easily had I paid more attention to detail, so I implemented a plan to keep myself organized and ahead of schedule before every class. Failure and mistake are no longer options.

My attitude and energy are always high, but I want to make sure to bring them up another notch. I want to continue speaking in a professional manner so much that it becomes second nature.  Most importantly, I want to make sure that my organization is flawless, so there wouldn’t be a soul that I don’t impress.

The "Blessing" and the "Curse"

The best job that I ever had is the job which I work at right now.  I am a server at Red Robin and I’ve really have some great experiences while here. Some of my primary responsibilities are greeting and taking care of our guests by writing down their orders and keeping their drinks full.  This was the most important part because the company’s success was determined by the prodigious service that my coworkers and I gave to our guests. The job was made enjoyable by the people that I worked with. The managers at Red Robin strive to hire very friendly and social people, so there was never a problem with making friends and establishing a core of efficient teamwork.  While at Red Robin, I became a better socially, and I really made good use of my small talk. The social skills that it takes to excel at this job are what will help me be successful at internship.

The worst job I ever had took place at GameStop. I had the responsibility of alphabetizing and helping guests when they needed assistance or were ready to pay.  I did enjoy the fact that I worked amid one of my favorite things, being video games and accessories.  I also liked the fact that I was always on top of whatever new games were coming out so I could try to sell it to customers or reserve it for myself. What made this job so dreadful is the fact that it was so boring and the dead times outweighed the busy times. I developed good study skills for the games that were coming out and I learned that I can’t be bored wherever I work or else there will be problems with my performance.