Guest Blogger

Because I write about myself so much on this blog, I thought it would be useful to share a glimpse into the lives of some other UNC Asheville students.  So, I have decided to periodically invite students to share a description of their daily routines or interests, to be posted here.  The inaugural guest blogger is my friend Nicky.  Nicky is also a senior, and majors in marketing.  Here is what her typical day at UNC Asheville looks like.  

"A typical day for me includes waking up around 7 am. I am a marketing major so I usually have a few business classes in the morning. I just finished my last season on the university’s tennis team so I like to find other ways to stay active. Right now I am taking ballet and modern dance, which I love; and I also regularly attend the Sherrill Center’s group fitness classes.

Part of the reason why I chose marketing was because it is very interrelated with the fashion industry. I find the field to be very inspiring and creative so I would like to become a professional fashion stylist. Last year I started my own personal blog on Chictopia.com that I try to update regularly. This week, in light of the recent one-year anniversary of the massive earthquake and tsunami in Japan, I blogged about a picture of myself in this beautiful pink silk kimono that I hope will remind people of what a significant moment this was for Japan and what we can do to help resolve these challenges of humanity.

In the afternoon, I may have another class or work. I am a Spanish tutor for UNCA, I work for the Athletic Department as a videographer, and try to volunteer with local magazines and photographers as much as I can. This usually keeps me pretty busy but on weekends I love to walk around downtown, take some pictures for my blog, and get a bite to eat with my family and friends."

Have any questions about the marketing program here?  Leave a comment! 

Check out Nicky's awesome fashion blog here

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Using the Career Center, Part II

The last time I wrote about the Career Center, I mentioned that I had met with a counselor to try to figure out what career path I might follow in the near future.  Today, I'm writing a follow-up post about one of the other services the Career Center offers UNC Asheville students:assistance finding jobs while attending school.  

The Case for On-Campus Jobs

The pressure to find employment can be stressful to students who need (or want) to work and study during their college experience.  Although Asheville is teeming with restaurants and coffee shops, the competition is tough, and not everyone is going to be able to land this kind of job.  There is, of course, the Asheville Mall, whose stores employ a good number of UNC Asheville students, but not everyone has the transportation resources to get there.  Freshman are not allowed cars, and so would have to take the bus, walk, or travel by bicycle to a job off campus, and in my opinion, working on school grounds is a lot more convenient and flexible a form of employment anyway.  This is where the Career Center's awesome job and internship board comes into play.

Although students can physically go to various campus employers to find work (library, fitness center, etc), and fill out job applications, it's also very easy to go online to accomplish the same task.  The Career Center's online job posting board allows students a convenient way to find jobs and internship opportunities offered on campus.  Two years ago, I read a job posting on this website that caught my attention, filled out the application, and got an interview.  Now I am writing this blog.  Rather an easy and convenient way to find a job on campus, don't you think? At my previous school, which is a bit larger than UNC Asheville, the online forum for on-campus jobs was rarely updated, I spent a great deal of effort searching for jobs on campus, and was rewarded after several months.  In contrast, the UNC Asheville career website allowed me to quickly and efficiently find a job that fit my abilities and interests.  


Now, although I am clearly an advocate for employment on campus, I also have several jobs outside of my campus involvement, and know that it is unrealistic for everyone to expect to find work on-campus.  This is where the website makes itself even more valuable: it offers community employers the chance to post openings that might include working retail or range from less "formal" employment (community members post opportunities to babysit, tutor, or help with yard work or house cleaning.)  Because the Career Center approves each of these postings, students can feel safe contacting a perspective employer, a big bonus in internet job hunting.  


The Career Center is such a useful resource for students who are hoping to find employment on and off campus during their college experience.  When I step into their office, or use their online job posting system, I feel the advantage of attending a small institution: job listings are updated and regularly maintained, which allows students to search for jobs from the comfort of their favorite residence hall common room, library study area, or campus cafe.  Just because you might think the word "career" implies real-life, long-term employment, don't discount the Career Center and its many resources in your search for a job.  Give it a try; I'm sure that like me and many of my friends, you'll be happy with the end result. 

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Study Abroad: Blog or Journal?

One of my favorite things to do is read travel blogs.  When a friend studies abroad, one of the first things I ask them is whether they plan to keep a travel blog or not.  For those of us at home, especially for family, blogs are a great way to check in with our loved ones and follow their journeys.  


Many people begin with good intentions, setting up their blogs and writing faithfully for the first few days, only to leave the task by the wayside once life abroad picks up and they begin making friends.  Others blog diligently, posting once or twice a week for the entirety of their trip.  A handful of people will decide not to keep a blog, as they were are most interested in fully experiencing life abroad, and do not want to waste time with blogging.  A rare few will keep travel journals. 


When I started preparing for my trip, this was a decision that I had to make.  As you might expect, as a blogger, I was really interested in the idea of keeping a blog for family and friends at home to read.  However, because I keep a pretty modest journal at home, I also thought it would be nice to record my thoughts in greater detail in a travel journal.  I weighed the pros of each: 

Blog: 

My family can follow my adventures from home

It's an easy way to let everyone know that I'm safe and sound

I can share pictures with those who cannot travel 

I can type very fast, so recording my travels will be relatively quick and easy

Journal: 

It's a physical reminder of my trip when I return home

I can save receipts, tickets, and such small souvenirs easily 

Because it's private, I can record more emotion or personal thoughts here

In the end, I decided to do both.  Unfortunately, I had success only as far as the blog was concerned.  Once classes started at my university, the journal proved to be too time-consuming, and I had to abandon it.  I ended up blogging a lot, and saving all of the paper memories to be taped into my journal upon my return home.  As you can see, I still haven't completed this task yet.  I am proud of myself for trying, and when I finally get everything taped into the journal, I'll be happy to have this tangible reminder of the time I spent in Korea.  For now, that is what it looks like: 

There is definitely something to be said for simply "living in the moment" without having to worry about recording it for others or even yourself.  However, years after your study abroad experience, you may still have the photos you took, but you  might not remember some of the stories or incidents from that trip.  So try to record your trip in some way.  It might be easy for you to keep a blog, or you might be an avid "journalist."  It may take a bit of work or deduct from your free time, but I think it will be worth the effort in the end.  What do you think?  Would you rather blog, journal, or neither? 


If you're interested in seeing my travel blog, you can access it here

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Welcome Back~

Hello and welcome back to another semester at UNC Asheville!  Did you have a good summer?  I have recently returned from a summer study abroad program in South Korea, and am excited to be back on campus once again!  Let's get ready for another great semester~

So what's new?  Apart from the changes to our campus which I'll reveal to you later this week, I am very excited to share the link to our new photo blog, "Bulldog Lens."  This is something I've come up with as a fun and quick way to share "snapshots" of life on and off campus here in Asheville, NC.  I'll try to upload a new picture every day to give you various perspectives on what it's like to live as a "Bulldog."  This will be a great way to introduce UNC Asheville and Western North Carolina to anyone  interested in living on or off campus, and in taking advantage of everything that the area has to offer.

This semester, I have a lot to share with you, so please stay tuned and subscribe to our blogs to learn even more about what life is like here at UNC Asheville.  

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