End of College Life

So these past few weeks have found me trying to enjoy the last of what I have while taking all the craziness that life has to offer along the way.

Last Monday night, we had the power go out which ended up in one interesting night. First, it was one of our fellow RA's 21st birthdays, so those of us who weren't "working" at the time left the building and walked to a local bar. We celebrated his birthday...and I even had the bartender make a drink up AND it is part of their recipe book. SO, if you are ever at the Torch in Flint, order "That One Drink..." if you want something sweet and refreshing. Warning, it does have dairy, but it's still good.

We came back at 2 am...and the power was still out. So a bunch of us hung out in the lobby and played some board games until early in the morning. Liz went out to get some ice cream in the middle and since we had no power, everyone in the lobby shared the gallon (there WERE quite a few of us btw).

 The next day, I woke up and it was still out. We had a board game day so we played some more games (woo!) and in the middle, emergency power went out. Lets say, 4 RAs, 1 RD, 3 cell phones on low battery and no lights in the stairways makes for one interesting adventure. We had to make sure the lights were out on all floors...not my idea.

Later in the afternoon (17 hours after going out), the lights came back on and life was all good. Lately we have all been just trying to spend as much time together. Several of us, including me, are graduating in just over a week and we realize how much we will miss everyone. To that regard, almost nightly game nights have happened.

Friday was another one. We played some games. Then every semester, UM-Flint hosts a midnight breakfast where students can have breakfast at midnight for free before finals. A group of is crammed in nick's car and headed over there where we took up a large table and had a bunch of fun.

But it wasn't over then. We came back and played more games until Travis got off the front desk. Then we went to the beach.

At the beach in Port Huron

Yup, you read that right. A group of us drove at 5 am to Port Huron in order to see the sunrise. It wasn't too miraculous because of the clouds but we did have some fun, and it was just something random that we could say we did. We grabbed some warm food before heading back to Flint...and I could barely keep awake. I literally slept all day Saturday after returning, not waking up until 2 am on Sunday.

I'm gonna miss this girl (and Nick in the back!)

Yesterday morning, I finished the last assignments of my undergraduate degree. Now I wait for grades from professors, pack and get ready to move and graduate. Where I am moving to is up in the air still.

And I got a job offer from Diplomat Pharmacy this morning. I am floored. I was so excited that I cried afterwards. Finally, things are starting to be put into place.

And it feels good.

Onto my next chapter...

Grad Photo taken by Shelley at Shelley's Photography

How I Fell Into A Job Upon Graduation.

This morning, I got an amazing call. I was given an offer for a full time position at a local company with great benefits. I haven't even graduated college yet.

Yup, I am one of those students who secures employment that will start right out of college. And you wonder how did I do it?

Many students wish they were in my place. Many wish, once they have that bachelor's degree under their wing, that they can go straight into full time employment. No more part-time, customer service jobs that seem to be all everyone works in college. You want to get into those adult positions, you yearn for a normal schedule, 40  hours a week, a constant and nice cash flow.

But you wait til you are done with college. You think, it'll look better if you wait. That way I for sure have my degree. Or you say you don't have time to submit applications, hone your resume, go on interviews and you don't want to pressure of waiting. Then when you walk across that stage, you stand there asking yourself, "now what?" You put all your time into finding a full time job, many people are not making any money as they are no longer working at all, and some move home even when they don't want to. (I'm not saying that it is a bad thing to move home, some people just feel guilty or stuck when they do).

It's not too late to apply for jobs. I will say this, 3 months ago, I hadn't really applied for anything full time. I knew at the end of May I was going to lose my current job because I can't be an RA after I graduate. I was going to lose my apartment too. I also knew that I wouldn't be able to work the front desk after the 1st of September unless I signed a lease to stay in my current complex.

It really didn't hit me until I was annoyed with everyone who was asking me, "What are you going to do after graduation?" All I could say was get a job. They'd ask if I had looked. All I could say was no.

When Spring Break hit, I knew I was getting close and there was now all this uncertainty that was going to drive me crazy. So I looked around and started applying for just about anything that I would be qualified for and many that I was "overqualified" for. The job market is bleak and it is frustrating out there, I can tell you this.

But I had one thing in my back pocket, all the people I have met. You have no idea what all the professionals that came into your life in college can do for you. Over your years at university, you have met people, made friends, expanded yourself. I was just like this.

We have a pizza place on campus. My second year here, it was taken over by a nice couple who had moved back to Michigan. The husband was a graduate of my university. I got to know them, quite well even. At the end of my second to last year, the wife left the business as she had found better employment. When I saw her around one night, she told me all about the company that she worked for, and I thought it was something that I would be interested in pursuing after graduation. So I thought, why not? So I applied. It was one of many places I had applied to in a fury of filling out applications, uploading resumes and hoping for the best.

A week later I got a call back. It was her assistant. This woman I had gotten to know through the campus pizza place was one of the HR people for the company. Her assistant put me through a phone interview and I hoped for the best.

A week later, I got a call asking me to come in for an interview. A week later I did that. I dressed to the nine's and walked in with a confidence that I have never had in an interview. Because I knew this woman (who I am not naming just in case), I had to interview with someone else with the company. The two ladies who interviewed me made me feel very comfortable and I felt like I made all the right answers and they even gave me a nice rundown about the job and the benefits that it included if I were to get it. They told me I would know in a week.

A week came...and went. I heard nothing. I called the HR assistant and got his voicemail just to check in on the status. Nothing. So I started to give up hope and realize that I probably won't get the job.

So I applied more places. I even applied places I didn't expect to apply. But I did it anyway because I needed to find a job this summer.

Then this morning, this glorious morning, about an hour after I turned in my last assignments of my undergrad, I got a call. And it was a good call. I got the offer for the position with the company. Pending background and drug testing, I will be a full time employee starting in the middle of May.

And that is exciting.

So, you can find a job. Take the time to apply everywhere online. Look at the people you know and the companies they work for. If you aren't quite to graduation, start getting to know more people on campus. There are a plethora of people who could be your ticket to full time employment.

Get yourself out there. Graduation doesn't have to be the big unknown. You can get all your ducks in a row and set yourself up to succeed!

Oh A Change Is A Comin'

Today I am in officially 26 days until graduation. As for classes, I only have about 2 weeks. Eek! It is all coming so fast and though I am pretty excited for most of it, I am also nervous.

With graduation, my job as an RA comes to a close. As I think back on this past year, I leave with both happiness and sadness. The job itself was a challenge and frustrating at times...but I still loved it very much. I will miss it once I leave.

But I am on to bigger and better things. Last week I had a job interview with Diplomat Pharmacy and I feel that it went pretty well. I should know hopefully today if I got the job. I am rather ancy to get that phone call, tell you what! But we will see. All my fingers, toes, eyes, legs, etc are crossed that it is a positive phone call later today!

I am also working on getting an apartment. My friend Hoffa from Lapeer is coming to live with me, so we have been on the hunt for a two bedroom apartment or townhouse and haven't had the best of luck. The current one, the one that I want to live in, has been making me run around and get a bunch of information. It has been frustrating. If everything falls into place right, hopefully an offer letter from Diplomat will be the last thing I need. *once again, crosses everything*

That has been my life the past couple weeks, just trying to get all that in line. I am also working on finishing the last of my class work so that I can graduate. I completed my exit exam last week also, which was interesting for sure but I am glad that it is done.

Now I'm on the homestretch and waiting. Waiting sucks because well...you just want to know NOW! But I have hope that it will all turn out like it needs to and don't you worry, I'm not going to let any of this pass me by. I am doing everything to keep it in motion as much as I possibly can. I'm sure I have annoyed the ladies at Grand Oaks over the past few weeks with all the status checking I have done.

Other than that, life is life. It is going along. I can't complain too much.

Have a wonderful day :)\

Blast from the past! My brother, mom and I at a concert when DTE was actually Pine Knob (It always will be for me anyway!) My Aunt Jane took this picture :)