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Tag: friends

  • Under Pressure

    Under Pressure

    If you ever find yourself in a sticky situation, you probably turn to your friends for advice. Peers can be an excellent outlet for talking our problems out in order to figure out the best decisions to make. That being said, we can’t rely on our friends to solve every one of our problems. Not only does this interfere with our independence, but we could actually be swayed off the right path, even by friends with the best intentions.

    When you’re making decisions, it is important to consider your own opinions before you take anyone else’s word for it. How do you feel about what’s going on? Do you think it’s right? What do you think would be the best solution? It is much easier to let a friend take the wheel, because then you don’t have to consider all of these difficult questions—you can just use their answer. A problem comes up when you find you’re consulting your friends 24/7, and this is actually getting in the way of you expressing what you really think.

    Friends mean well (if they’re good friends). Often, they’re just trying to let you know what they think is right. The thing is, what is right for your friends might not be right for you. Even if they do have good intentions, you don’t want your decisions to be constantly dictated by the opinions of your peers: this might lead you into making entirely the wrong choices.

    Maybe you don’t consider peer pressure to be too big of a deal in elementary school, where the stakes aren’t so high. But think about the possible consequences of constantly following the leader, and the ways this could affect your future life. If you aren’t sufficiently independent to think for yourself and make your own choices, worse things can happen than simple punishments if you fall in with the wrong crowd. Furthermore, think about what it means to succumb to peer pressure all the time: chances are, if you’re letting someone boss you around, and do things you aren’t okay with, it’s probably taking a toll on your self-esteem.

    You deserve to be respected. In order to respect yourself, you have to respect your thoughts and feelings as well. The next time you’re tempted to do something just because your friends are doing it, or because it seems “cool”, think about how you would act if there was no one around to judge you. Do what you feel is the right thing—don’t base your choices off the rest of the bandwagon. Guaranteed, you’ll be a happier person for it and have a better idea of who you are.

  • The Do’s and Don’ts of May Long Weekend

    The Do’s and Don’ts of May Long Weekend

    May long weekend may be a time to kick back and relax but there are a number of important things you can do, not do, and keep in mind during this brief break.

    When a person first thinks of May Long one of their initial impressions will probably be, “party time!” That of course is not wrong – May Long is meant as a time to relax and take it easy, but it is not necessarily correct either. Do relax, do attend a party or two, but try to keep these few things in mind.

    First and foremost, now is a good time to either gets some work done on or complete any assignments or papers you have been given so far. Do your work at your own pace and, with any luck, you will be able to extend your May Long. Imagine the peace of mind you will have as others scramble last minute to finish work you completed over the long weekend.

    Secondly, the long weekend is a good time to consider your future. What courses will you take next year? Course selections for your next year will be soon and, if you act now, you will be ready to pick your courses on day one and not lose out on something you really wanted.

    Another thing to consider is what can you do to make some money this summer. May Long and beyond is the time that employers will begin posting summer job ads, so it is a good time to get a leg up on your peers. If you make the mistake of putting this off until the summer actually begins, you may find all the jobs are gone!

    Speaking of money, now is a time to save it. Sure, have some fun and hang out with your friends, but do you really need to go on a road trip to some far flung place? You can have just as much fun at home all while saving a considerable amount of money. If you do end up going on a road trip, be careful; just because you are far away from home doesn’t mean the same rules don’t apply!

    If you keep these things in mind you can ride out the relaxation of the long weekend straight through to the summer and you will be all the richer for it.

    Have fun and stay safe!

  • Advice on Advice

    Advice on Advice

    Choosing an educational or career path is difficult, especially when you try to do it alone. But asking for advice can sometimes make things more confusing. When asking for opinions, it’s important to know what – and who – to ask. This guide will help you to collect the kind of advice that will help, not hinder, your decision making.

    1. Think about who really knows you best. You might automatically think, “Mom!” or “Grandpa Joe!” – but that may not be the case. Loving someone or being close to them doesn’t automatically mean that they know you best. Does your Grandpa Joe see you the way you are, or the way he would like you to be? He might think you’d make an amazing mathematics professor when, really, you can’t count and love ballet.

    2. Consider why people make the suggestions they make. Does your Aunt Louise want you to be an orchestra musician because she knows that you love to play violin; or is it because she never realized her own dream of playing in a symphony? Make sure that the suggestions you get are tailored to you, and not to the person suggesting them.

    3. Interview people and ask work-related questions. Ask people what they do (or did) and find out what their jobs were like. Ask family members about their jobs – why they chose them, what they like and don’t like, or what a typical day looks like. People are your best resource: don’t be afraid to ask around to get a better idea of what field might most interest you.

    4. Do your homework. If you already have an idea of what you’d like to do, research it before asking opinions on it. If you’d like to work in accounting, you may not want to ask the opinions of your performing arts family members unless you’ve done a bit of background research. People often react to jobs that they think are “boring” or “difficult” without considering whether or not they’d be right for you. Doing research can also help you when asking questions about other peoples’ jobs.

    The right advice can help you to make a career decision that you feel good about. The wrong advice, on the other hand, can do the opposite. The most important thing to remember is that at the end of the day, the only person doing your job is you. Your cousin Fred may love you, but he won’t be coming to work with you every day. Take advice with a grain of salt; use it to inform your decision making, but remember that your decisions are yours to make.