The Book Blog

Job Searching Tips

2011-01-08T13:30:00.000-08:00

I'm sorry I haven't updated in so long, guys! It's been a stressful week so far. As you do or don't know, I've been working as a seasonal employee at Barnes and Noble. January 1st was my last day, sadly. I'll miss that store. Met some great friends there :-) But I started my job search early (before I was let go) so thankfully I have a new job lined up. However, while perusing the Craigslist part-time job ads a couple days ago, I stumbled upon the following ad:

Small business owner mid-30′s looking for part time help from someone energetic, hard working, and flexible.
Would be need 10-20 hrs per week.
Some of the tasks include filing, copies, calls, answering phones, and giving the owner massages.
Great pay.
Thanks

Sounds good, I thought initially. "Great pay", easy hours, a nice office setting. But I felt like I’d missed something. I re-read the message. Yep, there it was, in plain print. "Giving the owner massages." That short phrase threw the whole deal into question.

What did the job poster mean by it, I wondered. Perhaps it was just a typo. Possibly he had meant, "giving the owner messages." That would make more sense, right? But I had the sinking feeling that this was for real. The mid-thirties small business owner needed a little company.

This ad is a perfect illustration of the sort of hit-and-miss scenario that characterizes job-searching. You apply to 50 jobs you want and 5 you don’t want, and you get hired for the job you didn’t want. You get called in for an interview, impress the boss with your attitude and expertise, then learn they gave the job to the girl who rushed in to the interview 20 minutes late. Believe me, I know all the scenarios, and have lived through most of ‘em. Ever since I left the hallowed halls of my university nearly 2 years ago, my life has been one big job search. It’s been stressful, discouraging, anxiety-provoking, and sometimes downright miserable. I’ve pounded the pavement on strange streets. I’ve knocked on doors and been turned away. I’ve bade goodbye to co-workers who’d become the best of friends.

But through it all, there’s always been hope. There’s always been a job out there for me, and some of them I’ve really loved. I’ve proudly shaken the hand of new employers. I’ve walked home from a hard-day’s work feeling like I earned that paycheck. And through it all, I developed a first-hand knowledge of job-hunting that I’d like to share with you!

WHERE TO LOOK
CRAIGSLIST
As the “giving owner massages” ad illustrates, there are always a few bad apples to be found on this site. But many of them are legit. I’ve found several jobs, gigs, and internships through Craigslist.
SEARCHING OLD SCHOOL
Sometimes, nothing beats old-fashioned pounding the pavement. Try your local neighborhood first. With any luck you’ll be able to walk to work, one of of the bonuses of living in NYC. If you don’t find any openings in your neighborhood, try bigger streets. I recommend hitting Times Square, or 5th Ave in Manhattan. There are always openings in these high traffic areas. Simply walk into a store and ask if they are hiring.

REVAMP YOUR RESUME
Your resume should always be up-to-date and reflect all your abilities. Employers don’t know anything about you except what your resume tells them. Are you hard-working? Do you always go the extra mile? Don’t assume the employer knows, tell them. Sometimes it’s not good enough to just type that you were a copy-editor for the campus paper. Describe how many times you worked overtime in the staff room.

BE WILLING TO SETTLE FOR LESS SOMETIMES, BUT ALWAYS KEEP REACHING FOR MORE
Sometimes you’ll have to work a couple shifts at McDonald’s before you score that perfect job. Remember a paycheck is a paycheck. And in the meantime, think of this as only one step in the path of following your dream.

SEE UNEMPLOYMENT AS AN OPPORTUNITY
Right now, you don’t have a job, but think of it this way. At least you’re not stuck at a job you hate! Endless opportunities await you. You can work anywhere, or do anything you want. You just have to keep looking, have the right mindset, and always follow your dreams!

Where to Celebrate New Year's Eve

2010-12-29T13:09:00.000-08:00

Photo courtesy of susanv

Well, it’s almost New Year’s Eve. And if you're in NYC like I am now, you’re in one of the greatest cities in the world to celebrate! (Hey, the word “new” is our first name!) From the legendary ball drop in Times Square, to the fireworks display in Central Park, there’s something going on everywhere in the City. I’ve got some handy tips and info that will help you enjoy this night to the max.

BALL DROP IN TIMES SQUARE
This is undoubtedly the most “rockin’” event to ring in the New Year. Millions of people brave the cold to experience the exhilaration only a festivity like this can bring.

HOW TO GET THERE
The subways around Times Square are a little crazy during this time, but they will all be open. However, it’s recommended not to arrive by the Times Square stop, but instead a nearby one, like 50^th St. and 8^th, or the Port Authority Bus Terminal.

WHAT TIME TO GET THERE
It’s recommended to arrive in the afternoon (by 3 pm) to secure the best place. At least try to arrive by 6pm, so you can watch as the ball is raised.

WHERE TO GO TO TAKE CARE OF LIFE’S NECESSITIES
Unfortunately, there are no portable public restrooms in Times Square. Don’t resort to using diapers or empty bottles like some tourists have confessed to doing. Charmin provides public bathrooms around Times Square until 3pm, and the Port Authority Bus Terminal also has public restrooms. But be prepared for a line. And I mean a looonnnggg line. Also keep in mind that once you leave your spot, you can’t return to it.

But the ball drop is only one of the 10,00000 things to do this New Year’s!

OTHER EVENTS
1)   Central Park is hosting several events for those who would like a more low-key atmosphere. Participate in a midnight run through the park, enjoy drinks at Tavern on the Green, or watch the midnight fireworks display!
2)   The AMEX theatre in the heart of Times Square is hosting parties and movies all night long. This is also a great venue to watch the ball drop (without the crush of the crowd below).
3)   Take the Brooklyn Bridge walk starting at 10 pm, then stay to watch the fireworks at midnight.

On Becoming a Writer

2010-12-27T16:42:00.000-08:00

Photo courtesy of cesc!

I've loved writing since I was very small. I have a particular memory from my toddler-hood, which I believe sparked my passion. I was watching my mother at the kitchen table, playing with a strange machine. The machine was small and gray and covered with the letters of the alphabet. I remember feeling a certain pride as I surveyed the letters. I knew them all, A-Z, and I even knew how they magically paired together to form words, and those words paired together to form sentences, and those sentences made stories that I could read and enjoy. Thomas the train, all these stories were my favorites.

As I watched my mother type away on the mysterious machine (it was a type writer) I noticed she was actually creating something. Sheets of paper came out of the machine, covered with the words my mother had typed. The sheets looked almost like the pages of the story books I read. As my mother pulled the sheets out of the typewriter, I asked her what she was doing.

"Writing!" she explained to me with a smile. "A story just like the ones we read together, only this story for grown-ups."

I was amazed. I'd never considered that my story books were created by real people like my mom. It must take an enormous amount of talent to create a story, I figured. I was proud of my mother, and promised to read her story once I was a grown-up. And maybe I could become a story writer when I was a grown-up, too.

Seventeen years later, I'm a officially a grown-up, and (officially??) a writer. No, I'm not Neil Gaiman or Stephenie Meyer and maybe my works aren't on the Times bestseller list or gracing the book shelves of the Barnes and Noble where I work, but I'm not really asking for fame/fortune. That's rare for anybody to attain. But I'd like to know that some people are reading my stuff and enjoying it. I've had a couple writing internships (right now I'm working for the Campus Clipper), and I've messed around with fiction and poetry, and I've self-published a children's novel. If you're interested, you can check out my book at www.lulu.com/content/5494236.

Maybe you've been inspired to express your creativity through writing, or you're a starting-out writer like me who needs some tips. I've added some that've helped me below:

BROADEN YOUR RANGE
You don't always have to write on what you consider to be your "subject matter." If you're a short story writer, try your hand at news writing. If you're in journalism school, take a poetry class. By exploring a different genre, you're stretching different mental muscles, which allows for a better all-around workout (just like your gym teacher told you!). Then, once you're versed in a new style of writing, you can incorporate it into your original technique.

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT
Write (and read!) as much as you can. Take classes, seminars, and workshops. Practice on your own at home by starting up a blog or journal. Some writers set a specific schedule (such as a hour a day) that they spend writing. I don't personally recommend the "set schedule" since it often made me feel like I was "forcing" myself to write out of duty rather than enjoyment. But if you discover you haven't put your pen to paper (or finger to keyboard) in awhile, sit down and make time to write, even if you aren't feeling particularly inspired.

DON'T STRESS OVER WRITER'S BLOCK
Don't stress over writer's block. Everybody gets it at some point; sometimes the words just don't flow. Don't sit frustrated at your desk, tapping your pen against paper. Sometimes your mind works best when your body's in motion. Get up, talk a walk, go jogging, whatever. Or even take a nice, long shower! It's true--sometimes your best ideas do come to you while you're in the shower. Just don't bring your laptop into the bathroom with you (a la Weird Al in "White 'n' Nerdy). I've also discovered that taking a brief break helps overcome writer's block. Put the manuscript away and come back to it in a couple days. That way, your mind's fresh and has been given a chance to come up with some new ideas. And finally, if you find yourself stuck on a certain scene or paragraph, move to another section and start writing from there. You don't always have to write in chronological order.

I hope these tips work for you the way they did for me. While working at the Campus Clipper, I've learned that there's so many young people out there with their own distinctive talents. Whatever your passion, whether it's writing, or dance, or film, always remember to follow it :-)

Holiday Shopping Tips

2010-12-22T09:30:00.001-08:00

Photo courtesy of Slowburn

I currently work at Barnes and Noble bookstore, and am constantly surrounded by harried customers who are trying to complete their last-minute holiday shopping. The store is packed with people riffling through greeting cards, scanning book shelves, and grabbing random games and puzzles off the “Buy One Get One Free” table. They stagger to cash wrap and plop their purchases in front of me, sweating underneath the coats and hats they didn’t have time to take off.

“One hundred and sixty-nine dollars,” I say. They hand over the money, and I hand over their purchases, which are usually double or triple-bagged to hold the weight. Sometimes the games and coffee table books have to go in thrash bags. As I watch them stagger away, I slowly shake my head. A few days ago, I had a family visiting from Virginia buy three coffee table books and the Monopoly deluxe edition. I could barely lift their bags over the counter to hand them over.

“I dunno how we’re gonna get these on th’ plane,” the man confided to me in his slow twang as he walked away (listing slightly to the left, the side where he was carrying the shopping bags). I felt a brief twinge of pity for him, since his wife wasn’t helping him carry anything. Turning away, I called my next customer.

A young man jauntily approached the counter. He was almost whistling. At first glance, his hands seemed empty. Then I realized he was carrying six gift cards.

“Twenty-five bucks on each,” he announced. “Now my Christmas shopping is done. And I only spent ten minutes this year!”

So it seems depending on your method, holiday shopping can be an arduous ordeal or a breezy affair. Maybe you don’t have the muscle (or monetary) power to buy as many hefty gifts as my Virginia tourist did. But you don’t want to cop-out and snatch up a bunch of gift cards like the young guy did. So take the Buddha’s advice and choose the Middle Way. Here’s a couple tips for completing that last-minute holiday shopping that lets giftees know you spent time shopping for them, but also keeps your hands light and your wallet (relatively) full.

PLAN BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE HOUSE
This prevents you from becoming lost in the myriad streets of Manhattan. It also prevents impulse buying! Figure out what places you want to hit and write a list of those stores, including directions to them, what you plan to buy there, and ideally how long you plan to stay. For example, your list might look like this.

Store:	Barnes and Noble	Macy’s
Directions:	5^th Ave. b/t 45^th & 46^th	34^th St. & 7^th Ave.
Items:	1 book for Sally, 1 game for Rob	1 scarf for Mary, 2 shirts for Daniel
Time:	1 hour	2 hours

That being said, don’t feel like you have to be restricted to your plan. As Captain Barbossa remarks in Pirates of the Caribbean, “Think of ’em more as guidelines than actual rules.” If you planned to get Sally a romance novel, but see a bestseller you know she’d like more, go ahead and get it. But remember to stay in price range if you can!

MAKE A BUDGET
Since you’re a student, you don’t exactly have a lot of disposable income. Budget yourself by conceding you can’t buy everybody you know and love a personalized Christmas gift. I generally send cards (with maybe a gift card) to everybody, but save my big buys for close friends and family.

SHOP DURING HOURS WHEN YOU KNOW THE STORE WILL BE SLOW
After working at Barnes and Noble, I’ve determined what hours we experience a rush. This is lunchtime (roughly between 11:00 and 2:00) and 4:30-6:30 when everybody’s getting off work. This may seem like a convenient time to hit the stores because you can shop right around the workplace, but it’s NOT! The lines are super-long during this time, guys. The rest of the day, the store is pretty dead. So I recommend getting your shopping done in the morning before work. That way, you can breeze straight through to the front of the line.

DON’T FEEL LIKE GETTING OUT? MAKE ‘EM SOMETHING
Not only do you avoid the holiday rush, you also gain that sense of accomplishment that comes from creating something unique. Whether it’s a hand-made card or a batch of cookies, your recipient will appreciate the fact that you spent time on them. For example, I bought my boyfriend a really nice leather journal. It didn’t take too long to take it off the shelf during my lunch-break at B&N, but now I can personalize it by writing little notes.

TRY TO MAINTAIN THAT “CHILD-LIKE” WONDER OF THE SEASON
I know this sounds hokey, but it’s probably the best piece of advice I can give. When you were a kid, Christmas was the best time of the year. Mommy and Daddy (and Santa) showered presents on you. And it was so much fun giving presents back! Yeah, Mommy picked them out, but you got to do the wrapping. So remember the holidays are really about showing your friends/family how much you love them, and receiving that love in return. Be thankful you have people to share this wonderful holiday with! And truly, that is the most important gift of all.

Staying safe this holiday season

2010-12-22T07:23:00.001-08:00

http://www.freeimages.co.uk

When you were a kid, the holidays meant presents, baking cookies with Mom, and staying up for Santa. Fast-forward ten years, and you’re still enjoying the holidays, but now the festivities might include spiked eggnog. You’re still staying up till 1am on Christmas Eve, but it’s not to see Santa. (Unless you happen to be counting that drunken frat guy who dressed as Jolly St. Nick. Oh dang, he lost his red hat.) Anyways, although the holidays are all about partying and having fun, remember to stay safe! Don’t give Santa any reason to put you on the ‘bad’ list. Here are a few helpful tips for making through this season.

Have a buddy system
- Before you head to a holiday party, let someone (a friend, family member, roommate) know where you’re going and what time you should be back. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly when you’ll return, but at least let them know if you will be back that night or the next day. Finally, it’s best to give them your exact address in case they need to come pick you up. And while at the party, it’s important to hang on that buddy system as well. Maybe you meet the man of your dreams at the bar. Or, at least, he seems like the man of your dreams after several drinks. Let your friends know if you’re leaving with him (but make sure it’s not to an isolated area!)
Know your limit
- Alcohol is usually always present at holiday parties. Remember when too much is too much. A person’s alcohol tolerance depends on many factors, including weight, gender, and age. Here’s a handy chart to determine your tolerance level:

Watch out for your friends
- Remember that buddy system I talked about earlier? It’s also a two-way street. If you see a friend becoming too inebriated, stop them. It’s not “uncool,” it’s about keeping your friend safe! If you feel awkward telling them they’ve had too many drinks, remember you’re the one who will probably be carrying them from the party.

Hangover Cures

Everyone has their own personal hangover cure that they swear by. One of my friends swears by a tall glass of Pepsi; one friend tells me that soda makes them want to throw up. But here are some tried and true methods.
- Drink a Bloody Mary. It may seem oxymoronic to imbue your body with more alcohol, but this allows your bloodstream to ignore the old alcohol while the vegetables in the Bloody Mary provide your body with much needed nutrients.
- Take a shower, switching between hot and cold water.
- Try some pickle juice, or electrolyte-rich drinks like Gatorade or Emergen-C.
- Finally, remember to drink plenty of water to flush out your system!

Helpful Numbers to Remember:
Ambulance/Fire/Crime/Etc.: 911
Rape Hotline/Emergency: 212-227-3000
Rape Hotline/Non-emergency: 212-267-7273
Drug Abuse: 800-395-3400
Emergency Medical Service (EMS): 718-999-2770
New York Medical: 212-652-5858
Physicians on call (arrive to door): 718-238-2100

How to Survive Finals Season

2010-12-22T07:21:00.000-08:00

Photo courtesy of thepretenda

Thanksgiving has passed, and Christmas is not yet here, but in between these two holidays lies that behemothic hurdle known as FINALS. Invented by sadistic school board members, finals is a period spanning roughly one week, in which everything in all your classes is due. Four papers, three exams, and three presentations (including a presentation on a paper). You wonder how you will live through it all.
Fortunately, you have these handy tips to guide you!

Don’t cram the night before
- My friend told me a “horror story” that resulted from a night of cramming. My friend pulled an all-nighter to study for an Astronomy exam. Several cans of red bull helped him get through the night. But when he showed up to take the exam the next morning, he zonked out at his desk and slept through the whole thing! Naturally, he failed the exam and nearly ended up failing the class as well. Let this be a warning to all you procrastinators. Studies like this one have also shown that the brain has difficulty processing a lot of information in a short period of time (especially since cramming precipitates fatigue and stress). If you must cram, do it two nights before the exam. This gives you time to ingest all the information you memorized and prevents you from being sleep-deprived on test day. You can also do a quick review the night before to further cement the material in your brain.
Get your papers out of the way
- I was an English and Communications major in college, so I was always inundated with papers during finals week. I quickly learned to write my papers first, since they don’t require any memorization. This left me free to study for finals a couple days before test day. This way, everything I studied would remain fresh in my mind, and I wouldn’t waste time typing out a paper on imagery in Keat’s poetry when I really needed to be boning up on my Spanish vocab for the exam next morning. Another plus of this method is that you can go back and proofread the paper a day or so after you’ve written it. By looking at the text with fresh eyes, you’ll be able to catch errors you missed before. A final plus–if you turn the paper in early, you may earn kudos with your professor!
Switch up locations
- I know this sounds like weird advice, but it prevented me from burning out during 12-hour study blocks. I would study in different locations throughout campus, usually spending only a couple hours in one place. For example, I’d start off studying in the library that morning, and when I felt myself getting antsy, I’d move to the couches in the art building. I would also switch up what subject I was studying. If I spent an hour studying Spanish in the library, then I’d spend an hour writing my psych paper in my dorm room. A little variety goes a long way to keep you from feeling bored (and also prevents your butt from getting sore!).
To study group or not to study group
- Study groups have both their pluses and their minuses. I found that I enjoyed study groups held with my friends, but I got a lot less work done. Discussion on Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus dissolved into conversation about that cute guy who played Bassianus in the film version of the play. Study groups held with random people in my class were a lot more boring, but I also learned a good deal. Because we concentrated on the study matter, we were able to benefit from each other’s knowledge. Maybe that quiet guy who sat across from me in class was secretly a Shakespeare scholar. So it really depends. In general, I would only recommend becoming part of a study group if you’re lost on the material, and know there are fellow group members have notes you don’t. And don’t study with friends unless you make a determined effort to stay on topic!

Helpful Articles
For more hints, or just some ways to de-stress during finals season, check out these websites!

Collegecandy.com
- College candy provides a humorous article on some unorthodox ways to de-stress during finals. Check it out here! Pet a cuddly puppy, host a dance party in the library, and more! And don’t forget to check out this article for the top ten best study distractions. YouTube, anyone?
Studentbeans.com
- Aside from offering discounts, Studentbeans.com also provides helpful articles. Check out their Exam success tips here.

Campus Clipper's New Book

2010-12-08T09:19:00.000-08:00

Hey guys,

As you know, I work for the Campus Clipper, and we have a new book coming out! I've read the entire book cover-to-cover after copy-editing it, and I can attest it's a really informative guide. I wanted to post my review below. Hope ya'll check it out. :-)

"After graduating from college, I spent a summer working on a dude ranch in Wyoming. The closest town boasted several hundred people and two nightlife scenes—The Rustic Pine Bar and the Whiskey Creek Salon. Needless to say, my friends and I weren’t presented with many options during a Friday night on the town. After my season at the ranch ended, I headed to what felt like the other side of the world—that eclectic, multifarious mess that is New York City. I stepped out my front door and fell into a medley of bars, restaurants, and dance clubs. I was gleeful at the options, but they left my head spinning. Where should I head that night? Unless the friends I was with suggested something, I was utterly lost. It wasn’t like choosing between the rock/country vibe of Whiskey Creek or the slightly more upscale ambiance (i.e.—no deer heads on the wall) of the Rustic Pine.

But if you have our new book—the NYC Student Guide—handy, you don’t have to be stuck in a conundrum like I was my first weeks in NYC. The Guide informs you of the hottest places to hit around the city. No matter what your passion–salsa dancing, indie band concerts, or wine tasting, the Guide lets you know where you can find it.

Aside from suggestions on the social scene, our book also provides you with advice on studying, roommates, internships, and jobs; basically all you need to know about living your student life in NYC. And as you head out tonight, be thankful you have more places to party than the Rustic Pine! Thanks to the Guide, you know just where to find ’em.

E-mail us at clip@campusclipper.com to pre-order your copy of the NYC Student Guide at the affordable price of $9.95."

And here's a pretty picture of the cover:

Welcome :-)

2010-12-06T07:57:00.000-08:00

Hey! I'm Megan Soyars, a writer, copy-editor, and intern living in NYC. My life has been about books since a young age, and I'm currently working for Barnes and Noble and interning for the Campus Clipper.

The Campus Clipper is an independent publishing company "of the students, for the students, by the students." Check us out at www.campusclipper.com! We publish a coupon rewards magazine, where you can get all sorts of great deals on restaurants, spas, school supply stores, and everything in between. (Sometimes you can even get free stuff.)

This blog will be a montage of many subjects. I'll be posting on all sorts of stuff-from the book market, to life in NYC, to the deals you can get through Campus Clipper. So whether you're a student, writer, or self-publisher living in the big city, this blog speak to you! :-)