written by: Cosme Lozano

We are all probably guilty at some point in our lives of trying to either catch some Z’s in class, or even worse, missing class to sleep. School is a tool that offers students the ability to open more doors for themselves. I don’t know about you, but I do not feel like opening doors when I have so little energy and sleep. Because of this, is is imperative that we build good sleep schedules to avoid this. Getting poor sleep can play a role in negatively impacting your school life, but more importantly, it shows up big in your personal life.

Before I drop some data on you, I want to first go over my own personal experience with sleep and sleep cycles. For a lot of my early school life I had no sleep schedule. I just simply went to sleep whenever I felt tired enough. It wasn’t really till my junior year of high school where I decided I wanted and needed to change it. Long random nights can be fun, but they do you no good in the classroom the next morning at 8 am.

I was always a B or C student for about half of my high school career. It was a random day, mid way through my first semester of junior year, where I really wanted to change the narrative I had been building for myself. I wanted to be more committed to my studies and I knew a good place to start was with my sleep. I built a sleep schedule where I was going to sleep at set times for set days. Immediately, I saw better results in my grades and I also noticed more energy. I think what it really comes down to is a formula, or system. I am one of those people who really do well in systems, and this was the start of my personal school system.

I now want to list off some information that is useful in regard to sleeping..

1. Coming from the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, “Sleep plays a vital role in good health and well-being throughout your life. Getting enough quality sleep at the right times can help protect your mental health, physical health, quality of life, and safety” (NIH, 2021)
2. Sleep plays a crucial role in growth and development of young children and teens. Both physically and mentally
3. Improves concentration within the classroom (more concentration -> better focus -> better retention -> better grades)
4. Poor sleep is linked to physical problems such as a weakened immune system and mental health problems such as anxiety and depression via MentalHealth.org.UK
5. If you are lacking sleep, you are more likely to eat junk food or eat before you go to bed. These can both lead to weight gain.
6. Good sleep builds stronger memories
7. Sleep plays a huge role for athletes too. In a study done by Stanford University, they found, “men’s basketball players who extended their sleep to 10 hours a night found several positive outcomes. The players ran faster in both half-court and full-court sprints. Their shooting improved by at least 9%⁸ for both free throws and three-point shots. The athletes also reported improved physical and mental well-being.” (SleepFoundation, 2021)
8. Lack of sleep in college students is known to cause academic failure, compromised learning, agitation, and an impaired mood (NCBI, 2014)

If you are going to take anything away from this article, it’s that sleep is good and it positively impacts you on a day to day scale. Academically, physically, mentally and socially.

Sleep is good. Go to sleep.

written by: Cosme Lozano

First things first, Merry late Christmas and Happy New Year! We are all so proud of the work we were able to accomplish last semester here at the center. Whether that be hosting career events, reviewing resumes, or hosting podcasts, this past year was truly a special one for our career success center. Having said that, we are fully concentrated on making 2022 an even better your. Not only for ourselves but for YOU, the people.

In 2022, we plan on doing a lot of what we did last semester, except we want to do it even bigger now. So that means more blogs, more Coffee and Careers, and definitely more Podcasts. Additionally, our door and services are always open to all students and alumni who need help in whatever career endeavors they are facing. Whether that be setting up a resume or getting connected with someone who works in a field you want to go into, we are your one stop shop for all career success related inquires.

For some of our early events coming up, we have the CCCI Career Fest Preparation and Marketing event this month. Further details will provided in a later post. In February, we will have Coffee and Careers back up, as well as the Freshman scholarship competition. If you are interested in any of these events, or would like to learn more about them and others, please visit our office located in Tower Hall at N204.

Lastly, if you are at any point looking for a job or an internship opportunity this semester, please check out our Facebook page! You can stay up to date with us by following us @usfcareerservices.

We are all so excited to be back this semester, and we cannot wait to see all of you as school starts back up! If you would like to get a jump start on your resume or would like to start looking at spring internships, we recommend that you come in and book an appointment as soon as possible. Let’s all try to make this semester our best one yet!

written by: Cosme Lozano

We all love Thanksgiving. It is a time where we can catch our breath, be with family, and enjoy some good food. All is well, until the day after. If you aren’t caught up in the horde of Black Friday shoppers, you are most likely at home trying to figure Christmas gifts. On top of that, if you are a college student, you still have to prepare for finals. Life gets really crazy in a short amount of time and it can honestly be overwhelming. Well, if you were a fan of my survival guide to midterms, then you’ll love this!

First and foremost, we have to address holiday shopping. I HIGHLY encourage all people to try doing their shopping during Black Friday or Cyber Monday. At the time of writing this, these holidays have already passed. Fear not though, as a lot of major retailers offer deals and special offers all throughout the Cyber Monday week, and in some cases they keep the deals going for the rest of the year. So definitely get out there and take care of business!

Next, we need to focus on school. Guys, it’s crunch time and all hands on deck. There is no need to panic though, as if you prepare right, finals can be a breeze. My biggest tip for taking finals in college is to prioritize your finals in a hierarchy. Whatever final is at the top is the final you spend the most time on. This helps you either mentally or physically map out a plan of attack for taking on finals. Whatever finals are toward the bottom are finals you don’t need to spend much time on. My other piece of advice is to use final study guides, and write down the answers to them in various ways. By this I mean writing down the answers on a piece of paper, and then typing the answers on a document. This may seem repetitive and or a waste of time, but the repetition is exactly what we are looking for. For some people, they can purely study off a study guide while others need additional resources. I am one of those people in the latter. It has been extremely helpful for me to write my study guide content on other sheets of paper or typing it out.

I also recommend working with other students, if you can. As they always say, teamwork makes the dreamwork and this is usually the case in finals. Whether you are creating study groups, working on the study guide together, or going over example problems, working in a team in very useful in preparing for finals. If you are a student who does not want to work in a group, talking with your family or roommate can be a good alternative.

When choosing blocks to study, make sure you are also choosing times that are open for you. You can try studying after classes, but you might not have the energy or attention to sit down for a serious study session. Try to schedule your study sessions for parts of the day where you have the most energy. If you are a morning person, maybe this is your time to study. If you are more of a night owl, use the peace and quiet to get ahead and study.

When it comes time to take your finals, make sure you are getting enough sleep and eating well. Before you take the test, try to have something like a protein shake, banana, oatmeal or eggs.

Once you’ve taken your finals and are done, you can catch your breath. Momentarily. The work doesn’t stop there, as you still have to get remaining gifts and wrap all of them. Usually college students have a week or so before Christmas after finals, and this is the time you have to get everything else in order. If you have all your gifts taken care of, congratulations, you are now on break and can enjoy the holidays.

During all this madness, it can be helpful to take a moment and really be present in reality. This is a special time of the year, and as Ferris Buller says, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it”. Spend time with your family and friends, that or take time for yourself. Once you are officially done with school, your only other assignment is to sit back and enjoy the holiday season.

This is a very stressful time of the year that can overwhelm anyone. Like anything in life, through careful preparation you can accomplish just about anything. I hope this finals study guide serves you well, as it is a formula that is tried and true for me. My only other suggestion would be for students to not be scared to approach teachers about study guide and finals questions. Teachers are there to help students, and in a lot of cases they really want to help their students achieve the best grade possible. Buying and wrapping gifts can be hard, but buying gifts early on and throughout the month leading up to Christmas can take a lot of stress and burden off your plate. Be resourceful and always be on the prowl for special deals and offers. Christmas time is a very special time of the year, (my favorite) and it is a great time to reflect on what you’ve done throughout the year as well as spend quality time with your family and friends!

– Happy holiday’s and happy finals season from all of us here at the Career Success center!

You know this company. You shop with this company. They have locations just about anywhere, and they are one of the biggest companies in the world. I am of course talking about, Walmart!

Have you ever dreamed of donning the blue vest? Have you ever wanted to learn how to work in a team? Well, Walmart might be the company for you. They are constantly seeking new candidates, and it is a great way to get work with solid wages. If you would like to find work, beyond being an in-store employee, this Coffee and Careers is still for you! You can talk with Walmart employers and go over business opportunities for their corporate side. If you are a business student, a communications student, or perhaps an accounting student, we highly encourage you to make a quick stop at our event! This is a great employer and an equally great opportunity to expand your network of business professionals.

We will be holding this event on Friday, November 19th, 2021

As always, students are encouraged to attend this event. This is a great way to get connected with local businesses and leaders within our community. We will be holding the event in the career success center, at N204 in Tower Hall. Speakers will be available to talk with students starting at 10 am all the way through 11:30 am. FREE coffee, donuts and other pastries will be offered to all who stop by. We hope to see you there!

I know you all missed Coffee & Careers last week, so we’re going to make it up to you. We got two employers coming this Friday (11/12/21), and you definitely do not want to miss this!

Starting off with the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, or ISAC, they are an organization within the state that seeks to increase the average of adults with a postsecondary education. ISAC Provides Illinois students with information and assistance to help make education beyond high school accessible and more affordable. ISAC has locations in Deerfield, Chicago, and Springfield. If you would like to get real work experience that is for a good cause, then ISAC is the organization for you!

Additonally, we will also be hosting DCFS. DCFS is the Department of Children and Family Services. DCFS seeks to protect children who are reported to be abused or neglected and to increase their families’ capacity to safely care for them; provide for the well-being of children in our care; provide appropriate, permanent families as quickly as possible for those children who cannot safely return home; support early intervention and child abuse prevention activities and work in partnerships with communities to fulfill this mission.

We highly encourage students who are interested in serving in the child welfare field to attend this event, and network with the DCFS professionals. Topics such as career advice or employment can be discussed in person.

As always, students are encouraged to attend this event. This is a great way to get connected with local businesses and leaders within our community. We will be holding the event in the career success center, at N204 in Tower Hall. Speakers will be available to talk with students starting at 10 am all the way through 11:30 am. FREE coffee and donuts will be offered to all who stop by. We hope to see you there!

For students who are wanting to burn their past, now is your chance. Literally! All USF students and faculty are invited to attend the Career Success Center’s Bonfire of the Bad Resume event! This event will be a celebration and casual hang out for all who are interested. For those who attend, you can burn your old resume and get started on a new one with help from the staff at the Career Success Center! People who attend will be offered s’mores and hot chocolate as we set old resumes ablaze.

The event will be taking place in the USF Pavilion & Quad at 4:30 pm

Come on down and say goodbye to those old resumes, while forging a new future for yourself! Also, who can say no to s’mores??

written by: Cosme Lozano

With Coffee and Careers, you never know who you will meet. The event brings in a wide array of people, all from different walks of life. Most recently, I had the privilege to catch up with recent USF alumni, Richie Mroz! Richie was a communications student here at the university, and he is now working at Professional Salon Concepts, on their communications side. Richie was most active in the student run magazine here on campus, The Encounter.

Richie is also a personal friend of mine, so it was great to catch up in person. A part from that, I got to ask Richie some deeper questions. Richie has a truly unique perspective, as he just graduated from USF last spring. He is one of the “new generation” of workers trying to find their way in the work world amidst the pandemic. I highly recommend you listen to our conversation below!

Talking with Richie, it becomes abundantly clear that today’s employers want employees who can do a little bit of everything. Richie was a graphic design student here at USF, and he did some work with video. Having joined the workforce though, he is now practicing skills he did not expect to be using. If you are going into the communications, marketing and or business field, this might be a reality for you too.

While we are in college, we develop specific skills for specific jobs we want to go into. For a lot of college students just coming out of college, their first job might have nothing to do with what they studied. You can still succeed in your new endeavors though, and Richie is proof of that! As long as you remain willing to keep learning, you can still find success in the field. Students who attend USF are often taught a wide ranging curriculum within their fields. This prepares students well for dealing with all kinds of situations in the work world.

Additionally, confidence is one of the other keys. You have to trust what you learned and the knowledge received from personal experiences. It might not feel like you are prepared, but trust me, you are. It just takes some courage and belief in yourself. With those two things, you can conquer anything.

It was an absolute pleasure talking with my old friend, Richie Mroz. For all USF alumni out there, we still offer our services to you! We can help get you set up with employers or we can take a look at your resume before you head in for a job interview. Make the right choice for your career today, and stop by the Career Success Center!

Don’t forget to sign up for Knox-Monmouths Virtual Career and Internship fair! If you have any questions in regard to the setup, please follow this link.

For students who attend this event, employers will be able to qualify students by GPA, work authorization, Handshake major group, and graduation date when setting up their sessions. Try to have your Handshake profile setup BEFORE attending the event!

The event will be taking place over Zoom, so make sure you have access to a camera and a microphone. It is encouraged that you find a quiet place to setup for the event. It is also important that student resumes are up to date with the most current job updates.

This is a great chance for students to expand their network, and to possibly find employment. Some employers will be looking for new interns, so if you are still needing an internship before graduation, now is your chance! Again, we highly, highly recommend that students of all grades attend this event. It is a wonderful opportunity, and you never know what doors you might open..

We have got ourselves another double header this week! This Friday, October 29th, both Chick-Fil-A and Professional Salon Concepts will be joining us for Coffee and Careers! If you are interested in working for Chick-Fil-A, either at their stores or on the business side, this is the event for YOU. Who can say no to some good chicken, am I right?

Well, if working in the food industry is not a desire for you, maybe we can interest you in our second guest: Professional Salon Concepts! For any students who want to pursue a career in the beauty industry, and would like to be trained by the best, Professional Salon Concepts might be a fit for you! Students at Professional Salon Concepts will learn the necessary technical skills along with business, marketing, and guest handling tools that better prepares them for a career after graduation.

As always, students are encouraged to attend. This is a great way to get connected with local businesses and leaders within our community. We will be holding the event in the career success center, at N204 in Tower Hall. Speakers will be available to talk with students starting at 10 am all the way through 11:30 am. As always, coffee and donuts will be provided. We hope to see you there!

Come one, come all! We are pleased to announce that this Friday, October 15th, we will be hosting employers from IKEA and FedEx at our Coffee & Careers! FedEx returns for their second Coffee & Careers, and we are so very happy to have them back! If you are still looking for work within FedEx, now is your time to seize the moment and get connected. IKEA will also be attending on Friday, and they are looking for bright students who fit their mission. If you are interested in starting a career with IKEA, we highly recommend you come on down, and pay a visit to the recruiters. As always, free coffee and donuts will be provided for all who come! Grab yourself some breakfast, and come network with potential employers. It is truly a win-win!