Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Looking back 2014......

Before the year started, I already know this year is going to be fast, so in order to make it worth it, I planned to try as many new things as possible, and accomplish as many achievements. Here are 14 things I would consider I tried and/or achieved this year.  
 
1. 100 Happy Days: It was fun doing 100 happy days from May to September this year. Happiness is not given by someone or something, we have to find and create on our own. Appreciate all the little things around us,  and you understand the smallest thing can bring you a lot of happiness.
2. 100 Lessons: It was a great experience doing 100 lessons after 100 happy days. There were a lot of lessons from classes, experiences, and daily life. The lessons will never end. We can continue to learn until we die.
3. Started GirlTalk: I did not know GirlTalk would be such a hit in this blog. Thanks for everyone who have read them. I have a lot more to post for next year, so I can't wait to see the reactions.
  
4. Learned Reconnecting with Friends Means Get Know Them Over Again: Since I missed my friends in Ashland so much, I visited Ashland several times this year. I realized after reconnecting with them, I felt to get know them all over again. During the reconnecting process, we understood each other better and we bonded even more.
5. First Night Out: This summer, I had my first official bar experience. I actually took a shot, danced, and stayed up late. Before that, I go to a bar without drinking and dancing and leave early. It was fantastic to get crazy sometimes.
6. First Wine Testing: Addition to first real bar experience, I went winery for the first time. It was beautiful!! I do not understand wine well, but the wine was delicious.
7. First Professional Picture: I always wanted a professional picture taken by a professional photographer. This dream come true this year. I hope next year I can become the real professional.
 
8. First Apartment: I have lived in a dorm before, but living apartment was completely different. There were more space and actually had a kitchen and living room. I managed to cook for myself and take care my living.
9. Started Graduate School: It was a big step in my time. Making this decision struggled me and there were also struggles during the semester. There were number of times I doubt I made the right decision or not; however, I felt glad that I made the decision. I learned a lot and became more mature. I lookforward for my future classes and wish for success.
 
10. Worked with Real Life Client for School: This experience was completely new to me. I am lucky that the school offer students to work real life clients during our classes, so the classes would substitute for work experience. If I worked with real life clients before I go to real world, I would be in better shape.
11. Memorized a Speech and Overcame the Fear of Public Speaking: I thought memorize the entire speech and speak in front of people without any notes would be impossible, but I made the impossible possible. I learned you never know your potential until you actually reach the point. Thanks for my team for the help.
12. Experienced Real Halloween/Officially Curved a Pumpkin: I do have experience going to Trick-or-Treating and answering the door, but I never really curved a pumpkin nor went to a halloween dance. I was not a big halloween person, so I did not consider doing more halloween stuff. Until I did curve a pumpkin and went to a halloween party, I finally realized the REAL halloween is a lot of fun. This is why American like Halloween that much.
13. First Opera Experience: I liked music since I was young, so I was really looking forward to watch musical in NYC. The opera was amazing!! I plan to watch more operas next year. I'd like to learn more about the story and music.
14. First Snorkeling: After hesitating and being scared for a while, I did it. I was nervous at first, but later I get used to water and started to enjoying it. The little fish was so pretty. Besides, I did not like the water was salty, I wish I can do it again.
 


Sunday, December 21, 2014

Post 100 Lessons

The first semester of graduate school is over now. It was definitely a tough semester. A term in graduate school is MUCH HARD than undergraduate. (I will do a post about it on the other day) From first day of graduate school to last day, I did "100 lessons," which means "one lesson a day." This is what I learned from what I learned.

From May to August, I did "100 Happy Days." It was a great experience. You can read my reflection here. Finding little happiness out of the ordinary life was a nice way to build my optimism. Because 100 happy days was a lot of fun, I decided to do a "100 Lessons" because when I graduate college, the principal told us to "never stop learning and be happy." Since graduate school was starting, so it was a perfect timing to do it . I will learn at least one lesson each day during first semester to make my graduate school life filled with a lot of grain of salt.

I thought 100 lessons will be harder than 100 happy days, but I WAS WRONG. Unfortunately/Fortunately, there are more lessons than happiness in life. Even after 100 lessons, I still learning more and more lessons as time goes by. I'd like to continue share lessons to everyone.

Remember:
Every moment in life is either "a lesson" or "happiness."
There are WAY MORE lessons than happiness in life
Find happiness in the lessons and connect happiness with lessons
The world is filled with knowledge and reasons to be happy
Live everyday like the last day on earth
Because there could be no tomorrow
Life is short, sweet, and experiencing
Be happy everyday and learn as much as you can in this limited time on earth

Monday, November 24, 2014

Life is NOT Fair

I used to think"life is fair," as long we embrace everything we have. However, lately, I have been hearing a lot of terrible news on TV and unfortunate incidents happened among my friends, I started to realize "Life is Not Fair." Then I started reflect on a blog post I read earlier this year called "You're living a dream, but not yours" by Lizzy Early. I like her blog because not onlyshe posts the recipes of yummmy treats, but also she posts a lot of her inspiring life experiences. I begin think about the life differently.

Life is not fair because.....
  • You do not have the loving family like others
  • You do not have the healthy body like others
  • You do not have the great friends like others
  • You do not have the wealth like others
  • You do not have the beautiful appearance like others
  • You do not have the intelligence like others
  • You do not have the nice significant other like others
  • You do not have the althetic skills like the others
At the same time........
  • You might not have the loving family like others, but you could have the healthy body that others do not have
  • You might not have the healthy body like others, but you could have the great friends that others do not have
  • You might not have the great friends like others, but you could have the wealth that others do not have
  • You might not have the wealth like others, but you could have the beautiful appearance that others do not have
  • You might not have the beautiful appearance like others, but you could have the intelligence that others do not have
  • You might not have the intelligence like others, but you could have the nice significant other that others do not have
  • You might not have the nice significant other like others, but you could have the althetic skills that others do not have
  • You might not have the althetic skills like the others, but you could have the loving family that others do not have
Life is not fair because you are not live in your own dream, but you are living in someone else's dream

You could be complain about your love life, family, wealth, appearance, and ability etc.; however, there are people wish had your other parts of you.

Sunday, November 2, 2014

Girl Talk 5 - Dealing with Rejections

I am very sorry about no blog for a month and half. Graduate School is INSANE!! Well, busyness would take my time away with this lovely blog:)

Let's talk about Rejections, Shall we? This probably the HARDEST topic on the "GirlTalk" ever. Rejection is not only from a guy; it can be you applied for a school/job, and you did not get in, you auditioned for a play, and you did not land a role, you want to join a sport team, but you were disqualified. I have deal with a lot of these, and I am not the who handled well. However, I'd like to share how I (suppose) to overcome.

Confession: I have been rejected three times in my life. First time was junior year in high school, another one was senior in college, and last one was last year in Ashland. (Recently, I was rejected by two guys) Those were painful experience. I cry sometime, not for the guy, for myself. I never thought "How come he does not like me?" I think "I am not good enough!!"

The first one was being friends zoned. The guy asked me how to ask a guy asked me to how to ask another girl to the school dance. I should have told me my feeling that it really hurt me.

The second one was not being brave enough to confess, and later, he found another girl. I should have told me my feeling earlier.

The third was misunderstanding, I though he liked me; however, he only wanted to be friends. Friend zoned....I should NOT have confess or I should have been strong about it.

Recent two rejections? Sorry I am not ready to share them, yet.

The sad and disappoint feelings would stay with me for a long time. However I would feel in the end that it is better to get rejected in the first place then end up with a relationship, job, program, or anything that does not fit me. 

I might face more rejections from guys and I will face many kinds of rejection in the future. It is UNAVOIDABLE. I learned that: "Be BOLD with Confession, and Be STRONG with the Result."

I admit that I was not bold when tried to confession and I was not strong enough to handle the result, but I am slowly become stronger with rejection.

I am sure the girls who are reading this are able to be BOLD and STRONG.

Thursday, September 11, 2014

9.11/Ground Zero Memories

As you all know that today is 9.11.14. This day will always remain in our lives. The day the twin tower was destroyed and thousands of lives were gone. What a tragic moment in the US and rest of the world. I can not believe it has 13 years since then. It seems like it was just yester day.

13 years ago, I was a middle school student in Japan. I just started to learn English and barely knew anything about the US. Also I did not know about Twin Tower. One day I heard the news, I was shocked!! But, I was too young to truly understand anything. Then I came to the US, and see people honor 9.11 each year and I expressed my thoughts along with other people. However, I did not become truly affiliated with 9.11until I traveled to New York last summer.
I wish I could see the Twin Tower before the incident. Unfortunately, this will never happen.

Look all the names!! I felt deeply sorry for them. Even though I do not know any of them, I almost cried when I read their names. Before I visited Groundzero, I only knew about 3000 people had lost their lives, but after I look through the names, I can't help thinking "they all have loved one at home waiting for them, and how did their families will react after hearing their father/mother/daughter/son will never come home again so suddenly?"

3000 names =3000 stories.... Each story would have more tears than just 3000 number of dead ones. 
 
Saddest part of the event is that we cannot do anything to change the history. I really hope this day was never happened. Only thing we can do is to pray and hope this kind incidence will NEVER EVER happen again.
 
I understand that we are all busy with study and work, but please take a moment to pray and remember those people. I was super tired with all the homework; however, I still took time to write this entry. Thanks for everyone who read it!!
 
Bring the world a peace!!


Sunday, September 7, 2014

Girl Talk 4 - True Beauty

Graduate school is getting very busy for me at this moment. I am having hard time finding time to blog; however, I will try to post at least the "Girltalk." I LOVE writing "Girltalk" because not only I received a lot of positive reviews from my friends for previous entries, but also I could have a chance to express my opinion for girl related issues.

Confession: I was not secure about my look. I used to be very fat during my teenage years, and I also had issues with my skin. Even some people were telling me "you are beautiful," I was not confident about that. "They were just being nice to me." I was telling this to myself. Well, we all know that outer beauty more important than inner beauty; however, pretty people have more advantage for sure. Later I realized outer beauty and inner beauty interrelated with each other, so outer beauty is as significant as inner beauty
(Later I lost some weight, and my skin issue slowly disappeared, so appearance changes through time passes. Do NOT worry that much!)

The "basic beauty" is to have a gentle heart, so be a kind person first. Did you know that face tells the person's personality? Sweet people would more likely to be stunning. Next, be optimistic as much as you can. Do you know "smile is the best make up a girl can wear"? If a girl can be happy ALL the time, she is more attractive than other girls. Lastly, be smart for all. It is NOT hard, and every body CAN be smart. You do not need to go to Iny League school to be smart. A smart girl knows how to make herself elegant, make the right decision for picking boys, pay attention to other people's feeling etc. Nice, optimistic, and smart girl definitely look gergous outside.

"Inner beauty is more important than outer beauty; however, people only can see the outer beauty at the first sight. I believe Inner beauty reflects outer beauty, so beautiful people are beautiful inside out"

Sunday, August 31, 2014

How to Survivie in Studying Accounting

My MBA classes started this week. It was a little challenging for me to go back to studying mode after been out of school for more than a year. I started to taking accounting, marketing, management and all the other FUN classes. Accounting and all other topics in  is a hard topic to study. I hope the tips of I learned in college will help me and all of my classmates survive this semester. 

1. Using visuals: Everybody's learning skill is different; I am a very visual learner. Whenever I feel the material is confusing, I try to put in the diagram. Flowchart helped me understand the operation part of the accounting.

2. List out all the equations: Accounting associated with a lot of equations. Equations are like the rules of accounting and almost everything follows those rules. Listing out every significant equation can be useful for studying taxes and financial and managerial accounting.

3. Draw a timeline: Accounting is not only to solve the number of dollar value correctly, but also make sure they come out the right time. Some accounts does not realize and recognize at the same and time value of money changes over time. Using timeline made me learn accrual and deferral account and finance easier.

4. Think like a puzzle: Audit is somewhat like a puzzle. If you liked play with puzzle or like to be investigative, you might find accounting interesting to learn. Auditing is similar to finding the missing piece in the puzzle. After thinking accounting as a puzzle, it would not sound it a difficult topic to master.  

5. Be logical: Although there are MANY theories, regulations, laws in accounting, tax and auditing are to memorize; however, they all have logic. If you can think logically about the situation, you can guess the answer on the tests and score high on them.

Good luck with everyone who is study accounting and/or other business areas!!

Monday, August 18, 2014

Brown Sugar Shortbread (My Mother's Favorite Cookie)

I like to bake and I LOVE to bake something that is my mother's favorite. Among all my treats, she enjoys Brown Sugar Shortbread the most. I baked these for her before I moved to Salem. It was also GREAT HIT from the bake sale I did for fundraising last year. It is quick and simple to make and taste great. This recipe is from Your Homebased Mom
Ingredients:
1 cup of Butter (room temperature)
3/4 cup of Brown Sugar
2 teaspoons of Vanilla Extract (use pure)
2 cups of Flour

Optional:
Melted Chocolate Chip for Dipping
 










Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Cream butter and brown sugar together
3. Add vanilla extract
4. Gradually floor until the dough becomes manageable
5. Make two inch logs and place in the baking sheet
6. Bake for 8-10 min until edges turned brown

Enjoy with a cup of tea.

Share with your friends and family; I guarantee they will enjoy them.
You can even sale them in a bake sale, I promise it would be sold out quickly.

Sunday, August 10, 2014

Post 100 Happy Days Reflection

I did "100 Happy Days" from May 1st to Aug 9. It was a great experience. The reason I started this project was I was having some tough times, and I really needed find a way to stay positive. I realized that summer was coming, so I do not want to let the beautiful sunshine go waste due to bad days.

I do admit this happiness project was not easy. I thought it would not be too hard for me because I am a very optimistic person; however, there were days just difficult to be happy. I still maintained happiness by pretty scenery, delicious food, talking to people etc. There were many simple ways to be happy. There were also days that I was extremely happy, and I was excited to share the status with everyone. I am glad I did not give up in the middle.

I would like to thank everyone who followed me, and "liked and/or commented" my posts. I understand some people would think it was a silly thing to do; however, it meant a lot to me. I wish my happiness could have brought you some happiness as well.  

So friends, if you have the time and energy, please try some 100 happy days. I believe it is a great treatment when you are facing the tough time.

From this project, I learned to take the time to appreciate everything around me and happening to me.

Sunday, August 3, 2014

Girl Talk 3- What is Being a Girl/Woman?

Welcome to my third Girl Talk!! I am have been enjoy writing them and I still have many topics to go!! This girl talk is short, but the answer is so VARIOUS. There are lots of rooms for thoughts and imagination. As usual every Girl Talk starts with a confession.

Confession: I often think I am not a normal girl. I do not care about wearing make up, shopping for clothes and accessories, and approaching boys. I barely wear make up, dress whatever I want, and I talk to boys carelessly. I am not into "the stuff" girls suppose to enjoy and think about. Being a girl/woman really means having a pretty face, knows how to dress, and able to catch boys' attention by talking to them? Well, it can mean those thing, but it could be different things. So, what is about being a girl anyway?

Well, it is UP TO THE GIRL/WOMAN. All girls/women are different. Every girl/woman is unique in her own way, and she has the freedom to decide what being a girl/woman means to her. Universally, girl/woman able to be independent and confident.  Being independently think about how much make up to wear, what clothes represents her, and the way to talk to their love interest. There is no standard rule, just be confident about who you are.

Go Girls, You are awesome the way you are!!

Monday, July 21, 2014

Thoughts About Washington DC

This post follows my last post: Thoughts About New York City. I went to New York and Washington DC last month, and I had amazing experience. I have been living in the west coast for the entire time I am in the US, so visiting the east coast was exciting.

1. A lot of Government, Historical and Education Places: There were places like Capitol Hill, White House, Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Art Galleries and other Museums. All the main US government work here and all the regulation is happening there. There were a lot of famous people such as Martin Luther King Jr. Franklin Roosevelt, Thomas Jefferson etc. were honored here. My favorite ones were the Art Galleries and Memorials. I wished could spend a day in the galleries looking at the paintings and memorials reading the quotes from the famous people if I can.

 
 


 

2. Free Admissions to the Sightseeing Places: I was happy that everything I posted above did not have to pay anything to see. They were gorgeous building with long history. I felt students live in Washington DC is so privileged because they have access to all those useful educational tools.

3. Get in Line Early to Get the Ticket Places: I was surprised that people have to arrive TWO HOURS before the . I arrived to Washington Monument for ticket at 6:40am, there were already this many people waiting in front of me. I waited with them for nearly two hours and the


4. Beautiful Night View: The night view of Washington DC was absolutely speechless. Usually the night view in other cities were lights of buildings and city lights, but Washington was the lights shining from the Memorial Center. What an unique night view!!


5. Every Sight Scenes are in the Walking Distance: I was glad that most sightseeing places were in the walking distance from the hotel I stayed. They were all closed together from block to block. Even the longest distance ones were only 2 miles away. We walked a lot when we were in DC.

All in all, visiting Washington DC is very feasible. Almost everywhere is free and walking distance, so no need pay for admission and transportation. I visited New York City before Washington DC; I already felt a lot of history in NYC, and I even saw more historical status in DC. West Coast is definitely very different from East Coast. I realized there were not a lot of culture in West Coast.

Sunday, July 13, 2014

Thoughts About New York City

It was SO MUCH fun visiting New York City again (I visited three years ago) This time I got to see more places than last time. I have a few thoughts about the city. Theses are based on my journals; I felt following facts represent New York City.

1. Musicals and Shows: There were endless great musicals and shows to watch. We had hard time deciding which to go see. I wished we could watch more. We chose "The Phantom of the Opera." It was AMAZING!! The music, actors, performance, stage etc. were very good. The hall was PACKED with people. I wish I could set closer to the stage, so I could see the actors' face clearly. May be next time, either spend more money or get in line for hours to buy the best deal tickets.
  

2. Historical Buildings/Places and Popular Sightseeing Spots: There were many meaningful and historical buildings and places in New York such as Empire State Building, Status of Liberty, Wall Street, Washington Square Park etc. I knew there were movies had been made and many famous people lived there. Most buildings have long history that worth study. While I was in New York, I experienced the developing culture of the US. There were also popular sightseeing spots as well such as Central Park. It was absolute beautiful. They are ALL must see in New York. We were running out of time visit them all. A trip in New York definitely require at least three days.


 

3. Horrible Traffic: Walking in New York City was the MOST stressful part of the trip due to crowd of people on the street. Even driving would make you go NUTS!! The cars moved slowly because there were ALWAYS people and traffic. Moreover it was easy to get lost. Furthermore, some nights, we were having trouble sleeping because the it was extremely noisy outside because of police cars and fire trucks. New York City is "the town, which never sleeps." We wonder how can people living in New York survive this traffic everyday.


4. Various Food Places: There were A LOT of restaurants, cafes, bakeries, etc. in New York. If you are a foodie like me, you will LOVE New York. Exploring those food places will never finish. Near Times Square, almost every block had numerous places and none of them seem to be bad. New York even has "China Town" and "Little Italy", so the food choice very diverse. The most famous food are New York Cheesecake and Pizza. Almost every bakery had cheesecake and there were MANY pizza places. You can always find a place to eat and it has food from all over the world.



 

5. Pricy: Despite that everything (Food, Lodging, Tours) were EXPENSIVE, there were HIGH taxes and tips to pay. On top of that, maids and tour guides were still asking for additional cash for their service. To be feasible in New York, take the public transit such as subway, sightseeing without a tour, eat only pizza, baked goods, and fast food, and willing to get in line for long time for the good deal show tickets.

Lastly, I'd like to say, the sightseeing in New York City is unending.... There are countless places to see, the shows to watch, restaurants to try, and buildings to visit and revisit.

Sunday, July 6, 2014

Girl Talk 2 - Dating

First, Thank You Very Much EVERYONE!! I did not expect my last girl talk will turn out to be so well. I saw likes and shares on Facebook, which made me very happy. I hope to continue this series. It will be the first post of every month and each Girl Talk will start with a "confession".

Confession: Dating scares me. First, I did not know how flirt. Sometimes I do not even know I was flirting or someone was flirting with me. I also try not get into relationships nor go out on an "official date". I do go have meal, cup of coffee, and hang out with my guy friends occasionally, but I never called that a "date". Moreover, I am a shy person, so I never make the first move. I always let the guy do it. Furthermore, I am afraid of getting rejected, break-ups, etc., so I avoid dating. Lastly, I feel stressed out when I can not read a guy's mind or a guy misread my mind.

However, I had a dream for my perfect boyfriend back in my teenage years. Now, I realized how silly I was making the list and daydreaming. When I entered my 20s, I learned to face the reality. Fairy tale does not exist. I stopped believe in true love because life is not like fairly tale. Later I found out that believe in true love is different from believing in fairly tale. True love exist; however not like the fairy tale. Also dating is not complicated, it is about searching for the right fit. I do not have to be afraid. Plus good guys do exist. It took me a long time for me to understand dating is fun. 

I am not a dating expert nor very experienced in actual dating, I did learned several facts by talking to guys and watching people around me date. First, you have to know who you are looking for. The guy does not have to be the "ideal" guy you dream as an teenager, but you have to know what kind of "actual guy" you like. The reason I still have struggle dating is because I did not know who I am looking for. If you already have the idea of your interest, your dating life will be less ambiguous. Another fact is age does not matter. I have talked guys who are six years younger, six years older and same age as me. I did not feel anything weird among all. Age does not represent anything and understand that every guy is different. Try to date different kind of guys. Last but not the least, there should be mutual friends, have things in common, and similar goals. These are very important especially if you consider the long term relationship. Two people must share same interests and able to hang out with same types of group.  

Girls: I hope you liked this post and found helpful. Have fun dating!! Do not be scared, and be bold sometimes. Share your thoughts and experience about dating with me if you can.

PS. Right now, I feel I am dating this blog. I rather stay home and write blogs than go out on a date:)

Monday, June 30, 2014

What To Do During Unemployment?

This will be my last career related post for this June. This post follows my last two posts:Job Hunting Techniques and Interview Tips . I hope you all find them helpful. I know economy has been down for the past six years, but do not worry it will pick up. If you are struggling to land a job after graduation, you are not the only one. There are something you can while unemployed beside looking for a job. These were what I did when I was unemployed.

1. Volunteer: It is important to get some work experience. You could have good grades, but you still did not get a job; the reason might be you do not have enough work experience. Start build your work experience from volunteering. Once you are more experienced, the chances of getting hire would be higher. People you volunteer for might able provide some work opportunity for you in the future as well.

2. Redefine Yourself: If you could not find a job after graduation, do not blame yourself. May be it is not what you want to do. If you lose a job, instead of being mad, it is time to do some self analysis. May be this job was not your best fit, and/or you never actually liked the job. Try to come up with answers to those questions: "What you did wrong?" "What you good at?" It is time to look for a job that you like and do not make the same mistake from the last job.

3. Spend Time With Friends and Family: Before you became unemployed, you were busy at school and/or work. You probably not have enough time to be with your friends and family. Why do not you take unemployment as an advantage and spend some time with people around you.

4. Do Something You Did Not Have Time To Do Before: You can travel, paint, read a book, write a story/poet, knit a hat etc. You can even use your hobbie turn into a business. May be someday, your hobbie will become your job? You never know. Some entrepreneurs started be unemployed then became very rich (sorry for off topic).

5. Go Back to School: If you have the finance available, I recommend to go back to school. Education is necessary no matter how old you are. There are Post-Baccalaureate and Graduate programs. Ask academics advisers, see what your options are. By the time you have your Post-Baccalaureate and/or Master, the economy might be better and you are definitely better in the market.

Last but not at least, remember to be optimistic!! Did not find job? Lost a job? Well thing could be worse. What does not kill you makes you stronger!!

Friday, June 20, 2014

Job Hunting Technique

June is a graduation month, and many college graduates will switch from being a student to a professional. It is a big transition. I decided to all career advice related posts for this month. Last week I wrote about Interview Tips check it out, if you have not do so.

1. Use Campus Resources: All Universities and Colleges have their own career related service on campus. The Career Center usually provide a lot of great Workshops, Career Fair information and job postings. People work there are friendly. I found my first job from Career Center Website posting, and first internship from a Campus Career Fair.

2. Connections: Do you know most jobs can be found because you know someone? It is important to know many people in the related career field. Build connections with recruiters, classmates, professors, relatives, friends, etc. You never know who will be give you work opportunity in the future. So far, I had two post grad jobs from personal connection. I feel blessed about it.  

3. Let Job Find You: Looking and applying for jobs are stressful; however, if you did well in school, involved in several extra activities, and had several good connections, you are more likely to get an offer and referral for a job that fit you. I know people who received several offers, and I have had people referral jobs to me as well.

4. Write a Good Resume and Cover Letter: I recommend students go to Writing Center AND Career Center to get started. Also have several different people look over them. Sometimes professionals will come to campus to help students. Take the advantage of it. I do not know how many times and how many people edited my resume. I am happy that all professors, career advisors, writing tutors, and real world professional were super helpful.

5. Don't Give Up and Stay Positive: Last but not least, looking for job with positive energy and never give up. If have the positive attitude and never get discharged, you are more likely to get a job.

Best of Luck!! 
 

Saturday, June 14, 2014

15 Interview Tips

Economy is TOUGH now. Getting a job is extremely challenging. Now it is graduation season, and I know there are up coming graduates out there who are search for jobs and/or applying for jobs. Even though the financial market was not easy, I still managed to get jobs on campus and off campus for last several years from surviving the interview process. These are tips I learned over years from workshops and experiences. 

*These are only based on my interviewing experience, so I can't guarantee anything. 

1. Be Yourself/Confident: I understand that most people would have to pretend to be better than usual during the interviews; however, employers do not want to hire someone who is fake. They also would not like someone who is not confident to work for them, either, so just be yourself and be confident!!

2. Do the Research: It is important to do some homework before going to the interview. Depends on how well you know the company, the chance of getting the job is higher.

3. Precise Answer and Come up Stories: A lot of interview questions would have to come up with clear answers and good example stories. Prepare some successful accomplishments from previous work and classes. If you have awards or honors, you can talk about them as well. 

4. Be Polite: If you did not show respect to the interviewees and receptionists at the place, you probably not get hired.    

5. Let the Interviewee Finish the Sentence: During the interview, it is easy to rush into the answers, so make sure the wait until the interviewee finish the question. Pulse a few seconds before answering would not hurt either. Interviewees do not care the speed of the interviewer responed, they only consider quality of the answer. Think before answering shows the person is not impulsive and have the logic-thinking skill.

6. Do not Look Desperate: This was hard for me because there was a time I desperately need a job. I know it difficult to manage our stress, but try the best to hide it.

7. Always Smiling: Employers are looking for skilled workers AND the same time, they are looking for positive workers. Who does not want to work with positive and energetic people?  

8. Listen Carefully: Sometimes we could misunderstood the question. Do not answer it until you fully understood what the interviewee is asking.

9. Arrive Early: You can go to bathroom before the interview, and look through wall posting of the company. You can even brought up in the interview, and this shows you are detailed oriented person and really interested in working for them.

10. Follow up with Handwritten Thank You Card: Always do a follow up after the interview. This would help employer remember you the most. Handwritten Thank You Card is the best; however, if it is impossible, send a follow up e-mail at least.

11. Relax: I know interview process is very stressful; the work itself is stressful as well. The part of the interview process is to see how you can handle stress. If the interviewer could not survive manage stress, he/she probably could not take the This shows you are mature and able to manage stress.

12. Bring Pen, Notebook, Resume, and Water: I recommend to bring these stuff ONLY. Do not bring any extra stuff unless you are told to do so. Carrying a big backpack can make interview process even more stressful.

13. Good Eye Contact: The "key" to ace an interview is to make a good eye contact. If there are more than one interviewee, remember to look around the room and make eye contact with everyone as you answer the question.

14. Dress in Layers: The office can be hot and cold, and we never know. It is better to feel physically comfortable during the interview, so wear a shirt inside and blazer jacket on top of it.


15. Bring Questions: 99% of the interview would end in "Do you have questions for us?" This is a chance for you to know the firm better. The more questions you bring to the table, the higher possibility of getting hired.

I hope these were helpful and Good Luck to You!!

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Girl Talk - Be Confident!!

I am starting a new series here in my blog called "Girl Talk". In this blog, I shared a lot of life lessons and advices I heard mostly from people and readings. "Girl Talk" would be more personal and experience based. I try to have this on the first post of each month starting June. This month's topic is about "Confidence."

I have a confession to make: I was not a confident person as I grow up. I always felt shy to talk in the class and my communication skill was not good at all. I usually blaming myself for screw ups. After I failed many times, seriously, how can I be confident again? Glad that I am more confident today than I used to be, but every once a while I lose hope and confidence again. Every time this happens these are guild lines I try to follow.

I clear my mind first. I usually like to go exercise, play some piano, watch a movie, write a blog post, and/or bake something. Do whatever you like to do to clear up your mind whenever the confidence is gone. In order to be confident again, it is important to get refreshed. Then think find the cause that made me fail and practice to be make it perfect. Every time I lose confidence because I failed in something, I try not think it as the end of the world or I would never going to master it. Remember "practice makes perfect." All the achievements build my confidence. At the same time, think about what I am good at. I believe everyone is unique and special in their own way. I have strength and weakness. If I focused on my strength and learned to overcome my weakness, I would be a very confident person. Lastly, I'd like to surrounded by people who love me. I am glad that I have many friends who truly care for me. I also feel blessed with all encouragements I receive. The encouragement from people are so significant and special to me. After I did everything I can to regain my confidence, I usually feel ready to start over.

All in all, "confidence" is the key to success. We should be confident no matter what happens.
Hey, Girl, You Are Awesome.
"Confidence" is making a girl strong.
Good Luck!!
 
 
I hope you enjoyed this "Girl Talk."

Sunday, May 18, 2014

Quick and Easy Home Made Brownies Recipe

I am very sorry that I neglected this blog. I was busy at work due to tax season. After the season is over, I took a vacation. After that, I just wanted to relax and was not in the mood of blogging. However, I did not forget about this blog, and it is time to bring my blogging life back again.

Making brownies from scratch scared me first. I am sure I was not the only one. Actually, it is simpler than you think, you probably already have all the ingredients on hand. This recipe is from Lizzy
Ingredients
2 cups of Sugar
1 cup of Melted and Cooled Butter (use unsalted)
1/2 cup of Unsweetened Cocoa
1 1/2 cups Flour
1/2 teaspoon of Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon of Salt
1 teaspoon of Vanilla Extract (use pure)
4 Eggs
 
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350F
2. In a large bowl combine melted butter and sugar together
3. Add eggs one at a time and gently fold in
4. Mix in vanilla extract
5. Sift in cocoa, flour, baking powder, and salt
6. Stir until all the ingredients are well incorporated
7. Pour into a 9X13 inch pan with parchment paper on the bottom
8. Bake for 22 to 28 minutes until tooth pick inserted the center comes out clean
9. Let it cool and cut into 32 pieces then planning to share!!
 
*Above photo was taken at the first time I made them. I was surprised that they turn out to be so successful. This recipe is foolproof. Give it a try:)

Saturday, March 29, 2014

Blessing to Work as an Accountant

One day in the office, my boss said this to us: "I really hate my job, I wish the government just give flat tax rate. I rather lose my job than doing all those." I was so surprised. I know it is busy tax season, and we are all stressed out about it. I also understand there are barely people in the world really like their job. However, complaining would not be necessary. Everyone can find a joy in their jobs. I am might be too optimistic, but always counting blessing no matter it is for work, study, family, etc could make life better. These are anything about accounting/auditing/taxation. 

1. Playing with puzzle and being the detective: Accounting work can be retarded and too detailed oriented, and these tough quality job make us good at solving complicated problems. Auditing is a lot like finding the missing piece of puzzle. Accountants require judgment, so we can be money detective. 


2. Interacting and working with many people: I thought the work that accountants do is sitting on desk all day and crutch numbers; however, it is much more than that. Sometimes we meet with clients for our tax and/or auditing service. We also interact with different departments in the office. 

3. Solving money problems: Helping people as a job is wonderful to do. Accountants provide tax service to target higher return and ease out the debts. All jobs in the world have to do with "making others' lives better." When we consider the happiness that customers get from the work we do, there would be nothing to complain about our jobs. 


4. Providing businesses growth: It is fun to write a business plan and be creative. I did not know accounting could be creative. I realized creativity is necessary for any field, it is not only for writing, drawing, and marketing. We can help our clients brainstorm the ways to assist their business to expand. 


5. Working in the safe office place: Being in the office is the best working environment. We do not have to worry about dangerous electronics and hazardous chemicals. Sometimes we can enjoy the view from the office. 

Saturday, March 1, 2014

Conquer Quarter Life *Crisis

I turned 25, and I am HAPPY about it. I had wonderful birthday celebration. I received a lot of birthday wishes from Facebook, my parents spoiled me with homemade cake and fancy dinner, and I even treated myself for a sweet trip to my favorite town in this world called Ashland. However, first thought about turning 25 was filled with ANXIETY.  

I started to have anxiety since I was 16. My emotion has been ups and downs till now. Even though I always look happy and want to inspire and motivate people, there were times I feel lost and just want to cry. These are the ten tips helped recover from some of the downtime and will help going through more anxiety attacks in the future. 


*I don't like to word "crisis" and I do NOT think it is crisis. It is more like moments, issue, process, etc.


 1. You are NOT the only one: Believe it or not, everyone has to go through this type of downtime sometime in their lives from age 15 to 29. There are only a few people who are perfectly fine growing up without any kind of anxiety. 

2. Everybody is different: Most late teens or 20s like to compare their success with others with the same age group. They might feel jealous when they see other peoples lives in the better stage. Please do NOT compare with other people. Some people are better in one way, and it doesn't mean they are more superior than others. Everyone is special and unique. 


3. Talk to people: It would be so much better if you talked with someone who understand you and care about you like friends, teachers, and/or relatives. I was blessed with many great friends who always understood me and encouraged me. I am also glad that I met a lot nice professors and mentors who gave me a lot of advices. 


4. Engage in social/network activities: Keep yourself involved and busy would helpful in any crisis. The social network events create more connections, and a lot of job opportunities comes from the connections. This would help people get the job/career they want. 


5. List out things you like/good at/want to do: You would not how good you are until. The list could be a long list. You will get confidence from them. Building confidence is As more you list, you will define who you are and find the pathway you want to follow. 


6. Exercise and stay healthy (young): No matter how old we are get we need to exercise. For me, exercise help me clear my mind every time I am lost. It is the BEST way to release stress and build strength. 


7. Believe that stress is good: There are many negative facts about stress; however, there are good parts as well. If you are stressed out, that means you have dreams and not giving up. If you have no stress, you do not have goals and things to achieve in life. 


8. Get inspirations from success stories/books/movies: Whenever the times in life just do not feel motivated or inspired, take a break. Let's get out from house and ask friends out to watch a movie or go to library to read a good book. At least go on-line do some research, and you will feel refreshed. 


9. Wait patiently and right thing will come at the right time: Whenever the crisis/trouble was big and there is absolutely nothing you can do, the best way is to "wait." Everything will get better as time goes by. Usually people get panic if they do not succeed or get the result they'd like immediately. Good thing sometimes happens later, and it is only for the people who wait. 


10. Work hard and stay positive: I am strong believer of anything CAN be achieved from diligent work and positive thoughts. There NOT a goal you can not reach, and there is NOT a problem you can not solve. 


Lastly, I'd like to you to remember: "There are always going to be anxiety in life. Little kids went thought it and older people have it as well. Most of young people can survive from it and everything will get better. Only small amount of them can not conquer quarter life crisis."