Sell Yourself with Your Resume

Building your resume can be tricky! The key to a great resume is using descriptive words to display your strengths. Different action words are more appropriate for some jobs rather than others. The following link displays lists of words that work better for the type of job you are searching for.

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/selling-yourself-in-a-resume-with-action-words.html

Use the above link to find the best words to spice up your resume!

If you're unsure of how to format or get started with your resume, there are many templates that can also be found online!

Food For Thought

Eating healthy is good for both your mental and physical health! The brain requires nutrients, just like your heart, lungs, or muscles. Here are some foods that will keep your grey matter happy and healthy!

1) Binge on Blueberries - Evidence suggests that blueberries may be effective in improving or delaying short-term memory loss.


2) Eat More Tomatoes - There is good evidence to suggest that lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found in tomatoes, could help protect against the kind of free radical damage to cells which occurs in the development of dementia, particularly Alzheimer's.


3) Pick Up Pumpkin Seeds - Just a handful of pumpkin seeds a day is all you need to get your recommended daily amount of zinc, vital for enhancing memory and thinking skills.


4) Bet On Broccoli - A great source of vitamin K, which is known to enhance cognitive function and improve brainpower.


5) Sprinkle On Sage - Sage has long had a reputation for improving memory and although most studies focus on sage as an essential oil, it could be worth adding fresh sage to your diet too.


6) Eat Oily Fish - Oily fish contains EPA and DHA in a ready-made form, which enables the body to use it easily. The main sources of oily fish include salmon, trout, mackerel, herring, sardines, pilchards and kippers. Low DHA levels have been linked to a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and memory loss.


7) Opt for Whole Grains - The ability to concentrate and focus comes from the adequate, steady supply of energy - in the form of glucose in our blood to the brain. Achieve this by choosing whole grains with a low-GI which release glucose slowly into the bloodstream, keeping you mentally alert throughout the day.

Having a nourishing, well rounded diet gives our brain the best chance of avoiding disease. Incorporate these foods into your diet and you'll be on your way to a better brain!

Baby steps!

Motivation comes from the confidence gained when accomplishing small goals towards a dream!

Making more smaller, attainable goals that add up to a larger goal is much more beneficial that just setting one big goal. This is because you are continuously attaining those smaller goals and feeling your progress as you go. Seeing progress is where the motivation stems from; if you work out for a month and cant see any improvement, you may quit because you feel discouraged, but if you set small goals like going an extra 5 miles on the treadmill, you can see the outcome of the work you are putting in! 

Basic Rules of Setting Goals:

*Be real with yourself in how long your big dream will take to achieve. 

Measure the trajectory of someone who has already accomplished the goal you wish to achieve to get an accurate prediction of the time needed. 

*Determine milestones, or steps, in the process of achieving your goal. 

If you want to get an A on your biology test, you should start studying for a half hour, then raise the bar to one hour, and increases days of studying the closer you get to your test. 

Remember to set SMART goals!

Specific

Measurable

Attainable

Relevant/Realistic

Time-bound

5 Hobbies to Make You SMARTER

Although our weather lately has been remarkable considering that is it January, you may find yourself stuck inside with nothing to do. Below is a link to an info graphic that displays five different hobbies that engage your brain ultimately making you smarter. Take a look!

http://proessaywriter.net/5-hobbies-that-can-make-you-smarter/

-ASM Meghan :)

STOP! You're reading that textbook all wrong!

What if I told you, that you should be reading your textbooks BACKWARDS!?


How many hours have you spent reading your textbook chapter front to back, word for word, and when you get to the end, you have no idea what you just read? Well, I'm about to change you life. Textbooks don't usually have a plot leading up to a big dramatic ending, their purpose is to inform and educate, not entertain; different purposes, mean different methods of reading. Here's how you should tackle that chapter:


step 1. flip right to the back and read over those chapter questions. Answer some if you can. This will prep your brain and help you sort out what is important.


step 2. Read the summary. Get the big ideas and main jist of what the chapter is about.


step 3. Read the introduction. This may add some context to what you are about to read.


step 4. Pick out the main ideas. This is easy because they are usually big and bold!


step 5. Scan the section for important supporting details of the big bold heading.


Step 6. Make sure you have those key terms down. THIS IS KEY!


Happy Reading!

A Survival Guide to Finals Week

Finals week often ends up feeling like dead week - Social lives, sleep habits, and healthy eating habits get tossed out the window in exchange for all nighters, stress, and study guides. In the midst of all this chaos, it can be difficult to focus on the task at hand, so here are some tips to help you through finals week.

1. Do Not Disturb - One look at your phone and you’re immediately sucked into the endless world of texting, Facebook, and Twitter. Every time your phone lights up or vibrates, it distracts you and takes even more time to get your mind back into concentration mode. Turn it completely off or put it in “Do Not Disturb” mode to minimize distractions. 

2. Set Goals & Rewards - Challenge yourself by setting a goal. Once you reach that goal, set aside a reward for yourself. For example, tell yourself that if you finish reading the entire chapter, you can take a ten-minute Facebook break. 


3. Allocate Your Time - You don’t have to spend an equal amount on every subject. If you know some topics better than others, focus on those that need the most preparation first. Also, if you can finish your final papers before Dead Week, you will have that much more free time to really focus on studying. 


4. Hydrate - Water, agua, H2O, whatever you call it, DRINK IT! When forced to choose between an energy drink and water, always choose water. Energy drinks are packed with caffeine, sugar and sodium, which can lead to dehydration, which can then impair memory and focus. 


5. Go Bananas - Pick a fruit, any fruit, and put it in your backpack. Fruit is easy to take on the go, and also a super-filling snack. 


6. Study With a Group, But Only If It Makes Sense - Many students believe (mistakenly) that a study group always affords an advantage: more brain power plus peer pressure to crack the books. This works well when your study buddies are at least as smart as you. Exam time isn't charity time.


7. 4-Star Tip - Don't waste too much time outlining your answers, writing down formulas you've memorized, or (when given a choice) starting a question and then stopping and starting another question. You're being graded on the quality of your answer, not on notes to yourself or false starts.

8. Be Sure To Develop Your Answers Fully -  Many students don't realize that, on essay exams, part of what's being graded is how well you develop and explain your answer, not just how correct it is. Consider explaining your points in more detail so that someone unfamiliar with the answer would know, just from what you say, what the answer is.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding finals, or if you just need someone to talk to, stop in to the Ruddock office Monday from 3-5pm, Tuesday from 12:30-2:30pm, or Friday from 10am-12pm!


- ASM Katie :)

Be Successful in a Winter Class

With winter break right around the corner, you may find yourself signing up for an online class in order to get a little bit ahead. Online classes certainly have their perks to them, but there are a few steps you should take to solidify your chances of successfully completing the class.

Here are some quick tips to remain successful over winter break:

1. Understand the required materials

• Do you need to purchase a book?
• Do you have access to a computer/laptop?
• Do you have trustworthy internet access?

2. Communicate with the professor

• Send an email prior to the start of the class to introduce yourself.
• Don't be afraid to email the professor with any questions - that's what he/she is there for!

3. Create a schedule

• Some online courses may give you all the work from the start and allow you to work at your own pace.
• Know when the due dates are. You may not receive reminders about upcoming assignments.

4. Stay organized and focused

• Know the due dates.
• Complete the assignments.
• It is easy to forget about an online class when you are at home relaxing. Make yourself reminders to complete the work.

5. Have a consistent workspace

• Do your work at a local library or coffee shop.
• Designate a part of your bedroom or living room strictly as a workspace.
• Pick a place with limited distractions.

Best of luck!

-ASM Meghan