Book Review: You Don’t Have To Learn the Hard Way by J. R. Parrish

by Catey Gonzalez

Congratulations to the class of 2010! For most of you, the beginning of June will bring the freedom you’ve been waiting for since fall 2006: your high school or college days are behind you and it’s time to join the fabulous “real world” – almost. Graduating seniors have no doubt been told by now that it’s not quite all smooth sailing from here and yes, unfortunately, that is the case. However, there are lots of people who have been through it all before and who are more than willing to offer their insights and advice for the upcoming challenges.

One of these people is J. R. Parrish, author of “You Don’t Have to Learn the Hard Way: Making it in the Real World.” In his book, which he calls a “guide for graduates,” Parrish tackles many of the issues that arise after graduation. By combining stories from personal experience with general advice that could be applied to any life, Parrish offers a valuable resource for any graduate hoping to survive in the real world without, as he says, learning the hard way.

One of the first topics Parrish discusses in his book is how to achieve success or, as he puts it, how to “make your dreams come true.” Parrish relates a story about one of his first jobs and the struggle he went through to attain it. Because he did not graduate from college, Parrish was at first turned down for a job he wanted at Xerox. After that position was denied him, he went to Xerox’s main competitor, where he was given a job and enjoyed not a small amount of success. After some time at that job, Xerox got back in touch with him and offered him the job he had wanted originally, which he gladly took.

There are several lessons to be learned from Parrish’s experience with Xerox. The first is that it is highly unlikely that you will get the first job you inquire about; the second is that it is crucial not to give up. It is all too easy to experience a failure, such as Parrish’s with Xerox, and to decide that it would be pointless to keep trying. However, Parrish is right when he insists that you not give up so easily! Whether you choose to seek another route to your desired job, the way Parrish did, or to try a completely different job opportunity, the most important thing to remember is not to give up. As a graduate, you’ve put in a lot of hard work to this point and you deserve to land in a job that’s right for you.

Another main point in “You Don’t Have to Learn the Hard Way” is Parrish’s belief that marriage (or a serious dating relationship) is something best avoided at this stage of your life. Parrish shares his own experience in getting married early on: though his parents and other respected figures advised against it, he was sure at the age of nineteen that he was ready, and ignored their advice. His marriage lasted for seven years, during which time he and his wife grew increasingly distant from each other due to Parrish’s personal goals and ambition. At the end of those seven years, Parrish decided that his individual journey needed and deserved more time and attention than did his marriage.

Parrish’s includes a list of suggestions with his personal advice, to include “have at least a year-long engagement” and “take plenty of time before having children.” Though Parrish would certainly have benefited from his own advice, based on the outcome of his own experience with marriage, his counsel should perhaps be taken with a grain of salt. Some people are truly ready to get married at a young age and take great joy in facing this difficult stage of life with a spouse as a partner. It is important to keep in mind that what works for Parrish may not work for you, and what he counts as personal failures may be the brightest spots in your own life.

One piece of extremely valuable advice in this book is to “solicit, listen to, and weigh your parents’ advice carefully because they have your best interests at heart and can help you avoid costly mistakes.” For Parrish, that mistake was marriage; for you, it might be the wrong graduate program, the wrong career path, etc. Though it might feel great to finally be an adult and not have to listen to your parents anymore, it is important to realize that they have been a huge part of your life for the last however many years, and therefore are likely to be able to offer insights that you might not see for yourself.

J. R. Parrish’s “You Don’t Have to Learn the Hard Way” is ultimately a practical, concise guide for recent graduates who seek some advice on how to best reach the next stage of life. Find it in your local bookstore, and consider it as a gift for yourself or for a graduating loved one!

Book Review: If You Have To Cry, Go Outside

by Katherine J. Chen

When Kelly Cutrone found out that a People’s Revolution intern had blogged about her working experience online (equating her internship with a “Devil Wears Prada”-type ordeal), Cutrone did not hesitate to pick up the phone, call the intern, and fire her on the spot—but not before threatening to sue her and her parents for every penny they owned. All interns who work at People’s Revolution are required to sign a non-disclosure agreement, which meant that this particular intern had breached her contract. Cutrone recalls how ten feet away from her office, the remaining interns sat frozen in their seats with their mouths hanging open, shocked at what had happened.

In Cutrone’s own words, “I believe in an occasional public firing (when deserved, of course) for exactly this reason. Usually, we hide consequences away, in prisons or in rehab. But telling seventh-graders that crime doesn’t pay is probably less effective than taking them to a prison to let them see for themselves…” This episode, which comes about three-quarters into the book, exemplifies Cutrone’s trademark no-nonsense attitude.

What makes If You Have to Cry, Go Outside an especially compelling read is the heartfelt advice Cutrone offers her readers. Young women especially have a lot to learn from this book. All too often, we second-guess ourselves and end up allowing others to make decisions for us. Even when these decisions are based in good intentions, they may not be the plan of action we need to move forward in the right direction. Cutrone recalls how even when her heart was set on her career, her parents were determined to pressure her into a domestic lifestyle, replete with marriage and children.

Cutrone devotes a solid amount of her book to lamenting the state of women in modern society. She is appalled by the way women treat each other, by how women seem to take every opportunity possible to criticize their female friends and colleagues with overused words like “bitch” and “slut.” What sets this book apart from so many of the other self-help books out there is the realization that career advancement means nothing if an individual is not also prepared body and spirit for the greater responsibility and hard work that lies ahead.

Cutrone understands that to be successful is first and foremost an inner battle with oneself. As one of the most powerful women in the fashion industry Cutrone is, of course, a shining example of this kind of spiritual awakening. In a few years’ time, she went from being a country bumpkin to a homeless, carless drug addict living in New York. She partied in New York’s most risqué clubs until 4 in the morning, drinking, taking on multiple lovers, and enjoying life in the Big Apple. There were essentially two turning points in Cutrone’s tumultuous rise to fame. The first was Cutrone’s accidental run-in with heroin, which led to her waking up unexpectedly in someone else’s bed. The second was Cutrone’s painful detox and the spiritual enlightenment that followed, in which she saw the Universal Mother floating above her body. However, these experiences constitute a small part of Cutrone’s larger message: that people should always listen to their inner voice, to their gut. We young women should not allow this instinct to be subdued by what we hear from friends, colleagues, coworkers, and family – no matter how much we love them.

The book, beyond being a celebration of women, is also a practical guide for recent grads still on the lookout for a job. Cutrone offers tips on what to wear, how to act in front of one’s superiors, and how lower-level employees can make the most of their job, even when all they seem to do is drudge work. Readers are guaranteed to take away an assortment of lessons and experiences from this book, among the most important of which is extracted right from the title: If you have to cry, go outside.

Tips for studying abroad

By Emily Yeh

There are those moments in college when things fall into a rut or get boring, or you just need a fresh perspective on things. Studying abroad is one way of taking a break from your current life and people; You’ll be thrown into a new environment, perhaps with people you’ve rarely talked to or never met before, and limited contact with your life at home…

I went abroad the fall quarter of my second year in college; a rare case, but I had specific reasons related to course scheduling and activity conflicts. I came back from that experience a happier college student, and with a broader perspective on the world overall.

These are some of the lessons I learned from the experience:

-       I had a lot of time to explore Paris and the surrounding areas, visiting museums, strolling through parks, sitting at cafes sipping away at chocolat chauds, and watching elegant French people gracefully glide along the historical sidewalks built by Haussmann. And one day I realized that I knew Paris better than the school at which I had spent an entire year. I have visited perhaps two or three areas of Chicago, whereas I had visited almost every arrondissement in Paris. Why couldn’t I leave the sheltered confines of my college campus and explore other areas? I resolved to do just that on my return.

-       I was forced to make new friends during the few months I was in Paris, because I knew no one in the program. Because of the core requirement nature of the course I was taking, there were a variety of people from different majors- philosophy, economics, political science, physics, math, etc. At school, I was often limited to the classes that I was taking. Many of the subjects were centered on topics that I found interesting, but that were also related to my major. I saw the same groups of people in every class, and usually our extracurricular activities overlapped as well. It was so fresh to hear some new perspectives and learn new things from academic areas I had never considered before.

-       I spent the large majority of my time on the trip talking to older students, people who had experience on campus. I learned new facets of my college that I previously didn’t know anything about, and gained new knowledge of activities, talks, and various other services that the university provides that I was previously unaware of. Coming back to campus for the next three years, I had new things to experience and to reach out to, rather than being limited to the small social groups that I had established in my first year. Now I am testing new things, eating at new places, meeting new groups of people, and taking advantage of more opportunities beyond the classroom.

Given my own experiences, here are some tips for studying abroad:

-       Throw yourself into absolutely everything you do, and don’t hold back. I lived by one principle while I was in Paris: “When am I ever going to get another chance to spend 3 months in Paris with almost zero concerns?”

-       Love where you are and appreciate it. Many of the students on the program spent a lot of the time complaining about the oddity of French behavior, of how they missed the customs of home, and their discomfort in being somewhere new. I find that the fastest way to learn is by putting myself in an uncomfortable position, like being forced to speak French. I became far more comfortable speaking French after 10 weeks in the country than I had been after 7 whole years of classroom studying. And French behavior is, of course, what makes people French. Could you imagine a whole world made up of Americans living by the same principles? How boring would that world be? Learn from those little cultural nuances that make foreign countries and foreigners different, and take the parts you like and adapt them to yourself; it’s time we all became global citizens.

-       Force yourself to go out as often as possible. There are very few reasons why a person in a foreign country should be sitting at home staring at a ceiling. Why watch another episode of Grey’s Anatomy when you could be staring at the Mona Lisa? Even in simply the terms of monetary consideration, the free episode will still be free after you return home, whereas another ticket to Paris to see the Mona Lisa may cost another $1500.

-       Open your eyes. Always stop to observe what people around you are doing, and perhaps even speculate on why they’re doing what they’re doing. Learn from other people. The easy confidence, the nonchalant behavior, the happy attitude—who are they? What qualities can you take from their behavior? I always wondered why French women all seemed to having style and dressing down pat, and exude sexiness and elegance. It’s all in their casual confidence, their “je ne sais quoi” attitude… But perhaps it would take more than 10 weeks to find the key. **Nikki, I’m not sure about this sentence. What do you think? -Catey

-       Don’t be afraid to try something new. I had a week off during my 10 week quarter, and I went to Italy with a few friends. While one of my friends stuck to her pizza and pasta every meal, I made sure to try at least one dish that was a local specialty. Despite the hits and misses, I can now confidently brag that I’ve tried it, and perhaps be able to advise others towards and against certain things.

All in all, I must encourage students who have the opportunity to go on study abroad programs to do so. Secure in a university environment, and surrounded by other people who are as enthusiastic as you are, study abroad programs are one of the best opportunities to explore a brand new place. You don’t have to worry about your work occupying the majority of your time, because study abroad programs are generally a little lighter on the course load to provide opportunities to learn from the location itself. It’s also far more fun learning about Versailles in class, and then being able to hop on a train and actually see it. There’s so much in the world to see and learn, and studying abroad offers a perfect opportunity to be bold and take chances. Living in a detached bubble from your “normal” life offers a new perspective, on both your own life and the wide world in which we live.

Notes from Art School: Paying the Bills Before You’re Famous

By Christine Stoddard

A certificate in art or writing? Two years. A Bachelor’s in art or writing? Four years. A Master’s in art or writing? Five to six years. Whatever your goal as an artist or writer, you’re likely going to go to school for quite a while. And while you’re studying, you likely won’t have much time to work, at least not at a high-paying job. Cue pictures of an empty wallet, a crying piggy bank, and an art student with a clean plate but no evidence that there was ever food there. Homelessness and starvation are scary things. Of course, it is possible to escape those frightening realities, dear creative genius. Here’s how you can survive before you become famous for your creative endeavors:

*Get your materials for less: The costs of paper, pens, paint, film, and other supplies can add up to some pretty ugly numbers. That’s where the Internet comes in. Go to websites like Craigslist and Freecycle. You’d be surprised what people are selling for cheap or even giving away! My school even has a student exchange section on the website, so we can swap materials with students in any department simply by emailing them. Your school might have a similar forum. Be on the look-out for coupons online and in your local paper, as well. The art supply store closest to my school regularly advertises sales and even offers a discount card for students and frequent buyers. Whenever possible, try sharing supplies with friends and classmates, especially in circumstances where it’s more economical to buy in bulk.

*Entertain yourself for nothing: You can still get your dose of culture without spending too many pennies. Most art galleries and bookshops charge nothing for you to come in and browse. You might even make good connections while you’re hanging out there. You can also get into plays and film festivals by ushering. Always look for student discounts on museum, theatre, festival and cinema admission. Check out movies from your campus library instead of renting from Blockbuster. Spend drinkin’-and-clubbin’ money on what you really need: art supplies, business cards, resumes, mailing materials, models/actors, books, etc. Last but not least, plan outings with friends the art school way. Going to jam sessions, poetry readings, and ‘zine swaps are all examples of fun, imaginative ways to spend a Saturday night.

*Hit the thrift shop: If you aren’t wearing secondhand clothes already, you will be soon. It’s your duty as an artist to challenge the status quo. You don’t have to look like a walking acid trip, but don’t be afraid to create your own look. Say bye-bye to $100 jeans, or even $50 and $30 ones. Bonus: if you stain your clothes, you can cheaply replace them! My favorite thrift shop sells duds for as low as $0.50. It’s worth looking for furniture, utensils, and other household goods there, too.

*Hunt for quick gigs: As a full-time student, your main focus should be your studies and the work you produce from those studies. Dedicate yourself as fully as you can before you hit the “real world.” If you do that, you won’t have the time and energy to work a regular job. With student loans on your back, this thought might terrorize you. Don’t fret. There are still ways to practice your art AND make money on the side. Keep your eyes open for short-term gigs. Maybe a small business needs someone to design a logo for them. Another drawing student might need to hire a figure model at the last minute. Perhaps a local lawyer or businessman has written a novel and wants feedback on his work. There are all kinds of one-time gigs out there waiting for smart, talented young people to snatch them up! Scour websites and bulletin boards whenever you have a chance. You might be surprised how much you can make for doing what you love. P.S. You’re more likely to score gigs if you have a blog or website with art and writing samples for potential clients to preview.

*Apply for grants and scholarships:

Step 1) Keep an updated resume, essay, and academic transcript at hand.

Step 2) Maintain good relationships with your professors and mentors so they’ll be happy to write recommendation letters on your behalf.

Step 3) Meet with your advisor to find out what scholarships and grants your school offers.

Step 4) Check out websites and books with scholarship and grant listings.

Step 5) Apply to the opportunities for which you qualify.

Step 6) Wait anxiously for a reply.

Step 7) Cheer and scream when you win; accept the fact when you don’t.

Reuse these tips until you never have to spend your own money on tuition or materials again!

After College, What’s Next (for the English Major)?

By Kaitlin Meilert

Ah, senior year of college…After two more semesters, you will finally be free of all those tests you crammed for, papers you pulled all-nighters to write, boring jobs you had to juggle with packed school schedules, and the constant stress you swore would never be relieved.  But you keep your head in the game because it’s not over yet.

Freedom begins to tug at you by the end of fall semester…as does adulthood and the pressure of real life waiting just around the corner.  But you put it out of your mind because senioritis is kicking in.

Then, your last semester spins by, and it hits you: You have an English degree…what now?

What are you going to do with your life?  Where are you going to work?  Should you go to grad school like all of the other English majors seem to do after graduating, even if it purely means buying more time before entering the real world?  Are you ready to jump straight from one exhaustive life to the next?  Why did you ever major in English Writing and Rhetoric?

The worst part is feeling like everyone around you knows exactly what they want to do.  But here’s the reality check: You’re not alone.  And you want to know what else?  It’s ok to feel lost.  It’s ok to want to take a short break after graduating to not only figure out what you want to do but to recharge your drained batteries.  I was recently reassured of this by someone whose advice I don’t take lightly: my dad.

His advice? Take the time to figure out what you really want to do before jumping into something you’re not sure about or feel too drained to successfully take on…or spending thousands of dollars on getting an MFA in an area you’re not positive you want to pursue.  He told me that it’s ok to take a break, relax, and pull myself together.

However, I did reassure my dad that I would use my time off wisely, which brings me to my advice to you.  From one soon to be graduating English major to another: Don’t worry if you’re feeling lost.  Take that time off to find your way.  But in the meantime, make that time useful:

Get an internship.

No, you probably won’t get paid.  But it’s a start and an opportunity; a chance to get some experience in the field of writing (not to mention it’s a great way to network and make connections.)  Find an internship with a publishing company, a magazine, or a newspaper.  Be their slave if you have to (filing, making phone calls, fact checking…you get the idea) and work your way up.  If you do well, your boss just might offer you a part or full time position when the internship is up.  I know, I know.  You’re still thinking about that “unpaid” part…

Get a job.

Hello!  You’ve graduated!  Imagine how much easier it will be to take on an internship AND a paying job without having to juggle them with school.  Trust me, you can do both.  Just think about how much time school alone takes up (exhausting just thinking about it, isn’t it?)  Work in retail, waitress, bar tend, house sit…I know it doesn’t sound too glamorous, but just think of it this way: it’s only temporary; it pays the bills; it gets you out of the house and interacting with other people.  And, at their worst, crappy jobs just might give you some material for that novel you’re working on.

Volunteer.

Perhaps your time off isn’t intentional.  It may be that you’re having trouble landing a writing-related job or internship.  Just keep sending out those resumes and writing samples, and in the meantime, volunteer in your community.  Find volunteer work that offers you experience in the writing, editing, publishing world.  Or at least find work that lets you put all that grammar and editing knowledge to use, such as volunteering to tutor high school students in English.  And if not for any of those reasons, simply volunteer to get out of the house and give back to the community, whether through your writing skills or not.  Helping out others also might snap you out of that self-pity you may be feeling.

Learn something new.

Take a peek around your community.  You’re bound to find a few writing classes and workshops (yes, professional writers offer workshops for a small fee…take advantage of their knowledge!)  Or maybe you want to enhance your computer skills.  As you’ll find out, or probably already know, a variety of jobs (even writing-related gigs) prefer, or require, that applicants have certain computer skills.  So find a workshop around town that will help you brush up on those skills or teach you how to use advanced software and applications, such as Dreamweaver or Photoshop (both are useful for publishing, by the way…)  Other ideas?  Cooking, photography, salsa dancing, kickboxing…ok, maybe you can’t put some of those on your writing resume, but at least you’ll be learning and doing something with your time (and yes, gathering more material for all the writing you’re going to have published some day.)

The point here is to do something.  Don’t sleep in until noon and laze around all day in your PJs, watching The Tyra Show, moping about how crappy your life is.  I’m sorry, you can’t produce any writing out of that (if you could, you’d probably have a bestseller out, and you wouldn’t be reading this.)  Listen up!  A career isn’t just going to fall into your lap.  You have to work toward it.  Send out your resume to any and every possibility you can find.  And in the meantime do something worthwhile, like writing, English major.  Better yet, at least submit your work to editors as a freelance writer.

So, my fellow graduating English majors who are at a loss about what to do after graduation, don’t worry.  You’re not alone.  Take a year off and figure out what you really want to do with your English degree.  But keep learning and embarking on new experiences.  And stay positive: all the answers (and the career) will come.  And last, but never least, keep writing!

Oh, and one more thing…Congratulations!  You’ve just spent four years working hard (and losing sleep) to earn your degree.  You deserve a short break.  And my graduation gift to you?  Reassurance.  Ignore all of the people who said, “Oh, you’re an English major?  What are you going to do with that?”  The writing, the jobs, and the bestsellers will come.  But for now, take a break (I know you need it.)

Notes from Art School: Surviving Critiques

By Christine Stoddard

Art students absolutely must thrive on criticism. After all, if you can’t survive the terror of presenting your creative babies to your fellow classmates, how will you fare before gallery owners, magazine editors, theatre managers, and book publishers? Answer: Poorly. Maybe even miserably. So go into that Studio Critique or Writer’s Workshop proud and come out feeling more informed, not degraded.

You’ve presumably worked hard on your painting or play. Feel rewarded that someone has the chance to witness the fruits of your labor. Otherwise your poetry or illustrations might just rot under your bed. Accept that your piece won’t be perfect–no piece, even an award-winning one, ever is. Accept that experiencing art is a subjective process, and that your classmates will respond to your work in different ways. While some may applaud it, others might sneer. In the best of situations, everyone will congratulate you on a job well done. In the worst of situations, expect the proverbial tomatoes.

Bring an open mind to every workshop or critique. Don’t get defensive. Listen carefully to your classmates’ opinions and really consider what they’re saying (at least the constructive comments. Hopefully you have a professor who’s able to keep the conversation intelligent and respectful.) You might not have thought about an aspect of your work that comes up during the critique. Maybe you should develop that character further. Maybe that isn’t the most appropriate shade of red in regards to the color scheme as a whole. You don’t have to change everything your class advises you change, but do weigh what they say. The majority of the time, you’ll realize that at least a couple of their suggestions really would benefit your piece and that it makes sense, according to your vision, to tweak this or that. You might even transform a piece entirely–and for the better.

Apart from bringing your maturity to critiques, bring questions. Are you stuck with your piece? How can your classmates help answer some of your questions? Sometimes your questions will be pretty vague, and other times they’ll be more developed. You might have just started writing a short story and not yet begun to really concentrate on forming a complete story arch; your classmates can give you ideas for your plot and characters. You might wonder whether the soundtrack for your film should draw on glam rock or punk rock influences; have your classmates vote. New insight can be good. It provides you with an opportunity to view your work from somebody else’s perspective so you can truly bring you what you want to put in relief.

Some artists take critiques very personally. It can be an emotional process, especially if your classmates make comments with which you don’t agree. Know that what ultimately matters is what you think. How do you feel about your work? What does it communicate? Are you satisfied with its message? How can you improve upon the piece? As the creator, you have the right to determine the best direction for your piece, but that doesn’t mean discounting outside opinions altogether, either.

What’s it like to be OCD

By Katherine. J. Chen

As I type this, I notice that The Norton Anthology of Poetry sitting on my desk is not perfectly aligned with the three or four red-and-green plastic folders stacked neatly underneath it. This prompts me to take decisive action. Leaving my computer unnoticed, I spend approximately five minutes sliding the anthology back and forth until its corners line up with the edges of the folders. While doing so, I touch the anthology with only the tips of my fingers, making sure that I am neither shoving the book too hard nor staining its delicate paper cover with oily prints. In these short but mentally exhausting moments, all that matters to me is the book and the folders beneath it.

Only a few months ago, a cable in my garage snapped loose. It somehow caused an entire wall of tools to collapse on the stone floor, and I remember how my dog began barking and running back and forth between where I was sitting and the basement door leading into the garage. What was I doing? Oh, I was very calmly mending the bent corners of my textbooks with a glue stick, a process which takes no less than ten or fifteen minutes at a time. Books are at the top of my list of items I unabashedly obsess over. I never allow anyone to borrow my books or touch them, and I always carry them separately. Backpacks tend to crease the corners, which is why I prefer tote bags—or even, on occasion, shopping bags—where you can place each one face down on a relatively even surface.

I am OCD about generally anything paper-related. A printer that I once purchased had the horrible habit of creasing the tops of my pages. When I pointed this deficiency out to my mother, she told me she couldn’t see what I was talking about. But I could, and what’s worse, I already knew I would never get over it. Using that piece of inefficient machinery, I would often print out the same document five, six, or seven times in a row until a page came out with the smallest and most indistinguishable wrinkle. Finally, I got sick of wasting paper, and I gave the printer away, wanting nothing more to do with it.

Bags with loose threads. Unpolished laptops. Items arranged in anything but a straight line. Shirts with dust or small bits of hair. Carpets that are left unvacuumed for more than half a day. Labels that aren’t put on straight. Food that isn’t divided in the right way. Bottles that don’t go in order of height or some other type of logical arrangement. All of these things drive me insane. I consider dented or scratched office products to be the worst, especially because these occasionally surface at stores like Office Depot and Staples. I will often just stand in front of a stack of binders, looking for one that isn’t dust-covered or damaged in some way.

I am a general fiend in bookstores, where my OCD awareness is at its height. Oftentimes, I will buy three versions of the same book, so I don’t have to risk carrying them around and exposing them to a volatile environment. This saves me time and energy, and I don’t have to worry about what happens if there is a sudden casualty (i.e. a person knocks a book out of my hands, a teacher bends the spine of a book too far).

Some might find all this taxing and awful, but at the end of the day, I see my obsessive qualities over books and the like as positive. I enjoy the thrill of arranging otherwise disorderly items into a single assembly line. My shelves are immaculate, and a part of me comes alive when I flip on the switch to my Dyson Ball vacuum cleaner every day. What else could a girl reasonably ask for?

Notes from Art School: Tabling for Extra Pennies

By Christine Stoddard

Everyone knows that art students are poor students–or at least that’s the stereotype. Does that mean you have to wedge yourself inside of the cookie-cutter, too? No. Fight it by being enterprising. Directly apply the skills you learn in your studio classes to create your own products. Whether that means crocheting scarves, designing greeting cards, or sewing doll clothes, choose an endeavor that’s enjoyable and profitable. Then start trolling Craigslist and your local newspaper for information about arts and crafts fairs. It’s time to table for extra pennies.

“Tabling” is the act of setting up a table full of your beautiful merchandise at arts and crafts fairs. You then sit at the table to chat up customers, collect money, make change, re-stock your goods, and watch for shoplifters. If you’re set up close to the next vendor, you might have a chance to strike up a conversation with her, too—maybe even make a new friend or business partner. Generally, though, you should stick close to your table and maintain a professional air. At very busy fairs, you might not even have a chance for a bathroom break!

If you have to endure four to six hours without a visit to the toilet, it obviously better be worth it. Here are tips for having the best possible experience tabling at a craft fair without letting it take away from your life as a student:

*Begin with quality products. Customers want goodies that serve some purpose, whether that purpose is aesthetic or the ability to perform an actual function. What’s even better is to combine aestheticism and function; then you’ll almost always win. A cute laundry basket, for instance, is better than just a plain sturdy one.

*Clearly price all of your merchandise. Many people are too shy to ask how much something costs, especially if they’re afraid that they can’t afford your products.

*Set a realistic monetary goal. If you’re just starting out, you can’t reasonably expect to make $2,000 at a single fair. During the first hour, predict how much you’ll make based upon your prices, the number of costumers in attendance, and the demographics of those customers. Example: teenagers don’t necessary buy the same things as elderly women.

*Do what you can to attract people to your table. A craft fair is a kind of competition—a passerby should have a reason to want to stop at your table more than the one next to it. I personally wear an elaborate costume that matches the theme of my work. If you’re not so theatrically inclined, make a big, bright sign, maybe play music, or hold a demonstration for your star product.

*Use your time wisely during the fair. It’s often difficult to guess just how many customers will drop by, so bring something like light-duty homework. Remember that novel you have to read? Or that small still-life you have to draw? Bring a book or a small sketchpad to divert yourself when crowds start to fade.

*Do your part to attract customers by promoting the fair as much as you can in advance. That means setting up a Facebook events page and inviting all of your friends who live in the area. It also means asking the festival coordinator to email you a flyer, printing out copies, and posting them any highly visible area that makes sense.

*Prepare for craft fairs well before they come. It’s hard to table every week when you’re a full-time student, but tabling every other week is possible for many students. Spend your ‘off’ weeks creating and advertising, and then your ‘on’ weeks preparing for the specific event and doing any last-minute advertisements.

*After every craft fair, always reflect about how you can improve your business tactics for the next round. Maybe you should spend less money on supplies next time or build more of something in a certain color. You might even find it productive to keep a journal about your tabling efforts.

With these tips in mind, turn off your computer and start raiding your art supplies. Your tabling empire awaits!

Ideas for Spring Break 2010

by Angel Neal

The most anticipated time of the year for college students is right around the corner. After a long year of hard work and dedication, it’s time to break away from the chains of feeding the brain; time for a full week to let loose and do whatever you want. Some refer to it as paradise, but the correct term is “spring break.” There are so many things you can do for your spring break, but whatever you may choose you’re guaranteed to have fun. I came up with some ideas to help you decide what you might like to do for spring break 2010.

1. Take a Vacation

Taking a vacation is the most popular spring break choice among many college students. You can relax on an exotic island, go skiing in the mountains, study abroad… the possibilities are endless. Many colleges offer cruise vacation packages for spring break for their students’ pleasure. For example, Florida Agricultural Mechanical University is offering a spring break abroad in Jamaica for only $1000. The price is not half bad, because the cruise includes airfare, ground transportation, hotel accommodations with breakfast, and several cultural excursions. A cruise may not necessarily be for you, but whatever type of vacation you prefer, don’t just sit in your dorm or apartment; live free and explore our beautiful planet.

2. Road Trip

If you’re a college student looking for a less expensive spring break activity, you could always take a road trip. Grab your best friend or your significant other and invest in a map. Road trips are the best you get to bond more with your friends while exploring an unfamiliar place. All you need is gas money, a digital camera, a map, and a suitcase full of just the necessities. Split the money between you and your friends and I promise you, depending on how far you’re traveling you will not spend more than $250. So get to the open road—but please don’t speed!

3. Head to the Beach

If you’re a college student who doesn’t want to spend any money at all, you could always head to your local beach. Nothing says spring break like an album on Facebook full of beach photos with your buddies. Also it’s a great way to meet other college students and create new friendships. Just don’t forget your sun tan lotion!

4. Volunteer

Interested in doing something out of the spring break norm? You could always volunteer. Some students don’t prefer to use this sacred week to socialize and party; instead, they love to give back. Helping out shelters, nursing homes, and children centers are only a few things you could do. After helping others you will realize just how great your own life is, and feel as though reaching out to someone else is the right thing to do.  And the best thing about volunteering is that it is free, so it will cost you nothing but time.

5. Relax Relax Relax

If you’re the type of student who struggles with a course overload, extracurricular activities, and a part time job, don’t fret because spring break is here for you. You can choose to do nothing but relax. You’re not obligated to do anything for your spring break, because it’s your week off. Catch up on some must needed rest, and your body will thank you.

Students around the world enjoy your spring break. Live it up or slow it down—the decision is yours.

Grant Money Means Free Money

by Christine Stoddard

Sometimes ideas grow for so long in your head that they’ll burst your brain into inconvenient bits which you will then have to scrape off the wall before your mother notices. (Eww, fleshy pink splatters and skull shards.) Or maybe that’s just one example of an experimental film that has yet to be made due to that ever-arising problem artists traditionally encounter: a lack of funds.

If you are a student artist like me, and therefore young and unestablished, money sometimes represents the only obstacle between you and realizing your vision(s). It’s not the limitations of your imagination, but rather of your wallet, that forces that installation or magazine or jewelry collection or play to go on hold.

But poverty should not discourage you, art school or creative writing program slave, from breathing life into your sketches and drafts. That’s why I’m about to reveal a whole realm of financial possibilities you probably have not yet discovered: grants. Grants are monetary awards you receive upon writing up a proposal for a super-cool project that likely benefits a population somewhere, whether that’s your campus, battered women, Christian children, war veterans, African-American teenagers, or anyone else. Some grants require an artistic angle, but grants in other fields of interest are also out there.

Many student artists don’t approach the world of grant applications. Sometimes it’s due to laziness, but more often it’s because they are not aware of all the opportunities lurking at museums, non-profit organizations, parks, magazines, and other companies with funding for creative projects. Low confidence in one’s talents is another preventing factor. You might think you don’t have what it takes to compete against other seemingly more skilled and experienced artists. But if you never take that chance, you’ll know (not to mention that a juror’s opinion of your work does not necessarily mean it is “good” or “bad”).

If you have an idea that just won’t go away, and not enough money to support it, it’s time to start researching grants. There are several ways to begin, and you may be overwhelmed at first once you realize how many funding possibilities exist. Go to your college advisor and start asking where to turn. He or she probably has access to information you can’t find anywhere else. Your advisor should be able to point out what your art school/college’s art department offers, as well as what grants the surrounding town or city gives to needy artists. I was able to find funding directly from my school thanks to two professors of mine, and I now have the money to fund a comics magazine and a documentary for the next year.

Some communities that offer varied grants for artists include ones that probably won’t surprise you: New York; Chicago; Portland; Baltimore; Washington, D.C.; Richmond, Virginia; Seattle; San Francisco; Philadelphia; the Twin Cities; Austin; Pittsburgh. There are others, of course. Your college advisor should help you find the ones closest to your college, but also look for opportunities outside of your local area for which are you are still eligible, even if you’re not a student. If you go to an especially well-connected university, your advisor just has to make the right phone calls before you should have an application in your hands.

I understand that not all college advisors are created equal, however. A sad case, but true; you might get stuck with a dud who’s either clueless or never available. In that circumstance, you have to be especially proactive. That’s part of being a financially-successful artist, anyway: sprinting, not walking, to the next opportunity.

Go to the Internet. Use social networking and blogging websites like Craigslist (with caution and discretion, search through their ‘Gigs’ section); Facebook (searching through Groups can be surprisingly helpful); MySpace; ArtBistro.com; and Blogger.com. Also check out the websites of major organizations known for funding artists: National Endowment for the Arts (http://arts.endow.gov/), Carnegie Mellon University’s Center for Art Management and Technology (http://www.TechnologyInTheArts.org/), and New York Foundation for the Arts (http://www.nyfa.org/default_mac.asp) to list a few. But there are others! Googling “artist grants,” “art grants,” “writing grants,” “creative writing grants,” and more specific variations on these terms (e.g., “Iowa artist grants”) can take you a long way. Revel in all the listings, but don’t go mad! Apply to a couple, not every single one you come across.

Also, go to local galleries, studios, writing workshops, and other art spaces in person. Check their bulletin boards and stacks of pamphlets. Speak to gallery owners, explaining that you are an art or writing student, and are eagerly seeking funding for your project. They might be able to point you to a great program or organization not well advertised online.

With all these pointers buzzing in your mind, it’s time to start the hunt! Good luck, artists!

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