If you would’ve asked me 2 years ago if I ever thought about going back to school, I would’ve said, “with my work schedule? That’s impossible.” At the time, that was the correct answer. I work as a musician and the rest of 2020 was already mapped out, so there was no way to attend school. Home for a few months here and there, on the road the rest of the time. And then, well you know what happened. After the first couple months of uncertainty and indulging on too much red wine, I think I fell into the same boat that many other people found themselves in, asking the same questions. “If this goes on for awhile, I’m going to need to find something to do, but wait, what do I like to do? What am I interested in?” It was around summertime when the possibility to go back to school was realized. Nothing was opening back up like they thought it might and everyone was buckling up for the long haul, including VC. I signed up for the fall 2020 semester with a major in music. I mean music, right? After not being in school for a couple decades, that seemed like the obvious, logical choice. I soon realized that I wasn’t interested in taking any music classes (though I did take a really cool music history class). My interest were in marketing, business and film. Which is how I find myself writing this blog now. I think a lot of people have similar stories right now. School registration had to have been at an all time high, right? Now that things are slowly opening back up, people are incorporating what they do now with what they did before, so scrapped what they did before all together. For me as an example, at present moment, I’m on the final week of a 5 week tour across America while being a full time student. Before the shutdown, after a show I would’ve ask someone to point me to the nearest watering hole. Now after a show, I ask for the WiFi password cause I have an assignment due.
How to snag your dream job after graduating from college.
Unemployed young university woman looking for work or job after graduation at the post board
Congratulations! You have officially completed your journey as a college student. So, what now? Unless you plan on taking a gap year to “find yourself”, à la Eat Pray Love, then it’s likely you have started the process of hunting for your dream job. Whether you are a recent college grad or a seasoned professional in the workforce, the fundamentals of recruitment have remained the same. Want to snag your dream job? Try these 10 tips when you are ready for your next professional opportunity:
The Pre-Interview
“Luck is when preparation meets opportunity.“
Seneca
Do Your Homework: Before you think about applying to that job, you need to do your own research on the company you are interested in.
Familiarize yourself with the company, its values, and employee culture.
Use employment websites like Indeed, Glassdoor, and Linked-In to read company reviews and learn about the challenges of the role you’re applying to.
2. Revise Your Resume: A no-brainer when job hunting is to update your resume with current and relevant experience.
Limit resume to one page-only include experience that relates to the job position you are applying to.
Proofread your documents to catch any typos or grammar mistakes.
Keep multiple copies on hand for in-person interviews and store them inside of a folder or binder.
3. Practice Makes Perfect: Practice your interview presentation in preparation for your official interview.
Practice speaking in front of a mirror to improve your communication skills.
Review commonly asked interview questions such as: “tell us about yourself” or “why should we hire you”.
Now that you’re refreshed on the pre-interview ritual, let’s jump straight to business: how to prepare for the big meeting.
The Interview Process
“Dress how you want to be addressed.“
Bianca Frazier
4. First Impressions: Professionalism never goes out of style, so dress accordingly and keep a polished appearance when meeting with a potential employer for the first time.
Check your interview outfit for stains, loose threads, or any imperfections; keep a lint roller handy if needed.
Steam or iron your garments: wrinkles look cute on French Bulldogs, noton your button-down shirt.
Maintain proper grooming standards to look bright eyed and bushy tailed in person or on camera.
5. Be On Time: Whether it’s virtual or in-person, don’t be late for your interview!
Allocate time for traffic and other factors out of your control.
Ask for directions so you are familiar with the building number or office space.
Show up 10 minutes early to your in-person interview; for virtual meetings, arrive at the waiting room before your interviewer.
6. Mind Your Manners: Be aware of your non-verbal and verbal communication when interacting with recruiters.
Positive body language: firm handshake, make direct eye contact, sit up straight, and smile.
Be confident and speak clearly when answering questions.
Avoid using excessive filler words (“uhm”, “uh”, “like”) when you get a nervous tick; use pauses instead.
7. Do Not Disturb Mode: Only bring necessary materials that you will need for your interview process.
Silence all devices to avoid disruptions during conversations.
Un-sync smart devices that are programmed to ring at the same time; this is crucial for virtual meetings/Zoom calls.
8. Humble Brag: Showcase your personality and accomplishments to make a lasting impression.
No self deprecating talk; this makes it seem that you are lacking in confidence.
Speak positively about your accomplishments; mention any proud moments that occurred in school, clubs, sports, or other extra curricular activities.
Be honest about your current skill level and don’t lie to impress a potential employer; you may be asked to follow up on your words.
Great job! You survived the interview process. Now it’s time to finish off strong and close the deal.
The Post-Interview
“You have to have confidence in your ability, and then be tough enough to follow through.“
Rosalynn Carter
9. Q&A: Be inquisitive and ask questions at the end of your interview to stand out from other candidates.
Use your research from Tip #1 to base your questions; include questions that reflect your interest in the position.
Ask for clarification from the interviewer if you are confused about what is being asked.
Listen carefully before answering and think about what you are going to say next.
10. Send a “Thank You” Note: Follow up with your interviewer and send them a “thank you” note for taking the time to meet with you.
Keep important contact info if you are interested in the job to make follow ups easy.
Reference what was said during the interview in your note.
Enhance your chances of getting hired by expressing your appreciation.
Now that you’ve made it to the end of this list, it’s time to show the world what you’re capable of! Remember that preparation is the key to your success. Make a memorable first impression by minding your manners and remaining professional. Set yourself apart from the competition by practicing the 10 Interview Etiquette tips listed above and pretty soon you’ll be celebrating your new hire status. Good luck!
Need more information about your career needs? Visit Ventura College’s Career Center for access to seminars, help with resume writing, job postings, career planning, and much more!
I have never heard anyone seriously say, “I’m off to college to accomplish nothing”. We push for a higher education so that in the end of it all, we will achieve a better occupational lifestyle. A very grand salary. Top Tier benefits. Yes, life enhancements. The game is all about gaining accredited skillsets to showcase one’s value per the individuals chosen career path.
What can we do about getting life enhancing skills that we can carry forward in life from here on? A small example would be taking a cooking class. Now you will have a higher percentage of making tastier meals than before. F.Y.I. NYPOST states, “New research reveals 86 percent of Americans find cooking to be a total turn-on“. Total heart throb after one semester.
The point is, don’t just take classes to fulfill a degree alone. Take classes that will enhance your present life, not just the lifestyle you are scaping for tomorrow. Take a first aid class. If my cousin didn’t know CPR then he would have never been able to save his father’s life. It would be smart to take advantage of a finance class. Many will say, “A class on money is just so boring”. But isn’t this why you are choosing your career field? To do something you love and make great money doing it? I am more than positive I don’t have to pull up statistics on how having great finances is considered a total turn-on by millions of Americans, far and wide.
Did you know you already are off to a great start? Those who become college graduates are 2.5 times more likely to be healthy in the long run versus someone with only a high school education. Education is linked with health regardless of racial or ethical group. The things you learn in Men’s Health & Wellness HED.V04. College can be the best of times or the worst of times. With the proper skills and right information you will be in control of your destiny.
The UEFA Champions League is an annual Futbol (Soccer) competition that is played in the beautiful continent of Europe. The importance and the quality of competition played in the Champions League is of the highest class. 32 teams are drawn into eight groups with the best two teams of each group going on into the round of 16. The winners from the round of 16 will go on to the quarter finals then the semifinals and finally the final game.
The Champions League started in 1955 and since has become the biggest and most viewed yearly sporting event in the world. When compared the 2021 Super Bowl had a viewership of 110 million worldwide while the 2021 UEFA Champions League had 700 million views.
Bayern Munich (Germany), Real Madrid (Spain), Liverpool (England), Millian (Italy), and Barcelona (Spain) are amongst the most successful teams in Champions League history. Since 1955-56, there have been 28 cities across17 different European countries which have hosted a Champions League final. Portugal’s/ Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo has the record on most goals scored in the Champions League with 140 while Argentina’s/Paris Saint Germain’s Lionel Messi has 125 goals putting him in 2nd place. These two mega stars are the only players who have reached more than 100 goals in the UEFA Champions League.
The Champions League is something I really recommend watching. There are very little things people all over the world enjoy but this is one of them. Here is a list of all the winners. It will help you catch up on the history.
For shy people, there is nothing worse than having to talk to someone they’ve never met. Typically, shy people are also faced with the fear of saying the wrong thing and facing embarrassment. For introverted people, there is nothing more troublesome than having to talk to someone at all and getting past the small talk and exhaustion of leaving their home.The problem is, college requires interaction with others, especially when it comes to resolving a technical problem, talking to a counselor, asking the professor for help, and having to schedule peer groups for classes with complete strangers.
Unfortunately, these fears and obstacles can get in the way of our success and close the doors to new opportunities. What can be done to overcome the obstacles and have a successful college experience? Here are my top 5 tips for both introverts and shy students on how to overcome shyness and introversion in college, let’s get started!
Use Technology to Your Advantage
The pandemic has changed the way we communicate with people. Things that used to be done strictly in-person can now be done remotely. You can schedule remote appointments for counseling and join office hours with your professors on Zoom. You can also schedule group meetings for your classes via Zoom and join from the comfort of your home.
Another advantage we have now is sending emails. Staff and faculty on campus are very good about answering quick questions if you send them an email. You can find their emails on the Ventura College website under their respective departments.
Research and Write it Down
Sometimes what holds us back is not knowing what to say once we talk to certain individuals. Something I like to do is get organized, do my research, and write it down. What do I mean by that? For example, if you are talking to a counselor or a professor, you can research more about the topic you are going to talk to them about at home. Next, you write down a list of topics or questions and have them ready with you.
For shy people, this will help get your ideas and questions organized and make it easier to express yourself without getting tongue tied or forgetting what you were going to say. For introverts, this will allow you to get straight to the point of your appointments, which will result in less socializing and ending your meetings faster.
Avoid Imagining Negative Scenarios
Our imaginations can take a very negative route when we visualize having to interact with certain people, especially strangers. Our mind is so powerful it can allow us to think that people are horrible, that people don’t want to help us and that we will make a fool of ourselves.
However, in that same way, the mind can be so powerful that we can flip the scenario around. If we imagine positive outcomes from our interactions, we can enter the situations with confidence and with optimism. For shy people, that means not walking into a room with fear of judgement and fear of embarrassment, rather imagining that everything will go well and be successful. For introverted people, that means walking into a room not envisioning how exhausting and draining the situation will be for them, rather imagining that the experience will help them grow, resolve their problems and that after the interaction is over, it will allow them to focus their energy back on the things that matter.
Step out of Your Comfort Zone
We all love staying in our comfort zone because it’s a place where we feel safe and unbothered. However, many times the comfort zone doesn’t allow us to get the best experience we can have in college. Meeting strangers can be exhausting and daunting, but it can also be rewarding and beneficial to us. As easy as it is to send that email to your professor, you can have even more meaningful conversations in person with them or on zoom. As easy as it is to avoid all counselors, staff, and other students at the college, if you step out of your comfort zone, you can end up making great connections that can help you all throughout your college experience and even after college. Stepping out of your comfort zone even if occasionally, is worth a shot!
Remember We Are All Human
We can sometimes get into the bad habit of thinking that we are the only ones who are shy and introverted. However, we are all human. Every person with more authority you’ve spoken to, has felt lost or confused and has had to ask for help before. There are also people who have jobs that require speaking to people daily and yet they are introverted in nature. If we remember that we are all human, we can overcome many obstacles and face our fears knowing we aren’t the only ones who have felt that way.
If you remember to use technology to your advantage, to make a list of your questions, practice optimism and push aside negative thoughts you can successfully navigate through college with a breeze. I hope these tips can help you all have a more positive outlook when it comes to social interactions in college. If you guys have any more good tips please leave them in the comments, we would love to hear them!
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Growing up we’d get invited to birthday parties and when it was time to cut the cake, every time there would be something different paired up with the cake. There would either be some Mexican Jello or flan on the side with the cake. I remember the day I tasted flan for the first time I knew I no longer wanted Jello with my cake. However, I came to learn every flan is made differently, tastes differently, yet still so good.
One day at my cousin’s birthday party I got some flan and it was amazing. I loved it, so I decided to ask my aunt where she bought it from or who made it. Turns out she had made it, you never know what other skills family members have until you’re taken by surprise. You know when you love the taste of a food so much you want to eat it often, daily if possible? Well I loved the flan so much I asked her to give me the recipe so I could try to make it. She taught my mom and I how to make it. So here we are now, I am sharing this recipe that I learned not that long ago.
This flan can be paired up with cake on the side or by itself. You can make it for birthday parties, work lunches, even for the holidays for dessert. The best part is it is easy, not too costly, and you can find the ingredients in most stores, in fact you might even have some now in your kitchen. Let’s get started.
🍧 𝐼𝓃𝑔𝓇𝑒𝒹𝒾𝑒𝓃𝓉𝓈: 🍧
For the top/caramel part:
1 Cup Sugar
For the flan:
1 Tablespoon of Vanilla Extract
1 Spoon of Coffee
5 Eggs
1 Condensed Milk (Nestle Lechera 14oz)
1 Evaporated Milk (Nestle Carnation 12oz)
To prepare:
1 Plate
Spatula
Blender
1 8-Inch Round Cake Cooking Pan
Medium Saucepan
Shallow Baking Dish
Aluminum Foil
Water
🍧 𝓓𝓲𝓻𝓮𝓬𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷𝓼:🍧
Make caramel (top part golden color of flan)
In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, melt sugar with a spatula, you can increase heat until liquified and golden/caramel color.
Once melted carefully pour the caramel(sugar) into the 8 inch round cake cooking pan and coat the pan with the sugar on the bottom of the pan, and on the sides (most of it should be at the bottom). Let this cool for 5 minutes.
In the meantime let’s make the flan:
Add the 5 eggs, condensed milk, evaporated milk, 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract, and 1 half spoon of coffee to a blender. Blend for 20 seconds until smooth.
Pour the mixture of the eggs, condensed milk, evaporated milk, vanilla extract, and coffee in the pan with the melted sugar(the 8 inch round cake cooking pan).
Place this pan in a bigger shallow baking dish (can use any big pan as long as you can add a water bath and won’t overflow). Fill the dish with water halfway on the outside of the pan.
Place it on the stove. Cover flan with aluminum foil. Leave it on medium low heat for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until you see the center jiggle.
Remove the pan(flan) from the dish(water bath), remove the foil, and let it cool for about an hour.
After the hour, refrigerate overnight (at least 4 hours) before serving.
Next day or when ready to serve, check that it hasn’t stuck to the pan, place a plate on top of the flan and flip it so that the caramel/golden side is on top.
And there you have it, cut out a slice, and taste. If you like it as much as I do, make it a second time, a third time, as many times as you’d like. Enjoy some Flan!
This incredible peanut butter treat brings back many nostalgic memories coming into the winter season. My grandma, also known as Meemaw, has been making this dessert for as long as I could remember. As some may know, Buckeyes are the mascot for the Ohio State football team. My grandma and my moms whole side of the family grew up in Ohio and Meemaw herself might be the biggest Ohio State fan of all time. She came up with this delicious recipe of these buckeye looking candies before I was born and it is a family tradition to always make them around the holidays. Meemaw just recently moved to California from Ohio just months ago and I had the honor of making these with her. It gives her a little taste of back home and are even better when she helps make them!
Buckeye DessertActual Buckeye
Recipe:
1/2 cup (1 stick) margarine or butter
1 box confectioners sugar
2 cups peanut butter
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 slab paraffin wax
Combine margarine/butter, sugar, & peanut butter. Shape into small balls. Chill for 1 hour. Melt chocolate chips and paraffin. Dip balls into melted chocolate using toothpicks. Place on waxed paper to set. (Makes approximately 40 Buckeyes)
This addicting treat is easy to make and are super fun to make with family!
Growing up, the holidays were an interesting time for culture and religion in the Norris household. My dad’s side of the family is Jewish and my mom’s side of the family is Christian, but I never really went to church or temple. We celebrated with a focus on family, and our various backgrounds played out in the traditions that we set. For example, each Christmas morning we’d gather with the Jewish side of the family and eat lox and bagels while opening our stockings. The house was decorated with Christmas lights outside and menorahs inside. And for some reason, we often ate spaghetti and meatballs for dinner on Christmas Eve because, you know, none of us are Italian but we love pasta!
Not to mention, when I was young, my mom and dad owned an Italian restaurant in Valencia called Pauli’s. Their marinara was based on an old family recipe that was enhanced by a chef that they admired. I’ve been cooking this sauce for nearly 20 years and have made some of my own modifications, too. A good recipe can change over time, as flavors evolve and new preferences influence tastes. This is what makes the culinary arts a practice in which creativity and experimentation are present. Before you get started, though, let’s set the mood…
Cooking is a unique process that can connect the past with the present. The techniques, aromas and sounds involved are simultaneously old-fashioned and modern. I read plenty of examples of this in Sylvia’s article A little bit of Italy on the Thanksgiving Table.
In my house, when I cook Italian food, my first step isn’t to gather the ingredients or pots and pans that I’ll be using. Before any of that happens, I put some Rat Pack songs on to create a certain feeling of inspiration. Dean Martin crooning “When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie” truly is amore and sets a certain ambiance that lets me be at my best. If you don’t care for the Rat Pack, try your favorite Vivaldi or maybe even put on the wedding scene from The Godfather:
Music? Check. Next up? Wine!
When cooking with wine, always use a bottle that you’ll enjoy drinking with your meal (spoiler alert, there’s wine involved in this recipe). And while an Italian red like a Chianti is great for marinara sauce, I prefer using local ingredients because it creates a bond between the food that you eat and the place that you reside. I’m fortunate to live in California, where the wine that comes out of places like Napa Valley and Paso Robles are award-winning and delicious. Chianti is only from that region in Italy, but it uses the Sangiovese grape, which is prevalent here in California. So in place of a Chianti, give a Sangiovese by Eberle or Niner a try, you won’t be disappointed. For more ideas on which California Sangiovese to try, check out Vivino.
Now that we have a soundtrack in place and the wine is flowing, we can begin…
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil 3 cloves garlic, diced 1 onion, chopped 1 carrot, peeled and chopped 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 28 ounce can tomato sauce 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes 6 ounce can tomato paste 14 ounce can vegetable broth 1 tablespoon dried oregano 1 tablespoon dried basil 2 bay leaves 1 teaspoon sugar generous glug of red wine
Directions
Pour olive oil into a large pot over medium heat. When warm, add garlic and let aroma unlock for 30 seconds, then add onion, carrot, chili flakes, salt and pepper. Two notes… 1) don’t let the garlic burn, and 2) carrot is used to make the sauce sweet and reduce the amount of sugar needed. Let these ingredients sweat and brown for up to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Increase heat and add the rest of the ingredients, stirring gently so that the bay leaves don’t break. Once the sauce begins to boil, reduce heat to a simmer and place a lid on top of the pot, leaving a 1/4-inch opening for steam to escape. Stir gently every 20 minutes for 2 hours.
The recipe that I’ve shared has been adapted from its original form to accommodate my amazing wife, who happens to be a vegetarian. If you’re a carnivore that wants to add some meaty flavor to your sauce, you can brown a pound of sweet Italian sausage along with the onion and carrot, and replace the vegetable broth with chicken broth.
Once your marinara is done simmering, it’s ready to serve. For a simple meal, you can boil some spaghetti noodles and ladle sauce over it, topping with parmesan cheese. For more adventurous cooking, you can use it with your chicken parmesan, sausage and peppers, and even on pizza in place of regular pizza sauce. Pizza sauce is usually just a watered down marinara recipe that uses less ingredients and is cooked for a shorter amount of time. Personally, I want all of the flavors in my pizza so I always use marinara instead of pizza sauce.
So there you have it, a (not so world-famous) Norris family marinara sauce recipe that can easily act as the foundation of your escapades into Italian cooking. Give it a try and feel free to add or subtract ingredients as you see fit. If you come up with a groundbreaking revelation that you have to share, you can do so in the comments section below and I’ll be happy to try any suggestions out. Buon appetito!
To me, being Mexican-American means eating complex meals on the holidays, surrounded by family, and talking about life and our favorite Mexico memories while we sip on a delicious mug full of Cafe de Olla.
This deliciously strong, sweet and cinnamon-y drink has been the center of countless conversations with my loved ones. I have sipped on it while my grandparents daydream with me about their childhood memories, their parents and how proud they would have been to have seen us build a life here in the States while still managing to hold onto the most special things Mexico has given us: family, love, memories, food and drinks.
Making this drink is easier than many people think and the ingredient list is short so, if you would like to talk about life, love and memories with your loved ones this holiday season, this might be the perfect drink to warm up your palms and keep the conversation going.
Ingredients:
Coffee
Water
Mexican whole stick cinnamon
Piloncillo (sugar will do but this is a block of cane sugar that is sure to give your Cafe de Olla a unique flavor profile)
Steps:
Place however many cups of water you want in a pot and place a stick of Mexican cinnamon in it. Heat on medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes, depending on the amount of water you are choosing to boil.
Let the coffee, cinnamon and water come to its boiling point then add piloncillo or sugar to taste.
Once the piloncillo or sugar is in, leave on medium-high for 3-5 minutes. Once the time is up, lower the heat to medium/medium-low and let simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Once the 15-20 minutes are up, take your coffee off the heat and set aside to cool for a couple minutes.
Strain into a mug (or a taza de barro like me), and enjoy your delicious cup of coffee!
If you need to add some creamer, add a bit of a hazelnut or original flavor creamer and drink up!
I hope this coffee warms you up like its warmed the hearts of my loved ones for generations and generations!
Please leave us a comment to let us know if you tried this classic Mexican Cafe de Olla.
I’m pretty sure I was born with a rolling pin in my hand… As far back as I can remember, baking has been at the heart of the holiday season. From Christmas cookies (8 different kinds) to Norwegian delicacies like lefse, we’ve always prided ourselves in our confections!
Every year, my Grandma Julie would come visit us at our home in Lake Tahoe for either Thanksgiving, Christmas or both holidays. She raised my mom to cherish holiday traditions and share our sweet creations with friends and neighbors.
The nostalgic recipe that reminds me most of my Grandma Julie is her French Apple Pie. I’ve helped make this for the family every year since I was 2! Now that I have children of my own, I get to share my love for baking and pass the torch on to them. From rolling the pie crust to patting the crumble topping, I can hear my grandma guiding me.
Four years ago my grandma passed away. The holidays aren’t the same without her, but I feel her close to me when I bake, especially during the holiday season. Her spirit and joy for the season lives on in her recipes and in our hearts. This year, it was exciting baking with my girls and letting them do almost all of the work!
My daughter Mia, coring the apples
Prep Time: 30 minutes | Bake Time: 1 hour | Total Time: 1 hour, 30 min
Take out pie crust and allow to warm to room temperature (10-15 minutes)
Mix all dry ingredients for filling in a bowl, whisk until clumps are gone
Roll pie crust out and place in pie pan, crimp edges (need inspo? click here!)
Fill unbaked pie crust about ½ full of apple pieces
Sprinkle a little less than ½ the dry ingredient mixture
Fill pie crust evenly with remaining apple pieces, then the rest of the dry ingredients
Dot with 2 tsp. Butter
For the topping, mix the brown sugar and cube of butter
Blend in 1 cup flour until crumbly
Press topping on pie, making sure crust is covered, punch air hole in center
Bake at 425 for 15 minutes, then reduce to 350 degrees for 45 minutes (Cover pie edges with string of foil when reducing heat
Remove from oven when golden brown and allow to cool
Keep pie at room temperature until serving, refrigerate after cutting
Enjoy!
I hope you enjoy making this recipe as much as I do. Also, a word of caution…this recipe never has leftovers because everyone goes crazy for it! (I highly recommend making a second one to enjoy all to yourself!)
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