Hurray! The Semester’s Over! Here’s a List of 5 Things to Do Now to Prepare for Next Year!

May13

braindrainI know you are exhausted.  You have poured everything in your brain out on some final’s paper or math test, and now you are ready to RE-LAX!  Yes!  You are going to hit the beach, work on the perfect recipe for sweet tea, enjoy a few moments to catch up with old friends, and sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep.

When you are done with that (it should take about a week or two), and you start thinking about next semester (because it is coming sooner than you think!), use some of your extra time to prepare yourself, digitally, for next year.

“WHAT? Dr. K, you SEEERIOUSLY can’t believe that I would spend my time getting ready for next fall?  PLEEEEZE!”

Yes, I seriously think you will spend some time getting ready for next fall.  I’m not suggesting some boring reading list–I am suggesting that you start preparing yourself by learning–really learning–some software that will put you ahead of your game for next year.

Here is Dr. K’s list of great things to do to get ready for next fall:

  • Math Readiness: check out fastfig.com, and learn how to use it!!  It is an amazing “word processor for math” that shows all the work and teaches you along the way.  It’s free, of course!! (Would Dr. K suggest a program you have to pay for?  Really?)
  • Research Readiness: Get to know Zotero.org.  It is the most powerful research tool you can ever have.  When you are researching, you only have to add a resource to Zotero and you are ready to produce a bibliography or works cited in record time, in perfect style, alphabetical.  It will also do citations–but you have to learn how!  Learn now and save yourself endless hours of work next fall!!

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BIrpXYk7M8&w=560&h=315]

  • Job Readiness:  Make sure you have updated the resume and information on the WordPress blog you did in my class.  Make sure the page is public, and add your WordPress Blog address to any resume and/or cover letter you do for summer jobs.  Remember, you can add videos, pictures, whatever you want!  You also might want to update your theme and revise what you have posted so far so that it all looks professional.  If you need to brush-up on your WordPress skills, you can go here, or to any of the MILLIONS of YouTube videos about making a WordPress Site. You can also go to Dr. K’s “Get a Job!” Pinterest Site for some great advice about interviewing, resumes, etc.
  • Learn to Code:  Coding is the most important skill you can have in tomorrow’s job world–especially if you are going into Mass Media Arts!!  Dr. K suggests you check out codeacadamy.org to learn some seriously helpful HTML and CSS coding to really spiff up that WordPress site, or get super-serious with some PHP or Ruby.
  • And, of course, READ!! 🙂  Here’s a 25 page list of books suggested by the Black Caucus of the College Composition and Communication Organization! Don’t forget, Libraries are free!  (Kindle, anyone?) By the way, if you download the Kindle app on your laptop or iPad, and you search the Kindle Store from lowest to highest in price . . . You will see thousands of free books!!  🙂

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