Notice your credit card bill lately?

Up until recently it was possible to skip a payment on your credit card bill- well , OK, not skip it but- pay late. Of course, as most students on Planet College have at this point realized, there have been hefty fees for paying late. Still, as long as some payment was made the credit would continue, you could use your card.

Not so anymore. Due to what is generally known as a credit crunch students have found payments declined when the most recent payment due was not made and made in full. Failing to make the payment due and on time could result in the card being frozen or even cancelled.

This might be helpful in the long run as it may discourage frivolous spending. Spending which must be paid back with interest. So for now make sure you get your payment in. Right away.

Where will you be in five years?

Or ten or twenty or . . . who knows? As evident from recent events few people can accurately foretell their own future. Things change and there are two many factors out of your control. Still among the favorite or most common questions asked during interviews, usually job interviews, is the time honored ,"Where do you see yourself in five years?" Experienced interviewees usually have a fairly well practiced answer, something which will suffice for the time. In truth no one knows. Yet there is on thing over which you do have some control. Your degree. With application and persistence you can have your degree in five years. Five years may seem like a long time, in fact, five years is a long time. Whether you get your degree or not five years will still go by. So, decide now. No matter how difficult it has been or how difficult it is becoming you will finish. You will finish, graduate and have your degree. Then when you are asked, " Where will you be in five years?" you can answer, "Where ever I am I will have my degree."

Fafsa time

It is Spring and it is time to update your fafsa. If you are a veteran on Planet College you probably know what a fafsa is and have probably had one for some time. This is just a basic reminder that it is a good time now to update your fafsa. You'll need the information for the 2009-2010 school year. If you don't have a fafsa it is time to get one. If you don't know what a fafsa is it is time to go to your student aid office and have this basic term explained to you. Fafsa. Even if borrowing is not a part of your college financing plan it is quite likely you need a fafsa. It's spring. It is time to update your fafsa. Do it now.

Planet College added note. If you are currently attending a post-secondary school, that is a college, community college, private college, for profit college, or trade school of any kind and you do not know what a fafsa is it is timed you found out.  Occasionally students, often if their college cost are being paid by some one else, do not know about or realize the value of a fafsa. Or if you just don't know what a fafsa is use the search up on your left. Enter 'fafsa'. The responses from this site will supply enough information to get you at least oriented to the subject.  If there is a finance office, financial aid office or student finance office on your school site a visit there can help clarify fafsa further.  Planet College emphasizes obtaining good information about every aspect of student life. A fafsa is something you should not about. Even if you think you don't.

Seriously, are you serious?

A question to entertain during the break or time out or what ever your campus is enjoying right now. It is about school because Planet College is all about school but it is also about your life. The question and you've heard it often is, " Are you serious?" Are you serious. That is it. Are you serious about your education. Not grimly serious but steadily purposeful. That kind of serious. It is really quite simple to find out what you are serious about. How have you been spending your time. Or. Where have you been spending your time. Sleeping? Partying? Playing Rugby? Fixing your car. Talking to friends. Talking to anyone at all. Just talking period. A quick glance back at the past few weeks or the past few terms will tell you what you are serious about. If most, ok, a lot of your efforts have been generally aimed at completing your required courses then, you are serious. If most of your time has been used up in peripheral activities not directly related to graduation then you are not really serious. Really serious about graduating and getting back to Planet Earth with a job and a real life. So, really, are you serious?

Internships

When seeking work, especially meaningful work of the kind which could lead to a career, the subject of internships often arises among students on Planet College.

So it might be time for an intern "orientation".

First internships are rarely paid positions. What is offered is usually a position in an industry in which the intern might want to work, sometimes meals and transportation costs are included. This can add up to a modest sum often in the form of a payment. This payment is sometimes called a stipend. It is not a wage or a salary.

An intern may be asked to do a variety of tasks like getting coffee or taking out the trash or picking up supplies. These are usually under the heading of "gofer" and most internships are really gofer jobs. Still the opportunity to work with professionals who are in the business is helpful.

Interns are notoriously cheerful and upbeat. Which is why many business like them. Interns often provide fresh energy and a new perspective to their daily work .

If you are interested in an internship but might not know how to get started looking, ask at your department office. College departments often receive requests for students who may be interested in an internship.

If you do locate a potential position regard it as seriously as you would any job interview.

Be prepared to talk about what you feel you can contribute to the business for which you are a potential intern. Some students have found that a brief thank you note addressed to the interviewer is not only courteous it also helps keep your name in front of the interviewer.

As with any position for which you may be interviewing a call back within a week to the interviewer is standard practice. This call should be brief and to the point. "If the position is still open I am still interested."

Getting spins.

Of the many student pursuits on Planet College one of the most popular is music. Either as an individual or with your group you are very likely to have been a person who has been devoted to music for most of your life. Whether an audience member, as an artist or both music is an important aspect of your life on Planet College. It is a natural tendency of students to share their music with others. Many students who perform music, often as individual or with a group, record their music. When this has been accomplished these students, now recording artists, whish to share their creations and interpretations with others. College radio is a natural choice for these artists.

Taking your music to a professional level requires a great deal of dedication. A number of music making students have encountered the frustration of trying to get their music played on radio. Usually the procedure is that the program director, PD, has to become aware of your work. He or she then adds it to the list, the play list, for the station. This music is now available for individual show hosts to play or "spin" during their show. Getting "spins' is often seen by college musicians as the key to taking their music to the next level. Those who have tried know it may sound simple but it just isn't that easy.

Planet College is aware of the value of experience in any effort. Some one who has been there and knows the way can be a useful guide in any enterprise.
In the world of music marketing one such individual with a record of success is Bryan Farrish. His website is here http://www.radio-media.com/.

Take a look. You might learn something and it could save you some time.

March Madness. Basketball? Spring break?

What is your definition of March Madness. For many students on Planet College it is not basketball nor is it Spring Break. It's mid-terms.

Are you ready? Are you prepared? Do you even know?

Your courses this term probably involve some type of mid-term project. Often this is a test. This test is a good opportunity to find out exactly how you are doing.

If you got to class some morning late as usual and found the rest of the class poring over a sheet with questions and you reaction was, " Test? Nobody told me there would be a test." you are probably somewhat out of touch.

If however you at least knew there was a test you are on track to pass that class. If you were prepared, i.e. had studied, then your chances of passing the class are above average.

Wherever you are and whatever you have been doing, mid-term and the tests that usually go along with them is a good opportunity for you to assess your progress so far.

If you are not sure how you are doing. If this is all not that clear it might be wise to talk with your instructors. A brief visit with them, especially if you are iffy about their particular class, can help clear up your status as a student this term.

Are there any questions?

Not long after you started attending classes you noticed the instructor often asked,"Are there any questions?" Being an average student you probably thought, "Not from me."

This tactic, avoiding anything in class which might prolong the agony of ,well ,being in class is often used by average students.

By now you may have not realized that the instructor's," Are there any questions?" isn't just to show off how much she knows. It is, in fact, a tactic instructors employ to make sure the topic under consideration has been covered adequately.

When there is a response from a student it is an opportunity for the instructor to explain, possibly in more depth, the subject. In short, student's questions are teaching tools.

Conversely, when there are no questions the instructor can assume that she has presented the material adequately and she can move on.

Armed with this perspective you might now consider actually asking a question in class. Even though for most of your career on Planet College you have avoided questions in class.

If you are still reluctant to raise your hand during class to ask a question here is a Planet College tip. When the instructor asks, raise your hand and for your question simply repeat back in question form the last thing the instructor has said about the topic.

In an American History class for example, at an appropriate time, having been paying attention, you might say," So, you're saying that the Battle of Gettysburg was the high tide of the Confederacy?"

This will accomplish something more important than the eventual answer to the question. It will establish your presence as an interested student. This simple procedure can also help you get the grade you seek in this course.

Try it. Just ask.