Really, You Do Have Mail.

 Because electronic communication has been the standard on Planet College for the entire experience of most students, few consider that they may, at times, get and more importantly need mail, the paper kind from the Post Office.  Yet, they and you still do get mail and it is helpful to pay attention to the mail as Elaine learned last year.

A year ago, Elaine and her three roommates went out to celebrate, two of them would be graduating and partying was called for.  When they returned to their rented apartment they cranked up the stereo and the celebration continued.  Around 2:30 a.m. there was a sharp rapping on the front door.  Elaine answered and found herself talking to two large local policemen.  Some one had called about the noise and the officers were taking a report. They asked Elaine's name and a few other questions then told Elaine to keep the noise down and left.

The school year ended and Elaine and her three roommates moved on with their separate lives.

Last August after Elaine had returned to campus for her last semester she drove downtown to pick up some cleaning.  Figuring she'd only be a second she parked and ran into the cleaners without putting any money in the meter.  When she came out of the store there was a patrol car parked behind her car and a police officer was writing a ticket.  Elaine was, of course, dismayed and told the officer, " I was only here for a second."  The officer asked to see her driver's license, took it from Elaine, and went to the patrol car.  She, the officer, returned in a few minutes and said, ' You know, you have a warrant."
Elaine was stunned. The officer finished writing the parking meter ticket, handed it to Elaine and said, "You better get that taken care of."

At the first opportunity Elaine went to the court house, produced her ID and asked about any tickets she might have that she did not know about.  The clerk returned with a print out and said, " Excessive Noise and you never showed up, so, there's a warrant."

After discussing the situation with the clerk Elaine learned that the officers who responded to her former apartment had filed an excessive noise citation and the court mailed it to that address.  Since Elaine never got any mail there anyway she had not bothered to place a forwarding address with the local post office, didn't even think of it.  Now,  Elaine had a pretty hefty fine to pay,  totally due to her ignorance.

The essential facts are not everyone and especially not every institution uses e-mail or text.  Some institutions particularly courts and other state and local entities still use the United States Post Office to mail forms, notices and other official and potentially important documents.  If you are still getting all that stuff at your mom's but are no longer living there it is really smart to check your mail box and also determine what mail box, physical mail box, may be receiving your mail.

Put that on your to do list before leaving campus.

Off to work, diploma in hand

This is graduation season and a lot, a whole lot, of brand new graduates will be marching off to work, degrees posted, commencement completed and diplomas in hand.  About that brand new position with the high salary and all the cool perks that come with a degree?  Well for most graduates, not right now. In fact, if you are a graduate this term you probably are marching off to the same job or jobs you've had for a while. At least until one of the scores of resumes you have sent out pays off with an offer.  Mean while the experience of one graduate from a couple of years back might help illuminate your path.

Karl graduated a couple of years ago with a Degree in Marketing.  This is his story.

After I graduated I continued working at the same places I had been working.  I had to. I sent out resumes like every body else, even got a few interviews, but nothing solid.  I learned that an educational travel company I had worked for briefly had openings in their main office which is in my home town.  I had led  a tour group for them a couple of years before. My folks are from Eastern Europe and I'm pretty good with languages so it was a fit and I got to tour Europe for free for three weeks.

I knew it was 'customer service' but it was full time and I figured it might be a chance to use my Marketing Degree.  I moved back home and started work.  All the new hires started in what is actually a boiler room. Wall to wall desks. The company is large and they advertised their tours heavily in student newspapers and on the web.  We were supposed to take the incoming calls and sell up.  The callers were responding to the low prices advertised for the tours but these were just bait.  Our job was to sign them up for more features and longer tours.  There was a lot of pressure to perform with big signs at the front of the room about who was making the team go and who wasn't. There was a bar located on the ground floor of the office building where everybody went after work and on Friday's there was a 'sales meeting' in that bar at three pm.  This was mostly about getting wasted and hooking up for the weekend. At first it was fun, a lot like college really. But after a few months it was clear nobody from customer service was moving up. Whenever there was an opening the company brought in someone from another office who was already a manger.  The us vs. them culture of workers vs. management was particularly toxic and finally discouraging.  I tried pointing this out at the regular 'sales meetings' but no body from management wanted to hear it. Worse the pay was really bad. The company commonly charged the salary which was low anyway against any commissions I might have earned and I ended up earning less than if I had just been an hourly employee bagging groceries at some supermarket or something.  After nearly six months I could see I was going no where. I was still at my folks who were OK about it but I really couldn't stand it.  I thought I would have been out of there sooner.  Finally through another part of the company I learned about teaching positions in other countries.  I thought, "Why not? At least I'll be out of here." So I got all set up and now I'm in Shanghai.

It's kinda cool being in a completely different culture right now. I know a lot of other graduates have done this.  I've been here a while and I'm picking up some Chinese.  I'm not gonna start right now about the actual teaching position.  Same company, so, what would you expect?  Bu,t at least I'm out of my folks' house.  That's what happened after I finally graduated.

Before you go or B4UGO

 Last school year Konner planned a trip for Summer to Europe. Being a typical that is basically poverty stricken student Konner researched several student travel companies looking for the cheapest rates. She, along with two friends, found a company which seemed to fit their plans. All in one pricing, principal capital cities and sites in the countries visited and a connection from her home city to the departure airport in New York City. Most of all it was affordable, three weeks touring Europe, and off Konner and her friends went.

This is her report.

1. Have your trip completely planned.  This is only for those who do not go with tour groups.  The reason; When in Europe phones are sometimes VERY difficult to use and also very difficult when you do not speak the native tongue. Improvising a change in plans using local phones can be nearly impossible. So, have your trip completely planned.

2. Bring a debit/credit card!  NOT cash and NOT Travelers checks!  There are ATM's EVERYWHERE.  The only place my group had a little difficulty finding an ATM was in Rome, but it was near by and we found it with some help from the locals. With credit cards be careful.  I was charged $5 per cash advance which for me amounted to $40 in extra spending. Also tell your bank that you will be traveling and tell them where. This will allow your card to function during your travels. (Call your bank's customer service for details.)

3. Get a pouch that goes around your neck and under your shirt.  Pick pockets are everywhere and this lets you keep your valuables   (i.e. Passport, Credit/Debit card) safe. I found it VERY helpful. 

4. Your smart phone or what ever you use may not work on foreign networks.  So, if you want to call home a good phone card is invaluable. I used an MCI phone card which worked everywhere except for the Italian payphones, which don't work unless you buy a card for them in Italy, but if you find an older payphone MCI worked great.  I have also heard that you can rent cellphones for European uses, but I do not know the cost or what it entails.  But always remember you aren't going to have time or want to call home all that much.

THE CONCLUSION
In spite of all the bad things about the student travel company I went with, I got to go to a different continent and because they gave you time on your own to go look through the city and experience the culture I saw a lot. I would NEVER go with this travel company.  But, if I had the choice to go with them or not at all, I would definitely go with them again.  The rewards of going to Europe, even if the conditions are poor, outweigh everything.  So go, but if you can, be careful which student travel company you go with. I am still waiting for refunds on the things our group missed. 

The Planet College sum up.  Saving money is typically a priority for nearly all students. It is possible to have fun, learn something and save money but that takes a kind of dilligence most students don't expect to expend.  Thus, the only way to learn is through experience. But as Konner said, if you get the opportunity to travel, Go.  Just prepare to expect the unexpected. Have a fun Summer.