It's just STRESS

With the starting of classes, earthquakes (for those on the east coast), and now the possibility of a hurricane; there sure are a lot of reasons to be stressed. Stress is a natural part of life.  Some say stress is a reaction to things that we see as out of our control or have no control over.  While this may or may not be true, learning to deal with stress can not only make you a much happier person, but can also extend your lifetime on this earth. 

Melinda Smith, M.A. and Robert Segal, M.A. have some great tips on how to handle and deal with the stress of everyday situations and even those things that seem to come out of left field.  

1. Avoid unnecessary stress

§   Learn how to say “no” – Know your limits and stick to them. Whether in your personal or professional life, refuse to accept added responsibilities when you’re close to reaching them. Taking on more than you can handle is a surefire recipe for stress.

§  Avoid people who stress you out – If someone consistently causes stress in your life and you can’t turn the relationship around, limit the amount of time you spend with that person or end the relationship entirely. 

§  Take control of your environment – If the evening news makes you anxious, turn the TV off. If traffic’s got you tense, take a longer but less-traveled route. If going to the market is an unpleasant chore, do your grocery shopping online.

§  Avoid hot-button topics – If you get upset over religion or politics, cross them off your conversation list. If you repeatedly argue about the same subject with the same people, stop bringing it up or excuse yourself when it’s the topic of discussion.

§  Pare down your to-do list – Analyze your schedule, responsibilities, and daily tasks. If you’ve got too much on your plate, distinguish between the “shoulds” and the “musts.” Drop tasks that aren’t truly necessary to the bottom of the list or eliminate them entirely.

2. Alter your situation

§  Express your feelings instead of bottling them up. If something or someone is bothering you, communicate your concerns in an open and respectful way. If you don’t voice your feelings, resentment will build and the situation will likely remain the same.

§  Be willing to compromise. When you ask someone to change their behavior, be willing to do the same. If you both are willing to bend at least a little, you’ll have a good chance of finding a happy middle ground.

§  Be more assertive. Don’t take a backseat in your own life. Deal with problems head on, doing your best to anticipate and prevent them. If you’ve got an exam to study for and your chatty roommate just got home, say up front that you only have five minutes to talk.

§  Manage your time better. Poor time management can cause a lot of stress. When you’re stretched too thin and running behind, it’s hard to stay calm and focused. But if you plan ahead and make sure you don’t overextend yourself, you can alter the amount of stress you’re under.

3. Adapt to the stressor

§  Reframe problems. Try to view stressful situations from a more positive perspective. Rather than fuming about a traffic jam, look at it as an opportunity to pause and regroup, listen to your favorite radio station, or enjoy some alone time.

§  Look at the big picture. Take perspective of the stressful situation. Ask yourself how important it will be in the long run. Will it matter in a month? A year? Is it really worth getting upset over? If the answer is no, focus your time and energy elsewhere.

§  Adjust your standards. Perfectionism is a major source of avoidable stress. Stop setting yourself up for failure by demanding perfection. Set reasonable standards for yourself and others, and learn to be okay with “good enough.”

§  Focus on the positive. When stress is getting you down, take a moment to reflect on all the things you appreciate in your life, including your own positive qualities and gifts. This simple strategy can help you keep things in perspective.

To find even more great tips from these two check out their article on how to deal with stress at; http://helpguide.org/mental/stress_management_relief_coping.htm

WHAT IS STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES ?

              DO YOU NEED SSS IN YOUR LIFE?

As a KIPP College Support Advisor, part of my role includes finding on campus resources and services for our college bound KIPPsters.  One of the most amazing resources at many college campuses is a TRIO program called Student Support Services (SSS).  Student Support Services is a federally funded college academic assistance program (TRIO) that provides academic and personal assistance to a select number of eligible college students each year.  Eligible students must be low-income, first-generation college-goer or disabled.  The program acts as an advocate for students by  planning and coordinating their services while also providing workshops which help develop them academically, interpersonally and socially for success at the college level.  Services offered by the Student Support Services office include:

·          Professional one-on-one or group tutoring

·         Supplemental workshops in math & science

·         Academic Success workshops

·         Academic Advising, Advocacy, Monitoring

·         Career guidance

·         Study skills and time-management

·         Student financial aid assistance

·         Personal counseling

·         Educational and Cultural enrichment activities

·         Graduate & Professional school advising

As an alumnus of SSS program from the University of California Santa Cruz, I can honestly say SSS is a phenomenal program that helps countless students attain their goal of graduation and success. Being a first generation college student can be very challenging especially for incoming freshman. During my first quarter on campus, I struggled academically, so I approached SSS office and asked for their assistance.  Student Support Services immediately provided me with tutoring for all of my challenging courses assisted me in editing my papers and informed me about educational workshops that would teach note-taking and effective study skills.  The SSS office gave me plenty of services and support to ensure my educational success.   SSS staffs were extremely supportive and truly cared about me completing my education. 

When applying to graduate school, the advisors in the SSS office supported me through the entire process.  My advisors reviewed graduate school applications, edited my personal statement and even provided supplemental funding for my graduate school application fees, which as “the bomb”. Once I was accepted into graduate school, the SSS office provided me with financial assistance to fly to University of Michigan and visit my perspective school.  SSS wanted to ensure I could make an informed decision about selecting a school for my graduate career.  The Student Support Services office has always been a place where the student’s best interests are top priority. In my college career I have not seen a more dedicated and professional staff that is so willing to cater to the students needs they literally bend over backwards to help you succeed. Therefore, I encourage all of you KIPP alumni to seek out this amazing resource on your campus and apply.  You will not only receive outstanding educational support, but also to be embraces with a team people who will feels like family.

To Plank or NOT to Plank? Well, what is planking anyway?

So, I recently subscribed to a blog authored by Dr. Boyce Watkins, a professor and scholar who currently works at Syracuse University. He has also been featured on several talk shows, presented at conferences and more.

One of his latest blog entries discusses the "new" phenomenon of planking. I've heard many students talking about this and couldn't understand the hype around something that seemed, well, silly. But, then I realized folks who actually participate in this are just using their creative juices. In his blog entry, Dr. Boyce referenced the possible origin of planking, and I wondered if the people who "planked" would have a different point of view on this "activity" if they really thought about from where this thing derived.

Dictionary.com defines a plank as a long, flat piece of timber, thicker than a board. It then goes on to define planking as creating lumber into such pieces (long, flat pieces of timber, thicker than a board). So when an individual is planking they are making their bodies emulate long, flat pieces of timber, thicker than a board. Now, with that vision in mind, let's look at one of the possible origins of planking.

Dr. Boyce's blog highlights the following:

"...there has been some controversy about how to deal with the planking phenomenon in light of the fact that the act has a clear visual connection to the slave trade.  Camilo Smith at TheGrio.com does a wonderful job of laying out the historical roots of planking, and argues that while the connection is not entirely clear, there is evidence of a relationship.  Smith mentions the book, Upon these Shores: Themes in the African-American Experience, 1600 to the Present, which lays out this graphic description:

Some ships had tiny bunks, really nothing more than shelves, on which slaves could recline; in others, the slaves lay side by side on the planking, rolling with the ship, bodies virtually touching, for weeks on end."

I'm sure that as folks are creating outrages ways to plank and capture them via photograph, they're not thinking about the possible origin of this craze. Truthfully, without the knowledge of this background, it would be considered harmless fun. So, is it now to be considered blasphemy because there is this connection to the slave trade? What do you think?

I'm all about students using their creative juices. Great ideas are born when people allow themselves to just play around sometimes AND it fosters CRITICAL THINKING. A necessary trait when it comes to being a SUCCESSFUL college student.

I encourage you to be creative and uninhibited as you grow academically. Be mindful of the activities in which you participate and never stop striving to educate yourself on what’s happening around you. One of my favorite lines in Dr. Boyce's article reads "...when I heard about the trend of planking, I thought to myself, “Why don’t we start another wild and outrageous trend and call it ‘studying’!”" Just food for thought :-).

Check out Dr. Boyce's blog. Click on this link "Dr. Boyce: Why You Should (or Should Not) Go Planking" to access the entry for this particular topic. Share your thoughts below. The college team would love to hear from you!

KIPP DC Alumni Town Hall Meeting takeaways

This past Thursday, the KIPP Through College: College Support Team hosted its first Town Hall meeting for all KIPP alumni.  The event and the evening were great!  While providing an opportunity for KIPP alumni to share and discuss their individual experiences since leaving KIPP DC it also allowed KIPPsters to talk about challenges they have faced and solutions they have come up with to continue to climb the mountain.

Some of the topics that were discussed included; roommate struggles, overcoming financial obstacles, how to deal with working and going back to school, and overcoming the difficulties of re-enrolling in college.
One topic that seemed to come up and keep everyone in the room talking was how to deal with people who are different then you when you go off to college. Some students expressed that going to a local school within in the DC area was tough because those outside of DC have their own stereotypes of what a DC person "looks" and "acts" like.  While others in the room shared that just going to a predominantly white institution (PWI) presented it's own challenges if you are a student of color.  Whatever the differences are, the consensus was that it takes open communication and an open mind to overcome those differences.

College is so much more than just going to classes and doing homework, it's also about growing and becoming a better person.  In order to do so, one must be able to accept that there will always be differences in people, but there can also be a common ground that connects us all.  

Overall a great night of sharing of experiences and ideas happened and if you missed this one, no worries there will be another Town Hall in the fall semester.  If you know someone who attended ask them to share more of the night and always feel free to drop a line to your Support Advisor here in the KTC office.

The Importance of your College Alumni Network

Excerpt from Doostang News May 30, 2011: Importance of Alumni Networking

Greetings KIPP Alums!

You’ve probably heard that your alumni network is an invaluable resource for finding a great job or getting your foot in the door at a great company, but has that really sunken in? Many people turn to a plethora of other resources before they consider hitting up their alumni networks, when this is the first place they should START looking.

An alumni network is an ideal source to start your search because this is where you have access to the individuals who came before you, and who had an experience as close to yours as you can probably get. They lived in the same dorms, were a part of the same organizations, took classes from the same professors – in short, they were in your shoes before you were. Because of this, even if they can’t get you a job, they can give you very valuable advice on where to start looking, or introduce you to the people that can do more for you. They can also warn you against making some of the same mistakes that they did.

Don’t feel awkward about reaching out – given your similar background, alums will likely feel a strong personal connection toward you, and most will love an opportunity to give back to their school. The bottom line is, alums from your school will probably be eager to help you, and you should take advantage of this opportunity.

To track down the appropriate person to speak to, start with your college career center. They will likely have a directory of individuals who are ready to help out. Bear in mind, too, that any person you find in a directory is someone who has probably given permission for students to contact them, so they won’t be surprised when they receive your call or email.

Another strategy is to look online at sites like LinkedIn or turn to alumni chapters in your city. Again, it’s reasonable to assume that if someone’s contact information is in a directory then they are fine with you getting in touch with them.

When you finally establish contact with an alumnus, it’s important to treat them with the respect that anyone else deserves. Remember to be gracious, send thank you notes, and drop them an occasional line to let them know how you are doing and what progress you have made – alums get excited about helping out because they are interested in hearing about the cool things future classes do with their lives! For more about thank you notes check out: http://blog.doostang.com/2009/11/22/job-search-thanksgiving-dont-forget-about-thank-you-notes/

So go out there, start networking and don’t forget to keep in touch with us!