#outsideactivities

[chicasstyle]

Working out outside with these beauties. We had a great time. Thank you @espinoza.j__ @lifestylewithlisa Let’s go 💪🏼 #strong #workoutmotivation #brooklynbridge #outsideactivities https://www.instagram.com/p/Cg5ODlTPCweDbMFCGa44WVUfxW8KqtlltGLgYg0/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[tiffanygallehugh]

1st day of Jiu Jitsu. So excited for him. #outsideactivities #homeschooler #brazilian #myboy https://www.instagram.com/p/B2AZuLmHbtg/?igshid=1flqdkrjzzvag

[mpmlexplore-blog]

Jackass Mountain area, some great views around and good for fishing! Nature at its best, even on a rainy day! #nature #naturephotography #outdoor #outdoors #fishing #landscape #landscapephotography #viewsofcanada #views #britishcolumbia #explorebc #explore #beautifulbc #rainyday #outsideactivities #getoutthere #getoutside (at Jackass Mountain)

[sherin40]

Can't really see it well due to the way the sun hits but the kids and I made a sidewalk chalk obstacle course. #spring2017 #sidewalkchalk#outsideactivities

[geisternatur]

exploring the #schlossfreudenberg grounds. i love this place, so full of whimsy experiences! you get to interact with nature in a really unique way.

#woods #outsideactivities #roots (hier: Schloss Freudenberg)

[eliserusso-blog]

Pitch Dingman

11.17.16

The Pitch Dingman semi-finals was an event that showcased 10 start-ups all from UMD students. Each entrepreneur got two minutes to pitch their start-up idea to a panel of judges with one minutes of questions at the end. Though the event lasted well past the scheduled time, I never lost interest. I was amazed by the huge range of ideas that there were just within 10 companies-- everything from food items to credit scores to concerts to class scheduling. I for some reason didn’t think there would be this diverse of a group. It was a very inspiring event because these were UMD students, just like me, already getting started on their own companies. It was so cool to see that the UMD was encouraging this-- I didn’t know a lot about the entrepreneurship aspect of UMD before coming here. It was also nice to hear that they have a specific program to help women who want to be entrepreneurs since there is such a gap in the industry. I have not necessarily thought about being an entrepreneur, but I do feel very encouraged and welcomed by the staff of the Dingman center. If I ever have an idea in the future, I would love to go in and talk to them about growing my idea. Pitch Dingman was a really valuable event that I’m so glad I attended.

[eliserusso-blog]

New York Trip

11.03.16-11.04.16

The New York trip was an event that I had been looking forward to very much since I had first heard about it at orientation. New York City is one of my favorite places in the world, and I was so excited that we would get the opportunity to travel there. There was the issue of missing four of my classes but I made the decision that the benefit and value of this trip was worth the cost. The trip consisted of a networking portion on Thursday night and four company visits the following day. 

Thursday, November 3rd- 2:00 PM (Walking Tour of Wall Street)

A walking tour of Wall Street, hosted by a very kind South African lady. During this tour, I learned so much about New York that I did not know before. For instance, I learned where Alexander Hamilton was buried and that the first terrorist attack in the United States actually happened on Wall Street. It was very cool to see different parts of NYC with an experienced and informative guide.

Thursday, November 3rd- 6:30 PM (Networking)

The networking event with Smith Alumni who now work in NYC. I was very nervous before this-- I didn’t have much experience with networking at all, and I tend to get very reserved and uncomfortable during large social events. The event was at the Millennium Hotel, in a large, dimly lit room. There were tall tables with white cloths put at various places around the room, all with cards indicating which industry the alumni work in. Being undecided, it made it very difficult for me to choose a table to go up to. I was also very aware of the fact that there were juniors and seniors looking for actual jobs and internships whereas I was just going for experience. After munching on snacks and nervously sitting around with a few other BSE people for about fifteen minutes, I finally got the courage to seek out some alumni to speak with. I saw a couple alum standing at the “entertainment” table with nobody to talk to, and I saw this as my opportunity. Heart racing, palms sweating, and stomach churning, I introduced myself. It turned out that they actually worked at IBM, not in the entertainment industry. I spoke with the two of them for about 30 minutes, and they gave me really good advice and encouragement. It definitely was not as scary or intimidating as I had made it out to be in my mind. With more self-confidence from a good first experience, I spoke with two other alumni throughout the night. This opportunity was invaluable-- networking can only be truly improved through first-hand experience and practice. 

Thursday, November 3rd- 8:30 PM (Free Time):

After Networking, we got the chance to do whatever we wanted in the city for the night. I had one thought in mind: food. My friends and I all made the agreement that we wanted dessert, and I found a place called the Black Tap. This was a burger and milkshake place that had created a niche in overpopulated industry by creating shakes with insane toppings (think cookies, sprinkles, candies, and an entire slice of cake atop one single shake). The one issue was getting there-- it was too far to walk, and there were too many of us to take an uber or taxi. I finally convinced everyone to take the subway-- we were in New York, why not take the opportunity to do something new and have an adventure? Reluctantly, everyone agreed, and we made our way to the Port Authority stop. Buying metro cards was a fun experience as was figuring out whether we needed to go uptown or downtown and which trains were express versus not. Eventually though, we got there without getting lost or taking the wrong train. By having this free time, my friends and I were able to experience city night life and how to use public transport by ourselves. 

Friday, November 4th- 8:45 AM (Facebook):

On Friday morning, we had to meet at Facebook no later than 8:45. We were given only the address. My room had made the agreement to take the subway there-- the 8 Street/NYU stop was a mere 174 ft from the building, and ubering or taking a taxi would have taken way too much time in morning rush hour. I was not sure what to expect as I had never been on a company visit before. When we arrived, we had to sign in and got badges with our names on them, which was pretty cool. The first place we saw when we walked into the office was the kitchen-- fully loaded with any kind of snack or drink anyone could think of. I was amazed by the office space: it was bright, open, and colorful. There were no cubicles and there were various posters spouting messages of acceptance and encouragement hung all around. There was a very clear environment of collaboration given off throughout the office. During the presentation by Smith alumni, I was surprised to learn just how many other companies Facebook owns or is involved with, such as WhatsApp and ESPN. Most of all, though, I was shocked to discover that all three Smith alum said that they looked forward to going to work on Mondays and that they loved their jobs. I was also surprised that they did not necessarily have jobs involving their college majors, which was reassuring. Their message of finding a job that you love and are passionate about is one that I am sure will stick with me throughout my college experience and beyond. 

Friday, November 4th- 12:45 PM (Google):

The next company visit was to Google. Again, we were given only an address and a time to meet at the company. This time, our room decided on a different mode of transportation-- Uber. Our Uber driver got lost trying to find us, so I had to speak with him and direct him towards where we were. Considering how unfamiliar I am with New York and how bad I am at providing directions, this was a difficult task. Nevertheless, I eventually guided our driver to the correct location, and we were off to Google.

When we got there, we again had to sign in and got name tags. We were first shown the view from the top of the Google building, which was pretty amazing. We were taken throughout the building-- through different floors (each with its’ own theme), various cafeterias, the game room, and the old reception area. What stood out to me about Google was the way they treat their employees-- there were nap rooms, massage rooms, a gym, and so many other unique features that showed how much Google cares about their employees. Also, a lot of their lunch tables were next to whiteboards so employees could share different ideas over a meal and have a place to write/sketch them out. As with Facebook, Google had a very collaborative and friendly atmosphere. 

Friday, November 4th- 3:30 PM (Bank of New York Mellon):

This company visit was a definite change from the first two-- we had to have our bags go through strict security, and absolutely no pictures were allowed, even in the lobby. I was apprehensive-- I know I don’t want to go into accounting/finance, and the Bank of New York Mellon doesn’t get the “cool” reputation that Facebook and Google do. During the presentation, a lot of it was difficult to follow simply because I haven’t taken any basic finance classes yet. I was completely lost on terms such as hedge fund and liquidity. However, what caught my attention the most was their program of “reverse mentoring.” This is where younger/newer employees actually teach older employees so that the company can stay up-to-date on current technologies and innovations. It made me realize that even though it may not be as cool as a place geared towards Millennials such as Facebook or Google, they are still interested in finding new solutions to problems and value the younger/new generation.

Friday, November 4th- 5:30 PM (Goldman Sachs):

The final company visit of the day was Goldman Sachs. Although I didn't know exactly what they do (and still don’t), it was the visit that intimidated me the most. Goldman Sachs is the kind of name that holds such a heavy weight and prestige among anyone wanting to go into business. Luckily, most people were gone from the office when we visited. This helped a lot because it took a lot of the intimidation factor out of the company. Also, the alum who was answering our questions was very laid back, open, and honest with us. After hearing about his job, Goldman Sachs doesn’t seem like a place I would work at. It seems like too competitive and intense for me personally. I’m still so thankful for the opportunity to get to experience the company because it gave me insight to another type of company.

Reflection:

Overall, New York was probably my favorite BSE experiences. I love the city and hope to live there one day in the future. I also hope to go on the SUSA New York trip on a different track in the next couple years. This trip offered me an experience that I never would have gotten in a classroom, and I am so glad that I chose to skip my classes for it. Visiting different companies gave me such a good insight and perspective into different industries and different types of company cultures. It made me realize what type of company I would/would not like to work for in the future. It also afforded me the opportunity for new adventures and experiences, such as navigating around the city by myself. It was such a fun and valuable trip.

[kanoiband]

"Auenland. BEUTLIN." #sunlight #schlossberg #osttirol #easttyrol #lienz #nature #goingforawalk #outsideactivities #morsecode #thesunsmellstooloud (hier: Sonnenstadt Lienz)