THE URBAN SCHOOL BOY

A LIFESTYLE BLOG

[theurbanschoolboy]

My Internship Experience at Sharecare

This past semester, I had the super awesome opportunity to be an editorial intern with an up and coming healthcare tech company called Sharecare. They are described as a ”healthcare informatics platform” which helps users identify their symptoms and make better choices to improve their health.

A post shared by L I E M (@h0_bag) on Jan 24, 2017 at 7:39am PST

Office views on a rainy day.

I like to think of it as the “Facebook” of healthcare—you can make an account on the website, and after syncing your Facebook profile or giving your email address, you are asked to take a RealAge test which compares your biological age to what your age of the average person is with your level of fitness. Dr. Mehmet Oz from the Dr. Oz show is one of the co-creators of this test. There is also an app you can download which gives you tips to improve your health, and you can also track the number of steps you walk in a day!

I am 19 years old according to my RealAge test results.

As an editorial intern, I helped the design team create health and fitness related infographics, articles, and slideshows. We sometimes interview and collaborate with doctors from partner health networks to create articles and slideshows too. One of my favorite slideshows I had the opportunity to produce is this one about 100 Snacks Under 100 Calories.

I usually get to the office at around 8-9 AM to send out a “daily news” email which entails of a list of trending health/fitness related articles for the day. This helps the writers on the content team determine what health stories are trending—relevant content from the Sharecare website can be promoted on social media. This also helps content producers come up with ideas for article, slideshow or infographic pitches. Once a month, the content producers on the content team have a pitch meeting to discuss

At 10 AM, the team has a “daily stand up” meeting in which everyone goes around the room and talks about what they will be working on for the day and any news stories that piqued their interest, or ideas for content that need to be updated based on any new health/fitness related findings. The content team is split in Jersey City and Atlanta, Georgia, and so the team down in Atlanta is called too. It’s super cool—I haven’t had a chance to meet the intern, Lea, in person, but sometimes we chat during the day and bounce ideas off of each other. Hopefully I’ll get to meet her soon!

This is the editorial intern for the Atlanta team--Lea is sipping her coffee at her cubicle...just another day in the life

After the daily stand up meeting, everyone just works on their assigned content. We work with editors in office to make sure ideas are communicated with grammatical accuracy and brevity, and then Dr. Eric Steinmehl fact checks our produced content to make sure the information is accurate, and after, publishing team down in Atlanta publishes the content on the website.

As an editorial intern at Sharecare, I can definitely say for sure I’ve learned a lot. Even though I’m only in the office two days a week, I still have had the opportunity to learn from editors, and even all of the articles I read every time I’m in the office. From sending the daily news emails, I’ve learned to skim a high volume of articles to quickly pin point the main ideas to summarize and send to the editors within a short period of time. I’ve also learned how to write faster and better—and I have some dope bylines too, which will help when applying for other internships and a full time job in the future. Also, I’ve learned the importance of finding legitimate sources and just fact checking to make sure all of the content we share with our audience is accurate. Lastly, with all of the health articles I’ve read, I can give you advice on many different things, from delicious and easy to make snacks that are low calorie, what foods are higher in fiber and can help you prevent gastroenteritis conditions and suppress food poisoning symptoms, the health benefits of planking, ways to sneak exercise into your day in the office, among other fun, kind of random and quirky fitness tips.

I’m really grateful that the content team at Sharecare has given me this internship opportunity—I have certainly learned a lot, and I’ve really enjoyed my time working with everyone. This experience has definitely prepared me for future work in communications and content production!

[theurbanschoolboy]

5 Things I Regret Not Doing at NJIT

As I reflect upon my time at NJIT, there are a few things I regret not having tried or experienced, and I really recommend any student to try these things before they graduate.

1. Studying Abroad

NJIT Alum ‘17 Cynthia Ahmed studied abroad in Lyons, France!

This, for sure is the biggest thing I regret not getting involved with. Before having to commit to a full time job and limited days off, this is a great way to explore the world and different cultures, all while working towards your degree. I highly recommend this especially for students with scholarships (i.e. Honors students)—this is a great opportunity because your scholarship funds will transfer to the institution that you study abroad. If you are interested in studying abroad, be sure to reach out to the Office of Global Initiatives at least a year in advance for the semester you are interested in studying abroad for to ensure you have ample time to prepare all documents and find a school that you like. 

2. Getting Involved with Greek Life

If I were a girl, I’d totally be in Alpha Sigma Tau.

I’m honestly not sure what organization I would have fit in the best with, but I do know that I wish I had looked more into getting involved with Greek Life. Most of of my friends grew who are in a fraternity or sorority have grown in some way from their experience. When you join a Greek Organization, you get a “big”, which is a mentor to help you throughout your pledge process and beyond. Being the oldest child in my family, I’ve never really had an older “sibling” or mentor, and I think that would have been super cool to have.

Also, you have the opportunity to work with strong, like-minded individuals on meaningful community service projects, based on the club’s philanthropy. Plus, many organizations have a national alumni network, and you never know when that can come in handy!

3. Going on a Medical Mission with Global Brigades

Global Brigades started a chapter at NJIT two years ago, and every year during Spring Break, they go on a medical mission. Two years ago, they gave dental supplies, ran a clinic, and built public bathrooms in Panama, and last year they had a medical clinic in Nicaragua. I wish I went on one of these trips—they are a tremendous way to give back to the less fortunate,  but also you really get to experience life in less fortunate parts of the world, and it shows you how privileged we are, and that we should be more grateful for the accessible resources we have.

4. Starting My Own Club

Did you know you can start your own club on campus? There is paperwork that can be filled out with the Student Senate—all you need is to completed the required documents, write up a constitution, and have at least 10 signatures of members who want to join the club.

If I were to start a club, I would definitely want it to be something advocating some kind of human rights—I believe NJIT students who want to make a difference need to learn and experience vocalizing opinions and standing up for what they believe in.

5. Being a Peer Leader

I applied for a Peer Leader position with the NSO (New Student Orientation) team, and had to turn down an interview for the position because I was offered an internship—but then they eventually cut back my hours so I had two days off, which totally stinks!

Being a peer leader is a great opportunity because not only do you become a better leader, but also you become a role model and first impression for so many freshmen. Plus, you build an unbreakable bond with the other Peer Leaders on your team. Applications usually open at the start of the Spring semester, so be sure to be on the lookout!

[theurbanschoolboy]

5 Tips That Will Help You Ace Your Next Interview

Landing interviews but having trouble cracking them? No worries—here are four tips that might help

1. Read about the company in advance.

Do you care about the company you are vying to land an internship or job at? If so, show that you are interested by reading up about what the company is about and recent projects they’re working on or completed. For media companies, read some of their biggest and trending content or stories. Employers that interview candidates who don’t even know what the company is about will not be impressed.

2. Dress appropriately.

While it is always best to dress up more for an interview (and it’s better to be over dressed than underdressed in general), be aware of the office culture. You can use it to your advantage when you pick an outfit to wear to your interview. While general rules such as not showing too much skin or cleavage, or wearing any outlandish colors or patterns still apply, let your outfit say a bit about your personality--it can help with your first impression. For example, at most startups, the office culture is more laid back, so do not be afraid to ditch the blazer or suit and wear something that’s still professional, but more in tune with your personal style. This also helps when pursuing opportunities in more creative positions/industries.

3. Bring copies of your resume.

This might be a silly tip, but countless employers I have met advise applicants to always come prepared to interviews with copies of their resume. It demonstrates preparedness, but also it frustrates interviewers when they have to delay an interview because they have to print out a resume. Do everything you can to be on an interviewer’s good side!

4. Make sure you answer all parts of the question.

Sometimes interviewers ask questions that have multiple parts. Instead of offering an immediate response, it is totally okay to take a minute to think about what the interviewer is asking, and then address each part of the question one by one. In interviews where candidates are “graded”, this makes sure you get at the minimum points for answering each question.

5. Send thank you emails at the end!

While this won’t necessarily make or break you, employers will appreciate that you took the time to thank them for their time, and overall, you give yourself a second opportunity to make a good and professional impression, but also you can lightly touch upon why you believe you’d be a great fit for the position and why you are interested in the company.

[theurbanschoolboy]

100 Things You Should Do this Summer

Trying to come up with plans for the summer? Here are some ideas to help you out:

Catch up on sleep.

Fly to another country.

Check out all of New York City’s free museums.

Do an internship!

Go to the beach.

Take lots of pictures on your travels, and with your friends.

Relax at a music festival.

Grab some friends, rent a van and go on a road trip across the country.

Eat something you’ve never had before.

Go rollerskating.

Plan ahead for the next school year (or whatever it is you will be doing after summer ends).

Go to the zoo.

Run around barefoot.

Try yoga.

Crash a rooftop party.

Eat ice cream (or a popsicle if you’re lactose intolerant).

Reconnect with an old friend.

Go snorkeling.

Throw a Fourth of July party with your best friends.

Have some friends over for a barbecue.

Make tie dye everything! (Socks, shirts, underwear…you name it).

Try making your own homemade sushi.

Start a fire pit in your backyard and roast marshmallows.

Go camping!

Find cheap bus tickets and visit a new city.

Try living in someone’s apartment while visiting a city!

Go to a supermarket and eat all of the free food samples.

Explore the stalagmites and stalactites in a cave.

Go paintballing with friends.

Enjoy live music at an underground band in Brooklyn.

Learn a musical instrument.

Go hiking.

Get involved with on campus research.

Try painting.

Pick up a new hobby.

Go biking on a trail with friends.

Fly a kite.

Go to a pride parade.

Volunteer at a soup kitchen and feed the homeless.

Go rock climbing.

March for a cause.

Explore Chinatown.

Run a lemonade stand for a day.

Explore a thrift shop.

Go boating in Central Park.

Go skydiving.

Bake a homemade pizza.

Learn a new language.

Try going to a paint and sip.

Go to an outdoor movie showing.

Learn to dance salsa.

Go strawberry picking in June.

Start a vegetable garden.

Have an outdoor dinner party.

Read a book you now have time to read outside.

Visit a psychic and get your fortune told.

Go to a waterpark.

Climb a tree.

Host a garage sale.

Volunteer on a medial mission abroad.

Spend a day reading in the library.

Have a picnic with friends in the park.

Take a nap in a hammock.

Catch fireflies in jars.

Press flowers in wax paper and make bookmarks.

Make your own ice cream sandwich.

Do yoga outdoors.

Build a treehouse.

Be a camp counselor.

Meditate in a quiet place.

Join a meetup.com group to meet new people with a common interest.

Check out a hot air balloon festival.

Have a water balloon fight.

Check out a spoken word performance.

Visit potential graduate schools.

Organize a park cleanup.

Visit a nursing home.

Go on a cruise.

Scream on a roller coaster!

Go to a carnival.

Try homemade smoothies and milkshakes.

Do karaoke with friends.

Go on a conference or a networking event.

Go on a blind date.

Take a bubble bath.

Explore a national park.

Have a movie marathon weekend with friends.

Take yourself out on a date.

Go swimming.

Get a new hairstyle.

Learn origami.

Play with cute puppies at a dog park.

Enjoy a game of billiards.

Check out a stand up comedy event.

Enjoy music at a jazz club.

See a show on Broadway.

Throw a theme party.

Try on clothes at an expensive, high end store and then don’t buy them.

Talk to your crush.

 Most importantly—make a lot of memories and have fun!

[theurbanschoolboy]

5 Questions You Should be Unafraid to Ask Your Professor

Professors, no matter how big, small, smart, inexperienced they may be, are (supposed to be) there to support you and your academics. At a research and STEM industry focused institution such as NJIT, most professors are experts in their industries. By having a working relationship with them, you can foster your professional development. While many students feel as if their professors are out to fail them, at the end of the day, they are there to give you a final grade but they also provide the course materials and resources to help you pass the course, and bring you closer to graduation. Here are five common questions to get the conversation started with your professor:

1. I’m not doing as well as I want in your class. How can I improve my performance?

This is probably the most important question that students should be unafraid to ask their professors, no matter how well or poorly they may be performing. It is better to take action and know how you are performing in your class, rather than to be surprised with an F on your transcript at the end of the semester. If you are looking to pursue a closer relationship with your professor for a letter of recommendation, get involved with research, or for networking purposes, this can also be a great way to kick off the conversation.

2. Do you conduct any research outside of class?

Students should be open to trying or exploring a research project. Not only can you apply the skills and knowledge gained in core major classes to a practical setting, but it also gives you basic skills such as data analysis that employers like to see. Most professors at NJIT are involved with some kind of research—if you enjoy a professor’s class, chances are they are conducting some kind of research that is similar in the field. Also, some research labs that are nationally funded allow undergraduate research assistants to get paid! Be sure to explore these potential opportunities—you have nothing to lose.

3. I’m really interested in ____. Do you know how I can gain more experience with _____?

Many professors, before coming to teach at university, have worked in the field. Other adjuncts teach one or two classes part time at night, and hold leadership positions at companies during the day. I was able to get a part time position at NJII, NJIT’s business incubator, after taking a graduate level class in healthcare systems management. I met an NJIT alumni who currently works there, and the professor of the class also happened to have connections with one of the companies with NJII. I was able to skip the interview process and intern within two weeks of applying because of the good word my professor gave the hiring manager.

In other cases, the professor may not directly be involved with a company, but they may have connections they can refer you to, and that can still get your resume fast tracked to the hiring manager in these situations. It is very important to foster relationships with your professors because you never know who they may know!

4. I really enjoyed your class! Do you teach any other classes?

If you took a class with a really great professor, save yourself the risk of taking an elective with a bad professor by taking the professor again in a different course that will still satisfy graduation requirements. Also, performing well in multiple classes taught by the same professor will build your credibility and capability as a student.

5. I am applying for _____. Can you write me a letter of recommendation?

When it comes to applying for higher education (grad school, law school, med school, etc.), jobs, internships, or summer programs, hiring managers or admissions officers are always going to ask for references who can speak about your credibility. Connecting with your professors is so important because you want to be able to have them speak about your work ethic, skill set and capabilities. Don’t be afraid to ask your professor for a letter of recommendation—while it may seem they will groan and think it is another thing for them to do, in a way it is also validating because it shows that students care about the professor and think that they can say something great, too.

However, be careful with the professors you choose for a recommendation letter—be sure to pick the ones that you know can vouch for your work ethic (don’t pick a professor who’s class you’re failing) and are capable of writing a stellar letter for you (pick professors who are great communicators and care about their work).  

[theurbanschoolboy]

A Quick, Cheap, and Easy Smoothie Recipe

What is the quickest way one can prepare and eat breakfast in the mornings?

Instead of actually eating breakfast, you can drink it! Here’s a quick and easy smoothie recipe that you can use to prepare your breakfasts throughout the week. Not to mention, making your own smoother is cheaper than buying blended smoothies or juices.

Each smoothie has a 6-7 medium strawberries, ½ a cup of yogurt, ¾ cup of almond milk, and ½ a banana. Feel free to substitute some strawberries for other mixed berries such as blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries.

The recipe is quite simple—all you have to do combine all ingredients and blend for 2 minutes or until the ingredients have turned into a smooth, creamy mixture.

For a great source of fiber, add a teaspoon of chia seeds before blending. Enjoy cold by refrigerating after blending, or add a few ice cubes before blending.

For a weekly breakfast/grab and go meal prep, simply multiply the recipe by 4 or 5 and pour in jars in advance. One serving is one smoothie. 

In the summer, these smoothies can also be enjoyed in Enjoy!

[theurbanschoolboy]

4 Tips to End Your Semester Strong

It’s the end of the semester and final exams are right around the corner. For many, the semester has not been smooth sailing and these last grades in the semester are critical to pass. Here are some quick tips for how you can make the most of the remaining assignments in your semester, and how you can turn that C into an A (it’s possible!!!)

Current mood...

1. To do lists, to do lists, to do lists.

A post shared by L I E M (@h0_bag) on Jul 14, 2016 at 5:12am PDT

With everything that goes on in the semester, it gets tricky keeping track of assignments and their due dates. Save yourself this hassle by making a to do list with dates for when each assignment is do. If you put this somewhere that you’ll see it every day (on your dresser’s mirror, on your desk, your phone’s background, etc.) then you definitely will not forget when an assignment is due.

2. Find someone who’s doing well in the class and study with them.

We’re all in this together!

Befriend people in the class and study together! Some classes have questions or concepts that are difficult to understand or an inundation of material to memorize. Studying with someone else in the class can make the experience a bit more bearable, and also can help with ensuring you know the material to get the grade you want to pass and excel in the class.

3. Check your academic performance with your professor and ask for tips for the last assignments of the semester.

Don’t worry--your professor won’t actually do this to you. And if they do? Report them!!!

While sometimes it seems your professor may be out to fail you, this is truly not the case! Gauge your performance in the course and save yourself a bad surprise at the end of the semester by asking about your performance in the course, and you can improve. Apply the tips and advice from your professor to help you get the grade you want. By asking your professor for some advice, they also see that you are being proactive about your grade, and that you truly care.

4. Don’t procrastinate—map out due dates and make a study schedule.

A post shared by L I E M (@h0_bag) on Jun 13, 2014 at 5:30am PDT

[theurbanschoolboy]

4 Places to Find Non-Technical Internships/Jobs

Being in college is all about gaining experiences that help you figure out what it is you want to do with your life, and allow you to get a head start on your career. Even though NJIT emphasizes a STEM education, there are non-technical majors, or students who want to pursue careers in non-technical roles, too. Internships are a great way to gauge what you would like and not like in a job. If you or a friend are looking for internships in non-technical fields or positions, check out these four valuable resources:

1.Planted

A startup based in Brooklyn, Planted aims to help people looking for non-technical jobs at tech-startup companies. All you have to do is import your resume, fill out some information about your most recent and relevant experiences, and you can input your job preferences. Then, they email and text you 3-5 job or internship postings that they feel are a great fit for you based on your experiences and preferences! It’s a great way to fast track your resume and get to the top of the application stack, especially if you want to work at a start-up company.

 2.The Muse

The Muse is similar to many job board websites, except this website caters more to positions at more creative, millennial companies. They also don’t spam your inbox with useless job alerts or try to scam you into paying for weird and sketchy resume review sites/services. All you have to do is input the job type you a looking for, where you want to work, and they list the most recently posted jobs first.

 3. Jobbio

Similar to The Muse, Jobbio allows job seekers to enter the type of job they are looking for and the location. This also is a great website for people posting jobs, too. The best part is that this website has an app!

 4. Looksharp

This website is better for finding that first internship. While many of the opportunities listed here are unpaid, many of them are also remote internships. The benefit of doing an unpaid remote internship is that you can build and gain your own professional experience from the comfort of your own bedroom or dorm room. Doing well in these experiences and having examples of work to show potential employers as you pursue future internships and jobs can help you land that dream job or internship.

[theurbanschoolboy]

My Experience at the New Jersey Innovation Institute (NJII) as an Intern

To prepare for my next internship, I resigned from my part time position at the New Jersey Innovation Institute (NJII). I’m going to miss it so much!!

Did you know that many research universities have startup companies that are affiliated with the university? NJII is made up of five companies also known as iLabs. 

Most offices are located at 211 Warren Street in the Enterprise Development Center (EDC building), but many workers are also located remote and in Trenton, NJ. I’ve had the opportunity to work at the Healthcare Delivery Systems iLab, which offers doctors, hospitals and medical practices Health IT solutions to report their quality data to the government.

It’s an amazing culture—being at NJII is like working at a trendy tech startup. There are many benefits to working at a startup. Firstly, because it is a smaller company with limited resources, you have the opportunity to dabble in a variety of different work experiences. While at NJII, I’ve had some account managing experience working with recruiting doctors, some social media and blog writing experiences, learned how to use excel spreadsheets as an organizational tool, and even some event management experiences with internal events.

Speaking of internal events, at NJII, I’ve really learned about the importance of office culture. Whenever it’s someone’s birthday or someone is having a baby, we have an office party. I had the opportunity to coordinate some fun events including our Halloween party!

Check out more fun pictures by checking out the #JustNJIIThings hashtag on Instagram!

Being at NJII has really lead me to realize my ideal job (for now) is to be a creative director for a marketing or communications team at a startup company. Working at a startup really allows you to be creative—with the work you do, developing company culture, but also even with the way you dress! We can wear jeans and sneakers, it’s super comfortable.

A post shared by L I E M (@h0_bag) on Mar 27, 2017 at 11:15am PDT

My bff Sarah and I unintentionally matched one day! 

I really enjoy working with a team of passionate, talented and dedicated individuals. Working at any startup company, particularly NJII, really enables you to explore your interest and creativity in various capacities.

If you’re interested at working at NJII, or have any questions, feel free to send me an email at [email protected], or check out open positions at https://njii.recruiterbox.com/!

[theurbanschoolboy]

How to: Get Involved with Research on Campus

 At a research centered institution such as NJIT, the possibilities, as corny as they sound, are endless. There are so many professors taking on various different projects in different departments—from biology, to various pursuits in engineering, to programming projects with the computer science department, to even literature and social science research with the humanities department.

A post shared by L I E M (@h0_bag) on Mar 16, 2016 at 5:11pm PDT

I had the opportunity to do Stem Cell Research at the Life Science Center at Rutgers. By doing this, I was able to get credit for my research in my sophomore year, saving me time from doing a senior thesis before graduation.

Many students want to get involved with research, but don’t know how! Here’s how you can…

1.     Build good relationships with your professors, and ask about what kind of research they do.

2.     Look up department pages, and send friendly emails to professors who are also Primary Investigators (PIs) of labs demonstrating interest in their work.

3.     If you have an idea, NJIT gives students the opportunity to submit a proposal and $3000 for the summer to pursue the project. For more information, click here.

A post shared by L I E M (@h0_bag) on Nov 14, 2016 at 4:10pm PST

This cow heart is literally the size of my head...

Being involved with research can be very rewarding. Not only do you receive credit for your own findings, but you also can get paid, published, and you can even travel to present your project.

By doing research, you demonstrate to employers and admissions officers that you are capable of collecting data and analyzing it to develop solutions to significant problems. You also can develop meaningful relationships with faculty, staff, and fellow students, which can be beneficial especially when looking for recommendation letters for graduate school and other various programs. Look into some of NJIT’s research opportunities today!

[theurbanschoolboy]

NJIT to Host its First Ever Title IX Conference

The title says it all: I am super excited that NJIT will be hosting its first ever Title IX conference!

What is Title IX, you say? Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is a federal law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs or activities operated by an institution receiving federal financial assistance. 

This means a lot to me because even though tech schools such as NJIT have way more male than female students, they are still willing to host a conference advocating for students regardless of their gender or background. I think that By holding this conference, NJIT puts itself on the map as being one of the most receptive and student-centered institutions in the nation. 

I still remember when I took an intro level computer science course my freshman year, only two of the forty students in the class were female. I think more female students are enrolling at NJIT since then, but the number of male students still exceed the number of females by far.

Despite the “NJIT ratio,” there are many clubs and resources on campus for girls at NJIT to join so they can meet other female students in STEM disciplines. Some of these include the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) and the Murray Center for Women.

In general, there are several alarming statistics out there about sexual assault:

·      84% of female survivors report being sexually assaulted during their first four semesters on campus

·      19% of women will be sexually assaulted while attending college

·      12% of college student assault victims and survivors report the incident to police. 

Consent is sexy...but so are these goldfish

And of course, that’s not to say that males aren’t sexual assault victims too. In fact, TCNJ’s The Signal published this story which reports 12-16% of male college students in a study conducted at the University of Vermont reported being the victim of sexual assault.

NJIT’s Title IX conference features workshop panels and discussions on topics including Sexual Assault, Consent, LGBTQ, and Drug and Substance Abuse. The conference will “break the silence” meaning that it discusses sensitive topics that are normally not brought up in daily life, even though they are things that do impact college students.

The first 100 students to register in the conference do not have to pay, so register now! 

[theurbanschoolboy]

4 Secret Places to Take Your Next Profile Picture in Newark

Looking for a fun place to have a photoshoot that’s not in front of Eberhardt Hall (the alumni building)? Let it be a professional headshot for LinkedIn, getting likes on your Facebook profile picture, or getting matches on Tinder with a new picture, Newark has some sweet spots for your profile picture needs.

1.    Mural on Washington Street

A post shared by L I E M (@h0_bag) on Sep 20, 2016 at 5:46am PDT

This dynamic mural near the Washington Street Light Rail station features bold colors and black and white stripes, which allow photographers to play around with different contrasting outfits.

2.    Doorsteps on Halsey Street

A post shared by L I E M (@h0_bag) on Nov 5, 2015 at 9:51am PST

Not only is Halsey Street home to many upcoming restaurants and businesses, but it also has buildings with quaint charm and some street art and graffiti. Use these quirky decorations to spice up your next profile picture!

3.    Hahne & Co. Building

Photo credit: Zohaeb Atiq, business manager of The Vector

The recently opened Hahne & Co. Building has a beautiful interior—white marble steps, black iron, chandeliers, and fake plants adorning the place. Before all of the businesses officially open, this new building on Halsey Street is a great place to take photos because of the lack of people that may (or may not) be “photobombing.” Fancily dressed up and about to leave for a formal event? The stairwell makes a great place to take cute pictures with your friends.

A post shared by L I E M (@h0_bag) on Feb 25, 2017 at 6:40pm PST

4.    Newark Museum Courtyard

Gated behind a black iron fence accompanied by brick pillars with creeping ivy is a quiet courtyard in the Newark Museum. This historically preserved site makes a great place to take pictures, especially on a sunny day.

[theurbanschoolboy]

6 LinkedIn Profile Do's and Don'ts

Making a LinkedIn profile has become an essential part to getting a job or internship through an online application. It allows you to more quickly auto-fill online forms and to communicate your experiences with hiring managers or other people who work at companies you may be interested in. LinkedIn even has its own job listings page where all you simply have to do is send the hiring manager or employer a link to your profile. While having a LinkedIn may seem like it will give you can edge in the employment process, incorrectly portraying yourself on this social media platform can also hurt your application. Check out these quick LinkedIn dos and don’ts to learn more about how you can improve your online professional presence.

DO talk about all of your community service projects you’ve done.

Last year, Malorie and I danced for 12 hours straight at Highlanderthon, snuggled with a teddy bear, and helped fundraise over $28,000 for the Children’s Specialized Hospital. 

Employers love to hear about how you’ve given back to the community. For many students looking for their first internship or entry-level job positions, sometimes the skills done in volunteer positions can also be applied in paid, professional positions with major companies. Also, it tells employers that you care about the community, and you’re just a good person who wants to make the world a better place!

...something like that.

DON’T brag about your high school achievements.

To be quite honest, unless you’ve won a national award or had a very remarkable experience that inspired you to pursue the professional career path you are in today, employers are not going to care about what you did in high school.

DO link all of your projects and publications.

Have you done a major research project or did you have a byline with an outstanding company? Did you work with a client for your capstone class and you developed an outstanding product? Share the evidence with your employers by linking the final project/product to the relevant job experience. This shows employers what you are capable of, and what kinds of projects you may be interested in.

DON’T attach that PowerPoint from your humanities 101 class.

What employers be like when they see an irrelevant project...

I hate to break it to you, but most employers are not going to care that you read Shakespeare’s Macbeth and found symbolism in his various love affairs. Pick applicable projects that demonstrate valuable skills and experiences that employers will appreciate. For example, if you’re a computer science and engineering major, pick complex applications or programming projects you’ve written to demonstrate mastery of a programming language, but also logical thinking.

DO take a cute LinkedIn profile picture.  

A study recently found that users who didn’t include a profile picture in their LinkedIn profile lead hiring managers to assume that the candidate thought they were ugly. It may help them have a general idea of who to expect when they meet you in person for an interview! In your profile picture, be sure to wear tasteful and appropriate clothing (no cleavage or crop tops). It also helps to be smiling in the picture too. 

DON’T make it a car selfie, or a bathroom selfie.

Source: SocialHire

You’re trying to get a job in the office, not off the street. This is LinkedIn—not Facebook or Myspace. Be careful and mindful of what you would want hiring managers to see. 

DO talk about the accomplishments and responsibilities you’ve held in various internships, leadership roles, etc.

When hiring managers visit your profile, they will want to know more about the skills used and responsibilities held in your various positions. This way, they will know how you can help the company grow, or if you have what they are looking for. By filling out these parts of your profile, you help employers learn more about who you are and what you are capable of.

DON’T write a novel.

A wall of text is very unappealing for anyone to read. Try using a bulleted list and limiting yourself to 250 words per job experience, only going above this limit if you held a significant leadership position/had extensive responsibilities in the role being described. 

DO have a professional title on your LinkedIn profile.

Connect with me on LinkedIn, friends!

Having a professional title on your LinkedIn profile can be a great eye-catching descriptor that will make employers more likely to click on your profile—especially if you sound like someone the company is looking for. Having your title be the name of your current internship at the current company, or a student of a certain major at a certain university can help you attract employers to your profile.

DON’T just say you’re a student.

Employers will already be able to tell that you’re a student looking for additional work experience. Simply stating that you’re a student makes you far less marketable, compared to, say, a biomedical engineering major seeking a biomaterials internship from NJIT.

DO proofread your LinkedIn profile for grammatical mistakes.

The happy dance hiring managers do when they find grammatical mistakes on your profile...

Your LinkedIn profile is an employer’s first impression to who you are. Having grammatical errors can demonstrate a lack of mastery of the English language, or an inability to pay attention to detail.

DON’T forget to keep it updated!

Whenever you start a new internship position or leadership position, add it to your LinkedIn profile to keep employers and your connections in the loop. Letting your LinkedIn profile go outdated can impact your profile’s credibility, especially if it doesn’t match the resume you submit to various employers.

[theurbanschoolboy]

4 (Literally) Sweet Study Spaces Off Campus in Newark

Studying isn’t exactly the most exciting thing in the world. Sometimes it helps to mix up the study scenery. Take your next study session off campus to a cafe, and treat yourself to some coffee, a sweet beverage or even a meal. Here’s a fast list of some great study-friendly cafes (with free wi-fi!) to check out if you are looking to study off campus.

1. Grabba Green

Located on the corner of Warren Street and Halsey Street, Grabba Green is a new juice bar that opened last semester! They serve smoothies, detox juices, organic vegan food, and acai bowls. The best part is that there is plenty of space to sit, and free wifi! If you are looking for a healthy, clean meal or cold and sweet treat to accompany your study session, I highly recommend checking out Grabba Green!

2. Starbucks on Broad Street

 Everybody’s favorite two-tailed green mermaid.

Ahhh yes, the opening of your atypical coffee shop truly embodies Newarkian gentrification. While this is a pretty typical study spot, the hours really cater to people who work better in the morning. This Starbucks is open at 5:30 AM, and has free wifi. Plus, unlike the campus tech café, it actually accepts Starbucks reward cards/programs and follows all of the national programs/discounts.

A post shared by L I E M (@h0_bag) on Nov 6, 2015 at 1:27pm PST

Everyone’s a little bit basic, right?

3. Intrinsic Café

A post shared by L I E M (@h0_bag) on Mar 6, 2015 at 11:11am PST

Everyone’s favorite off campus bubble tea and hangout spot can also make a great place to work. With free wifi (the wifi password is bubbletea—you’re welcome), plenty of seating and an open window allowing natural light to tastefully creep in, Intrinsic café can be a great place to make some new friends and get work done in between classes. The wifi can also be picked up outside, so when the weather is nice, it’s also a great place to do work outdoors because of the plentiful outdoor seating.

A post shared by L I E M (@h0_bag) on Apr 8, 2016 at 7:43am PDT

 Broke college student tip: come here with your best friend on a Friday to enjoy two large bubble teas for only $5 (in comparison to one regularly priced bubble tea for $4.38, taxes included).

4. Uptown Grill

OMG, get inside of me like right now.

This cafe located near Rutgers and a few blocks away from Newark Broad Street station is a small, cozy spot for. If you’re walking by Rutgers, look for a tye dye tapestry hanging by a window, and that’s when you’ll know you’ve found Uptown Grill. Along with coffee and several simple pastries, café has paninis, hamburgers and other fresh, warm sandwiches as decent prices. If you’re looking for a place to study at all day that’s quiet, with few people, free wifi, and fresh meals, Uptown Grill is the place to go!

[theurbanschoolboy]

The Coolest Elective for Biology Majors: Ecological Field Methods

Views from the Cheesequake State Park.

Since middle school, you probably haven’t had many opportunities to go on a class field trip. However, for graduating biology majors there’s a class that allows students to visit a different ecosystem every week! If you like the magic school bus, know how to (somewhat) dress for the weather, enjoy being outdoors, and are looking for a fun lab elective, you sound like a great fit for Ecological Field Methods (BIOL 475)!

Me every time we are going on a field trip to a new ecosystem.

Every week, Dr. Marie Stanko (aka Ms. Frizzle) takes a class of about 14 students to a different site each week to observe and learn about a different aspect of the natural ecosystem.

Dr. Stanko drives a giant white NJIT van holding about 8 students, and then a separate group of students also drive to the site too! #squadgoals

Last week, we went to Cheesequake (not to be confused with cheesecake) State Park to analyze patterns in biodiversity. The week before that, we went to the Van Son Zoo in Bergen County (which is free in the winter by the way!) to observe animal behaviors.

I was surprised to see this peacock hanging out outside despite the snow and harshly cold temperatures.

The week before the zoo trip, we went to observe birds and their feeding habits at the Watchung National Reserve. During the second week of the semester we calculated average tree heights at South Mountain Reservation. If you are looking to also gain more experience working with Microsoft Excel, statistical tools, and analyzing data, this is also a great class for that too! 

Watching the birds and you at the Watchung National Reserve!

Later on in the semester, we will be going to other sites in New Jersey including the Morristown National Historic Park, The Great Swamp and when it’s warmer, the beach!

 If you are interested in taking the course, be sure to email Dr. Stanko a semester before because the class tends to fill up fast! Priority is given to graduating seniors.

[theurbanschoolboy]

Budget-friendly Breakfast Food: Banana Bread Muffins

As a college student, it’s usually easy to just stop by a convenience store or a Starbucks and spend a few dollars on a pastry.

Last semester, I found that for the price of buying pastries for breakfast every day for one school week (which comes out to about $15), I was able to buy baking supplies to make banana bread muffins every week for a semester. This actually saves you a lot of money!

Also, it was convenient because I didn’t have to wait on lines at these stores—all I had to do was just grab a muffin and go to work or class.

A photo posted by L I E M (@h0_bag) on Dec 12, 2016 at 6:41am PST

So—I present you, a recipe for a super simple banana bread!

You will need:

· 2 to 3 very ripe bananas, peeled

· 1/3 cup melted butter

· 1 teaspoon baking soda

· Pinch of salt

· 3/4 cup sugar (granulated or brown—doesn’t matter)

· 1 large egg, beaten

· 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

·  1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

Optional: ½ cup chocolate chips, and 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon adds to flavor too! You can also sprinkle confectioner’s sugar for decoration.

2.      Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

3.      Mix the bananas and melted butter together.

4.      Add baking soda and salt. Then, mix.

5.      Add the sugar, beaten egg, vanilla extract. Also add the ground cinnamon and chocolate chips at this step if desired. Then, mix it all together!

6.      Grease muffin tin or cake tray.

7.      Pour the mixture in!

8.      If you are baking a cake, leave it in the oven for 45 minutes. If you are baking muffins, let it bake for 35 minutes.

Baking in progress...

9.      Stick a toothpick in the cake or a muffin to make sure it’s completely cooked.

10.  Top with confectioner’s sugar for decoration and enjoy!

[theurbanschoolboy]

4 Secret Ways to Make Your Next NYC Trip Even Cheaper

You’re going to laugh at me, but here are a few hacks that you can use if you are looking to have some fun in the city, while maintaining a college student budget.

C’mon, who doesn’t love free money?!

1. Free water at Starbucks

Restaurants in NYC are required to serve customers filtered water for free. 

Yes, believe it or not, if you ask a barista for some water in a cup, they will give you a tall (smallest size) cup of water with a little bit of ice, a plastic lid and a straw. I know, it might seem awkward asking them for this, but it probably gives them a bit of relief that you didn’t ask for some fancy triple shot expresso hazelnut caramel latte with soy milk or some craziness ;)

2. 1 Dollar Pizza

This one is conveniently near Penn Station on 35th Street and 8th Ave!

These pizzerias that offer plain slices for just a dollar are everywhere! There’s one near Times Square, and a few scattered throughout downtown Manhattan and Soho. These places are such a great way to get food for cheap, and fast. Because these slices are already prepared daily, they taste hot and fresh too!

3. Walk Everywhere

A photo posted by L I E M (@h0_bag) on Feb 21, 2015 at 8:18pm PST

There’s always so much going on in New York City. On a nice day, take a walk down the street instead of taking the subway. One trip on the subway is $2.75. If you’re with friends, the walk is even easier since you’ll be together with people you’re spending time with. If you’re alone, listen to music and power walk! It’s great exercise, and it’s just awesome to take in the surroundings. 

4.   Free Museums

A photo posted by L I E M (@h0_bag) on Dec 5, 2015 at 8:23pm PST

Looking for something to do for free? New York has so many museums that are free during certain days of the week. Check ‘em out here!