This step is very specific to Woodsies, but can, if generalized to the extreme, be relevant to all college graduates. The generic version: if your school and/or sorority/fraternity has some sort of tradition that calls you back to your alma mater, do everything in your power to be there. Specifically for the girls of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College: if your little sister is getting her class ring, drop everything so that you can be there.
Traditions are what connect students and alumnae/i from every generation and every part of the globe. It's important that you try your hardest to be a part of them, especially when it involves supporting the current student body, and even more especially when it involves your dearest friends. Remember how much it meant to you when you celebrated that special moment with the people who had helped you reach that milestone in your college career and know that it means just as much (if not more) to those going through school right now.
To all the juniors at SMWC who received a ring this weekend,
congratulations! And to the world's best little sis, Olive Juice. :)
So my question to you: What kind of unique tradition does your school have? Everyone's got homecoming and reunion, so I'm talking about the weird stuff that no one else has ever heard of except for the students that are eagerly counting down the days until it happens.
And my challenge to you: If your school doesn't have some sort of tradition for you to uphold, you could always go back for a play or a soccer game or a concert or some other fun event sponsored by your school. It's a great way to stay connected to your friends and support your college.
In the mood to watch something with your friends but no one has any ideas? Tired of watching the same old cartoons over and over again ('cause let's face it, even if we're adults we'll still watch our favorite animated film two days in a row when we're in the mood)? Well, then, I've got just the solution! Find a random movie that you've never heard of before (or that you've only just recently heard of, for example, in a blog post about forgotten animated movies), hit the play button, and prepare to be blown away.
No matter what movie you choose, if it's a forgotten animated film, it's going to be awesome (either in a oh-my-god-this-is-so-bad-that-it's-funny kind of way or a wow-how-have-I-never-heard-of-this-it-was-surprisingly-good kind of way). And you'll always have a fun time laughing about it afterwards with your friends.
So, my question to you: What's a forgotten animated movie that everyone should watch?
And my challenge to you: Check out one of my suggested forgotten animated movies below--some are actually very well done, and others are... well, they're fun. :)
The Princess and the Goblin (1991)
This one I actually used to watch all the time when I was a kid, but it started the whole "let's watch random old animated movies" adventure when I was in college, so I thought it deserved a spot on the list. It was the shits when I was a kid, and now that I'm older I see that it's a little bit cheesy, but still fun! The whole movie can be found on YouTube.
The Legend of Sirius (The Sea Prince and the Fire Child) (1981)
This was the first completely random animated movie that my friends and I watched (it was recommended on YouTube after we watched The Princess and the Goblin) and all I can say is... why is the Sea Prince a red-head while the Fire Child is primarily blue?!? There's no English trailer for this Romeo and Juliet story, but you can watch the entire thing dubbed on YouTube. Not the best of the forgotten animated movies, but so much fun to make fun of.
Rock & Rule (1983)
Another one recommended after watching The Princess and the Goblin, but so much better than The Sea Prince and the Fire Child (if you can get over the fact that the main characters are mutant rat/dog/kitty/what-the-fuck-is-Mok things that sing rock and roll). The full movie (and the awesome ending song, "Send Love Through") can be found on YouTube.
The Secret of Kells (2009)
Do not skip over this one when you see it on Netflix! The animation style is so unique that it might put you off at first, but it's actually very beautiful and the story's pretty good too. Interesting side note: This is the first forgotten animated movie I watched that I don't make fun, it's that good.
A Cat in Paris (2012)
I just recently watched this one on Netflix, and like The Secret of Kells, it's got a different animation style, but the story is just so good. Plus, it's got a cat in it! Who doesn't like movies about cats!
Adventures in Dinosaur City (1991)
This is a bonus one because it's not actually animated... it's animatronics. It's another one of my childhood classics that once viewed through adult eyes still holds a soft spot in my heart even though it's ridiculous. DINOSAURs!
You're bound to have a panic attack at some point in your life, if you haven't already had one. That constriction in your chest. The inability to move or speak. Struggling to breath. Fun times. And they can happen at any time for basically any reason (usually when you're stressed out, though).
I was at a club celebrating my Birthday. Now granted, I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a fan of huge crowds, but once you've gone through college you sort of get used to large masses of people dancing all around you. I've been to crowded clubs before and have never had a problem. I've been to frat house parties and been fine, for crying out loud! So I guess it was just bad luck that I froze up last Friday night.
But by good luck I was surrounded by amazing people who helped me get to a safe spot where I could calm down. And they made sure I had a good time the rest of the weekend, even if it wasn't in the middle of a mosh pit.
It's important that you have friends like that in your life--ones that'll go crazy with you but realize when things are getting a little out of control and step in. I think I relaxed a lot faster having my friends around me than I would have if I'd hidden in a bathroom or something. And for that, I thank the wonderful girls who helped me celebrate my 23rd Birthday. :)
So my question to you: What's something that you do to get over a panic attack? My friends took me back to the apartment and we drank hot cocoa while watching Frozen. Chocolate and kid movies are always a great way to escape from any stress you might be feeling. ;)
And my challenge to you: If you notice someone who's not quite acting right at a club, be it your friend or a random stranger, step in and make sure they're ok. It might be hard for them to come out and say they're freaking out--I know I couldn't even talk when my friends started asking if I was ok, let alone try to tell them I needed to get out of there--so sometimes you've got to take the initiative to help a sister out.
It's always going to be nerve wracking going into a job interview, but one thing you can do to help prepare yourself is to visit the job site beforehand. You won't always be able to do this (if you've got an interview in another state, you can't exactly fly out one day just to take a look around and then fly back for your interview), but when you do get the chance, it really helps boost your confidence. You know exactly how to get to the work site, you get a little feel for the building and the people in it, and you see things that you can bring up during your interview (things you like, things you'd help improve if they hired you, ect.).
So my question to you: What are some other things you do to help prepare for a job interview? I do as much research about the place as I can so I'm know what projects are going on and can come up with some questions to ask them.
And my challenge to you: If you do go to a job site before the interview and someone asks if they can help you, don't be afraid to say you've got an interview coming up and you wanted to check out the place before hand. I chickened out and said I was just looking around, so I looked like a creepy adult in the young adults section of a library. And then I was interviewed the next day by the lady who asked if I needed help. :P
