Tuesday, March 09, 2010
   
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Youth Connect Blog

This blog is created by young adults for the young adult population.

Too much texting.

Posted by: aparez

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Nowadays everyone has a cellphone and we can all text. Some people have plans that are unlimited text messages, other have limited text, and some pay for every text they send. Yet, at one point in our life we have all texted. People have become avid texters and text to everybody at any time, but  are these texters taking it too far?

We all have seen the typical texter who texts in class, lunch, and when walking. Some of us even do this too. Some of these people have taken this texting to far. I am not saying texting is wrong, but some people have taken it too far. Have you ever had a friend to whom you were talking to and at every minute they take out their phone to text? Then seem they are ignoring us and not paying attention to what we have to say. It makes them look like their other friends or other people they are talking to are more important. 

Texting is not bad but it could become a bad habit. There are more appropriate times to when to text. For example, if you are alone at home and have nothing to do texting is acceptable. Yet, when you are interacting with real people and have other people attention to you then maybe texting a little less would be better. Virtual communication is taking over actual conversation and we are helping this.  Its important to talk to the people we have face to face then through a phone.


Prevent from getting sick

Posted by: aparez

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There are no 100% guarantees against not getting sick getting a flu Shot. Washing your hands frequently and keep your hands away from your face and mouth, disinfecting your room with lysol or some sort of disinfectant, disinfecting door knobs  people touch a lot, and washing your hands can help reduce the chances of you getting sick. There is one thing you can do that will dramatically reduce your risk of sickness. keep your hands clean, and do not touch your face or mouth unless you have just washed your hands. Most illnesses are transmitted through contact with germs on surfaces touched or used by the sick person, doorknobs, sink handles, and other materials constantly contacted by other individuals. Also, learn the right way to wash your hands: use soap, briskly rub your hands and let the clean water rinse them thoroughly, under your nails and rings too. do not turn off the water with your clean, wet hand-the germs are there waiting. use a piece of paper toweling to turn the water off-remember, you turned the water on with your dirty hands. Dry your hands thoroughly on a clean towel. Making this a habit  you will enjoy much more sick-free time and more time doing things you want.


How to write professional emails

Posted by: aparez

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Email is the most common and convenient way to communicate in the business world,  to  colleagues, employers, employees, professors and others who require formal communication. The smallest mistake can make a negative impression. People are not being careful on how they are formatting their emails before sending it to the recipients. Most emails written in a professional area are written as if they were a casual email to a friend. Most people in the working industry are nice people, but they usually have many things in their minds that a vague email is not helping them at all.

 

  1. Always fill in the subject line with a topic that means something to your reader. Do not be vague on what the subject is. For example if you have a deadline for something write the subject as "Deadline for Applications"


  2. Never start a message with a vague "This." ("This needs to be done by 5:00.") Because most of us have to read dozens of e-mails a day, specify which "this" you're talking about.


  3. The first paragraph should be about who you are and why you are sending the email. The second paragraph should contain the solutions or desired follow through of the situation.


  4. Don't use ALL CAPITALS (no shouting!). or all lower-case letters either


  5. Avoid email abbreviations and chat room acronyms: you may know all the abbreviations there are but the reader may not. Try to avoid using abbreviations.

  6. Be brief and polite. If your message runs longer than two or three short paragraphs, consider  reducing the message, or  providing an attachment. If you  include any attachments, mention them in the email so that the receiver does not get suspicious. Also, appropriately name the attachments so that the receiver knows what they are just by looking at the name.

  7. Provide a closing statement. Thanking the receiver for their time. Courtesy is always important, no matter how short the email really is. Include a follow up statement such as, "I will contact you again with further information," or "I look forward to hearing your ideas."


  8. Add a signature block with appropriate contact information. In most cases, this means your name, business address, and phone number, along with a legal disclaimer if required by your company. Do not clutter the signature block with a clever quotation and artwork. That is not needed.


  9. Edit and proofread before hitting "send." Do not let your emails be sloppy and have simple mistakes in it. Proofread, proofread, proofread.


  10. Finally, reply promptly to serious messages. If you need more than 24 hours to collect information or make a decision, send a brief response explaining the delay.

Unprofessional email.

Professional email

 


Filling out scholarship tips

Posted by: aparez

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Filling out scholarships can be  frustrating and confusing. Every scholarship has different requirements and different deadlines, but there are ways such a tedious process much more comfortable.

Read The Applications carefully

Every scholarship is different. There are few applications have the same requirements. One application may ask for 1000 word essay while another one may ask for a 500 word essay. It is important to read and get a full understanding of what is required before you submit your application. Otherwise it will be discarded and you would have wasted precious time.

You must prepare.

You probably will be applying for several scholarships in the hope of possibly going to school absolutely free. You don't want to wait until the last minute and throw together an essay or personal statement. Prepare in advance. Practice your personal statement. Start your doing scholarship research and start writing the rough draft of your personal statement 6 months before the deadline. Take time out  to work on it. This is very important stuff. You want to make sure yours stands out.

Work within the space you are given

They give you specific requirements for a reason. Pay attention to the word count and try to stay as close to as you can. Do the important stuff first then, if you have time, you can add extra elements to your application.

Give them what they want

Always give the provider of the scholarship exactly what they are asking for. If they are looking for someone with leadership skills then give them an example of your leadership skills. If they want someone with excellent writing skills then show that to them in your application. Use your personality traits to your advantage.

Explain why you want to study a particular subject

Try to be as concrete as possible to why you want to study in the field you are in. Many mess up in this step, but try to be as clear as possible as to why you want to major in a particular area.

Proofread

Before you mail off your application make sure you proofread it. Have someone else such as a teacher proofread it as well. They may catch something you might not. Make sure you are getting your message across very clear.


The long road ahead

Posted by: aparez

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Most high schools in the San Diego area are going to have a group of students graduating around June or July. For many, that day is the happiest day of their life and a big step towards independence. A lot of those students have applied to some type pf university and college, but there are some who have the potential to higher education, but they have one thing that is holding them back; they are not US citizens or residents.  Here in California, there is a law that allows them to go to a university or college of their choice and not have to pay sky rocketing prices for their education.

What is AB-540?

Someone who was born outside of the United States, but lives here without legal permission of the federal government and has studied 3 or more years at a public high school in California. These people, do not get any federal money to be able to help them pay for college or are they allowed to receive government grants such as Cal Grants from the government but they are still capable of going to college.

There are some benefits from being an AB-540 student. Those benefits are that you do not have to pay out of state tuition, but one pays the same as a resident of California to any college they want to go in California.

Not all the states have created a law that recognizes AB-540 students and California is one of the few who do. Being an AB-540 student


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