Nick: You got us a job at Google?
Billy: Well, not a job job. It’s an interview for an internship that could lead to a job. Nick, this might be the last chance that we’ve got.
~The Internship
While internships are not always the last chance (in fact, they really should be the first chance), they are a vital part of a student's college career. So, if you're a high schooler who is preparing for other aspects of college, make sure to keep internships high on the list as well.
“Being kind is one of the hardest thing (sic) to be in high school
because you're so terrified of being cut down yourself that you're always on your guard.
But don't be like that. Be kind and you will be truly different.
A standout. Unique and happy.”
~ Wendy Wunder, author of The Probability of Miracles
I’m not sure I agree that being kind is the hardest thing to do, but I know it’s one of the smartest things you can do for yourself and for others. Kindness, respect and consideration for others not only are the cornerstones of good manners but they are the elements of social success by making us attractive and pleasant to be around. No matter what challenges one’s high school years present they can be overcome, or at least mitigated, by practicing kindness and focusing on others. And, doing so can prepare you for college and beyond.
You say "Goodbye" and I say "Hello. Hello, hello."
Hello, Goodbye, by the Beatles
You’ve already visited your campus, taken the tours, met with some key people, attended orientation sessions, received your welcome packet, activated whatever needs to be activated – or are in the process of doing so – discussed and negotiated various subjects with your parents, met your new roommate and your RA, and so on. If you haven’t completed all of the aforementioned, let’s start with your parents:
“You say goodbye and I say hello,” from the 1967 hit song,
Hello, Goodbye, by the Beatles
According to Wikipedia, speaking about his popular song Paul McCartney "gave an explanation of its meaning in an interview with Disc: ‘The answer to everything is simple. It’s a song about everything and nothing. If you have black you have to have white. That’s the amazing thing about life.’
“A restaurant is a fantasy--a kind of living fantasy in which diners
are the most important members of the cast.” ~ Warner LeRoy
Mr. LeRoy, the late and flamboyant restaurateur who owned the famed Tavern on the Green and Maxwell’s Plum in Manhattan among other other famous restaurants, and who was the son of Mervyn LeRoy, producer of the beloved 1939 fantasy film, The Wizard of Oz, starring Judy Garland, believed rightly so that diners (customers) are the most important cast members (stars) of the restaurant show. He felt strongly that dining out in a restaurant should be a show. And, we know that the show cannot go on without its stars.
Would Macy’s Tell Gimbels?
The time-honored adage above refers to the legendary rivalry between two great New York-based department stores. In the end, Gimbels-- which owned Saks Fifth Avenue, was where Lucy Ricardo shopped, and which started a Thanksgiving Day Parade four years before Macy’s did -- closed its doors. Macy’s, of course, is still around. And, while stores can go out of business because of mergers, acquisitions and poor management, the deciding factor in a department store’s success or failure is its ability to attract, retain and increase the numbers of customers who shop there.
“Anybody who’s ever worked in a grocery store or shopped in a grocery store knows that bagging is the heart and soul, the very lifeblood, of the American food industry.” ~ David Letterman
Knowing how to bag properly is one of the most important skills that anyone who works in a supermarket can possess. And, although the above quote by the illustrious talk show star might be somewhat tongue-in-cheek, the supermarket bagger might well be the unsung hero of the industry.
“A person buying ordinary products in a supermarket is in touch with his deepest emotions.” ~ John Kenneth Galbraith, U.S. Economist
The observation that an ordinary task can be an emotional experience is a concept that anyone who works in a supermarket should understand about its customers. Developing empathy for and respecting customers is key to the success of all retail enterprises. But why is this especially so for a supermarket?
Diamonds are nothing more than chunks of coal that stuck to their jobs.”
~ Malcolm S. Forbes
(Please note that I'm interrupting my series on dining etiquette
for a few weeks to focus on the topic of summer job etiquette.)
Sticking to one’s job in a positive and productive way is the key to making progress. And, speaking of making progress, the U.S. is seeing some of the strongest summer employment numbers for teenagers since the 2007 discovery that the world was in the midst of the largest disaster since 1929. These figures might also include summer internships, which differ from the time-honored summer I-need-to-earn-some-money job; but still the job picture is improving. If you’re among the lucky teenagers, as well as college students, to have summer employment, this entry is for you!
Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working
together is success. ~ Henry Ford, Founder of the Ford Motor Company
The famous American industrialist probably didn’t have salt and pepper in mind when he uttered these words. But they apply to this week’s topic. When part of the dining table -- whether at a casual business breakfast or a formal dinner party -- the salt and pepper shakers are placed on the table together, kept together when being passed and work together when both are used to season food.
Jeanne Nelson 