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We published an electronic newsletter bi-weekly in the fall and almost weekly in the spring, with over 850 subscribers. New in the spring, we wrote an advice column called, "Dear CRCers:".
Our successful independent studies and independent concentration proposals are available on our website. Anna Stacy '17, Digital Archives & Media Coordinator, during her four year tenure created the new CRC, TiA and CRC@40 logos, infographics about the independent concentration proposal process and advising at Brown, the CRC website banner and print brochure, and several of our print event posters. {Sample "Dear CRCer:" feature published May 18, 2017:} Dear CRCers: I don't have plans yet for the summer. I was so busy with everything during the semester that I didn't really have a lot of time to look for a job/internship. It's probably too late to find something, right? Signed, Behind the 8-Ball Maybe not! Try not to stress about not having something lined up for the summer if you don't yet have firm plans. Many organizations are still hiring, after all. And remember the advice from Paige Morris '16 in a previous newsletter about taking stock of what your core needs are--be they financial, being with family, taking a summer course or self-care. The summer need not be categorically about building your résumé. You know this--summer is a time to learn in different ways and settings. Don't discount the value of going home for the summer to reconnect with family and friends, waiting tables or being a barista to meet your summer earnings requirement; or making the time to chill-lax and learn how to cook, take a free online skills-development course, cultivate a new hobby, or read novels for fun. As for fitting in some time to explore career paths if you haven't been able to land an internship/job in a field you're interested in checking out, consider using the summer to volunteer part-time at a local organization related to your interests, or to shadow a professional one or two mornings a week. Perhaps read up on an industry or do some informational interviews. You can learn about a type of career even if it's not via full-time summer employment at a résumé-building internship. As a side note, we've found that CRCers who have waited tables have learned the art of customer relations, efficiency and time management! A student CRCer says: The pressure at Brown to be proactive about your summer and have a well-thought out summer plan is very strong. During the Spring it seems like everyone is talking about their internships/job plans, or intention to travel. It can be hard not to feel swept up by the feeling that you should absolutely have something amazing lined up for your summer, or to feel inadequate if you haven't got any plans. I have certainly experienced those feelings every year when internship season rolls around. My advice would be to remember that you have been working hard all year, and wanting to rest at a slower pace and be with family is a very healthy and normal thing. The summer doesn't have to mean working every day at a job that will boost your resume and increase your employability in the future. The summer can be an opportunity to accomplish all sorts of things, from working to earn cash for school, learning a new skill to recuperating from the stress of the college environment. Having said this, wanting to explore career options is also a positive thing, and it's never too late to reach out and find opportunities available to you. In order to find the happy medium, perhaps try to find at least part-time work in your field of interest. Even though it's difficult not to succumb to the pressure, try to remember that the summer should be a chance to do what's best for you and fulfill your needs, no one else's. |