Creating a Healthy Email Perception

Technology use has become more prevalent in the last decade and with help from the Internet, students have been able to attend class’s right from the comfort of their own home.  Although technology has opened up many doors to help aid students in their educational goals it has also presented challenges with communication in the online classroom.

Formulating a well-structured email is crucial in distance learning as it builds not only on your relationship with your instructor but also is an essential skill that all students and faculty should develop.   There is less confusion and distress when email communication is organized and professional.

Here are some tips that can encourage healthy and efficient email communication.

- Express the main content in your email by utilizing the Subject Line.  Your subject will indicate what your email correspondence entails.  Also, developing a strong title can be perceived as a quick summary and allows preparation for your reader.

- Choose a friendly Greeting.  Opening your email with “hello” or “good evening” is always a pleasant gesture.

- Be mindful of the Font you select.  Calibri and Arial are both simple selections that prevent challenges for those with sensitive vision.

- Try not to use extreme colors such as red.  Selecting a neutral Color such as blue is a gentle way to highlight specific points in your email.

- Always present yourself Professionally.  Writing in text message lingo is casual and lacks a sound composure.

- Never write in Caps Lock.  Capitalizing all letters in a word or sentence displays aggression and has high risks of offending your reader.

- Discuss if a Response is needed.  Requesting feedback clarifies that your email is not just information but an open discussion.

- Review your email, perhaps by reading it out loud or asking a friend to read it.  Since no two people are alike, achieving a balanced perception is vital.

Keep in mind that writing proper emails is an ability that everyone can learn and practice.  Furthermore, reading email communication is equally as important.  Email perception is a delicate matter that both instructor and student can work to interpret with fair approaches.

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Study Breaks and Strategies To Re-Energize

If you find yourself growing sleepy as you work on that lengthy reading assignment, term paper or exam preparation, try some of the following suggestions for quick energy boosts:

• Go for walk. Simple as it sounds, the very act of getting your muscles moving and heart pumping can rejuvenate your mind, body and spirit. If you prefer, get some light hand weights or jog in place! Exercise, even if just for 10 minutes, can give you a natural energy boost to attack that assignment with a fresh perspective.

• Stretch. Acquire a set of stretching exercises to alleviate stiff joints and muscles. Holding onto a piece of furniture or the wall, try pushing your foot against your hand while using your other leg for balance to stretch your quadricep muscles. Another good one for the upper body is to stretch your arm across your chest, while holding it with the opposite hand to; you can do this while sitting or standing. Clasping your hands behind your back with your chest to the ceiling is another great one to release tension in your shoulder blades. Note: if you do not stretch on a regular basis, start gently with these exercises or if you belong to a gym, consult with a trainer there.

• Incorporate some red in your routine. Research shows that staring at something with a red hue can give you an energy boost when you are in dire need for one; it can also recharge your muscles, believe it or not! Pictures of red flowers or keeping red folders and pens for your study supplies is a good choice.

• Visit a favorite you tube site for a dose of laughter (don’t spend too long though to prevent losing focus!) can stimulate the heart and blood pressure, in a good way, to help you press on and finish that lingering assignment.

• Yawn without hesitation! It is a way to relax the brain while rejuvenating your body at the same time.

• Grab a healthy snack that contains added protein as in the choices below:

• Apple or banana with peanut or almond butter
• Crackers or veggies with hummusTrail mix (make sure it contains nuts and seeds for protein)
• Plain yogurt with fresh fruit or granola mixed in

So, whenever you get that brain fog and fatigue coming on from studying for long periods, draw on one of the above re-charge strategies and be sure to choose healthy for your food choices! Avoid too much sugar that can lead to a post sugar crash and add extra protein to your snacks and meals for lasting energy.

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Stress Management Suggestions: Food for Thought

So, by now, you are probably tired of hearing about the benefits of exercise and meditation in reducing stress. In light of juggling multiple responsiblities during a busy semester, below are a few new suggestions to add to your list of stress management techniques that you may not have heard of before:

• Steal the Mic from Your Inner Jerk: Often, when we are at our lowest point, silencing the “inner jerk” that says you are not good enough is a good way to empower yourself and reinforce that you are in charge of your own feelings and destiny.

• Avoid rushing too much; use that time that you are waiting in line at the grocery store to think about your weekend plans or read a magazine article that might teach you something new that you can apply to your daily life such as dietary guidelines or new exercise routines in a journal like Health magazine. More importantly, if you need time to deal with a “heavy” or unexpected situation, be sure to set aside that time to reflect. E-mails, phone calls and basically life moves at a rapid pace; dealing with an important decision or situation really requires filtering out distractions and thinking in a quiet place as much as possible.

• Use that space in between a situation and the response that you choose to really get in tune with the answer that you know is right and always remember that there is that space for you to make the appropriate choice, even if the choice is “you don’t know yet.”

• Take time to bond with family and friends. Often, they can provide perspective and insight that you may not have thought of or remind you of times when you felt lighthearted and not under stress – what kinds of choices you made then and how you coped with unforeseen obstacles.Using these techniques as a topic for journaling is a great way to come to terms with stressors that are causing you to re-think past decisions and get into a process for making appropriate choices.

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Tools for Success: Preparing for a Job Interview

With summer just around the corner, it is not too early to start looking for a summer job, internship or service learning opportunity.  Once you have applied, it is time to prepare for the interview!  To prepare for a successful interview, consider:

Interview Appointment: Once you get the call for the coveted interview, be sure to get the date/time,  full name, address (building number) and telephone number of the person that will be interviewing you.  Immediately place the information in your telephone calendar and/or planner (keep a back up).

Research: Explore the company or organization website and search for recent news articles. Be prepared to share what you have learned about the company accomplishments, mission and goals.  They will be impressed to see that you have done your homework.

Practice: Research interview questions and practice your responses.  Just as when studying for a test, or preparing for a presentation, it is important to practice early and not cram your thoughts and responses briefly, the night before.  Think of impressive illustrations from your past employment, personal and educational experiences.  Be familiar with group projects and ways that you have contributed as a team player.  This is your chance to shine – be prepared!

Test Drive:  Even if you are using public transportation, take the time to make a practice run to the interview location.  One blogger shares a story of a failed interview writing the applicant “arrived 30 minutes late for his interview [because] he had programmed his GPS too quickly the night before, and had entered the street address as ‘Drive’ instead of ‘Place’.”  

Dress for Success:  The first impression you set may be based on what you are wearing and how you appear.

Resume: Be sure to bring an up-to-date copy of your resume for each person on the interview committee.  If you can, carry it in a portfolio from your College.

Follow Through:  Be sure you have business cards or names of the employees that interviewed you so that you can follow through with a thank you note.

There is an abundance of informational blogs and tips focused on interview skills and questions.  A few to consider exploring include: EmploymentGuide.com,  Barbara Pachter & Associates and About.com-10 Top Interview Tips.  For an engaging and interactive approach, consider Student Lingo’s online workshop, Mastering the Job Interview, available free to NOVA Students. 

Not sure where to start in your job search?  ELI’s webinar, Exploring Career Options and/or Conducting a Job Search can help you get started.

When interviewing, do not hesitate to ask questions.  To determine if your career goals will be met, you are interviewing them as well.  Good Luck!

Quick Tips for Remembering Names

Do you find yourself forgetting important names immediately after you have attended an important networking function or social event?  If so, the following techniques may help you retain the information more effectively:

·         Have a positive attitude going into the event and tell yourself that you will remember a few important names when you leave, rather than approach the event with a defeatist attitude.

·         Slow down and filter out external distractions.  Inevitably, there will be crowds, music and people talking around you.  As you are learning a person’s name, take the time to repeat it to yourself a few times while blocking out the external sound around you.

·         Get some information related to the person that is associated with their name such as where they are from or how they became interested in the event.  If you can create a mental association with the name, you will be more likely to recall it later on.

·         Say the person’s name frequently during your interaction with them.  It will reinforce to them that they are of importance to you and repetition of the name can help to reinforce it in your mind.

·         If you are a visual learner, create images in your mind that link the word in the name with the image.  For example, if someone has the last name “Baker”, you might associate cupcakes or baked goods with the last name.  For more information on memory devices that you can use to remember names, visit Memory Layer, a website that contains mnemonic devices that can help you be creative as you strive to memorize names using an innovative approach.

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On Campus Event : “An Evening with Poet Sonia Sanchez”

If you live in the area, Manassas Campus invites you to attend, “An Evening with Sonia Sanchez”.   The event will take place, Monday, February 25 from 5:00 to 7:00 pm, at the Manassas Campus-Colgan Theater.  

Sanchez is a renowned poet and prolific writer. She is the author of more than 20 books including “Homecoming,” “We a BaddDDD People,” “Love Poems,” “I’ve Been a Woman,” “Homegirls and Handgrenades,” “Under a Soprano Sky,” “Wounded in the House of a Friend,” “Like the Singing Coming off the Drums,” “Shake Loose My Skin” and “Morning Haiku.” 

Among her many credits, Sanchez was the first Presidential Fellow at Temple University and she also held the Laura Carnell Chair in English at Temple University. Currently, Sanchez is one of 20 African-American women featured in “Freedom Sisters,” an interactive traveling exhibition created by the Cincinnati Museum Center and Smithsonian Institution. In December 2011, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter selected Sanchez as Philadelphia’s first Poet Laureate, calling her “the longtime conscience of the city.”  (To learn more about Sonia Sanchez, please click here.)

This is an excellent opportunity to take a break and spend an evening learning about the outstanding achievements of poet, Sonia Sanchez.  The event is free and open to the public with free parking in the student parking lots (Lot B).  Directions and a map of Manassas Campus are available on their homepage.

Promoting Academic Success: Common Grammar Problems to Avoid

Excellent tips to follow when developing presentations, writing for your class, career or personal writing:

 

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Managing Your Time: Online Calendars

Tired of flipping through the pages of a paper planner?  Although paper planners are a valuable tool to organize your appointments, assignments, and life, if you prefer technology, you may want to consider using an online calendar.  If you are struggling with time management or organizing appointments, assignments, quizzes and tests, you may find that an online calendar is just what you need to get organized and stay ahead of course due dates!   

Online calendars are a great way to organize your work.  If you have an important test or assignment approaching, set reminders a few days in advance and receive a text reminder.  Online calendars will even help you organize your group project and enable you to create a special Yahoo! account for group projects. 

 

To learn more about online calendars, take time to explore and review the five referenced below and see which format will work best for your needs. 

Google Calendar:  Easy to Use and Share

Zoho Calendar:  Many options as simple or as detailed as you desire

Cozi Family Organizer: Shared family calendar enables you to snyc family activities

Jibidee Free Online Calendar: Manage an address book, photos, lists, and documents

Keep and Share Online Calendar: Share files, make to do lists, and even keep online databases

Once you get comfortable using your calendar (online or paper copy), you will develop the habit of checking and adding to your calendar daily, and you will be in control!  For additional information on organizing and managing your assignments via online or paper calendar, click here. 

If you are using or switch to an online calendar, remember to back up your information!

February is Black History Month

In celebration of this important period of history, ELI is giving away copies of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. If you are an ELI student or faculty member who would like a free copy of the book, please send an email, including your student number, ELISuccess@nvcc.edu. 

This book was the last book read by the ELI’s Book & Cinema Club.  If you wish to become a member of the book club, please send an email to ELILearn@nvcc.edu.  The club’s current book is Argo.   If you recall, “Argo “won Best Picture at the Gold Globe Awards!  As a bonus, members will be able to watch the movie at the end of February!   

For an overview of the award winning book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, visit author Rebecca Skloot’s  narration of the book’s overview.  See the video here!

Making Peace With Time

Do you find yourself competing with your clock? Are you trying to engage in too many projects or assignments at once without giving any one your undivided attention? Do you sometimes feel like you are at the mercy of your cell phone or blackberry? In the book, “Power of Slow”, Christine Louise Hohlbaum discusses several strategies to help time work in your favor. He discussed the following tips:

• Adopt a “gentler” pace that involves finding a rhythm that is comfortable for you. It does not mean you have to limit your efficiency on tasks and responsibilities, but finding time to stop in between your daily agenda to enjoy the simple things and savor brief bursts of time to rejuvenate your spirit.

• Familiarize yourself with the concept of “time abundance”. Hohlbaum describes this state as an awareness that there is more than enough time to accomplish tasks that contribute to your sense of purpose. If one of your purposes is to help people, whatever task moves you toward that end will blend with the window of time needed to accomplish this purpose, the point being to trust that time is on your side when you are accomplishing goals that stay within your life’s purpose.

• Know when saying “no” to one thing aids in “creating the opening” to make another possibility happen. Sometimes, when faced with a choice, if you are in a position to say “no” to something, it can create the space for “yes” in a more meaningful opportunity.

• Hohlbaum uses the term “ma”, a term coined by the Japanese to represent the space in between music or beats to symbolize those little moments of nothingness that we need to recharge in between tasks. The point is to create space between meetings and time-specific obligations to appreciate moments of peace and serenity.

• Go “clock free” to experience what it is like to appreciate the sense of timelessness that comes with disconnecting from your time source (i. e., clock, cell phone, clock on your computer). This will help you get in touch with how you experience the ebbs and flows of time that are not being dictated by a number.

•Participate in activities that are of high interest and enjoyment such as your favorite hobby(ies). If dancing or painting take you away from the hectic pace of life so that you are not thinking at all about time and deadlines, pick an appropriate window of opportunity during the week to engage in these uplifting activities. Hohlbaum likens this activity to “inviting flow” into your life.

• Practice mindful eating. Rather than viewing eating as just another activity in your day that you need to survive, take time to pause in between bites and take your time chewing, taking care to savor every bite and how it speaks to your senses.

• To regain your center and composure, take advantage of letting that call go to voicemail when you are in need of time to recharge your batteries. Furthermore, turning off your cell phone altogether is a great way to prevent the clock, the calls and the e-mails from forcing you to operate at a frantic pace that can leave you out of balance at the end of the day. New rule: five minutes of being cell phone free can be the equivalent to an hour of liberation!

• Close multiple windows on your computer to encourage focusing on one project at a time. This act helps to minimize the distractions that can interfere with complete, uninterrupted concentration.

• Maintain a sense of adventure by taking time out to visit places outside of the realm of work, family and home. Hohlbaum labels this technique being the “Captain of Your Own Ship” as you take the time to visit other ports to make the most of your time and create meaning within the time allotted in your days and weeks.

Hohlbaum also discusses the importance of recapturing the meaning of your childhood dreams and engaging in pursuits that relate to those interests as a way of making your time valuable. For more inspiring techniques on balancing your time in a meaningful way, visit this link.

Valentine's Day Celebration Tips for Singles

While Valentine’s Day is a fun and special holiday to look forward to, for single people out there, Valentine’s Day can be a lonely and listless time.   However, there are strategies that can help you make Valentine’s Day a celebratory occasion even if you are “valentine-less.”  

·         Take an inventory of everyone who has impacted your life in a positive way, be it friends, family, mentors or acquaintances.  Take time to express your appreciation by sending them a card, e-mailing them a poem that shows your gratitude if you are feeling extra energized, or baking them a tasty dessert.

·         Volunteer for a cause that you are passionate about such as helping the homeless or reach out to someone whom you know may be going through an especially difficult time during this time of year.  For example, if you know one who is grieving a loss, reach out to them.  The caring that you show now can yield rewards down the road.

·         Make someone’s day by paying it forward.  Knowing that you have received a lot of love and support from others, allow someone to have your parking spot or give someone your spot in the grocery line.  A generous spirit helps to create a closer connection with others will inspire your internal joy and self love.

·         Use this time to mend strained friendships and relationships with others.  Simply sending a card, picking up the phone or sending them an e-mail with the intention of resolving differences and creating a fresh start can go a long way in reigniting connections that may have withered from disagreement or lack of contact.

·         Remind yourself of all of the goals that you have accomplished and special moments that you have experienced with key people in your life by making a list of 10 experiences that have enhanced your life in some way.  Include a short phrase that specifies how the experience impacted your life.  It will leave you feeling inspired and help you look forward to future uplifting experiences to come.

·         While you are yearning for a special someone to spend Valentine’s Day with, embrace all of things in the present moment that you have to be thankful for such as fulfilling work, strong friendships and family ties or good health.  This will help you to stay encouraged and find comfort in the place that you are at right now.

·         Be your own Valentine by treating yourself to something special- a massage, watching a good movie, getting together with friends or a favorite gourmet meal, guilt-free. 

Valentine’s Day can be a time of celebration for singles as well as couples.  For more information on this topic, visit the following link. 

Amazing Grade Calculator

Ever wonder how your final exam or mid-term is going to affect your final grade in a course? For many students, doing well on an exam can mean the difference between passing or failing a course.  Perhaps you are a terrible test taker or get really bad test anxiety.  The good news is you can stress less and prepare more effectively if you know what grade you need to pull on a test to achieve your goal grade.  To support your goal, this Amazing Grade Calculator can help you calculate your grade to-date and show how a test score will impact your final grade in the course.  *Don’t forget to hit the ‘Calculate!’ button at the bottom of the page to see your results!

Resources to Promote Your Success: Enhancing Your Presentation and Speaking Skills

The ELI Success Coaches are here to promote your success.  If you are struggling with assignments or course content, we can refer you to helpful resources that will promote your academic success.  One resource we are excited to highlight is the Annandale Campus Oral Communication Center (OCC) and Toastmasters.

If you are struggling with a presentation for an ELI or on-campus class, the OCC can help you! The mission of the Annandale Campus Oral Communication Center (OCC) is to “enable student success through improved speaking and presentation skills across disciplines. NOVA students can work with trained speech consultants to develop and refine their skills for individual and group presentations”.

In addition to enhancing your presentation and speaking skills, if you experience struggles developing a strong speech introduction, body, and conclusion, the OCC faculty will critique your written presentation and provide feedback.   To further perfect your presentation and development skills, they even offer resources and workshops!

If you are unable to access the resources located at the OCC, another source to consider is your local Toastmasters.  Toastmasters is an organization with local meetings throughout the Country.  They provide opportunities to practice impromptu presentations in a “learn-by-doing workshop in which participants hone their speaking and leadership skills in a no-pressure atmosphere”.   Not only will regular participation or membership in Toastmasters enhance your speaking and presentation skills, it will also serve as a sensational confidence and resume builder.

For additional resources to promote your success, contact your Success Coach today at elisuccess@nvcc.edu or call 703.764.5076.

Math Anxiety Webinar

Do you get nervous about doing your math homework or taking math exams?  If so, you have come to the right place!   We will be offering a webinar on the causes of math anxiety and strategies for coping with them.  The webinar will be offered on Friday, February 15th from 1:00-1:45 pm.  For more information about the webinar and to sign up, visit this link. 

Who Sang It First?

How well do you know your history of who sang it first?  Believe it or not, there are a lot popular songs that were not originally recorded by the most current artist who sang it.  Test your trivia of original singers by taking the following quiz.

A Little Meditation Exercise to Refresh Your Brain

If you spend a lot of time at the computer, navigating different websites for work or school purposes, the frequency of changing gears that quickly can interfere with the ability to focus and complete one task at a time, according to Nick Begley, Head of Research for Headspace, an organization that connects the importance of meditation with mental focus.   Begley reports that the average worker switches computer windows an average of 37 times an hour.  This degree of starting and stopping research at this pace and frequency can interfere with one’s ability to follow a task to completion and maintain sustained concentration on one task at a time. 

As a result of this reduced capacity to focus, it can interfere with the ability to separate important information from unimportant information.  The solution?  Take 10 minutes a day and do nothing but focus on your thoughts without judging them.  While you are in this state, take time to focus on the present moment alone without thinking about the past or future.  This little bit of meditation time can go a long way in reducing stress and improving productivity.  If you find yourself getting burned out from your Internet research, for a project or homework assignment, this little exercise can “refresh” your brain and enhance your focus to get the task or assignment done!   Best of all, it only takes 10 minutes of your time.

For more information on this topic, visit this link.