Comments for Careers in Real Life

Comment on Target, Beer Pong and Party Schools by Brenda Bethman

Brenda Bethman — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 10:20:58 +0000

The bigger problem, it seems to me, is that the drinking age and puritanical relationship we have to alcohol in the U.S. In Europe, where the drinking age is younger and drinking is part of every day life in a way that it isn’t here, you rarely see the kind of excessive binge drinking that we have in the U.S. (well, except for the UK, but then again, where did those Puritans come from?). A lot of the binge drinking problems could be solved if the larger culture treated drinking the way the French and Italians do. But we don’t, which is why I think campus efforts are doomed. A better approach is the one advocated by a group of college presidents who want to see the drinking age lowered to 18 (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=93749553). As we all know, forbidden substances are much more enticing.

Comment on Target, Beer Pong and Party Schools by Kelly Cuene

Kelly Cuene — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 21:56:52 +0000

Thanks for your thoughts, Kira. I find the party school list amusing, too. That probably makes me a bad college administrator, but it’s just that people get so dramatic about it when we should be saving the drama for the actual problems on campus.

I think info about drinking would be more effective as part of existing first-year seminar type course and would have to be delivered in a way that wouldn’t instantly be mocked by college students. I’m sure there are universities out there that do this well…

Comment on Target, Beer Pong and Party Schools by Kira Perdue

Kira Perdue — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 21:17:40 +0000

I am a graduate of one of the top “party schools.” Ohio University has been on that list for decades. I often find the annual list a good tool to poke fun at friends from other colleges and . . . as a now-responsible adult . . . amusing. It’s no big deal. Because I truly believe that ANY school is a party school if you want it to be. ANY college or university of ANY size has beer and parties, including the dry campuses.

I completely agree with you that efforts need to be put into binge drinking education. You can’t stop the party, so let’s require all students to take that as a required class freshman year.

And the Target display?! Shame on them! That is completely ridiculous, I agree.

Comment on Target, Beer Pong and Party Schools by Kelly Cuene

Kelly Cuene — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 20:39:50 +0000

Thanks for the comment, Matt. It’s great to have a student perspective on this. I think UW-Madison does a good job of hosting and promoting alternatives to alcohol, too. Not cheesy, no-one-will-ever-go-to-this alternatives but rather events and activities that lots of students actually want to attend (many of which are organized by student orgs). Many other schools host those kinds of things as well, but I think Madison has really gone above and beyond – probably because the issue is such a big one here.

Comment on Target, Beer Pong and Party Schools by Matt Beemsterboer

Matt Beemsterboer — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 20:18:37 +0000

As a student, I think you are pretty accurate in your assessment. If as much effort was put into education as is put into condemning the problem, it wouldn’t be a problem at all.

I think UW-Madison does a good job at promoting alcohol free events as alternatives to the usual binge drinking. I’m not sure if other schools are in the same boat, but I imagine that these efforts are replicated elsewhere to some degree. These events, with more education, can help alleviate the problem; however, it will never disappear.

Comment on All Career Advice Can Be Boiled Down to This by Kelly Cuene

Kelly Cuene — Thu, 13 May 2010 04:40:46 +0000

@Sharron You make an interesting point, which has recently come up in the office I work. Some staff feel that self-awareness and an openness to feedback differ among the generations. Certainly, having the time to self-reflect and think critically about who we are and where we want to go is often a privilege. Thanks for your comment!

Comment on All Career Advice Can Be Boiled Down to This by Sharron McGrath

Sharron McGrath — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 23:17:27 +0000

While I strongly agree with the statement made by Kelly Cuene re “a healthy sense of self-awareness . . . ” I must admit that is much easier said than done. As a woman in her “senior years” who has lived a lifetime of work, marriage, raising children, etc. we were not prorammed to think along those lines. Simply put we did what we had to do and did not question it regardless of how pleasant or nasty the situation might have been. Self-awareness was the last thing on our collective mind – self preservation was more the focus. I have just completed an intensive career analysis course and I highly commend today’s focus on young people first finding out who they are and what they like to do before investing time and money on any serious career training courses.

Comment on All Career Advice Can Be Boiled Down to This by Kelly Cuene

Kelly Cuene — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 14:13:18 +0000

@Leah – Good addition to the list. A healthy sense of self-awareness and confidence in who you are and what you can do are definitely important.

@Miguel – Interesting take in that the best advice needs to be repeated. I like it!

@Teri – Agreed!

Comment on All Career Advice Can Be Boiled Down to This by Teri

Teri — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 12:44:15 +0000

Well said- now if we could just do what we know…be intentional everyday.

Comment on All Career Advice Can Be Boiled Down to This by Miguel A. Corona

Miguel A. Corona — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 18:49:16 +0000

LOL Kelly Re: your Tweet – not bad for 5 minutes. I can appreciate your thoughts since often times I feel the same way via my blog. I guess what it means is that the best advice can never be given just once – but as often as we can give it. Thanks for post!