Introducing… the College Money Network!

I’m thrilled to announce to you the launch of a brand-new PF network, set around the theme of money and college. There are six members (including yours truly), and we are college students, grad students or recent grads.

The College Money Network is a place where we’ll pool our information, giving you the best content we can, all about money, school and being a 20-something in the midst of it all.

Here are the other members (you’ll also notice a list on my sidebar):

• Broke-Ass Student || http://www.brokeass-student.com
• Broke Grad Student || http://www.brokegradstudent.com/
• Green Panda Treehouse || http://www.greenpandatreehouse.com/
• MFA or Bust || http://mfaorbust.blogspot.com/
• Poorer Than You || http://poorerthanyou.com/

In which she digresses, again.

My little brother is graduating from college. He’s doing everything smarter than I did, gaining a degree in a reputable field, finishing summa cum laude, happy to take off a month before worrying about getting his job.

He’s just so, smart. And I’m proud of him.

I think, if the world had more of kids like him finishing college, the world would be a lot nicer place.

He doesn’t know what he’s going to do next, not in the five-step-plan kind of way. But he knows what he likes and doesn’t like and he knows, in his way, what that means. I think he can do anything, sky’s the limit.

I Was the Guest Speaker.

Today, at a college class at my alma mater, I was the designated guest speaker. This is, I’m quite sure, one of the weirdest things I have gotten to do, to date. Just a year ago, I was sitting in a grad class, listening to guest speakers. Now I was the one doing the talking? Telling them about my job? Giving writing advice? It was Twilight Zone, strange dream and confusing, bad story all rolled into one.

Most of the drive up, I was practicing things I could say when I spoke to this class. My biggest fear was that I’d burst out laughing or that I’d say something horrible like, Guess what? We’re in a salary freeze! Oh, gosh.

All in all, it went well. I’d forgotten how much I loved classrooms and workshops and discussion.

Beyond major specifics, I told them a lot of the things I’ve written here: TRY, make an online portfolio, double-check your work!! and so on.

I left, having really enjoyed talking about my job, remembering all the things that are great about it. And it made me realize how valuable it is to count your blessings–out loud and to someone.

Try it, and see if you don’t feel like things are going well in your life. I dare you.

Go to School for Free!

I’m a big believer in the value of school, especially because of the benefits I’ve received since graduating. However, even for people (especially writers) who can’t, don’t want or don’t need to attend college, there are online courses available for free, just for the enjoyment of learning.

Where?

Take a look at this post from Education Portal:“10 Universities Offering Free Writing Courses Online.”

We’re talking about classes from major universities like MIT and Purdue. Check it out! If you done anything like this before, I’d love to hear about it.

Networking: LinkedIn!

I was reluctant to set up a LinkedIn profile, for a lot of reasons. It’s another site to join, another thing to keep up with. I didn’t really know what benefit it would be or how many people would be on it.

But this week I set up a profile, and then I used my e-mail address book to locate contacts. The next day, an old professor contacted me about speaking to his undergrad writing class. My alma mater will pay an honorarium of $175.

LinkedIn is already working!

What about you? Do you use LinkedIn?

Once a student…

Because I apparently cannot stay away from education, I’ve taken $155 out of my “services” envelope and purchased myself seven weeks of junior-college classes, starting next week.

I’ll be learning how to use my SLR, a Nikon D70 I eBayed last year. It’s a fantastic camera, but I have no idea how to use most of its features. Usually, I’ll fiddle around with it just long enough to return to my trusty point-and-shoot. Well, no longer.