Fellow Students, Don't Waste Your Quarantine

Sleeping in all day, playing video games, eating junk food... Doesn't this feel like the summer holidays? Whilst it may be tempting to spend your time doing what could be described as "absolutely nothing!", we should never forget that while the world is paused time keeps rolling on and adulthood continues to creep up. I don't mean to be cynical, but the extent to which that statement stung the core of your soul should serve as a reminder of just how unprepared we are for the real world. A productive way to drag you out of the hole of despair that you might now find yourself grovelling in (sorry about that :) ) is to develop a new skill, something that will look good on your CV and allow you to emerge safely from the security of your homely, little bubble.

The Future is Finance

There are two things that you can't escape in life: death and taxes. You're probably aware of the concept of death, but does anyone know what taxes are? I don't, which is why I've made it my goal to figure out during quarantine how to navigate finance - at least enough to not accidentally land myself in an awkward position between a bank and a loan shark. At some point, we're all going to have to be responsible for money, most probably ours, but in some terrifying cases, someone else's, so it is with this in mind that I recommend that you all join me on this economic escapade.

Earn-lay o-tay Ode-cay

Get it? Because pig-latin is a form of code? Whatever. It's cringy, but my point still stands. Our world is becoming increasingly dependent on technology and as students, we should understand that the most. For those of us that didn't pay much attention in IT, that's going to hurt in the future as basic expectations in technological proficiency rise and we fail to keep up. So, let's not be left behind and use the wealth of information available on the internet for something other than trying to figure out how to pronounce the name of Elon Musk's child; specifically learning how to use Excel functions and basic coding language.

Aprender un Lenguaje Nuevo

If you don't know what that says, this one is definitely for you. You've heard all the reasons to learn a new language before: it opens up new worlds, allows you to see your own language in a new light, gives you the opportunity to to speak to new people - all that jazz. However, nowadays when our phones can be a translator, tour-guide and anything else we need it to be all in one device, it's understandable that no matter how easy it is to access the resources we would need to ace fluency in a different tongue, we would just rather not. Well, I have one acronym that just might convince you... CVs. Nothing sells like bilingualism. Technology is allowing for connectivity between countries on unprecedented scales and knowing the language of the country that you're working with is not only polite, but necessary for a good business relationship.

There's Reading and Reading

As a blogger, I obviously have a hidden agenda in encouraging my readers to read, but that is not actually the case here. When I say reading, I mean making yourself well-read. Reading classics and the news, becoming cultured through words. Your grammar: improved. Your vocabulary: improved. Your general communication and value to society: improve. Need I say more?

As much as I will definitely be making the most of this down-time, catching up on Netflix and baking to my heart's desire, I will not be left in the dark when the dust settles. Your mind is important and you should keep it sharp. 'Nough said.

Stay safe,

The Blogging Team.