Effective Time Management Tips: Preparing for Finals with Kiy

Hello Business Niners! We have made it to the end of the Fall semester and the BCOB Peer Guides would like to leave you with some Time Management tips especially with exams coming up!

1. Prioritize your time wisely - Once you begin to organize your to-do list during Finals week remember to prioritize everything. You can do this by eliminating tasks that are not essential or important during this time. Then, think of 3-4 things that are most important to you to make sure you study and complete what is essential first.
2. Set time limits for  tasks - One of the most important things when creating a schedule is to set a time limit for something instead of just studying/working until it's done. Creating a to-do list can also help but if you do not set time limits then you may not be able to get everything completed. The Pomodoro Technique is very useful and can help one to incorporate breaks.
3. Learn to say no - You will never have alone time to study/ get tasks done if you do not learn to say no! You are the only person that knows what you truly have time for. Instead of completing tasks or agreeing to things that hold little to no value, complete and study for exams that will hold value for you in the future. Keep in mind the 80/20 rule which is 80 percent of your outcome comes from 20% of what you put in.
4. Become organized! - Keep this at the top of your to-do list. If your desk or study area is piled up with papers or different things scattered around, you would not be able to focus properly and find what you need as you need it.
5. Limit distractions - This can include searching the web aimlessly, social media, text messaging etc. Create time limits for when you will shut it all out to limit any interruptions. Close web browsers that you are not currently using and mute your messaging notifications so that you can have time alone.

These steps are important but also make sure to get a good night’s rest, drink enough water and eat healthily! 

Kiy's 5 Productivity Tips

 Productivity Tips

Hello Business Niners!

This is your Peer Guide, Kiy, here to provide you with 5 Productivity Tips.

Do you find it difficult to stay productive as a student sometimes?

As college students, we tend to overbook or just lose track of time so here are some tips to stay productive the right way.

1. Keep Track of Time - It can sometimes be difficult planning things if you are unsure how you are spending your time. Track your hours by breaking down major tasks into smaller portions. Set a time that you would like to spend on each task. Google Calendar, a manual calendar, a phone calendar or even sticky notes can be useful for this process.

2. Reward yourself - This enables positive reinforcement and can be a form of encouragement/motivation to yourself so that you can continue going. Rewards help you to have something good to look forward to despite having a difficult task at hand.

So it is important to take that break, eat that donut, go for that walk or possibly even watch that show.

3. Plan Ahead - The use of a planner (handheld, electronic or both) , calendar, sticky notes, markerboard etc is essential for setting the tone for the upcoming week, months and semesters to come! It can help you stay on track and prevent you from overbooking yourself and gives you the opportunity to plan life events around your classes and free time. 

4. Get Plenty of Sleep! - I know that this option may be hard as a college student but some studies show that 8 hours of sleep or even more is important for the brain to function healthily. To ensure that you can increase your productivity in the future, try to “wind down” or use less light later in the evenings. 

5. Take Regular Breaks - This point goes hand in hand with planning ahead because if you do not plan ahead to begin tasks on time you most likely will not have enough time to take breaks. It is not good to try to cram so much new information at once, this may cause fatigue. However, taking regular breaks can increase your productivity levels.

C-Suite Speaker Series Axe-Clusive! (November 2022)

 

Hello Business Niners! This is your Peer Guide Kiyoshi with an axe-clusive update about the C-Suite  Speaker Series that was recently held on November 3rd,2022.

 I hope that you all are doing well both physically and mentally as we prepare for this upcoming Thanksgiving Break. 

Mike Freno the Chairman and CEO of Barings, LLC who holds a B.A. from Furman University and an M.B.A. from Wake Forest University came to speak to the Belk College of Business about his journey and what his day to day position entails. His involvement entails two decades on the buy-side, focusing on both equity and debt investments.

Two of our Peer Guides: Matthew Morton and Kiyoshi Roberts had the opportunity on behalf of the students here at the Belk College of Business. 

Two main takeaways from this event are: “To take risks early on in your career..” This is important because oftentimes we are hard on ourselves and do not realize how young we are and that we have so much time ahead of us so it is okay to take those big leaps of faith early on.

Another takeaway from the event was to: “Find out what you do not want to do as much as you find out what you want to do.” This is also important because it helps us figure out our purposes in life  and helps us to avoid things that would not impact us in the right way. Life is a journey so we should enjoy every part of it. 

To learn more about Belk College of Business events click here.

Recap: 2022 Women in Business Signature Event

Hello Niners! Two weeks ago, the Women in Business Initiative had the amazing opportunity to host the annual Signature Event in Uptown Charlotte at the Dubois Center at UNC Charlotte Center City.

We began the day by having lunch with peers, alumni, and professionals. We were finally able to sit back and enjoy each other's company. As lunch concluded, keynote speaker Donna Julian, executive vice president & Spectrum Center general manager with Hornets Sports and Entertainment, inspired so many of us by sharing her story as she had a fireside chat with Dr. Natasha Randle. Julian accentuated the idea of working hard and following your dreams, as well as finding role models and people to look up to.

Following Julian, we split up into three breakout rooms that were catered to each person's choosing. Our breakout rooms highlighted:

The Importance of Your Brand: Criseida Rico, Camelia Taheri, and Carisa Findley were an enthusiastic group who brought so many different past experiences and ideas to the discussion and taught us how our brand can help leverage our careers.

Investing in Your Professional Self: Dorlisa Flur and Dr. Patrick Madsen had a great conversation about why professional development is important and why you should look for in a career and how you should manage your own development aside from the professional space.

Value and Visibility: Dr. LaShana Wiggs and Terri White were able to dig into the topic of self-advocacy and stressed the importance of being proud of your accomplishments.

After our breakout rooms we had the opportunity to spend time speed networking. We were able to go to any table we wanted and talk to different professionals about themselves, their experience, or anything else for five minutes. It was a great way to listen to some insightful advice and make new connections.

Shortly after, three scholarship winners were announced:

• Boylan-Ott Scholarship Recipient: Christina De Guzman
• Women in Business Scholarship Recipient: Sierra Richardson
• Women in Business Scholarship Recipient: Kennedy Grayden

It was a fantastic event and we want to thank everyone who was able to participate. You can check out the pictures here. We hope to see some of you at our next one!

Like what you’ve read? There’s still time to join the Women in Business Initiative! Our last event of the semester will be our November Coffee Hour on Nov. 21 at 5:30pm. Join us as we talk about building confidence. Register here.

 

Hello everyone! It is your fellow Business Niner and Peer Guide Kiyoshi Roberts with some axe-citing news on the topic Professional Development Meetup: Growing your network!

This event was led by the director of the PD team: Meagan Glasco and a fellow Peer Guide Matthew Mortion via Zoom. Fifth Third Bank came and spoke to current BCOB students on strategies that can help one to grow their network which is a vital part of our career journey!

During this PD Meetup, the group discussed the importance of networking and the benefits of having a good support system.

Students were reminded about resources on campus that can assist with networking including: 

1. Career center: alumni resources, and professionals or recruiters who are in-house to review resumes

2. Niblock Student Center: professional speakers for Lunch & Learns, Professional development meet-ups

3. Getting involved on campus: connecting with organizations within interest groups to grow a network there.

4. When connecting with professionals, think about what you want to ask for: informational interview, answers to questions, advice, etc.

Some other takeaways from this MeetUp would be to: 

Remember, once you receive a connection, remember to maintain that connection through connecting on Linked-In or letting them know that you are thinking of the connection such as news articles, etc.

USE THE FACT YOU ARE A COLLEGE STUDENT TO YOUR ADVANTAGE!!!!! 

People are looking to help college students, because they were once in our positions. Especially alumni of the Belk College of Business.

When creating your network, refrain from comparing your networking to your peers. Everyone’s journey and career is different and might require different types of networking. Know you are doing your best and you are enough.

The C-Suite Series coming up on Thursday November 3rd,2022  from 1:15 p.m. - 2:15 pm that you do not want to miss with Mike Freno, Chairman and CEO of Barings, LLC!
You may register and find out more information: here.

Peer Guides: Lunch & Learn

 

Hello Business Niners!  

The Belk College of Business Peer Guides hope that you all had an enjoyable Fall Break. On October 5th,2022 the Professional Development team hosted a Lunch & Learn: Where are Business Niners Now? In the form of an alumni panel.

The panelists included past Charlotte graduates: Jeff Stewart ‘93, Courtney Hunt '18 (Marketing), Ethan Norman '15 (Economics), and Jingjing Zhao '14 (Finance).

Two of our fellow Peer Guides had the opportunity to attend the event and what they enjoyed the most was feedback on the importance of creating strong connections with our professors and to strive to go above and beyond what is expected of you in college.

One quote that resonated with a Peer Guide specifically would be: “Go to career fairs, and take advantage of all the opportunities on campus. There are so many ways to get involved, whether it is through clubs or on-campus employment. You never know who you’ll meet and what connections you could gain just by getting involved.”

The benefits of attending Lunch & Learns, PD Meet Ups and other Niblock Student Center events are endless so I encourage you to attend as many as you can and network as much as possible. You may just meet your future employer!

Keep a look out for these events plus more through the BCOB events calendar: 

https://belkcollege.charlotte.edu/calendar

Peer Guides' Guide to Fall Break!

 Hello Business Niners!

Professional Development - Peer Guides - Upcoming Events

Fall break is upon us and the Peer Guide team is here to fill you in on all the wonderful resources available to you here within the Niblock Student Center and some dates you should keep an eye out for!

The Niblock Student Center which is located on the 3rd Floor of the Friday building is home to the Professional Development team whose top priority is to support undergraduate students within the BCOB graduate with the competencies and outlook needed to prepare for a substantial career.

The team is here to provide connections with employers and also guide students in the direction for opportunities for hands-on professional skills development.

Alongside the Professional Development team would be five undergraduate students that attend all professional development events, host Peer Talks to talk about specific topics and share their experiences as well as mentoring students individually.

Some upcoming events hosted by the Professional Development Team that you should look out for:

October 19, 2022 - 9:45 AM to 10:15 AM

Peer Talk: Peers & Pretzels

Wednesday, October 19

9:45AM- 10:15AM, First Floor Friday

October 20, 2022 - 12:00 PM to 12:45 PM

Identity-supporting Resources in the Workplace

Thursday, October 20

12:00PM- 12:45PM via Zoom (register here)