Unpaid internships are a reality for many people entering the workforce. In 2014, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) found that 61% of graduating seniors had held at least one internship prior to graduation; 46.5% of those internships were unpaid. People take internships to “get their foot in the door” in the company or field they aspire to …
4 Steps to Make Your New City Feel Like Your Home
Since I was 18, I’ve moved cities four times, excluding returning to live with family members in Washington state between moves. As a new adult, I first moved to Manhattan; two years later, I transplanted to Washington, DC. Next, I jettisoned to Ireland to live in Dublin. Now, my home is in Limerick, Ireland. With each of these moves, I …
Keep Looking Up: How to Tackle Today’s Tough Job Market
Since the Great Recession hit in 2007, finding a job has been a lot harder than it was in years past. Youth unemployment was at 8.9% in August 2017, which is to say nothing of underemployment experienced by young workers, with 51% of millennials reporting underemployment. Even worse, in New York City, young people are earning 20% less than previous generations. Right now you …
Old Friendships: How and When Should You Make Them Survive?
We always hope that our relationships will stand the test of time. Lifelong friendships are highly praised, and rightly so. Knowing that someone will always have your back is definitely a fortifying feeling. Of course, although you’ve built a robust friendship, maintaining that connection takes commitment and effort. Some friendships are easier, requiring less contact – you can simply pick …
How Can You Actually Control Your Own Destiny in Life?
You’ve probably heard this many times throughout your life: “You are in control of your own destiny.” Perhaps this rings true for you, or maybe you think the sentiment condescendingly oversimplifies life’s complications that can limit your options. Regardless of whether you feel absolute control over your fate, the fact is that you can at least influence it. A major …
Gender Roles: It’s Not Just a Phase, Your Mom Should Know That by Now!
Our families significantly shape who we are as people. The way we’re raised impacts the way we think and the attitudes we have. Family beliefs, however, are not tattooed onto your brain. Almost all of us differ from our family’s worldviews in more ways than one. This is to be expected, as time keeps moving us forward and popular attitudes …
Do You Suffer From Long-Term Insomnia? Try Sleeping Sideways
Sleep is incredibly important to your health. Getting enough of it improves your immune system, lifts your mood, and can help prevent heart disease, just to name a few benefits. Getting too little sleep, however, increases your chance of accident and injury, makes you irritable, and, if chronic, can lead to some serious health conditions. If sleep comes easy for …
In the Workplace, Supporting Actors Actually Carry the Show
Throughout our schooling and within self-help and professional books, we are consistently – constantly – urged to take the lead. We are taught to be leaders in our workplace and in our personal lives, in everything we do. While this might feel empowering, the fact is that this is not always feasible. Indeed, if everyone was always playing a leading …
Express Your Inner Creativity (Even if You’re Bad at Art!)
Taking time to be creative can do wonders for your mental health and overall satisfaction. Engaging in creative activities – visual, musical, or dance – can reduce stress and can even improve your physical health. Some of you might think that, despite all the benefits of creativity, it’s not for you. Many of us have that “artistic” friend, and that …
Fatherly Advice: Dad Always Offers the Best Help!
Father’s Day is just around the corner, and it’s time to shine the light on the dads in our lives. For all the hilarious dad jokes that we know so well, our fathers also offer us kernels of wisdom that we should take to heart. What has your dad said that rocked your world? How has his simple advice impacted …
To Grad or Not to Grad? Is Advanced Education Right for You?
Should you go to grad school? Pursuing your dream job is a journey of constant opportunities. Careers follow myriad paths, and you will have many forks in the road where you will have to choose which direction to go. One of these forks may be the decision of whether you should get/keep a job, or you pursue a graduate degree. …
Motherly Advice: The Best Lessons Mom Ever Taught Us
Mother’s Day is almost here, and why not celebrate the holiday by reflecting on how your mom has shaped you? You know what they say: “Mother knows best.” Generally speaking, that’s true! What advice has your mommy shared with you over the years? What motherly advice made a difference in your life? Here at Petite2Queen, we love our moms! Here …
In the Zone: Coordinating Communication Around the World
Working with others is always full of its ups and downs. Coordinating different schedules and commitments can make it tricky to find a meeting time that works for everyone. But add in divergent time zones and you’re in for a real ride! As you deal with colleagues and partners around the globe, you’ll run into the issue of wildly disparate …
Do Something About It: How to Conquer Life’s Curveballs
We all know life can be hectic – it’s often sleep, eat, work, with some attempts at getting your other chores to fit into the schedule. Our lives are generally organized in terms of our budget, time schedule, and tasks, and those plans can be tight and unyielding. That’s why when something goes awry, it can leave us feeling panicked …
Because You’re Worth It: Self-Care and Your Busy Schedule
Who has time for self-care? I am a busy woman – I work as a tutor at my university, I am a content developer here at Petite2Queen, and I am conducting PhD research. My days are scheduled from 7 am to 9 pm, so it’s go-go-go for me. It’s a lot, but I don’t consider myself unique in this; there …
Office Romance: Is It Actually Worth It?
So many of our favorite TV shows include an office romance as a central point of interest. Sit-coms like The Office, Parks & Recreation, and Brooklyn 99 feature one or more intra-office pairings that are endearing, romantic, and entertaining, and the same goes for dramas like Grey’s Anatomy and Bones. With such a ubiquitous story arch in all of our …
Get it Together: De-Clutter Your Life
You’ve probably heard the phrase “less is more.” Perhaps you’ve heard it in terms of fashion, packing for trips, or decorating your home. While “less is more” is certainly not always true, working to de-clutter your life will inevitably bring you more happiness and tranquility. De-Clutter Your Things I come from a family of packrats. Generation upon generation, my kin …
Why Women’s Work Being Undervalued and Underpaid is Unacceptable!
It is widely known that women make less money than men. Many people, including economic and political commentators, claim that this is due to women tending to be in lower-paid careers. Of course, the pay equality complaint is that women are paid less than men for the same work, but the conversation should also include the fact that women do tend to be …
Yikes! How to Handle Bigotry in Your Family
Whether we’ve lived it or just seen it on TV, we all know the awkwardness and anger that can arise when a family member says something bigoted. Whether it’s a malicious tirade or a casual stereotype, it can make us squirm thinking about dealing with it. How are you supposed to respond? How can you handle bigotry in your family? …
To Rent or to Own Your Home: Which Freedom Do You Need?
My sister, Amanda, and I had an interesting conversation several months ago. She and her husband were hoping to buy a house soon (and, indeed, recently did), but I remained dubious about the prospect of owning a home. Perhaps some of this is due to coming of age during the Great Recession, haunted by the housing bubble that burst with …