Ten Easy Tips to Breeze through Senior Year

Four years have passed and the time has flown by. Whew! Now that you have made it to senior year, here are a few tips on how to make it out of there! Take it from a person who has paid for their mistakes. This is your formal introduction to the real world, and trust me you must make a good impression. Get ready to take some notes!

Tip #1
Open your mind. Explore and learn about all opportunities. Consult with your guidance counselor on a weekly basis. Do not feel as if you are bugging them. They are there to help you!

Tip #2
Research a variety of careers. Talk to all types career people: doctors, artists, teachers, lawyers, musicians anyone who give you first hand insight on the career you want to pursue.

Tip #3
Attend any function with the word "college" in the title. You never know, someone there can be practically waiting to give you a full scholarship. Repeat after me: no show, no chance.
Tip #4
Be sure to study hard and take all tests seriously. Put your best foot forward.
Tip #5
Have you ever sat down to write an essay and your mind goes blank? Practice writing everyday. This tool will come in handy for important tests, such as the SAT. After a few rounds, you will be ready to knock out that exam.

Tip #6
Don’t doubt yourself; apply to Yale, Harvard, and Princeton! You can never really pin point what college admission officers are looking for, so aim high. Remember, this is an investment into your future.
Tip #7
Learn about financial aid. By now you should already be familiar with all types of grants, loans, scholarships and more. You must fill out the application for financial aid, known as the FAFSA every year. Complete it correctly, and on time. The earlier you send the application in, grants you more money! As a recent college graduate, I have witness many students come and go because they could not afford tuition. Apply to as many scholarships as possible. Even after you are accepted and you get those straight A’s, ask the college for more money!

Tip #8
It is college tour time. Go! You get to meet new people, get familiar with campus life, and its fun! So what if it runs right into your plans to go to the movies over the weekend. Sometimes candidates get accepted on the spot. So suck it up and go!

Tip #9
Deadlines, Deadlines, Deadlines and more deadlines! I know you are probably pulling your hair out by now, but you can get familiar with the calendar because you are going to need it. Mark important deadlines in big, bold, red marker and check your calendar daily to be sure that you are on task.

Tip #10
Last but certainly not least, if I have not reiterated it enough, do not procrastinate. I know your happy that you’re a senior and you feel like it’s time to party. Save all the celebrating for summer vacation because now the real work has just begun.
LOOK BELOW FOR IMPORTANT INFO!
FAFSA on the Web applications must be submitted by midnight Central Daylight time, June 30, 2008.
Corrections on the Web forms must be submitted by midnight Central Daylight time, September 15, 2008.
SAT registration deadline is January 29, 2008 and the last day to take the exam is March 1, 2008.
Call college or university admission office or visit their website to find application deadline information.
**Visit collegeboard.com for more information on the SAT.
**Visit fafsa.ed.gov for more information on the financial aid application
**Visit fastweb.com for scholarship and college and university information
**Visit blackstudents.com for scholarships, jobs, and internship information.
**Visit Petersons.com for a college and university search tailored to your needs.

50 vs. Kanye: The Quest for Album Sales Supremacy

50 Cent vs. Kanye West: The Quest for Album Sales Supremacy
By: Candace Amos

This week the world stood witness to two of hip hop’s heavy weights in the battle for marketing supremacy. In this corner we have the ever so smooth, beating making, self proclaimed Louie Vuitton Don, Kanye West and in this next corner we have the multi million dollar franchise producing, Evil Knieval of the streets, 50 cent. Both artists refused to back down upon hearing the other was releasing on the same date, 9/11.
The week started with Mr. West and 50 both performing on the VMA’s which took place at the Las Vegas Palms Casino. Each artist performed in their own suite which aired live to the audience. After seeing both performances, fans had to choose sides.

After the show, Kanye ranted in his usual fashion about MTV denying him the chance to open the award show, and going with Britney Spear’s instead (poor girl).
The war was fought through many battles, including the 9/11 showdown on BET’s, 106 and Park. Viewers tuned in to watch the titans battle it out on the stage. 50 killed, being the hometown favorite and Kanye had the crowd going crazy when he brought his big brother, Jay Z. However, viewers were frustrated when BET declared the over-hyped battle a draw.

Directly following the 6 o’clock airing of the showdown, I had the opportunity to meet Mr. West at a party during NYC’s fashion week which celebrated the debut of Alexis Phifer’s (West’s fiancé) new clothing line, Ghita. I waited in the VIP area expecting to see a bunch of unfamiliar faces when Kanye walked into the room ever so smoothly; rocking the same velour jacket and gold linked chain he sported earlier on 106 and Park stage. He seemed confident and unphased by the day’s events. You really couldn’t tell him nothing!

With all that being said who came out on top? According to results posted on Billboard.com, the winner of the race was clear, no recount necessary. Kanye West massacred 50 with a total count of 957,000 copies of Graduation to 50 Cent’s 691,000 copies of Curtis. Ouch! I guess it’s time for 50 to start planning that good ‘ol retirement party.

A Step in the Right Direction

After going on interview after interview I finally got a gig. You are viewing the blog of the newest gopher for the New York Post. Hay, I got my foot in the door and for that I'm extremely grateful. I prayed about it and I got what I wanted. I am also going to be working as a Junior editor for an online magazine website geared towards teens. I'm so excited! Life couldn't be better.

Do You Think You Can Beat Me!!!

Life, your going to have to do more than just slam a few doors in my face to keep me down. I've been faced with adversities that the average person would view as a crisis. See, some people go through the storm while I've been living in it my whole life. I am a strong person and it's impossible to break me. Coming from where I'm from you learn to deal with difficult times as if they were nothing. Heartbreak, dissapointment are all to familiar to me, so I'm an expert at managing pain. I'm destined to be a star and life you will not defeat me! My suggestion to you is to pack your bags and move on to the next victim, because right now your fighting a losing battle. I'm hustler baby, ask about me.

So We're Getting Closer

Each day I wake up with the taste of the dream in my mouth. It gets sweeter and sweeter as the days roll on. I feel like someone whose been needing a pair of glasses for years but was too afraid to wear them, because of how they may look. Now I've put on those specs and not only do I look fabulous, I feel fabulous. Things are so much clearer now since I tried them on. Everything is put into it's right perspective. The dream is slowly but surely becoming a reality. I'm slowly but surely becoming one of the fierce, ambitious women that I've always admired.

Whoa! A real live tornado, in Brooklyn?!!!

Morning folks. So here it is. I woke up yesterday after sleeping soundly like a new born baby to learn that there was some kind of freaky tornado that occurred in Brooklyn Tuesday night. Wednesday morning all hell broke loose. None of the train were running because the stations were flooded and people had to find other ways to get to work. Now to all you non New Yorkers that is not an easy task. For one we don't drive, another solution would be to take a cab to work, but that's pointless as as well being that the cabs act like vampires during natural disaster (the suck the money out of your pockets) or there's all the crowded public bus, not to appealing in 90 degree weather. Click on the video for footage of the tragedy.

Rihanna, new style goddess?

Yes!!! Her third and latest album, fiercely titled Good Girl Gone Bad is ruling the charts and she's straight serving them on the red carpet!! She's rocking the new crop do and taken on the bad girl image. Rihanna is definitely holding it down for all the vixens out there.

Thank You Ephiphany!

So this morning when I was sitting on the train- LATE, pissed-off, headed to my dreadful retail job when my dream hit me like a ton of bricks. BAM!!! This is what I want to do. I want to start my own website. After reading Ms. YBF's article on how she made it to the top, and how its so easy a caveman can do it, I think I'm going to give it a try. For the last four years I've been feeling unsure of my future, unmotivated and unambitious, but for the first time in my life I see a clear path to my goals. This summer has given me so much to think about. I'm not going to school in the fall, the job market is kicking my ass, and I don't exactly love my living arrangements (with the fam). Most people would view these blows to the ego as failures, but I view them as triumphs. I know that if I can make it through these next 12 months than I have truly weathered the storm. You know it's true what they say you can't have a testimony without a test. I'm ready to weather the storm so that I can come out of it bigger, better, and brighter than before! Thank you epiphany!

P.S. I know you're like what's with the self portrait club pic? What can I say, good times, good times....:)