Thanksgiving’s come and gone again. For many of us it was a typical match to everyone else’s. We all over-ate the same foods, watched the same stuff on TV, engaged in the same rituals and it was generally the same as it was in years before.

For many, Thanksgiving is a gathering of relatives we’ve purposely avoided the rest of the year. It’s a practice in self-restraint; avoiding those inevitable, toxic debates over public policy, football, parenting and career paths.

It’s that awkwardly strained trip around the table in which everyone takes turns saying what they’re thankful for while the rest look on in silent, seething judgment.

It’s the old jokes, a houseful of bloated, irritated adults and exhausted, cranky children, and it’s often an anxious waiting game.

We desperately hope someone gets the courage to pour themselves the first drink that allows the rest of us to start enjoying ourselves without looking like some black sheep rabble-rouser in front of grandma.

The value of continuing education beyond high school has been questioned, especially in light of increasing tuition and the level of student loan debt that some students experience.

But the benefits still significantly outweigh the costs in both time and money.

Continuing education after high school has never been more important to secure a better future for individuals as well as for America.

Paying too much for tuition, fees, books, and supplies? If you are paying the full amount of your charges owed the college for these direct costs, then you should file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

By filing the FASFA at www.fasfa.gov, you are allowing the OCCC Financial Aid Office to determine your eligibility for grants, loans, and student work to help with your expenses. Be sure to list the OCCC Federal school code 010391 on the FASFA.

Students who file each year often receive more than enough funding to cover their direct expenses and have remaining funds available for other expenses such as transportation costs.

“The first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: Decide what you want.” —Ben Stein

As we move into the summer semester, nearly half of 2012 is behind us already. Time continues its steady march into perpetuity, and students arrive on campus for another round of classes.

Whether you are newly graduated from high school, an older student coming to school after a hiatus, or a college student who wants or needs some credit for the summer, it is important to remember that this session will move forward whether you are prepared for it or not. In order to help yourself be as successful as possible, I encourage you to remember a few basic tenets:

    Student support available “Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it.” — Helen Keller Some semesters seem more difficult than

Q: What is the safest area on campus in case of a tornado emergency?

A: No location on OCCC’s campus is a designated shelter — but there are “safer areas” on the campus that are identified by a green sign. Of those, the safest area could be considered the Horseshoe Area.

—Lisa Teel
Director of Emergency Planning

Enrollment for the summer and fall semester is now open. Students should enroll as soon as possible.

Students who set their goals early and have an action plan are often more successful in their academic careers.

If you are working, have a family or other priorities that you must plan your coursework around, meeting with an adviser in advance can make enrollment a much smoother process.

Classes are filling up quickly, and optimal times and days for those on a restricted schedule will become difficult to find.

Therefore, planning ahead and meeting with an academic adviser now may ensure optimal course placement and course availability.

Click here to download Nancy Gerrity’s Response to the Pioneer.

Students, summer 2012 is fast approaching. The office of Student Employment & Career Services can help you search and apply for jobs both on and off-campus.

We have a variety of professional job search tools and programs designed to strengthen your application process:

#1. Online Student Job Board: www.collegecentral.com/occc

More than 200 local part-time, full-time and seasonal jobs listed daily.

#2. Please upload your résumé to the student job board for registered employer review.

#3. Optimal Résumé: www.occc.optimalresume.com.

More than 6,500 students have created résumés utilizing Optimal Résumé.