Today I learned more about how hardware and software connect and it was really interesting. I watched the tutorials on arduino and raspberry pi and it was interesting how both the hardware and software aspects are incorporated. Seeing them work together to accomplish a task was cool. First we worked with the hardware pieces and then the software side where code was written that would execute an action through the hardware. I also started watching the video on how to screen print on shirts and other clothing at home which I found interesting. I think it'd be really cool to print your own designs on clothing. Personally, I've seen many people do it with anime style designs referencing different shows in a streetwear style and I think it's really creative and people really appreciate being able to incorporate their favorite shows into their style, but in a less tacky way than usual.
I finished up the video tutorials of the 3d printed products. I learned how to define a sketch on solid works as well as how to flatten curves and use the rest of the tools. Then I started on the information about the laser cut products as well as the robotics products.
I finished up the tutorials of the blender software, and I found the video about boolean expressions being used to help shape things interesting. In my computer science class we learned about boolean expressions and how they're used in code, so it was interesting to see how they're utilized in the software. I started some of the other videos on the other 3d designing software as well.
I brushed up on some of the analyst videos today because I worked on the project for the analyst unit. I decided to format it on a google doc and submit it through that instead of a forum because it's pretty long. I think writing is one of my stronger skills which is why the proposal ended up a bit longer than intended. I put the references I used from my research for the different statistics in a list that I MLA cited at the end of the proposal.
Honestly cryptocurrency still confuses me a bit, but the concept of it really is interesting. The fact that you operate as your own bank, and the different technologies behind it are pretty cool. I didn't know there was such a large variety of cryptocurrencies, I've only ever heard of bitcoin. I wonder what goes into the process of "discovering" or creating a cryptocurrency, how is that process set up for it to actually be worth something? It does seem very futuristic considering it's an online currency and we're only ever evolving more and putting more online.
I learned about the different business categories and both the advantages and disadvantages of each one. I didn't know that corporations are listed as their own entity, which is an interesting concept to be honest, it being it's own entity and not linked to anyone. Sole proprietorships seem daunting to me especially because as the business is linked to one person if anything goes wrong it lands on them. It was also scary learning that your personal assets could potentially be taken if anything goes wrong.
I learned about the different approaches to starting your own business as well as the two categories of business that you can fall in to. There are more local business markets and then there are ones that strive on innovation and reaching a global market. When starting as an entrepreneur with your idea, you really have to work hard to prove yourself and your idea to the world. If you don't believe in yourself, how do you expect others to do so? I think the allure of entrepreneurship is being your own boss and the ability to make it big, but as I learned today the passion for that isn't enough alone to bring you success, you have to be able to translate that into an actual business model and work on building it up.
I never though that you could turn fundraising into a professional career because some of the first things that I associate with the word fundraising are free and volunteer. I guess that's just based on experiences with school and how usually you volunteer to participate in fundraisers without getting a lot of personal monetary gain from it. Learning about the career was interesting and I like how it's not a predictable career. No day looks the same and there's a variety of different work settings and organizations to work for, because everyone is looking for funding. It was an interesting job route to explore.
I learned in depth how to use word press today. It was an interesting experience and I like the different features that the software offers. I like that you have a choice to use the .com or .org options and what each offers. I thought the process of the site itself was interesting and made very accessible. I took computer science this past school year so I'm a little bit familiar with html and css so seeing a different software language was nice. I especially like how on word press you can differentiate the website view for laptops vs mobile, because when I was designing my own homepage using css and html I found that aspect frustrating.
I learned about the different platforms to sell products online such as ebay, etsy, etc. I learned about the shipping process of different items as well, and tips on how to ship different packages and what rates to use. I think this is important because even though I don't think I'd make a business to sell anything hand made soon, I have considered selling old clothes on apps like depop to try and make extra money on the side. I hadn't known much about the shipping process before this though so I was unsure about how to go about it.
I started the virtual assistant unit today and went through some of the different skills necessary for a virtual assistant, one of which is the proper usage of social media. I watched some in depth tutorials of how to use different platforms. Some like instagram I was more familiar with and others like canva were new to me. I thought that the proof reading test was fun and a good way to brush up on my grammar skills. I also found it interesting comparing some of the terms used in British English vs American English. Proper usage of social media is very important now, especially because of how entwined it is with everyday life and how many people you can reach through social media, so I think that these lessons were a good way to introduce people to that scene and the usage of important tools.
I started learning about niche websites today and how to monetize off of them. On an unrelated note, I've always pronounced that word as "neesh" and not "nitch" so I was kind of taken aback at first. Back to the topic at hand, I learned about niche websites and how they're very specific content blogs. They provide information and content about specific products or hobbies, etc. and having a niche website can generate money through different strategies such as ads.
I dove more into the free editing softwares, which I think is a good and accessible option for those who are starting out. Those give me a way to start editing and explore it at my own pace, while not having to fully commit to an editing software yet because I'm unsure about it. I also learned a lot about how to market yourself as a freelancer and how to find work as an editor. I think the tips given throughout the videos don't apply strictly to the video editing field and could also be utilized by free lancers in general. For examples, reaching out to try and find opportunities and taking initiative by pitching yourself and your work to others. I learned about different platforms to use to showcase a portfolio and how to establish myself as an editor and build my portfolio even without having done any paid work.
Today I watched an in-depth tutorial on how to use final cut pro, which I found very informative. There were a lot of useful tips and seeing as I've never used the software before, it was nice to have the different features explained to me. I also learned about the importance of color grading/color correcting videos in film and how different color grades can really add or take away from the feeling of a scene. Additionally I learned about the audio editing process of film as well and how different audios are edited and matched up to the scenes. While I don't see video editing as a career I might pursue, I've enjoyed learning about the different parts of it so far especially because of how much media I consume on a daily basis, from youtube videos to movies. It's interesting to learn about the different choices that editors are making to get their desired result.
My understanding of digital marketing has always been vague. I've obviously encountered it in my daily life through social media mostly but also because it's everywhere. Until today though I never understood how many careers actually fall into the digital marketing category. I didn't think that virtual designers or web developers would fall into that category, but they do. I always thought of digital marketing jobs from only the sales aspect, and never considered the user interfaces or more tech based sides of the field. With the ever-growing hold that social media and the internet has on our lives, I think that the digital marketing field would be smart to get into because all these brands compete now online. There's always something to be topped and a product that's more innovative. I think the area that piques my interest is the cosmetic industry because besides new formulas for products, a lot of the sales and hype comes from branding and marketing. With so many different beauty brands, to be set apart and have people buy your product you need to be smart with campaigning and advertising to the public, which I find interesting. I think in the beauty industry it's also a challenge to be creative because of all the other brands and what they come up with, but that's part of what seems fun about it.
Today I explored a lot of the different careers involving writing. I think that I would consider transcription and data entry jobs as a side-hustle, especially as an incoming/current college student because of the few requirements that they entail. Though the pay starts off quite low, there are opportunities to eventually make more and the money made could be used towards transportation and other necessities. I think it'd be useful to keep in mind, especially considering how easy it is to get started.
I learnt a lot about the different writing styles there are and what companies are hire for. Strategies to be more persuasive with my writing and how to convince readers to buy into something. I chose to complete my writing assignment in a copy writing style, which is meant to be persuasive and convincing. I focused on Techie Youth's cause and the ways that it implements strategies to help and educate youth. I then built off of these to try and persuade others to donate.
I learned about what my time is worth and how I can set manage it to achieve my goals. I also learned about different careers I could have to make money while still enjoying them. There were a lot of travel tips, which I'll save for the future because one of my personal goals is to travel to various countries. I watch a lot of travel youtubers myself so I always knew that I could monetize it, but now I have a better understanding of where I could start were I considering it. Also learning about hitchhiking and traveling on little to no money was interesting because as someone who aspires to travel often, it never seemed viable to do without a ton of money. I guess the expenses are largely a lot of the glamorous resorts and unnecessary luxuries that people often choose, but they don't make or break a trip and honestly, I'd rather just be able to see the World and experience the culture and landscape. Watching those videos about different people and their experiences traveling has made me more resolved to achieve my goals of travel, I think one I'll aim for now is backpacking Europe, especially with the value of the Euro so close to the dollar currently.
I worked heavily on my resume today, editing what little I did have according to the guidance the articles and videos gave me. I updated a lot of my descriptions to make them more specific and showcase better skills that could be utilized in the workplace and that employers might be looking for. Since I don't have any formal job experience, I worked a lot on my extracurricular and volunteer sections to show that though I have little experience, this doesn't mean I don't have any skills and can't be useful. I also drafted a cover letter for a nonexistent position, mostly just writing it to try and feel out what the format would be. In an actual cover letter I would have been way more specific about what I could bring to the table and why I qualify for the position.
I spent some time going through the rest of the introduction to finish up those assignments. I started the quality of life unit and started watching the videos and reading about budgeting. I've always been pretty frugal myself but hearing about how much I could really save if I budgeted smartly was cool, I didn't imagine you could save 100% of your income without living like some sort of hermit. I think some of my spending habits when I go out could be curbed, as I give in to a lot of impulse buys. I could definitely wait to buy those items especially because they aren't necessities and end up saving that money for something else. I'll definitely keep that in mind the next time I go out and before I splurge on something I could easily wait for to go on sale.
When I first logged in I watched the two prerequisite videos and then went for the analyst elective. I didn't discover until much later that I was supposed to complete the introductory unit first, which I'm still in the process of doing now.
Starting with the analyst elective that I delved into, I learned the differences between a business and data analyst and received more insight on what each job entails. I've always heard about analysts and wanted to know more about it as a potential career, especially with it being listed under the remote career options. Though I'm not done with the unit yet, I do think if I were to consider a career as an analyst I would become a business analyst because of the requirements of the job. Business analysts have strong people and communication skills and are problem solvers, with data incorporated into that environment. On the other hand data analysts are a lot heavier on the mathematical and statistical side of the operation, still requiring strong communication and problem solving skills but with a focal point on the data itself. I don't enjoy math much and it's not one of my strong suits, which is why I think I would prefer business analysis more.
When I did start the introductory unit, I learned about how to format resumes and cover letters, which I'm currently working on building. I also created a LinkedIn profile today and will continue editing it. I learned of the perils of an online social media presence, and why it's important to regulate the persona that I have of myself online. There are very real consequences in the professional world that I hadn't considered beforehand.