I Look Fly, I Look Good

I have a weird love for random music.  One of my favorites a few years ago (and I still rock it in my car sometimes today) was "I Look Good" by Chalie Boy.  Now, you may be wondering how this coincides to Social Media or Online Reputation, well here goes it.

Perception is EVERYTHING in our world today.  The way you carry yourself, present yourself, and even view yourself is how people will see you.  The 1st impression is honestly the most important part of networking, interviewing, and in general....life.  While most people will tell you to have a good suit to give a good impression, I think it goes deeper.

Having confidence in yourself is something that can make anything you wear, stand out.  Believe me when I say that I don't own a suit.  I don't think it fits who I am as a person, it doesn't reflect my personality, nor give the impression that I want people to have about me.  HOWEVER, even though my outfits aren't suits, they are professional and give people a sense of who I am.  I can pair a bright colored blouse with a gray pencil skirt, add a belt and heels .... ta-da, my outfit!

Here you can see an example of what I would piece together ...   The bright color embraces personality while the structured skirt gives a touch of professionalism BUT the item that is rocked the best is her smile!  This conveys confidence in that "I Look Fly, I Look Good" sense (and yes, I do say this to myself on occasion as reassurance...especially when putting on an outfit for a business event).

You can create outfits that give a professional impression from the clothes you wear already, you just need to know how to put them together and have confidence that you look good.  Believe me, it took me a bit to master this, and I still question my choices at times...but then I just remind myself that "I look fly, I look good".  As a college student and freelancer, I know that budgeting for "professional" attire is hard, so I try to buy basics that I can incorporate into my daily personal/professional life and am comfortable wearing.  

Now, how does "looking good" matter w/social media and online reputation...well, PICTURES SAY A THOUSAND WORDS!  While you'll be meeting people in-person, the pictures taken at the networking event, school function, etc. will most likely always end up online.   Presenting an overall polished look that reflects you as a person will allow others online to see you, form an impression of you, want to get to know you more!

Believe that you look good and you will outshine that person next to you.  Perception is everything, but that doesn't have to include a $500 tailored suit.  You just need to let your personality shine thru with a smile.

And if you need more insight into how to pair clothing together, check out my Pinterest board as I regularly post professional outfits that I find for men/women that are simple.
http://pinterest.com/anasantellana/professional-wear/ 

Now....for your viewing pleasure (and for me as I get ready for a networking event tonight) ... "I Look Fly, I Look Good" by Chalie Boy.

North Texas Giving Day…A Project Turns Personal.

As most of you know, I'm a Senior Marketing student at The University of Texas-Dallas.  In one of the classes I'm taking this semester, a project was assigned to work with a non-profit in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex for North Texas Giving Day.  I would be working with Volunteers of America - Texas on building their Social Media presence to promote the event.

Knowing nothing about the organization, I dove right in on researching them.  I Googled, I Facebooked, I did a Twitter search, I even went to LinkedIn and sent a connection request to the CEO/President as I had her business card.  Realizing early on that they lacked a presence on social networking platforms, I knew my work would be cut out for me.  So,  I spent a few days reading and researching.  

One of the programs that stuck with me was their commitment to programs that offer substance abuse counseling for people after they leave prison.  For most, this wouldn't be a program that they'd relate to but for me, this struck a chord.  My dad, who passed away 6 years ago this month, was a substance abuse counselor with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and he gave a lot of his time outside of work as a Spanish-speaking counselor. 

What started as a class project now was something more.  I had a connection.  September is always a hard month for me, I was definitely a daddy's girl and this project couldn't have come at a better time.  I feel as though it was meant to be….that maybe my dad had a hand in this somehow.  Giving my time/knowledge of Social Media to VOA-TX let me have a connection with my dad.

So what started as just a normal, everyday individual class project became personal.  It's times like these where I realize that I can make a difference with my skills and actually help in ways I never thought would actually matter.  In that moment, I was giving to something I knew my dad supported himself.

Oh…and by the way, we had a great turnout for North Texas Giving Day…42 donations with over $5000 raised and did I mention that this gets matched!  Go check them out, they have branches across the US and support a variety of programs.

Texas: www.voatx.org
National: www.voa.org

A Fresh Start - Back to School again…

Welcome, welcome, welcome!  If you're like me (a very sad student going back to school) then you're more than likely either back in school already or getting ready to start.  Well, to you, I say "Chin up, a new semester means a new beginning.  A Fresh Start!"

Every new semester I tell myself "this year is going to be better" but we all know how that goes.  My intentions start off great but begin to dwindle around the 9th week.  It happens, we've all been there.  There can be many reasons as to why I slip around this time but I think I've pinpointed the main issue.  Time commitments.

I'm notorious for over-scheduling myself on certain days and then having nothing on others.  My calendar already looks like a hot mess around mid-terms in October, ahem…9th week!  It's only the first week of school and I can feel myself slipping!  So, now its time to take a step-back and re-evaluate.  To do this, I've decided to do the following:

1. Write down all my responsibilities.
• School = Priority
• Work (Social Media Consulting)
• Work (Mary Kay Indep. Beauty Consultant)
• Friends/Life = Low man on this totem-pole….womp womp, adios mi amigos.  
2. Figure out how much free-time (not in school/sleeping/eating/driving/etc.) that I have
• Oye…not much time here but since my earliest class starts at 1pm, it looks like I'll have to become a morning person.  5am starts here I come! 
• Apparently waking up early is how the most successful, stay successful!  http://bit.ly/TEuRfo
3. Find/Rearrange study and work space
• Apparently my "bed-desk" set-up is not ideal.  I guess the extra room for all my "overflow" will be packed/stored in the garage soon …weekend fun, yay!   
• Hopefully this article will help me figure out the best set-up. http://on.mash.to/OylLk9 
4. Set my GOALS and write them down
• I'm pretty good at setting goals, but I rarely write them down…on paper.  I'll type them up because I'm at my computer always, so it's just easy; or, just remember them in my jam-packed mind.  
• It will also help me figure out the path that I need to take to get myself to the ultimate goal.
• Need more convincing?  Check out this article.  http://bit.ly/S5w5Fr
5. Take it day by day
• Realizing that each day I have a new chance at a fresh start is something I will have to remember.  Not getting overwhelmed with everything and enjoying the accomplishments I make as the day goes by, will be a goal I write down now.  

So, now that I have my plan set forth…what are you waiting for?  Have you started your re-evaluation?  

Does It Ever End?!?!?!?!?

I've come to the realization that education is not something that you just do in school…unfortunately.

When I decided to go freelance with Social Media strategizing/consulting, I figured that I knew quite a few things and I could easily pick up on anything that I needed to use along the way.  Man, was I wrong.  Not only am I constantly having to scout out information online but I'm also one of those crazies you see asking millions of questions at any networking/meet-up that I can attend.  There's just so much freaking information out there, that I don't know if my brain can hold it all in!

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining.  I actually love learning all the new platforms that come out, testing out all the new concepts/ideas on the clients that are close friends & family (you know, because they're usually a bit more forgiving when I say "oops" and the site we've been working on for hours just disappears), and just being ahead of the masses when it comes to business marketing.  BUT…I never realized I'd be putting in this much work and these types of hours!!

I'm a full-time college student (I feel as though my Sr. year is never-ending itself), a full-time social media consultant, and now a full-time business owner.  So, not only am I having to learn a ton of stuff for my classes (4 classes = 12 hours/wk) but I'm also having to learn new social media skills and how to run a successful Mary Kay business on top of it all.  I've come to the conclusion that my idea of fun must be self-torture.

So here I am, just a lil after 12am on a Thursday night/Friday morning and I'm blogging away about my lack of love for education after spending the past 2 hours doing research/reading articles/finding new people to connect with for my social media part of life; brainstorming marketing ideas, organizing customer orders, and making my goal lists for Mary Kay success; and trying to not think about all the midterms I just finished up over the past 2 weeks with another round of tests coming up in 2 weeks for school…oh and did I mention that I have a weekend full of homework that I'm staring at?

So, yup.  The thought that once you're out of school you'll never have to do homework again….out the window.  I honestly think being an entrepreneur in 2 business ventures is definitely harder than trying to graduate from business school at this point.  What have I gotten myself into and when will I ever have time for a life???  At least I may end up with a successful career though….at least I better with all this crazy hard work and time I'm putting in.  I refuse to fail if I'm having to constantly educate myself like this because I won't let my time be wasted (and I figure with all this knowledge I'm cramming in, I have no reason to fail), right?

And so it continues.  I may be tired, I may be stretching myself thin at times, but at least I'm doing something I love.  I love helping others with social media, I love my Mary Kay business, and I love the fact that I'll be graduating soon with my BS in Marketing from UTD …and if my mom has her way, I'll be working towards my MS right after.  Oh Asian moms and the goals for their children.

PS…if anyone has any tips of tricks they can share for dealing with the overwhelming sense of WTF …it'd be definitely greatly appreciated.  I'm at a loss at how some of you do it!

Image Source: informationoverloadcartoon.jpg

My Online WHAT???

REPUTATION! (also referred to as G-Cred, E-Reputation, etc.)

Yeah, yeah. Most people, outside of the social media world, don't even realize there is such a thing but believe me when I say...welcome to the new age of online EVERYTHING.  Let's just give a brief overview of what Online Reputation is and how you can take control of managing yours.

Online Reputation
One of the BEST definitions I've found comes from an Infographic actually.  I'm a visual learner so I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE when a great infographic comes around.  The infographic states:
"Your online reputation isn't just what you put up online; it's how you put it online, where you put it online, and when you do it! And it is also affected by what others say about you." 

So to put it bluntly, everything you do on the internet = online reputation.  The Facebook status updates, Tweets, sharing of articles/news threads, the sites you visit, where you shop, AND all those horrible pictures/places your friends tag you at make up your reputation.  EX: This blog post I write will go into building my online reputation.

Why Should I Care???
The question I get the most is, "why should I care about what other people think of me online?"  My answer to this ..  perception is reality.   What does this mean?  Well, it means that what people see of you online is what they have to go by to determine your character.
If you're a job seeker, you'll definitely want to care about your online reputation has to say.  Your resume is not the only information taken into consideration anymore; you'll be googled and then every social networking site profile you have will be visited.  Same goes for students in this day of age.  Colleges can determine a students eligibility for scholarships/admission by online reputation because you'll be a representative of the school.
Both are just examples of the people who will want to take their online rep. serious right away, but everyone online should care.  You won't always be in the same place you are right now…the future is unknown but you can take control of your reputation today.

Managing Your Online Reputation…Good or Bad
Google yourself.  What comes up?  Is everything on that first page relevant to you?  Does anything come up at all?

Nothing appears:  Yay!!  Nope…wait a minute…don't get too excited and think you have a good online rep since nothing appears.  Unfortunately this is a really big negative.  You'd be better off having a few results with some "eh" information than nothing at all to be honest.  This is because most people will wonder why you're not online at all…I mean, who isn't online at least somewhat these days?  How are you going to adapt to change in a work environment if you haven't even embraced the online revolution.

Results w/bad information:  The first few pages are filled with pictures of you passed out half naked, around illegal/criminal activities, negative comments about you from a frenemy, your manifesto of how much you hate your ex….then this means you've got a bad online reputation.  Its time to be worried.  These are the things people are seeing that represent you.  They don't see that you've volunteered the past 10 years building homes, that your GPA is a perfect 5.0, or that you're the youngest supervisor in your department.

Results w/relevant information:  Good job!!  You've been building your online credibility, which is a definite positive.  Now does each result directly correlate to you?  Click thru each link and see what people will see, don't just assume it goes to the correct site because it may be a corrupt link.

Now that you know how you're viewed, managing your reputation is key.  If you have a positive reputation, then ensure it stays this way.  If you have a negative reputation then you'll want to fix it.  And if you have no reputation…BUILD ONE NOW!

These are some quick, simple tips on how to make sure you're always building a positive reputation:

1. Google yourself regularly.  
• I try to google myself at least 2x a week.  I want to continually make sure what appears on the first page of results is relevant to my personal brand because this is how I grow my business.  If you google me (Ana Santellana) you'll see that 95% of the results generated within the first 10 pages are all relevant to me.
2. Enhance your Security!
• What I mean by this is, make sure you have to approve those photo/location tags.  You don't want the world to see that you partied all night at the strip club and ended up puking out the window down the highway.  Yes, maybe your friends may find this hilarious but it doesn't show you're a person I'd want in charge of my financial investments or an athlete representing my school.
3. TAKE CONTROL
• This can be a hard one for some people (especially if you have no online reputation currently) because it means that you have to be active online.  One of simplest things to do is to consistently update your status on Facebook, LinkedIn, G+, Twitter…wherever you choose to be.  Log in once a day, throw out a positive status update or even share a link to some news article you find interesting, and then you're done.  That's it.  Simple as can be, but it can enhance your presence and build a positive reputation easily.
4. Have fun with being online. 
• Everyone thinks to have a good online reputation that you have to be 100% professional.  I disagree.  In my opinion, showing some personality will get your further and help you stand out.  Instagram, Spotify, Tumblr, Blogging sites…these are all places where you can go and be yourself (to an extent) and allow people to get to know you outside of social networks.  I share photos, my playlists, this blog, everything and anything I can because it's what I love.  So what if someone else doesn't love it…I'm letting the world get to know me, where I control whats being seen and I know it's all helping me build a positive online reputation.  

Feel free to ask questions or email me (anasantellana@gmail.com) if you want further info or follow me on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn

Sources:
Infographic quote (http://mashable.com/2011/11/02/protecting-your-online-reputation/)
Cartoon Pic (http://spinsucks.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Online-Reputation.gif)

Social Networking Platforms 101 - My Top 3

With so many different Social Networking sites online nowadays many people get overwhelmed.  Well, Ana is here to the rescue.  One of the things I ABSOLUTELY LOVE is reading (yes, I'm a bit of a book nerd, don't hate) and so what I've been doing lately is reading up on all the different Social Networking sites out there that actually are useful.  Whether for business or personal use, these Top 3 sites are ones that I recommend every person look a lil bit more into before just tossing it to the side as a "fad".

Note: Many of the you reading this right now probably have a working knowledge of the sites I'm about to mention.  I'm just doing a quick overview for the newbies BUT if you want more information about any of these, just shoot me a message.  I'm more than happy to share my thoughts and even give more info on books to read to learn more.

Social Networks:
1. Facebook

• Probably one of the more "popular" and "mainstream" of the social networks.
• Females are the majority user.
• Age range of most users btwn 45-54 followed by the 25-34 crowd.
• Average income = $25K-$50K.
• One of the most appealing things is that its free to join and you can probably find most of your friends/family on here.
• One of the annoying aspects is the integration with every single app known to mankind right now (I really don't want to play farmville or mafia wars or whatever new game is going on).
• NOT a good place to find investors.  More of a share your pictures/status updates/plan a party type of medium.

2. LinkedIn

• A MUST JOIN NETWORK for any working professional or college student.
• Considered a "professional network" rather than "social network".
• Male dominated.
• Age range of users btwn 35-44 followed by 45-54.
• Average income around $50K-$100K.
• It is free to have a membership but if you really want to get the most out of the site, upgrade to Business Plus ($49.99/mo).  You'll be able to connect w/a lot more people.
• Great network to learn from established professionals and to grow your network.  
• One of the better sites to find investors in a project.

3. Twitter

• Fastest growing social networking site at the moment.
• Male/Female ratio is about the same.
• Age range of users are 35-44 followed by 25-34.
• Average income $25K-$50K but slowly rising into the higher brackets.  
• Great way to send out quick bursts of info to a massive amount of people (followers) that can be spread like wildfire with re-tweets. 
• Business professionals are taking to Twitter, using it to find investments/investors and share ideas.
• I'm a fan of twitter because of its simplicity.

I'll go more in-depth to other Social Networking sites that are available in my next post, but these are my TOP 3 choices for every person to have when they first start out.  Each offers its own pro/con aspects but if used all together can be a great tool for any person looking to grow their business, enhance their online reputation/presence, or just a good way to interact with the world around them. 

What are your favorite Social Networking sites and why??

Connect with me on all 3 sites!!  I'm always happy to find new people to connect with and share thoughts/ideas.
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/LXDoZJ 
LinkedIn: http://linkd.in/KDPU2E
Twitter: http://bit.ly/MemXZv

Sources:
http://www.ignitesocialmedia.com/social-media-stats/2011-social-network-analysis-report/#Linkedin
http://thesocialskinny.com/99-new-social-media-stats-for-2012/
http://www.socialmediainformer.com/2011/statistics/twitter/

"Summer days driftin' away…."

Earlier in the year I told myself that this summer would be one that I actually do something.  I would better myself by working out and being outdoors as much as possible, I would date more, and I would definitely further my knowledge in social networking/online reputation.  Well….I think this summer will definitely be one for the books.

I'm taking 12 hours of summer classes at UTD:  

• Business Finance
• International Business
• Managerial Methods
• Operations Management

I've decided to take on some new outdoor activities:

• Rowing.  Yeah, on the water and in a boat rowing out at Bachman Lake through the Dallas Row Club.  Sculling to be exact actually.  I've been wanting to do this for a while now (I use the stationary row machines weekly and LOVE the workout) but didn't want to go alone…so, with my best friends birthday in early June, I figured its the best gift I can give!!!!  Don't worry, she knows and agreed to the gift bc she's AWESOME like that.
• Pole Dancing.  Yup, another workout class at Poleiticians…not really outdoors but its a new physical activity.  A great Groupon purchase with the bestie again.  She's my partner in crime when it comes to testing out new outings.
• Stand Up Paddle (SUP) and SUP Yoga out at DFW Surf in Grapevine... if I have time and energy.  It sounds really serene to be honest and come on…how many people do you know that do this?  It'll be a great conversation starter!!!  

AND on top of all of that…READING!  Okay, this really isn't that big of a problem.  I'm a HUGE book nerd and LOVE LOVE LOVE to read.  I don't stick to any one genre or author.  I like to keep my brain working and change it up.  Here's a snapshot as to what I've purchased over the past few days to start my reading marathon for the month.  

• http://instagr.am/p/KvBV2FuAPX/ 

I'll be giving my reviews on each book as I finish them on Amazon (as I do everything basically) and will probably blog about certain ones that I find outstanding.  If you're interested in a full reading list…let me know, I'll get it to you.  Warning though…the list runs about 45 deep at the moment.  

I'm just hoping that some some my summer days will lead to some summer love now….lol.

Dallas Row Club: http://www.dallasrowingclub.org/cms/

Poleiticians: http://poleiticians.com/

DFW Surf: http://www.dfwsurf.com/index.html

Float On Yoga: http://www.floatonyoga.com/

It's time to find a job … The Final Step.

You've revised your resume, networked your butt off (with your inner circle and via social networks) … now its time to get that job.

THE FINAL STEP!!!!

To be honest…this step is different for every person, in my opinion.  I'll give you 2 scenarios.

Scenario 1: 
You're über focused on the job hunt and ready to dive right in.  Yay for you!!  Okay…so now its time to start applying.  Job boards, applying in person, and company websites are just a few of the mediums you can use to apply.  Which is the best?  In my opinion, focus on company websites.

• Company websites will give you the most up-to-date job availability.  While on the website, look for information about the Director/Supervisor/Manager of the department you're looking to apply for and then try to find out who their administrative assistant is.  The assistant is key…believe me.  I was an assistant to the VP of a Business Unit for 4 years AND basically managed the Dallas office employees...I was like the lock/key to get to any of them but mainly my VP.  I monitored his phone calls/messages and would get calls transferred to me from our HQ receptionists when they received calls asking to speak with him.  The amount of info I gave depended on how the caller treated me on the phone.  Be rude and demanding, you're getting nothing BUT be polite and engage me…well, I'm more likely to give you helpful info.  

Don't forget to utilize your newly found contacts from all your networking!  Send a follow-up email, phone call, text (depending on how well you know them) and ask to meet for coffee/lunch so that you can learn more about them and get advice.

• At the meeting, don't start off right away with "I'm job hunting, do you know of jobs that I can apply for?"…..this will have your contact tune you out for the rest of the time and ready to leave as soon as possible.  Instead, engage them.  Ask them about what they do, how they got to that position, their best advice for up-and-comers, etc.  People LOVE to be asked about themselves….you know its true.  Use this!  Engage them into conversation to build a repertoire.  After you've engaged them, they'll be more apt to start asking about YOU.  This is where you can start your "pitch".  You'll get more info at this point and probably (hopefully) the request that you schedule to come in for an interview with them or to meet their boss.  

Scenario 2:
You're beat.  You've revised the resume, networked your butt off, and now…well now you just want to rest and have time to gather your thoughts and take a breather.  What I say to this…eh.  You've done all this hard work to just give up now?  WHY????  Get off your butt and don't start to get lazy now.  BUT…do take a deep breath.  Relax.  Don't let yourself get overwhelmed because that will just make you more anxious.  I've been here, done that, gotten through it and had some regrets.  I'm not telling you this because I read it somewhere…I'm telling you this because I've been there personally.  It's hard, the job search.  You've done it all, now you're doing it again and you're just constantly thinking…"what will make this time different?".
Well, its the way you go about the entire situation that will make this time different.  Don't get worked up, enjoy the search.  Research different companies, find the career that you actually want, and apply to a place that can give you both.  This is your time to make the change.  I fell into this scenario after I was laid off in June 2011 and here I am now.  I took the time after I revised and networked to figure out exactly what I wanted to do.  I always had a notion of the field I wanted to get into, but never thought out specifics.  Taking the time to do this helped me realize what I wanted to do.  I went back to school full-time to finish my last few hours towards my Marketing degree.

So…..
Things happen differently in this step for a lot of people, like I said.  You never know how the final step will go for you.  You could land a job/any job right away, you could realize a speciality that you want to focus in on, or your plans could change entirely.  The final step is where you're able to find yourself.  Realize which way you want your path to go.  Don't be scared to take this step either…there are TONS of possibilities.

I'm 28, a full-time student at UTD, and I've decided to start my own consulting business (on top of a Mary Kay business too….yup, just loading it all on bc I like challenges).  I NEVER thought I'd be here, blogging or even consulting with individuals/businesses but it's where I landed and I've got to say….being thrown into the job search bc of a layoff has been one of the BEST things that has happened to me and it can only get better!!!!!!  Happy Job Hunting!!!

Online Dating … Are you there Mr. Right?

Dating is just awful if you're in your late 20's.  There, I said it and I stand by my assessment.

You're no longer in school (or if you're like me and started school late, then all the guys are 8-10yrs younger than you), so no more fishing from that pond.  Bars are just not the place to "pick-up" or be "picked-up" unless you're just looking for that one-night stand.   And the blind-dates...oh just STOP!  No, I don't want to meet your friends brothers best friend ... I think we met before, he was a douche.

So now where do you turn?  Online dating?  Sure, why not.

I've been an avid online dater since it before it was "the thing" to do.  I can remember being in High School and getting chatted up in an AOL chat room….either I was naïve about the dangers or there really weren't any back then since it was a fairly new medium….and then me and my friends meeting up with the guys we chatted with at the movies or the mall.  It was always fun and a great way to meet guys from other schools, just to see what else was out there.  Even now, I'm on a few dating websites and it's just as fun to meet some guys at times to see what else is out there…lol.  BUT … is it actually going to help me find Mr. Right or even Mr. Right Now?

See, the thing with online dating that I've noticed is that it just seems to be a way for a person to inflate their personal resumé/bio and showcase pictures of themselves from years ago.  It's such a disappointment when you meet a person in real life and realize that the picture they had as their profile pic had to of been from at least 5 years ago.

I've been on several different sites over the past few years:

• Match
• PlentyofFish
• eHarmony
• ChristianSingle
• okCupid

…just to name a few, and I seem to encounter the same issue at every one….a profile that highlights all of their greatness and pictures that don't resemble them anymore.  Can we call this false advertising??  I think that there has to be a solution to this problem.  A simple one, too.

Enter in….Video bios.  Seriously.  No joke.  Why not make a 2 min video highlighting who you are, or even better…have it as a compilation of your friends assessments on you.  Who better to try to help you find that special someone then your closest friends and family.  They know you better than you know yourself even, most likely.  I don't know…I just think this would be something to look into.  Do they offer this anywhere already??

I'm just tired of it all….dating in general sucks sometimes.  Maybe I'm just being bitter but I just wish that there was a site that would stand out and revolutionize online dating.  Now, don't get me wrong….I'll continue using these sites but Mr. Right….are you there???

Student Loan Hell

If you're an older college student like me (I'm 28 and a Senior at UTD) and have student loans, then you've probably been keeping track of the news on the student loan interest rate.  If you have no clue what I'm talking about, I've linked a few articles at the bottom for you to catch up with the rest of the nation.

Summary though … interest rates are due to double on July 1st from 3.4% to 6.8% unless Congress takes action.  This increase was set back in 2007 when the interest rate was lowered.  Now that the expiration is coming up, everyone is scrambling to figure out what action to take.  Obama and Romney are both using this issue as a HUGE topic on their campaign trail because it effects so many people (and come on, everyone knows that the young peoples [18-29] vote is where its at right now).

So how does this effect you…??  Well, it's up in the air right now.  I've been trying to do some research on student loans and how it effects students once graduated.  Being one who loves visuals, I came across a pretty nifty infographic that gives a generalization of the student loan bubble.  It doesn't take into account the projected interest increase but it does give you a sense of what's already happening.  I know there are many sides to this debate, interest rates should have never been lowered, students shouldn't be allowed to get a loan on their own until a certain age, etc.; but, that's besides the point at the moment.  It's been ingrained in our head that you go to college, get a degree, get a good job, pay off the student loans…but apparently that's not what's happening.  So…what do we do now?  I suppose we just wait and see what happens.

I'll post some more infographics in this post if I find other good ones, or shoot me a message if you know of any good links to add in here!!

Links for more info on Student Loan Interest Increase:
Student Loan Rate Hike, What You Need To Know - CNN Money
Student Loans: A Long Journey of Confusion - Forbes
Strategies for Repaying Student Loans - Nasdaq

Infographic from: http://dailyinfographic.com/the-higher-education-bubble-infographic