Obama’s #FreeCommunityCollege Plan: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

Last week in Tennessee, President Obama proposed a plan to make the first two years of community college free. If every state were to participate, according to White House figures, the plan would benefit 9 million students per year saving them an average of $3,800 in tuition. Based on the Tennessee Promise supported by Republican Governor Bill Haslam, the purpose of the plan is to provide two years of community college education for free for students that maintain a 2.5 grade point average, attend at least half-time, and make progress toward completing their program.

Why You Need a Pair of Noise Canceling Earbuds

Think back to your last flight.  Did you notice the frequent flyer with a nice pair of the Bose noise canceling headphones?  Over the years, I kept seeing these headphones on flights, but never understood why people seemed to love them so much.  For my birthday last month, I got a pair of Bose noise canceling earbuds (specifically, I got the QuietComfort 20i).  If you’re serious about focusing and getting your work done, you need a pair of these!

I have found three primary benefits to using noise canceling headphones.  

Stuart Scott and the power of the B.A.

Stuart Scott was an icon. Scott’s catchphrases and energetic style were contagious. My generation came of age watching Scott host ESPN’s SportsCenter. He redefined how a sportscaster looked and sounded. Since his death yesterday from cancer, many tributes have poured in from colleagues, athletes, and even President Obama. I could never attempt to top any of those, but I want to suggest Stuart Scott has another legacy: demonstrating the power of a bachelor’s degree.

Stuart Scott changed sports media and he did it with a bachelor’s degree in speech communication from the University of North Carolina. The latter a fact that made all of us Tar Heels proud when he’d do the highlights of a Carolina-Duke game or call out a star player’s UNC affiliation while doing a highlight.

Don’t Make New Year’s Resolutions

Happy New Year!  I hope 2015 is your best year yet.  In order to make this your best year, I want to encourage you to do something different.  Don’t make New Year’s Resolutions!  That’s right, the way to a more successful year is to stop making resolutions.  Over half of people who make resolutions stop by summer.  Don’t be one of those people!  Instead, I want you to make SMART goals.

Photo credit: Scott Cresswell

SMART goals are easy to create and I believe they will help you achieve your goals far more than typical resolutions.