Life is Improv

Life is Improv The first and most important rule of improv is this: dont negate. To negate in improv is to break the flow of absurdity and belief that animates the sketch. When the Roadrunner points out to Wile E Coyote that hes standing only on thin air, hes negating. In improv, when you deny a fundamental premise of the sketch no, Zoe, youre not on the moon because you want to pull it in another direction. youre negating. This rule was also one of the toughest for me to master, when I did improv at summer camps and in high school. Though I like to think Im a kind person, Im also deeply sarcastic; its naturally easier for me to play the sardonic straight man and deliver a deflating riposte that points out how stupid the whole scene is. Im also someone who naturally likes to have a sense of control over things. Im not a control freak. But I like to do things my way, and I definitely, DEFINITELY like to plan things out. Looking at my (eight different color-coded) Google Calendar(s), I notice now that Ive booked every weekend from here through..well, freshman orientation for the class of 2015, in late August. You can see why these character traits made it difficult for me not to negate. Its easy, and comforting, to shut things down into the nice, clear plan youve made for yourself. Its scary, and risky, to accept another persons crazy idea, or to crumple up the plan and go with something else. But thats improv. Today was commencement for the Class of 2011 from MIT. This weekend, two of my cousins will be graduating high school as well; many of the Class of 2015 either have already or will soon go through the same pomp and circumstance. This makes me feel old. It also makes me feel nostalgic. Chris S, who graduated today, helped interview me for my current job. During CPW, late one night after all the other admissions officers had gone home, Snively asked me if I wanted a walking buddy; we spent hours going from dorm to dorm and eating midnight breakfasts together. So, on the occasion of commencement, heres one insight that I would share with past, present, and future graduates: Life is improv. ***** This doesnt mean that life is random, or farcical, or shouldnt be taken seriously. It also doesnt mean that you shouldnt think deliberately and carefully about decisions that you make, or strive to make the smartest decisions you can in any particular situation. What it means is this: The most important, and best, things that have happened to me, I didnt, and could not have, planned for. There was the professor with whom I took a class because it had an interesting title. I ended up TAing for him for three years. He chaired my thesis committee and I still occasionally advise his nonprofit organization. Hes one of the best academic mentors Ive ever had. The summer I began working at MIT, my then-girlfriend was a student intern at a free-speech organization. She had a big list of book bannings and challenges she had to categorize. I thought itd be cool to post them on a Google Map to visualize the trends. The end product got a lot of press, and I was asked to join the Board of Directors of a major anti-censorship advocacy group. None of that would have happened had I not felt like trying something out that seemed like it might be a cool idea. In fact, the best example of this principle from my entire life might actually be how I met that particular girl. See, some of her friends were visiting my alma mater when a riot broke out. A guy down the hall invited them back to ride out the storm in our dorm. A few weeks later, she came over to a party with her friends and these guys from my hall. Im a nondrinker, and a much better conversationalist than partier. But that night I decided to drop in and see what folks were doing. She and I started talking (actually we began viciously insulting each other remember what I said about sarcasm?); we became best friends and dated for several years. Even though that relationship eventually ended, were still close, and I learned more from that experience maybe more than anything else. And it wouldnt have happened if I hadnt decided to come out of my room and walk down to see what was up that one night. There are countless other examples I could provide. Incredibly important, wonderful things that have happened, people I have met, opportunities I have had, without me planning for them. They were, to reference Rumsfeld, unknown unknowns. I didnt know that I didnt know they would happen to me until they did, and were amazing. And not just big, life-changing events like these; small, wonderful moments too. Thinking Id go to bed on time one night and staying up late talking about something in the hallway. Ditching class one spring afternoon to go wandering around campus and finding my new favorite spot to study for future years. Applying randomly to a job at MIT and finding out its the best home Ive ever had. ***** There was a terrible movie that came out a few years ago called Yes Man. The premise is that Jim Carrey is a really withdrawn dude who suddenly becomes blessed/cursed with the inability to say no to any particular situation. He always has to say yes when anyone asks him to do whatever weird or crazy thing they ask him to do. I wouldnt recommend taking dont negate quite so literally (nor would I recommend seeing the movie). But the core principle is correct. When you get to college or, for the class of 2011, when you get to the rest of your life there will be so many opportunities for you to have. There will be so many times when people want to go do something. Maybe stay up late and just BS in the hallway while eating pizza. Maybe go over to a machine shop to make a crazy motorized shopping cart. Maybe go hang out with some cute girls visiting from another campus. You are not going to have enough time in your life to say yes to every opportunity you have. But it is imperative that you say yes as often as possible. The worst thing you can do in college and in life is to close off opportunities for spontaneous serendipity. Its not easy. Theres comfort in planning. Comfort in booking yourself solid, losing yourself in your schedule; I think this is what a lot of workaholics (including myself) do to cope with the discomfort of the realization that so much of what happens in life is outside of our control. You schedule every minute of your day so that you never have the time to look down and realize youre standing on thin air. This leads me to my other, ancillary point about life being improv: You cant plan your life. You can only prepare for it. Ive now fully realized and internalized the fact that I am not in sole control of my life. But I have also come to understand that that doesnt matter as long as Im prepared for it. The same is true for you. Part of that preparation is education, like the one I received and you all will (or have) receive at MIT. Part of that preparation is mindset. You have to be prepared not to negate, to leave yourself open to opportunities, and to seek out serendipity in as much as you can. You cant always (if ever) control the things that will happen to you. But you can control how prepared you are to take advantage of them when the opportunity arises, and to condition yourself to take the leap to pursue them. Whether youre a member of the class of 2011 or 2015, your life is about to change drastically. Let it happen. Let yourself be open and available to the moments of magic that happen in our lives. That are our lives. Never put on the blinders. Never try to wrest too much control of your life from the narrative of the world. The sketch is bigger and more powerful than you; all youre doing is boxing yourself in to your own bit part, somewhere off stage left. All you have to do is keep the energy going. Keep the scene flowing. Dont negate. Everyone else is in the same thin air you are. No one has it figured out and thats awesome. So just keep whistling and walking along. You are going to do great things in the world. You dont know what those things are yet and that is ok, because if you thought you did, youd only be shutting doors you didnt even know were open yet. And the amazing truth is: if you leave those doors of opportunity open, only good things will find their way in. Best of luck. I am proud of each and every one of you.

The Case Of Fraud And Wrongdoings - 2029 Words

Abstract This paper will be taking a shallow dive into the specific case of fraud and wrongdoings by the auditors of Live Entertainment Corporation of Canada, Inc., also known as Livent. I use the word shallow because an in-depth study encompasses horizons beyond what can be written in this paper. Fraud is a very broad topic generally, and this paper seeks to touch on a few regions of this topic and the role auditors’ play. I will be taking a look into Livent Inc. and the fraudulent scandals that terminated the company’s reputation and I will be discussing the role of their auditors, Deloitte and Touche, during this period. In the course of this research paper, several significant questions will be raised and I will try my best to answer them with supporting reasons. Some questions I want to address are as follows: Were there red flags visible which should have alerted the auditors (roused their professional skepticism) that all was not well in the company? Were there audit procedures the auditors might have carried out that might have alerted the auditors? If Livent lied to Deloitte Touche, does that excuse the auditor of liability to the firm? Suing the Auditors, does this go against the norm of corporate law? Introduction The meaning of ‘fraud’ We must first understand the meaning of ‘fraud’ and some motivations behind the commissions of such acts. I want to first start by defining fraud to get a deeper understanding of what this paper would be talking about.Show MoreRelatedThe Oversight And Authority Over Public Accounting Firms769 Words   |  4 Pagesrather than public interest since there is no law enforcing them. The routine inspection for public accounting firms and the threat of any wrongdoing publication will keep the firms to act at their best behavior. The inspection will catch their wrongful doings before it is too late to recover. The individual auditors will reconsider before they commit any frauds as they might not want to face fines or CPA licenses revocation. Title II focuses on eliminating conflict of interest between the audit firmsRead MoreThe Technological Revolution Has Changed The Access Of Citizens Within A Democracy1728 Words   |  7 Pagesan important role to play in combating wrongdoing (Mbatha 2005). The origins of the term whistleblower are unclear. Miceli and Near wrote of an analogy between whistleblowers and â€Å"an official on a playing field, such as a referee, who can blow the whistle to stop action† (1992 p. 15). Throughout history there have been many instances of whistleblowing. During the American Civil War, individual citizens were actively encouraged by government to expose fraud in businesses that held wartime contractsRead MoreWhistleblowing Essay1298 Words   |  6 Pagesany kind of information or activity that is deemed illegal, dishonest, or not correct within an organization that is either private or public. The information of alleged wrongdoing can be classified in many ways: violation of company policy/rules, law, regulation, or threat to public interest/national security, as well as fraud, and corruption. Those that become whistleblowers can choose to bring information or allegations to surface either internally or externally. Internally, a whistleblower canRead MoreWhite Collar Crime Is A Serious Issue Essay1124 Words   |  5 PagesStates. White-collar crime is â€Å"a crime committed by a person of respectability and high social status in the course of his occupation† (cornell.edu). Examples of such offenses include bribery, credit card fraud, insurance fraud, bank fraud, blackmail, extortion, forgery, securities fraud, tax evasion, embezzlement, repair scams, Ponzi and pyramid schemes. These non-violent crimes are responsible for an estimated $250 billion to $1 trillion in economic damages each year (Martinez). IndividualsRead MoreMontana Wrongful Discharge768 Words   |  4 Pagesmay also seek punitive damages. Identify the parts of this law that appear to benefit employers. ⠝â€" Employee can be discharged for good cause and as long as the employer can prove that employee was let go of good cause, employer will win the case. ⠝â€" Employer can let go of an employee for insufficient work performance although employee may have received bad training from employer.   The state laws protecting whistleblowers vary enormously, but none of them protect whistleblowers who turnRead MoreShould Whistleblowers Be Protected1593 Words   |  7 Pagesprotect reporting illegal activities is significantly high. Employees who work in public or private organizations are the first to identify wrongdoings in a workplace since they have up-to-date information. Whistleblowing can be an essential tool to identify and report these actions in the public, private and non-profit sectors. However, by revealing wrongdoings, whistleblowers often take high personal risks. Lacking strong legal protection might increase the change of facing dismissal, harassmentRead MoreThe Ethics Of Whistle Blowing Essay1486 Words   |  6 Pagesbe made. Either present documentation or turn the blind eye and not acknowledge the situation. Such information can be classified as a violation of company policy, rules, and regulations or a threat to public interest, national security, as well as fraud and corruption. Those that choose to become whistle-blowers can disclose their information either internal or external. Internal, whistle-blower, is an individual that can bring information or accusations to the attention of other people within theRead MoreTheu.s. The United States1122 Words   |  5 Pages There are generally two views people have concerning whistleblowers: They are either considered snitches (performing acts of espionage) or they are considered martyrs (acting as a type of vigilante informing the public of wrongdoing). There have been many controversial cases in the past decade over informants such as Edward Snowden (exposing NSA data collection of citizens), Bradley Manning (responsible for leaking Iraqi military secrets), and Thomas Drake (NSA personnel leaking counterterrorismRead MoreFederal Bureau Of Investigation ( Fbi ) Essay903 Words   |  4 Pagesauthorization offices. The FBI has separated its examinations concerning various projects, for example, residential and worldwide fear mongering, outside counterintelligence, digital crimes, open debasement, social liberties, s orted out wrongdoing/drugs, clerical wrongdoing, vicious violations and significant guilty parties, and candidate matters. The FBI s investigative rationality underscores close relations and data imparting to other government, state, neighborhood, and global law enforcement andRead MoreThe Convergex Group 2013 Deferred Prosecution Agreement1247 Words   |  5 PagesCase Study of the ConvergEx Group 2013 Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA) In December 2011, ConvergEx Group publicly disclosed parallel investigations by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and the United States Department of Justice. Between 2006 and 2011, two former employees of ConvergEx Group had concealed the â€Å"routing of certain global trading and transition management customer orders to the former Bermuda trading desk of ConvergEx Global Markets (â€Å"GCM†) where they were net

Literary Analysis Of The Masque Of The Red Death

Literary Analysis Paper Jameson Sexton Hour 7 Don’t attempt to change your fate, I’m warning you. â€Å"The Masque of the Red Death† and â€Å"The Monkey’s Paw† are examples of why not to mess with your fate. In both stories, the characters attempted changing their fate and ends in a very bad outcome. The characters, both learned that if you try changing your fate there is going be a horrific consequence. There is a terrible sickness spreading throughout their town. â€Å"No pestilence had ever been so fatal, or so hideous.† (Poe 78 ) In the story â€Å"The Masque of the Red Death† fear is the main theme. Prince Prospero invites a thousand of his friends to his castle. There are seven different colored rooms in the castle. The guests fill all the different†¦show more content†¦Mr. White quick off his feet rescues it. Sergeant Morris demands he leaves the paw alone multiple times. Mr. White does not listen to Sergeant Morris. After, Sergeant Morris explains how to make a w ish but highly discourages it. Sergeant Morris leaves and tells him the person before him who had this paw was that his last wish was for death. After Sergeant Morris leaves Herbert, Mr. Whites son, says he is full of nonsense. Herbert says a thousand dollars would be nice in order to pay off the house. So, Mr. White makes the wish for a thousand dollars. Nothing happens for a while. Herbert leaves that night to go work in the factory and says he should be home for breakfast. The next morning Mr. and Ms. White notice Herbert is 20 minutes late. They keep looking out the window for him, but then they spot a woman in nice clothes walking around outside. Later she finally approached the house. She tells Mr. and Ms. White that their son died last night in the factory. Regret is seen vividly when Mr. and Ms. White receives this news. She hands them a suitcase with a thousand dollars in it and says this is for your lose. Mr. and Ms. White griefs until Ms. White comes up with a great idea. Mr. White runs and grabs the paw and wishes for their Hebert back. They look at the window and sees something arise from the graveyard. Ms. White is unable to open the door in time. Mr. White runs painfully and grabs the paw and wishes for his son to be dead in peace. This story was veryShow MoreRelatedLiterary Analysis Of Edgar Allan Poe s The Masque Of The Red Death1409 Words   |  6 PagesA Literary Analysis of Edgar Allan Poe’s â€Å"The Masque of the Red Death† Edgar Allan Poe is popularly known as a Gothic short story writer. He has produced many gruesome stories, including the short story â€Å"The Masque of the Red Death†. In this short tale, Prince Prospero decides to lock himself and his friends of the court into a magnificently decorated abbey to escape becoming ill of a disease which has caused half the people in his land to perish. The Prince provides indulgences and throws partiesRead MoreEssay on Literary Analysis Of The Red D579 Words   |  3 Pages Literary Analysis of â€Å"The Masque of the Red Death† In the story, The Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allan Poe, the author tries to create a specific atmosphere to emphasize the action within the story. The setting of the story immensely helps to create this atmosphere. Poe’s descriptive setting aids in creating the atmosphere of the story by developing mood, evoking feelings from the reader, and creating a false sense of security. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The setting of The Masque, whichRead MoreThe Masque Of The Red Death1679 Words   |  7 Pages Power in â€Å"The Masque of the Red Death† â€Å"Frail humanity can never escape the ravages of time†. Humans are born and will eventually die; it’s the cycle of life. No one can prevent death, but it does not stop people from trying to prolong life. Fate is inevitably predetermined; death is our predetermined fate. In the allegory â€Å"The Masque of the Red Death†, written by Edgar Allan Poe in 1842, Poe teaches that death is predestined and that you cannot avoid fate. Poe focuses in on an unusual characterRead MoreMy Psychoanalytic Views of Two Short Stories1454 Words   |  6 Pagessituations they actually make perfect sense. Psychoanalytic Literary Criticism refers to literary criticism or literary theory which, in method, concept, or form, is influenced by the tradition of psychoanalysis begun by Sigmund Freud. Psychoanalytic literary criticism is a very common method of analyzing stories such as The White Heron by Sarah Orne Jewett, Young Goodman Brown by Nathaniel Hawthorne and The Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allen Poe. Sylvia, a shy girl, who is rather naiveRead MoreThe Masque Of The Red Death By Edgar Allan Poe And Shirley Jackson1219 Words   |  5 Pages the author utilizes a certain depth in the piece, where their vernacular elicits emotions. The short stories written by Edgar Allan Poe and Shirley Jackson, â€Å"The Masque of the Red Death† and â€Å"The Summer People†, produce an unexpected ending. The key to creating feelings of tension and suspense lies within their command of literary elements. Each of these aspects contribute toward the bigger picture – engaging the reader, through emotions, into the short story. Although the use of these elementsRead MoreFall of the House of Usher Literary Analysis Essay1325 Words   |  6 PagesLiterary Analysis As with many of Edgar Allan Poes pieces, The Fall of the House of Usher falls within the definition of American Gothic Literature. According to Prentice Hall Literature, American Gothic Literature is characterized by a bleak or remote setting, macabre or violent incidents, characters being in psychological or physical torment, or a supernatural or otherworldly involvement (311). A story containing these attributes can result in a very frightening or morbid read. In all probabilityRead More An Analysis of Edgar Allan Poes Psychological Thriller Essay3707 Words   |  15 PagesAn Analysis of Edgar Allan Poes Psychological Thriller Outline I. Prelude II. Brief introduction to Adgar Allan Poe 1. 1. Allan Poes Life 2. 2. Allan Poes Works and Literary Achievement III. Adgar Allan Poe -- A Post-Gothic Writer 1. 1. Gothic Introduction 2. 2. Analysis of Two Horror 1) 1) The Fall of the House of Usher a) a) Setting b) b) Characters c) c) Point of View 2) 2) The Masque of the Red Death a) a) Setting b) b) Characters Read MoreThe Masque Of The Red Death By Edgar Allan Poe2034 Words   |  9 Pagesatmosphere exudes a dream-like quality, which calls into question if the events are simply a product of one’s imagination. This situation is comparable to that of â€Å"The Masque of the Red Death† by Edgar Allan Poe. Originally published in 1842, this narrative tells the story of a wealthy noble, Prince Prospero. An extremely deadly plague, the Red Death, has devastated the land, and Prince Prospero invited a group of a thousand friends to one of his abbeys to hide away from the disease. Everything about the partyRead More Juxtaposing the Most Similar Contradiction in Edgar Allan Poes Work2077 Words   |  9 PagesThroughout all of Edgar Allan Poes works are common ideas that oppose each such as madness versus sanity, reality versus the imagined reality and life versus death. Usually these sentiments are taken as contrasting ideas with little similarities to each oth er, like black and white. However, many of these motifs are situated in the grey category. Poe uses the communal thought pathway to highlight its antithesis; the pathway of grey. With the new pathway, he emphasizes the similarities of the opposingRead More The Understated Narrator of The Masque of the Red Death Essay2052 Words   |  9 PagesThe Understated Narrator of The Masque of the Red Death      Ã‚  Ã‚   While the narrator of Edgar Allan Poes The Masque of the Red Death never appears in a scene, he is always on the scene. He reveals himself overtly only three times, and even then only as one who tells:    But first let me tell of the rooms in which [the masquerade] was held. (485)    And the music ceased, as I have told . . . (488)    In an assembly of phantasms such as I have painted . . .

When The World Stands Out, Aspire To Be Outstanding Free Essays

We are all different. We view things from different perspectives. What one person acknowledges as the truth may not be accepted by others. We will write a custom essay sample on When The World Stands Out, Aspire To Be Outstanding or any similar topic only for you Order Now There exists a plethora of interpretations, which are rooted on the fact that people come from varying backgrounds – politically, socially and culturally. These differences allows people to be unique in there own ways. The world is divided, geologically speaking. As such, people grew up in societies that have dissimilar and often conflicting views on a number of things. I was born in Bangkok. The place that I first called my home is a bustling city. Being the capital of Thailand, most efforts in relation to economic development are concentrated there. It dominates the country’s economy. Unfortunately, the continued development of Bangkok results to the neglect of other urban centers. This makes the disparity in wealth distribution more intense. Despite the developed faà §ade of the city, the truth that there is inequality still lingers. Growing up in a country like Thailand, where people from neighboring countries come to work, I have learned to accept the fact that the things I believe in is not always the same as the things that the people around me agree to. Confrontation is not always the best solution. If I keep on asserting my own views upon others, I know that we won’t come to an agreement. It is best to base my judgment on respect and not animosity. It is in this line of thinking that I gained the courage to speak out, even though, I know that others won’t agree with me. Deep inside I am hoping that they would respect my opinion regardless of my political, social and cultural viewpoints since I do the same to them. The other reason why I choose to go against the grain, sometimes, is due to the fact that I would like to create a better future for myself, my family and my community. I have seen both the glittering and rusty covered side of life when I was in Bangkok. I know that I can do better if I work hard and believe in own capabilities. I also know that I can a difference in the world in the same way that the world affects me. When the odds are against me, I try to remember that I am more fortunate than others because I am able to exercise some of my rights especially my right to education. I am thankful for what I have now that is why I work hard to show how much I appreciate them. Once again, I can say that I draw my strength from my family and community. How to cite When The World Stands Out, Aspire To Be Outstanding, Papers

Three Principles Describe How Economy as a Whole Works free essay sample

Prices rise when the government prints too much money because more money in circulation reduces the value of money, causing inflation. Society faces a short-run trade-off between inflation and unemployment that is only temporary. Policymakers have some short-term ability to exploit this relationship using various policy instruments. Quantity of Clothing Produced the frontier), point B is an inefficient point (inside the frontier), and point C is an infeasible point (outside the frontier). Microeconomics is the study of how households and firms make decisions and how they interact in markets. Macroeconomics is the study of economy-wide phenomena, including inflation, unemployment, and economic growth. 2. An example of a positive statement is â€Å"a higher price of coffee causes me to buy more tea. † It is a positive statement because it is a claim that describes the world as it is. An example of a normative statement is â€Å"the government should restrain coffee prices. † It is a normative statement because it is a claim that prescribes how the world should be. We will write a custom essay sample on Three Principles Describe How Economy as a Whole Works or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Many other examples are possible. Parts of the government that regularly rely on advice from economists are the Department of the Treasury in designing tax policy, the Department of Labor in analyzing data on the employment situation, the Department of Justice in enforcing the nation’s antitrust laws, the Congressional Budget Office in evaluating policy proposals, and the Federal Reserve in analyzing economic developments. Many other answers are possible. 3. Economic advisers to the president might disagree about a question of policy because of differences in scientific judgments or differences in alues. C A B Quantity of Food Produced Figure 1 The effects of a drought are shown in Figure 2. The drought reduces the amount of food that can be produced, shifting the production possibilities frontier inward. Quantity of Clothing Produced Chapter 2 1. Economics is like a science because economists devise theories, collect data, and analyze the data in an attempt to verify or refute their theories. In other words, economics is based on the scientific method. Figure 1 shows the production possibilities frontier for a society that produces food and clothing. Point A is an efficient point shows Robinson Crusoe’s production possibilities frontier   for gathering coconuts and catching fish. If Crusoe lives by himself, this frontier limits his consumption of coconuts and fish, but if he can trade with natives on the island, he will possibly be able to consume at a point outside his production possibilities frontier. Fish Caught group of sellers (who determine supply) of a particular good or service.

Canada Essay Example

Canada Essay CanadaCanada is the second largest country in the world.The only country larger than Canada is Russia.Even though Canada is more than 3.8 million square miles it is one of the least populated countries in the world.Canada is north of the United States; South west of Greenland. The Atlantic Ocean surrounds the east side of Canada and the Pacific Ocean surrounds the west side ofMost of the west side of Canada are mountainous or high elevation.Central Canada and West Canada is more level than the west side.The climate in Canada varies from region to region, from Arctic temperatures which are below freezing most of the year. The southern part of Canada has mild temperatures 8 months out of a year.Canadians come from all backgrounds and this multi-cultural nature of Canadian society can be seen in the way people of different origins, religions, and traditions continue to celebrate these differences. Long before the Europeans came, the native people marked there year with festivals celebra ting the seasons or religious rituals. Natives of the west coast held ceremonial feasts called polaches, and those of the plains held powwows, or ceremonies of healing.In a more modern way, visitors who go to Brantford, Ontario, in August can take part in six nations native pudent, an Iroquois celebrating of the tribes cultural history. Canada is geographically, the largest democratic country in the world. It is a constant challenge to make the democracy work in a country that is so large and populated with people from such different backgrounds. July 1, 1867 Canada became a nation, and also became a democratic federation. This means that the powers of government are shared between a central and federal government, the governments of the various provinces that make up the nation.Some present an

6 outdated career tipsâ€and why they’ve changed

6 outdated career tips- and why they’ve changed You don’t use the phone, watch TV, or dress the same way your parents did when they were your age- so why would you use career advice that has been around just as long (or even longer)? Some pieces of advice in the career world will truly never change: hard work pays off, and you should never get drunk at a company holiday party. Otherwise, things are negotiable. Let’s look at some infamous career advice that might not be so valid anymore. Keep a low profile on your personal life.Advice: Keep your work life and your personal life totally separate, even on social media.What’s changed: Social media like Facebook has evolved over time to include more than your â€Å"friends† per se. Relatives, acquaintances, former dates†¦all show up in your news feed, so why not add coworkers into the mix? Why not even add your boss, if you get along and find her opera singing/supermarathon running/jewelry crafting hobbies interesting? Social media has blurred social li nes a bit and has helped make relationships a bit more informal. When used well, it’s a way to break the ice and build relationships with people you might otherwise only see at work.However, this one does come with a caveat: if you do friend colleagues and managers on social media, set filters or try to keep things clean. Anything you post that can be seen by coworkers becomes fair game. And definitely don’t complain about work if people from work can see it. If you wouldn’t want to see a screenshot of something you wrote land in your work email inbox, don’t write it.And it’s not just social media- socializing with coworkers and sharing (appropriate) details about your personal lives can help you bond and feel more connected to your workplace. Small talk about your weekend or cute pictures of your boss’s kid are not likely to derail your professional relationship or keep either of you from doing the work that needs to be done. And we all nee d allies at work- someone to talk with when things get stressful or with whom you can grab a non-work-related lunch. Chitchat about work-only things will only go so far. You’re much more likely to have good relationships with your coworkers if you can bond over other things you have in common.Keep a strict work-life division.Advice: Don’t even think about work after you leave. Don’t check email after hours. And when you’re at work, don’t do anything personal or non-work related.What’s changed: It’s true, email has helped create â€Å"work creep† that can lead to stress outside of work hours or leave you feeling cheated on your personal time. But like all balances, it’s important to keep negotiating your work-life balance to make sure it still works for you. If it makes your workday better to spend half an hour at night checking a few emails or lining up your to-do list for the next day, do it. If you need a quick break d uring the afternoon to talk to your partner, take it. Keeping a single mindset for eight straight hours is not only difficult, but it can increase your stress. The most important thing is that you’re not letting personal time at work upset your productive time, and that you’re not letting work squeeze out your personal decompression time and priorities.Never show weakness.Advice: If you’re struggling or you don’t fully understand what’s going on, don’t let anyone know. Fake it, or stall until you can straighten it out on your own. Asking for help is a sign of weakness and incompetence.What’s changed: You know what takes a lot of unnecessary time and energy? Faking it. If you don’t understand what needs to be done, ask your manager or someone involved with the task. You shouldn’t lead with, â€Å"Oh man, I have no clue what to do here†- but it’s perfectly all right to say, â€Å"Just so I’m clear her e, this is what I think the next steps are. Can you confirm?† Or â€Å"Can we walk through this again so I understand?† Your manager would rather have a good outcome on a project than a result where you clearly winged it and got things wrong.If you need help, ask for it. Otherwise you risk not being able to bluff your way through as well as you think you can, and wasting both your time and others’. Invest a little time and honesty up front and make it easier on everyone- not least of all yourself. Think of it as a learning opportunity, not a failure.Don’t challenge the boss.Advice: Never challenge your boss on anything. If you don’t agree, just let it go and wait your turn to be the one in charge. After all, she’s the boss for a reason. Do what you’re told, and publicly agree with the official point of view.What’s changed: The manager/employee dynamic hasn’t necessarily changed, but it’s more culturally acceptable now to disagree- albeit diplomatically and productively. This is not to say that you should openly scoff at a particularly ridiculous idea or laugh in your boss’s face when he asks you if you agree about something. Rather, frame it as a respectful difference in point of view. For example: â€Å"I see what you’re saying, but what if we look at it from this other perspective?† Set it as a dialogue instead of just publicly rejecting something your boss has said. Like you, your boss has an interest in making sure things get done in the best way possible, so if you have a difference of opinion that could improve an outcome, don’t be afraid to speak up in a respectful and constructive way.Standard politeness rules apply here as well. Loudly contradicting your boss in a meeting with other people is not likely to go over very well. Nobody likes to be shouted down. But presenting an alternative choice, and acknowledging the validity of what was already said, is a much more productive way to disagree without being rude or unprofessional.Never say â€Å"no.†Advice: Especially when you’re just starting out, always say â€Å"yes† when you’re asked to take on new things or responsibilities. If you say â€Å"no,† you’re not a team player.What’s changed: Saying â€Å"yes† to everything is a shortcut to burnout, and employers have become more conscious of cultivating employee morale. There’s only so much you can handle in the work hours you have available. The better way to handle this is through negotiating and prioritizing. Instead of saying â€Å"I just can’t do this right now,† figure out why you can’t, and ask for help prioritizing tasks if this potential new one is important for you to take on.The key to this one is making sure that your rationale for saying no is a legitimate one. If you just don’t feel like doing it, that’s not going to go over well. But if you genuinely don’t have time, or object for specific reasons, you can be honest about those. Lay out the reasons why, and open a dialogue about how this new ask can or should fit in with your existing workload. It’s always better to have a â€Å"here’s why† list of talking points ready to go, so that your boss doesn’t think you’re lazy, or can’t do the work.Don’t be a job hopper.Advice: Don’t jump from job to job. Settle in and build experience at one job for several years. Job hopping makes you look like an unreliable employee.What’s changed: The world, basically. The job scenario where you start right out of school and stay there for 40 years has become, essentially, a unicorn. The average person now will have eight jobs before they turn 30. And according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employees who are 25 to 34 years old typically stay with a job for three years.Job hopping can be a way t o build your skills and maximize your opportunities instead of staying in a role that may not fit your long-term goals. Job hopping can also mean moving to different jobs within the same company if you find other roles that fit better. While switching jobs every year for the next 15 years is not an ideal strategy (that might truly start to send up red flags for potential employers), you shouldn’t let â€Å"well, I just started this other job† discourage you from seriously considering a job opportunity that pays better, or is better aligned with your career goals.Not all advice is true forever. When it comes to your own career, it’s important to think about whether that advice will truly help you, or if it just doesn’t fit with the way the world works anymore.