In 1820, English writer Sydney Smith, in Hesketh Pearson’s The Smith of Smiths, wrote a letter to an unhappy friend, Lady Morpeth, in which he offered her tips for cheering up:

• 1st. Live as well as you dare.
• 2nd. Go into the shower-bath with a small quantity of water at a temperature low enough to give you a slight sensation of cold, 75 or 80 degrees.
• 3rd. Read amusing books.
• 4th. Have short views of human life—not further than dinner or tea.
• 5th. Be as busy as you can.
• 6th. See as much as you can of those friends who respect and like you.
• 7th. And of those acquaintances who amuse you.
• 8th. Make no secret of low spirits to your friends, but talk of them freely—they are always worse for dignified concealment.
• 9th. Attend to the effects tea and coffee produce upon you.
• 10th. Compare your lot with that of other people.
• 11th. Don’t expect too much from human life—a sorry business at the best.
• 12th. Avoid poetry, dramatic representations (except comedy), music, serious novels, melancholy, sentimental people, and everything likely to excite feeling or emotion, not ending in active benevolence.
• 13th. Do good, and endeavor to please everybody of every degree.
• 14th Be as much as you can in the open air without fatigue.
• 15th. Make the room where you commonly sit gay and pleasant.
• 16th. Struggle little by little against idleness.
• 17th. Don’t be too severe upon yourself, or underrate yourself, but do yourself justice.
• 18th. Keep good blazing fires.
• 19th. Be firm and constant in the exercise of rational religion.

My favorites, which are pretty similar to Gretchen’s, are 1, 5, 6, 9, 11, 13 & 17.

What rings true for you?

In today’s economy, the job market has been challenging for many of us. Those of us who have found ourselves out of a job in our field, regardless of our education and experience, are very frustrated. To have completed schooling, paid your dues and still be unable to secure a job in your field is a pretty unsatisfying feeling. But does that mean we should just give up? I think not. 

Since I’ve been struggling in the current job market, I’ve been doing all I can to get ahead during these tough times. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Communications and right now I’m serving tables and free-lancing different jobs. Of course, this is not exactly where I expected to be at this point of my life. I thought to myself, paid or unpaid, I need to get back into my field of work. 

Three months ago, I was offered an internship here at Massey Communications and it’s been more than valuable. I’ve gained experience in areas I’ve yet to experience in my previous positions. I’m involved with projects ranging from the creation of logos to setting up events through public relations. This internship has been a key facet of sharpening my skills while keeping me in the loop of the agency world. I know when I walk into my next job interview, I will be confident and have much more experience behind me than I would have if I had not joined Massey Communications. Once the duration of my internship is complete, I will have a firm grip on where I belong. And I’m confident that when I land my next job, I’ll be able to hit the ground running. 

What’s important to a future employer? Experience. The amount of experience you can gain from an internship is priceless if you choose the right one. Paid or unpaid, in school or out of school, internships can be invaluable.

Post By: Jason Zell, Fall 2009 Intern

A proud UF graduate, Crittenden was more than a fan, he was a booster for the University of Florida before it was cool. The highest level of athletic donor at UF, Crittenden was one of their most prominent supporters for decades, helping to raise millions for the athletic program. 

Gator fans worldwide, look no further than the plush skyboxes in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium to see the impact he left for UF sports enthusiasts for generations to come. 

It’s important to know as we move forward as a community, where we have come from and those we should pay tribute to. It’s easy to see the impact Duke Crittenden has left in his wake.