Blog Posts by The Daily Muse

Myths we tell college grads

I'm sure you've heard the news: Millennials are the worst generation in history. We're "deluded narcissists," not to mention unprofessional, entitled, and unemployed.

Or are we? I'm here to tell you that-just like the critique of past generations-this isn't true for the majority of us. In fact, many of us value hard work, getting ahead, commitment, and even philanthropy. This criticism is a myth-and sadly, only one of many we are told as we enter the working world.

As I embarked on my graduation (almost a year ago now-yikes!), I heard a lot of well-intentioned advice and comments that, in all reality, haven't been true of my experience. Here are a few of the other myths we're often told as recent or soon-to-be college graduates-and why you should take them with a grain of salt.

Myth #1: You'll Only Get a Job Through Your Connections

I heard this particular myth during every single one of my internship searches in college and the eventual full-time job hunt.

Thank you at work

A friend of mine opens doors for strangers. And while I'm sure he's trying to preserve his gentleman-like nature and will be doing this until the end of time, he's always agitated when people don't say thank you. Sometimes he even sarcastically whisper-shouts, "You're welcome!" letting people know that they've forgotten to acknowledge that the door didn't open with special body sensors.

This always reminds me of when I was a teenager, and my mother gave me a small sheet of paper that said: "A smile and a thank you won't cost you a dime, but not doing either may cost you later." At the time, I thought it was a subtle fire-and-brimstone message for some ungrateful action I committed in my adolescence. What do you mean it will cost me later? Will the ghosts of Thanksgivings past come to haunt me, or will I be forever known as the frowning selfish girl?

But a decade later, the words have stuck with me, not only when people hold the door or elevator open for me, but in my

Over the past year, we've seen a healthy public debate over the gender wage gap. But while the pundits and politicos may argue over how to calculate the discrepancies, there's one thing we can all agree on: There's no reason a woman should be paid less than a man for the same work.

While this debate could drag on for years, you do have the power to change the status quo now. Women often hesitate when it comes to negotiating, but by knowing what you're worth and asking for it, you prevent the slippery slope leading to the gender pay discrepancy.

Need some encouragement? We've asked our good friend Ryan Gosling to make his second annual appearance in honor of Equal Pay Day. Take it from The Gos: It's time to start asking for what you're worth!

Photo courtesy of The Berry.

Photo courtesy of BuzzFeed.

Photo courtesy of Esqiure.

Photo courtesy of OK! Magazine.

The 1-3-5 Rule

Feel like you always have a hard time actually getting through your to-do list? We've come up with the perfect solution-the 1-3-5 Rule. Here's the gist: On any given day, assume that you can only accomplish one big thing, three medium things, and five small things, and narrow down your to-do list to those nine items.

Sound scary? Well, it is, at first. But like it or not, you only have so many hours in the day, and you're only going to get a finite number of things done. Forcing yourself to choose a 1-3-5 list means the things you accomplish will be the things you chose to do-rather than what happened to get done.

Of course, this can be flexible. If you spend much of your day in meetings, for example, you might need to revise this down a bit. If your position is one where each day brings lots of unexpected tasks, you might try leaving one medium and two small tasks blank in preparation for the last-minute requests from your boss.

But the point is, prioritization works. So,

Bananarama power bars

You're busy enough already, so when 3 PM rolls around and your stomach starts to growl, it's understandable that you run to the strategically-placed vending machine down the hall. But we both know that a bag of chips or candy isn't really going to fill you up!

Instead, try one of these healthy, energizing, and (best of all) delicious, snacks. These bananarama power bars are fantastic to prepare over the weekend so that you'll have a tasty grab-and-go breakfast or snack for the rest of the week. These will surely curb your craving for carbs, give you energy, and hold you over for many hours. Plus, they're way healthier than those sugary, processed power bars you find at the store.

Ingredients

• 2 large, ripe bananas, mashed with a fork
• 2 cups raw oats
• 1/2 cup skim milk
• 1 egg (or 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce)
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons organic agave
• Pinch of salt
• Either 1/4 cup walnut pieces and 5 large dates,

When you're a busy professional, multitasking is key. Texting while walking? Simple. Compiling the budget while watching puppy GIFs? Easy.

So why not try working out while you work?

Alright, while there are some actually useful ways to incorporate exercise into your workday (think: take the stairs), the web is full of some, um, more creative suggestions. So if you can't find time to make it to the gym, turn to one of these tips for pumping some iron right at your desk.

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Dog-proof home

So, you're getting a dog! Prepare for long walks in the park, endless hours spent throwing a tennis ball, and lots of love and kisses.

Now, let's talk logistics. Once you've made this awesome decision (extra awesome points if you plan to rescue), you're going to have to take a few necessary steps to get your home ready beyond just buying a cute dog bed.

When my boyfriend Dan and I got our little dog Reggie, I was pretty unprepared for the general chaos that was about to ensue. Though both Dan and I had grown up with dogs (and, weirdly, both with dogs named Ginger), we really had no idea what this cute, cuddly ball of terror was going to do when she moved in and took over.

In the year and a half since, I've learned a thing or two about protecting my home and sanity from the shoe-eating, attention-whoring dog who is also one of the things I love most in this world. Shortly after getting Reggie, I started my job as editor of a pet magazine, which has no doubt taught me a

Quit Smoking

I was deep in the depths of ridiculously bad reality TV (I'm talking hardcore Housewives and TiVoed Rock of Love: Charm School)-when a nattily attired ad exec named Don brought me back to the beauty of flawlessly executed television drama. And, although my IQ is forever grateful to Mad Men for this upgrade (and I can't get enough of those skinny ties and sharkskin suits)-I will admit relief that I won't be exposed to a bit of Mr. Draper's second-hand smoke.

Workplace mores about cigarette smoking have changed drastically since the '60s (I'll be damned if your supervisor whips out a cigarette case and ashtray at your next staff meeting)-so much so that this July, the University of Pennsylvania Health System is banning smokers (yes, you read that right-not smoking-but actual smokers) and will decline to hire users of cigars, cigarettes, and chew.

And apparently, this sort of policy is not novel-Cleveland Clinic was one of the first organizations to introduce a "tobacco free"