Home Sweet Home

Welcome back to the ‘burbs. In my hands I am in the possession of a wonderfully beautiful Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Studies with an emphasis in PR. It sits upon my desk, where memories of my cut-and-paste artwork was created and where I poured over books for the SATs and Algebra and wrote and rewrote papers and then applications for college. And here I am again, sitting at my desk with my now 4-year old (yet great condition) laptop, that has withstood internships, classes, and even a semester abroad. This desk and laptop, with my graduation diploma now staring back at me, reflecting the work I have completed and toiled over, is where I now job search, trying to connect, reconnect, and find the ideal job.

Though it may seem I painted a very dim picture, without hope and full of disappoint, I must admit I am embracing the opposite. Don’t get me wrong, I am ready to move out fully of this home – my parent’s house as I now regard it – and start a great new job and move to a fun a new place. But I am hopefully and enjoying the time I have to reflect upon my journey until now. For the past 17 years, I have sat through classes, seminars, lecture series, meetings, study sessions, and many other more fun things of course. But before I begin this journey onward to begin the work portion of my life, this limbo land is quite refreshing. Admiring my accomplishes – large and small – in the past, enjoying scouring through photo albums of old and new friends, relishing in the relation of mine with my parents and how it has changed.

Goodbye college life, hello limbo, and greetings to future me!

 

Sports as a political aid

Sorry everyone for the delay on my blog. I think I forget about it sometimes and when I finally remember that I do indeed have a blog, I have nothing to say. Terrible situation to be in, but alas I finally thought of something that was intriguing enough to write about…at least for a minute.

While reading headlines on ESPN this morning (and re-reading the stories about Trevor Bayne’s win yesterday at the Daytona 500!!!!), I was startled and intrigued by one particular article about F1 racing (http://tiny.cc/eur5).  Though I knew that a F1 opening race was occurring today, and knowing it was in Bahrain, and also understanding that Bahrain has been in the news lately, none of these things connected in my head until reading through this. With the unrest and protests occurring in Bahrain for the past week, it never occurred to me that a sporting event would need to be cancelled. Never having known the detrimental affects of anti-government protests that can cause country-wide unrest, it took a minute to grasp the idea of canceling an event that brings in worldwide coverage. I thought that this would be beneficial to the country, to bring attention to it. I did not factor in the safety issues, the potential political implications of the media and influx of people, or the other number of problems that could arise. Now I am better understanding that internal struggle with a country sometimes needs time to be internal, without outsiders looking in.

I have always thought of sports and sporting events as an essential part of human life. Yes, this sounds strong, but I really do believe it. Sports give people an active outlet to release emotions, to compete in a natural and “safe” setting, and are a time to bring a variety of people together both as teammates and opponents. Whether countries hate one another, or even hate each other in their own country, sports is that great distraction, that great mediator that says “I know that we as a country/countries in conflict/ethnicities/genders/sexual orientation/etc are having problems/loving life, but this event, this sport, is a way for us to release that emotion in a safe and controlled area, to yell and scream and laugh and cry with one other over something as simple as a game. That we can embrace our differences or rage against our political issues in a form that is acceptable and will hopefully help alleviate the pain in the ‘real’ part of our lives.” Sports are a way to partially distance ourselves from the issues and problems of real lives while also addressing those issues in a way that we can release the emotions through activity of play or activity of watching.

Now, this may not make complete sense to everyone. I know, it sounds a bit rambling. But the point I am making is, are not sports here to be a gateway for whatever we need it to be: for distraction, for support, for emotional release, for acknowledgment of wrongdoings, for competition, for anything.

Though I believe the Prince of Bahrain made a wise decision not to have the F1 race today, I hope that they will reschedule and can use it as a grounds or a format to bring their country together in a setting where they can associate with one another and become a strong country together while enjoying a fun day of sports.

 

I do not CHEAT

Though I haven’t written as of late, here is a short recap on life. First, I am back at Clemson in my final year at school. I am still playing club tennis (maybe not as avidly, but I do attempt at times), I still hang out with all of my friends and am meeting new people constantly. I still go to class…for the most part. And once again, I am interning. 

I have started up with G Magazine and am the editorial intern. It is thrilling and artistic and creative and wonderful. I love the quickness yet the ease in which people go about their writing. The chaos is great, everyone getting calmly jumbled as we prepare to release a new magazine every few weeks. 

But as all of this goes on, and though I love the internship, it is making me realize that soon enough my real life will kick in and I will begin working full time instead of a mere 10 hours a week in this office. I will no longer have the luxury of long naps mid-day, slacking off emails on the weekend, riding my bike on the mornings I have no class, and sleepily driving to class after a midnight movie night with my roommates. As sad as that may sound, I am ecstatic! Yet my enthusiasm ceases when I realize I have yet to find a job. Though it may only be almost October and I graduate in May, the time crunch is hitting hard. As friends of mine keep getting jobs offers, or at least interviews, or are sending in applications to grad school, I realize how quickly this is sneaking up on me. And I also realize that when I apply for these jobs, this is not just another internship. This is real life. I am striving to obtain a job in a desirable city, a job that I love and one that can lead me to an ultimate career goal. When I get out of school, I am looking for more than just a job. I am looking for my career-starter, my life-starter. I am not saying my career will be my life, but wherever I take my new job, that will lead to the introduction of real life to me. Soon I will be shaking hands with a city, introducing myself as its new resident, and hoping to build a lasting relationship with her. That, though, is determined on where I find this dream job…or at least my first adult job.

Though I know not where I will inevitably reside in eight months, I will love it, adjust to it, and welcome a new chapter to my existence. This all being said…if you have any grand ideas for my job search, contacts, etc, please feel free to pass it on. Pay it forward if you will, and I will happily do that same to you or another who needs the help. That is what this whole “social networking” and “social media” and “blogsphere” idea is about right? Connecting and interconnecting through our Internet connectivity in our walls, through our wireless networks, through every outlet surrounding us. 

It is no longer (well…was it ever) just about me. It is about us. It is about using one another to create our lives. WE create our lives, not me. Everyone helps everyone and that is how we go along, how we survive not only in the job markets but emotionally, spiritually, and simply being. So join a network online, or even go grab coffee with someone just to learn more about the field you want to do, or just call up a friend and meet new ones. But learn like I did and network. It isn’t cheating. Did you know that? 🙂

 

A Kid in the Future

Last night my parents and I decided to make it a movie night and went to see the highly anticipated and talked about Toy Story 3. Now, having remembered watching the first Toy Story 15 years ago and absolutely loving it, and of course remembering the 2nd one, it was exciting and nerve-wracking to watch the 3rd. Though it has been talked about, I was nervous that it would turn out to be not as exciting not only because I do not care for sequels and such, but because I am not a kid watching it.

But alas, the child in me took over quite instantly. My parents could not stop laughing at me laughing the entire ride home as I recalled various parts of the movie that were particularly comical. The creation of the entire story line as well as the pixar animation was well worth the wait of 15 years. Yet there is more to this new movie that was interesting to think about.

As a kid, even those of us born in the late 80’s (growing up in the 90’s) understand how the future was portrayed and how, though we did not believe we would be riding in hover crafts like the Jetsons, figured that television could become interactive or something even more far fetched. So going into this theatre with 3D glasses was a little eerie. I have seen 3D films before, but normally at a museum or an IMAX or a theme park that only lasts a short bit. But this was a 3D full length film as well as 3D previews and everything!

So as my childlike self emerged when the movie began, that child was awestruck at the ability to view a movie in 3D. Though my adult self may take it a little for granted, accepting that technology is increasing and improving every second, my child self was still surprised to find this as a possibility.

Take a look back from your childhood perspective and try to find if there are any other things in our daily lives that seem so shocking for a 90’s kid but so normal for an adult in 2010. And now think…what will surprise our kids? Can you even fathom that? Oh how the world progresses…

 

Off and Running…or Sporting

Week one with the Georgia Games as their new Public Relations Coordinator = done. And the consensus from this girl is…craziness!

For those of you not unsure of what exactly the Georgia Games are, here’s the run down. This is a not-for-profit organization, created initially as a promotional tool for the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. With the large participation they had prior to the games, these events were continued and are now in the 20th Year. There are over 45 olympic style events that we coordinate entirely, finding sponsors, donations, and participants. If you want to see more, go to our website, http://www.georgiagames.org (but don’t judge, I am in the process of fixing it as we speak…type…communicate I suppose).

Anyway, what an experience. I am officially my own boss in the public relation department and have the luxury of a webmaster even working under me. But those joys of being your own boss often get trampled by having someone looking over your shoulder. Though my executive director is good about letting me do my own thing, he does have his own ideas and opinions and often may push them on people. That happens though, and I still must admit that,w hen I get to be undisturbed and just working I am so happy. I love making contacts, speaking with the press (without the actual people hearing me…just some of my words). And now I even have a little public service announcement on a few radio stations for our games. So that is quite exciting!

Overall, though, I think I am more overwhelmed than I had anticipated. Although I knew this job would take a lot of my time, I am realizing that though I very much love being an adult and working in some capacity, the requirement, the drive, the waking up early, may not be for me. I think I am learning that I need to find a job where I do not sit in an office every day from 8:30 to 5…I need to be out, active, meeting with people and communicating in person or at least on my phone in a public outdoor place.

Nonetheless, this job should be quite the experience. I shall keep you up-to-date on the goings on of this organization and my workings within it. Hopefully I still have a desire to blog after sitting on my computer all day writing and typing. Here’s to hoping!

 

Illegal Actions Going Unnoticed

Routinely we as undergraduate, and even graduate, students search for jobs and internships that will help not only boost our knowledge of the field we desire to go into, but primarily to boost our resume.  For those in the communication field, especially public relations, you learn to go for what you want and if an internship is given to you that truly fits your goals and personality, you take it: no questions asked.  This tends to leave people in quite a predicament because majority of the internships you want that will do your resume and yourself some good are unpaid.

I have worked one summer as an intern unpaid and will once again do it again this coming summer. Though I do get a stipend ($500 maximum, clearly not adequate), I bite my tongue and suck it up. This is what you do. Luckily my parents financially can support me to go after my goals in this way, but I must say it puts quite the strain on my wallet when you include gas into the mix of going to work everyday, food, not to mention all of your time during the summer. But again, you deal with it. When its something you really want to do, even your advisors say to do it.

But this mentality is very difficult for a student. It is hard to wrap your head around doing so much work for a company and getting no compensation. Learning, though is necessary in every field, is not adequate payment. If I am going to work like an employee, I need to be paid like an employee. This is where PROpenMic.com has been fantastic. This website, a great place for PR students and employers (I have blogged about it before) is strongly set on giving students opportunities to find work experience that does not utilize them without compensation. Though they have been writing and arguing for payment of interns for years, the New York Times finally picked up on the idea.  You can find their article at Growth of Unpaid Internships May Be Illegal, Officials Say. Read up on it.

This is not to say that there are not paid internships. There are. And sometimes you can find very good ones that are right up your alley. And this is not to say that unpaid internships are terrible, they aren’t. They are extremely beneficial for you not only in the long run, but also to determine what you want to do now. But just don’t let yourself be overworked and not even paid. I say this as I am about to embark on an internship that restricts me from any vacations and prepares me for working 7 days a week with a very small stipend. But, I chose it I suppose. So I am in hopes that it will benefit me tremendously.

In any case, remember that your work is valuable and others should recognize that value and respect it monetarily.

 

Reading with an Attitude

I recently picked up a book at the bookstore here, a book I had never heard of but sounded intriguing by the commentary on the back and the mild bits I read on random pages I turned to. But the book itself is irrelevant. The intriguing aspect that made me stop mid-sentence in order to jump online and blog was this: how influential are reviews and, if a book or article is reviewed, does it even matter what the subject is on? Will the review itself derive a whole new clientele and deflect another previously intrigued group of people?

In this book, one of the narrators constantly downsizes the writings (the book is about literary scholars) of another scholar. When the author finally allows an excerpt from the previously-mentioned downsized writer, I felt automatically inclined to not read it, and when I finally decided I must indeed read it, I had trouble concentrating, feeling bored just like the narrator said he felt. So, would I have really been bored and unsatisfied with this small excerpt if there had not been previous reviews and commentary writing negatively about it before I had the option of reading it myself?

Often I am afraid we depend too greatly on another’s opinion – thinking they he or she is an expert in the field, and even if s/he is not – and reading something based on that opinion.  But this at times will also deter us. Therefore: are reviews useful or not?

People’s opinions are worthwhile, I will say that. But since every person is deemed to be different, and our enjoyment is based on different things, even though we often are grouped with others based on somewhat similar interests, why do we allow someone else’s thoughts alter ours? This is not to say that you should not recommend books or read books in which the review is written nicely. But simply this: be wary and try to be unbiased towards something simply because of a review or opinion. Opinions are apt to change, so therefore you should allow yourself the options of allowing your own opinions to change by picking up that random book or article with minimal or not so satisfactory reviews. It could change your whole attitude!

 

What Would You Do?

I do hope that some of those reading this blog remember that grand Nickelodeon show. What what what would you do?!? So great! But, this phrase so brilliantly corresponds with some of my thoughts lately. Though it is obvious that I desire to do public relations in sports for anyone I know and clearly I want to do something with pr or communication or I would not be typing my thoughts and opinions about such topics essentially for anyone to see online, I realized lately that this determination is quite different from many people, especially those outside the US.

In two of my classes, one briefly and the other quite in depth, we discussed how Italian education emphasizes learning information but not necessarily learning to test or learning to use. American culture for education on the other focuses on obtaining an education in something tangible, like engineering or pre-med. But for those with communication or philosophy or history or sociology, etc, our degrees are almost looked down upon. And though I constantly defend the legitimacy of my educational path and the necessity for acquiring knowledge about people and communicating with others, I realize that I am a complete and utter product of American culture. Europeans in general (yes, a little bit of stereotyping but I learned that it is not a bad thing as long as it is not judgmental, simply observant) are accepted even if they have no specific career, constantly change educational paths, take time off, don’t get married or have kids, (either at the “right time” or at all), and simply do what you want. I, though, as an American, find myself, upon introductions to peers, asking what they are majoring in and immediately asking what they intend on doing upon graduation and how their major and degree is pertinent (in not so many words of course).  Why must we constantly be engrossed with occupational directionality? Can we not just wish for people to find their own path and guide their life however they so choose, even if the decision is quick and sudden and spontaneous? I envy people here for their casualness when it comes to that. Life for them is worth living all the time. They simply enjoy and promenade about life for quality, not quality of activities to talk about. Just an intriguing difference between a variety of cultures, and trying to embrace the pros and cons of each…either way, we must embrace our own lifestyle choices and respect all others, whatever they are. Each person has their own life to choose their path for, so we needn’t be unnecessary obstacles along their road.

 

It’s the Search that Never Ends…

I must begin with an apology. I have severely neglected my duties as a blogger to posting to this blog, seeing as I created another one for my fun adventures while studying and working in Florence, Italy. If for some reason you desire to read this monologue of mine about such adventures, go to agitaly.wordpress.com. But coming back to this blog, I knew that there was something I needed to write about, I just could not pinpoint it. Then I realized, as I was surfing the web looking for jobs, exactly what it is. It is this idea of searching constantly. This monotonous, continuous game of hide and seek with jobs and internships is an unending struggle and pleasurable challenge of mine (a trait that directly correlates with my Dad’s personality as well). Case and point: I have already obtained an internship for the summer – hooray!! – one that cannot be altered because of the contract I signed. Yet, even with this amazing job opportunity to become a Director of Public Relations at age 20, I search pr websites and emails vigorously, as though I could really find something better. It is like an addiction. I am addicted to finding jobs, learning what is out there in the world. I don’t know exactly if this is for the satisfaction of knowing I have an amazing internship lined up, or to know that the occupation I want to go into really does have available jobs, or just the thrill of learning about other jobs in the public relations field. No matter what the reason is for me doing this, though, I will spend hours upon hours simply reading other blog entries about jobs, following a link of Twitter to new internships, and reading and re-reading emails from LinkedIn specifying job openings. I simply write this with the hope that I am not alone in this crazy addiction. Do others also feel compelled to ridiculously check and re-check about jobs and internships, no matter if they need it or not? I suppose it is just like the theme song for Lamb Chops (yes, I did just reference a ’90s children show…and yes, some younger people – not to say I am old, but I am still older – would not necessarily recognize it), the search goes “on and on my friends…”

 

The Wheels on the Bike Go ‘Round and ‘Round

Amazingly, the simplest childhood book can somehow correlate directly with an adult situation. I know, I know, the book is “The Wheels on the Bus,” but I am taking some creative liberties, if you will. Although this will be yet another overused metaphor, imagine life as the road this bike (or bus) is traveling on. This road of life is what keeps you moving forward, gives you side roads to take, adventures and new passions to learn about, to explore. And sometimes these roads bring you back to the same road you were on, and sometimes these roads create new paths. And you keep riding your bike, and you keep going, and you live and you learn, but you try your best to keep riding on these roads that you find passion in, that you WANT to ride down, not the ones you don’t like. But then, sometimes there are obstacles. Sometimes, a car comes out of nowhere and changes that course for you,  hits you into another road that you didn’t necessarily want to go down. This sounds awful, I understand. But it’s true. At the end of this past summer, at 1 am on Sunday morning, August 9th, I got a phone call from my boyfriend.  He was in the hospital, not exactly sure what happened to him, but all he knew was he was hit by a car on his bike ride home from work. I couldn’t function, and all I could hear was him on the other phone telling me to come to the hospital.  After days in the hospital, surgery on his neck, braces on his neck and knee, a broken rib, a punctured lung, and soreness, he was released. And then he went back home with his parents.  I then had to return to my daily routine of school and he had to adjust to his new routine back at his parents house, trying to recover. I don’t write this to invoke sympathy or pity. He nor I want either of them from anyone, nor do our families. I write this for a reason not of cheesy inspiration but of guidance.  It has been 3 months since his accident and we have both more or less settled into our lives right now. It’s funny though how much his life, even though he is recovering, looks so much like his life should. Granted he isn’t in school, but he is still taking care of his bills and worrying about that, he is still certain about what he wants to do with his life, and he is still getting back and riding around on his bike. People thought he would never get back on the bike because of fear. What you have to realize about him and about me and about everyone is that if there is something you are passionate about, nothing will get in the way. It’s not like “Don’t let that get in your way” or “Jump back on that horse, don’t let it get you down.” No. It is simple that nothing gets in your way. When we got home from the hospital and he had his laptop, first thing he looked at was bike stuff. Passion for something is always there. Obstacles don’t get in the way of that passion or you pursuing that passion of yours. YOU stand in the way. Your passion doesn’t disappear, you hide it, smush it, ignore it. By doing this, passion for anything else will never be as good. Don’t ever suppress your passion. Go with it, live in it, and use that to encourage new passions, new desires. Let those wheels keep moving, because that passion is always moving, you just have to be on that bike down that path.