So this is my fifteenth post, the number that Dr. Russell wanted us to reach by the end of the semester. Now I guess it's up to where we want to take it from here. I'll have to admit, and many of my classmates agree, blogging just didn't come natural at first. I mean, there are blogs where you can talk about eating cheetos, and then there are blogs like this where the information needs to be relevant to public relations.
Despite a rough start, I think I like it. Unfortunately, no one has responded to this blog yet, although I've made an effort to contact several bloggers in the industry. I think it is a result of my lack of blog experience, so hopefully I can work on this. I think this is something I might continue, just because it gives you practice with ideas and writing over the internet.
It also looks pretty cool when you put your blog site on a resume. It makes me feel internet and computer savvy.
Therefore, I'd like to say thanks to Dr. Russell and all who have been keeping up with this thing. Hopefully this won't be the last you hear from me.
Thursday, May 3, 2007
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
For those just beginning....
I'd like to dedicate this entry to those just beginning their first four undergraduate years as I am ending mine. Looking back I realize that there are many things that I wish I had known before coming, so that they didn't hit me so unexpectedly. They basically involve learning about yourself and college life in general, so here's what I have for you newcomers:
1)Use professors to your advantage...
-Okay, so for the most part your professors are busy people, and that is probably an understatement, but if you take the time to talk to them it can work to your advantage. They have hundreds of students to grade, and making an effort to stand out by communicating with them lets them know that your care about their class. Without students, they would have no job, and throughout my experience here I have learned that most are happy to help. They can also become a great reference for the future.
2)Emphasize the material, not the grades...
-Sometimes I think the worst thing you can tell a teacher is..."hey, I really want an A in this class." Grant it, we all think it, but you're not doing yourself a favor here. If you are having trouble, talk to the professor about certain aspects of the material you are struggling with, and ways you can improve. Emphasize what you find interesting in their class. College is a little different from high school. Grades can be more subjective depending on certain classes. Sometimes you just have one paper and that's your only grade, so try and stand out in a good way.
3)Get your hands dirty...
-One of the things I regret is not getting involved. I waited very late to join activities and clubs that I realize I really enjoy now. Get out there. There are hundreds of things for everyone to become a part of, whether it's chess or religion. Join clubs related to your major. You will gain much more experience, which can help you out a little more in the real world. It's not all about your GPA, especially in a field like PR, where internships are essentially a requirement. Doing this can also make the adjustment to college a little easier.
4)Friends DO come and go...
-I think many students attend a certain college because they want to follow their friends, but this is a mistake in my opinion. You will learn that it's a fact of life, you're not always going to have the same friends. You meet so many new people in college, and sometimes you become friends for the semester, because you have the same classes, and then never speak again. It's a little weird getting used to, but that's just how it happens. Some friends that you spent all your time with in high school just aren't going to be there anymore. Maybe it's something you already know, but for me, this was a real shock.
5)Do the dorms, at least once...
-Okay, so they're cramped and smelly, and oftentimes really old, but I think it is a good experience, especially if you're a freshman. When you start you're in there together. It's a little comforting to see other people you don't know beginning this experience with you. I know many friends who wanted to live off campus their first year and ended up leaving because no one was living with them that motivated them to go to class. It's also statistically proven that those students who live on campus tend to do better in school.
6)Expect the time to fly...
-I know I sound like an old woman here, but if you felt like high school went by fast, brace yourself. I can't believe I'm about to graduate. Your life changes so much in college, so fast, and then you're done. All I can say is savor it, because it's an experience like no other. Try and work hard, but remember to come up for air and appreciate being a college student.
7)Everything's just not going to get done...
-This was something that I found very difficult to learn at first, but it's the truth. You can spend all day on the homework you will have in many of your classes, but it's important to remember that you need to balance things. Make sure you get done what needs to get done, but there are some things that you will have to prioritize, because there just aren't enough hours in the day to do everything in college. What's important is that you stay mentally, emotionally and physically stable while trying to tackle all of this, because it can definitely become overwhelming.
8)Think about your main objective...
-With everything going on (and there will be lots going on, trust me) it's important to remember why you're in college: the degree. There are going to be more parties than you can count on weekends, and it's up to you to be responsible with your new sense of independence. Nothing is wrong with hanging out with friends, or just enjoying yourself, but it's easy to let the time pass without remembering, hey, I've got work to do!
1)Use professors to your advantage...
-Okay, so for the most part your professors are busy people, and that is probably an understatement, but if you take the time to talk to them it can work to your advantage. They have hundreds of students to grade, and making an effort to stand out by communicating with them lets them know that your care about their class. Without students, they would have no job, and throughout my experience here I have learned that most are happy to help. They can also become a great reference for the future.
2)Emphasize the material, not the grades...
-Sometimes I think the worst thing you can tell a teacher is..."hey, I really want an A in this class." Grant it, we all think it, but you're not doing yourself a favor here. If you are having trouble, talk to the professor about certain aspects of the material you are struggling with, and ways you can improve. Emphasize what you find interesting in their class. College is a little different from high school. Grades can be more subjective depending on certain classes. Sometimes you just have one paper and that's your only grade, so try and stand out in a good way.
3)Get your hands dirty...
-One of the things I regret is not getting involved. I waited very late to join activities and clubs that I realize I really enjoy now. Get out there. There are hundreds of things for everyone to become a part of, whether it's chess or religion. Join clubs related to your major. You will gain much more experience, which can help you out a little more in the real world. It's not all about your GPA, especially in a field like PR, where internships are essentially a requirement. Doing this can also make the adjustment to college a little easier.
4)Friends DO come and go...
-I think many students attend a certain college because they want to follow their friends, but this is a mistake in my opinion. You will learn that it's a fact of life, you're not always going to have the same friends. You meet so many new people in college, and sometimes you become friends for the semester, because you have the same classes, and then never speak again. It's a little weird getting used to, but that's just how it happens. Some friends that you spent all your time with in high school just aren't going to be there anymore. Maybe it's something you already know, but for me, this was a real shock.
5)Do the dorms, at least once...
-Okay, so they're cramped and smelly, and oftentimes really old, but I think it is a good experience, especially if you're a freshman. When you start you're in there together. It's a little comforting to see other people you don't know beginning this experience with you. I know many friends who wanted to live off campus their first year and ended up leaving because no one was living with them that motivated them to go to class. It's also statistically proven that those students who live on campus tend to do better in school.
6)Expect the time to fly...
-I know I sound like an old woman here, but if you felt like high school went by fast, brace yourself. I can't believe I'm about to graduate. Your life changes so much in college, so fast, and then you're done. All I can say is savor it, because it's an experience like no other. Try and work hard, but remember to come up for air and appreciate being a college student.
7)Everything's just not going to get done...
-This was something that I found very difficult to learn at first, but it's the truth. You can spend all day on the homework you will have in many of your classes, but it's important to remember that you need to balance things. Make sure you get done what needs to get done, but there are some things that you will have to prioritize, because there just aren't enough hours in the day to do everything in college. What's important is that you stay mentally, emotionally and physically stable while trying to tackle all of this, because it can definitely become overwhelming.
8)Think about your main objective...
-With everything going on (and there will be lots going on, trust me) it's important to remember why you're in college: the degree. There are going to be more parties than you can count on weekends, and it's up to you to be responsible with your new sense of independence. Nothing is wrong with hanging out with friends, or just enjoying yourself, but it's easy to let the time pass without remembering, hey, I've got work to do!
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
Too sexy for the office?
Okay, so, after looking for suits to wear for my client presentation last week, I realized that new fashion and business attire can be confusing, especially for women my age.
Everything nowadays just seems to be soooo sexy. I just bought some pointy black stilletoes a few weeks ago, and many students on campus seem to wear shoes like these with their business attire. However, I wonder if we are take business attire too far. It's hard for a college student, because any magazine or television show portrays young female professionals as sexy in the office. I feel like we try to imitate this look, not realizing that we're not supposed to be looking like movie stars here.
I debated wearing my black stilletoes, simply because I see so many others wearing them, but in the end I figured I better go with what felt safe. Something a little more toned down. There are also so many new suits out now that seems to hug female curves a little too much, especially with the younger population. I just feel like there needs to be more guidance in this department, especially for us just starting out.
I've searched for information online and found a few sites. One is from career builder that hints at how dressing too sexy can work against you in the workplace. However, I think there needs to be something more updated available for us who try to keep things trendy, but not too trendy.
Everything nowadays just seems to be soooo sexy. I just bought some pointy black stilletoes a few weeks ago, and many students on campus seem to wear shoes like these with their business attire. However, I wonder if we are take business attire too far. It's hard for a college student, because any magazine or television show portrays young female professionals as sexy in the office. I feel like we try to imitate this look, not realizing that we're not supposed to be looking like movie stars here.
I debated wearing my black stilletoes, simply because I see so many others wearing them, but in the end I figured I better go with what felt safe. Something a little more toned down. There are also so many new suits out now that seems to hug female curves a little too much, especially with the younger population. I just feel like there needs to be more guidance in this department, especially for us just starting out.
I've searched for information online and found a few sites. One is from career builder that hints at how dressing too sexy can work against you in the workplace. However, I think there needs to be something more updated available for us who try to keep things trendy, but not too trendy.
The End!....Or is it?
We (my PR campaigns group and I) have finally reached the end of our PR journey here as undergraduate students at the University of Georgia. As I have mentioned in my profile, we are all students under Dr. Karen Russell's PR Campaigns class and have been working all semester on a campaign for a client. Dr. Russell can tell you more about her experience with us in her personal blog. I must say that it has been a pleasure working under her and I have gained so much insight into the PR world from her class. I actually started this blog as an assignment for this class.
Marking the end of our journey was our final pitch to our client. We just received our grade for our pitch and from my point of view, those long nights of work definitely proved worthwhile. It was also such a crazy experience presenting a REAL-LIFE pitch to a client for the first time. As one of the speakers I learned new ways of presenting that sort of put me out of my comfort zone. I'm more of a scripted speaker, saying things I've memorized over and over. However, for this pitch I felt that I had to think on my feet more and respond to the reactions of our client during the presentation. I didn't think I could pull this off very well, but I felt I did better than I would have anticipated.
I also became more nervous when the clients appeared. Even though we are still students, I realized that, "whoa, this is for real." These people are actually looking to us for help, and I've got to try and convince them that we have some pretty good ideas here! Scary.
Moreover, I say this is the end of my PR functionings here as a student, but I also see this as just the beginning. Our pitch Monday was the first of the many pitches I might end up doing if I continue to go forward with this major. As far as that goes, I must say that it has been an amazing and eye-opening experience so far, through good times and bad (my group members can tell you all about that) and I know I will always look back on this as how I started my PR career.
Marking the end of our journey was our final pitch to our client. We just received our grade for our pitch and from my point of view, those long nights of work definitely proved worthwhile. It was also such a crazy experience presenting a REAL-LIFE pitch to a client for the first time. As one of the speakers I learned new ways of presenting that sort of put me out of my comfort zone. I'm more of a scripted speaker, saying things I've memorized over and over. However, for this pitch I felt that I had to think on my feet more and respond to the reactions of our client during the presentation. I didn't think I could pull this off very well, but I felt I did better than I would have anticipated.
I also became more nervous when the clients appeared. Even though we are still students, I realized that, "whoa, this is for real." These people are actually looking to us for help, and I've got to try and convince them that we have some pretty good ideas here! Scary.
Moreover, I say this is the end of my PR functionings here as a student, but I also see this as just the beginning. Our pitch Monday was the first of the many pitches I might end up doing if I continue to go forward with this major. As far as that goes, I must say that it has been an amazing and eye-opening experience so far, through good times and bad (my group members can tell you all about that) and I know I will always look back on this as how I started my PR career.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Breaking Bad News....
I had the privelege of attending a lecture last night about Global Public Health and the World Health Organization(WHO). I refer to this as a privelege because I am looking to the public health sector for grad school and was very excited about attending. (A special thanks to Dr. Russell for announcing the lecture a few weeks ago).
To add to the experience, I gathered insightful information about public relations and its function with the WHO in communicating disease outbreaks. The main lesson: Break the news, and do it FAST!
The guest speaker was Dick Thompson, a veteran Time Magazine reporter and war correspondent, who is the team leader for Pandemic Outbreak Communication with WHO. He elaborated on how quickly diseases like SARS spreads and how it is vital for communicators to report these outbreaks immediately.
Although the information provided in this lecture may have come off as common sense, I think that it is a great reflection on pr as a communication tool. The things we do in pr, such as breaking bad news quickly and clearly seems to be common sense in itself, but people often take this for granted. I believe that this is one of the many reasons why pr has become a profession.
With that said, I look forward to learning more about how I can use my pr degree in the public health sector, and hopefully putting this into action in the near future.
To add to the experience, I gathered insightful information about public relations and its function with the WHO in communicating disease outbreaks. The main lesson: Break the news, and do it FAST!
The guest speaker was Dick Thompson, a veteran Time Magazine reporter and war correspondent, who is the team leader for Pandemic Outbreak Communication with WHO. He elaborated on how quickly diseases like SARS spreads and how it is vital for communicators to report these outbreaks immediately.
Although the information provided in this lecture may have come off as common sense, I think that it is a great reflection on pr as a communication tool. The things we do in pr, such as breaking bad news quickly and clearly seems to be common sense in itself, but people often take this for granted. I believe that this is one of the many reasons why pr has become a profession.
With that said, I look forward to learning more about how I can use my pr degree in the public health sector, and hopefully putting this into action in the near future.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Black Gold screening a success!
Okay, so our Fair Trade organization held a screening for Black Gold last Thursday and we were especially thrilled with our turnout. I was personally impressed by this film, and we almost filled the entire room with participants! This may sound like a modest number, but for our organization, having over thirty people to voluntarily show up for a documentary is a pretty big step. We are still very new on campus and we are continually working on our awareness strategies.
Needless to say, I'd like to take this time to point out how pr can go wrong, even is small instances such as these. The flyers sent out, (which I had nothing to do with I might add) had the wrong room number on them. I don't know whether to blame this on the people we reserved the room from or on those who made the flyer, but I do know that it was not a good thing, especially for us. The last thing we need right now is for people to become turned off by our meetings because they can't find the right room to go to. Grrrrrr!!!
On a happier note, I was especially thankful for those who still hung in there through all the confusion and had much to offer about fair trade. It makes me feel good about this organization to know that we already have a good number people who are concerned and want to be active with us.
Needless to say, I'd like to take this time to point out how pr can go wrong, even is small instances such as these. The flyers sent out, (which I had nothing to do with I might add) had the wrong room number on them. I don't know whether to blame this on the people we reserved the room from or on those who made the flyer, but I do know that it was not a good thing, especially for us. The last thing we need right now is for people to become turned off by our meetings because they can't find the right room to go to. Grrrrrr!!!
On a happier note, I was especially thankful for those who still hung in there through all the confusion and had much to offer about fair trade. It makes me feel good about this organization to know that we already have a good number people who are concerned and want to be active with us.
In honor of Awareness....
In light of the recent Virginia Tech tragedy and my efforts in pursuing a public health program for grad school, I'd like to direct this post to information on the Depression and Suicide Awareness Week hosted by Nuci's Space. It is a local organization here in Athens
created in honor of a former student who sadly lost his life during his battle with depression.
Unfortunately their Depression and Suicide Awareness Week ended last Friday, but hopefully those interested may find something in this site that speaks to them. After working with this organization for my PR class last year, I believe that they are truly an organization seeking to help those who suffer. Although they are more targeted to the music community, it is definitely worth noting their tactful approach to treatment for depression.
created in honor of a former student who sadly lost his life during his battle with depression.
Unfortunately their Depression and Suicide Awareness Week ended last Friday, but hopefully those interested may find something in this site that speaks to them. After working with this organization for my PR class last year, I believe that they are truly an organization seeking to help those who suffer. Although they are more targeted to the music community, it is definitely worth noting their tactful approach to treatment for depression.
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