Since my last post a million years ago, I am still on the search for an internship, and have resparked my desire to blog as my quest to the professional world continues.
I think a fresh blog is in order. Watch this space for details.
a
Friday, March 27, 2009
Thursday, December 18, 2008
This can be done.
I have approximately six months until I graduate from Georgia College & State University, and I can't lie, I'm terrified. The thought of leaving this quaint little bubble of academia that I've called home for the past four years and taking the big leap in to the "real world" is a scary one, however, there is one obstacle between me and the big bad "real world": my internship. Despite the fact I have yet to actually nail one down, the article featured on InternshipRatings.com from PR Couture definitely got the wheels in my head turning. It's a great jumping off point for preparation and planning when looking for the perfect internship that will set my career in motion.
a
a
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Prim.
She's 14 years old and her name is Kristen Prim. Miss Prim is the editor and chief of prim. magazine-a homegrown effort that just recently turned tangible with the first printed issue coming out last month. It's truly amazing that someone so young can have such an impressive grasp on the in's and out's of producing a magazine and filling it with articles and features that appeal to a wide range of readers. I know I enjoy reading the magazine and have even considered trying my hand at pitching a story her way (if she'll have me). If you all have some extra time to surf around the interwebs, I recommend going by her blog, Not So Prim and Proper or checking out the magazine (just follow the link above). It's excellent work and the content is terribly interesting. Please check it out.
a
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Interview Ensem.
photo by GARACEDORE
After hearing the words and thoughts concerning interview attire from Carlos Campos, our most recent guest speaker in PR Administration, I went on the lookout for something that I could wear to an interview without feeling as though I was compromising my personal style.
Found it.
a
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Stuck on Paste.
My visit to Paste Magazine was this past Friday (November 4) and despite our mildly late arrival, the trip was a success. Upon entering the gloriously open and laid back office I was instantly relieved that places like this, truly did exist.
We had a short conference with Palmer Houchins the New Media Marketing Manager for the publication before taking our tour and he gave us some insight on pitching stories as freelance writers to get our names out and build up a resume. I know this is a PR blog, but I definitely feel as though plenty of the advice he gave can be applied to pitching a campaign, and you never know when money will get tight and you have to find a little bit of extra work to keep the food on the table, right?
The following are the notes I jotted:
- Always over e-mail.
-- No one will answer your phone call.
-- Address the editor by name.
-- Identify yourself.
-- How long is the story?
-- When can you have it in?
- Keep the pitch to a paragraph or two.
- Don't pitch doing a feature on someone you know.
- Consition is a virtue.
- Do it in a style and a voice that fits the publication.
- Subject and publication should reflect in the tone.
- Always be yourself.
- Don't be afraid to hear "no." You will hear it a lot.
- Just because you hear "no" once doesn't mean you are banned for life.
- BELIEVE IN THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.
Hope this proves to be helpful.
*Please pardon the gush sesh: Paste Magazine headquarters are where it's at. There's music and a good positive energy everywhere. Everyone seems to be really laid back and into what they are doing. There isn't a single cubicle in the whole place and the dresscode all about what you're comfortable in. drooldrooldrool*
a
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Tip tip tip tip, boom!
As a fashion and trend enthusiast, I've seen crazes and fads come and go. I remember the first resurgences of leggings as trousers after the 80's come about a little under two years ago. Shirts were getting longer and dresses were getting shorter. As a response to this, leggings were becoming necessary in order to maintain clean lines, but jeans still reigned supreme on the trouser scene. A small handful of the young Hollywood socialite variety finally caught onto the movement already sweeping Europe of replacing actual pants with opaque leggings. Once leggings began making regular appearances on the covers of grocery store tabloids as Nicole Ritchie lost more and more weight or Lindsay Lohan was once again checked into the hospital for what was becoming "Chronic Exhaustion," the stretchy substitutes for pants started to make their rise into the eyes of young girls and women. Not long thereafter black leggings were popping up all over malls and school hallways. Suddenly it was acceptable to forego actually wearing pants and only wear leggings. Short dresses took on a more modest look as girls/women started pairing them with leggings and soon they were not just for short dresses, but for wearing underneath shirts as well. Now, not only are black leggings popular in the market, but leggings in different patterns, colors, and lengths can be found in a majority of clothing stores all over the country. Leggings have "tipped," according to Malcolm Gladwell's idea of the Tipping Point. At one time they were a mere blip on the radar in the eyes of the general public and in a few short months they were everywhere, and still are to this day, because of the conditions under which they were reintroduced by a handful of young Hollywood socialites who frequented the covers of grocery store tabloids.
What makes me, or anyone else for that matter; want to go to a basketball game? That’s the magic question. Within the already standing campaign that we are working to implement for the GCSU Athletics Department there are several events taking place in order to entice students, faculty, and community members to attend the men’s basketball games, but getting them to continue coming is the key. In essence, how can we get them to “stick” to coming to the games? I think the answer lies in just the right amount of coverage. If we can manage to make the events taking place throughout the campaign memorable and get a good buzz circulating around campus it will be remembered next season. I also feel as though targeting freshmen living in the dorms will play a huge part in the success of the campaign and the numbers of individuals at the games for years to come. Using the Power of Context that Gladwell discusses, we can use the fact that freshmen are required to live in the dorms that are only a stone’s throw away from the gym where games will take place, to get them to stick to coming to the games. Taking advantage of the fact that these students have to reside so close to the games, a constant flow of messages relaying the one big message (i.e. COME TO THE BASKETBALL GAMES! THEY’RE FUN!) should be put into action with flyers and handbills, but also through the word of mouth handed down by Resident Directors/Assistants. The Athletic Department should team up with University Housing in some capacity to continue encouraging and promoting the games to new freshmen residents. If the message is relayed strong enough and early enough, a larger student turn out will result, because the freshmen are new to the college scene and in need of some direction, the athletic events should be incorporated into the welcoming and settling period, making attending athletic events a part of the university’s culture as opposed to an afterthought.
Sitting on the front steps of my dormitory in London this summer as I watched cars pass and enjoyed a little fresh air, a girl emerged from the automated doors and sat a few steps down from me. She was having a cigarette and had neglected to bring a book or even her mobile with her so I took the opportunity to strike up conversation. We got to talking and found that we shared a lot of interests and views in common. We remained friends throughout our stays in the city and I introduced her to the people from the program I had come with. We shared a majority of our free time with each other and even spent evenings out and about town together. In doing that, I was able to introduce her to an already constructed social circle of locals I had met a couple of weeks prior. They became friends. I also introduced several members from my study abroad program to the group of locals. They became acquaintances. These are only a few instances where I have acquired friends and acquaintances and then brought them together. Reading through Gladwell’s “types” of people, I find that I identify most with the Connectors, because I enjoy the company of a variety of different types of people and when bringing these groups together I experience a sense of accomplishment and achievement. I love to talk and I can talk to just about anyone or anything (i.e. a wall), and taking the first step and introducing myself to people often excites me. I certainly do not “collect” acquaintances and friends, because that seems grotesquely superficial and I enjoy more meaningful connections with assorted individuals, but meeting new people and connecting them with friends and acquaintances I already have is something that I take great pleasure in.
As far as reaching a tipping point in my blogging and other social/professional networking sites is concerned I feel that I am still waiting for it. Facebook was the first networking site to tip for me personally and it continues to be my primary outlet for online communications, but Twitter and this blog come in close second. With Twitter and my blog, it is just a matter of reaching out and initiating more discussions with people outside of my Public Relations Administration class. Once I start building stronger connections outside of that, I think that Twitter and my blog will definitely tip and become equals with Facebook the Great. My PR OpenMic has been much neglected in recent weeks and I do not see that tipping for me for a while, although I do hope that in coming weeks and months I will adopt it into my daily internet routine as I have been doing with Facebook for the past three years and Twitter/my blog for the last few months.
What makes me, or anyone else for that matter; want to go to a basketball game? That’s the magic question. Within the already standing campaign that we are working to implement for the GCSU Athletics Department there are several events taking place in order to entice students, faculty, and community members to attend the men’s basketball games, but getting them to continue coming is the key. In essence, how can we get them to “stick” to coming to the games? I think the answer lies in just the right amount of coverage. If we can manage to make the events taking place throughout the campaign memorable and get a good buzz circulating around campus it will be remembered next season. I also feel as though targeting freshmen living in the dorms will play a huge part in the success of the campaign and the numbers of individuals at the games for years to come. Using the Power of Context that Gladwell discusses, we can use the fact that freshmen are required to live in the dorms that are only a stone’s throw away from the gym where games will take place, to get them to stick to coming to the games. Taking advantage of the fact that these students have to reside so close to the games, a constant flow of messages relaying the one big message (i.e. COME TO THE BASKETBALL GAMES! THEY’RE FUN!) should be put into action with flyers and handbills, but also through the word of mouth handed down by Resident Directors/Assistants. The Athletic Department should team up with University Housing in some capacity to continue encouraging and promoting the games to new freshmen residents. If the message is relayed strong enough and early enough, a larger student turn out will result, because the freshmen are new to the college scene and in need of some direction, the athletic events should be incorporated into the welcoming and settling period, making attending athletic events a part of the university’s culture as opposed to an afterthought.
Sitting on the front steps of my dormitory in London this summer as I watched cars pass and enjoyed a little fresh air, a girl emerged from the automated doors and sat a few steps down from me. She was having a cigarette and had neglected to bring a book or even her mobile with her so I took the opportunity to strike up conversation. We got to talking and found that we shared a lot of interests and views in common. We remained friends throughout our stays in the city and I introduced her to the people from the program I had come with. We shared a majority of our free time with each other and even spent evenings out and about town together. In doing that, I was able to introduce her to an already constructed social circle of locals I had met a couple of weeks prior. They became friends. I also introduced several members from my study abroad program to the group of locals. They became acquaintances. These are only a few instances where I have acquired friends and acquaintances and then brought them together. Reading through Gladwell’s “types” of people, I find that I identify most with the Connectors, because I enjoy the company of a variety of different types of people and when bringing these groups together I experience a sense of accomplishment and achievement. I love to talk and I can talk to just about anyone or anything (i.e. a wall), and taking the first step and introducing myself to people often excites me. I certainly do not “collect” acquaintances and friends, because that seems grotesquely superficial and I enjoy more meaningful connections with assorted individuals, but meeting new people and connecting them with friends and acquaintances I already have is something that I take great pleasure in.
As far as reaching a tipping point in my blogging and other social/professional networking sites is concerned I feel that I am still waiting for it. Facebook was the first networking site to tip for me personally and it continues to be my primary outlet for online communications, but Twitter and this blog come in close second. With Twitter and my blog, it is just a matter of reaching out and initiating more discussions with people outside of my Public Relations Administration class. Once I start building stronger connections outside of that, I think that Twitter and my blog will definitely tip and become equals with Facebook the Great. My PR OpenMic has been much neglected in recent weeks and I do not see that tipping for me for a while, although I do hope that in coming weeks and months I will adopt it into my daily internet routine as I have been doing with Facebook for the past three years and Twitter/my blog for the last few months.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
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