Semester Wrap Up

The most positive thing about this whole semester is that it has finally come to an end! Oh my goodness, what a crazy busy time. As all of my classmates have grumbled about our constant assignments, I have tried to see them as learning opportunities. Not that I never complained, but I just kept my ultimate purpose in the back of my mind. I have learned more things this semester that will be useful for my career than I think I have learned during all of my other semesters at USF combined. I have been fortunate enough to have teachers who are willing to assist their students outside of class, with things related or unrelated to our lessons.

Some things I know will be invaluable to my career as a public relations practitioner are: interviewing skills, research reports, media kits, presentations, networking and portfolio building. Before this semester I didn’t have a blog or know how to save things as a pdf; now I have those skills and many more that I can apply to real life.

I still don’t know exactly what I want to do when I graduate, but I have definitely narrowed it down from the beginning of the semester. Some fields that particularly interest me are non-profit and agency. I also learned that my love for football could possibly be a career path, so I’m hoping to make some connections that will take me there. Tasks that interest me are speech writing, event planning, writing and crisis communication.

My topic for this blog served two main purposes. The first was to get me blogging on a topic, so my posts wouldn’t be all over the place. The second was to help improve my quality of life. I think it’s safe to say that I met both objectives. I can’t wait to see what the future has in store for me.

Travels

I recently found out that my family is not going to be making our annual trip to Colorado this summer. At first I was bummed because I love going out there in July. There’s so much to do! Whitewater rafting, hiking, shopping and dining to name a few.

Then I started thinking about the positive aspects of this canceled vacation, and I came up with quite a few points. I will be able to take a summer class or do an internship without having to worry about scheduling weeks off. I also remembered how much I hate the flight out there and the long drive to the mountains. By not going away, I will have much more time to get everything in order to be prepared for next year. I will also be able to take full advantage of making friendships and networking opportunities here in Tampa.

I have been so overwhelmed this year and although a vacation is fun and relaxing, there is a lot of planning that has to go into it. I think I will be able to get everything on track if I am here for the entire summer and not focusing on my travel plans.

I also remembered how much more I enjoy going to Colorado in the winter/spring when I can SKI! So I’m going to try and focus on planning a trip for then, so I can enjoy activities that we do not have here in Florida. Also, I am going to plan my trip to San Diego for the PRSSA Convention in November, which will hopefully provide me with a wealth of connections and opportunities just in time for me to graduate!

Keeping In Mind Your Best Interests

An issue I’ve been dealing with all semester is one of my closest family members dating someone that the majority of the family doesn’t like. It’s really hard to see someone you love and care for so much make decisions that hurt some of the parties involved. I’m not going to go into too much detail with this, as I have done with some of my stories, since this is a private issue and I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. But rather I am going to focus on what I’ve learned and how I’ve reacted.

I’ve learned that you can’t make people do something they don’t want to do. No matter how much you complain, argue and cry, the only person who can decide to change is oneself. I’ve learned that crazy things happen that may seem so bad and unnecessary at the time, but they all point to a specific purpose. Everything really does happen for a reason. It’s important to remember that even during unfavorable times, to focus on keeping yourself healthy and happy.

This negative issue combined with my positive thoughts, have brought new and good things to my life. I started working out to release emotions and in turn got more in shape. I started focusing on myself and what was best for me. I realized that everyone goes through hard times and regret is never fun. So, I’m trying to lead my life here on out with no regrets. Even in bad situations, I want to be able to look back and be proud of the decisions I made. I learned to make decisions based on what is best for ME in the LONG RUN.

You shouldn’t make decisions based on other people. You shouldn’t go to a college based on what friends you know will also be attending. Everyone will eventually go off on their own path. Things change, people change, but decisions are forever, so it’s important to choose wisely and keep your personal goals in mind.

Connecting the Dots

After submitting my 10th summer internship application today, I started to get nervous. I didn’t realize how hard it would be to find an internship position.  I’m willing to work for free, after all! But I suppose that is the case for thousands of other public relations students as well. I submitted applications to four places two weeks ago, and only interviewed with one, which I hadn’t heard back from. Today I submitted six more since those first four options weren’t looking too promising.

I have been telling myself that I am going to intern this summer, that I will get hired somewhere. Maybe somewhere out there the perfect summer internship opportunity awaits me, and I may never discover it if another company scoops me up first. I keep reminding myself that hard work does pay off, and mine will not go unrewarded.

One thing I’ve learned this semester is that everything does work out. The constant freaking out over tests, papers and projects is all forgotten in the end. The best part is the reward–seeing the A on Blackboard, or just the feeling of getting one step closer to the ultimate goal. The ultimate goal can be as short-term or long-term as you want–finishing the week, completing the semester, graduating, finding your first job or discovering your dream job. The point is that everything you do has meaning and is not pointless.

We watched a speech from a Stanford graduation in this class. One thing Steve Jobs said is: “You can’t connect the dots looking forward, you can only connect them looking backward.” That quote stuck with me because it’s so true in every aspect of life. I can’t wait for the day that I look back and see all of my dots perfectly connected.

One Roommate Lost, A Private Bathroom & Walk-In Closet Gained

A couple of months ago, my big sister approached me and asked if me and my little sister would like to live with her next year because she needed roommates. My little and I decided that she would be a great roommate and we would love to live with her. We went apartment hunting twice and neither time my big was able to go, which wasn’t a problem at all. My little and I just looked at three bedroom layouts when we went and considered her in our decision making.

After viewing about 10 different complexes, we finally found the perfect apartment. It was a three bedroom, two bath, with a loft and wood floors, and it was close to school. We consulted with my big that very day and she said she had been in that apartment complex before and really liked it so she trusted our decision. The next day we brought over our application and fees to be the first people on the wait list.

Everything was going smoothly until one day this week, she told me her predicament. She has a serious boyfriend and is going to be teaching full time in the fall, so she no longer was certain that living with us was the best decision because of the close quarters and different lifestyles. Although we respected her decision and appreciated her letting us know in advance, it was still annoying to have a sudden change in plans I thought were solid.

My little and I ended up being able to get on the two bedroom wait list and did not lose our application fees. We will now both get our own bathrooms, huge walk in closet and pantry in the kitchen. It isn’t a loft, but who wants to air condition all of that extra space anyway? We decided that it was probably for the best and cheaper too.

I don’t like change, but because my positive thinking tools were in the back of my mind when all of this was happening, I was better able to cope. I definitely think that everything happens for a reason, and that this living situation will be the best for all parties involved in the long run.

True Religion, “True” Hem

The most frustrating thing happened to me over spring break! I had been wanting a pair of True Religion jeans forever, but I couldn’t bring myself to spend $200 on them. Over spring break, I went to Bonita Springs with my aunt and my grandma to do some shopping and go to the beach. There is a really good outlet mall over there and you can imagine my delight when I saw they had a True Religion store. I went into the store and tried on two pair–one skinny, one flare. I ended up deciding on the flare, even though they were too long and would have to be hemmed.

“I’ll just use Bev,” I thought. “She does all of my dresses and slacks so nicely, I’m sure she’ll be able to make these look like I bought them this way.”

When I got back home I made an appointment with Bev (the lady who has done my alterations so beautifully for several years). I tried on my new jeans and as she was pinning them under, I asked that she use original hem, so they would look exactly as they did when I bought them and no one would be able to tell the difference. She said yes–she would use the “true” hem. I left her house feeling a little uneasy but reassured myself that she would do a good job.

If only you could have seen what she did. I literally started crying after I picked my jeans up and got into my car where I could get a good look at how she did, without being obvious. The thread didn’t match (color or thickness), there was backstitching and they just looked plain AWFUL! I was so upset. After spending money on the jeans I had wanted for so long, she ruined them. I was in angst as I drove home. I couldn’t fathom why she had told me she would do original hem when instead she cut it off and did “true hem”, whatever that means!

I immediately called my mom and told her about what happened, and she didn’t help by saying that she didn’t think there was a way to do original hem. I knew that there was, because I’ve had several girlfriends in similar situations, so when I got home I found this how-to post to prove my point. There is a way to do it, just not after the hems have been cut off

After I calmed down, I realized that it wasn’t the end of the world and the jeans could probably be fixed. I didn’t trust Bev anymore so I got a recommendation from my roommate, who uses a lady in Tampa for original hem on all of her designer jeans. I took them to her and she took the bad stitching out and although she couldn’t use the cut-off original hem I had saved, she matched the stitching almost perfectly and did them in about 10 minutes while I waited.

The positive point of this story is that I learned to be more clear when I am doing business with people. I should have questioned her “true hem” response to my “original hem” comment. It also showed me to trust my gut. I felt uneasy about her doing what I wanted, so I should have listened to my instinct and taken them somewhere else in the first place. Another positive point I found in this mess, is that at least I didn’t pay full price for the jeans. I can’t even describe how livid I would have been if that was the case. If it were not for this social experiment, I don’t know if I would have seen any good in this incident, so although it may seem silly, I’m glad I was able to relate my positive thinking to this story.

My Ultimate Loath Turned Positive

Something I have always looked very negatively upon is presentations. My hatred for them dates back to elementary school. I just hate being the only voice in a silent room full of a group of people, with dozens of eyes staring at you. It puts me on the spot, and I get really, really nervous. The work I’m presenting is usually very good, but it is hard for me to relay that to the audience because I get so nervous that I tend to clam up, and not say as much as I could (and probably should).

I have gotten pretty lucky throughout my college years and haven’t had to make too many presentations on my own. I have had a few group presentations (3-6 people), which I don’t find as heart-stopping. This semester when I found out I had to do a 30-40 minute presentation on a case study in Issues, I wanted to drop the class. But that was not an option since it is required prerequisite to take Advanced. Luckily I had a partner and didn’t have to do it completely on my own, but 30-40 minutes is a really long time to be in front of the class if you hate it.

I tried not to think about my presentation until the week of, because I knew it wouldn’t do me any good. I actually wrote myself a letter that I read before I went to class that morning reminding myself that everything would be fine, and it wasn’t that big of a deal. Although I was really uncomfortable during the presentation, it didn’t show as much as it has in the past. We covered almost all of the information we had planned, and the audience was somewhat engaged. Some of my friends in the class said that they couldn’t tell I was nervous at all, and did a really good job, which made me feel really good.

The reason I did better than I have in the past is because I tried to think of the presentation as a positive experience. I know that in my career, I will have to do them, and it is better to get experience now before I enter the real world where people aren’t as nice.  I also reminded myself that even if you don’t have confidence, you should learn to fake it. I do have confidence but it diminishes when I am presenting, so I tried my best to fake it regardless. I think it worked!

I have to give another presentation in the same class at the end of the semester. It’s by myself, but it’s only five minutes max. I am going to apply the same thoughts I did for the first one and know that I will get through it. I’m trying to view them as learning experiences and hope that each one gets a little bit easier.

Celebrating Singleness

Although it has taken me a while to post about this, I had some notes from Valentine’s Day that I wanted to share.

I think I have had a boyfriend only one year on Valentine’s Day during my entire life. However, I’m not one of those people who  shows their angst for the holiday by wearing black and moping around. I actually like Valentine’s Day. Perhaps this is due to my sweet tooth and love for heart shaped sweet-tarts and fruit filled chocolates.

Anyway, for some reason, this year I did get a little sad on Valentine’s Day. But it didn’t last long when I realized that I wouldn’t trade my singleness for any of my friend’s relationships. I’m single because I chose to be. I don’t settle and I don’t have a boyfriend just to have one. I’m not into wasting my time and energy on someone that isn’t worth it, and I just haven’t met the person who is worth it yet. I’m too busy with school, work and focusing on my future to waste time on petty things.

I actually feel sorry for some of my friend’s that are in relationships. Their boyfriends are so immature and most of them act like “the rules” only apply to their girlfriend, but the boys still do whatever they want regardless. I have seen countless friends stress over guys whose names they probably even won’t remember in 10 years. Yet most of them stay in these habits because they think it is better than being alone. I really don’t get what is so bad about being alone–yeah, it gets a little lonely at times, but you get a lot more done and never have to check your plans with someone.

Ultimately I think I am becoming a stronger person because I don’t have a boyfriend. It has allowed me to become comfortable being alone and think for myself. And I know that when I do meet the right person, all of the waiting will be worth it because I won’t be settling for anything less than what I deserve.

Driving to Work in Traffic

I originally got the idea to do positive thinking for my social experiment when I was driving to work one day. I work about 20 miles from where I live, but I generally have to be there at 5:00 p.m. and it sometimes takes an hour to get there. It can be really frustrating because the traffic is different every day, so sometimes I get there early and sit in the parking lot whereas other days I’m rushing not to be late.

I was stuck in traffic one day getting worked up when the thought came to me to think more positively. I had been stressing about what I was going to do for this project so the timing was perfect. It caused me to think about all of the little things in my life that I get upset about and realize that it doesn’t help anything. Negative thinking and stress only brings you down and makes everything harder than it needs to be. I had been having a lot of anxiety issues in the recent months, so I welcome anything I can do to eliminate unnecessary stress.

I started thinking about how lucky I am to have a job, especially in this economy. I also thought about how fortunate I am to have a nice, working car that I drive to work, rather than having to ride the city bus. I thought about how some people would kill to have to drive their nice car to a job, even if it did mean allotting an hour drive.

This epiphany was a couple of months ago, and I have noticed that now on my ride to work, I don’t get as angry when people cut me off. If they want to drive like an idiot because they are in a bad mood, that’s fine, but I try not to let it affect me. Also, I have noticed an increasing number of people begging for money when I get off at my exit and I realize that overall, my life is pretty darn good.

Introduction–Podcast

For my public relations writing class this semester, one of our assignments was to come up with a social experiment we could blog about. I decided for my topic to be to look at life more positively. I uploaded a podcast that is a short interview between a classmate and I about my social experiment and blogging habits. After doing this interview, I realized that although I have been actively doing my experiment all semester, I have been a little lazy when it comes to the blogging part. Enjoy the podcast and look for multiple entries about my progress, coming soon!