My first professional interview

Yesterday I had my first 'real' interview. Yes, I interviewed when I got my job at Cracker Barrel three years ago and when I was elected as PR Director for the Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society, but this was my first professional interview.

I have to admit, I was very nervous going in to the interview, especially for such a well-known company in the Charleston area. But, once I got going, it wasn't as bad as I thought.

I got a lot of great advice from my parents, friends, and fellow Scrippsies: be yourself, be honest, make it a conversation. These things made me feel better going into my interview, and now I can add a few of my own to the list.

Don't be afraid to admit you don't know something. It shows you are willing to learn.

It's ok to tell stories that will showcase your skills and abilities.

Ask questions, even if they don't directly relate to your interview. It shows you've taken the time to learn about the company and that you are truly interested.

Now all I can do is wait to see if I'll be chosen for the position, but either way it was a great experience for me and will better prepare me for future interviews.

Growing up

I feel like I'm in sort of a weird place right now. I just got home for Spring Break and had dinner tonight with a friend from high school. Hearing her tell stories about show choir and teachers and people I grew up with put a nostalgic ache in my heart. Some teachers I loved are retiring, a good friend that is graduating this year is pregnant, and my show choir won their first grand championship.

While part of me wishes that I were there to experience these things, I know I'm creating a new life in Ohio. I've made so many great friends since freshman year and have exponentially expanded my network. I've become wiser and more naive over the past two years, but I still feel I'm moving forward to something great.

The problem lies in how to balance these two connections and how to know when to move on. I by no means want to return to high school, but I am saddened by the fact that I wasn't there to see my friends accomplish great things or to be a shoulder to cry on. There are only so many hours in the day, and while I've somewhat mastered balance in my professional/educational life, I've yet to get there emotionally.

So where do I draw the line? I only keep in close contact with a few people from high school, but I still care about so many more and only want the best for them. How can you possibly make the decision to leave an old life behind for a possibly better but unknown one?

I know this is a little more personal than my usual posts, but I felt it needed to be said.

Twitterviews and other social media

This is seriously insane. I'm sitting in my dorm room in little ol' Athens, Ohio, and I'm watching George Stephanopoulos interview John McCain live on Twitter. I can't believe how far technology has come just since I've been alive.

I remember being 3 years old and playing computer games on our Apple desktop complete with floppy discs. When I was in 6th grade I learned PowerPoint and Excel, and in 8th grade I made my first website.

I think I was 12 when I first got an Instant Messenger account, and I thought it was the coolest thing. I got an email account around the same time and it made me feel so grown up! Now with Facebook, Myspace and Twitter, e-mail and IM are almost outdated.

Social media allows instant communication but on a different level than email or IM ever could. It's seriously amazing that I can get updates from my professor, best friend and Ellen Degeneres all at the same time.

My dad always tells me that it's all about networking, and as I start to understand the importance of that, social media is making it so much easier to connect with professionals than it was even ten years ago.

I'm intrigued to see what will be the "next big thing" in social media, but for now I still have a lot of catching up to do on all of it that already exists.

Reflecting on winter quarter

It's been a long haul for the past ten or so weeks. Last year I had an almost perfect GPA and I thought college was going to be a breeze. I think this quarter was my wake up call. Emotionally and physically this year has been way more difficult than last.

I've had to tell myself that it's ok not to get straight A's and that I don't have to be perfect.

This quarter I've also become more independent. I flew without my parents for the first time, and to a big city to boot! I make most of my decisions for myself now and I think I'm finally trusting myself to make them.

I've met a lot of great people this quarter and many that I hope to keep in contact with throughout my college career and beyond.

I know I have a long way to go, but I think I'm coming into my own and figuring out who I really want to be. I'm getting more involved and trying to figure out what I like and don't like as far as my career goes.

I've learned that I can be OK on my own and that I should let things come as they may.

The Windy City

As I sit in the O’Hare Airport waiting for our flight back to Columbus, I feel the need to reflect on my first visit to Chicago. Besides some interesting experiences getting here, the trip was amazing.

We couldn’t have asked for better weather: the first two days were sunny and exceeded 50 degrees. The city is fast-paced, but not overwhelming like New York. The atmosphere itself motivated me to take every extra step I can to achieve my goals.

The agency visits were very impressive. Each company had its own way of organizing and working together, but all seemed to run seamlessly. Ruder Finn gave me great insight on how to be a great intern and how to get the internship in the first place. Weber Shandwick stressed the importance of advocacy and building relationships. Fleishman Hillard talked about branding yourself and how to stand out, whether in an internship or as you grow in your career.

I met some amazing people and got to know many more from PRSSA. The trip confirmed for me that I’m pursuing the right career.

Chicago, I’m sad to leave, but I know I’ll be back soon!