The Road Less Traveled

2011-07-04T21:24:00.002-04:00

The name of my blog is more or less a homage to the cliché Robert Frost poem that we’ve all heard a hundred times—“The Road Not Taken.”

“Two roads diverged in a wood and I—I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.”

This stanza of the poem, however overused it may be, has come into play a lot in my life, most recently in my choice to attend an out-of-state school at which I knew nobody. That decision was one of the best choices I’ve ever made. Not only have I solidified my love of PR and gained experience that I wouldn’t have gotten elsewhere, but I’ve made a lot of amazing connections and friends along the way, and I wouldn’t be the person I am today without those people.

But what I’ve realized as I’ve been away at school is that sometimes, the road less traveled leads you right back to where you started, and not in an “I’ve failed” sort of way, but in the sense that life has a funny way of coming full circle.

When I left for school as a naïve 18 year old, I was completely convinced that I would move to a big city like Chicago or New York City after I graduated to work for some big-time PR firm working on million dollar accounts.

Things could not be more different than what I initially imagined, but not only am I ok with that, I’m extremely happy about where I am in my life.

I’ve had two internships in Charleston, W.Va., my hometown, and have really come to appreciate where I grew up. I’ve also realized that to get outstanding experience, you don’t need to go to L.A. or Washington, D.C.—sometimes the best experience comes from smaller places where you are immersed in every aspect of the job. (You can read about my interning experiences at Charleston Area Medical Center and Maple Creative from my previous posts.)

It’s a few weeks after graduation, and I’m back in Charleston, W.Va. Soon, I will be joining the team at CAMC that helped me fall in love with PR in the first place. I am truly honored to have this opportunity to work along side people who have inspired me so much and whom I respect more than anything.

Did you take the road less traveled? Did it lead you to where you expected? I’d love to hear your stories.

It's not the medium--it's the message

2011-04-25T15:09:00.002-04:00

In today’s world of information overload and constant communication (thanks to real-time networks) it is nearly impossible to stay afloat. This is especially difficult for students (like me) to break through the clutter and try to grasp what is important. Words like content marketing, social media, crowd sourcing, geotagging, ROI, etc., are thrown around at hyper speed and we barely have time to stop and breathe trying to keep up with it all. Each week like clockwork, a Mashable blog post shows up in my Google Reader graciously alerting me of somewhere between 30 and 50 digital resources I may have missed. Sometimes it seems hopeless that I will ever dig out from under the vast amounts of information out there.

In July, I wrote about how to break through media clutter. I talked a lot about different tools to use to manage your information, but have recently come to the realization that it’s not the channel that’s important.

No matter what the medium, tactic or program, there are some key components of communication that ring true no matter what. New outlets and mediums will come and go, but as long as we stick to a solid communications strategy and integral steps in the process, we can’t go wrong.

Research: My PR capstone instructor mentions research at least three times per class period, and with good reason. Chances are good that you won’t be an expert in the field your client is in, so there is always room to find out more about it. Not to mention the constant shifting of the media industry, requiring a close eye to identify or at least keep up with trends. Sound research will not only help avoid future roadblocks but can help you come up with new ideas. I try to read as much as I can about tons of different topics and have been pleasantly surprised at how a little extra effort can go a long way.

Planning: Even though some of your communications tactics may seem easy or less important, thus not requiring a plan, but that’s really not the case. I catch myself wanting to jump headfirst into social media or any new communication tool or campaign, but it’s always important to think things through strategically.

Monitoring: Once we’ve set a campaign in motion, it’s such a relief that we finally get to implement that we forget that we actually have to check up on it. While technology is great, it’s far from perfect, so constant monitoring is vital. Google Alerts are a godsend in monitoring brand discussion and keeping tabs on the online conversation about it.

Evaluating: This is something I’m sure we all put at the very end of our communications plans, but how often do we actually go back and track our results? As students, evaluation is a process that is often an afterthought, or one that we don’t do much of in the classroom until our upper level courses. Getting in the habit of constantly evaluating your campaign or program will put you in the mindset to push your communications further than you thought possible.

Do you agree or disagree? Is there anything else you would add? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Grey's Anatomy: The Musical--showstopper or hot mess express?

2011-04-03T10:24:00.002-04:00

If you’ve read my blog before or if you know me in person, you’ve probably gathered that I’m a pretty huge musical fan—I can’t get enough of showtunes, Broadway and recently, Glee. Apparently, millions of people share my affection for musicals, as nearly 11 million people watched the Glee season finale.

The musical theme works amazingly well for Glee—the plot line makes the transition from script to song effortless.

But just because it works for Glee doesn’t mean it will work for any television show. This became painfully apparent in Thursday’s episode of Grey’s Anatomy. The hit show, currently in its seventh season, has a dedicated fan base and a compelling story line to begin with. But for some reason, the creators felt the need to piggyback on the musical meme and air a musical episode of Grey’s Anatomy.

I know there are a lot of opinions on this week’s episode, and I welcome any comments on this, but I really think it was a hot mess, or pointless at best.

The song choices for the most part were awkward, not to mention that the majority of the cast cannot sing well. The only reprieve was Sara Ramirez (who plays Callie Torez), who has been on Broadway in “Spamalot” and won a Tony for her appearance. The singing just wasn’t believable, and really just got annoying after 20 minutes into the episode.

The point I’m trying to make is that just because a certain meme works for one show, industry, campaign, etc., doesn’t mean it can be effective elsewhere. In today’s entertainment industry it seems that everyone is trying to “one-up” the competition by taking something that’s already been done and trying to do it better. And the majority of the time, they fail.

What ever happened to the adage “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it?”

I’d love to get your thoughts on this. Did you like this week’s episode? Why or why not?

Photo courtesy of abc.com

Saying "I Do" to your career

2011-03-08T22:56:00.004-05:00

I’ve been working on a project for my Advertising Strategies class about brides-to-be, building a consumer profile. Thus, weddings have been top of mind for me this quarter, and it got me thinking about marriage and how it applies to my life right now.

No, I’m not engaged. Not even close.

I’m talking about my chosen career path.

We’ve all heard people warn us not to be married to our careers, to have a life outside our work.
But I tend to disagree. In researching marriage and weddings for my project, interviewing several brides-to-be, reading countless wedding magazines and researching the history of weddings, I’ve come to realize that maybe being “married” to your career isn’t such a bad thing after all.

Think about it. The way you choose your career path is perhaps similar to the way you pursue any relationship. You want it to make you happy, give you a reason to wake up in the morning. You want it to challenge you, push you to be your best.

And of course, just like in a relationship or marriage, there will be times when it lets you down, when you wonder where you would be had you chosen to do something else. You’ll have rough days when nothing seems to be going right. You’ll make mistakes. But at the end of the day, you’ll remember why you chose your career in the first place, and remembering that will make the difficult times seem a little less gloomy.

So, to the love of my life, public relations, I guess it’s for better or worse!
Think my analogy is too extreme? Do you agree? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Photo courtesy of Google Images.

Hard work pays off

2011-02-22T23:29:00.003-05:00

If there’s one thing I’ve learned after four years in college it’s this:

Hard work pays off.

As I approach my final months of being a college student, I’ve been looking back a lot lately at the past four years, evaluating my experience, identifying what went right and what went wrong. But one thing that remains constant throughout those experiences is that the harder I worked, the more I achieved, and the happier I was in the long run.

If you know me, you know I’m a big fan of goals, a la Rachel Berry from Glee. I am a strong believer of following your dreams, but an even bigger advocate of hard work.

I found a quote a few weeks ago that I really identify with:

"Some people dream of success, while others wake up and work hard at it." --Author unknown

 We all have dreams, and we all want to believe we can achieve anything we set our mind to do. But the reality is, that’s not enough—it takes a lot of time, a ton of effort, and probably a few sacrifices along the way.

One of the best decisions in my college career was joining the student PR firm, ImPRessions. Never in my life have I met so many hard-working and dedicated people in one group. I was reminded of how lucky I am to be a part of it today, when we announced that our firm has been honored with national affiliation status through PRSSA National.

In the past few months I’ve found it harder and harder to motivate myself as senioritis and anxiety of life after graduation have taken their toll, but then I remember to take a step back and remember that slacking off isn’t going to get me anywhere.

If I could offer any advice to younger students or my peers in general, it’s find something you want in life and work harder than you could have ever imagined to get there.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this…do you agree? Disagree? What advice do you have?

A new view: agency PR

2010-12-05T21:05:00.004-05:00

I’ve officially completed my first two weeks at Maple Creative, a Charleston, W.Va. based public relations firm. This is my first foray into agency PR after having worked the past two summers in corporate PR, and I’ve already seen in my very limited experience how different the two are. Here are some of my key observations of these differences:

Billing your time. At most agencies, you have to track the time you work for each client on a daily basis. For me, this has been the hardest thing to get used to. It does help me remember what I’ve accomplished each day, which is a definite plus in such a fast-paced environment. Which brings me to my next point:
Fast-paced environment. In any PR job this is likely to be the case, but in my opinion the agency world steps it up a few levels. Non-stop phone calls, e-mails, meetings and trying to fit in everything else in between is no easy feat. I finally gave in and invested in a BlackBerry, which has been a lifesaver in helping me keep up.
Time management. When managing several clients instead of one, there is a lot more juggling involved. I’m still trying to figure out the best way to stay organized, and so far that has been keeping an ongoing to-do list and making sure I write down everything I possibly can.

Regardless of the differences I’m thrilled to have this opportunity and I’m loving everything I’m doing so far. Good luck trying to catch me this winter break, ‘cause I’m going nonstop!

PR happens

2010-10-20T22:12:00.009-04:00

Never in my life have I seen more focused and driven students as I saw at this weekend’s PRSSA National Conference. You could just feel the energy in the sessions as PR minds came together for a common purpose: surviving and thriving in our chosen industry.

Back in Athens, there is a stereotype of the “Scripps kids” as being highly involved, very confident and exhibiting an eagerness to learn. I can report with certainty that our hunger and passion for journalism and PR is not unique to our neck of the woods, but is shared across the country.

With the current state of the economy, it seems that our generation seeks an omniscient power to descend upon us and give us the answers to our questions of whether or not to go to grad school, if we should choose agency or corporate PR and what makes us stand out from our competitors in the job market. While I’m sure most professionals, advisors and professors have opinions of what the answers to these questions should be, I’m beginning to see that in reality there is no one answer.

I admit that I am guilty of asking these questions to everyone who will listen to me, lately emphasizing the grad school inquiry. Not only is my incessant interrogation likely annoying, but in reality nobody has a clear answer for me, and they shouldn’t. Decisions about something as important as my career need to be those that I can personally be proud of and stand behind.

As public relations students and practitioners, we are so focused on our clients and our other “publics” as we strive daily to please them, but I would argue that we are forgetting one very important key public: ourselves. There is no possible way that we can be all things to everyone in this industry—there are simply not enough hours in a day. And while I’m not advocating limiting yourself by any means, deciding what your key values are and finding something you are passionate about are integral steps to becoming the professional you want to be.

Some overall advice from the PR pros at National Conference:

•Be hungry and demonstrate hard work, but also be a team player.

•Always show your thanks and gratitude. That extra mile can go a long way.

•Present A+ work all the time.

•Become an expert in something—it will set you apart.

•Listen to the conversations going on about your company.

•Passion is not a substitute for planning.

•Never limit your creativity.

•Be who you are.

What else would you add to this list? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

A senior's guide to surviving and thriving in college

2010-09-13T22:14:00.002-04:00

Senior year. It’s hard to believe that three years have gone by so quickly. It seems like just yesterday that I was moving into the dorms without a clue as to what college was all about. I can say that it was everything that I expected and nothing at all like I thought it would be. I’ve had lots of ups and downs, make lots of mistakes and enjoyed lots of successes.

While I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, I will attempt to savor these last nine months at Ohio University. Despite the expense of attending an out of state school, I have never regretted my decision to come here. I cannot image being anywhere else, and I will be a Bobcat for life.

For those of you who haven’t started college yet or those of you who still have a couple years left, I hope the following advice will help you make the most of your college experience.

1. Get involved. I know it’s intimidating to join an organization in which you don’t know anyone or know anything about, but it will be worth it. If I hadn’t gone to my first PRSSA meeting in fall 2007, I would have never gotten the chance to network with professionals, meet other PR students or even join ImPRessions. Not only have I met some amazing people, but I’ve had the opportunity to gain leadership experience that has been vital to my success.

2. Work hard. The workload in college is extremely intimidating at first, but if you stay on top of things you’ll be fine. I’m not saying you need to get a 4.0 or study 24/7, but establishing a killer work ethic early on in your college career will not only make the next few years seem easier (because you’ve realized you can handle the work) but it will show future employers that you have what it takes to shine. My secret to long nights of studying: energy drinks, studying in groups and taking breaks so you don’t get too burnt out.

3. Save time for fun. This may seem contrary to my previous tip, and it is the lesson I’ve had the most difficult time with. I get so caught up in school work, meetings and my organizations that I forget to let myself have some free time. Take time away from your stressors and go see a movie, go to the gym, hang out with friends or simply do nothing at all. Nobody expects you to work 100 percent of the time, so you shouldn’t expect that of yourself either.

4. Try something new. While I’m not exactly adventurous, I have taken opportunities to try new things in college. I’ve gone to a Latin dance night and attempted to keep up with the authentic dancers, played intramural softball (a sport I’ve never played in my life) and flew to Chicago, my first flight without a chaperone.

There’s no doubt that I will be sad to leave Athens in the spring. I’ve made a lot of good memories in my time here and have made amazing friendships that I hope will last a lifetime. Even so, I am looking forward to what the future brings. People say that college is the best four years of your life, and while I agree that it is a unique period of time like which you will never again experience, I don’t think it’s a completely true statement. My belief is that these four years will be my gateway into fulfilling my dreams and is a foundation upon which I can build my future.

How to sort through media clutter

2010-07-31T15:39:00.000-04:00

With the Internet at our fingertips now more than ever, the amount of information we are exposed to continues to grow exponentially. Every time you log in to Facebook or Twitter, you are inundated with information like what your best friend ate for breakfast or what song John Mayer’s latest heartbreak has resulted in. When you search for anything on Google you will probably get at least a few million results, not to mention the paid ads that show up.

With so much information at every turn, just trying to figure out what is going on in the world can be mind-boggling. Luckily, there are ways to make sense of it all. I’ve come across some useful tools to make the web a little less intimidating.

RSS: If you’re like me, you probably get most of your news online as you are drinking your morning coffee, checking e-mail and contemplating what the rest of your day will entail. I use Google Reader to aggregate all my news sites and blogs into one space. It lets me organize them however works best for me, and I get the day’s news in a much shorter amount of time than I would trying to search for news sites on my own.

Tip: Most news sites have a separate RSS feed for breaking news, so if you are just looking for the top headlines, that’s a perfect way to go.

Twitter lists/columns: According to the Twitter website, there are currently more than 100 million users on the site and about 750 tweets per second. That is a LOT of information even if it’s only in 140 character increments. If you use Twitter frequently, you are probably following a lot of users. Luckily, Twitter now allows you to organize the people you follow into “Lists.” You can create separate categories for as many things as you like and can label each followee with a “List” category. Each list can be made private or public, allowing other users to follow your list.

If you want to get more advanced with your Twitter use, you can download (for FREE) a desktop application like Tweetdeck to help you organize your information. Tweetdeck allows you to personalize your application with an unlimited number of columns and even lets you administrate several different accounts at once.

Google Alerts: If you’ve ever searched anything in an online search engine, you have experienced the endless pages of search results that appear for almost anything you could look up. This can be overwhelming, especially if you are trying to research for a client and stay on top of online discussions that include them. To make the task easier, I suggest using Google Alerts to filter the information for you. You can choose in your settings to subscribe to an “Alert” of any keyword/s you like. I have Google Alerts for individual clients as well as the student PR firm and my employer for the summer. You can set each Alert to send you an e-mail with any new search results pertaining to your keyword daily, weekly or as Google finds them. Within each Alert setting you can choose to include news, blogs, videos, discussions or everything in your Alert e-mail.

Of course, the tools I use are far from the only ones out there. I’d love to hear about other things you may come across.

Creating customer loyalty

2010-07-13T20:46:00.002-04:00

After working for a health system two summers in a row, I’ve become very immersed in many if not most aspects of the company. You would never realize unless you were on the “inside” how much work it takes to run a hospital on a daily basis. The sheer amount of organization necessary to just keep up with the basics is unreal.

As an employee of the marketing office, I’ve had the unique opportunity to look at the system in a different way than most of the clinical staff. While doctors and nurses are working tirelessly day after day to keep up with the patients’ needs, my office researches and creates ways in which we can better serve our patients. This has lead to the realization for me that patients are the customers.

Just like any other industry, those in the health care field must strive to keep their patients—in other words, create customer brand loyalty. While many things in the health care field are industry-specific, there is a lot to be learned from a health care model in terms of customer service.

After participating in service learning training in the health system, many connections between marketing/PR and health care have been solidified in my mind. Here are three tips for building customer loyalty to take to heart no matter what industry you work in:

1. Anticipate the needs of your customers/audiences/clients. Whether you are a nurse taking care of a patient or an account executive working for your client, it is important to know what they expect of you. Go above and beyond when at all possible, and not only will you impress them, but they will turn to you for all their needs in the future.

2. Be open and honest. Sometimes the truth hurts, but it is never as painful as a lie. If you are straightforward with your customers, you will build a sense of trust that is vital to any working relationship.

3. Stay calm in a crisis. No matter how hard you try to prepare, unexpected problems are bound to come up during your career. While your first reaction might be to run, take a deep breath to clear your head and begin finding out key information about the issue. Once you’ve done that, decide how to move forward to correct the problem and to alert your audiences. While developing a public message, refer back to number two.

If you follow these steps, you will gain a great deal of respect from your customers and will benefit from their loyalty because of it.

Some information taken from ServicePlus training at CAMC Health System.

Photo from Google Images.

Eye on the prize

2010-06-16T22:52:00.003-04:00

Goals. I cannot live with out them. I set goals for every aspect of my life: a goal of how much sleep I should get each night, how many times a week I should make it to the gym, and even how quickly I can finish a book.

I recently led the final meeting of my ImPRessions account, and we started talking about what everyone was doing for the summer and what he or she wanted to do next year. I then imposed my bit of wisdom on them: it is important to have goals. One of the girls told me that I reminded her of Rachel Berry from Glee with her obsession of goals (which I take as a compliment), but I was serious, and still believe that goals help us succeed.

The trick is choosing the right goals. You don’t want to set an unattainable goal; that will only set you up for failure and end in a downward spiral toward depression. For example, I would not realistically set a goal of becoming a Broadway star. That goal is not likely to be met, and setting that goal for myself would only give me false hope.

You also don’t want to let yourself off the hook too easily. Setting goals that are too easily met only limits your potential, which is no way to live. I’m a believer of pushing yourself, because that is the only way you will grow.

So, here is my advice for setting goals: identify two or three things that you most want to accomplish. For me, writing my goals down helps solidify my dedication to reaching it. Then figure out what individual steps you will need to take to accomplish your goal. It doesn’t have to be written by any means, but you should give it some thought.

Having said all of this, sometimes the best option is to simply go where the wind takes you. I’ve realized in my 21 years that on occasion, things do not go according to plan. This has been the most difficult lesson for me to learn, because I try to do everything “by the book” and cannot live without structure. But recently, I’ve been forced to do so (see my post “The power of collaboration”) and have grown because of it.

What are your thoughts on goals? Do they help you succeed? I would love to hear what you think.

This post was inspired in part by a post written by Skip Lineberg on the blog "Professional Studio 365."

The power of collaboration

2010-05-29T11:08:00.001-04:00

This quarter I have learned the power of collaboration. While I have worked with many student organizations in the past and still do, my organizations have never done a large-scale collaboration with another organization.

This spring was different. My ImPRessions team and our client, Backdrop Magazine, decided to produce a huge outdoor event to celebrate the release of Backdrop’s latest issue. We couldn’t fund it ourselves, so we looked to two major student organizations on campus, University Programs Council and the Black Student Cultural Programming Board, got funding from Vision Ohio, and the rest is history.

Collaborating is such a unique experience because it allows everyone to bring their most valuable talents to the table to produce something amazing. It also proves difficult at times trying to make sure everyone’s goals are met and that communication is optimal.

Through this event I also learned a lesson or two in crisis communication. The artist canceled 16 days before the event, which is arguably the worst problem that could come up in planning and implementing a huge concert. However, we were not daunted. The team was incredible and acted quickly in searching for a new artist. I was very impressed with UPC and BSCPB in their experience and poise in such a difficult situation, and am very grateful Backdrop and ImPRessions (the rookies in implementing huge concerts), had “seasoned professionals” working with us.

We were very nervous about publicly disclosing the fact that we had no artist two weeks before the event, but we made a statement on our Facebook group and, to my amazement, received nearly zero criticism from students. In fact, many tried to offer solutions to us. This to me is a testament to the power and importance of being open and honest and communicating effectively 100 percent.

Once we found a new artist (two actually: Clipse and Consequence), everything else came together seamlessly. There was not a cloud in the sky on the day of the event and I think people really enjoyed the concert.

I have learned so much from working on this event and throughout the year with my client in general, and I’m actually going to miss it all next year, but I have the utmost confidence in my successors and look forward to seeing what they come up with for 2010-2011.

Get it write

2010-04-29T20:45:00.003-04:00

As I progress in my education and subsequent jobs and activities, I’ve found that I only get busier. While I have become more adept to managing my time, I’ve realized that one area where I’m lacking is paying close attention to detail.

In our fast-paced world today, it seems that we are more often apt to lean toward quantity over quality. To-do lists get longer and longer by the minute and with texting and social media it is nearly impossible to escape from work, school or any other commitment we have. We are now reachable 24 hours a day, and while this may have its advantages, it tempts us to work around the clock.

After failing to catch some basic editing errors in some of my recent work, I got a major wake-up call: I need to slow down.

It is not uncommon for me to have to pump out a story for the Web or a press release in a relatively small amount of time, but sometimes the pressure of deadlines makes us forget to take the time to really get back to the basics, that is the target audience, key messages and readability.

Having said all this, I’ve come up with some tips for writing well—ones that I will work on following consistently and hopefully they will help you out as well!

Slow down. Don’t write in a rush—it will only end poorly.
Step away from the computer. Leave your work, literally walk away from the computer and take a break before you do a final edit.
Get a little help from your friends. Ask someone else to read over your work. You may know what you mean, but does it make sense to the general public?
Use your AP Stylebook. There are stylistic things such as states and addresses that I cannot seem to remember offhand, so it is important to keep your stylebook by your side at all times.

I'd love to hear some of your best practices for writing!

Time flies

2010-02-14T20:22:00.002-05:00

As the time for me to schedule quickly approaches, I cannot believe how fast my time in college is going by. It is impossible for me to comprehend that, in a little over a year I will be graduating and going out into the “real world.” This is probably the scariest and most exciting time of my life.

I’m beginning to realize how little time I have left at Ohio University, and it’s bittersweet. Part of me wants to graduate and start working and doing what I love, but I’ve found a whole other family here that I’m simply not going to be ready to leave next year.

I feel like I’ve finally found my footing in college, finally figured out the balance between classes, work, extracurricular and fun, and now that I’ve figured it all out it seems that my life is in fast forward.

So, after coming to that realization, I’ve made a conscious effort to experience new things while I’m here. For my online journalism class I am working on a blog about the arts at Ohio University, and that has pushed me to talk with people I wouldn’t normally and to attend events and performances that I might not otherwise make time for. I’ve started playing the piano again (I hadn’t really learned a new song for years before now), and have taken up running, which I previously despised.

If anyone has ideas of things I need to accomplish before leaving college, I’d be more than happy to hear them!

Social media: the beginning of a new era?

2009-12-24T23:45:00.002-05:00

I just finished reading “Facebook Era” by Clara Shih. While I would consider myself relatively knowledgeable when it comes to social media, this book opened my eyes to a lot of things I hadn’t even heard of before.

One thing I never really thought about with the advent of social media is the universality of the trend. Shih’s book is great about giving a history of social media and explaining the uses and audience for the most popular networking sites and applications.

Something else that really stuck out to me was her explanation that, while social media is criticized for taking away personal connection, it actually allows us to communicate more. Shih discusses “fringe” relationships and explains that social networking sites let us keep in touch much easier than ever before. We can connect with people we’ve only met once or twice, or maybe even never at all, with very little effort.

The most valuable lesson I took away from the book was that social media in all forms is not for everyone or every business. Shih gives awesome advice on how to figure out a social media model that works best for your company or simply the brand Y-O-U.

Communication is the best policy

2009-11-24T10:15:00.006-05:00

Communication is such a vital part of life, especially in the world of PR. This is easy to forget when going through the everyday motions in a PR firm of event planning, media contacting, tweeting, crisis management and other client needs.

This quarter has been a whirlwind for the Backdrop account. Between collecting survey results to measure awareness of the magazine on campus and helping to promote the launch of the latest issue, my team and I have been going non-stop.

But even with the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it is important to take as step back and remember that communication is the number one ingredient to a successful PR campaign.

Not only is it imperative to keep open doors of communication with your client, but with your team as well. If everyone is not on the same page with the campaign, then it will ultimately be doomed for failure.

To make sure we are communicating effectively, we have created individual positions for each member of the account so that tasks are divided up and each person can focus on a specific specialty. At each weekly meeting, each position is responsible for bringing up any issues or concerns regarding his or her assignments.

To further our organizational and communication skills, we are implementing the use of Google Docs to create our PR plan and to keep track of the details of all of our jobs and deadlines. We keep in close contact throughout the week when we have a lot going on and support our client in any way we can.

While the mediums of communication have multiplied in recent years, I still find that the best medium is face to face. Your words simply cannot make the same impact in a tweet or text or e-mail or even phone conversation as they can in person.

In a 2.0 world, my advice is this: take the time to really, truly communicate, whether it’s with a friend, a boss, a colleague or a client. There is so much to gain from effective communication, and it should be a priority for all aspiring public relations professionals.

From my post for the ImPRessions blog

Expect the unexpected

2009-11-06T00:02:00.000-05:00

For a communications person, planning is everything. We have timelines, public relations and marketing plans, agendas, mile long to-do lists, scheduling and planning events and everything in between. We even plan for things that are unplanned, which is crisis communications 101.

I admit that I fall under this category of the overeager planner, even scheduling a hair appointment weeks in advance just to make sure I have every aspect of my life under control. I keep a written planner and my desk is consistently covered with post-it notes.

As fall quarter draws to a close and I have a chance to reflect on the past couple months, I’m beginning to realize how unpredictable life can be. As hard as all the Type A journalism students try (and I include myself in this category) some things will just not go along as planned, and we must learn to be ok with this fact.

I’ve grown up with a “Disney” view of the world, thinking everything will turn out the way you want it to and that there will always be a “happily ever after.” As I’ve gotten older, though, I realize that, while it is still something to strive for, perfection is not possible, and life will throw you curveballs when you least expect them.

The best insight I have gained from the past nine weeks is this: take chances, make mistakes, and just live your life. If things work out the way you want them to, great. If they don’t, you can always try again.

Blowin' in the wind

2009-09-28T20:42:00.001-04:00

As I began my junior year at Ohio University, I thought I was completely adjusted to college. I was so excited to move back to Athens into an apartment with three of my best friends, to start classes and my new internship. I could handle anything.

Wrong. I was not prepared for cooking, cleaning, rent, utilities, and basically being an adult. I mean, how on earth do people have full-time jobs and still have time to do the laundry and throw something together for dinner and pay the bills? It floored me how difficult growing up can be.

Change is always difficult, even if it’s for the best. That has taken me a long time to figure out. I am so thankful for friends and family, and have realized what things are truly important in my life.

I try to look at new things in my life as adventures. There is always an opportunity to learn something, even if things don’t work out the way you want them to. Every experience I have had, personal or career-related, good or bad, has made me who I am, and I don’t regret any of it.

I also would not be able to advance in my career without my mentors. The amount of knowledge I receive simply from talking to them is something I will be forever indebted to them. I am so lucky to have them as my backbone, supporting me in all I do. I hope one day I will be able to offer the experience and advice that my mentors have so graciously given me.

I have to admit, I’m still afraid of growing up. It is inevitable, but that doesn’t make it any less scary. Even with my doubts, I’m excited about what the future holds. I love PR more and more every day, and I’m happy to have found something I am so passionate about. This year is going to be extremely busy, but I’m already loving every minute of it.

My summer internship experience

2009-08-27T17:09:00.001-04:00

I have successfully completed over 200 hours interning at CAMC Marketing and Public Affairs. As I sit here thinking about the past three months, I have nothing but good memories from my summer internship. Not only did I gain more experience than I could have imagined, but I made a lot of great friends (who also happen to be my new mentors!)

I got tons of experience; more than I ever could have imagined. I wrote, edited, observed, assisted with social media research, sat in on meetings, and helped develop advertising campaigns. I even got to head up my own design project!

Something that really stood out to me this summer was how close the marketing team is and how well they work together. I’ve been spoiled working with them and I know it will be difficult to find another team like this one.

I can’t wait to start this school year and all my activities and I will take everything I learned this summer with me.

Let the sunshine in

2009-08-03T18:06:00.003-04:00

This whole summer I’ve been going non-stop. Since the day I got home from Athens, I’ve had two days off. Monday through Thursday I intern at CAMC Marketing and Public Affairs. Friday through Sunday I work at Cracker Barrel. Throw in a few hours of babysitting every other week and you have one busy summer.

While I love my internship and the added bonus that it’s teaching me to be a morning person and I like the paycheck I get from the restaurant, I realized how much I’ve missed having time to simply do nothing.

This week I’m on vacation with my family and it’s the first time in a long time that there isn’t anything that I have to do. I can sleep as late as I want, lie on the beach the whole day and soak up the sun.

On the island we’re staying on there is limited cell phone service. While this of course disappointed me at first as I am an avid text messager and like to be connected at all times, I think it’s been good for me. I’ve been forced to simply forget about everything else and focus on the here and now.

I think this is a lesson I need to take back to West Virginia after the week is over. I seem to always be on Facebook, Twitter, e-mail or texting and there isn’t a minute in my day where I sit and do nothing. While there is so much pressure from the fast-paced society to go, go, go, I think there is value in taking time to kick back, relax and enjoy life. Maybe if I do that, the rest of the summer won’t fly by so fast.

Hospital intern without the MD

2009-07-08T22:06:00.003-04:00

After a month of working at CAMC Marketing and Public Affairs, I cannot believe how much I’ve been exposed to. I’ve attended countless meetings, sat in on phone calls and written press releases for media and various other writing assignments.

It never ceases to amaze me how much goes into a PR plan or a communications campaign or even the way the talent says the words in a radio spot. But the most valuable experience I’ve received so far is simply getting to talk to so many different professionals. Simply getting opinions about how to send press releases or how to contact people for interviews is invaluable stuff.

Even though I’m only the intern, I still feel like a part of the team. I am asked my opinion and it actually counts! I get constructive criticism that I wouldn’t trade for the world. I simply cannot say enough about how amazing this experience has been.

The best part about my internship is that I actually enjoy going to work. I’m not usually a morning person, but when my alarm goes off at 7 or 7:30 a.m. I actually want to get up. (My office loves coffee as much as I do, so that’s an added bonus!) Sometimes I go in early and stay late so I can be a part of every experience possible.

I still have one month left as an intern and I will be sad when summer ends, but I know this experience is a great foundation for building my career.

First week in hospital communications

2009-06-18T22:21:00.001-04:00

I just completed my first week as a public relations intern at the Charleston Area Medical Center Public Affairs and Marketing office. I’ve already gotten to do so much. I’ve attended a photo shoot, several meetings and an event with pediatric oncology patients. I have a few projects of my own to start working on and am getting to know everyone in the office.

Growing up, I always wanted to be a doctor, specifically a pediatric oncologist. Of course, my dream changed after I took chemistry and had not interest in it whatsoever, but I still have a secret love for the medical field. I’m an avid consumer of Grey’s Anatomy and reruns of ER. This internship is letting me get as close to the field as I can without actually picking up a scalpel.

I love the connection of putting what I learn in school into use. I’m still getting used to all the rules and regulations of working in a hospital, but I think I’m going to really enjoy my experience this summer.

The Tonys take on Twitter

2009-06-06T17:42:00.001-04:00

Anyone who talks to me for five minutes knows that I am a huge Broadway fanatic. I would estimate that 90 percent of my iPod is devoted to showtunes. I spent 15 years of my life performing, so everything musical has become my passion.

As the Tony Awards are a little more than 24 hours away, I feel the need to celebrate The Great White Way’s use of social media. While there have been many Facebook and Myspace groups devoted to the love of the stage, larger things have emerged, such as BroadwaySpace.com, a social networking site for theater fans, actors, dancers, techies, producers, and more.

This year the Tony Awards created a Twitter account to inform fans about everything from leading up to the nominations to live tweeting from Tony night rehearsals. Many of the nominated shows started Twitter accounts and have been taking fans along for the ride on the way to the night of June 7.

While the demographic of Broadway fans may be smaller than that of American Idol or America’s Got Talent, the theater companies and shows have definitely found their niche in social media.

It has also opened up the opportunity for social activism. Broadway Impact, a movement to achieve marriage equality, has used social media as a tool to inform the public as well as recruit volunteers.

So: bravo, Broadway! I applaud you for taking social media into your own hands and spreading the love.

Wedding bands, not wedding bans

2009-05-27T19:18:00.001-04:00

Yesterday was a big day for not only the LGBT community but as a nation. With recent advances nationwide in gay marriage legislation, we were all hoping for the best in California with the decision to uphold or overturn Prop 8. Sadly, the Senate voted against equal rights.

While sitting at my desk working on homework, I read through my Twitter feed. The responses from everyone were amazing. Not only were people in San Francisco speaking out, but people from all across the country shared their disappointment with the decision.

Through Twitter, I was able to follow what was going on in West Hollywood with the rally but also a protest that was happening in my hometown of Charleston, WV.

I am continually amazed by our country’s ability to organize. We have such a unique opportunity in that we have the freedom to petition, freedom of speech, and freedom to assemble. And hopefully by taking advantage of these rights, we will soon legalize gay marriage.

I don’t want to go on a tirade about my beliefs, but I challenge lawmakers, senators, governors, and the general populace to think strongly about the decisions you make regarding equal rights. Read a blog, a news story, or watch footage from the West Hollywood rally, but make sure you are 100% informed before you take away basic rights of Americans.

Everyone needs "Milk"

2009-05-08T15:57:00.001-04:00

Last night I finally made the time to sit down and watch “Milk.” I was worried I would be disappointed because of all the hype, but I was amazed. Not only was the acting phenomenal, but the story was so inspiring. This movie is especially important when considering the incredible advancements in equal rights made in just the past few months.

I am so proud of the progress our country is making. There are now five states that allow gay marriage and several more look promising to pass legislation. This is such a great time for my generation because we actually feel that we CAN make a difference. The election of Barack Obama was a huge step, and now we are finding our voice and speaking out against all inequalities.

I’m the first to admit that change scares me, but not this kind. I hope we continue to push ourselves and our fellow Americans to take action, even in the smallest ways.

I’ll end with one of my favorite lines from the movie: “Because it's not about personal gain, not about ego, not about power... it's about the "us's" out there. Not only gays, but the Blacks, the Asians, the disabled, the seniors, the us's. Without hope, the us's give up - I know you cannot live on hope alone, but without it, life is not worth living. So you, and you, and you... You gotta give em' hope... you gotta give em' hope.”

Broadway meets Twitter

2009-04-23T21:52:00.001-04:00

If you follow me on Twitter or know me personally, you know I have an obsession for anything musical. I also have a passion for social media. I was attending a student performance of "The Last Five Years" last week and, as usual, during the director's speech, he asked everyone to turn off their phones. I followed suit, of course, but I know many people probably didn't.

With the advent of Twitter, a trend of live "tweeting" events was born. While I readily partake, especially during American Idol, I can't help but think that there are some times when you should just let your fingers rest and enjoy the art that is in front of you.

As a performer, I know how annoying, distracting, and disrespectful it is when people are texting or taking pictures while you are onstage. People may try to tell you that when you are on stage you can only see the first five rows, but I can tell you from personal experience that you can see way past that. Why come to the theater and potentially pay money when you could just sit at home doing the same thing?

My feeling on this is that it just is not the time or place to be linked to social media while at a play or concert or dance performance. The Arts provide an escape from reality, one much appreciated in such a fast-paced, on-the-go society.

Busy, busy, busy

2009-04-08T10:24:00.001-04:00

I don't think I've ever been this busy in my life. In high school I was the student body president and thought that job was intensive, but now I'm actually having to limit myself on my activities so I don't have a nervous breakdown.

I'm the kind of person that almost never says no to an opportunity to either help someone or to help me grow as a person. Although it's been hard, I've had to say no to opportunities in college, and that's been a difficult adjustment for me.

I think I had this idea coming into college that I needed to do as much as possible as not to miss anything. I'm beginning to see that maybe focusing one a few things that I really love is the best way to go. By limiting myself, I've been able to throw myself into everything I do and have been able to gain a lot of experience this year.

This summer I'll be interning at the Charleston Area Medical Center in the Marketing and Public Affairs department. I'm thrilled to work on one project instead of three or four and I hope my devotion to this internship will show through my work.

Meanwhile, I'm crossing my fingers for warm weather and a great end to sophomore year!

My first professional interview

2009-03-27T10:41:00.001-04:00

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

2009-03-21T19:53:00.001-04:00

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

2009-03-17T12:16:00.002-04:00

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

2009-03-16T15:25:00.001-04:00

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

2009-03-08T00:46:00.001-05:00

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!

Post-It addict

2009-02-25T11:30:00.002-05:00

I think I've become the Queen of the Post-it. Currently, I have five Post-It notes on my desk, all reminding me of different things I need to do. I've also been known to be halfway asleep, remember something I need to do, and ask my roommate, (who's still awake), to write a Post-It for me.

I think the whole obsession with Post-It notes started when I came to college. My mom got me a Post-It holder that alternates the colors of the notes. It also has a suction cup on the bottom to secure it to my desk. Since then, I probably have averaged around five notes a day, some of which stay on my desk for several days.

Since I love the real Post-It notes so much, I thought I would like the Stickies application on my Mac, but that has not been the case. I just don't get the same satisfaction from dragging my Sticky to the trash on my computer desktop as I do when I crumble up my completed Post-It and throw it in the trashcan under my desk.

So to whomever created the square piece of paper with a strip of adhesive to the back, I thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Communication

2009-02-20T20:49:00.003-05:00

I just got e-mail confirmation that my business cards have been shipped. I guess that makes me one step closer to achieving my goals. Recently, I’ve been giving a lot of thought to what I truly what out of all aspects of my life. One of the things I’ve come up with that is the most important to me is communication. Whether it be in a relationship or a job or even with yourself, I have come to see how imperative it is that you get across the correct message, or at least correctly portray the one you want to send. And being honest is usually a good thing as well. I’m slowly learning how difficult this can be at times and how much thought must go into every aspect of communicating. As we are getting deeper into our PR plan for ImPRessions, it amazes me how one word can change the impact of what your message says. I have a new-found love for my thesaurus and I finally understand the term “power words."

To sum all of this up, I think I’m finally starting to grow up and I guess I’m listening to myself more then I ever have in the past. And once you start communicating, it’s so much easier to continue the conversation.

Going to CHICACO!

2009-01-30T10:07:00.000-05:00

I just bought my plane ticket for the PRSSA networking trip in Chicago. I'm not really sure if I can describe how excited I am. This trip will mark a lot of firsts for me. First, I've never been to Chicago, just being in the city will be an amazing experience. I've also never flown without my parents or been on such a big trip without them. Although it's a little scary, this is just another step toward my independence, which I have been working on ever since I got to college.

Every day I become more and more passionate about what I've chosen for my career path. I feel blessed that I actually know what I want to do with the rest of my life at a relatively young age. I'm hoping that this trip will only deepen that passion, and probably give me some good connections for the future.

Change

2009-01-15T10:05:00.002-05:00

Something I really need to work on is accepting change. I know it happens all the time and without it, we would never get anywhere in life, but I still have a rough time with it.

Getting used to being home for six weeks was difficult, especially when I was working 30 hours a week at a restaurant. Then, coming back to school and getting used to being away from my family again was even more difficult then freshman year.

Even the weather changes from Charleston, WV, to Athens, OH. I have a new appreciation for those who live here all the time and deal with wind 24/7.

I know college is a time where the most change will probably happen in my life, and part of my experience will be learning how to deal with anything life throws my way. I guess you could say this is my New Year's resolution: deal with change as it comes and realize that change is not always a bad thing.

Writers block and winter break

2008-12-04T10:27:00.002-05:00

Since I've been on break, I've had major writer's block. I think after finals week and studying for 10+ hours a day, my brain decided to take a break. I guess it deserved a slight rest, but it just reminds me of how different it is being home rather than at school. I forgot what to do with myself when I don't have four classes a day and two meetings and trying to fit meals somewhere in between. Although I would never admit it when I'm in Athens, I sort of miss the structure of every day.

One thing I have enjoyed while I've been home is reading for pleasure instead of for classes. I've already finished two novels and I'm working on my third. I've also been catching up on my TV shows and Christmas specials on ABC.

I know eventually these two lives will converge when I graduate, but for now I'll enjoy the change and free time.

The end of the quarter

2008-11-12T13:30:00.001-05:00

As the quarter is winding down, I feel the need to reflect on my year so far.

As far as my career path goes, I've learned so much already working with ImPRessions. I actually learned what a PR plan is and what it looks like. I've learned how to work under pressures, such as time crunches, and I have even learned a few new tricks on my Mac from fellow account members. Working with all upperclassmen has also given me great insight to where I should be going in the next two years.

I've also learned to deal with stress and to multi-task, although experts say there is no such thing. I've learned more about time management and how to prioritize. I've learned how to live with three roommates without any major crises. I also bought my first suit this quarter.

Eight quarters left in my college career and I cannot decide if that's too much or too little time. For now, I'll try to learn as much as possible and take it one day at a time.

We made history

2008-11-04T23:26:00.002-05:00

We have officially made history: the first black president in America! It is simply amazing to be living through such a passionate election and one in which the college demographic has played such a large role. Minutes after the projection for Obama as the next president, a crowd swarmed East Green. Here is a picture I took of the "block party".

My first election day

2008-11-04T10:06:00.002-05:00

Today is a pretty big day for me: I'm voting for the first time ever. My siblings and I used to go with my mom to vote, and I've grown up thinking that it was so cool to get to punch the pen in the ballot (although today I'll probably be using an ink pen). Now that it's actually my turn, I'm not as excited as I thought I would be, but I still feel like I'm taking a big step toward becoming an adult and being independent of my parents.

I do have to admit that I'll be very glad when this election is over. All the media hype and candidates bashing each other has gotten a little old and I'll be happy when I can watch Grey's and not have to watch 27 commercials for this candidate or that one. I've had a lot of mixed feelings about this election, mostly because I have people from both sides trying to tell me who to vote for. But ultimately, today I will make my own decision, and I think that's really cool that I'm able to do that in this country. Even though my one vote might not be that important in the overall election, it'll still be important to me because I'll know that I took that step to try and make a difference.

Bob Evans event

2008-10-25T16:57:00.002-04:00

Today we had our first event for the Bob Evans ImPRessions account. Three of us from the account went to Chillicothe to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Bob Evans in town.

It was such a neat experience. All day we helped hand out prizes to those who attempted a game of corn hole and we gave away a gift card every hour. The local country station, 94.3, was at Bob Evans and I had my first experience doing a radio spot to draw people to our event.

I got to meet the VP of the marketing department for the company and I was very impressed with her. She seemed really excited about the event and passionate about her company.

We also got our picture taken with Biscuit and Gravy, Bob Evan's mascot dogs. The event was mostly outside and the wind was freezing but we kept warm with coffee and hot chocolate.

We learned some great tips about the correct way to give out promotional items and the importance of wording when publicizing an event. I am so excited to keep working on this account. We're even going to get to present to the Marketing department in Columbus sometime soon. Overall this is turning out to be a great experience.

A new "digital divide"

2008-10-21T19:59:00.001-04:00

We had a very interesting discussion in my Intro to Public Relations class today. Our topic was Public Relations and the Internet and we discussed how e-mail, blogs and other forms of internet media relations are coming more and more into the forefront.

One thing that really struck me during the lecture was the idea of this "digital divide" that is supposedly present in our society. I started thinking about it, and I came to the conclusion that the digital divide has changed to mean something else besides it's original connotation. Almost anyone who wants it has access to the Internet, at least in this country. Most libraries offer free Internet during operating hours, so even those who cannot afford computers or Internet access still can keep up with the new medium.

My thinking is that the new "digital divide" is defined by the different ways that people use the internet to communicate. Most people in my parents' generation are proficient in email, search engines, and online shopping, but probably are not involved in a whole lot of social media. My grandparents barely even know how to turn on a computer, let alone surf the web.

As more and more internet media venues develop, there is a fight to keep up with it all. So this digital divide becomes an issue of who is using what kind of media and for what purposes. Many companies are starting to use social media, but many more are still lagging behind in that area. Some are not even willing to try to use the new mediums to communicate and are satisfied with the ways with which everyone is familiar, such as print media. But as companies are striving to attract a younger generation, they are going to have to step over the digital divide and get their feet wet in this new phenomenon.

Stress and a fast-paced society

2008-10-16T14:23:00.001-04:00

This has been a very stressful week.

I'm still trying to learn how to balance homework, studying, classes and my other activities. I'm actually having a difficulty finding time to eat.

I was in line at Boyd Grab n Go a few weeks ago and I overheard some (obviously) freshmen talking about classes. One started talking about how she really liked college except for the fact that there's not many grades besides exams and papers.

I was thinking to myself: are you kidding me? Did she expect worksheets from her professors to boost her grades?

This brings me to the point of how our generation expects things to come so easily and that everything will be done for us. I admit that I'm guilty of this at times, complaining that I have to read 50 pages before the next day. I constantly get the lecture from my parents about how easy I have it with the search tools on the internet and how they used to go to the library and read books to do research for papers.

So I can't help but wondering: is the internet affecting the younger generation in a negative way?

We are so used to having everything at the tip of our fingers with the advent of the internet that when something can't be instantly obtained, we freak out or don't know how to handle ourselves. This fast-paced lifestyle definitely causes a more stressful environment for everyone, but I think we can adapt over time.

I'm still learning that adapting process and I'm trying to stay afloat in this crazy world of new media, but it can be a little daunting.

Social media/creating my blog

2008-10-14T14:53:00.002-04:00

I'm creating this blog in the hope that eventually I'll have something interesting or worth while to say. I'm trying to get the hang of the new social media that is becoming such an integral part of our society, especially in the PR industry. For me, the changing landscape of media is slightly frightening, but anything that causes change is going to be that way. In all my journalism classes one of the most frequently asked questions is what the future will hold for print publications. Gen Y grew up knowing mostly print media and the thought that it might possibly be eliminated in our lifetime is mind-numbing. I'll just continue to do my part in subscribing to magazines I don't need and picking up my daily copies of the Post and hope that print and online media will come to some sort of coexistence that works for both industries.