The Beginning of the Lasts

This past week was the start of classes – again. But this time it felt different. It was my last first day as Ohio U Bobcat. And there are some things I’d like to say about that.

1. HOW DID I GET THIS OLD? (This should be self-explanatory.)
2. I am making it my goal to start every day new. Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in meetings and homework and more meetings – while these things are all important parts of being a college student, I realized that there are some other essentials I’ve figured out over the past 3 years.
   1. Being kind to your roommate is necessary. (This one’s for you, Mo.) Last night I was talking to another friend about graduating and how we’re both experiencing the same creeping, nervous sensation… And I found myself saying “I can’t believe I’m looking for jobs and apartments and Morgan won’t be there with me!” It’s crazy how much you take them for granted when you’re getting in each other’s way in the bathroom or digging through their closet when you have nothing to wear in yours. Saying nice things and helping each other out should not be overlooked. 
   2. BUYING YOURSELF ATHENS COFFEE. ALSO NECESSARY. As this year started, I promised myself that I wouldn’t spend so much money on coffee. And when my favorite place to by a medium iced vanilla latte with skim milk is at Court Street Coffee, it’s not the cheapest either. My dad always jokes around when he glances at my bank statement – “Coffee, coffee, coffee, that’s all I see on here!” But I only have one more school year left to run in and ask what the special is on my way to class. I’m going to enjoy every single sip.
   3. Spending time alone helps clear the mind. I’m a social person, point-blank. But what I’ve found is that there comes a time when you need to just crawl into bed with a book and be alone. College (and especially OU) is a place where you’re constantly surrounded by other rushed college students and their book bags. I’m going to take a little time each day to enjoy just being by myself.
3. I couldn’t be more thankful for the little things: my apartment on Court Street (every OU kid’s dream), my late morning classes and my awesome professors this semester.
4. Lastly, I’m going to soak up every moment I have with the wonderful people that OU has brought me. I have the best friends that are always there for me. I know we’ll all move on to the next stages of our lives soon and that distance and time might separate us. So here’s to the last school year where we’re all only a few streets away from each other on this beautiful campus.

Twelve

I’m not controversial; so sue me.

As I was attempting to write a new post for another site I contribute to, I asked one of the editors what exactly they were looking for and she replied “we’re hoping to get more controversial pieces out.” Now, any good journalist/editor knows that an angle is needed for every story, and the more crazy the angle, the more traffic to your site and more reactions to the piece. I completely understood her — but my first response was, “I feel like I’m not too controversial of a person… by I’ll try!”

Wait… what does that even mean?

To me, controversial is defined as something the sparks discussion, debates, or a topic that has immediate back-lash and disagreement. When I usually sit down at my laptop to write, not many of these things come to mind. Sure, I’d like some debates around my writing; but for the most part, I’m someone that loves the peacefulness that comes with agreement. I don’t like when people are mad at me, I hate when I fight with friends and family and I don’t love to get sarcastic and demeaning comments on my blog posts.

In our world today, my generation gets thrown into a big pile of people called #millennials. As millennials, we’re known to be carving a path with forceful opinions and lots of hashtags. But honestly, that’s. not. me. I like people, I love communication, social media, family togetherness, and travel. Not much controversy here. And while people in my generation take pride in going against the grain (there is NOTHING wrong with this, by the way) I just don’t fit into the ‘controversial’ category. And guess what? I think that’s okay by me. Fight on, fighters, but I think I’m going to just sit back enjoy the peacefulness that comes with being non-controversial.

Benefits of Blogging

Although I’ve had this blog for years now, I’ve struggled with being a consistent blogger. Having a blog for me has always been like having an online diary (much better for such a media-centered world anyways, right?). And sometimes, life just gets in the way of actually writing about life – but this shouldn’t stop anyone from sharing bits and pieces of their lives whether personal or professional and here’s why:

1. Writing is good for the soul. I believe that everybody is a writer. Even if you wouldn’t consider yourself the best, everyone can sit down and write about what they’re doing/thinking/feeling. It can be good to just get it out of your head and online!
2. Reading is ALSO good for the soul. And mind. Usually when someone creates a blog, it leads them to read other people’s blogs. And I am always always an advocate of reading. Connecting and following other people’s blogs are a great way to learn and connect. Which leads me to my next point.
3. Networking. Yes, blogs can help with that. As long as your blog has appropriate content, (and let’s hope that’s true, we’re all adults now) blogs can be a great asset to your portfolio. If you are constantly updating about trends in PR or just trends in general, blogging can show off your writing skills and show that you are up-to-date with worldly topics or issues. It could also help you participate in awesome things like the #ScrippsSummerChallenge, as I’m doing right now!

So, blog on, fellow writers, blog on.

 

#ScrippsSummerChallenge Week 1: Participate in a Twitter Chat

Coming Home

After almost 5 weeks of traveling, (if you don’t know what I’m talking about, check my posts in the Southeast Asia category) it’s safe to say that I experienced different cultures, very different foods and much, much more. The time spent abroad was filled with adventures, new sites and lots of travel. Yet no matter how important those aspects may be to my growth as a student and a person, the one thing that I did learn is that sometimes the best part of traveling is coming home.

What?!

There, I said it. I am happy to be home! Familiarity, understanding and relaxation are three things that aren’t easily found when traveling from country to country for almost 5 straight weeks. When I saw my mom standing amongst a throng of other families waiting at the airport with her “Welcome home Erin & Morgan sign” I was relieved. And when my dad kissed my cheek and took my bag, I felt like a kid again.

Something else that traveling does: it makes you grow up. I was basically a fully-functioning adult! And guess what, it was TIRING. At 21, I feel caught between teenager and adult and it was a relief to see my parents, turn off my “adult” switch for a second, and breathe. I have officially decided that I can’t quite be a 24/7 adult yet. That was the moment I realized it.

I couldn’t be more thankful for the experiences I’ve been given and the sites I’ve had the pleasure of seeing. But while someplace new can be exciting and fun, it will never ever be home.

Mom decided she wanted to take a selfie when I got home. Location: Dayton International Airport. Status: Happy family togetherness.

 

Do’s and Don’ts of Media Relations

Love this- especially since I start a media relations internship on Tuesday!

ImPRessions

By: Becca Zook @BeccaZook

If you ask the average person whether they know the difference between Public Relations and Media Relations, chances are they don’t. However, if you ask any communications professional they will tell you that media relations cannot be used interchangeably with public relations.

Public relations involves connecting and creating a relationship between various publics and your organization/business. This means managing communication between consumers, charities, investors, industries, as well as the media.

Media relations is a specialized part of public relations, that focuses on getting as much positive coverage for your organization/business as possible. This involves creating a working relationship with all types of media outlets: broadcast, print and online.

Creating a relationship with media outlets can be difficult. This means making journalists, you’re friends. Which everyone knows journalism and public relations don’t exactly see eye-to-eye. Journalists want a good story, while public relations professionals want good news…

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The NYC of SEA – but better.

Kuala Lumpur. When you say the name, some people automatically know the location and some are more like, “That’s in Asia somewhere, right?”

In my own opinion, the capital of Malaysia is/should be the largest up-and-coming tourist area in Southeast Asia. The people here are warm and friendly (which should never be taken for granted, especially when traveling) and the food encompasses every type of Asian food you could possibly want. When we first arrived, I was surprised by the contrast of green, palm trees, and skyscrapers – if you’ve never witnessed it, it’s the most beautiful combination. The contrast of modern and ancient is combination not to be taken for granted and it is my favorite city we’ve traveled to so far.

Here is a list of reasons why:

The mix of cultures. Kuala Lumpur is one of the most racially diverse cities I’ve ever been to. Sometimes you can’t tell who’s from the city, who is just visiting, or who has moved here from somewhere else because they love it so much. It has been refreshing to not stand out like a sore thumb (the stares I’ve gotten over here are incredible… Tall white girl comin’ through!). The metros are jam-packed with what looks like a sample of people from all over the world. When I got to visit the Petronas Twin Towers the other day, I came across a saying displayed on one of the top floors – “Harmony in Diversity.” I have never found a saying to be more true.

Sidenote to reason #1: Beautiful people. I have never seen more beautiful people in my life. Their sense of style, modesty and class blew me away. I once again stood out, but it didn’t matter since I was too busy admiring the many shades of pretty native people.

Good prices. When you think of staying in a country’s capital, the last word that may come to mind is cheap. But compared to the USD, the Ringgit is about 1/3 as strong. So, anything you want, check the price in ringgit and divide by 3. Nice on the wallet, huh? A lot of the shops in the many malls of KL had about the same prices as in the US, but I surely wasn’t trying to spend my money there. The metros and street food were definitely money-savers.

GREEN. Granted, a lot of large cities in the US have tried to embrace the “green” element by planting parks alongside skyscrapers, but KL blew them all out of the water. With it’s Botanical Garden, Hibiscus Garden, Orchid Garden, Deer Park and many other public green areas, I didn’t feel swamped in a sea of exhaust and trash. The cleanliness of the city happily surprised me and my nose.

Last, but most importantly, the friendly people. In a couple places I’ve previously traveled in my life, the people have stared, made gross comments, or acted offended when I asked them for directions. Here, the people smiled as you walked by and were almost always helpful when my friends and I needed guidance. I exchanged more smiles with people in Malaysia in the last few days than I ever expected. And to me, that’s what really makes a place feel like a home away from home.

My point remains, if you ever get the pleasure of traveling to Southeast Asia, do not overlook the beautiful city of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Also, a very special thank you to our new friend Ramesh Ramoo, who was gracious beyond measure during the time we stayed here. Thanks so much for making us feel at home.

Rest In Peace, Maya Angelou

Love this woman’s writing.

Bali, Bali

The last 2 days were spent here:

in Bali, Indonesia. It is unlike any place I’ve ever been before; a combination of a surfer/tourist town and also of Balinese culture. The food here was great and so was the beach- I tried to take advantage of the cheap prices and also the sun (don’t worry Mom, I used sunscreen).

Tomorrow morning, or should I say middle of the night, we’ll wake up to go to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Caves, temples, markets and the Petronas Towers await us and I couldn’t be more excited. Although the normal travel fatigue and frustrations have caught up with us a few times, I’m still in awe of the places we’ve been and still have yet to visit. I have 2 more weeks to soak it all up, hope you all will stay with me for the journey 🙂

Also, Athens friends: I found a “GOODFELLAS” equivalent last night. Needless to say I was a happy girl.