We're Almost There!

After reading chapter 13 of, 'The New Media University', I thought this would be a great chapter to reflect on for my last blog. The chapter discusses how society today is becoming digital introverts. We are now becoming more engaged with our audience through social media and the computer isn't just a one-way communication channel. They define our society as "The Verizon Network."

I would have to say that I definitely fit the mold of the "The Verizon Network." I really enjoy communicating with other people via social media sites. I really like talking about recent sports stories and about music with different audiences via social media. I also like that you can share information between one another. However, what I think is most unique about online relationships is that you can discuss information and build relationships with people from all over the country.

The chapter also discussed that e-mail was outdated and never to return. However, this is something I disagree with. I feel that e-mail will always exist no matter how popular social media sites become. I use e-mail to communicate with professors, students and my mentor. I feel e-mails are much more formal and believe social media isn't as personal as an e-mail.

This chapter has really made me realize that we are in an era of online communicators and that we are able to build relationships easily via the web. After reading this chapter and taking this social media course, I am ready to build relationships and share my ideas with others. I really can't wait to start my travel blog after finals week and I will be able to discuss what I'm actually passionate about. Only three more days!

Italian Sausages and Social Media.

After reading Chris Brogan's recent blog post, 'Why Measuring Success Using Social Media Tools Isn't Always Cut and Dried,' I really feel that society today is creating a new way to build relationships. Brogan talks about how he met a woman who wanted to promote her dried Italian sausages via social media. However, Brogan didn't feel that advertising this product via Facebook or Twitter would be an effective way of doing so. Instead, he felt Twitter or Facebook would be beneficial for her to just build relationships with people who would fit her niche market.

I feel that Brogan is onto something. Advertising a product like Italian sausages via Facebook or Twitter isn't going to drive people to the woman's business. Social media sites like these really need to promote relationship building. After reading this I feel that I should take a few lessons from Brogan. I think I need to start interacting more with my audience to build relationships. Sometimes I see an interesting article on Twitter or Facebook but fail to give any feedback. To build relationships I need to start engaging with my followers.

I am really glad I saw this article because I feel like now I can just jump into conversations on social media sites and build relationships. I really feel that people also appreciate that someone is reading and responding to their posts. I bet the lady and her Italian sausage business is doing fabulous after speaking with Brogan. I know he has influenced me to want to become active in social media conversations.

Lions and Tigers and Bears. Oh My!

Working at The Great Movie Ride

Finals week is finally here! I honestly feel like I  have been waiting for this week to come for so long. Each day I honestly felt was dragging, but now I'm finally in the home stretch. I don't have to feel like the Grinch anymore and will be going home to see my family and celebrate the holidays in exactly three days. I really don't think I've ever been so excited to get finals week over because I have never been this exhausted and stressed before. Oh, and I'm excited because in two weeks I will be back in Orlando working my seasonal hours at the most magical place on Earth. Disney!

At Walt Disney World Resort I am an attractions host at The Great Movie Ride at Hollywood Studios. This is the most relaxing and laid back job I have ever worked. Each day that I work I take guests on a 22 minute slow-moving tram ride through scenes of classic movies. I am also high-jacked by a 1940s gangster, get held up by a bandit in the Wild West who threatens to blow up a bank and I get to see Dorothy follow the Yellow Brick Road. If you think this sounds exciting these are only half the scenes that I go through. Other scenes include Mary Poppins, Singing in the Rain, Indiana Jones, Tarzan and Casablanca.

As you can see I am definitely excited about going back to Orlando and getting my finals out of the way. I really hope that one day I will be working for this company in a job related to my major. I think the public relations sector of Disney would be fabulous, creative and innovative. I can't wait to start applying for big kid jobs. Only three more days of school work and I will be working and applying for jobs for the company I always dreamed of working for.

Virtual CV. Tapping into Creativity.

After mass amounts of editing, constructing and designing I have created my first virtual online portfolio. I think that a virtual portfolio is beneficial to PR professionals because this lets you hone creativity and also gets your name out to a larger audience. I really feel that everything is going to the web, and think that websites like these are going to be popular for upcoming generations. So, here is my first shot at creating a virtual portfolio. Enjoy!

Companies need to listen to the Groundswell.

In part one of the Groundswell, there are three main points triggering the groundswell.

1. People's desire to connect

2. New interactive technologies

3. Online economics

I really feel that these three points are essential for companies to know if they want to be successful in pursuing the groundswell mentality of "getting your message out their quickly and effectively." People want to spread messages. They rely on word of mouth. Companies need to realize that the people are now becoming the voice of advertising of a company online. Through social media, people get opinions and news spread instantaneously.

Technology is also driving the groundswell because this is the main way people connect today. We are able to spread messages like wildfire through social media and the Internet, and  the news and television are becoming secondary sources to retrieve information.

Lastly, we have online economics. Since so many people use the Internet, online ads have been able to generate sales for many companies. In conclusion, companies really need to focus on their consumers, technology and online promotions. If they take advantage of these resources they should be increasing sales and also getting their messages across to consumers more quickly and effectively. Newspapers are old news and the groundswell has now taken over.

Dear Forbes: How Can You Determine These to Be Top 10 Influencers?

In a recent blog on Forbes, Haydn Shaughnessy explains how the 10 most important influencers use their followers to get more people to follow them. Honestly, I think Chris Brogan (who is listed as the top influencer) has so much beneficial information on his Twitter and his blog (I do follow him on Twitter and he was a speaker at PRSSA's national conference). However, I don't believe that he should be considered a social media influencer because of the number of followers he has. Nor do I believe he should be measured by his tweet's retweets. Just because someone retweets someone's tweet and gains followers for that person does not make that person an influencer.

I feel that influencers should be measured by the quality, not quantity, of their content/followers. They could have 10,000 followers but if the followers aren't engaging with them what's the point of tweeting or blogging? The pull method that Shaughnessy uses (which was developed by PeekYou) is explained in these terms:

"In other words, if someone with a pull of 10x posted a tweet, it would receive the same audience coverage as 10 average people tweeting the same message" 

Yes, someone with a pull of 10x posts a tweet and they receive the same number of coverage as 10 average people, but how does this reflect the quality of an influencer's work? People may start following them because they had a great tweet. However, are these followers going to start engaging with them? 

In conclusion, I feel influencers should not be measured by their audience but by the quality of their work and how followers are engaging with them. Just because they are reaching people does not mean that they're having an effect on them. An influencer's work and the feedback that they receive is what matters, not 'people'. 

Dead Week Begins.

Dead week. We could consider this the most wonderful time of the year considering this is the last week before finals. However, I would say this is the most stressful week I've had in a long time. Why I blame this week for being so stressful is ONU's transition from quarters to semesters.

Right now, I have to split my time between four projects. I was told that every professor must now require a project in their lesson plan. Well, for some reason every professor decided to make their due dates for projects on the exact same day. Gah. I know they are trying to transition to semesters as well, but I just feel like everyone just waited until the last minute to set deadlines.

In the end I know that these projects will be beneficial. I really am not handling this transition well, nor are other students. I really hope that professors and students will be able to get on track and make this transition a little smoother, because right now I should be in the Christmas spirit. Instead I'm feeling like the Grinch because the lack of sleep I've acquired. However, only 12 more days!

BS is more Damaging Than Lies.

In everyday life most of us have been in a crisis or two where there has been some BS. Some crises are larger and more important than others for example: my girlfriend/boyfriend cheated on me vs. Penn State firing their coach because he held a secret from everyone for so long.

The point I am trying to make is that BS is more damaging than lies. This was my favorite piece of advice in Katie Paine's, 'Measure What Matters'. If you lie about something eventually the truth will come out even if you are not the one telling the truth. Your girlfriend/boyfriend will eventually find out you cheated on them. Paterno eventually told the truth years later but still lost his job because he lied for so many years.

If something ever happens to you or your company that is not a good situation: TELL THE TRUTH. The truth is so much better than letting people find out from someone else or worse: the press. This can damage the relationship you have with stakeholders, your customers and even your personal relationships. Katie Paine, I must say, I'm not BS'ing Ch. 13 Threats to Your Reputation and How to Measure a Crisis taught me a ton about ethics.

Television: Yesterday's Product.

I'll admit I'm a fan of Youtube and NBC Universal Online. I go online and watch videos probably a few hours a week.  After reading a blog on Mashable I was shocked to see that U.S. Internet viewers watched a record amount of online videos in October than they ever had in a one-month time frame.

The article stated that out of 182 million video viewers in the month of October, 42.6 billion videos were viewed (that's 21.1 hours spent watching videos per user). I could not believe this number and over half of these views were on Youtube and other Google sites.

I suppose the question I really have is this going to effect the number of television viewers? Today, we can watch television shows on Hulu and put our DVDs into our computer. With economic times being so hard, will people not want to pay for cable television and save money by watching their favorite shows via the Internet? I predict that the television will be an outdated product one day. Who doesn't enjoy watching videos on the Internet and being able to skip through commercials? I enjoy this.

What Are You Truly Thankful For?

When we are younger, the majority of us would say we're thankful for having the new car or the cool bicycle our parents bought us. As we get a little older and wiser we realize that material things in life aren't as important as family and friends. 

This Thanksgiving, I realized that I am so thankful for the family that I have and how much love we have for one another. Recently, my grandma was diagnosed with cancer. For the past couple months my family and I have been supporting her as she goes through a difficult time in her life. Cancer is honestly one of the scariest things in the world because the disease comes out of nowhere. One day you are completely fine and the next minute your life is changed forever. 

Last week, my grandma came out of surgery and I had never seen her so weak. She's the strongest person I know and I had to take care of her. Helping her in and out of bed and doing little tasks for her was so strange. She never wants anyone to do anything for her, because she always wants to do things for her family. I feel like now is my time to support her in all that she has done for me. 

I wear my peach wristband everyday to support my grandma in her fight to beat uterine cancer. She has recovered tremendously from her surgery and is able to do things for herself. Her six-months of chemotherapy and radiation starts next week but I know she's going to be ok. She is a fighter and has so much love and support from me and my family. 

So, lives can be changed in an instant and I am so thankful for the family I have been given. Without the love and support that my family has for one another I don't think my grandma would have fought as hard as she did. So what are you thankful for? Think about this, because lives can be changed in an instant.

How Do Your Employers Treat You?

In Katie Paine's, Measure What Matters, we discussed measuring what employees think. I feel that this is so crucial to a company's success. If your employees aren't happy your business will not be successful. After working for Disney, I can tell you that this is so true.

Disney treats their cast members so well and keep them informed about what is going on within the company. They use social media tools tailored to different segments of their business. They use internal websites and newsletters to keep employees updated.

However, what is more significant is that they listen to their employees. Paine uses a step-by-step way to measure the success of communication with employees. The first step is figuring out where employees receive their information. Disney knows that social media is a primary resource employees go to for information. They also know that the internal employee website is trusted as many cast members do use "The Hub" to receive cast member updates.

The one thing I really like most about Disney and Paine talks about this in her book is providing your results to employees. Disney keeps cast member updated on everything that goes on within the company and I am very thankful for that.

Attention Kids. Get off the Couch and Go Outside.

Kids these days are so knowledgable about technology the new craze for preteens is Facebook and other social media sites. In a recent article on Technorati, AVG did a research study for Digital Diaries and found that most children have reached "digital maturity" by age 11. In the U.S., 53 percent of parents admitted that their children between the ages of 10-13 had access to Facebook or Twitter.

My opinion on these studies? I think this is insane. When I was 10-13 years old I was always outside doing something. I wasn't concerned about Facebook or Twitter. Now, I feel that kids are always on the computer. I have seen kids around the ages mentioned earlier on Facebook and I seriously am a little disappointed that parents are letting their children join these sites at such a young age. Let them be kids. I feel social media is part of the reason American children are obese. Kids are growing up too fast and are becoming lazier and less active. 

So, my thoughts on letting children on social media sites? Absolutely wrong. Make your kid read a book or  go outside and play a sport. Don't let them just sit on the computer or their phone all day and play around on the computer. 

Are You a Buckeye?

My weekend has been Buckeye filled. Buckeye banners, a Buckeye gnome and Buckeye mailbox are just a few items that filled the living room at my friends' apartment. Garrett and Brandon are HUGE BUCKEYES fans. I am not a Buckeyes fan and as I sat on their couch watching the Buckeyes play Penn State  I was truly in awe. The fans are absolutely crazy. Brandon literally punched a door when Hyde fumbled the ball. Crazy Buckeye fans.

Garrett and I also went to Bdubs today and again, I was surrounded by Buckeyes fans. I came in dressed up in my work attire and everyone stared at me like I was crazy. Sorry, I missed the memo about the Buckeyes jerseys, geesh. Next time I'll remember the memo. When you go to Columbus always wear your Buckeye apparel.  

And, let me repeat this: Always wear your Buckeye apparel. 

So You Want to Plan an Event?

After reading chapter seven of Katie Paine's, "Measure What Matters", I realize a successful event is not measured by how amazing a company's product is or how great an event a company is sponsoring. What really matters is that you are reaching your objective. As a company you need to first reach an objective before you can determine if your event was successful. After determining the objective we can use Paine's other six steps in measuring an event or sponsorship. As I plan my event with my internship called "The Wedding Experience", I will be sharing with them these seven beneficial steps Paine has provided. As I stated previously, the first step is to determine your objective. Below you will see the six other steps to successful measurement of events and sponsorships.

2. Determine your measurable criteria for success- once you've agreed upon your objectives, establish the specific criteria of success that you will measure.

3. Decide upon your benchmarks- compare one set of results to something else. The most meaningful comparisons are between different events or between you and competing sponsors at one event.

4. Select a Measurement Tool- Find a measurement tool that will drive results from attendees. Paine says the in-depth phone interview using the Grunig Relationship Survey is most effective in reaching clients or customers.

5. Define Your Specific Metrics- Use statistical data to analyze if your goals and objectives were successful.

6. Choose a Measurement Tool- Use different forms of measurement to see how successful your event was. Paine suggests using counting tools, survey tools, sales tracking tools and web analytics tools.

7. Analyze Your Results and Use Them to Make Your Events More Effective- Always analyze your results. Whether you analyze your survey or combine your web analytics and CRM, you need to do this so you know how to be successful in the future.

Dog is a Man's Best Friend.

Sadie and I

“A dog doesn't care if you're rich or poor, educated or illiterate, clever or dull. Give him your heart and he will give you his.”- Marley & Me. 

I have always been an animal lover. My first dog was Sadie and my family adopted her from the animal shelter. I have always been an advocate for adopting pets from shelters and giving them a home. 

In a recent article on Mashable, Best Friends Animal Society is actually running a social media campaign to raise awareness about animals who are forgotten. They raise awareness by tweeting and using the hashtag #InvisibleDog, getting people to pledge online and letting pet owners create their own events on Facebook. 

I think this is a great way to spread awareness about the Invisible Dog globally. A social media campaign can reach out to thousands of people and the Best Friend's campaign has already gained over a 1,000 supporters. I think social media is making a difference. 

The Not So Glamorous Life of a Wedding Planner

This past week I traveled to Dublin, Ohio, for a wedding and event planning internship opportunity. Before the interview I was thinking the life of a wedding planner was glamorous. I don't think I could be anymore wrong. As I entered the boutique for my interview the atmosphere was just like I expected. Flowers, scrapbooks and bright colors filled the room. Then I met my interviewer, Rita.

During my interview Rita explained to me that life as wedding planner is not as glamorous as most would believe. The job requires attention to detail, management knowledge and a strong personality. I also learned that this month until January is wedding off-season which requires mass amounts of networking, referrals and selling. I will be attending at least five bridal shows in the next three months trying to get brides to plan their weddings through Devoted to Details. The most crazy event is the Columbus Bridal Show which takes place every January. I am a little terrified because I am just imagining women going crazy like in the movie Bride Wars. Fighting over dresses and vendors. Ahhh!

Despite the hectic work that bridal shows bring, I really feel this job is going to give me the opportunity to really hone my interpersonal and planning skills. My job requires me to call brides and set up meeting times through Excel spreadsheets, which I will be attending most of these meetings. During these meetings we will be brainstorming ideas with brides about their wedding plans.
I think that this will be the most exciting part about planning because I get to use my creativity to help design someone's special day.

I officially start at Devoted to Details this Monday.I am really excited to learn more about life as a wedding planner.The job may not be glamorous but the job is rewarding as you get to plan someone's big day.

Can You Answer These Questions?

In Measure What Matters, Katie Paine claims that a company must be able to answer 10 questions before they are able to measure data. The 10 questions are as follows:

1. What are your objectives?
2. Who are your program's target audience?
3. What is important to your audience?
4. What motivates them to buy your product?
5. What are your key messages?
6. Who influences your audience?
7. How do you distribute your product or service?
8. What are you going to do with the information that you research?
9. What other departments or areas will be affected?
10. What other measurement programs are currently underway?

I truly believe that you have to know these rules before you can measure an objective or goal. I am currently taking a marketing research course and these are similar to the rules we must follow. I feel the most important is rule one. You need to at least know your objective. If you don't know your objective you cannot advance any further in your research. I really like these rules and feel I should follow these when I am doing my research for my class. I am currently working with Information Technology on ways to improve communication of events to students through technology. I really feel we need to narrow in on our key targets and key messages so we can effectively measure what we're surveying. So, I say use these tips wisely and your research will be successful.

Social Media Sucks.

On Conan O'Brien last week comedian Louis C.K. basically said social media sucks. C.K. recently created a Twitter account just to let everyone know what he was up to but did not follow anyone. I think that's interesting how he does not follow anyone on his page. Also he makes fun of how everybody tweets about useless information. Like "Jesus is trending."

I found this so funny because I felt that he does have a point. People today are so consumed with social media that tweets, for example, are more important than real life. A tweet will spread faster than television news and word of mouth. Technology is taking over and I feel that in a few years social media is going to be the most popular news source.

Finally Applying for Big Kid Jobs and Internships? 5 Tips on How to Make a Good First Impression.

This week I finally applied for my first job. The job I applied for was a PR coordinator position at Universal Studios in Orlando,Fla. When applying for this position, I took the advice of Bruce Hammond an alumni of Ohio Northern University. Bruce currently works for the National Sporting Goods Association in Chicago. He gave a presenatation titled 30 tips in 30 minutes, which was very beneficial for internship and job searching. I was really impressed with his tips on the resume and cover letter.

With these tips I made sure to:

1.  Include both a cover letter and a resume. They should always go together just like salt and pepper.
2. Make my cover letter stand out. Cover letters are the first impression an employer will have of you.
3. Tailor my resume to the job I'm applying for. Keywords are important and employers will be looking for words that they feel fit the job description.
4. Be creative with my resume. Make your resume unique by using a creative design, but don't be too unique.
5. Explain in my cover letter why I'm excited about the position and why I'm the perfect fit. Don't gloat but make sure employers know why you will be beneficial to their company.

With these tips I accumulated through Bruce's presentation, I feel very confident when applying for internships and jobs. Hopefully these tips will be beneficial to you as well as you start or continue your internship and job search.

Blogging: Be Selfish, Be Classy, Be You.

I will openly admit that I am slowly becoming addicted to blogging. I am currently taking Professor Alisa Agozzino’s social media class, and blogging is my favorite piece of homework this semester. Blogging is such an informal style of writing compared to the writing I am doing for my other classes and organizations. I am able to fuse together my own opinions with opinions of other bloggers. I am able to create a story of my own, but also gain feedback from others interested in the subjects I am writing. If you are creative, opinionated and able to take feedback start a blog.

Here are five easy rules I discovered while reading through my social media books that should help you in your start-up blog:

Rule #1- Be a comment enthusiast.

So you want to create a blog, and you also want to make sure people are reading what you are writing. Well first, comment on blogs that have meaning to you. Learn about the different writing styles bloggers use, and find people who have similar interests as you.

Rule #2 – It’s all about the passion.  

Passion for a subject will make writing your blog easier. Find a hobby or a subject you are interested in writing about. However, make the blog unique. If you go for something generic like “food blog” there are going to be millions of blogs devoted to food.  Think of a way to get your blog noticed.

Rule #3- Creative layouts are winning.

A cut and dry layout never draws attention to a webpage, and it will never draw attention to a blog. Design a creative layout that will drive people to your page. First impressions are everything, right?

Rule #4- Actually be self-centered for once.

Make sure to create an about section or page. Bloggers want to know who belongs to the hands and mind that are typing the posts they read. Talk about who you are and your interests. Make your audience feel comfortable enough to want to contact you. And, make sure to include contact information.

Rule #5- Don’t play hide-and-seek.

When starting a blog, readers shouldn’t have to search for you. Make their job easier by using social media tags that will directly link them to your blog post. Tagging things such as marketing or Mashable will directly link your post to other sites and drive people to you. #prettysweet 

By honing these rules, you will create an attractive and sophisticated blog that will gain readership. 

I Think She's a 'Little' Annoyed.

In a recent article on Technorati, a woman named Sharon shares her biggest pet peeves about blogger's sites that makes her not want to write for them. Honestly, I feel that she has many good points and we need to listen to what she has to say. Here is her list and my opinions on what she calls 'pet peeves'.

1. Default pages - No blogging. If your about me section is still the generic Wordpress default page, Sharon will not write an article for you. You have to be creative to attract readership. I definitely agree with Sharon. You need to stand out from other blogs. Hone creativity.

2. No comment - No Blogging. If a site does not allow comments on their blog posts Sharon will not write for their site. This I completely agree with. Blogs should be opinionated. If you are brave enough to let people read your blogs, let them comment and have free speech. You will only become more educated through other's feedback.

3. Linky Linky- Don't put more links then you have content. I understand where Sharon is coming from because this could be overwhelming for your readers. Having to go from link to link can be information overload.

4. Blog Neglect- Neglecting your own blog and expecting others to write content for you is not acceptable. Don't make others do your work. Sharon says she will not write for someone who doesn't write their own content. I would never ask someone to write for me if I didn't actually keep up with my blog. I would feel embarrassed if other people were writing all of my content.

5. Wrong Niche- Asking someone to write for you about a subject that's not relevant to your blog is basically an insult. I agree with this because if you ask someone to write a blog post for your blog and their subject of interest is not the same as your readers no one is going to read the content. So quit wasting the writer's time.

6. Stolen Content- Don't repost other's blogs. I have to agree again. Be original. Don't copy things verbatim. I would never use someone else's content on my blog because that's not my original work, and my blog shows my work and opinions.

Sharon had some really great points and I am really glad I got to share her tips to you. So think before you ask someone to write for you.

Costumes, chocolate and scary movies made my Halloween.

Happy Halloween!

This weekend went by way too fast and was one of the best weekends I've had in awhile. Halloween weekend is always so much fun because you get to dress up in whatever you want, eat as much candy as you want and watch as many scary movies as you want. I openly admit to doing all three activities.

This weekend, my friend and I went old school and dressed up as an 80s couple. I also went as a cowgirl and Sandy from Grease as well. The hardest costume to create was Sandy because teasing my hair was so difficult. Teasing my hair was so painful and literally took my roommate an hour to do. However, to ease the pain that my roommate was creating with my hair I was able to indulge in some pretty sweet treats. 

My aunt sent me a package this weekend full of sweet treats. I opened the box to find a Hershey Bar, Hershey Kisses, Rice Krispies, Reese Cups and popcorn. I devoured the chocolate right away. I always feel this is the one holiday you can actually get away with eating a ton of candy and not feel like a complete fatty. So, another thing I enjoy about Halloween besides the costumes and chocolate is just being able to relax and watch a good movie. 

Yesterday, my roommate and I watched The Ring. I haven't watched The Ring in so long I almost forgot how creepy that little girl in the movie was. The fact that I live in an old house also adds to the creepy effect of this movie. I woke up last night around 4 a.m. and was so creeped out from that movie I didn't want to get out of my bed. Yes, I am a chicken. However, I am sure most people can think of something that creeps them out that and effects their sleep pattern. 

After this weekend with the lack of sleep and mass amounts of chocolate I've consumed I am ready to kick myself back into shape. 

Social Skills. What's That?

Today, we are a society so dependent on communication through technology. Texting has become second nature and we are losing the social skills that we need to be successful with our customers when doing business. In Real-Time Marketing & PR, they say there are four ways to improve real-time connections with customers:

1. Presale- Always talk with your customers through the sales cycle. Keep them updated and be involved with their decision making.
2. Immediate postsale- to keep the relationship trustworthy, always follow up after a customer makes a purchase. Too often do we forget that we want to check up on our customer to make sure they get the satisfaction that they wanted.
3. Ready to receive- Make sure your customer is satisfied. Talk with those who deliver the products and your customer. Make sure that their item purchased met their needs.
4. Problem resolution and crisis communication- accidents happen and you need to be able to be the first person to communicate with your customers when a situation happens. Don't be the last person to know and don't be the last person to contact your customer.

With these tips, we know that communication is key in building successful relationships in the business world. However, we can also apply these skills in real life situations.

Facebook Statistics are Unreal.

In a recent article on Mashable, there are a number of Facebook statistics to prove this is the most used social network. In the article, statistics show that there are two billion posts liked and commented on each day, the average Facebook user is on the site 7 hrs. and 46 min. a month, and the site has over 800 million active users.

I think that these numbers are absolutely incredible. I can't believe how many active users there are in the world and only 25 percent of users are in the U.S. I also thought the fact that Facebook is in 70 different languages was pretty astonishing. I can't believe that there are that many languages to choose from.

I honestly feel that Facebook is dominating the social media world and will continue to grow. I feel that some countries are more knowledgable with the network for now, but I feel other countries will start using the site as well, thus increasing the number of active users. I can't wait to see if Facebook will still be at the top in a couple years. If the statistical rates keep going up and the company keeps improving their site, I believe they will dominate for a long time.

Another Day. Another Dollar.

After these past two weeks I feel like I'm becoming the definition of a broke college student. I mean, I'm not spending my money on ridiculous things but organizations, trips and paying off loans gets expensive. While in Orlando I spent way too much money. Spending $14 a day on food was insane. I think I spent $150 on food for one week. Insane. 

I am so glad I am back in Ada. I am saying this because things are cheaper, and not because I think Ada is more than fun than Orlando. I literally went to Subway today and spent $5 on a sub. I can't believe I'm saying this because I'm such a hoarder with money, but I was willing to hand over that $5 effortlessly. 

As a college student, I feel keeping a budget is something that we all need to learn to do. So, I've come up with my top three tips for college students wanting to learn how to manage a budget and how to spend while in college: 

1. Make a list of things you actually need. 

Creating a list of things that you actually need will limit you to only buying those items. If you don't need the item don't buy the item. 

2. The bars will eat your pockets.  

I have seen too many students spending way too much on alcoholic beverages. Do you really want to gain those extra 15 lbs. for $40-$50 a night? I don't think so. 

3. That dress is really cute. But, it's too dark to even tell. 

Yeah, that party dress is really cute. But do you really want to spend $100? I mean, at most parties most people aren't even going to care what you're wearing. Buy some business attire that you can actually wear later on down the road. 

There are my three tips on budgeting and spending your money as a college student. If anyone has any other budgeting and spending tips they would like to add please comment. Yeah, I may be becoming a broke college student but at least I can help those college kids who still have a chance. 

Facebook and Job Opportunities? I'm in!

So, the No. 1 most used social media site is improving their marketing efforts again. To step up the competition Facebook interviewed with Mashable yesterday and announced that they are teaming up with the U.S. Department of Labor and are coming up with an initiative to decrease the 9.1 percent unemployment rate. They are doing this by creating a social jobs portal which job seekers can use to find jobs they are interested in doing.

I find this to be an interesting article because I am just stunned at how many new applications Facebook is creating. I may not like the majority of the ones they have developed recently, but I think this application is going to be a huge boost in their promotional strategies. So many people use Facebook. A majority of us log onto Facebook once day. By signing onto this site at least once a day, I feel people are going to be more motivated to apply for jobs. You don't have to go to a separate site while chatting with your friends. Now you have the ability to multitask.

I honestly feel that if Facebook's initiative is successful they are going to put a ton of competition on sites like Linkedin. Although there is one downfall. If employers are able to get access from where you filled out your employment application and see you applied on Facebook, would they be more willing to check out your Facebook page? More and more people are posting things that they shouldn't to Facebook and with this new job application will this decrease the number of inappropriate pictures and comments? That's something I would like to know.

Finally Things Start Falling into Place.

After missing seven days of school for Disney and PRSSA National Conference I finally returned to Ada tonight.  Honestly, I was really disappointed when I came home. The temperature was in the 40s and there were cold rain showers. Ohio weather was not greeting my PR chapter and me back into the Buckeye state. 

After being in Orlando for a week, I have come to the conclusion that I am absolutely moving down there after graduation. I came to this conclusion after listening to some of the best professionals who work for Disney at the conference. I also don’t mind the 70 degree weather and the palm trees. There is also so much more to do in Orlando than there is in Ohio. I can have the theme parks, the ocean and nightlife within an hour of each other. I can also hop into my car and spend the morning at Magic Kingdom and then be at the beach within the next hour. Pretty sweet!

I know our first impression of Orlando was not the greatest because where we stayed was not a fantastic representation of the city as a whole. The city I think is beautiful and offers a ton of job opportunities. So, at least I have the city I want to live in narrowed down. Now I’m just deciding what sector of PR that I want to go into. Definitely not ready for this thing they call a “big kid”. 

How Do You Spell Your Name Again?

The first day of PRSSA National Conference in Orlando was a success. However, I found one presentation to be very funny. A few of us went to a chapter presentation where they were discussing how to build your network through taking agency trips.

Well, the firm had taken an agency trip to Columbus, Ohio, for the day. During their trip they visited Fahlgren & Mortine. Being from Ohio and having alumni from Ohio Northern University who work for this agency, our chapter definitely knows the agency and how to spell the name correctly. When the presenters had placed the agency's name on the PowerPoint slide the name read "Falgrine & Mortine". The ONU chapter thought this was hilarious because if you are going to credit someone at least spell their name correctly.

Lesson learned, always double check company spellings. The chapter who presented is lucky that no one from the agency was at the conference. If they had seen this they would have been very offended. So, always get the spelling correct so you establish credibility with your audience.

United Breaks Guitars is Overrated, but I like Free Advertising.

I have seen "United Breaks Guitars" several times. I didn't watch this video because I wanted to, but because we had to watch this video in two of my classes. Honestly, I don't understand how this video went viral. Dave Carroll's guitar broke and he wrote a cheesy song about how United broke his poor Taylor guitar. Yeah, the song was a little catchy but I don't believe that the video should have had that many hits.

However, this video was great for Taylor Guitars as they got nationally recognized via Youtube. I really liked how Taylor's seized the opportunity to use real-time PR. The president of Taylor Guitars, Bob Taylor, created his own Youtube video right after the incident and taught traveling musicians how to pack equipment and use airline rules to their advantage.

I think that responding to a Youtube video like the one Dave posted is great press material, and the best part is the advertising is free! If I were a business owner and my product went viral on Youtube because someone was upset with another company, I would take full advantage of the opportunity. You just can't wait for the opportunity to happen, you need to make this happen!

Hide Yo' Wife. Over a Facebook status?

"Hide Yo' Kids. Hide Yo' Wife."

No, I'm not talking about the news story that became viral because of a Youtube video. I'm actually talking about a woman getting beat by her husband because she did not "like" his Facebook status.

Benito Apolinar, 36,  was arrested this week for punching his wife in the cheek and pulling her hair because she did not "like" his Facebook status that was posted in tribute to his mother who had passed away. Apolinar was assumed to be under the influence when this occurred at their New Mexico City home.

Honestly, I think that this is ridiculous and out of line. Who would honestly get that upset over a Facebook status that they would abuse their wife? Obviously the guy had problems to begin with. You just don't hit your wife over something on Facebook. Maybe there was an underlying issue before this status conflict? Well, that is besides the point.

My point is, people shouldn't be that obsessed with social media that they don't have control over their emotions. So to the guy who hits a woman in the face because she didn't "like" your status, grow up and be a man.

So long Ada. We'll See Ya Real Soon.

Charlie and I enjoying the fall weather at home. 

This weekend marks the first fall break at Ohio Northern University. We never had a fall break on quarters, but I am definitely enjoying the five day weekend. Thursday afternoon I packed up my silver Chrysler Sebring and headed out of Ada, Ohio. My destination? Lakengren. 

Lakengren is the community where I grew up and is a small gated community surrounded by cornfields. However, the community is built around a lake. I loved growing up here, and especially during the fall. Everyone who lives in Lakengren takes their boats and jet skis out on the lake and there are always people on the running paths. Being here is just so peaceful and relaxing. 

Today, I took advantage of the nice 70 degree weather and took my dog Charlie on a long walk. During our walk we saw tons of squirrels. Charlie absolutely loves squirrels and chases them every time one comes in sight. I really did get a work out today. We also got to appreciate the beautiful scenery. The leaves were changing and the lake was filled with boats. 

I really do appreciate growing up here because I learned to love the outdoors. However, in the next couple days I will be leaving the country environment and traveling with PRSSA to Orlando, Fla. I really am excited about this trip not because I am not going back to Ada until Oct. 19, but because I get to network with multiple professionals and have the opportunity to learn more about the profession I will be going into after graduation. So, Ada, we're going to be apart for a little while. But, "I'll See Ya Real Soon."

You're Not Going to Wine and Dine? How Rude.

Being a journalism minor I found a section of New Rules of Marketing in PR quite interesting. When I was  reading through Scott's book I came across a section where he talks about how some journalists are now keeping blogs and searching for press releases via the web.

Here at Ohio Northern, I feel that the journalism program is still set on the old ways of a journalist/PR relationship. You send in the press release, the journalist decides whether the message is newsworthy and they write the story if they like your topic. In one of my journalism courses a professor told me that PR specialists still wine and dine journalists (even though they said this was not ethical).

I really feel that journalists at ONU need to pick up the New Rules of Marketing and PR books and realize we are in a different time period. PR specialists are going to publish their press releases first. They are not going to try and impress you with food. And, they are going to communicate with our audience first.

Public relations is finally back in the public eye and that's the way this should be.

More Facebook Additions? Oh Well.

I'm getting really tired of everyone getting so hyped up about the changes that Facebook is making to their site. Consequently, I am going to blog about a new change to Facebook I found to be very nifty for any business that wants to advertise.

The new addition that Facebook is creating is called the expandable ad unit. The ad unit will not only advertise a page but will give Facebook users the opportunity to "like" and recommend a brand or company. Facebook believes that giving the customers the ability to "like" or recommend an advertisement will drive others to actually use a product or go to a business. 

I think that this is a very good idea. People like to know other people's opinions about a product or service before purchase. A multitude of people use Facebook and other social media sites, and seeing an ad with a great number of "likes" and comments would be so much more convenient then having to go to a forum and read a ton of reviews. However, I guess this slightly depends on what product or service you're considering. If I were purchasing a car I wouldn't just solely base my opinion of a "like" button. 

Facebook is creating better ideas, so I don't understand why people are complaining. Things need to be revamped to improve. We will all figure this new Facebook stuff out in time.

Geeze. It's Freezing but I'm Having too Much Fun.

This is officially the start of homecoming weekend of my senior year of college. I'm pretty excited because I get to spend this weekend with my best friends. Dancing, going to the football game and attending the parade. Yeah, this will be fun...Wait...

Oh, Ada weather you have disappointed me again. You tease me. Hot the weekend that's not busy and then the weekend things are actually happening you turn your temperature down. This is ridiculous. I literally went to Express this past weekend to get new outfits that were designed somewhat for warm weather. Now you have turned the temperature down to 39 degrees. Ridiculous.

But, that does not stop me from wearing my new skirt and designer heels. I will enjoy my new outfits whether rain, snow or hail. I don't care. I am going to enjoy this year even if you, Ada, make the weather awful. So, I am going to go and enjoy this homecoming weekend. Have a good weekend everyone! I know I will :)

Yeah. We're Legit.

Yes, we're a small group of public relations students located in Ada, Ohio. However, just because we're small doesn't mean we don't do legit stuff. Take a look:

We're nationally accredited, determined and hardworking. We've won national campaigns, have a national officer and travel to large cities. We network, we blog and we strategize. Our chapter is PR savvy and we want you to join! 

- PRSSA for me has been a huge influence in real-world experience and has truly prepared me for the job market. 

No. This is Not a Rock Concert But Good Guess.

Yeah. My sister crowd 'sources.'

Crowd sourcing. I am sure those who don't know what crowd sourcing is would say crowd sourcing is similar to crowd surfing. As my group member and I presented our PowerPoint presentation about crowd sourcing to the class she could not stop saying crowd surfing. I knew my group member understood crowd sourcing's definition. However, I thought that maybe some people would really think that the two words were similar in meaning.

Crowd sourcing is basically getting feedback and ideas from people through various social media and online sites. This is very beneficial seeing that this can save a company time and money because they do not need to hire a marketing researcher to gather ideas. Instead, the company can gather ideas quickly by asking a random sample of people who will put their opinions online for a lesser cost, and as long as the company includes a small incentive.

Getting people's feedback or ideas would probably be most effective through Twitter. Tweeting has become so popular and the time to tweet is instantaneous. People will be willing to give feedback or ideas in 140 characters or less. In Realtime Marketing & PR the book gave an example about the Superbowl and how they ran a competition on Twitter to see which commercial was the best. There were thousands of tweets and the campaign was successful.

So, the next time you think about marketing strategies and how to develop an idea you may want to consider the general public as your brainstorming group. Consider them because you can save time, money and effort.

* Other sites you can use include Facebook, SurveyMonkey and Wikipedia.

So You Want to Make Bank?

Wanting to make a little extra cash through your blog? Well, according to a blog posted on Technorati  the way to make money is by following these three steps:

1.) Develop a niche for your blog- focus on a topic that is marketable and is something worth reading. That way people will want to subscribe to your blog.

Example: I really enjoy travel and tourism and would like to write a travel blog or a Disney blog. I know that both of these topics are of high interest to a large audience.

2.) Develop an ad placement strategy- you need to be able to decide which ads you want on your page. Make sure that these ads apply to your blog topic so that the ads are something that your readers will actually look at.

Example: If I have a travel blog I would try to get airline, hotel, attractions and dining ads onto my page.

3.) Search for Advertisers- sometimes you need to find the advertisers. They aren't just going to come to your blog. You have to decide what you want posted on your blog page. To find advertisers the blog suggests that you should look at Facebook, Twitter, Google and other social media and search engine tools.

* Personally, I would look at Google first seeing that they are the world's largest search engine. Then I would move onto the social sites.

As bloggers, to get a little extra cash in your bank you basically need to research opportunities for advertising and think of what will attract a person to your page. This is just like marketing. You need to be able to sell what you're blogging.

"I Can Show You the World"

 As a senior, I have come to the decision that I want to go into travel and tourism public relations post graduation. I have also decided I would particularly like to work for Disney and to be able to travel. I know that to work for a company of Disney's stature you have to network. On Thursday I attended PRSSA's speed networking event which included four bright professionals. I was pretty excited when I heard we were doing speed networking again. However, not one of the four professionals at the networking event had any background in travel and tourism. But, that did stop me from making connections.

Lora Deeds was so helpful in helping me find someone who has been in the travel industry for years. Although she has been working for software and web design companies she was still so enthusiastic about my decision to work in the tourism field. After learning about what she does for her company and telling her about my experiences and goals she had a connection for me in Columbus. I was pretty excited because the woman that she referred me to had been working in travel and tourism for several years. After talking with Lora about her friend, I am even more excited about graduating.

When graduation does approach I feel I am ready to take on a job in travel and tourism. PRSSA has definitely prepared me not only in the job market, but also for real-life situations. You have to be able to have those interpersonal skills and be willing to take a chance. Even though someone may not have the same interests as you they may know someone who does. So don't be afraid to talk to someone about your goals and dreams. Sometimes they are the ones who have the connections and advice you need.

The Not So Glamorous Fortune 500.

After reading chapter five of Real Time Marketing & PR I am a little shocked that so many companies are not keeping up-to-date with current media trends. When David emailed 100 companies and only received 28 responses back I couldn't believe this. I figured most larger companies would be riding the social media and blogging bandwagon.

If I were a company, I would try to keep up with the times. The Internet is the most powerful form of communication between people. People enjoy expressing their self-interests and opinions on the web. Blogging has become so popular I can't imagine why a company wouldn't track what other people are saying about them.

The example about how Boeing recovered (they immediately responded to the blog and made a children's policy) from a father's blog about how his eight-year-old son drew a plane and sent the picture to Boeing only to have the picture rejected, is a great example of how companies should be monitoring customer feedback. A company should have a team of experts monitoring what is being published on the Internet.

So, if a company wants to keep a respectable reputation they must track blogs and other social media outlets. I wouldn't want my company to get a bad reputation just because there are people out there who are going to criticize or complain about a product or service because of one bad experience. You have to be prepared to deal with things like this so you can build relationships with your audience and customers.

Watch for Those Pesky Bloggers.

In a recent blog on Technorati the blogger claims that PR agencies are afraid of bloggers. Agencies are afraid because some bloggers aren't telling the truth or are misrepresenting agencies' work. To an extent I would have to agree that you do need to monitor some bloggers' posts. However, I do not feel that all bloggers are going to give negative feedback on agencies' blogs/comments.

If you look at the blogs on Technorati, I feel some are pretty reliable. However, I did read a blog written by a person who has been in PR for "94" years. As PR professionals we know that this man has to be lying. A 94-year-old man would not be blogging about advertising and PR. 

After reading this blog I have concluded that PR agencies do need to be weary about who is writing about the latest trends or commenting on blog posts because not every blogger is going to be truthful. That is when you have to build trust in readers. We are the ones who have to differentiate between a reliable blogger and one who thinks they know everything when they don't. I was definitely able to differentiate between blogs that know PR, and blogs that are trying to just reel you into a fabricated story. We just need to be smart and use good judgement to differentiate between these blogs.

Beer Craft Booths, Potbelly Pigs and Kettle Corn. Yep. I'm in Ada.

I know I'm from the country when I am reminded of my younger days during the Harvest and Herb Festival (HHF) in Ada, Ohio. Those who grew up in the city probably don't know what a true country festival is or understand why people go to these functions. Well I really enjoy festivals like the HHF because of the food, people, craft booths and animals.

There is nothing more delicious than fair food. I really enjoy working out and attempting to eat healthy, but kettle corn and carmel bananas with nuts are my true weaknesses. I was able to enjoy these tasty treats as I walked down Main Street this morning with a couple of my close friends.

When I go to these festivals I always make sure to go with a couple friends. Always bring your close girlfriends because craft shopping can get boring if you're doing this alone. Not only do I enjoy my friends company when shopping around these small festivals, but I also enjoy the people. Growing up in a small town you get to know everyone. I really like this atmosphere because you make really close friends and everyone is so nice. However, there is one downfall of getting to know everyone. When you live in a small town everybody will know your business. So, don't do anything you wouldn't want your folks to know. I actually saw a kid at a craft booth today that hit a woman in the head with a football. Definitely something you don't want your momma to know.

After watching that kid hit the woman in the head at the craft booth I figured I'd better walk away and look at other things. As I walked away I found the perfect redneck booth. The people had miscellaneous signs about beer, housewives and football. Yep, typical country life for you. Nothing to do except drink beer, watch football and cook in the house. Just the life I want (sarcasm) except I want plenty of animals as well.

The animals that I want to have are a miniature pony and a potbelly pig. I actually got to see both when I went to the HHF today. I love potbelly pigs so much. They are adorable. Although, I don't think one could live in the city which is where I plan on living one day.

So, yes. HHF has brought back some fond memories of my country days but I think the change to the city is going to be nice when I graduate in May.

                                                      

Loving Me Some Viral Videos.

After reading about viral videos and podcasting I went to Youtube and watched a few videos. I can't believe some of the videos that are posted on this site. However, one really stuck out to me. The viral video that stuck out to me most was an ad for SmartWater. The video included Jennifer Aniston trying to promote SmartWater by trying to find the best candidate for making SmartWater go viral. The candidates were all viral videos. However, the ad didn't stick out to me because there was a ton of humor. The ad stuck out to me because of the uniqueness and how the video pertains to what we read in The New Rules of Marketing & PR chapter eight.  The video:

1. Used a well known celebrity- This catches consumers attention.
2. Created buzz for fun and profit- SmartWater ran a campaign and succeeded in the online market.
3. It was all about the timing of the video- When this video came out there were many popular viral videos including ones with puppies, a singing boy named Keenan and dancing animated babies.

When a video for a company goes viral, researchers must do an enormous amount of research and campaigning to try and make the video stand out amongst others. They must also know the best time to market to potential audiences and they must know what will get audience's attention.

We may think that creating a viral video is an easy task, but this is far from true. Creating a viral video takes much time and effort. From the dumbest video to the most serious video, you need to have a plan of action.

'Script Kiddies' and Other Hackers.

Today marks 10 years since 9/11. We will never forget this day and the people affected by this. United We Stand. However, some don't respect our country. They hack into Twitter accounts and post inappropriate tweets that are not funny and cause panic. Public relations professionals realized this was a huge crisis situation and needed to be fixed.

Two days ago, a group of hackers called the 'Script Kiddies' hacked into NBC's Twitter account and tweeted that an airliner had hit Ground Zero in NYC. This is a pretty sickening joke and the media should know how to handle these types of situations. NBC handled the situation very well. They immediately contacted Twitter and had the account temporarily shut down as they fixed the situation. On the news they apologized for any panic these hackers might have caused and are fixing the problem. 

As public relations professionals I feel that we need to be prepared for these types of situations. NBC's way of handling the hacked Twitter account is a great example of how we need to handle crisis situations. Telling the truth and resolving the issue is the No. 1 way of keeping the public's trust. Keeping things hidden would have only caused panic and an uproar. 

Week 3? More like Week 26.

So, we are at getting ready to begin week four of classes. Not too bad right? I mean we are almost  halfway through the quarter. Wait, I forgot we don't have a 10 week schedule. We now have a 16 week schedule. Ridiculous. I can already tell you I miss the quarter system and this is why:

Week three agenda: Exam, Exam, Exam. 

Week four agenda: Exam. 

Class Monday through Friday and 12 more weeks of torturous exams. 

I really do like ONU, but this semester transition is really making me crazy. This may be do to the fact I haven't had a class since February, but I feel like the workload for semesters is a little much. This year, every class requires a large project. I know this is really going to help us get hands-on experience but I just don't know how one can handle large projects, exams, student organizations, quizzes and an internship all at the same time. I feel like this is impossible. The workload is too much and I am just ready to graduate. Ready to enter the working world and ready to get these ridiculous exams over with. 

I'm ready to say goodbye to ONU and I'm ready to move to the big city. Hello Columbus! 

Listening Only Makes You the Better Person.

After reading Marketing in the Groundswell, I now realize as a marketer listening is the best thing you can do to build a relationship with someone else. So many marketers do the research but get nothing in return because they didn't necessarily listen to what the customers had to say.

In one section of 'Listening to the Groundswell', they discussed ways to help you succeed better in listening to the groundswell. Here were the tips discussed:

1. Check how active your customers are with social technologies. (very true if you're marketing to an older generation.)

2. Start small, think big. I agree that market research and listening can get very expensive so start with one product to listen to and then work your way up.

3. Make sure your listening vendor has an experienced team to your effort. You don't want someone who can't listen monitoring your consumers. So, you need experienced marketers who know what consumers want and need.

4. Choose a senior person to interpret the information.  After extensive listening and compiling mass amounts of feedback, you'll want someone who can read the information you have attained and give feedback to your workers. So, making sure someone who has been with the company a long time should now the products and consumers well.

So, to be successful when listening to your consumers through social media practices one most take into consideration the consumers wants and need and the company must focus strongly on the information gathered. You can listen to someone all you want, but if you don't process this information that they are giving you your company will not be successful. Thus, losing loyal customers and sales.

So, Who Are You Again?

When you add a friend to a social media site you realize that this person is much different than you expected. Well, maybe it's because that friend isn't the same person online.

A recent blog posted on Mashable claims that when a person uses various social media sites such as Facebook or LinkedIn personalities tend to become tailored to that Web site. From personal experience I agree to an extent. My personality on Facebook and LinkedIn are totally different. Yet, that doesn't mean that I am a different person because of this. It just means I express my interests differently depending on which site I'm using. When on Facebook I express my personal interests to my friends and when on LinkedIn I express my professional interests to potential employers just like every other user using these sites. So yes, our personalities do change but they do change in every day life too depending on who you are around. So why does the article claim market researchers need to do extensive research on which social media outlets to use when targeting a certain market?

The blog also says that marketers aren't sure which medium to use when marketing a product to certain groups. Well, they are people too aren't they? They need to think about which medium they would use when expressing certain interests. Is the product more for professional settings, are there special interests groups on Facebook about the product or service, or would you think Twitter would be better to reach a larger market?

So basically, I think that you cannot say that this generation has multiple personalities due to the increased number of social media sites. We have always had multiple personalities in every day life situations. The way we talk to a stranger at the grocery is going to be different than when we're talking to our best friend. People change. It's human nature. We are the only ones who truly know ourself. Everyone else only gets a third of our story.

Too Hot for September.

So when did September in Ohio decide to have 98 degree weather?

The past couple days my roommate and I have been suffering from extreme sweating and sneezing  due to the fact that :

1. We have no air conditioning in our ancient house. 

2. We are on the second floor and we all know hot air rises. 

3. My fan is not strong enough to even make my room slightly cool. 

4. My allergies are ridiculous because the hot weather is making the pollen count severe. 

I really hope that the next few days will be cooler (70s would be perfect). I never thought living conditions could be so miserable until we moved into our house. The house itself is ok, but our windows are open at all times and I still don't feel this helps our situation at all. 

Whenever I take a shower I still feel sticky and gross. The steam in the bathroom adds a nice touch to this stickiness. Why is there so much steam? Well, in our bathroom we have a fan (except it's crappy) and the bathroom size itself is insanely small. You can brush your teeth and use the restroom at the same time. Yes, I know. Awkward. 

So, I would advise everyone before you purchase a house make sure you have air conditioning. Especially those with severe allergies like me. I can't stop sneezing and my eyes water profusely every night. This is not fun to wake up to each morning. You can't taste your food and you're miserable in your classes all day. So, for those college students considering buying/renting a house in the future remember one thing. Air conditioning will make you and your roommates lives so much better. My roommate and I had to find out the hard way. 

Only two more weeks!

Hectic week. 

I only have two weeks left on my college program with Disney and it has been one of the best experiences I've ever had. After living in the hot Florida weather and spieling movie lines to over 500 guests per day I have come to the realization that working with people and living in warm weather was meant for me. 

Now, I don't think I will be working at The Great Movie Ride my entire life, but could definitely see myself doing corporate work for Disney. I would really like to do event planning or HR work post graduation. 

This experience has taught me so much about what I want in life. I loved growing up in the country but the city is ten times better. 

I got a Mac. Thanks.

So, I have not blogged in over two months. Phew. This is due to the fact my Dell computer mysteriously crashed. Thankfully, I do not have to worry about this incident seeing that I have a new MacBook Pro. I am definitely enjoying this new piece of technology and can now get back to my regular routine.

Since I haven't blogged in forever this post is not about traveling, but a lessoned I learned these past couple months from distance. I have grown up in the country and in a small town my whole life. Living in this environment you get used to the same faces and people each day. Living in Orlando and working for Disney have changed my view on living in a comfortable country environment and made me realize there are so many people out here in this world. Don't just settle because you're expected to.

Thus, meeting new faces and living in a new place have made me realize Ohio is not where I should be. I need to be in a big city. With graduation rapidly approaching I am starting to realize what I truly want in life. To travel. To be free. But always remember I'll miss you.

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

So, how did you celebrate Cinco de Mayo? My celebration of the fifth of May consisted of eating delicious Qdoba with ONU alumni, Steven Miller. This was my first time to this quick-service food chain, and I must say, it was quite delicious. I got the queso burrito and the queso cheese and hot sauce blended together was heaven. Living in Vista Way at Disney and not having a means of transportation limits what I can do in the Orlando area. So, eating quick-service Mexican was amazing! Thanks Steven for introducing me to this wonderful place.

Later on that night my roommate Christina and I ventured to Epcot. The park was not busy at all. So, as we walked the park, we thought it was only necessary to go to Mexico to celebrate their holiday. We road the Three Cabelleros boat ride and shopped around the Mexican stores. There was a very cute Donald Duck pinata that we saw at one of the kiosks. But, why would you buy a pinata when the purpose of a pinata is to break it? Hmm.

After our mini celebration we went to an English Pub and drank a Woodchuck Sweet Apple Cider. Delicious. Then after visiting England, I got a craving for one of my favorite foods in EVER: Chocolate. So we went to France and drank slushies and ate keish and chocolate croissants. After eating dinner, we decided to head home because we both had to work the next day, which is what I am about to do. I think it's going to be a wonderful day back at work.

To Hollywood and Epcot we go!

So, I have really enjoyed working at Hollywood Studios so far. However, playing in the parks is so much better! Especially when you have awesome friends to go with. My roomies and everyone I have met so far on this internship have been great. I have been to all four parks. My favorite? Epcot. I love learning about new cultures, and I love how I can be in Canada one minute and then magically appear in Norway. I could seriously go to Epcot each day and find something new.

A few weeks ago I went to Epcot and tried Ketchup flavor potato chips (a FAVORITE in Canada). At first I thought these chips sounded a little sketch, but actually are so delicious! They have a sweet taste and aren't too salty. I also tried real shortbread from England. Sorry Girl Scouts, but real shortbread puts your cookies to shame. The rich buttery taste is something you can't compare anything to. It's wonderful.

Tasting these foods was a great experience. I advise trying new things when you go to this park, because you won't get to try these things all at once anywhere else :)



Roomies and I at Hollywood Studios

In front of the Epcot ball



Wow! The Great Movie Ride and Public Relations?

Ok, so I apologize that it has almost been a month since I have written anything on my blog. I have missed you all so dearly. However, for the past month, I have been diligently working for the most Magical Place on Earth. A.k.a, Walt Disney World. Currently, I am participating in the Disney College Program and was assigned to work in attractions. I actually work at Hollywood Studios as a tour guide on The Great Movie Ride (GMR). This is one of Hollywood's original rides (1989) and is a slow-moving tram ride through scenes of famous movies. Personally, I really enjoy this job because I am communicating with people daily and I get to make family's days as magical as possible.

However, you might think that this has nothing to do with public relations and what I am studying in school. Actually, it does. Communicating effectively with an audience is one key area in public relations. If you cannot communicate effectively to your audience you are going to be in a world of trouble. Spieling lines on GMR definitely is beneficial because there are many facts about each movie that I have remember and then reiterate back to my audience. Also, body language is also something we need to consider. I have to act like I am in the movie scenes that the tram is traveling through, so my body language has to play the part as well.

So basically this college program is what YOU make of it. You have to use your resources and use what you have. I will tell you more about my networking experiences in my next blog, but for now enjoy the GMR everyone!

So, is everybody ready? Well great! Because it's showtime!

The Great Movie Ride via Youtube.

The Top 10 Zoos in America | USA Travel Guide

The Top 10 Zoos in America USA Travel Guide

Cincy Zoo Lions by: C. O'Banion

I really enjoy zoos. After reading this article I am proud to say my home state, Ohio, has the no. 1 zoo in America located in Columbus. Jack Hanna has built such a strong zoo program the past few years and it really has paid off. If you have young children, they will love this zoo. I adore the new baby elephant that was born last year, as well as, many other baby zoo animals.

However, my favorite zoo would have to be the Cincinnati Zoo. I know that driving to this zoo may seem unsafe (it's located in downtown Cincy). Despite the sketchy location I still enjoy going because they have many exotic animals. My favorite zoo animals are the lions and gorillas. The gorilla exhibit at Cincy is wonderful because for a second you feel like that there is no barrier between you and them. You stand watching the gorillas walk around in their territory, without a screen in between. All you have is a railing and a hole in the ground the gorillas would never dare cross. However, it still makes you wary as you watch them get closer and closer to you. I have actually captured some memorable pictures from this zoo. You never know what animals will do :) That is why I highly recommend taking a trip to the zoo in the spring. I know I will.

Traveling Alone

Stress.


We all have stress. Some of us may have more of it than others. After reading this article on CNN's website http://www.cnn.com/2011/TRAVEL/03/08/bhutan.author/index.html , traveling alone almost sounds perfect/ inspiring. In this article Lisa Napoli, a journalist, took off work to travel to Bhutan. During her stay at one of the most happiest places in the world, Napoli volunteered at a radio station and devoted time to taking care and learning more about herself.

I think that everyone should take time to travel alone and figure out what they want in life. Whether you travel to a big city or a small town, just going to some place new will create independence. Heck, I travel sometimes to Miami University of Oxford when I am home. I know that it's only 20 miles away, but it's a nice little getaway. If you are ever in Oxford (I know it's out in the country and isn't probably the first place one would vacation), I would suggest trying Bagel and Deli, which has been an Oxford favorite since 1975. This is one of my favorite sandwhich shops, ever. Take a look ---> http://bagelanddeli.com/ . My all time favorite is the Banana Surprise Bagel. It's a steamed banana nut bagel with fresh sliced bananas blended with cinnamon, and cream cheese to top everything off. Simply amazing!

So, take a trip. Whether it's 20 miles away or a whole country away. This will relieve stress and help you figure out what's important: YOU.