Natalyn @ Northern

Assignment Five: Pastiche

2010-05-03T15:36:00.002-04:00

For this post, we were asked to find an example of pastiche in music, film, TV or art. I found an example in music: pop sensation Ke$ha's song "Tik Tok" was remade by a group calling themselves "The Key of Awesome." This group does parody versions of many popular songs and themes, including Lady GaGa, Justin Bieber and the "Twilight" movies.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7n8GqewJ2M

a. This pastiche is a reworking of the past because it plays off of Ke$ha's original song that has been a steady radio and top 40 favorite. Though it is still recent, the original song is well-known enough to be made fun of and most people would still recognize the original from the parody.

b. This example is pastiche with parody because it makes fun of the themes in the original song by portraying Ke$ha as an irresponsible party girl on the morning after a particularly rough night.

c. The work is questioning the status of the original by calling attention to the fact that Ke$ha's music does generally revolve around themes of partying and reckless behavior. The version by The Key of Awesome challenges, in a humorous manner, the appropriateness of such themes by portraying the consequences of that behavior.

Assignment Four: Media Tracking

2010-04-12T09:22:00.000-04:00

This assignment called for us to track the media we used during a 24-hour period and answer the following questions:

a. Which one form of media did you use the most? How much time did you use it?
b. Which one form of media did you use the least (but still use)? How much time did you use it?
c. How much time was spent communicating with other people over media (phone, e-mail, etc.)?
d. How much time was spent using media that was monologic (one-sided, such as TV or radio)?
e. What surprised you about the amount of time you spent engaged in the use of media? Why?
f. Based on this exercise will you do anything differently (increase or decrease) in using media? Why?

a. I definitely used my Blackberry and its various capabilities the most. I text and tweet almost constantly, and manage my two e-mail accounts from my phone so as to reduce my inbox when I actually open the e-mail clients on my computer. I realize that my Blackberry may not be an actual media channel, but my phone is so woven into my life that it almost became difficult to discern between the channels for which it was acting as a vehicle. Thus, I must say that I used my phone in 15 of the 24 hours.

b. The form of media I used the least was radio. I used it for about 45 minutes while I was getting ready this morning.

c. As mentioned in question a, I used my Blackberry;s Internet and/or texting capabilities in 15 hours of the 24 observed hours. This usage was entirely two-way communication, so I was pretty much in constant contact with at least one other person.

d. As mentioned in question b, I listened to the radio this morning for about 45 minutes, which is one-sided communication. While I was using the Internet to do research for various classes, I also listened to Pandora Internet radio, which is mostly one-sided, but since the user gets to choose what songs s/he likes or dislikes, it is somewhat two-way as well.

e. I can't say I was really surprised by any of my media usage over the last 24 hours. I know that I rely heavily on my phone and, however unfortunate it may be, feel disconnected and irritated without it. Additionally, members of Gen Y (like myself) have developed a characteristic of being tech and media savvy, so to us, being constantly wired and connected to others has become a habit; it's almost second nature. As such, my media usage was about what I expected it to be.

f. Based on the exercise, I probably won't change anything about the way I use media. It's how I stay connected to friends and family, get news on all levels (college, town, county, states, nation and world) and tell people what I'm up to. I enjoy using media and like to be in the know, so I wouldn't decrease my usage. I wouldn't increase it either, because face-to-face communication is still important. I think I strike a decent balance of being connected and being in the "real" world rather than the virtual.

Assignment Three: Me in Pictures

2010-03-31T22:37:00.001-04:00

For this assignment, we were to create a self-portrait using images to describe ourselves and then answer two questions of those given.

1. Are there any areas of intersection?
a. The only real area of intersection is that my shirt in the photo is a Zeta Tau Alpha related one, though my sorority sisters and I are probably the only ones that would recognize it from what little of it shows in the photo. This combined with the white violet on the right side of the page, which also represents Zeta, creates an intersection. I feel that not many people would realize that the white violet is Zeta-related either, so this area of intersection is not terribly significant.

2.Why did you choose the symbols you did?
b. The male and female signs at the top of the page, including the initials underneath them, represent my parents. I chose these symbols because without them, I wouldn't exist, and they are a huge part of my life. There is a close-up of a diamond and an astrological sign for Taurus, which both represent my birthday in April and many of my personal characteristics. I like looking at shiny things and am very stubborn. I'm also grounded and level-headed, but occasionally I can come off as bull-headed instead. Plus, I'm really clumsy, like a bull in a china shop. The white violet, as aforementioned, represents Zeta, but it also means "take a chance." Sometimes, I'm too cautious and need to be reminded to just dive in. The horses represent the fact that I have been riding and training horses since I was nine years old, and through them have developed a strong work ethic. I currently have a Paint named Barbie and my mom has a Quarter Horse named Target. The horse shoe dually represents my horses and the traditional "good luck" that horse shoes are supposed to bring. The cross in the lower left corner represents my faith, something with which I have struggled over the years but through which I have grown significantly. The Bible with the hammer and work gloves represents my passion for Habitat for Humanity. This organization has been imperative in my faith journey and is a group that I intend to remain active with for a very long time. The CD and headphones shows my love for music. I like a bit everything from Bay City Rollers to Tina Turner to Fleetwood Mac to Yellowcard to AFI to Brooks and Dunn to George Strait to Jay-Z to Lloyd to Drake to AC/DC to The Scorpions and back again. The PRSSA logo tells of my dedication to that pre-professional organization. I believe my involvement with ONU's chapter and on the national level has helped me grow both as a person and professionally. Lastly, the picture of the girl at the bottom is my sister. She has had enormous positive impact on my life and I really don't think I'd be the same person I am if she was not a part of my life. The two circles in the background, teal and wine, are my favorite colors because they are bold but not obnoxious and seem like passionate, intense colors.

Assignment Two: Six Perspectives

2010-03-21T21:15:00.000-04:00

For this blog post, our professor Mark Cruea asked us to choose one of Lester's Six Perspectives for Analyzing Images and apply it to an image of our choice.

First off, I had a difficult time choosing an image, so many thanks to Ken Colwell, with whom I'm privileged to work in Ohio Northern University's Communications and Marketing office, for allowing me to use his photo, "Dark Tree" for this assignment.

The first step in the process of this assignment is to list all the objects in the image. As far as I can observe, I see the tree, the sun, the sky, the ground, the snow on the ground, the weeds around the base of the tree and the horizon line.

Second, we are to notice the composition, including the center/margin and the shadows/lighting. The picture looks well-balanced to me, with the branches and color in the top half of the picture, and the sun and texture of the ground in the bottom half of the picture. It also looks balanced from left to right, since the tree is just right of center and the sun is on the left.

Third, we are to study the visual cues, including the color, form (shapes and lines) and depth. The colors are dark and rich, and contrast from warm at the top to cool at the bottom. The form of the shapes and lines is interesting to me, because the ground and sky seem horizontal, while the tree trunk is vertical but expands toward the horizontal plane in the branches. The depth of the picture is also significant, since the tree is definitely in the foreground but the horizon is clearly far off in the distance.

We then have to consider where the picture was made, which was in Hardin County, Ohio, and the image's purpose. Here I can only conjecture that Ken was looking to capture a beautiful moment in nature.

At this point, we are to choose one of the six perspectives: personal, historical, technical, ethical, cultural or critical. I decided on the technical perspective because I feel it's the most applicable to the way I reacted to the photo. I didn't notice offhand that the picture made me feel any particular emotion, but I did find myself curious about how exactly Ken captured the picture. I don't know an awful lot about photography, so I think that people who do know it are awesome.

The considerations involved in the technical perspective are: 1) How did the producer create the image? 2) What techniques were used? 3) What is the image's quality? and 4) Technology may restrict or enhance the ability of the image creator. The answers, as far as I can discern them, are as follows: 1) Ken created the image by capturing the scene on his digital camera, which is probably fancy shmancy and decked out with all kinds of professional photographer stuff that I can't even start to guess at. 2) I'm not sure what techniques are available to photographers, but I'm sure a keen eye for detail and composition is a cornerstone of successful photography. 3) The image looks of high quality to me, as it is evident that there is talent and thought behind the photo. 4) Again, being inexperienced with photography impairs my ability to comment on the technology behind the photo, but I feel that it did, in this case, enhance the ability of the image creator, in that Ken was able to capture the colors and definition of the shapes.

Assignment One: True or False?

2010-03-12T14:47:00.000-05:00

For this assignment, we were to select three of six photos provided and answer the following questions:

A. Are you familiar with the image? If so, how?
B. Do you think the image is “true” or “false”? Why?
C. What evidence do you have to support your conclusion?

a. Unfamiliar with image

b. False

c. If people are flying out the back of the plane, how would the photographer have been physically capable of turning around in his/her seat to take photo? The camera/phone would have been sucked away, not to mention the photographer's seatbelt would have been unbuckled or loose at the least, increasing the chances that he/she would have been sucked out of the plane as well. Plus, in a moment of panic like that, most people’s first thoughts would not be to whip out his or her camera/phone to take a picture, but to assume the crash position and try to save his or her own life, or to help other people.

a. Unfamiliar with image

b. False

c. Hurricane winds are extremely intense, so the flying car itself seems plausible. I've heard stories after storms of all kinds of crazy things being tossed around like toys, so why not a car? However, if a car weighing a ton or more is flying around, how could a red light camera have held its ground against such high winds? I think the camera would have been torn from its station long before the car started flying around.

a. Unfamiliar with image

b. False

c. Whoever was taking the picture would have been able to see the shark coming and warned everyone, not to mention save his or her own neck. Also, most sharks are afraid of people and boats, one of which was sure to be nearby the divers. Further, sharks swim at much deeper depths than many tourist divers would reach, so this one probably would not have approached the divers in the first place.

Additionally, I feel that this entire assignment may be a trick question. "Truth" is in the eye of the beholder as far as perception of images go, so while I may see these pictures as "false," others may be firmly believe that they are "true."

Next up!

2010-03-11T22:32:00.000-05:00

Hello there, followers of my blog!

I know it's been quite a while since I've posted anything and for that, I apologize. Just a heads up, though, that for spring quarter classes, I'll be using this blog to post assignments for Mark Cruea's Issues in Organization Communication course.

It should be an interesting discussion at how images are perceived and used in mass communication, so I hope you stick around!

Best,
Natalyn

Size Matters: Week Nine

2009-11-11T15:27:00.000-05:00

This week in The New Influencers by Paul Gillin, we are reminded of the concept that small markets are the new big markets in that businesses no longer have to "talk to 100 people just to get three to listen." It is much more effective to utilize time and money wisely by more accurately targeting your audience.

I am provoked to wonder at the timeliness of this trend. I'm realize that the Internet has much to do with making the world a smaller place and thus bringing your audience into sharper focus, and I'm very grateful that we now have these tools. It boggles my mind that so much in the way of resources were expended wastefully in the past.

Between this reading and my experiences at the Public Relations Student Society of America National Conference in San Diego this weekend, I'm certain that I'm coming into the PR field at the right time. Even with the current state of the economy and job market, I'm quite confident that my peers and I are being allowed all the right tools to do more for a smaller market with less. New practitioners are to seasoned pros what social media is to traditional media: each has its own benefits and advantages but each is not nearly as dynamic or far-reaching without the other.

I am so eager to enter the job market in just seven months. I can't wait to learn from the best and to show the world what I can offer.

I'd Settle for a Slowdown: Week Nine

2009-11-06T21:28:00.000-05:00

Thank you, Dierks Bentley, for the name of today's blog. Even though I've been trying to concentrate on the moment and just having fun in San Diego, there's a little voice in the back of my head that's been reminding me of all the work that awaits me back home. That little voice is leaving me breathless and begging for time to just wait.

Upon our return home, ONU will be in the middle of week ten, aka "Dead Week." Some say it's called Dead Week because there aren't supposed to be group meetings, exams or quizzes due to finals being the following week. I say it's called Dead Week because it kind of makes me want to be dead sometimes due to the excessive pileup of class assignments and the influx of pressure to start studying for exams.

My first final is on Monday of week eleven. Even better, I have two finals that day. Given that I realistically won't have the chance to start studying until Wednesday of Dead Week, I basically will have two and a half days to study for each final while still attending classes and catching up on what I've missed during my time in San Diego.

My second two finals are on Tuesday. I'm supposed to study for those...when, exactly?

Gahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

My plan for right now is to simply try to be as productive as possible in our time out of Conference sessions, but also to refuse to miss out on any opportunities while I'm here. The networking and educational opportunities that present themselves at Conference are simply too valuable to pass up. Even if I did pass them up, the studying I would be doing would be of poor quality since I'd be yearning to be elsewhere. In all honesty, any minuscule amount of studying I would get done might not even make that much of a difference in my grade in some of my non-PR-related classes.

I suppose some might say that I'm slacking or shirking my responsibilities. I say my responsibilities right now are to my network, my sanity and to continuing to make every day my new favorite day.

Social Media Dependency?: Week Nine

2009-11-06T01:43:00.000-05:00

In right around 12 hours today, nine other ONU PRSSA students and myself traveled from good ol' Ada, Ohio to San Diego, California for the Public Relations Student Society of America National Conference. We first drove an hour and a half from Ada to the airport in Columbus, then flew about two hours from Columbus to Atlanta, then flew another six from Atlanta to San Diego. On this last leg in the air, we were happily provided a free in-flight WiFi session, a major perk for the broke college student who is reluctant to pay $12.95 for an Internet pass. We anxiously awaited the 10,000 feet mark that would tell us when it was acceptable to use our portable electronic devices. Finally, we swiftly grabbed our laptops and furiously began trying to connect to the Internet.

Alas, the attempts of a number of our group (myself included) were futile. We unlucky few were left Internet-less. This really should not have been a big deal. Most flights are, in fact, without Internet capabilities. But for a brief moment, we had a glimmer of hope that we could connect to Internet, and subsequently the rest of the world, even in the vast blue of sky.

For those of us who were left disappointed, we were able to use others' computers who had been able to connect. And what do you think was the first thing any of us did when we got our fingers on those keyboards?

Yup, you guessed it: we checked our social media tools. I went straight to Twitter, Facebook and email for updates on Conference, traffic and the weather. We all wanted to update our statuses, most of which were changed to something along the lines of, "Currently at 38,000 feet over New Mexico! This is so cool; thanks Delta!" We were even able to pinpoint our exact altitude and state via the "My Flight" application on the screens built into the backs of the seats in front of us. Some classmates, including ONU PRSSA president Amanda McKelvey, even updated their blogs (read Amanda's take on today's high-flying Internet use here). We were also delivered the horrific news of the Fort Hood, Texas tragedy via the trending topics sidebar on Twitter- our thoughts and prayers go out.

I was struck by just how much social media has come to mean to me as an avenue for keeping in touch and staying informed. Since the use of cell phones and two-way radios is prohibited, we would have been completely ignorant to the Fort Hood situation come our arrival in San Diego. None of us could have told our friends how cool it was to use the Internet at 38,000 feet. Some of us would have lost six valuable hours of productivity on schoolwork. I would have lost an extra opportunity to tell my family I love them.

It's amazing how we take the Internet and its social media tools for granted. Without free WiFi in the Atlanta airport (what the heck is up with that, by the way?) and my cell phone being turned off during flight, the prospect of in-flight Internet was very appetizing. I know I occasionally complain about how hard it is to keep up with the veritable smorgasbord of social media tools and the vicissitudes of those tools, but today I realized how grateful I truly am to have them at my fingertips.

Our First Videos

2009-11-03T08:56:00.001-05:00

This first video of mine was created to give viewers a brief overview of ONU PRSSA: who we are, what we do and why they should care. I wanted to provide enough information so viewers would understand and feel comfortable describing PRSSA to another person, but not so much that they wouldn't feel compelled to check out the Web site or come to a meeting for more information. I stuck with very basic white text on a black background to correlate with the group's current branding efforts and understated but powerful music so as not to overstimulate the viewer.

I hope you enjoy it! Feedback is greatly appreciated.

Social Media in the Wild: Week Eight

2009-11-01T21:34:00.000-05:00

Today I went to John Bryan State Park to fulfill the requirements for my hiking and backpacking class (yes, it's a class. And it's awesome.) with a friend. Throughout the course of the day, I was trying to come up with a way to tie nature to social media for this blog post.

I shared that thought with my friend and he informed that there is an expedition set to ascend Mount Kilimanjaro in early 2010 to raise awareness of the clean water crisis. The climbing group of activists and celebrities intends to use Twitter, Facebook and MySpace to keep followers of the effort informed and allow them to virtually climb with them. Further research when I got home led me to the Summit on the Summit (SOTS) Web site and Twitter page through this Treehugger article.

For starters, mega props to the designers of the official SOTS Web site. It's super creative and draws in visitors through all its nifty interactive features. I spent probably around 20 minutes just playing around on the site reading the climber bios, reading the random facts on the scale and just being mesmerized by it in general. I also love the innovative idea of sponsoring a foot of the climb and I'm pretty sure I'll be making an investment. I'm now following SOTS on Twitter and will be making frequent trips back to the Web site.

Plus, here is further proof of social media making a difference. As I've mentioned in an earlier post, the thought of changing the world through PR and social media is mind-blowing. Thanks to the Internet, it's cheaper and easier than ever to spread your message to an unprecedented number of your audience members (if you do it right, of course). Non-profit organizations finally have the ability to be on a level playing field with big-name corporations in terms of getting the word out.

The whole concept is just cool all around and I'm very eager for the tweets to start rolling in come January. I know the trip and social media aspect will be an interesting case study and am excited to learn from their efforts. I wish the climbers the best of luck and will definitely be telling all my friends about their mission.

OK, OK. I get it. But then again, I don't.: Week Eight

2009-10-31T14:38:00.001-04:00

So I mean, I guess social media is pretty important. It's kind of revolutionizing the way we communicate with each other and how we get our information. It's no big deal or anything.

After reading this week's assigned portion of The New Influencers by Paul Gillin, I get the idea. I mean, I got it before, but now I really get it. I'm also getting a little exasperated.

All this talk about social media and its effects on PR/marketing/customer service/sales/traditional media/heck, the world while we're at it has been going on for what feels like ages. We know what tools to use and why that particular tool is beneficial to which audiences. We know where to find these tools and where to find the audiences.

What I need to know now is how.

I've been particularly frustrated lately due to the most recent assignments in Professor Alisa Agozzino's social media class. Last week, we created our first podcasts and this week, we'll turn in a video project. It's not that I'm annoyed that we've been given homework or that I don't have time to do it or anything like that. I realize that homework and doing assignments on our own are how we learn, and I'm grateful for that opportunity.

But I need more than just a bunch of short video tutorials for the programs we're using. So far, we've been using Garage Band and iMovie. It's great that they offer these tutorials, but some of them are hard to follow for the less-than-awesomely-tech-savvy like myself. I'm easily frustrated when I don't pick up right away on a concept; I'll admit it. So when I get lost watching a video, I often need to walk away for a while to get a different perspective. I don't mind playing around and trying to figure things out on my own for a while, but doing this for an extended period of time seems like a waste of time.

What I would really love is a comprehensive compilation of written instructions for the different softwares and tools out there. Maybe I'm old school, but step-by-step instructions are more straight-forward for me to follow. Obviously they wouldn't include how to apply them to your business; that's where we PR people get to be creative. I just need the technical details to get me started.

Is that so much to ask? Does anyone have any idea if something like this exists and where I can find it?

In the meantime, it's back to tinkering with it on my own.

Boo!: Week 8

2009-10-29T23:53:00.000-04:00

I. Am. So. Excited!

The day after tomorrow is Halloween. And I love Halloween!

It's a night where we get to take a break from being real people and pretend to be something else. I get to take a break from being studious, far-too-busy Natalyn and be carefree and incognito.

One of my roommates is being Raggedy-Ann; another is being a biker; the third is being Hermione Granger; the next is being a rabbit.

The fifth and myself do not, as of yet, have costumes. The two of us probably love Halloween more than anyone else I know. She, in particular, is a bit obsessed. She had her mom send us a giant box of decorations, including jack-o-lantern lights, witch/skull/werewolf/etc. cutouts and spiderwebs. I helped her put said decorations about the house in a 45-minute frenzy a few nights ago. Every store we go into, we have to go through the aisles with the Halloween paraphernalia. The Rabbit, Raggedy-Ann and I went to a haunted reformatory in Mansfield this past weekend. Our house is pumped for Halloween.

This being said, why do roommate number five and myself not have costumes yet? This thought is scarier to me than any haunted ex-prison could ever be. Yikes. Anyone have any thoughts?

Ohhh shiny.

2009-10-27T15:04:00.000-04:00

We just made our first podcasts!

I love Habitat for Humanity, so that's the topic of my podcast. It's just over three minutes of Habitat history, how we work and why I participate.

Enjoy it here!

Buyer Personas: Week 7

2009-10-27T01:16:00.000-04:00

Reading chapter 10 of The New Rules of Marketing & PR by David Meerman Scott reminded me of an exercise I had done for a group project in graphic design last year. Our project was to evaluate campus recycling patterns and how to best use design to improve recycling habits. Among various other brainstorming and mind-mapping techniques, one of our steps was to create a persona for the average ONU student in relation to recycling.

I don't remember what we named our personas, but I remember we created a male and a female. Neither student recycled on a regular basis, though they knew it was important to do so. They knew the difference between the various types of containers on campus, had scored well on their ACTs and SATs, were from upper middle class families in Ohio and fit the demographics outlined in ONU's Office of Admissions publications.

These personas were easy to create because as students ourselves, we were the personas. We knew what we (and our peers) knew about recycling on campus and what we (and our peers) would want and need to encourage increased recycling. It was an effective (and fun!) strategy of gaining a clear picture of our audience.

The personas described in chapter 10 are much the same, which I find so cool (and reassuring that we're being taught stuff in school that people actually use in real life). I also think that persona creators in real PR settings would have it so tough to research and flesh out all those demographic criteria to figure out to whom they should be talking. This, again, is cool to me because I loved the PR research class I took last year and how what I learned there keeps showing up in everything I do.

I feel like I've talked about research a lot this week and might sound like a super nerd, but I can't help it. I think it's so nifty to pick peoples' brains and find out what makes them tick, especially about pop culture and how they respond to external influences. I just can't wait to get out into a professional setting where I can ask questions and do a little psychoanalysis without seeming like a weirdo.

Call a Medic!: Week Seven

2009-10-26T14:16:00.001-04:00

Help.

I think I have writer's block.

I also currently have a ringing in my ears and a sore knee, but my most pressing concern is this block.

Perhaps a more appropriate name for my condition is blogger's block, but a rose by any other name would still smell as sweet, right?

In my effort to work around this condition, I ended up doing a quick Google search to help my fellow ONU Social Media students avoid a similar fate in the future. Here are some cool articles I've found about blogger's block. I hope they help!

Battling Bloggers Block (This one's my favorite and the first returned in my Google search.)

Plinky: An Answer to Blogger's Block (I like this one for our "a day-in-the-life" posts.)

10 tips for beating blogger's block (This one has its own list as well.)

10 Surefire Steps to Beating Blogger's Block (Pretty similar to the previous one, but could still be useful.)

I also found that I'm not the only one to have suffered and posted about blogger's block; my Google search also returned a bunch of bloggers who seem to have run dry.

I'll definitely be implementing a few of these suggestions in the future. Actually, more like now. I think I'll go for coffee and a walk.

Giving credit: Week Seven

2009-10-25T14:08:00.000-04:00

The experts over at the Pew Internet & American Life Project certainly have their work cut out for them and I can relate.

They posted this article regarding their word choice for a particular survey question in an effort to explain why they chose those words and to present the challenges associated with measuring social media. It certainly makes for an interesting read and I was left yearning for a solution to the difficulties in researching new, rapidly changing media.

This summer, Professor Alisa Agozzino and I were working on a research paper about Twitter, and I was to research the history of the service and how it applies to the Millennial generation.

At first, I figured it would be simple enough to track down a timeline and then look up a bit of research on Millennial characteristics and how they relate to Twitter. The timeline was relatively straightforward. Finding Millennial characteristics was relatively straightforward. Relating Millennials to Twitter was freaking tough.

I realized very quickly that finding that sort of information was difficult because primary research is still going on. New media is, well, new. Researchers are still trying to figure out the phenomenon behind it, which means that those of us looking for secondary research are left hanging for the time being.

While it's frustrating to wait, it's either that or do the research myself, and quite frankly, I don't think I know how to do that effectively yet, nor do I have the resources to do so. Yes, I've had classes that I've thoroughly enjoyed where I've done some primary research, but I'd be so nervous that I'd overlook a certain aspect or target the wrong demographic or interpret the results wrong or something. I think it would require a large team of people to grasp the concept of efficient and accurate research.

In the meantime, I encourage the researchers at Pew to soldier on in their endeavors to bring us telling information about this ever-changing, dynamic media. I can't wait to read the next article on their findings.

With Our Powers Combined!: Week Six

2009-10-19T13:27:00.001-04:00

According to a post on Blogger's Blogger Buzz tab, last Thursday was Blog Action Day. This day calls for bloggers around the world to unite and publish a post about an annually determined topic; this year's was climate change.

I'm so bummed I somehow missed this date. I suppose being relatively new to blogging is a sufficient excuse, but I really hope to participate next year. Not only is climate change an important issue about which I can get pretty passionate, it would have been absolutely awesome to be a part of this bigger picture.

I also love the fact that Blogger has issued this call to action to the new influencers we've been learning so much about in social media. Bloggers can have a huge audience and I love the idea that we can collectively pool our resources to educate that audience.

I always spout off about how I want to make a difference and that through my future career in public relations I'll be able to do just that. My newfound awareness of Blog Action Day (and this social media class in general) has now reinforced that idea. Social media allows us to reach a massive audience. I hope we can continue to contribute to the greater good through these new but oh-so-effective tools.

Sometimes I hate Ohio.: Week Six

2009-10-18T13:44:00.000-04:00

I just need to get something off my chest. It's something that I know people complain about all the time. It's something that I know no one has any control over. But my last post has made me a little homesick and I need to vent.

Ohio weather sucks.

Maybe it's not all of Ohio. Maybe it's just northwest Ohio. Regardless, here in Ada we have pretty much skipped a season. I know that having four seasons is a major attraction for people to live in northern states, but Ada is not the place to find that. This year, we apparently are only getting three seasons: spring, summer and winter.

I enjoy Ohio summers well enough. They're hot and, in my experience, pretty dry. It's this stupid transition into fall/winter that I hate. The fluctuations are unpredictable and frustrating. In the last two weeks or so, the temperature has plummeted about 20 degrees. It hovers around freezing at night and warms to about 40 or so during the day. But this coming week's weather? A nice 60 degrees on Tuesday and a downright balmy 65 degrees on Wednesday and Thursday.

Ohio. Please make up your mind. I can't take you teasing me like this! Having naturally curly hair but a short cut that looks better straight, I never know if I should bother doing my hair or just let it go in case you rain on me anyway. I can never dress for the weather because one minute, my sweater is far too heavy and the next, I'd like to pile on another one.

At least in New York I know I'm going to be buried in snow from November to April. There's something to be said for consistency, you know. Ohio could stand to learn a few things from New York.

I feel much better now, having ranted. Not that it's going to change anything.

Go 'Cuse!: Week Six

2009-10-17T18:30:00.000-04:00

I'm from Upstate New York. Most New Yorkers I know that have emigrated from the Empire State take every opportunity they can to proudly (and sometimes annoyingly) announce their roots. After all, we <3 NY, right? In my experience, this is even more prevalent among those of us from Upstate; except we take it a step further in that we have to make absolutely sure that whoever we're talking to will hereafter be able to accurately distinguish between New York City and New York State, from which we are further differentiated by being that part of the state that is a considerable distance north of the city, but not necessarily including the western part of the state.

It's all very confusing to try to explain, but we still get ticked when people from outside the state don't understand.

We also tend to find unity and common ground with each other, at least in my little bit of Upstate. A victory or success for one Upstate community bolsters us all; a tough winter or a tragedy for one Upstate town brings us all down.

This week's victory? (though I may be the only one who cares about it at the moment): Syracuse University was mentioned in our assigned reading in The New Influencers by Paul Gillin.

SU is about an hour or so south of my hometown. I grew up watching the Carrier Dome surface on the horizon as we traveled I-81. I'm a sucker for SU men's basketball; my mother, sister and I froze our butts off watching them win the 2003 NCAA title on a little TV plugged into the cigarette adapter in my mom's Astro because we had an ice storm that year that knocked our power out for about five days. I even got to cheer the boys on in the Dome my junior year in high school: their cheerleaders were out of town, so my cheerleading team from Mexico High School (yeah, my hometown is called Mexico. You can laugh.) got to step in. That night will forever reside in my memory as one of the coolest nights of my life. If I decide to go to grad school after I'm done at ONU come May, SU is at the top of my list (Newhouse, anyone?).

What a thrill of excitement it was for me to read that name in regards to NightAgency founders Darren Paul, Scott Cohn and Evan Vogel's alma mater!

I've always known that SU is a good school. The major reason I didn't really consider it when making my undergraduate selection was because it was simply too close to home. But to have its students referenced in a textbook for one of my favorite classes as an example for how to best use social media and viral marketing? Icing on the cake.

So. Stinking. Excited! Really. That's about all I have left to say on the matter. Eek!

Really, Pepsi?: Week Five

2009-10-13T07:08:00.001-04:00

Thanks to my habitual Twitter use, today I discovered Pepsi's "Before You Score" iPhone application. One of today's trending topics was "Alienate Your Female." As a female and PR student who ought to be aware of current events, I was curious, so I clicked. I was bombarded by tweets that ran along the lines of, "Alienate Your Female Customers? Pepsi Has An App For That." So I click one of the accompanying links, which subsequently takes me to this Mashable post. I learn from the post that in an effort to market its AMP energy drink via the app and that the app is supposed to help guys "score" with various types of women by providing background info on topics about which said women might be interested in talking.

Props to Pepsi for an innovative, interest-piquing idea, but minus points for that idea being one that helps sleazy guys be even sleazier.

I'll admit that the app is sort of genius. I think that most guys I know would at least check it out, if not actually put the tips into practice. Pepsi and AMP's brand names are indeed on people's minds and tongues, even if not for entirely desirable reasons. If you subscribe to the line of thinking that there's no such thing as bad publicity, Pepsi and AMP are right on the money. However, as a woman, I'm offended by the idea that I can be categorized into one of 24 "types" of women. Blegh.

I would love to talk to Pepsi's PR people right about now (or before the app was released, for that matter.). Sure, they've issued an apology tweet (read about that gem here on Huffington Post or here on Mashable), but as far as I can tell, the app hasn't been shut down. On the one hand, good for them for sticking to their guns. But on the other, 140 characters of chagrin just doesn't seem adquate.

I'm not much of a soda drinker, but I used to prefer Pepsi to Coke. Now, however, I'll bet that Coke will be laughing this one all the way to the bank.

At least the name is appropriate.: Week Five

2009-10-12T13:47:00.003-04:00

Having read my friend and classmate Kyle's blog about this weekend's homecoming at Ohio Northern University, I thought I'd add my commentary on the weekend.

I love homecoming. Yeah, the themes are sometimes a little off and yeah, sometimes it rains on the parade. Sure, the line for food at the tailgate is usually about a mile long and sure, the football team sometimes loses. But the joy on the faces of the alumni that make the pilgrimage tell you that they have, in fact, come home. They look so thrilled to be back at ONU, to see their former classmates, to walk the beaten paths leading to the rapidly changing buildings, to cheer on that football team. While I will absolutely relish in my last few months at ONU, I cannot wait to join the ranks of those enthusiastic alumnae. My years so far at ONU have been the happiest of my life and I can pretty well guarantee that, job proximity willing, I won't miss a single homecoming.

This weekend was also special for the sisters of Zeta Tau Alpha. We celebrated 50 years of our Delta Theta chapter at ONU with a gala event open to both collegiates and alum. It was such a treat to meet these women who seem so different from myself and my peers, yet also so familiar through the values instilled in us by our creed. It is both reassuring and inspiring to see women from 1964 who continue to be the best of friends. My biggest wish is to solidfy the already strong friendships I have built in ZTA into those bonds that will endure until I am a little old lady. This weekend's gala pacified a great deal of my anxiety regarding the potential loss of any of my dearest friends.

PaRallels: Week Five

2009-10-11T19:54:00.000-04:00

This week's reading in The New Rules of Marketing& PR by David Meerman Scott was largely concerned with news releases. A couple observations:

1. I love the rationale behind the "news release" versus "press release" issue. I'm not sure when I first heard the term "news release," nor am I sure when I actually began using that particular moniker. What I am sure of is that I much prefer "news release" to "press release," and that I'm thrilled to have discovered a justification for it. Releases aren't just for the press. With social media, they can be for everyone. Hooray for another outlet to reach your audience!

2. The last paragraph of the chapter made me think of some of my friends' Twitter pages. "Having a regular editorial calendar that includes a series of news releases also means your company is "busy." When people go to your online media room and find a lack of news releases, they often assume that you are not moving forward or that you have nothing to contribute to the industry." Scott continues by characterizing companies with frequently updated sites as "a busy market player, an active expert in the industry, and a trusted resource to turn to." I hate going to someone's Twitter page and seeing that it hasn't been updated in weeks. I'm guilty of going a few days without updating, but very rarely do I lapse more than a week unless I'm out of town without my computer (I avoid using Twitter from my cell phone; no fees for me, please.). If they don't have anything to say, why do these people even have Twitter pages? Just to say that they have them? Ugh. Thank you for not cluttering up my feed with the gory details of your latest trip to your kitchen for another doughnut (for I assume that's what you're doing since you're not tweeting about doing anything more substantial), but why are you here? Better yet, why am I following you?

Podcasting: Week Four

2009-10-06T10:07:00.001-04:00

Upfront: I don't listen to podcasts. I occasionally find my iPod cumbersome rather than convenient. It's not fun for me to sit on iTunes and download music, and then wait for it to sync to my iPod. Plus, there's just so much selection of music out there (though that's awesome for those artists) that I almost get overwhelmed.

After reading The New Rules of Marketing and PR by David Meerman Scott, I can see where the value in podcasting can potentially exist for up-and-coming artists or companies to reach their audiences on a personal level. It seems, however, that it would be hard work in relation to the number of listeners to advertise one's podcast. This fact really drives home the importance of utilizing multiple social media tools in harmony to achieve maximum results. You can't just choose one and not have the other to back it up. I can't see a blog with few followers (like this one) working to start up a podcast to generate more followers, but a blog with a large number of followers could easily reach more people and make their content easy to access through podcasts.

I still will probably not listen to podcasts on a regular basis. I think the only occasion I would consider it would be while traveling, but even then, I prefer to just relax with music. Maybe I'm way off base, but listening to podcasts doesn't quite seem worth the effort.

This Feels Like Selling Out: Week Four

2009-10-05T21:24:00.001-04:00

I'm normally a big fan of Will it Blend?, in which the slightly awkward yet endearing Tom Dickson hosts a kooky Bill Nye the Science Guy/The Price is Right sort-of-hybrid series demonstrating the awesome powers of Blendtec blenders. The series has featured Dickson blending everything from glow sticks to skis to an iPhone on the day it came out and has been featured in our textbooks for this social media class.

But this video, I didn't see coming. And I kind of wish it hadn't.

The Will it Blend? videos are a genius tool for the little-blenders-that-could. So why did they have to go and throw the Ford Fiesta in there with it? I'm not sure if Blendtec got any kickback from featuring the Fiesta, but the car is still a focal point in the video. I liked that the Will it Blend? videos were a bit off the beaten path. This one just feels mainstream.

The reason I'm not taking the same issue with the iPhone video or even the Olympus video is because those products still got blended. All I'm gathering about the Fiesta in that video is that it's safe because it's made with boron steel. It seems too much like an advertisement to me and I find myself losing a little respect for the Will it Blend? videos.

Please, Tom Dickson, keep the focus on your blenders that are so powerful I wouldn't have believed them if this demonstration series didn't exist. Those videos are far more entertaining that watching you sit in the back seat of some car.

Finallyyyy: Week Four

2009-10-05T02:35:00.000-04:00

So I had another academically unproductive weekend. However, the last two rounds of formal recruitment were this weekend, culminating in bid day on Sunday. I've been home from the festivities for about six hours at this point, but I still just can't get over how grateful I am to have Zeta Tau Alpha.

If you read this blog semi-regularly, you know how much I love Greek life. Looking around me today at the flushed, excited faces of the Greek women around me in the Field House as we anxiously awaited the arrival of our chapters' new members, I was just overcome with pride to be part of this phenomenal community.

I was especially reminded, though, of everything that brought me to ZTA when I was still a wet-behind-the-ears freshman. There were 56 ladies around me, all clad in matching bright red, NFL-themed shirts celebrating our chapter's fifty years at ONU. For one, those t-shirts are just plain super cute. For two, the NFL is an official "Think Pink, Think Zeta" partner in the effort toward breast cancer education and awareness. This means that they offer special pink merchandise and let Zetas across the country come to games to pass out pink ribbons and shower self-check cards. The t-shirts did more than just identify us as belonging to one chapter; they reminded us of our rich history and our commitment to our philanthropy.

We also had quite a few sisters participate in recruitment as Rho Gammas this year, including one of my house-mates. As a Rho Gamma, you are required to un-affiliate from your chapter in an effort to provide unbiased guidance to the potential new members coming through recruitment. I have never been a Rho Gamma; I think I'm too selfish to make the sacrifice of giving up my letters, even just for a month. But the ladies that were able to take that leap are astounding and I couldn't be more proud of them. They were able to guide around 100 potential new members through the process and show just how awesome Greek life is. I am thrilled to tears to have them back. Literally, I cried a bit when they finally rejoined our numbers in the Field House.

As for our 21 new members, I am SO excited to share with them everything that Zeta has to offer and has done for me. I feel that Zeta has truly made me a better person in all aspects of my life and has so fulfilled my life, that I would just love for everyone to have the opportunity to experience that for themselves. And, as a senior, I am anxious to be sure that I am leaving my chapter in the best of hands. It may only be their first day as Zetas, but I am optimistic and very much looking forward to being the best role model I can for these girls.

"Individually unique, together complete."

Come Together/Right Now/Over Me: Week Three

2009-09-29T09:00:00.054-04:00

Understatement of the year, ready? Go: The Beatles, back in the day, were an unprecedented phenomenon. In fact, it could be pretty well argued that we still have yet to see another band that has garnered a Beatles-equivalent level of loyal fanatics, mass hysteria or unharnessed passion. Fans truly did "Come Together," and in nearly unfathomable numbers, under the influence of The Beatles.

"Come Together" is in my top five favorite Beatles tunes, though I can't say I comprehend the lyrics on their entirety (I hear there's a very intriguing story behind them though; one that no Beatle is willing to share.). Regardless, the part that always gets stuck in my head is the part that I do understand: "come together/right now/ over me."

From my perspective the "me" referred to in this line is the music. The guys are urging the listeners to come together, I think, in peace and unity contrived from a shared love of the music. I might be way off-base, but beauty's in the eye of the beholder, and it's my blog anyway, so there's my opinion. But I digress.

I wonder what the guys would think of social media's ability to draw people together, particularly social networking/Internet radio sites such as Pandora and Slacker. These sites enable the listener to choose a genre or specific artist, create custom stations, edit their musical profile, and see and interact with other listeners' profiles whose musical tastes may be similar to their own.

I do consider these sites to be social networking sites, albeit nontraditional ones (if there is such a thing as a traditional social networking site yet). From what I can tell, listeners don't utilize their Pandora profiles to the extent most people use their Facebook profiles, but the potential is there with the ability to leave comments and bookmark songs or stations. Plus, the conversation starter is built-in. Say you stumble upon someone else who adores both MuteMath and Dolly Parton. Boom. Insta-convo between two people who may never have discovered each other otherwise.

I think The Beatles would be proud of how far music has come. Yes, the music industry today has its no-talent drama queens who shall remain nameless (coughcoughkanyecoughcough...oh. My bad.), but there are also far more options than ever before for a substantially broader music-loving audience than ever before. And thanks to Pandora, Slacker and perhaps others I haven't heard of yet, that broad audience can truly come together.

P.S.: In case anyone was wondering, my favorite Beatles song is "Yellow Submarine."

Fail? An Update: Week Three

2009-09-28T21:00:00.000-04:00

Today, I feel like an epic failure.

This weekend, I did not get much done. I did not stay in on Friday or Saturday night to write blogs, read blogs, make comments, read multiple chapters for various classes, study medical microbiology, study health communication or crunch numbers. Nor did I compose any of the various emails I should have, clean my kitchen or iron my clothes (though I did launder them; the one productive thing I did all weekend.).

Today, I also feel victorious.

This weekend, I attended a house dedication for the homeowners of a freshly completed Habitat for Humanity house, watched a movie with a new friend, went to church and experienced nature on a hiking trip to Lawrence Woods. I also was able to express my passion for my sorority's national philanthropy (breast cancer education and awareness) to a plethora of potential new members at the first formal recruitment round of the fall.

Last night, the work I had neglected to do over the weekend forced me to stay up until 2:45 a.m. Tonight, the work I neglected to do over the weekend will probably force me to stay up until 2:45 a.m. again. Admittedly, I'm a tad disappointed in myself for not utilizing every ounce of discipline I know I possess. I know when I buckle down and put my nose to the grindstone, I can accomplish a great deal.

On the other hand, though, I am thrilled with this weekend. The look on the new homeowners' faces was at once humbling and empowering; I had goosebumps throughout the dedication program. Getting to know that new friend was amazing; we seem to have a lot in common and are very at ease with each other. Church renewed my spirit and helped prepare me for the week ahead. To get back in touch with nature was rejuvenating and enthralling, and the run through the woods tapped my adrenaline. Educating others on the issue of breast cancer and how we can help never ceases to impact my being and self-worth.

This weekend, I may have been an academic failure. But this weekend also proved to me that I am making good on my promise from my second post to make every day my new favorite day. And that one I'll add to the "win" column.

Brillant Ideas Elude Me: Week Three

2009-09-26T15:07:00.002-04:00

This week in Groundswell (that sounds like an intro on a soap opera or something. "This week on Days of Our Lives..."), the chapter opens with dialogue between Forrester and one of its clients. The client is saying that one of its competitors, Sears, has started an online community and is wondering if his company should be doing one as well. The folks at Forrester inquire after the client's objectives; he can't name them. My favorite line from the client is this: "Well, I"m really not sure. But if Sears is doing it, I'm sure we need to be looking into it."

I'm first reminded of childhood playground peer pressure. If little Suzy's swinging upside down from the monkey bars, I should too, just to make sure I'm not left out, right?

Wrong.

I'm then reminded of why I'm blogging in the first place: because everyone is else is doing it. Granted, everyone else in my class is doing it because we have to as part of the class assignment. But why is social media even a class? Because everyone is using it and we, as future PR pros, need to be on that bandwagon.

I hate doing something because "it's the cool thing to do." I do not like being a follower. I do not want to be just like everyone else. I do not want to blend in. Sometimes, I even enjoy going against the grain just for the sake of it.

However, as I read further into the chapter, it became starkly clear that learning to do something everyone else is doing the correct way can help you stand out. Social media is undoubtedly a hot topic. Having attended multiple conferences, assemblies and luncheons that deal with it, I'm honestly a little burnt out by the phrase itself and its implications. Now, though, I'm finally learning how to use it wisely and effectively, and it's becoming exciting to me again.

The beef I have that remains is that to break through you need a brilliant idea; the authors flat out tell us this. I understand to the victor go the spoils, but how the heck am I supposed to just come up with a great idea out of nowhere? The book cites Will It Blend? as an example of a brilliant idea. I agree; I love this site. I never would have thought of it. I can't decide if I'm just too inexperienced to have brilliant ideas or if I'm just not creative enough.

And so it would seem that I have a conundrum. I want to do something everyone else does, but stand out doing it, and lack any brilliant ideas to do so. Am I therefore doomed to PR obscurity? Are you?

What a Relief: Week Two

2009-09-22T08:40:00.001-04:00

Much of this week's reading assignment came from The New Rules of Marketing and PR by David Meerman Scott. Of the various chapters we were assigned to read, the one that stuck out for me was Chapter 17: Blogging to Reach Your Buyers.

As I expressed in my first "test post," I was pretty apprehensive about the whole blogging experience. I wasn't sure what I, as a college student just learning to blog, could really offer by way of interesting, substantial content. Scott has officially waylaid my fears with the first sentence of the second section of the chapter: "People often struggle to decide what to blog about."

Woohoo! So I'm not the only one. He goes on to explain that bloggers have to find something they can speak passionately about, because that's why people read blogs in the first place. He also tells us that by narrowing your field, you'll have less competition and a more targeted audience.

For now, I've decided that this blog will primarily be for the class assignment. But once the class is over, who knows? I'm pretty dang passionate about a couple subjects, so I'd be willing to bet that I'll continue to blog even once this course is over.

I was also very interested in Scott's point of view on "Blogging Ethics and Employee Blogging Guidelines." Differentiation between an individual's online identity and an organization's online identity is something that I've thought quite a bit about. Scott's opinion of providing a set of guidelines that apply to all media, not just "new" or "social" media, is the one that works best for me so far. It doesn't seem limiting, yet at the same time does not allow for a free-for-all. Plus, I love that he asks us to consider what our mothers would say about our posts.

All in all, the reading this week has been both educational and reassuring. These authors sure know what they're doing.

Internet Superstars: Week Two

2009-09-21T11:43:00.002-04:00

This week, I happened to catch part of a re-run of the 40 Greatest Internet Superstars on Vh1. Originally aired in 2007, it was more than just highly entertaining (watch the winning sensation here). The countdown was also interesting support for and a timely reminder of the power of social media in the hands of the public.

I realize we've encountered some pretty epic Internet phenomenons in the two years since the countdown first aired (Susan Boyle, Chris Crocker, Pearl or doglover, anyone?). However, the message remains the same: the people choose, loud and clear, what they pay attention to.

It's only loud and clear if you listen, though. All of our readings thus far have uncompromisingly stressed the importance of being an active online listener. With the serious ease of accessibility for both the public and a company, there is no excuse for a company that doesn't at least eavesdrop on the discussion.

Go Greek!: Week Two

2009-09-18T16:26:00.000-04:00

For the past month, ONU has been sporadically dotted with members of the campus community in black t-shirts with a large, bold, orange "G," smack dab on the front. The shirts carried the message, "Find out what it all means on September 18." People wearing the shirts have been everywhere from helping at freshman move-in and the academic buildings to the Green Monster and Mac .

Today is September 18.

Those people that had previously been wearing the "G" shirts now donned shirts that say, in the same orange lettering, "Go Greek." On the back, the shirts list the accomplishments of the Greek community in the last year:

- raised $26,274.84 for charity,

- performed 3768.5 community service hours,

- had a GPA equal to the all-campus GPA,

- were involved in almost every other group on campus,

- did it all with only 530 members,

- and had a great time doing it!

Imagine what is possible.

Stand out. Go Greek.

ONU's Panhellenic Council (consisting of Alpha Xi Delta , Delta Zeta , Zeta Tau Alpha and Kappa Alpha Theta ) and Interfraternity Council (consisting of Delta Sigma Phi , Theta Chi , Sigma Pi , Sigma Phi Epsilon , Phi Delta Chi and Phi Mu Delta ) teamed up to put together what came to be known as the "G" campaign to spark interest in Greek life and, I must say, it worked. Those of us in the "G" shirts had students of all ages, as well as faculty and staff members asking us what it meant. Our response? "Find out on the eighteenth."

Today, the campus community put two and two together. Faculty that had been Greek during their time at ONU were also invited to wear the "Go Greek" shirts. "Ohhhhh!" came the exclamation as comprehension dawned. Yes, we Greeks did, in fact, do all that.

In a world where Greek life is often criticized and persecuted, our Greek community is taking steps to shed light on our triumphs. I understand why and how the negative stigma surrounding Greek life explodes the way it does, and how it came to be in the first place. But I am so proud of our Greek community for not allowing themselves to be discouraged by it and for moving past the sensationalism into the positive.

Additionally, tonight is the first round of formal sorority recruitment of 2009. This year, it was decided that we would utilize a new schedule for recruitment. In the past, formal recruitment was four rounds: open house, philanthropy, sisterhood and preference. This year, we'll be having two informal rounds (welcome kit and open house) and three formal rounds (philanthropy, sisterhood and preference). Panhellenic Council has been doing a kick-butt job of promoting the recruitment process and explaining the new structure to the chapters.

I am so excited for formal recruitment to begin. The potential new members (PNMs) I've met so far have been charming, well-spoken, bright young women that any chapter would be lucky to have. I can't wait for them and the rest of my sisters to meet each other.

Happy recruiting!

Thank Goodness: Week 1

2009-09-11T16:50:00.002-04:00

This week I started reading Groundswell by Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff of Forrester Research. When I first cracked the binding, it was begrudgingly to complete the class assignment. As a Millennial, I feel like I should already know everything there is to know about social media since my peers and I have grown up with the Internet. But I don't. As of yet, I've only dipped my toes in the waters; so, joining this class rattled my nerves a bit. Lucky for me though, Li and Bernoff's writing draws me in and makes me feel like I'm sitting across the table from them at a client meeting: straightforward yet thorough and comforting.

I was particularly thrilled to read of Bob Lutz of General Motors. He's a member of the Silent Generation and he blogs! If Lutz can jump his hurdles of fear, pick up blogging and new technologies, and be successful at it, surely I can at least give it a solid attempt.

Yes, it might be daunting. It will be a massive challenge to try to keep tabs on the overwhelming amount of social media tools that exist. I'm already stretched for time, just with classes and extracurriculars, but that's no excuse to ignore a tool that will be crucial to my profession.

So, along with my new devotion to making my senior year the best yet, I will also be using this year to fully submerge myself in the social media waters. Add that to the to-do list.

The Line: Week 1

2009-09-10T23:29:00.003-04:00

At tonight's ONU PRSSA meeting, Aaron Brown of Fahlgren Mortine Public Relations speak to the chapter. Aaron is the chapter's annual opener and, even as a senior hearing him speak for the fourth time, I was impressed. Not that I expected anything else, of course. But Aaron is a down-to-earth, yet dynamic young professional who relates well to us and tells it like it is whether we want it or not, and that's something I genuinely appreciate, especially in this industry where we're so well-trained in both the significance of transparency and, conversely, to craft our words just so in order to get our message across. Aaron displays an admirable balance of both skills, along with an ability to answer tough questions on the spot.

One question I asked him at the meeting was where he draws the line in social media between his own personal branding and Fahlgren Mortine's branding, particularly given that Aaron references Fahlgren Mortine in his own Twitter handle. He gave me an answer I had not given much consequence until tonight when he cited the use of disclaimers in a multitude of companies' employees' various social media tools.

Instinctively, I bristled at the thought. If I worked for a company that told me I couldn't use social media just the way I wanted to, I would be positively indignant, what with the first amendment and all. I can say what I want, when I want, how I want. Right?

Enter my on-again, off-again love/hate relationship with public relations. I love that my course work continues to teach me effective ways to express a message and that that skill carries into personal relationships. I love that my course work continues to expand my vocabulary and knowledge of current events. I love that my course work allows me to delve into the research methods I've come to know and enjoy. What I sometimes hate is that everyone is hyperaware of what everyone else thinks of them. I understand that that's the field and that's fine for the corporate/nonprofit/agency crowd. But when it infringes into someone's personal life and expression? That's where I draw the line.

But with Aaron's answer, I realized it wasn't as black-and-white as I thought. As Aaron reiterated, the line is very blurred. I thought about all the organizations I'm involved in on campus and how I represent them every day, whether it's through a student-l, wearing a t-shirt, hanging up a sign or simply talking about the group. I'm very passionate about every group I'm in and respect each member of those groups. Why on earth would I let my guard down and say or do anything less than something they'd all be proud of? The same would go for where I work. I won't work somewhere I don't love and if I love it, why wouldn't I want to make them proud?

I don't believe this type of responsibility is a one-way street, however. It is also the responsibility of the company or student group to engage in activity that makes their stockholders or members proud to take part. Loyalty and accountability go hand in hand, and both parties must hold up their respective end of the deal to foster trust.

The First Day: Week 1

2009-09-09T00:59:00.004-04:00

I remember my very first day of elementary school.

The school district had already completed its practice runs with the screaming yellow monstrosities that were our buses. I was to take number 61 in my favorite outfit to join Mrs. Havens' kindergarten class. At five years old, I had attended preschool and was accustomed to spending half-days away from the comfort of my parents, but a whole day apart from them brought on renewed trepidation. The added pressure of standardized tests and higher expectations was an altogether fresh source of alarm, and on that first day, I was more than a little apprehensive toward the entire institution.

After seventeen first days of school, you'd think I'd be over the nerves. But today, on my last first day, my heart was doing frantic flips against the walls of my chest.

The day started out normal enough, with me rolling out of bed at 7:30 for an early workout with one of my roommates. After a satisfying workout, I had breakfast and got ready, and was almost out the door for my first class when my landlord showed up to install a railing on our death-trap equivalent stairs. I made it across campus and through our new science building with two minutes to spare. A public health minor, I am required to take Medical Microbiology. In the past, this class has been chock full of third year pharmacy majors and I discovered that this year was to be no different. As a senior public relations major, I was overwhelmed with a sense that I didn't belong there, at no fault of the instructor or my classmates. Those third-years are still in the first half of their formal education while I'm beginning to wind mine down. As I both brooded over this fact and listened to the instructor's introductory lecture (yes, I was multitasking. I'm a Millennial after all.), I was forced to acknowledge the fact that this day really, truly was my last first day.

At the end of the period, I hustled across campus to the Performing Arts Center and as I pulled open the heavy doors, I could feel myself relaxing; this was home (PAC is headquarters for the Communication Arts department to which the public relations program belongs). Health Communication was the class, and I was eager to get there because I had a few friends in the class, the coursework seemed that it would be interesting and the instructor was one I hadn't had the pleasure of working with before. This first meeting lived up to the expectations I had built for it in my head. I traipsed off to Accounting in the Dicke building feeling both bouyant and amazed at how quickly the first two hours of my day had passed, and eating fruit snacks because in seven straight hours of class, I don't have time for lunch.

I have an unnatural aversion to numbers in general. Math and I have never gotten along, and I'm convinced my checkbook has an inexplicable vendetta against me. So when my Accounting instructor handed us a financial statement for a well-known entertainment company laden with numerical facts and figures, I instantly got a headache and the numbers started tap dancing on the page. I left the building slightly disoriented but vowing to do whatever I had to to make sense of this foreign language.

Back to PAC for Social Media. This class I was definitely excited for, since I had somehow missed the boat on getting into it during my junior year. We were reading and listening and discussing and starting our blogs, and before I knew it, the class was over. It dawned on me that time was moving far too quickly and that I was not OK with this. This was my last first day and I wanted to savor it! Shaking my head and feeling like I was literally dragging my heels through mud, I went back to Dicke for a student organization meeting, which was productive and left me optimistic. Then back to PAC for the Student Planning Committee's annual comedians show with my Zeta Tau Alpha sisters, which was side-splitting as usual, and to help Professor Agozzino with some surveys (thanks for dinner, by the way).

It was a jam-packed day (I didn't make it back home once in 12.5 hours), but instead of feeling tired, I'm weirdly wired. I'm reluctant to go to bed now, even though I'm exhausted, because if I do, then I'll wake up tomorrow and it will not longer be my last first day. I'm not quite ready for that. If today was any indication of how the rest of the year is going to be, come May I'm going to be standing on the stage at commencement with my robe on backwards and my shoes on the wrong feet, wondering how on earth I got there. I'm resolving here and now, where the world can see it, to make every day of my senior year at Ohio Northern University a new favorite day. They say these are the best years of your life, and so far, they've been right. I want them to keep being right. I'm not sure how I'm going to do this, but I think the best place to start is by making sure I know why I do what I do. I'm in a wide variety of campus organizations and sometimes I get bogged down in simply doing so much "stuff" that I lose sight of the importance of that "stuff" and become stressed out and miserable. I will not spend my senior year this way. I will, however, spend my senior year passionately pursuing my interests and building memories with my best friends.

So Here I Am

2009-09-08T16:07:00.002-04:00

Time to start a blog, thanks to Alisa Agozzino's Social Media class at Ohio Northern University. Probably something I should have done a while ago, or at least would have had to do eventually anyway. But now, I have to figure out what on earth I want to write about and, more importantly, what other people are interested in having me write about. This could get interesting. Stay tuned.