Classroom Therapy

I'm taking a senior seminar course this semester in order to complete requirements within the Journalism and Mass Communication department at my college. We took time at the beginning of the class period to go around and say a little bit about ourselves, like our track within the department and what we want to do after graduation.

I was not expecting this to be like a therapy session, but everyone took this as an opportunity to be really honest, and it was both refreshing and scary.

• "I have no idea what I want to do after graduation."
• "I just want a job! I don't really care what it is as long as it pays."
• "I'm doing Broadcast, and I just started an internship at a local TV station. I hate it!"
• "My internship showed me that this might not actually be what I want to do."
• "Hopefully I find a job after graduation. I will have to go back to school if I don't."
• "I'm really worried I won't be able to find a job."
• "I don't even like this major anymore, but I just want to graduate!"

These were the types of comments I heard as we circled the classroom. I'm also worried that finding a job is going to be quite the challenge, so it was comforting in a way to hear that I wasn't alone. I was, however, discouraged to hear so many people unhappy with their major.

Our professor took this as an opportunity to tell his story about finding his passions and making a career out of it. He was a college student and nearly dropped out, then started doing environmental work and paired that with his passion for writing.

I started to think that maybe if things don't work out right away for me, I can always go back to school (even though I'm not fond of that idea) and get a degree in nutrition, then pair my writing experience with my passion for health. Who knows.

rashes and BIG presentation

Hey everyone,

Sorry that I've been terribly absent from my blog, but I've been having quite the month! With all of my classes coming to a close, I've had to wrap up assignments and work on lots of projects - I'm a busy bee! Aside from that, the Boyfriend and I are attempting to move, but it's been going quite slowly. Our schedules are hectic at the very least, so we've only had time to do a little here and there. We're attempting to be totally moved by the end of the week, but we'll have to see about that.

In other news, I'm currently FREAKING OUT. Today is a crazy, crazy day for me and I'm already hyped up on coffee. Volunteering, handing in paperwork (last minute, of course), working on another huge project, and the biggest presentation of my college career thus far. No pressure, right? Freaking out. I don't have my part nearly as memorized as I had hoped, but I have a decent amount of practice time today.

Remember that huge campaigns project I've been bitching about? Well, we're presenting it to a whole bunch of advertising/PR professionals today. Super scary! Although, this is going to be an awesome networking opportunity, but I'm so scared that I'm going to screw up and be the laughingstock of the entire Milwaukee Ad community. That would be terrible.

I tried on practically every nice outfit I had last night and had the Boyfriend narrow them down with me. I think I look pretty good. Well, except for the huge rash on my face! Yeah, what a day to wake up with a huge red blotch on the side of your face. Come ON! Anyway, it's off to my volunteer place now. I'll have to catch you all up later on whether I made a fool of myself or not.

Send happy, loving thoughts my way, please!

XOXO,

Olivia

Tweet Me

1. For one of my classes this semester, I am participating in a GM Marketing Competition. As part of the PR team, I am working on some social media stuff to help promote the discount for college students to buy GM vehicles. Students and recent grads can get up to $5,000 off and it can be paired with other incentives. Cool, huh? So here's where you come in: please follow the GM college discount program on twitter @ twitter.com/GMcollege. :)

2. I really wanted to look cute today, but it is seriously cold and windy. And in an effort not to flash the entire campus, I've decided that a cute skirt is not the best option. So instead, I am going for comfy-cute: soft blue jeans, black tennis shoes, black long sleeve, and really soft teal and purple plaid scarf!

Well, gotta run to class now. More later!

genius or idiot?

Please don't tell the Boyfriend that I've been staring at the computer screen for an insanely long amount of time today. Hey, I did the dishes. That was productive. Seriously though, if I don't get a job soon, I'm going to become some sort of lunatic. No good.

While staring into the glowy abyss of my computer screen, I had an interesting thought. And since I had nothing better to occupy my time, I pursued this interesting thought. What thought, you ask? This thought was of quitting my advertising degree and getting a certificate in fashion from a local tech school chain. Hmmm...

What did I discover? I could be a fashion specialist after one very intense semester of classes. Whoa. Cool, huh? Well, the only campus that offers the fashion specialist degree is, naturally, the farthest from where I live. I would have to go to this campus four days a week and attend a fifth class at the closest campus once a week. Sure, the 45 minute drive four days a week would seriously blow, but there is a chance I could ride the bus most of the way. I am not sure of this, however, because our transit system confuses the hell out of me.

Oh, and don't let me forget the fact that I'd have to also take 2 online classes. Yes, that brings us to a total of 7 classes worth 19 credits. That's definitely a lot, but its a challenge that I can't help but consider. Surprisingly, this class schedule is almost more appealing than my advertising one, since that schedule has me taking classes all afternoon, not leaving much time for a job. And we all know I need a job.

Was this a stroke of genius or a moment of boredom-driven insanity? Eh, I'm not so sure. Although its terribly tempting, I can't get the thought out of my head that I've gone to school for quite some time and built up a devastating amount of debt... can I really let that all go to waste over a certificate that might not be worth much of anything in the real world?

(cute kitty found here)

thinking thoughtful thoughts

So I've had an interesting day full of thoughtful thoughts:

1. Sometimes I feel like I'm over here and everyone else is over there, living their lives, while I sit alone and contemplate what on earth I want to do with my life. One of my friends went to New York and did paparazzi stuff and really lived it up for awhile. Now she's back to a small town life, but she's doing it the way she wants; she goes to rummage sales and thrift stores, has an etsy shop, and is just living a nice, calm life. Another friend of mine went to school for two years, became a respiratory therapist, works hard, owns her own Ford Escape and just bought a crotch rocket yesterday. She's making something of her life and has the goodies to show for it. I'm jealous of both those ladies.

2. I've mentioned before how inconsistent I feel about what I wanna be when I grow up, and it doesn't help that I recently learned that for an Advertising (or Journalism and Mass Communication) degree, getting a job is soon going to require a Masters. Sorry dudes, but let me make something perfectly clear: I will not go to grad school. So what does this mean for my life? Well, I sure as heck don't know. Part of me has been dissatisfied with my advertising career choice, but I've told myself to just stick with it since switching majors would just keep me in school longer. I should just get out with this degree and see how it goes. Well, apparently the place it'll probably go is back to school anyway. So why finish my undergrad if I refuse to get my Masters? Hmmm... that is exactly the question that's been plaguing me all day.

So I decided, just for the heck of it, to investigate some other options. At a nearby tech school, I could get an associates or a certificate of some kind in something cool like fashion marketing so that I could be a buyer when I grow up. That sounds like fun. Or I could go the medical route and get a degree in cardiovascular technology or anesthesia technology. Or I could learn about graphic design. Or even interior design. I could even get an Advanced Pastry Certificate... okay, that last one was a joke. But do you see what I mean? These things sound appealing and a lot less complicated than this advertising thing I've got going on.

Why don't I do it? Do you realize how long I've been in school and how much debt I've built up? I certainly can't waste all of that for just an Associates or a Certificate. And I can only imagine what my mother would have to say! It's all so frustrating. I hate having to try and figure these things out. These are really big decisions, and the more I change my mind, the more time and money I feel like I'm wasting. Ugh.

3. I really, really, really want a scooter. I think I would look totally awesome cruisin' around town on a little purple scooter. Don't you think I'd just have the greatest time? I do. Although the lack of a job and therefore lack of funds may prevent me from making such a purchase. Stupid jobless-ness is ruining my life. *Sigh*

4. I have two job interviews - one this week and one next week. One is for a cashier at a grocery store and the other is for a cashier at an electronics type store. So yeah, wish me luck, even though I know both of these jobs are going to pay less than I'd like. Oh well, I suppose. That's what happens when you're a poor college student... especially one who is pursuing a degree that doesn't offer paid internships.

(cartoon by natalie dee; very addicting comics.)

the world continues to crap on me

At 1:00 today, I had a meeting on campus to make my major declaration official since it recently came to my attention that I only thought I was a Journalism & Mass Comm major. Surprise! Well anyway, I went down to campus to make things official, onyl to realize that not being an official major was the least of my worries. A fifteen minute meeting lasted well over an hour.

I am currently taking the wrong natural science course this summer. I've taken too many geography, so now I need something else. Who knew you could only take so many of one type of science? Not me, apparently. So I dropped it, but probably won't get my money back. Ugh.

I am a senior, but have not yet taken my english and math placement tests. Don't be too surprised; its because I've transferred a lot. But that means I need to take very long and very boring tests next week. I haven't taken a math class in 5 years, so I am not very hopeful of placing well in math. Gah!

For next semester, I am currently signed up for 18 credits which is more than I am interested in taking. I'm thinking I'm going to drop one so that I don't go crazy, but I have to wait and see how I do on my placement tests. Wish me luck! Oh, and there is one class that I definitely won't be dropping: "The Tree of Life" - heck yes, that's my new science class! Hey, at least I can laugh about my dramatic day.

(photo from here)