I've been thinking about doing a thesis pretty much since I got in honors. It would be fun to do a project that's completely new and completely advertising. More specifically, I want to do a thesis that has something to do with Hispanic Marketing (embrace it people, have you ever been to South Florida?).
I am gloating now, but I am really proud of myself because I managed to get something great out of my internship. I contacted a really important rep, and she is interested in partnering with the FSU Hispanic Marketing Communication Center (first of it's kind by the way) for a research project. So, I want to take this, and make it my thesis. Though I have no idea what the hell I am going to do yet. If I write it down, and tell my mom about it, I will do it.
All summer I have been finding excuses not to do it.
1- What if I make AD team and I don't have time?
Well you write your thesis in Fall, the Spring is just for defending it, if I do a great job with the research and writing the paper, I will have no problem doing both.
2- I don't know what to focus on.
I can definitely find a good topic if I find out what she is interested in knowing and what has not been researched yet.
3- I'm running out of time.
Well hurry the hell up.
I like the idea that my life is starting to fall into place. It's about time.
Monday, June 30, 2008
24 hrs, I need to fill in 8 more
Not to say that I don't have anything going on. Not true at all, but only about 40% of it feels like I'm actually doing something. Let's break it down.
Internship- Mostly busy work. I expected bitch work, that would be fine. You know, pay your dues and what not. But I have spent literally days at a time walking around the agency asking to help anyone with anything. Usual response "um, I don't have anything for you now, I will try to find something and get back to you." Mind you that is after I filed every piece of paper in the department. I know they felt bad about it. So they make projects for me to do, the kind that absolutely have to be done right. So you feel important for the first 3 hours. Until you realize you have not used a single brain cell while checking that numbers match. Whatever, I know I should be more appreciative of the opportunity to get real life experience, but come on. The media department has at least 3 meetings a week with different reps. Though I ask if there will be one coming in everyday, I have been told about 5 of the at least 24 meetings in the last 8 weeks. Not going to lie though, those meetings are cool.
Work-- They really only call me to work like every 5 weeks. I'm not going to spend too much time on that. The economy is bad, suck a nut, I get it. It just sucks because it would have been fun to travel somewhere every week on the company's money. Speaking of which, I know I am not fired, because I just got another supply pack and they let me fill in for someone a few weeks ago. But I guess they are embarrassed to admit that they aren't getting as many promotions as they would like. They refuse to answer or return any of my phone calls and the other PCs are getting the same treatment. It's rude and childish, but we keep doing it because we love to travel and the pay is great when you can get it. I should go out and get another job, but the only days I can work right now are Tuesday and Thursday after 5 and on weekends (which I keep open for J & L like an idiot).
Class- It's super easy. Really boring. It's my teacher's first year doing it, so he hasn't really got his grove yet. Most of the time, instead of learning anything in class, I just feel embarrassed for him.
Gym- That accounts for about 3% of the useful things I do. I'm a fatty. I like working out once I get there, but for some reason, I don't feel anything the day after I go workout. And sometimes I actually do work hard at it. Time to use heavier weights, and do more cardio. Maybe I should just update my iPod and just go there like I did in fall. Oh where will I find the time. AND I really want to go on a diet. I'm considering going vegetarian for a while, but I really do love meet, I would only do it for the weight loss, that might not be good enough. It also sucks because healthy food is more expensive, what the hell America? For now, I'll just try cutting back on red meat, eating more turkey and fish. Oh! and no more fast or fried food. I've got to hit up the grocery store. Looks like I'm packing lunch from now on.
UWSA project- Thank god 37% of my time can be dedicated to this. It keeps me sane.
Books- I am about half way through "Made to Stick" and its pretty good. I also bought "Animal Farm" and some book on Hilter and the Third Riech.
Feels good to bitch about your life sometimes lol. I'll calm it down.
Internship- Mostly busy work. I expected bitch work, that would be fine. You know, pay your dues and what not. But I have spent literally days at a time walking around the agency asking to help anyone with anything. Usual response "um, I don't have anything for you now, I will try to find something and get back to you." Mind you that is after I filed every piece of paper in the department. I know they felt bad about it. So they make projects for me to do, the kind that absolutely have to be done right. So you feel important for the first 3 hours. Until you realize you have not used a single brain cell while checking that numbers match. Whatever, I know I should be more appreciative of the opportunity to get real life experience, but come on. The media department has at least 3 meetings a week with different reps. Though I ask if there will be one coming in everyday, I have been told about 5 of the at least 24 meetings in the last 8 weeks. Not going to lie though, those meetings are cool.
Work-- They really only call me to work like every 5 weeks. I'm not going to spend too much time on that. The economy is bad, suck a nut, I get it. It just sucks because it would have been fun to travel somewhere every week on the company's money. Speaking of which, I know I am not fired, because I just got another supply pack and they let me fill in for someone a few weeks ago. But I guess they are embarrassed to admit that they aren't getting as many promotions as they would like. They refuse to answer or return any of my phone calls and the other PCs are getting the same treatment. It's rude and childish, but we keep doing it because we love to travel and the pay is great when you can get it. I should go out and get another job, but the only days I can work right now are Tuesday and Thursday after 5 and on weekends (which I keep open for J & L like an idiot).
Class- It's super easy. Really boring. It's my teacher's first year doing it, so he hasn't really got his grove yet. Most of the time, instead of learning anything in class, I just feel embarrassed for him.
Gym- That accounts for about 3% of the useful things I do. I'm a fatty. I like working out once I get there, but for some reason, I don't feel anything the day after I go workout. And sometimes I actually do work hard at it. Time to use heavier weights, and do more cardio. Maybe I should just update my iPod and just go there like I did in fall. Oh where will I find the time. AND I really want to go on a diet. I'm considering going vegetarian for a while, but I really do love meet, I would only do it for the weight loss, that might not be good enough. It also sucks because healthy food is more expensive, what the hell America? For now, I'll just try cutting back on red meat, eating more turkey and fish. Oh! and no more fast or fried food. I've got to hit up the grocery store. Looks like I'm packing lunch from now on.
UWSA project- Thank god 37% of my time can be dedicated to this. It keeps me sane.
Books- I am about half way through "Made to Stick" and its pretty good. I also bought "Animal Farm" and some book on Hilter and the Third Riech.
Feels good to bitch about your life sometimes lol. I'll calm it down.
UWay Update
I love, love, love the people who are working with me on this. Damn, I forgot how great AD Club people are. Within the last week, we have had 5 meetings and most of the team has been to every single one of them, no complaints. Not even when those random people with a little too much arrogance start talking to them like 5 year old misfits. I am so proud, it is hard not to strangle someone who talks to you like that, yet my team proved that they can pull together, and adjust the way they are trying to communicate to fit they communication style of the person they were talking to.
I am learning a lot too.
1- I learned from she-who-must-not-be-named to always remember humility, because if you don't, you may end up trying to convince a bunch of communication majors that Po' Boys is your target market.
2- Listen- its crazy how many ideas you might miss if you don't listen to the freshman who hasn't even picked a major, but knows a MILLION ways to reach other freshman.
3- Surprises are ok- apparently, sometimes the client doesn't know what he wants. Make the adjustment when your client doesn't really have a clear idea what his company/ organization does. Maybe you as an outsider can figure that out for them. Not a big deal.
4- Take all the help you can get. At first I was apprehensive because around 25 people responded to my request for AD Club's help. Well it turns out not everyone can be there everyday. People are busy. And even more important, there are like 7 members of UWSA right now, most of which are the founders. So until we recruit more members, we have a LOT of work to do.
5- Advertising kicks ass! No explanation needed.
I am learning a lot too.
1- I learned from she-who-must-not-be-named to always remember humility, because if you don't, you may end up trying to convince a bunch of communication majors that Po' Boys is your target market.
2- Listen- its crazy how many ideas you might miss if you don't listen to the freshman who hasn't even picked a major, but knows a MILLION ways to reach other freshman.
3- Surprises are ok- apparently, sometimes the client doesn't know what he wants. Make the adjustment when your client doesn't really have a clear idea what his company/ organization does. Maybe you as an outsider can figure that out for them. Not a big deal.
4- Take all the help you can get. At first I was apprehensive because around 25 people responded to my request for AD Club's help. Well it turns out not everyone can be there everyday. People are busy. And even more important, there are like 7 members of UWSA right now, most of which are the founders. So until we recruit more members, we have a LOT of work to do.
5- Advertising kicks ass! No explanation needed.
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Project!
Great news!
I have another project this summer to distract me from thinking about how much time I waste on Monday - Thursday 9-4. The United Way Student Association is launching in fall and they have requested that AD club form a team to create a campaign for them. I couldn't be more excited about it. I've already had 9 people respond saying they would like to take part. So, I'll take what I learned last semester in creative and run with it.
I guarantee I will learn more from this experience than I have been learning this summer. This will be one of the first times I've ever managed a group like this. Hopefully, I will be able to teach people a lot as well. Time to think outside the box, brainstorm, say without saying, and RESEARCH (who knew I would grow to like it)! This will be my first real project with AD Club. I refuse to mess it up. How lovely!! lol
I have another project this summer to distract me from thinking about how much time I waste on Monday - Thursday 9-4. The United Way Student Association is launching in fall and they have requested that AD club form a team to create a campaign for them. I couldn't be more excited about it. I've already had 9 people respond saying they would like to take part. So, I'll take what I learned last semester in creative and run with it.
I guarantee I will learn more from this experience than I have been learning this summer. This will be one of the first times I've ever managed a group like this. Hopefully, I will be able to teach people a lot as well. Time to think outside the box, brainstorm, say without saying, and RESEARCH (who knew I would grow to like it)! This will be my first real project with AD Club. I refuse to mess it up. How lovely!! lol
The opportunity cost is too great.
The point of an internship is to learn. That's why it's still worth it when you are not getting paid. Everyone can do well in a classroom. You spend 20 years learning how to take a class, if you don't get it by now, McDonald's is always hiring.
So 13 weeks at an internship. Is that enough time to learn anything about the advertising industry? Unfortunately for me, it's proving to be entirely too much time. Why? I literally spend about 76% of my time there doing absolutely nothing. I really don't understand what the problem is. It's not like I don't put EVERY effort into finding someone who has something for me to do. It's to the point where I damn near jump for joy when someone asks me to file a piece of paper. At any rate, that usually only happens about twice a week. People tell you to take initiative and get involved with everything when your doing an internship, but no one ever told me what to do when people just push you away. Or worse, put on their headphones and completely ignore you. While you sit there and wait for them to find an email they want you to go upstairs and print.
They hired too many interns. I definitely could be interning for at least one other department and everyone's work would be done well. Lesson learned, never settle. Explore all of your options, even is you don't think you're qualified. Because once you settle, you realize that you've been qualified to sit and wait for work for at least five years, back when you were "lil Vanessa."
So 13 weeks at an internship. Is that enough time to learn anything about the advertising industry? Unfortunately for me, it's proving to be entirely too much time. Why? I literally spend about 76% of my time there doing absolutely nothing. I really don't understand what the problem is. It's not like I don't put EVERY effort into finding someone who has something for me to do. It's to the point where I damn near jump for joy when someone asks me to file a piece of paper. At any rate, that usually only happens about twice a week. People tell you to take initiative and get involved with everything when your doing an internship, but no one ever told me what to do when people just push you away. Or worse, put on their headphones and completely ignore you. While you sit there and wait for them to find an email they want you to go upstairs and print.
They hired too many interns. I definitely could be interning for at least one other department and everyone's work would be done well. Lesson learned, never settle. Explore all of your options, even is you don't think you're qualified. Because once you settle, you realize that you've been qualified to sit and wait for work for at least five years, back when you were "lil Vanessa."
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Being busy yields being bored
Somehow, every time I end up having something that needs to get done, let's say a test that's due on Wednesday, I end up thinking about all of the other things that I could be doing. Cruising to Alaska, chilling at Grand Candy in Armenia, practicing my ordering skills in line at Geno's & Pat's (One whiz wit, one whiz wit). Before I know it, 5 hours gone an I haven't done any of these things.
No worries, the test will get done. And it will be done well. But I need to fill my to- do list with extra circulars. So here is a list of things that I decided to so this summer.
1- Rearrange my furniture in my room (the goal is to have the papazon in a corner and the TV horizontal to the bed
2- Paint the living room. Two walls. Some shade of green
3- Redecorate my room
4- Blog
5- Buy a Wii
6- Buy and read the following books
- I, Claudius by Robert Graves
- The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinback
- The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald
- Lolita, Vladimir Nabokov
- A Clockworth Orange, Anthony
- Something Wicked This Way Comes, Ray Bradbury
- Animal Farm, George Orwell
Shout out to Mr. Ryan O'Connor, the reason I still love to read!
No worries, the test will get done. And it will be done well. But I need to fill my to- do list with extra circulars. So here is a list of things that I decided to so this summer.
1- Rearrange my furniture in my room (the goal is to have the papazon in a corner and the TV horizontal to the bed
2- Paint the living room. Two walls. Some shade of green
3- Redecorate my room
4- Blog
5- Buy a Wii
6- Buy and read the following books
- I, Claudius by Robert Graves
- The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinback
- The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald
- Lolita, Vladimir Nabokov
- A Clockworth Orange, Anthony
- Something Wicked This Way Comes, Ray Bradbury
- Animal Farm, George Orwell
Shout out to Mr. Ryan O'Connor, the reason I still love to read!
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