Chicago Adventure

My, oh my.... it's been quite some time since my last post. Been busy! Yesterday I had the amazing opportunity to take the train to Chicago for my internship and witness a presentation of some new creative for a campaign we're working on.

Ah, Chicago, how I've fallen in love with thee.

I haven't been to Chicago in years, which is a darn shame. I just love the looming buildings and bustling streets. It's like New York, but way smaller, and like Milwaukee, but way bigger. So basically it's the perfect size!

Finding a job in Chicago after graduation would make me perfectly content.

But back to my adventure: I traveled to Chicago with my supervisor for this presentation. We took a few minutes to walk around before grabbing a cab to the agency. It was small, but cozy. Crazy artistic items (like light-up masks and a robot made out of recycling) lined the halls.

The presentation went well, and I learned quite a bit from sitting and listening to what everyone had to say. After the presentation, I got a short tour of the agency and met a few of the very nice people working there. Then, it was off to lunch.

This was my favorite part, and not just because the food was very yummy. I had the chance to talk to the three individuals we met with about school and my career, and they offered me some really great advice. We talked about our creative passions and about the advertising world in general.

I know now, more than ever, that I need to work in creative and be a writer.

I've played with the idea of being an account executive (and almost ended up doing that for my internship instead), but I don't think that would be quite the right position for me.

I want to write, to think, to generate ideas, to scribble out my thoughts, to brainstorm. I want to be creative.

I left Chicago feeling inspired, motivated, and determined to find the right job someday soon.

(photo from here)

Classroom Therapy

So I'm going to break away from my typical topics about social media to my life as a student...

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.

Refresh the World

Sometimes I think that because I am a young supporter of social media efforts, people assume I like it just because that's what young people do. Then people automatically assume that all I want to do is post about the delicious Jimmy Johns I had for lunch or how I'm sitting in the library listening to the guy next to me mumble along with his music (which, might I add, is really happening right now. Someone make him stop!).

What I'm trying to say is, I think some people are closed-minded about social media and can't see past the poor uses of it.

Cue: Pepsi Refresh Project.

I really like this idea of social media doing good for the world. This Cherry Coke lover may just need to start an affair with Cherry Pepsi.

The main idea here is that Pepsi is connecting with people to support various organizations and causes. They plans to dedicate at least $20 million this year to good causes that the public votes for.

"Each generation refreshes the world. Now it's your turn."

Talk about good branding. Not only are they making an interactive connection with their audience, but they are also branding themselves as being good guys who are concerned about the well-being of the world. Now who can't support that, right?

The campaign will also include a reality show called "If I Can Dream" on Hulu.com.

Oh, and if you were curious, Coke wants in on this do-good thing, too. They will be doing something similar on Facebook, where if you share a Coke "gift" with your friends on Facebook, they will donate a dollar to the Boys and Girls Club of America. Not bad, but they will cap their donations at $500,000. Psh. Lame.

(cool Pepsi pic from here)