Today I finish my last final and then plan to graduate on Saturday morning! I wish this semester wasn't so crazy and I had gotten more free time to post to my blog, but unfortunately that wasn't possible. I did finish though, HOORAH!
Now it is time to move on into the scary "real world," which means I leave the pseudo-reality of Athens,GA and enter a world filled with people over the age of 25, and more than just Walmart and a not-so-exciting mall.
I cannot wait to come back and visit Athens though! UGA and the Athens community holds a special place in my heart and always will. Over the last four years I've had the opportunity to meet so many wonderful people who have helped me to become the "grown-up" that I am supposed to be now.
I joke and always say I'll never grow up, but I guess the joke is on me now because I think I already did.
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Settle for Nothing Less Than Group Success!
Since my first day as an actual accepted Public Relations major all I have heard is how IMPOSSIBLE the Adpr950 Public Relations Campaigns course would be. Well, I am here as living proof to show you that I made it through alive...barely, but alive to say the least.
I admit there were times I really didn't think I would actually get to this point, but with the help and support of an awesome campaigns team, and Dr. Russell as our amazing and understanding professor we did it.
It truly was a team effort, and that is why I think most people find the course to be so challenging. Here are a few of my own suggestions for learning to work successfully in any group setting:
5. Settle for nothing less than SUCCESS! Keep the lines of communication between group members wide-open from the start so that the group can clearly establish project and personal goals and objectives, as well as the means for achieving ultimate success. Encouraging others and praising them for jobs well-done keeps the positive energy flowing, which usually produces the best end result.
Sometimes working with others in group assignments can be quite frustrating depending on the degree of dedication of the other members; but I believe that if we strive for success and guide ourselves with the principles I listed above, then no matter what we know we have done our individual duty and can only encourage the others to take notice and do the same!
I admit there were times I really didn't think I would actually get to this point, but with the help and support of an awesome campaigns team, and Dr. Russell as our amazing and understanding professor we did it.
It truly was a team effort, and that is why I think most people find the course to be so challenging. Here are a few of my own suggestions for learning to work successfully in any group setting:
- Be a FRIEND! Yes I know we can't get along with everyone, but it makes it so much easier to be open and willing to get to know people instead of shutting people out from the beginning. Just because you're completing a job or assignment doesn't mean you have to be serious business 24/7. The balance is knowing when to have fun, and when to act straight.
- Step Up To The Challenge and LEAD! Being a leader is always rewarding in itself, but most people shy away because of either insecurity or laziness. As pr professionals it is our JOB to take the lead and assume our role as information and technological innovators and communicators to the world!
- FLEXIBILITY is key. It is important to acknowledge the purpose of group work, which is finding ways to strategically balance the strengths and weaknesses of every member in order to achieve ultimate success with the task at hand. Everyone excels in different areas, but sometimes our abilities overlap, which can sometimes cause a conflict of interests. A way to avoid the conflict and get set on the task is to always be flexible and willing to challenge yourself to take on areas of the project which you may not readily pick on your own terms but are assigned to by default of group. Remember, a willingness to take on anything at anytime including staying extra hours to get it just right, or picking up the slack for a group member during a hard time shows your extra dedication to not only the assignment, but also the group dynamic. Having the ability to shift yourself into many different roles gives the impression that you are a confident hard-working dedicated professional who is willing to do what it takes to get the job done.
- Be Respectable, Reliable and Realistic. Respectable group members afford every other member the amount of respect that they deserve as both individuals and as a part of the team. Everyone brings something different to the table, and it is our duty as professionals and good-natured people to take all ideas, thoughts and views into consideration when making decisions affecting the whole group. Also, it's a pretty good bet that if you conduct yourself in a respectable and amicable manner others will do the same. Reliability is also vital for achieving group success. Do your part and don't be late. I know first hand, because I've been there, that is incredibly hard to deal with missing group members. Everyone must be consistently present and do their part. Although, it is very important to remember to be Realistic when dealing with groups. No one is perfect and we shouldn't expect them to be. Things come up and people become ill, but that is why we have the group dynamic to temporarily help fill in the missing gaps. Along the same lines you should be realistic when assigning and agreeing to the amount and content of the workload you take on within the group. Group members should be honest with each other and only take on what they can handle at the time, otherwise the work as whole ends up suffering.
5. Settle for nothing less than SUCCESS! Keep the lines of communication between group members wide-open from the start so that the group can clearly establish project and personal goals and objectives, as well as the means for achieving ultimate success. Encouraging others and praising them for jobs well-done keeps the positive energy flowing, which usually produces the best end result.
Sometimes working with others in group assignments can be quite frustrating depending on the degree of dedication of the other members; but I believe that if we strive for success and guide ourselves with the principles I listed above, then no matter what we know we have done our individual duty and can only encourage the others to take notice and do the same!
Monday, May 7, 2007
Protect Your Rep!
As an addition to my previous post which highlights the importance of self-confidence and awareness in achieving success, I also wanted to talk about REPUTATION.
Recently I've heard so many stories on TV and the radio about people's lives and reputations being ruined because of horrible judgement in personal behavior both in public and private situations. I touched on it in my Facebook and Myspace.com Post, and I think it is important to revisit the problem of putting personal information out in the public domain. Anything and everything you put on the Internet is fair game to the public and the media, and we all know that they can be merciless!
But...we can also learn a lesson from celebrities and their embarrassing behavioral displays in private and public that somehow make it to the forefront of the media and end up tarnishing reputations for life.
In an Associated Press article by Erin Carlson that was published May 4, 2007 on SignOnSandiego.com by the Union-Tribune, Carlson discusses the sad reality of Hollywood actors horribly embarrassing behavior and the media frenzy that surrounds it. The article "Celebs beware: multimedia gaffes make for embarrassing publicity," talks about the crazy and embarrassing behavior of celebrities and how it can affect their lives and reputations, as well as relationships with others, and then goes on to talk about the "damage control" it ensues.
Although it seems like no one would ever want to pay attention to our boring little lives most of the times people's behavior is less than acceptable, it is going to be talked about. Every time you make the decision to put yourself in social and professional settings you put your name and reputation out there with it.
So just remember to take a lesson from the embarrassing celebrity behavior media frenzy, and realize that no one is exempt from the word-of-mouth or the media for that matter. Therefore, protect your reputation because it really is all that you have when it comes down to it, and it is pretty hard to be confident and successful without a respectable reputation to back the other traits up!
Recently I've heard so many stories on TV and the radio about people's lives and reputations being ruined because of horrible judgement in personal behavior both in public and private situations. I touched on it in my Facebook and Myspace.com Post, and I think it is important to revisit the problem of putting personal information out in the public domain. Anything and everything you put on the Internet is fair game to the public and the media, and we all know that they can be merciless!
But...we can also learn a lesson from celebrities and their embarrassing behavioral displays in private and public that somehow make it to the forefront of the media and end up tarnishing reputations for life.
In an Associated Press article by Erin Carlson that was published May 4, 2007 on SignOnSandiego.com by the Union-Tribune, Carlson discusses the sad reality of Hollywood actors horribly embarrassing behavior and the media frenzy that surrounds it. The article "Celebs beware: multimedia gaffes make for embarrassing publicity," talks about the crazy and embarrassing behavior of celebrities and how it can affect their lives and reputations, as well as relationships with others, and then goes on to talk about the "damage control" it ensues.
Although it seems like no one would ever want to pay attention to our boring little lives most of the times people's behavior is less than acceptable, it is going to be talked about. Every time you make the decision to put yourself in social and professional settings you put your name and reputation out there with it.
So just remember to take a lesson from the embarrassing celebrity behavior media frenzy, and realize that no one is exempt from the word-of-mouth or the media for that matter. Therefore, protect your reputation because it really is all that you have when it comes down to it, and it is pretty hard to be confident and successful without a respectable reputation to back the other traits up!
CONFIDENCE...do you have it?
I think one of the only ways one can be successful in the field of public relations is if one possesses a genuine individually defined CONFIDENCE.
All too often I think young professionals confuse "confidence" with "arrogance," which I will assure you will not get you very far in most circumstances.
If you look at the Meriam-Webster Online Dictionary, the first definition of confidence reads:
In addition to being aware and sure of the communication skills and knowledge we possess, we must also realize that we alone control the ultimate outcome of success or failure in all of our endeavors. We must not sit back and expect others around us to do all of the work. We must be motivated and passionate about every opportunity that greets us in life, and know that the truly confident and able professional knows the scope and limits of their individual skills and power, as well as how to learn from the confidence and skills of others.
All too often I think young professionals confuse "confidence" with "arrogance," which I will assure you will not get you very far in most circumstances.
If you look at the Meriam-Webster Online Dictionary, the first definition of confidence reads:
- "a feeling or consciousness of one's powers or of reliance on one's own circumstances."
In addition to being aware and sure of the communication skills and knowledge we possess, we must also realize that we alone control the ultimate outcome of success or failure in all of our endeavors. We must not sit back and expect others around us to do all of the work. We must be motivated and passionate about every opportunity that greets us in life, and know that the truly confident and able professional knows the scope and limits of their individual skills and power, as well as how to learn from the confidence and skills of others.
Internships? Jobs? Anyone??
Looking for jobs and internships can be quite a challenge! Luckily it seems like all pr professionals, both new and old, always seem to know where you can find at least something to occupy your time. Your first job may not be your dream job, but you've got to start somewhere, and who knows...you might end up absolutely loving something you thought you'd hate.
I found some pretty good job search advice on one of my other fellow student pr blogs, Infiltrating PR. One of the posts aptly titled Finding Job Openings had a couple places I'd already gotten into, but she also included some new resources I hadn't tried yet. I just got on the PRSA|GA Internship Directory and University Avenue and I've already found so many exciting opportunities!
If you've got any more suggestions for professional development opportunities or internship and job openings feel free to send them my way! I'm up for anything! I always find that the person that is the most flexible and eager to learn and try anything usually ends up with the greatest rewards!
Good luck everyone!
I found some pretty good job search advice on one of my other fellow student pr blogs, Infiltrating PR. One of the posts aptly titled Finding Job Openings had a couple places I'd already gotten into, but she also included some new resources I hadn't tried yet. I just got on the PRSA|GA Internship Directory and University Avenue and I've already found so many exciting opportunities!
If you've got any more suggestions for professional development opportunities or internship and job openings feel free to send them my way! I'm up for anything! I always find that the person that is the most flexible and eager to learn and try anything usually ends up with the greatest rewards!
Good luck everyone!
5 Days till Graduation!
I woke up this morning and the very first thing that came to my mind was,
"OH MY GOSH 5 DAYS TILL I GRADUATE!"
Cheesy I know, but it is the truth. I have one final left tomorrow, thank goodness, and then I will be preparing for my Athens farewell. There were many times in the semester I really didn't think I was going to make it to the end, and now I am almost there, but it still doesn't feel real.
Unfortunately my last final is in Communication Law class...which has been pretty tough to get through. If I have one piece of advice for any upcoming journalism majors it is, DO NOT TAKE Communication Law, Campaigns and three other crazy hard classes your last semester...you will regret it.
I never thought I would admit it, but Comm. law really has been pretty interesting getting to study the First Amendment and all the rights we have because of it - all the way to indecency and obscenity.
The coolest part was that I got to use one of the cases concerning Campaign Finance Reform and interest groups for my research topic for my Interest group politics class. Wisconsin Right to Life, Inc. v. the Federal Election Commission deals with the issues of "electioneering communication" and the First amendment rights of corporations and organizations regarding political speech and expression. If you've never gotten acquainted with federal Campaign Finance Reform law it is pretty in-depth and can be confusing, but getting to use my knowledge from journalism courses and my PR major and meshing it with my Political Science major courses gave me a new insight on the notion that you really can do anything with a good education, you just have to know how to use it!
"OH MY GOSH 5 DAYS TILL I GRADUATE!"
Cheesy I know, but it is the truth. I have one final left tomorrow, thank goodness, and then I will be preparing for my Athens farewell. There were many times in the semester I really didn't think I was going to make it to the end, and now I am almost there, but it still doesn't feel real.
Unfortunately my last final is in Communication Law class...which has been pretty tough to get through. If I have one piece of advice for any upcoming journalism majors it is, DO NOT TAKE Communication Law, Campaigns and three other crazy hard classes your last semester...you will regret it.
I never thought I would admit it, but Comm. law really has been pretty interesting getting to study the First Amendment and all the rights we have because of it - all the way to indecency and obscenity.
The coolest part was that I got to use one of the cases concerning Campaign Finance Reform and interest groups for my research topic for my Interest group politics class. Wisconsin Right to Life, Inc. v. the Federal Election Commission deals with the issues of "electioneering communication" and the First amendment rights of corporations and organizations regarding political speech and expression. If you've never gotten acquainted with federal Campaign Finance Reform law it is pretty in-depth and can be confusing, but getting to use my knowledge from journalism courses and my PR major and meshing it with my Political Science major courses gave me a new insight on the notion that you really can do anything with a good education, you just have to know how to use it!
You don't have to starve, just sell!
I think I am speaking for most college students when I say that if I could use one word to describe my state of being at the end of the semester it would be BROKE!
The end of the year is always a stressful time when you're trying to finish up finals and make those last grades before the year ends. This year for me has been even crazier with graduation just around the corner. Luckily, I think I found a cool new way to try and make some extra money before I hit the job market.
It's called Uga.StarvingScholars.com! I found it on the Internet when I was trying to find Web sites to sell back my text books, and then two days later I got an e-mail from the site promoting their 2007 Starving for Summer Contest!
The site was started by some students who wanted a way to get a little more money back from their textbooks, and even other stuff you have lying around the apartment, and what better way than creating a social network to help eachother out!
I just joined a couple of days ago and am looking forward to getting started and hopefully making a little extra cash!
OH, and their 2007 Starving for Summer Contest looks pretty cool too, check it out cause there are some pretty good prizes you could win. The site itself also has a bunch of other fun features like sharing photos with friends, rating professors and you can even buy cell phones for practically nothing!
If anyone has already tried it, or is interested let me know!
Check out http://Uga.starvingscholars.com...let's all make some money back :)
The end of the year is always a stressful time when you're trying to finish up finals and make those last grades before the year ends. This year for me has been even crazier with graduation just around the corner. Luckily, I think I found a cool new way to try and make some extra money before I hit the job market.
It's called Uga.StarvingScholars.com! I found it on the Internet when I was trying to find Web sites to sell back my text books, and then two days later I got an e-mail from the site promoting their 2007 Starving for Summer Contest!
The site was started by some students who wanted a way to get a little more money back from their textbooks, and even other stuff you have lying around the apartment, and what better way than creating a social network to help eachother out!
I just joined a couple of days ago and am looking forward to getting started and hopefully making a little extra cash!
OH, and their 2007 Starving for Summer Contest looks pretty cool too, check it out cause there are some pretty good prizes you could win. The site itself also has a bunch of other fun features like sharing photos with friends, rating professors and you can even buy cell phones for practically nothing!
If anyone has already tried it, or is interested let me know!
Check out http://Uga.starvingscholars.com...let's all make some money back :)
Sunday, May 6, 2007
What's your graduation present?? A college education, what else....
It is considered a societal norm to bestow material gifts (i.e. a new MacBookPro) and monetary rewards (i.e. that fat check you're waiting on from grandma and grandpa) on graduates as symbols of accomplishment and acknowledgment of success in life. Yes, gifts are always fun to receive, and graduating college should be considered a reputable feat in society; however I believe the intrinsic rewards one obtains from completing their education experience are of far greater value than any other.
Looking back on the last four years I spent attending the University of Georgia, it is difficult for me to imagine that I would have done anything differently. Of course I probably should have gone to bed just a bit earlier, studied just a little more for that Communication Law exam, and definitely should have eaten a lot less fast food. But I believe one of the most important recognitions is that I accomplished my goal of acquiring a top-notch education from an amazing institution, and will leave this place with that knowledge intact.
Knowledge is power, the power to discern right from wrong and use that judgement to achieve even greater success in every aspect of life.
Therefore we don't need the material gifts to make us feel like accomplished individuals. We should already have a humble confidence instilled within us that yearns to direct us to our next stage of life as intelligent hard-working accomplished citizens and adults.
Looking back on the last four years I spent attending the University of Georgia, it is difficult for me to imagine that I would have done anything differently. Of course I probably should have gone to bed just a bit earlier, studied just a little more for that Communication Law exam, and definitely should have eaten a lot less fast food. But I believe one of the most important recognitions is that I accomplished my goal of acquiring a top-notch education from an amazing institution, and will leave this place with that knowledge intact.
Knowledge is power, the power to discern right from wrong and use that judgement to achieve even greater success in every aspect of life.
Therefore we don't need the material gifts to make us feel like accomplished individuals. We should already have a humble confidence instilled within us that yearns to direct us to our next stage of life as intelligent hard-working accomplished citizens and adults.
Now I'm Ready to design my future!
The countdown to graduation is now only 5 days and then some....and I cannot believe it! This last semester has been so hectic and exhausting, yet so rewarding at the same time.
Speaking of rewards... I just found out about my AWESOME reward I am going to buy for graduation ( thanks to a student discount which allows me to afford it :), a new Apple MacBookPro!
I am so incredibly exciting I cannot even explain it in words. Ever since I was introduced to the Mac in my graphic communications class two years ago I have desperately wanted one. I also got so lucky to get the new Adobe Creative Suite 3 Design Premium to go with it!
I have used Macs a good bit in the past, and have gotten familiar with Creative Suite, but I was wondering if anyone had any good advice on how I can get better acquainted with my newly acquired friends?
I am really interested in graphic design, especially Web design. So if anyone has any helpful hints, books, or tutorials I would greatly appreciate the help with that too!
Speaking of rewards... I just found out about my AWESOME reward I am going to buy for graduation ( thanks to a student discount which allows me to afford it :), a new Apple MacBookPro!
I am so incredibly exciting I cannot even explain it in words. Ever since I was introduced to the Mac in my graphic communications class two years ago I have desperately wanted one. I also got so lucky to get the new Adobe Creative Suite 3 Design Premium to go with it!
I have used Macs a good bit in the past, and have gotten familiar with Creative Suite, but I was wondering if anyone had any good advice on how I can get better acquainted with my newly acquired friends?
I am really interested in graphic design, especially Web design. So if anyone has any helpful hints, books, or tutorials I would greatly appreciate the help with that too!
UGA PR Students in the Blogosphere...
Who would ever think I would be quoted in an article about blogging? Well... I was and I just found out.
As I mentioned in my very first post, I created this blog as part of an assignment for my Adpr5950 Public Relations Campaigns class. Our wonderful professor Dr. Karen Russell gave us the task of creating our own personal pr blog and posting to it over the course of this spring semester as part of our final grade for the class.
While looking for some "blogspiration" (if that is a word I'm sorry and tell me, and I'll quote you on it) today on the Internet, I stumbled across an article on the UGA Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication Web site titled, "Professor Aquaints Students With Blogosphere."
Much to my surprise the article written by External Affairs student writer Naureen Kamdar, highlights our own Dr. Russell and her classes (including mine :) ) that are participating in the blogging assignment. The article states that, "in a proactive response, Russell decided to help her students gain an upper hand in the industry and groom their knowledge and skills in social media through a hands-on project."
Half-way down the article I spotted my name and just cracked up laughing because of course I'm talking about how I could not figure out what to name this thing!!! Not Another PR Blog....it seemed like a good idea at the time.
In case you REALLY want to see my enlightening quote it reads..."Senior Christy Cinibulk said the hardest part for her was choosing a title for her blog. 'I looked around at a lot of other similar blogs and felt they were all the same. So it just seemed kind of comical to name mine, Not Another PR Blog.' The public relations major said the title gives her room to think outside the box about the issues she explores in her blog entries."
Anyways, it was still very encouraging to see that other students and departments were taking notice of our blogging attempts, and also recognizing the importance of social media and its role in society.
All the new fast-paced technology and means of communication can sometimes make it seem impossible to keep up, but at least with huge amount of blogs and posts constantly generated you know someone probably already knows about it and is posting about it as we speak.
I must say that it is pretty awesome that we have the means to socially connect on such a large scale, with such a great opportunity to educate and influence the world. I guess that's why they call it the BLOGOSPHERE.
Want to see what everyone else in my class is up to? Here's a link to all of Dr. Russell's Adpr5950/7950 student blogs from Spring 2007!
As I mentioned in my very first post, I created this blog as part of an assignment for my Adpr5950 Public Relations Campaigns class. Our wonderful professor Dr. Karen Russell gave us the task of creating our own personal pr blog and posting to it over the course of this spring semester as part of our final grade for the class.
While looking for some "blogspiration" (if that is a word I'm sorry and tell me, and I'll quote you on it) today on the Internet, I stumbled across an article on the UGA Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication Web site titled, "Professor Aquaints Students With Blogosphere."
Much to my surprise the article written by External Affairs student writer Naureen Kamdar, highlights our own Dr. Russell and her classes (including mine :) ) that are participating in the blogging assignment. The article states that, "in a proactive response, Russell decided to help her students gain an upper hand in the industry and groom their knowledge and skills in social media through a hands-on project."
Half-way down the article I spotted my name and just cracked up laughing because of course I'm talking about how I could not figure out what to name this thing!!! Not Another PR Blog....it seemed like a good idea at the time.
In case you REALLY want to see my enlightening quote it reads..."Senior Christy Cinibulk said the hardest part for her was choosing a title for her blog. 'I looked around at a lot of other similar blogs and felt they were all the same. So it just seemed kind of comical to name mine, Not Another PR Blog.' The public relations major said the title gives her room to think outside the box about the issues she explores in her blog entries."
Anyways, it was still very encouraging to see that other students and departments were taking notice of our blogging attempts, and also recognizing the importance of social media and its role in society.
All the new fast-paced technology and means of communication can sometimes make it seem impossible to keep up, but at least with huge amount of blogs and posts constantly generated you know someone probably already knows about it and is posting about it as we speak.
I must say that it is pretty awesome that we have the means to socially connect on such a large scale, with such a great opportunity to educate and influence the world. I guess that's why they call it the BLOGOSPHERE.
Want to see what everyone else in my class is up to? Here's a link to all of Dr. Russell's Adpr5950/7950 student blogs from Spring 2007!
Saturday, May 5, 2007
Stay Connected Post-Grad! UGA WIKI!
So only one week from today I will hopefully be already throwing my cap in the air....I emphasize the "hopefully"...and GRADUATING! I cannot believe these past four years at the University of Georgia have gone by so quickly, and there are so many things I will miss in Athens and at UGA.
LUCKILY, thanks to some awesome students here at UGA I now have a way to keep in touch and still talk about all things UGA and Athens with the new UGA Wiki!
What's a "wiki" you might ask? Visit WhatIsWiki to get a better explanation than I can give :).
Well, according to the UGA wiki team,
All you have to do to be instantly connected is REGISTER!
I did and it is awesome. Check it out! You can even set e-mail alerts to instantly know what's going on and what people want to know around campus.
Have fun!
Countdown to graduation.... 6 days, 22 hours and counting....so close.
LUCKILY, thanks to some awesome students here at UGA I now have a way to keep in touch and still talk about all things UGA and Athens with the new UGA Wiki!
What's a "wiki" you might ask? Visit WhatIsWiki to get a better explanation than I can give :).
Well, according to the UGA wiki team,
"When you want to know the best class to take next term, the best local dentist, the closest place for a haircut, or anything - just post your question through the wiki. It will go out to your classmates, and you'll have an answer immediately. Or, you can simply add new topics to the wiki for other University of Georgia students to see."
All you have to do to be instantly connected is REGISTER!
I did and it is awesome. Check it out! You can even set e-mail alerts to instantly know what's going on and what people want to know around campus.
Have fun!
Countdown to graduation.... 6 days, 22 hours and counting....so close.
Monday, April 23, 2007
Do you know your "friends"?
I cannot believe it has been two and a half years since my first exposure to the ultimate addiction and primary tool of procrastination used by countless college students across the country known as Facebook.com. Not too long after I found Myspace.com and the rest is history...or is it?
All joking put aside I do think there actually is somewhat of a serious nature in regard to these mega-social networking sites which many students fail to take note of.
PRIVACY.
While I'll admit I have failed to be as safe as I could have been in my use of the sites; I have recently become much more aware of the dangers associated with the nature of content posted on your own and others profiles and who you are apparently becoming "friends" with.
A recent story from FoxNews.com titled "Myspace Stars: Is Your Celebrity 'Friend' a Famous Fake" by Hollie McKay addresses the false nature of so-called "celebrity profiles" on Myspace.com, and their implications on the privacy and reputation of both the celebrity and the Myspace.com users associated with their network.
I think this is just another reminder that you can never be too safe when posting information about yourself and allowing others to gain access to it its content on the Web. Even when privacy settings are applied to your profile you never really know who is sitting at the other end of the connection gaining access to your life; and becoming "friends" with other users such as celebrities or that guy who looks hot in a thumbnail-size picture only opens yourself up to a host of potential predators.
So be smart, be safe and protect yourself and your personal information because privacy is precious and once you give it up it's hard to get back.
All joking put aside I do think there actually is somewhat of a serious nature in regard to these mega-social networking sites which many students fail to take note of.
PRIVACY.
While I'll admit I have failed to be as safe as I could have been in my use of the sites; I have recently become much more aware of the dangers associated with the nature of content posted on your own and others profiles and who you are apparently becoming "friends" with.
A recent story from FoxNews.com titled "Myspace Stars: Is Your Celebrity 'Friend' a Famous Fake" by Hollie McKay addresses the false nature of so-called "celebrity profiles" on Myspace.com, and their implications on the privacy and reputation of both the celebrity and the Myspace.com users associated with their network.
I think this is just another reminder that you can never be too safe when posting information about yourself and allowing others to gain access to it its content on the Web. Even when privacy settings are applied to your profile you never really know who is sitting at the other end of the connection gaining access to your life; and becoming "friends" with other users such as celebrities or that guy who looks hot in a thumbnail-size picture only opens yourself up to a host of potential predators.
So be smart, be safe and protect yourself and your personal information because privacy is precious and once you give it up it's hard to get back.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
responsible radio gives some hope...
There is no doubt that the recent tragedy which took place Monday at VA Tech has had a profound effect on our nation। Being a student at a major university this hit all too close to home and my first thoughts and prayers went out to the students, friends and parents whose whole lifetime had just been turned upside down in a matter of minutes, or for that matter seconds.
Anything can happen in instant, and in that instant a life can change forever।
I recently have become a listener of morning radio, well mostly just The Bert Show which airs on one of my favorite radio stations in Atlanta... All The Hits Q100.5 FM। In listening the past couple days since Monday's incident I have been so impressed with the outreach and caring expressed by the station and Atlanta community.
So often you turn on the radio or television news and are bombarded with a barrage of negative media coverage aimed at exploiting the tragedies of others। We as citizens have a right to be informed and made aware of what's happening in our world, and that is the job of the media. More importantly it should be OUR goal as active citizens and participants in the communication arena to demand the media to go beyond just doing their job and take on their social responsibility. I see this social responsibility being the duty to report accurate news concerning the public interest, but beyond just reporting the news I think the media should recognize the enormous amount of influence it has on society and work to promote a more socially aware and communicative atmosphere aimed at educating and empowering, rather than exploiting.
I gained a bit of hope in broadcast media this week while listening in to The Bert Show and their dedication of airtime to not only talking about the tragedy affecting our Nation, but also giving listeners a sense of hope and community support in a time when we all need it। It is encouraging to know that there are still people out there that actually care about taking time to discuss issues affecting lives and not just making light of or ignoring them.
In case you weren't aware tomorrow has been declared National Maroon and Orange Day to support the Hokies, and there are tons of memorial services being held all around Athens and Atlanta tonight and this weekend. The Bert Show's Web site gives links detailing some of these events and ways to contribute to memorial funds।
So wear your maroon and orange tomorrow to show some Hokie support, and maybe even tune in to morning radio...cause you might be surprised what you'll find in the least expected places।
Go Hokies... and Go dawgs. (sorry had to put that in :)
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Don't "Snooze"...Click for News
Time...always ticking by, slipping away and although seemingly infinite, there is never enough of it in a day.
All too often we as college students and young adults choose not to recognize and take full advantage of the precious nature of our time. In an attempt to delay the realization of our newly acquired fast-paced and seemingly stressful lives we hit the metaphorical "snooze button" on certain aspects of life and time. This can be viewed as the act of procrastination or denial, but I think it is not necessarily complete laziness, but more of a failure to recognize the importance of consistent communication and interaction with society and the media on all levels.
Regrettably I must admit I have been hitting "snooze" on blogging in the last few months, but have now come to realize how quickly time passes and what I can hopefully achieve in making up for my time lost. My lack of posting over the past months brings to my attention and extremely pertinent and relevant concept in not only the practice of communications and PR, but life in general as well.
The snooze button doesn't stop time, it only makes the future come sooner...
Media and society are constantly changing and evolving with every second of the day. In order to be an active and informed citizen, as well as an effective communicator and PR practitioner you have to be aware of these technological innovations and societal changes affecting the global community. MY realization in terms of the world of PR as well as higher education at UGA is that this fast-paced society that we live in will not wait around or slow down for anyone. Whether or not we hit our "snooze" and delay our own knowledge of what is going on in the world around us in terms of technological and societal trends the world keeps moving along without us. Therefore, while it seems all too easy to allow ourselves as students and young adults to get wrapped up in the minute details of individual life, we must also remember that the longer we "snooze" the more we let pass us by. And remember...although you may be hitting "snooze" today, there is always someone that chose to get up and take notice of the world and everything it has to offer them. So get up, take notice and make use of all the resources made available to us every day!
Here are a few links to just a few of my personal favorite news and blogging sites:
These are only a few but be looking for many more coming soon! Feel free to post any comments or helpful sites you might have. Since I'm about to graduate I am always looking for helpful suggestions and insight into the PR world. :)
All too often we as college students and young adults choose not to recognize and take full advantage of the precious nature of our time. In an attempt to delay the realization of our newly acquired fast-paced and seemingly stressful lives we hit the metaphorical "snooze button" on certain aspects of life and time. This can be viewed as the act of procrastination or denial, but I think it is not necessarily complete laziness, but more of a failure to recognize the importance of consistent communication and interaction with society and the media on all levels.
Regrettably I must admit I have been hitting "snooze" on blogging in the last few months, but have now come to realize how quickly time passes and what I can hopefully achieve in making up for my time lost. My lack of posting over the past months brings to my attention and extremely pertinent and relevant concept in not only the practice of communications and PR, but life in general as well.
The snooze button doesn't stop time, it only makes the future come sooner...
Media and society are constantly changing and evolving with every second of the day. In order to be an active and informed citizen, as well as an effective communicator and PR practitioner you have to be aware of these technological innovations and societal changes affecting the global community. MY realization in terms of the world of PR as well as higher education at UGA is that this fast-paced society that we live in will not wait around or slow down for anyone. Whether or not we hit our "snooze" and delay our own knowledge of what is going on in the world around us in terms of technological and societal trends the world keeps moving along without us. Therefore, while it seems all too easy to allow ourselves as students and young adults to get wrapped up in the minute details of individual life, we must also remember that the longer we "snooze" the more we let pass us by. And remember...although you may be hitting "snooze" today, there is always someone that chose to get up and take notice of the world and everything it has to offer them. So get up, take notice and make use of all the resources made available to us every day!
Here are a few links to just a few of my personal favorite news and blogging sites:
These are only a few but be looking for many more coming soon! Feel free to post any comments or helpful sites you might have. Since I'm about to graduate I am always looking for helpful suggestions and insight into the PR world. :)
Monday, February 19, 2007
PR major + Graduation = My PR blog
When I first was given this assignment to create my own blog I dreaded the thought of actually putting my own words out into the world for everyone to read. Then it became apparent to me, after spending less than two minutes searching the Web that blogs are everywhere and for everyone, and the fact that I have the chance to even have my voice heard is something I should be happy to take advantage of.
As a senior at the University of Georgia I have spent the last four years of my life attempting to graduate with my dual degree in public relations and political science, and not until this blog assignment have I actually taken the time to talk about the issues that I am passionate about in my field, PR!
As for this medium, "the blog," which I still am trying to completely figure out, it was first really introduced to me only last semester in my PR writing and communications class. I had the awesome opportunity of attending a lecture by business blog and social media consultant Josh Hallett. It was here that I was first introduced to this innovative concept of using social media, such as blogs, to open up the world of public relations to a technologically advanced means of communication, which when used correctly, has a huge impact on society. I was so inspired by his lecture that I began to view Hallett's blog, and it opened my eyes to an entire world of communication I never knew existed.
So, although my initial motivation for creating this blog was to complete a requirement for my PR campaigns class, I now have come to realize that I have the opportunity to use this form of communication to my advantage. PR is all about communication, and unless I know how to effectively engage in all of the forms, whether they be verbal or written, I will not be able to achieve success in my pursuit of a career in PR.
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