TheRealWorld!

One Man Band Workshop

2009-04-19T22:49:00.001-07:00

Today I attended "One Man Band Boot Camp" at RTNDA. Poynter's Al Tompkins led the session with the help of Regina McCombs, Les Rose and Lynn French.

The workshop began at 8:30 AM and went until about 6:30 PM. Participants learned the basics about shooting and editing a package and were then sent into the conference to find a story.

Both students and professionals participated in this workshop. After two hours in the "field" participants returned to the classroom to complete thei9r news pacakage. Selected stories will be posted on the RTNDA website.

Words cannot describe this experience. I strongly reccomend that anyone attending this convention participate in this workshop. The things that I learned I will take with me throughout my career.

5 Days til RTNDA@NAB

2009-04-12T16:27:00.000-07:00

So this week I will finally be going to RTNDA at NAB! I have preparing for this since January! I still have so much to do!

In addition to my One Man Band Bootcamp workshop I have registered for a workshop with Chip Mahaney called News Leadership in Socially Networked World. Mahaney is the director ofdigital content for E.W Scripps Company.

There will be a number of other workshops and lectures that I will be attending while at the convention. I plan on learning as much as humanly possible in the time that I am there. I also plan on meeting as many people as possible. I am so excited to experience RTNDA at NAB! I will be back live from Vegas next week!

Life After Graduation

2009-04-05T19:45:00.000-07:00

As my group and have I have been gathering elements for our final project, I have been seeing the many different paths that students will be taking after graduation.

After finishing an undergraduate degree there are so many routes a student can take! Some choose to continue some sort of education, some will become commissioned officers in the military, some join the work force and some just flat out have no clue what will come next.

As I, myself am approaching graduation I cannot help but feel a million things. Luckily I know what I want to do, the hard part now is how do I get there? Everyone seems to have such an interesting story to tell.

I am just so excited to have our final project finished! I am excited to be able to show the different journeies students have taken to get to where they are today and where they hope to go from here.

Another Application

2009-03-29T20:09:00.000-07:00

I recently learned that NBC offers a number of programs for recent college grads. Among these programs is the Page Program. Former Pages include Ted Koppel, Regis Philbin and many more.

Pages do a number of different assignments over the course of one year. The program offers participants the opportunity to gain experience through working with different departments of the company.

I have been submitting my resume every few weeks with hopes of getting noticed. While a Page is not the highest paid position, it is certainly one of the most beneficial I could get right out of college.

I will continue to submit my resume on a weekly basis and can only hope that someone will notice my name has shown up a ridiculous number of times. In addition to NBC, many other networks offer similar programs. Check network websites for details.

One Month til RTNDA@NAB

2009-03-22T18:34:00.000-07:00

In four weeks I will be attending RTNDA at NAB at the Las Vegas Hilton. This is a huge convention where anyone interested in being in news is welcome. There are workshops, exhibitions and even a job fair on the final day. All platforms are covered at this convention.

I have registered for the "One Man Band" workshop with Al Tompkins. This workshop allows participants to shoot, edit and produce a piece covering the convention that will be posted on the the RTNDA website. This would be a huge benefit! I am really hoping that I am selected to participate in the workshop, but only 12 people are selected each day. The workshop is offered on three different days.

In addition to a variety of valuable workshops, the convention is an excellent place to make connections and network. Thousands of journalism professionals attend the event every year. On the final day, there is a job fair. Students and other atendees are encouraged to come armed with plenty of resumes.

I have been preparing for this since January and I cannot believe it it less that a month away now. My hopes are that I leave Las Vegas with any kind of job that will get me in the door (located in California).

Since my heart is in the entertainment industry, that direction would be ideal. However, I understand where I am in my career and will be more than happy to take a position as a production assistant for local news. I am hoping my openess to any position and my enthusiasm will lead me to a nice employer. Hopefully, Lady Luck will be on my side in Vegas.

The Home Stretch

2009-03-15T20:20:00.000-07:00

In my final "official"hours of spring break, I thought it might be a good idea to take a peak at all six of my syllubi. I counted the weeks left until finals... OH MY GOD! Seven weeks!

I had to recount! I cannot believe that there are only seven weeks left of the semester. Seven weeks to make sure all of my projects are done. Seven weeks left to meet with my groups and scene partners. How will I ever get everything done in only seven weeks?

After I pulled myself together a bit I focused on what this really meant. After 7 years in college (I know, I know) I only have 7 weeks left. Only seven more weeks of studying. Only seven more weeks of finding time to meet with groups. Only seven more weeks of sleepless nights of perfecting papers and projects. I am finally graduating college!

This is pretty much how I expect to feel for the next two monthes; really really terrified and then really really excited. I can't believe the time is almost here...I am almost done. Well, at least until grad school. Then I get to do it all over again...ay ay ay.

Audition Time!

2009-03-12T21:12:00.000-07:00

So,now that I am finally moving to New York City I figured it would be a good idea to actually go to an audition. I have not been to one in two years and I may be a bit rusty. Luckily the fact that an audition is a required assignment for my acting class gave me that extra push.

I went to an audition at Riverside Dinner Theater in Fredericksburg. This audition was the worst kind of audition. They took us in six at a time and had all of us take a seat. Then, they called each of us up to sing our 16 bars in front of everyone else in the room.

Everyone seemed to know eachother. The rehearsal director even mentioned that almost every face was a familiar face. Mine was not, as this was my first time auditioning at Riverside. All of these factors added to my nerves, a feeling I was not used to when it came to performing.

It was a pretty rough audition to say the least, but that's what i get for waiting two years in between auditions. At least the whole thing knocked some sense into me. Acting is a craft and you have to work every aspect of it, including the audition process.

It was definitely a good way to ease my way back into the real world of auditioning. Afterall, this was just small town local theater. If I am nervous here, New York will eat me alive. I think I may need to go to a few more Riverside auditions before I go play with the big dogs in NYC.

A Shocking Emotion

2009-03-08T18:45:00.000-07:00

After being in college for what feels like a million years, graduation is finally just a few short months away. I have waited for this day for so long! So why am I suddenly feeling so anxious and on edge all the time?

Suddenly, reality is setting in. Everything that I have dreamed about for the last 12 years of my life is almost within my reach. While this is very exciting, is is terrifying. What if I don't get a job? What if I do get a job but I'm not good enough? Then there is that whole recession situation.

"Most graduates feel a little nervous and uncertain ... it's normal," says Tara Kuther, Ph.D.

It does help to know that I am not alone in my feelings. There are many other students that feel exactly the same way that I do. We will all be just fine, as long as we continue to work really hard when we leave the university. Nothing is going to be handed to anybody.

It is vital that, especially in economic times like these, graduating students are persistent and exceptionally hard working. As long as students do this, we will all survive out there.

So, for all of you nervous seniors that are feeling like I am, take a deep breath. These are normal feelings.

If you feel you need help dealing with your anxiety you may want to visit your health services on campus or for more severe cases, find a professional counselor.

East or West

2009-03-01T16:09:00.000-08:00

So as graduation nears, I am finally grasping the fact that I can finally do what I want. After all of these years of doing what I have to do, I can finally do what I want to do!

After my incredible internship in Manahhtan this summer I think I might finally move to Los Angeles. Or maybe I will stay in New York and be a fabulous public relations rep by day and aspiring Broadway star by night!

While the thought of venturing out into the real world is absolutely terrifying it is also the most exciting thing in the world. I am 25, educated and ambitious...a perfect combination for success.

While I understand the nation is facing hardships, I cannot let that hold me back. I cannot lose sleep fearing that I will never get a job because we are in a recession or because sometimes my generation tends to have a bit of a reputation for being unprofessional and unreliable. I say bring it on! I can do anything I want after graduation and I intend to do all of it!

Public Relations in a Recession

2009-02-22T11:47:00.000-08:00

When choosing a major, students often go for one that will earn them a nice salary. That being said, communications majors are not usually the ones that are expected to be millionaires.

As a comm major with a concentration in public relations, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the industry is booming.

A guest speaker in my internship course informed us that public relations is the 17th highest paid industry in the country.With unemployment rates soaring, it is very easy for students to feel uneasy about entering the unstable workforce. Information like that can ease a student's mind.

While the industry is high in demand, the competition will also become more intense.

I tried to find actual figures on salaries for the industry and found that there is some controversy on where the industry is headed in this recession.

Sites like PRSSA, and PR Week have some helpful hints as well as current reports for the industry. All in all, it is predicted that public relations will land on its feet. Not only that, but it will help other industries land back on their feet as well.

So for all you public relations students out there, calm your nerves. It looks like we are going to be OK.

Comm one Comm all

2009-02-17T09:22:00.000-08:00

Today George Mason University's communications department will hold their annual career and internship fair. The event will take place in Dewberry Hall located in the Johnson Center from 10 AM until 2 PM

The event offers students a chance to meet with potential employers including USA Today,United Press International and many more.

The department's career fair gives communications major a head start in finding a job or internship. Students were told that this year is expected to be especially good.

Students are advised to dress professionally and bring copies of their resumes.

An Offer I Can't Refuse

2009-02-08T08:26:00.000-08:00

As graduation nears I can not help but feel overwhelmed with both excitement and terror. I decided to start my job hunting process seven months prior to my escape date.

A week ago I went to my first interview for my post-college career life. I hopped on the morning train to Penn Station in New York City, took a cab to the office on Park Avenue and walked out with the position. By 8PM I was back on my way to Washington, D.C.

I felt fabulous, but there was one downfall. This position I was offered was for a summer internship...unpaid. Living in Manhattan without a paycheck could be a challenge, but it was simply an offer I could not refuse.

So, it seems that even after I have my degree a few things will remain the same. I will still be an unpaid intern tending bar to pay the bills. However, this time around I will be in New York City promoting movies. Maybe come fall I can drop the bartending part. Gotta love internships.