A twenty-something girl's take on the world.

Too old to know better & too young to give a damn.

Tag Archives: Learning


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The Beginning Of The End: A Beautiful Era

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Have no fear, the end is near. That was cringe-worthy corny, but I’m going with it. A week from Wednesday, I will be done school. Three weeks from this Sunday, I will be a college grad. That is both an overwhelming, but wondrous feeling. Is this real life? Someone slap me if I’m dreaming.

As the semester comes to a close and my college career comes to an end, this will be my final post as a student. This last post doesn’t come without a bit of nostalgia, a dose of thanks and a lot of pride. It almost feels like I’m writing my own obituary. I guess, in a way, I kind of am… This is my educational obit. I mean that in the least morbid way possible.

Although I am graduating and leaving this chapter in my life behind, it doesn’t represent the end of the road in my never-ending journey of learning. It’s in our nature, as human beings, to never stop learning. “If you’re not learning, you’re not living.” Side note: You’ve probably heard me refer to that quote at least a dozen times by now.

This semester has been full of trials, tribulations, extreme highs and extreme lows, followed by tears of joy, tears of fear and of course, tears of stress. I’ll spare you the gory details of the miserable lows, but I can’t help but brag about the wonderful highs. I’ve accomplished the unthinkable – at least MY unthinkable.

It’s been a long time coming, but I’ve finally completed all of the requirements to wear that fancy cap and gown and snag that pricey diploma. This semester, numerous professionals recognized me for my “impressive work”. I was honored to accept the 2016 Communication Studies Award in Recognition of Overall Academic Achievement & Program Excellence, which I was nominated for by two of the most impactful professors I’ve had the pleasure of being taught by. I was chosen to be featured in one of Stockton University’s publications for being an outstanding graduating Senior (to be released June 1st). Last but not least, I was offered a job in my intended career field, that I gladly accepted and am beyond excited to start, immediately following graduation!

A message to those of you struggling to cope with the unavoidable change prior to graduation: Relax. All of the emotions you are feeling right now are completely normal. You’re not alone. Change is coming and making that adjustment is easier said than done. Everything takes time and whatever is meant to be, will be. Embrace it – Live it, breathe it, love it. Trust the fact that everything happens for a reason. One day, you will be in the right place, at the right time and everything will make sense. Until then, trust your journey.

“And suddenly you know… it’s time to start something new and trust the magic of beginnings.”

A huge thank you to everyone that believed in me, supported me and kept me grounded this semester and for the last five years. You deserve the real MVP award!

*drops mic*

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Never Stop Learning.

Learning is a part of living

One thing I have come to appreciate over the last few years is gaining fun and fresh knowledge through the experiences of others. Learning through others is a priceless and beneficial resource. I love to learn. “If you’re not learning, you’re not living.” Learning new, interesting things is part of education, and guest speakers are often overlooked as one of the better sources. If the guest speaker happens to be a thought leader and influential figure in the field of your study, that’s even more valuable!

unnamed-1Guest speakers

Last week, in my digital portfolio class, we had a guest speaker – Cameron Brenchley. Cameron is the Vice President at Collabortative Communications Group. Cameron previously worked for the U.S. Department of Education as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Communications and also as the Director of Digital Strategy. In between his positions at the U.S. Department of Education, he worked as the Senior Digital Strategist for The White House. Prior to this, he worked for the U.S. House of Representatives and served in the United States Air Force. Cameron’s impressive work history had me very intrigued to hear his story! One of the topics of discussion was what it was like to work at the White House, including the daily highs and lows, the stresses, restrictions and benefits.

Something I found interesting was that Cameron studied at Valdosta State University for History. Cameron explained that his intentions were to become a lawyer, but then life happened, opportunities came along and just like that, his path in life changed. From there, Cameron received his masters in Legislative Affairs from the George Washington University’s Graduate School of Political Management. Immediately after our Skype session with Cameron was over, I tweeted him a thank you and connected with him on LinkedIn, in hopes of building a relationship with him.

Network, network, network

NetworksandSystems_1435913398.jpgAside from educational purposes, guest speakers also serve as a great means of networking. It’s important to connect with your guest speakers and keep in touch, because a lot of times, those connections can lead to future opportunities! Building and maintaining beneficial relationships is the key to successful networking. President of the New York Stock Exchange, Tom Farley, wrote an article for Fortune.com to shed some light on the importance of networking. Farley said, “Sometimes it’s individuals outside your immediate network that end up offering the advice you need to propel your career forward.” Farley also noted that every job he’s ever had, including his current position with New York Stock Exchange, he owes to networking. After walking out of a business meeting in Atlanta with the current Chairman of the NYSE, Jeff Sprecher, in 2001, Farley made it a point to find reasons and ways to stay in touch with Jeff. At the time, Jeff wasn’t a beneficial source for Farley, but networking is all about collecting relationships with interesting or influential people irrespective of the immediate benefit of these relationships. Five years down the road, Jeff’s business acquired the New York Board of Trade and he asked Farley to serve as President of this newly acquired business. Two years after that, Farley was asked to lead the New York Stock Exchange.

The point is, had Farley not spent five years staying in touch with Jeff via email and phone calls, do you think he would be where he’s at today? Always make it a point to connect and keep in contact with influential professionals within your industry or field of study!