Goodbye Wildcats

I knew I wanted to come to Central from my Junoir year of high school. I wasn’t able to come to Central right after high school, I went to a community college first then came here.
My first introduction to Central was from my mentor. She had gone here and loved her time here. At the time I wanted to be a teacher and was applying for the program here. Who would have told me I would be graduating with a degree in Public Relations.
Once I got here I felt the community all around Central, I met a group of other transfer students and we all lived in the same hall and it was a great start for the new chapter that was Central.
Over the next two years, I was able to grow in who I am, who I want to be both personally and professionally, and made some great memories. Here are a few:

 

Being able to represent CWU! Decked out in school gear!

Find ways to have professional development, and still have fun!

Doing some crazy things, like dye my hair pink, get a tattoo, play in the middle of the road and climb a giant wildcat.

Have study breaks and explore.

Enjoy the beauty of the campus, even in a foot of snow.

And most importantly

Finding a wonderful, caring, lifelong family.

What My Friends Taught Me In College.

 

I’ve meet some of my best friends at college, as much as we can laugh, cry, and make great memories. They have taught me some great life lessons. Here are five life lessons I’ve learned from, my friends.

1) They may be a pain in the butts, but they are your pain in the butts.
You will probably get in fights or argue with them. However, they will be there during the hard times and know your ups and downs. They have your best interest at heart and only want to help.
2) You don’t have to be best friends for people to care about you.
In life, you will have people come and go. It doesn’t matter if you see them daily or if you see them once a month or even once a year, the people who care about you will be there when you need it.

3) Be you!
“You do you” this has really helped me because my friends are wanting to be with me and not someone else. The people in your life want to be in your life. Don’t be scared of losing people because if they are meant to be in your life than they will be in your life.

4) Don’t take shit from anyone, even your friends.
As much as we love them our friends can be hard on us, or give us shit and make us feel down or dumb. However, my favorite quote comes up “no one can make you feel inferior without your consent” just because these people are your friends doesn’t mean that they can be rude to you. Most of the time if you sit down and talk with your friends they will understand.

5) You can’t control everything/ everyone.
Life is going to be unexpected at times and it will suck. Understanding that life won’t go as planned is a hard realization to expect but once you do it will be worth it. I’m not saying to jump for joy when your plan is ruined however taking a breath and processing everything. In the end, it will be okay and that is a great way to get through the hard times.

Counting down the days… Graduation is coming

My time at college is coming to an end. I had hoped and pray this day would come and it is closer and closer than ever. I started my higher education at a community college to help my parents save money. I worked two part times jobs, volunteered and went to class. During my time at a community college I had a few friends, but only one I still talk to today, three years later. I took some interesting classes, I can now tell you the differences between apes and monkeys is that monkeys have tails and apes don’t. I took some boring classes just to check off a box.
My time at Central has had a bigger impact on my view of college than I ever thought it would have. I became active on campus, took real-world classes, and met some of my best and I know lifelong friends.
I feel these last years have given me some knowledge and lesson I should share-
Don’t judge- Most people are in the same boat you are. You have no idea what is going on in a person life that might have them acting that way or behaving like that. The only control you have is yourself so be nice and don’t judge a book by the cover.

Have Fun- College and life is full of adventure. Take advantage of it all. Go on the midnight trips, take a random road trip. Go to the pizza party at the student center. Explore campus, go out and do the things that you enjoy.

Say yes- Obviously, stay safe, but making those last minute plans or taking a leap of faith can lead to some great memories. Saying yes to the unexpected is a great step in growing.

Join things- Just like going on new adventures joining things like clubs, organizations and such can add so much more to your time in college.

Take your time- College can be so fun, but it may not take four years. I know many people who took a few years to figure out what they wanted or changed their major a few times. I was only a quarter behind and will graduate in the same year as people who took four years, but I learned that it is okay to go at your own pace.

Ask for help- go to your professor’s office hours, ask some random person where the library is, ask the librarian where that one section is. Many people are lost too, asking for help is not a burned or a negative thing. How will you learn if you never question things?

These may not be perfect and I know some are flawed, however, these are some of my experiences in college.
If you want to read more here are some other blogs I’ve found helpful.

https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/blog/best-advice-college-students

https://www.collegefashion.net/page/about/

http://www.dormdelicious.com/

 

College skills translated to the workforce

College: parties, drinking, finding lifelong friends. What else does college have to offer?

The college experience is so full of many different events. Learning to take them in full is part of the fun. Finding out how being hungover can teach you reliable skills, now that’s what college is all about.
Here are five ways college students prepare for the future in some unique ways:

1)Beer pong- A great social game for when at parties. Some may just see this as another way to drink (responsibly) but this is also building great teamwork skills. You are learning to meet new people and work for a common goal in a short, potential stressful time.

2) Lost coming back from the bars- This is a great example of problem-solving. Here you find out where the nearest Uber, Taxi or friend is. You are able to work and piece together where each one of your group members lives and solve the issue of getting home safely.

3) Top Ramen for every meal- Shows creativity at its finest. After so many days on ramen, college students start to get creative and use the little food around them for more inspiration. Like using some soy sauce from the last Chinese take-out for a fresh new take on teriyaki noodles.

4) Passing the class taught by the one professor no one can understand- Patience is a virtue. Being able to adapt to any new environment and focus on the goal (passing the class), by learning what the cues on for the class. And of course asking help from your classmates every day to finish the homework

5) Hungover and have class- Our persistence come out. You will show up to class, and take notes. Maybe not the best of notes but you will take them. You may feel a throbbing headache but is it from not knowing the answers to this quiz or you still feel queasy from last night.

We all know college is about learning and preparing ourselves for the future and for work and such. We learn to write papers and use APA style. We learn to stand in front of groups and talk about some random subject. However, start thinking about all the other ways we learn the same skills. College is the time in your life where you make mistakes and grow from them, but also getting a great story at the same time. So I say- take another shot!

Anything But Neutral

Net Neutrality is a term I am new to learning about, but one more people should know. Now with some big names supporting the awareness, it is nice to see more and more people understanding what is happening or what could happen with our access.

In 2014 this topic was big news. For a refresher here are two articles from 2014 talking about the issue one from U.S. News and one from  NYTimes.

Now, this topic is back in the news as the FCC is trying to repeal the law and give Internet providers more power. The great thing about internet-loving millennials is that they are standing up and fighting this again, just like in 2014.

Not only are Millennials fighting again, but major tech and entertainment sources are standing up too. PR week’s Alison Kanski shares seven big names that are standing up in the article, “ Spinning wheels and slow streams: How 7 Tech brands protested Net Neutrality changes.”

Having these companies show support is great, but what is better is how they can reach a wide net of people and inform more people. Restriction of our internet is not okay and people need to be aware of the future if this gets passed.

The issue is more than just slow internet and luckily the issue is bringing companies and people together, as Advertising Age’s Will Jarvis notes in the article “From PornHub to the ACLU: Net Neutrality is Bringing Together Unlikely Friends.” Our data, our usage, and our history (internet history) could all be sold to the highest bidder. A small online business that does not have high traffic could not be shown on search engines because they can’t compete with some other website’s traffic.

This is all just wrong and needs to be kept the same with the open internet policies. If you feel the need to step up and help you can go to Battle For the Net and contact your Congress representative now!

Spread Positively Not Negativity

 

My own definition of Public Relations is about combining all forms of written, verbal and visual communication into one.

Some people call PR professionals “spin-doctors” and other negative terms. However, if someone is using communication to spread negativity or positivity they are still using PR skills. My definition is based on using communication skills to spread a message, positive or negative. The intent behind that message is what matters, and how that intention is understood by the receiver of the message is how we put our PR skills to work.
The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) has a similar definition: “Public relations is a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics.”

In this wording, they are not explicitly saying PR professionals will always say the truth or spread positivity. Instead, they are saying there will be an agreed upon contract where the combined skills of two parties will end in a relationship. I wish it would not happen but people can still use similar skills PR workers have to spread negativity.

     So here we will focus on the positive, and show you what we as PR professionals can do:
• we craft pitches for news sites
• we build social media profiles
• we listen to audiences
• we write speeches for audiences to hear
• we conduct analytic research
• we tend to love to talk

The list is a very short and simple version of what we all do, but it can give you an idea of the range of skills we have and the types of jobs we can do. If you want to read more there are some links below.
Peopled skilled in communication have the power to sway communication to the positive or negative. I try to stay positive and have the intention for good, or well informed. The intent behind communication can lead to many different outcomes. It is our job as PR professionals to make sure we pursue a positive, well-informed and intentional message.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/robertwynne/2016/01/21/five-things-everyone-should-know-about-public-relations/#16ed69512a2c
https://www.prsa.org/

Establishing your independent brand while owning a part of a franchise

Perkins restaurant and bakery, a great family friendly place to eat! This is what I think of when I think of Perkins, or the type of restaurant that Perkins falls under. Now as you can see by the map below there are practically no Perkins on the West Coast, there are two in Washington more in Idaho, and some in Canada.

This tells me that not many people will know what Perkins is. However, here in Ellensburg we have an untapped potential for Perkins clients. Many Central students, like myself, had never heard of Perkins until they came here so that leaves them to create their own understanding of what it means to eat at Perkins.

Now here comes the challenge, Perkins is part of a chain, so how much can they really make their own? For starters, they can grow of the existing market and learn from them. College students love social media, so learn from the already popular Perkins Twitter account and create an Ellensburg Perkins account, or a CWU Perkins account so show support for the town and the school.

Have CWU nights and fun events to show support for major events on campus, the big homecoming football game, the school’s opera, graduation, give discounts and or free slices of pie. If discounts and events is something already being done, then try and add some Ellensburg flare to the place. When a customer walks in have some old pictures of the town and school. Show the castle house off of 5^th, the view from the water tower, the yearly rodeo, pictures of Central back in the day. Be proud of where each location is.

The name and the brand reputation can only take a place so far. To focus on the brand of the company as a whole and not on the individual store can lead to the feeling of what I call “cookie-cutter” one size fits all place. This is not all bad but in a smaller town like Ellensburg the feeling of community and family is important and people want to go to the local Perkins and see familiarity in where they are. Unlike Starbucks where no matter where in the world you go you know you are in a Starbucks. Perkins as a family restaurant needs to have the feel of both getting out of the house and still around people you care about.

CWU Focuses on Wellness

CWU Wellness

Over the last month, Central has been taking a positive step towards overall wellness. I have seen or been a part of events such as Diet Riot Week, National Eating Disorder Awareness Week, and Mental Health Awareness Week. These weeks are all focused on different events but have the overall effect of wellness.

Diet Riot Week was geared towards teaching healthy food options for students, getting students to think critically about their diet, and so see that small changes are okay. Each day was about something new: Tuesday was exercises and pre/post workout snacks and eating, Wednesday was on specialty diets and how can someone with a unique diet still find food on campus. Thursday was on snacks and breakfast and how people can have food prep to stay on track on their diet. Friday was a cook-off for students to show off their cooking skills in a food network style cook-off. Each day was designed to focus on key issues surrounding diets.

National Eating Disorder Awareness Week is a week to shine the light of eating disorder and is all about body positivity. They have events like smash the scale, and a body love campaign. This is a way for students to think positive about one’s physical, and mental wellness. Again each day have a different focus to really encompass all types of awareness. Monday was a student-led discussion on people’s struggles and stories with eating disorders. Tuesday was a panel to answer any question that people have and to help break some of the stigmas people have one these disorders. Next day Wednesday was the body love campaign, where participants who are willing and sign up will stand out in swimsuits or underwear or what they feel most comfortable and people write positive statements on their body. And on the last day, Friday was the biggest day of smash the scale, where people can come and write down negative sayings on the scale and smash it with a sledgehammer. This brings empowerments and strength to the participants.

Mental Health Awareness Week is all about the importance of taking the time to put you first. Each day was focused on the 5 warning signs of a mental wellness. Monday was a panel to talk about mental health and how it can affect our community. Tuesday was a day to destress day to sip coffee and relax. Wednesday was called walk it out, to encourage the march for awareness on mental health. Thursday was on self-care and the self-care practices people have. And Friday was a day to go to a local museum and enjoy art with a glass of wine.

As a young 20 something college student, it is really nice to see a school that takes this much care in the overall wellness of the students. Not only doing small events throughout the year but truly making an effort for the better. These events take the time to understand the students and try and educate and help them. Holistic wellness is a wonderful thing, and during college, many young people do not know how to balance everything, most adults do not even know. These events may not cure all the stress or the unknowing of it all, but these events take a great step in that direction.

A so-called balanced life

 

To give perspective on my balanced life here is a timeline of two of my weekdays:

7 AM: Gets woken up by roommates alarm
7 AM-8 AM: Tries to fall back asleep as roommate is getting ready, doing her best to be quite, but still making noise.
8 AM-9 AM- In a semi-sleep state of sleep waiting for my own alarm
9 AM-10:30Am- Getting ready for the day, while listening to music, dancing around my room and trying to find all the items I will need for the day.
11 AM- 1 PM: Class… not much to say on that yet
1 PM- 1:30 PM: late lunch with friends
1:30 PM- 3 PM: office hours for my job, answering emails, creating power points, and putting out any fires of that day
3 PM -4 PM: Meeting with the Dean of housing to discuss hosing related changes
4 PM-5 PM: meeting with publicity to talk over concepts of advertisements for upcoming event
5 PM- 6 PM: Bids committee writing- writing the awards nominations we are bidding for on a regional and national scale
6 PM- 7 PM impromptu meeting for upcoming event
7 PM- 10 PM: Homework time and catching up on emails
10 PM- 11 PM: reading, and relaxing and getting ready for bed.
11 PM- 7 AM- SLEEP!!

7 AM: Gets woken up by roommates alarm
7 AM-8 AM: Tries to fall back asleep as roommate is getting ready, doing her best to be quite, but still making noise.
8 AM-9 AM- In a semi-sleep state of sleep waiting for my own alarm
9 AM-10:30Am- Getting ready for the day, while listening to music, dancing around my room and trying to find all the items I will need for the day
11 AM – 12 PM- Class… not much to say on that yet
12 PM- 1 PM- Lunch with friends
1 PM- 3 PM- Class… not much to say on that yet
3 PM- 5 PM- Social time! Hang with friends, have homework time, catch up on work, or take a nap
5 PM- 6 PM: Dinner
6 PM- 7 PM: Committee planning said upcoming program
7 PM-10 PM: finishing homework and watching Netflix
10 PM- 11 PM: reading, and relaxing and getting ready for bed.
11 PM- 7 AM- SLEEP!!

 

The ultimate balance for college students: school life, work life, social life.
I am no expert, however, working a pat time job for three of my four years of college, having an active social life and passing (most) of my classes I’ am qualified to give some advice. As you can read above I have two very different kinds of days, one day I am packed with work and school and have little time to socialize. The other day I still have work and school, but more casual time to do what I wish.

School:
School is something we are engrained to do as we enter class when we are six years old. When we graduate from High school we feel free until, if you choose, to join college. In college, we have to keep a balance for ourselves unlike in high school. In college, we get to set our day to day timeline. I have always enjoyed being at school and learning on the other hand writing paper after paper is not one of the most enjoyable things ever. As I said above in my four years of college I have not passed a class. I have gotten two D’s in my college career one I was able to retake the class and changed it from a D to and A (my GPA thanked me) the other was a class I knew I would struggle and dealing with personal issues at the time I just let that class fall behind. Some tips I have for school:
• Work for small period of time: 15-20 minutes straight of reading or writing, 5-10 minute break
• Find a place with the right amount of noise. If you are someone who needs silence the find a study room or quite space. If you need some background noise go to your campus main student center or library.
• Put your phone away.
• Find how you organize your work, I like to write a to-do list. Some need a calendar, some like their phones, find your way.
• Find yourself stressing? Get up and get away for 10-15-30 minutes, leave the situation and it will help give you and your brain a break.

Work:
I have been blessed with working in jobs I love. I know that the two jobs I have had in college have or will help be in my career. I know not everyone can say this. Some might have to work in food or with people and that is not what they do. If you do not work I would suggest still finding a club or volunteer origination to give your time. Doing other things are great resume builders or a nice relaxing break in your day if you have a fun club meeting. Some tips I have for work.
• If possible find a job you like.
• If not find small thing you like about your job: a customer, a co-worker, a task something.
• Be active if you do not have a job volunteer or join a club.
• Remember you are a student first.
• When you are at work be at work when you are not don’t work (My biggest struggle)

Social:
So I am a very excited extrovert and I love people and being social. However, I can get very tired and overextended when it comes to people. Part of my job is to be in front of big crowds on a weekly basis and that can have its toll on anyone. So I have to remind myself that I don’t have to be around people all the time. I will make a day to be more social on the weekends than on the weekdays I try and stop people I know in the hallways or around campus when I see them to get in a small 5 minutes conversation which is better than none. Some tips I have on staying social.
• Utilize social media: send a snapchat or text to show people you are thinking of them without having to take a lot of time out of your day.
• Have small breaks throughout your day? Use them to get coffee with a friend or study dates.
• Take time to be alone, so when you are with people you want to be with them.
• Remember you don’t have to be with people.
• Take a day or two to just focus on your social ties.