Thursday, February 28, 2013

Event was a success!...Getting Closer!

Well the event was a huge success! we had a full house and people seemed to really enjoy themselves! It was by far the neatest thing I have ever done! I have always liked to organize events at my house for friends but to do it on a large scale and having to reach out to people I did not know was a whole new experience for me, and let me tell you, event planning is another aspect I'm looking at now. One thing about Public Relations is that there are so many different aspects of it. It's always changing. Which is good for me since I tend to get bored a little easier than others.

Here's a sneak peak of the photo's from the event! Make sure to check out Tiny Cakes and Truffles Facebook to see all photos from the event!



I have a video to shoot then my project is close to being done. The website is close to being done and I need to knock out a new business card. Lots of organizing left to do!

Lots of work and lots of fun! So close to the end!

Until next time,
LB

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Let the plans begin! -Student Night!

Capstone, ah, I love it so. I would love if it were over already. Now, don't get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE my client and I LOVE my capstone project, I don't LOVE portfolio/resume/papers/everything else about capstone!

I am a little down in the dumps today, I will blame it on the weather. I just wish I didn't have all the extra homework from capstone, I feel like my project would turn out much better, but hey, that's really any class you take. It is preparing me for the real world work environment, you may not always do what you want to, and you have to multitask, well let me tell you, I will be a pro in multitasking after this! I am done with all of that now for the most part, so now I can really focus on my client and making her business EVEN better than it already is!

First off, I'll start by telling you I did a focus group last week, the first one I have ever done, by the way. It was great! I had a lot of fun and everyone got pizza after! Focus groups are definitely the way to go for research, the feedback was wonderful and will help make great changes!

I have been planning, and planning, and planning, and FINALLY! it's here! Tiny Cakes and Truffles is presenting a Student Night to kick off their new student promotion Student Tuesday's, you'll get 15% off your lunch purchase on Tuesdays 11-2ish with a valid RSU ID! The fun starts this next Tuesday the 26th, if you're a student, come check it out! Free food, live music, and free wi-fi with friends! What could be better? RSVP NOW! =)

This is just one of the cool things you get to do in capstone. Designing this flyer and organizing this event has been so much fun! I also created two new Facebook pages for the two separate locations! Be sure to "like" those and share! Claremore Tiny Cakes Facebook and Owasso Tiny Cakes Facebook. I am also designing a new business card, website, and a few other things. This class reassured me that I am doing what I love!

It is crazy to think my whole capstone is due in about a month, scary to think, but exciting, I'm moving closer to the end!

Until next time,
LB

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Reassurance of loving my career choice

This is more of a thought piece rather than a check in.

Before I graduated high school I wanted to one day become a lawyer, once I graduated I had no idea what to do, but knew I loved art and photography. So, I decided I wanted to major in photography. My brain kicked in and I told myself, I wasn't THAT good at photography and I would never make a living just doing that. I then talked to my college adviser and she recommended that I major in communications. At the time I thought, why would I want to do that? She put me in an intro to mass communication class in order to spark some interests after I told her my hobbies. I loved this class and I immediately changed my major to public relations, but I still wanted to do something with photos. I loved editing photos and making posters and brochures, so I knew graphic design would be a good fit, little did I know that I would have to minor in interior design for that to happen. I then AGAIN changed my mind to advertising, thinking that would incorporate making advertisements which would have more emphasis on graphics. After switching majors, being unhappy with my minor and having a few minor freak outs, I realized this was not the school for me, I needed to go somewhere I could do exactly what I wanted.

Low and behold! RSU! I had submitted my transfer application, was accepted and immediately made an appointment to speak with the communications department. Upon meeting with the head of the department I knew I wanted to work in public relations but wanted to have graphics as a minor. My current degree, corporate communication and a minor in graphic design, is just what I was looking for, it encompassed public relations, advertising, social media skills and a minor where I could make all my ideas happen! The classes seemed to go on forever and sometimes seem pointless. That was until capstone came around.

Capstone made me realize that sometimes the classes I didn't want to take, I needed to. They taught me things I might not have needed at the time, but I definitely needed to produce my capstone project. What I really wanted to relate through this post is that even though the process seemed like a lot to go through and at some times I wished I had switched majors, capstone has made me realize I love what I am doing.

My dad once told me that if you're not happy in your job, change it. Don't pick a career for the money. After the first couple meetings with my client and the planning and beginning to produce everything, I have never been happier in what I am doing. Talking with the clients and seeing their face light up with the ideas you have suggested for their business and the final thing coming together as a whole, has been very reassuring that I am in exactly the right field.

Sorry this was so long this time, but sometimes it helps to reflect back and look at the path traveled, it was all worth it for me. I cannot wait to graduate!

P.S. Tiny Cakes and Truffles is hosting a student night February 26th with live music! Come! Bring your friends! It will be a fun night! More info to come soon!

Until next time,
LB

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

It's All Becoming Real...

Now that I have planned out my entire capstone project, it's time to get to work. With the realization that I will need to be done with all these wonderful plans and ideas by MARCH 25! It looks like I need to get to work! I have to finish surveys, form a focus group, evaluate the results of these and THEN start on actually producing a video, creating a website, writing a news release, making a business card and flyer, writing a whole PR plan to reach RSU students and then, then I have to PRESENT it! So much to do, so little time.

Time management is something that you learn in college, or at least you're supposed to learn. I have always been the type to procrastinate throughout life, that doesn't mean I endorse it. This doesn't mean I don't do my work or do well on my work, I just work best under pressure I suppose, or at least that's what I keep telling myself. In THIS case, that is not something that is optional. I received an "A" on my prospectus 1, which made my confidence level rise! I now know I have great ideas, I just need to kick my behind into gear! Setting deadlines is most important in the project. Why? Well for obvious reasons, but also because the project isn't your only assignment! I know what you're thinking, "what else could there possibly be?" Well let me tell ya, there's a lot. Not to mention your other classes and obligations.

In my first blog I mentioned how I had discussion papers to write, well after those, there are MORE papers, and in conjunction with all the papers you're writing, you also had to assemble an online portfolio, so once you graduate and go on to gain your dream job, you can tell them how wonderful you are, and why you're work is FAB-U-LOUS! compared to others.

I know this may seem scary, and a lot to deal with, but as long as you stay organized, stay on your timeline, and take the TIME to do this, I think, and I say think because, well, I haven't passed the class yet, that you will be just fine.

I have found that taking the time to de-stress yourself helps a lot. I tend to get overwhelmed by all the things going on in my life, because like my mother, I think I can take on 100000 projects and obligations and succeed at them all. I've found that working out and spending time just venting to my friends and family has helped a lot with stress. I think the initial idea of "if I don't pass this class, I don't graduate" takes over our brains. Sometimes stopping to realize, you made it this far, you passed the classes, hopefully with good grades, you have done the projects, and this is the end, is motivating enough.

I know it sounds crazy to have a support group for a class, but my class has become my support group, we vent to each other, we help each other, and some of us...the Queen of Capstone...bakes delicious brownies for the class.

Always, always, always remember, you made it this far, you're going to rock this! And well if you don't there's always next year! Haha!

Hopefully the next post I can show you some examples of my work!

Until next time,
LB