Communication is key,

It’s a phrase we hear all the time. Yet, that phrase does little to explain how to do it!

We have been taught how to speak, and write, but we’re never taught how to use those words effectively. Communication is a learned skill, one we have to figure out on our own, which for the most part, is true. Every time we step out of our comfort zone to interact with those we do not normally interact with, we build those communication skills. Communication is always evolving. New communication tools have come about since I started college, and more will come in another 5 years. Evolving with the trends is how you stay effective in that skill. It’s easy to stick to who and what you know, but then that is all you’ll ever be: stuck.

No one truly prepares you for the burnout you will face when you enter college.

Most College students have to hold a job throughout their studies to maintain financial stability. While balancing everything that comes with typical college student pressures on and off campus.

This is similar to what I had to face throughout my education. As I finished my junior year, I looked back and thought how lucky I was to have a job throughout these past pandemic years.

We all play different roles in our environments; what’s your role?

Humans tend to join many ecosystems, staying in some longer than others and leaving some quicker than we entered. Although there is always a driving force that would either keep one present or watch one go.

Moss is the green blanket of the forest, providing its environment the ability to soak up mountain moisture and rainfall, feeding thousands of plants the water they would need to thrive.

Wildfires are the landscapers that come only when an ecosystem is overtaken with low-growing underbrush that strips the soil of all its nutrition; they clean the forest floor, allowing the sunlight to once again nourish the soil.

Most college students can’t find the time to do the things that make them happy; they are too worried about what is happening around them. As a college student, a lot of time is spent balancing homework assignments, keeping track of finances, balancing relationships, prioritizing work, and finding time for yourself gets lost entirely.

Although, at DragonTree Media Group, I have had the opportunity to find that time, truly finding the balance between college norms and my happiness.

DragonTree Media Group is a marketing consultancy company that focuses on making brands come to life and the Geisinger Go Team is a great example of this. This opportunity will provide me with the chance to connect directly with our clients and develop relationships that will initiate better strategic plans to better promote their brand.

Growing up, my dad would take me fishing at my grandfather's lake in Nuangola. My first rod was an unconventional one at best. If you can recall, back then there was a rocket fishing pole commercial on TV and my parents bought it for me.

I owed it to myself to tackle my problems head-on and take back the strong, independent woman that I knew was buried beneath the insecurity and doubt.

Now, I’m sitting in my college apartment with only 2 weeks until I graduate with a Bachelor's Degree in Media & Journalism. Within these four years, I didn’t search for my purpose – it searched for me.

Were you the student in high school who was afraid to ask questions? I know I was. The thought of an entire classroom thinking I was asking a “stupid question” was worse than not getting clarification on something I was totally lost on.

That is not the way to go through life. You are only hurting yourself and impeding your growth when you refrain from asking questions. The truth is, asking questions unlocks the doors to success and knowledge and you will only be better because of it.

The body achieves what the mind believes. If you believe you can achieve it within your mind and one day you can achieve it as a whole. Find your motivation and drive to put it to good use. Make sure that's always in your mind why you are doing what you’re doing. Keep putting in the work and you will one day overcome that obstacle in your life.

1) Come with solutions. Not just problems.

2) Details are critical in a creative agency.

3) Figure out the right questions to ask.

4) Be courageous but also vulnerable.

5) Make mistakes but be brave enough to correct them.

6) Don’t be afraid to stick up for yourself, even in a professional environment. 

7) Think through how to articulate your position if higher-ups misunderstand you. 

8) Get uncomfortable. 

At one moment, an individual could be on the top of the world and then the very next, at the bottom of the food chain. I’ve learned that in order to be given the status of a leadership role, there must be sacrifice and willingness within an individual.

In a professional workspace setting, that could mean sacrificing one’s ego and taking a smaller role on an assignment or project until more responsibility can be entrusted to them.