Life Comes At You Fast

Well, I am in the last 2 weeks of my senior year of college and I am FREAKING OUT! I have been a bit of a nutcase these past few weeks (ask my boyfriend, Conor). Whew! I am about to graduate and I am applying for jobs, interviewing (finally) and trying to decide on the next step. I have pretty much been scoping out jobs this entire last semester of school and hadn't gotten a bite yet. Until this week.. I am finally being contacted for interviews! YAY, right? Um, yes and no. There are so many decisions to make, hence the freaking out.

But I have just decided that life comes at you fast and you've just got to roll with the punches. Whatever is meant to be will be. That's my philosophy and I am sticking to it. So bring it on, life.

On a lighter note, here is a picture from RASTA, my last Phi Mu party at Galettes. Bittersweet. Goodbye sorority bills! (Let's just say the 'rents are extremely happy about that!)

Until next time, this is "Erin Lately"

Job Interview Tips

I have been doing a little research on the internet and have found a few tips on how to ace the job interview. Here is a list of 6 things to remember and that I found to be of the utmost importance. Please feel free to leave me a comment if you think I have left something out. Thanks!


1. First and foremost, learn about the company or organization you are interviewing with. Nothing says "I don't care and I'm not that smart," as a lack of knowledge about the organization.

2. Always meet the interviewer with a firm handshake. (But not too firm!) This shows the employer that you are a serious individual who wants to be respected. And this statement goes out to my fellow ladies; no one likes a dainty, weak handshake. Not gonna to cut it!

3. Bring extra copies of your resume, cover letter and business cards. In most cases, I have learned from experience, you will meet with two or more employees with the organization.

4. Think about your strengths and weaknesses before the interview. Good or bad. They will ask what they are, I promise!

5. Be ready to tell the person a little about yourself. Tell them about your background, education, experience, what interests you and why you applied for the position.

6. Always, always, always write and mail a thank you letter (on personal stationery) to the employer immediately following the interview. Do not pass go, do not collect $200. Make sure with do this within 3 days of the interview. It is so important to thank the person for their time and meeting with you. Be sure to include something that you discussed with them in the interview (this makes the letter more personal and lets them know that you were listening). Also, this may be the very thing that sets you apart from the other candidates!

So good luck to you, my fellow job hunters!
Until next time, this is 'Erin Lately'

Spring Has Sprung

A little late sharing but what can I say? SBK10 was a blast! I definitely went out with a BANG, I must say. I went to Destin, FL with some of my closest friends (16 of them to be exact) for the entire week.

I did the typical spring break regimen everyday which consist of sleeping, eating, laying out, going out, sleeping, eating and pretty much being a worthless human being. A waste of perfectly good space was exactly what I wanted to be and I have to say my mission was a complete success.

Now I have been back to school for a few weeks and the next BIG event to look forward to is most definitely graduation. I will graduate from The University of Alabama on May 8th in the Coleman Coliseum at 9 a.m. Whoa!! I can't believe I am almost there. Its such a surreal feeling to know that at exactly this time next year I will be working an 8-5 job, 5 days a week. Yikes. That's a scary and exciting thought all at the same time. (I just can't wait to start paying back those student loans! Yes! *spoken with much sarcasm*)

Currently, I am hot and heavy on the job search..
**Dear Employers, You want to hire me! I will do great work for you and your company needs my expertise! I will graduate from the #1 PR program in the nation. That's a pretty big deal!** =)

Anyways, I'm planning on moving to Birmingham at some point after graduation. Hopefully this summer (that's if I have successfully found work), but if not this summer definitely in the fall. Geeez, the older you get, the quicker time passes by! Weekends used to be as far as I could see but now everything is "next month," "in the Fall," "next year," and "two years from now." Why is that? My parents always told me that "time flies" and I didn't believe them, but now I am a believer.

Also, Happy late Easter! Spring has sprung and I am so excited! Bring on the heat. I'm so tired of cold weather I can hardly stand it.. And I know in just a few short months I will be begging for winter to make its return! Its just a vicious cycle. But my Easter holiday was fantastic. I went home to to visit with family and friends and to enjoy my mother's famous potato salad (the secret is to use "new" potatoes) and baked, honey glazed ham. Oh how I love traditions! Here's a photo from Easter Sunday of me and the parental units! Happy Spring Y'all!

Until next time, this is me lately!

Carpe Diem!

Happiness keeps you sweet, trials keep you strong, sorrows keeps you human, failures keep you humble, success keeps you glowing but only God keeps you going. ~Author Unknown

Why You Should "Tweet"

This post mainly goes out to my family and friends who are still stuck in the dark ages of MySpace and Facebook. This is not meant to bash either of these social media sites but to help you see above and beyond. For others, if your family and friends are like mine, they are just now getting the hang of Facebook and all of the many new features it offers. This being the case, I ask myself, "When will they catch up and join the booming world of Twitter?" I have heard so many say; "It's just status updates," "I don't understand it," "I have better things to do with my time." And although some choose to use Twitter for telling their followers what they ate for breakfast, others are using it for far more interesting things.

Here are 5 reasons why I think you should use Twitter:

1.  News, News, News. Twitter is a great source for breaking news (**this is depending on who you choose to "follow")  It is best for receiving recent news on topics that interest YOU. For instance, I am a PR major, which means that I like to be kept up to date on the most recent trade stories. So, I follow PRSAnews, PRwise, BamaAPR and SocialMedia411. I also follow abc3340 for local news and FoxNews for national news. You may follow all people and things that interest you. The beauty of Twitter is that you control the content that you receive and follow.

2. Entertainment. You can follow anyone that you think is entertaining. I use Twitter to follow celebrities and to see what they are up to. I find entertainment value in following celebrities that I like and would love to meet. Following them on Twitter is like my little imaginary world because they are actually "tweeting" themselves and no one is doing it for them. It makes you feel like you are friends and actually know them. haha! Now that is entertainment! Some of the celebs that I choose to follow are: Barbara Walters, Lady Gaga, Pink, Jimmy Fallon, and Kim Kardashian.

3. Friendship. I follow friends that I actually know and people that I may not know but that share the same interests as I do. It's a great way to keep up with old friends and make new ones. My best friends Courtney and Claire are on Twitter. Follow them at courtmcdonald and claire_peters!

4. Gathering opinions and advice. Twitter is a great way to get an opinion on something from friends and trusted sources. For example, you could ask your followers to give you their opinion(s) on a new restaurant in town, a particular brand or product or a new hair-do you are trying out. This goes hand-in-hand with gathering advice also.

5. Personal Branding. Twitter is a new and innovative way to get your name out there and to create an image for yourself. You have control over what you say and how people perceive you as a person. If you are like me, this could be a great way for me to sell myself,  my thoughts, ideas and opinions to potential employers (that is only if the employer is actively using Twitter). And for example, I promote "Erin Lately" by tweeting when I've posted a new blog (such as when I post this one, I'll "tweet" the link).

So for all you non-users out there, embrace social media and all it has to offer. Follow these simple steps and you are on your way to 20Trend:

1. Go to www.twitter.com
2. Click on the big green button that says, "Sign up now"
3. Type in your information and Viola!
4. Follow me @emshipl


Until next time.

Coming Soon:

Why you should "Tweet."

Soapbox.

So yes, I am taking another elective course from the College of Human Environmental Sciences. And no, I am not happy about it. Why am I taking it again you may ask. Well, someone in the College of Communications decided that it would make me a well rounded person if I had to take so many elective courses outside of my college and major. This is not the brightest of bright ideas in my opinion. While I could be taking a journalism, mass communication or graphic design course to better help me in my chosen field of study, I am taking other classes such as Individual & Family Resource Management and Women's Studies instead. Blah, blah, blah. Let my rant and rave continue! But for a brief moment, I'd like to discuss an interesting topic that one of these "elective" courses have brought to light for me.

While reading for my Individual & Family Resource Management class, I came across the topic, the science of happiness. This made me stop and think about all the things that can make a person happy. Most people would think that money is the root of all happiness. But while reading, I found this to be completely untrue. Although money makes a person a small amount happier, things such as family and friends, children, religion, music, pets, exercise and food ranked in a lot higher than that of money. Crazy to think that when things in our life aren't as great as we want them to be, we feel that if only we had a little more money we would be much more happier. I know that I am guilty of thinking this when things in my life aren't exactly going my way.

So, where am I going with this? I would like to share with you some of my findings on how a person can be happier and have a more satisfying life. According to psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky, there are eight things a person can do to make him or herself happier.

1. Count your blessings. One way to do this is with a “gratitude journal” in which you write down three to five things for which you are currently thankful—from the mundane (your peonies are in bloom) to the magnificent (a child’s first steps). Do this once a week, say, on Sunday night. Keep it fresh by varying your entries as much as possible.

2. Practice acts of kindness. These should be both random (let that harried mom go ahead of you in the checkout line) and systematic (bring Sunday supper to an elderly neighbor). Being kind to others, whether friends or strangers, triggers a cascade of positive effects—it makes you feel generous and capable, gives you a greater sense of connection with others and wins you smiles, approval and reciprocated kindness—all happiness boosters.

3. Savor life’s joys. Pay close attention to momentary pleasures and wonders. Focus on the sweetness of a ripe strawberry or the warmth of the sun when you step out from the shade. Some psychologists suggest taking “mental photographs” of pleasurable moments to review in less happy times.

4. Thank a mentor. If there’s someone whom you owe a debt of gratitude for guiding you at one of life’s crossroads, don’t wait to express your appreciation—in detail and, if possible, in person.

5. Learn to forgive. Let go of anger and resentment by writing a letter of forgiveness to a person who has hurt or wronged you. Inability to forgive is associated with persistent rumination or dwelling on revenge, while forgiving allows you to move on.

6. Invest time and energy in friends and family. Where you live, how much money you make, your job title and even your health have surprisingly small effects on your satisfaction with life. The biggest factor appears to be strong personal relationships.

7. Take care of your body. Getting plenty of sleep, exercising, stretching, smiling and laughing can all enhance your mood in the short term. Practiced regularly, they can help make your daily life more satisfying.

8. Develop strategies for coping with stress and hardships.There is no avoiding hard times. Religious faith has been shown to help people cope, but so do the secular beliefs enshrined in axioms like “This too shall pass” and “That which doesn’t kill me makes me stronger.” The trick is that you have to believe them.

Well, in that case, I have a lot of work to do. I think steps 5, 7 and 8 will be most challenging for me. I do consider myself an extremely happy person, but I think I can handle a little more happiness in my life!

Until next time, this is me lately!

Food for thought

Now, let me get this straight.....We are going to pass a health care plan written by a committee whose chairman says he doesn't understand it, passed by a Congress that hasn't read it but exempts themselves from it, to be signed by a president that also hasn't read it and who smokes, with funding administered by a treasury chief who didn't pay his taxes…all to be overseen by a surgeon general who is obese, and financed by a country that's nearly broke. What could possibly go wrong?

-Anonymous

Social Media Revolution

Interesting YouTube video. Do you think social media is just a fad?

Click on this link: Social Media Revolution

Retraction

Retraction: A public statement, by the author of an earlier statement, that withdraws, refutes, or diametrically reverses the original statement.

Now that you are clear on what a retraction entails, I would like to explain why I would like to make one. On a previous post of mine, I shared the wonderful news of receiving an internship with The Children's Hospital in Birmingham for the Spring 2010 semester. After further discussion with the communications staff at Children's, they wanted me to start mid semester.

**In the meantime, I received an e-mail from the contact I had met at Glenwood Autism and Behavioral Health Center in Birmingham, AL.**

So, before heading home for Christmas break, I interviewed with staff members at Glenwood and discussed a Spring internship with the organization. After waiting a few weeks, I finally received a call informing me that I had been chosen as their intern for the ENTIRE Spring 2010 semester. I was extremely excited to hear this news because I feel this will be a great opportunity for me to experience the nonprofit side of public relations. With that being said, I retract my statement from my previous post. I will not be working at Children's but at Glenwood Autismn and Behavioral Health Center. There.

About Glenwood:

• It is the oldest and largest autism health provider in the state of Alabama.
• It was established in 1973 and is a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit autism and behavioral health center.
• It provided services for more than 7,000 individuals from Alabama this year, through its 20 plus services including diagnostic and assessment services, vocational training, supportive employment, residential, and supportive home living.
• Glenwood Autism and Behavioral Health Center accepts ongoing donations from corporations and individuals at http://www.glenwood.org/od.org or via mail to: Glenwood Autism Donations, 150 Glenwood Lane, Birmingham, AL 35242-5700.

Monday, Jan. 11 was my first day on the job. And.... I absolutely loved it! They immediately put me to work and (+) I even have my own desk and computer. The staff at Glenwood is extremely nice and seem to be very sincere in wanting me to learn and take as much as I can from this internship. I will go back Friday for my second day and I am really excited to get to work. There are so many events coming up that I'll get to have a part in. **FYI: Autism Awareness Month is in April** I'll keep you all posted on what is to come..
Not only was Monday the first day of my new internship but it was the first day of my last semester of college. WOW! I can't even believe it. It feels bittersweet to me. I am already feeling sad about leaving my "home" in a few months and embarking on a new journey in a world that is much bigger outside of Tuscaloosa. Last night, I found myself sitting on our huge sectional sofa in the Phi Mu house, watching American Idol on our huge flat screen TV with several of my sorority sisters. This is an occurrence that happens EVERY night. Maybe not the American Idol part but all of us sitting together "couching it" as we call it. But, it seemed that all at once we realized that this would all be over in a matter of months and we wouldn't be able to come in everyday from long days of school, classes and work just to relax and spend time together. What a bummer right!? But enough about the sad stuff.. This semester is going to be great and I am going to enjoy every second of it!! So, I'll leave you with pictures of things that I will miss the most about college:
1. SPRING BREAK



2. Ahhh the parties/swaps...



3. Game days



and much more.. These are just a few of my favorite things!

Until next time, this is me lately!