What I Wish I Knew...

As I started to think about things that I wish I knew when I was just starting my life as PR major that I know now, I realized that everything I've learned so far has been so much greater than I initially thought it would be. To be honest, I chose the PR concentration because it seemed like it would be the easiest thing for me to do. As I have gone through the program, I couldn't be happier that I chose Mass Communication and more specifically Public Relations.

When I first entered the major, I thought PR was mainly just handling the press for the company one works for. So I thought I would be learning how to be a press mediator and disseminator of news releases. And I thought if I got really lucky, I would get a job working for a celebrity or something so I would be dealing with high profile people. This is pretty much the realm that I placed PR in.

As I've gone through the classes, I've learned there is SO much more to PR. First of all, and I think my favorite aspect, is event planning. This is a huge segment. We spent a whole semester planning the Athletic Auction...for a class! To me, this was the best class I could ever take. I did learn that there is so much more to planning an event than I ever imagined, I learned that I love this side of PR. I like being involved behind the scenes, so I hada blast. Aside from event planning, there is also the tourism and hospitality industries which are also very different and really exciting. There are also many opportunities for design. I think the main thing I have learned is the the PR field is extremely wide and the options are almost limitless.

I would recommend keeping an open mind while thinking about jobs after graduation. And don't feel like you are going to get lost in a world of writing press releases. Although I actually do enjoy writing them, there is much more to do for everyone else. Get excited about all the PR field has to offer!