Online Portfolios

We learned how to make online portfolios in class the other day. I had no idea how easy it was on Blackboard... and apparently it's pretty easy through the web, too. Honestly, I wasn't sure what I was going to be getting out of this Business writing class. I figured it would just be a class of busy work learning things like memos that really seemed common sense. BUT, I really think I'm going to see some major benefits from this class.

Besides learning how to create a professional resume and cover letter (which I really needed to learn), I think the most beneficial part of this class will be the final portfolios. I know that it will come in handy when applying for internships, grad school, and jobs. I mean now that I know how to create one, it will be a breeze to update it every year. I think this is something that employers and college admissions will value greatly when accepting or hiring students. With our society become increasingly dependent on technology, having an online portfolio should really impress future employers. And that is exactly what I want to do... have something that stands out and sets me apart. Hopefully my final portfolio will add that extra edge that I need to get an internship or get into an awesome grad school.

So, whenever I finish this portfolio, I'll try to post it so that you can see the outcome and offer any helpful advice. I really can't wait to complete this project, because I know that I will be using it as soon as it is up and, hopefully, it will help me lock up a great internship for next summer.

Project Update

Our Red Cross project is coming along, slowly but surely. I think it's taking awhile for 4 classes of 15 groups to all pick an audience and marketing strategy that doesn't overlap with any other group's. Luckily, our group idea is to market small offices and businesses and we are the only ones who chose that, so we have no competition. I think our only snag is finding out whether or not we have to actually attempt to implement this plan. I mean mailing letters to thousands of small offices around the upstate could take awhile, and a lot of resources. I'm pretty sure it's safe to say that we aren't going to be doing that. So now we just have to make one letter that can apply to the wide range of businesses we are targeting.

The letter and the brochure will be the easy part though. The hard part will be planning every aspect of this new association that we are creating: The Red Cross Health and Safety Association. The whole idea is to create an association that businesses can join by contributing a certain amount of money. Some of that money would go back to helping the community during emergencies and disasters, and the rest of the money will go to allowing the business's staff to be trained in CPR, AED, and/or First Aid.

I think our idea is awesome, it is just going to take a lot of thinking and planning to get it just right. I have full confidence that our group can pull it off, as long as we continue to meet regularly and work hard on our own to do research, which I'm sure we will. I can't wait to see how this idea progresses... and I'll keep posting updates as well.

Presentations

We have a presentation coming up in Business writing class. Apparently it can be about anything... it's purpose is just to show our presentation skills with a powerpoint. I'm not going to lie, I'm pretty sure I know how to create a good powerpoint for a presentation, but my presentation skills are definitely lacking. What can I say? I'll just never be that person that is comfortable standing up in front talking to a large group. They say the more you do it, the easier it gets. In some ways, that's true... but the nervousness, the hands' sweating, and the shaking are always there.

I've had to give all kinds of presentations and speeches throughout school and work, but there are 3 that I remember as the most terrifying: speaking at graduation, and the final presentations at the end of my 2 internships. At graduation, I had to come up with that speech completely on my own and then speak to a football stadium full of people with no powerpoint to rely on... talk about nerve-racking. At Milliken, I had to present the results of my projects to the rest of the interns and to the high-ranking officers of the company... that kind of thing is never easy. The speeches went well, but I would never want to go through them again. I honestly hate the feeling of a huge audience staring at you listening to and critiquing every word you say, just waiting for you to make a mistake and catch you on it. I thought that taking public speaking at Clemson would help calm those fears, but I was pretty wrong. I suffered through that class and came out with one of my only two B's ever. So, needless to say, I'm not really looking forward to this presentation in class.

Granted, this is just a routine, class powerpoint presentation and there is absolutely no reason to be nervous... but tell that to my shaking hands every time I give one of those routine presentations. Since I can pick whatever topic I want for this, I'm looking for one that I'll actually be excited about giving, so maybe I won't be so nervous. It has to be something I've done, know a lot about, or am just a fan of. I'm thinking about giving a "report" of some sort on my trip to Europe, or maybe just pick one of my favorite cities and tell about that. My study abroad experience was 3 of the best months of my life, and I'm sure I would love to retell part of that. So, hopefully giving this presentation won't be nearly as nerve-racking. If anyone has any ideas on an awesome topic... or just a cure for my fear of public speaking, I would love to hear it! If not, I'll let you know how it goes.

"Suddenly I See"

I stole the title of my blog from a song that I love right now, KT Tunstall's "Suddenly I See". It's not so much that I love the singer, I just love the song and the lyrics, and it seemed to fit right in with what I want this blog to be about. The song talks about this girl that has it all and inspires you to be all you want to be. Part of it goes, "Suddenly I see, this is what I wanna be. Suddenly I see why the hell it means so much to me. I feel like walking the world, like walking the world...." I guess I just want to be that girl that is so happy because she's living her dreams, whatever they may be.

This blog is required for my Business Writing class, but I hope to make it more than just a required assignment. I'll write my reflections of class, but also on how I "see" things on any given day. I think it'll be a great stress-releasing activity to get all my thoughts out and tell anyone who wants to know, how I "see" the world. Who knows, it may be an eye-opener for some, maybe even me.

So far, I'm pretty happy with this Business Writing class. I went in thinking it would be my easy class this semester, but found out that I would have a much different experience than my friends who took this class. I'm pretty excited about working with an actual client, and even more excited that it is the Greenville Red Cross. It's great to work with a client, but to work with one that truly makes remarkable differences in people's lives is, well, an honor. It'll be more work than I expected, or wanted, considering I am taking 18 hours and have other classes I would rather spend my time on, but I'm thinking it'll be a pretty rewarding experience. And hopefully, I can help the Red Cross touch a few more people, maybe save a few more lives. I see the bigger picture here, which isn't getting an A to boost my GPA and marking off a required course... it is making a difference in the community.

So... to my fellow classmates, welcome to my first complete assignment. And to other friends and family that want to read this, welcome to my thoughts.