dare to step outside your comfort zone

I am a transfer student and senior majoring Advertising with a concentration in Art Direction.  I started out as a Criminal Justice major at Northampton Community College for two years.  It took me a while to realize that I wanted to do something that made me feel complete and happy inside and not what everyone else wanted.  The best advice I have for anyone out there that feels small and confused in this busy and overwhelming city is this; putting yourself first is the best decision you can make for yourself before you move onto making big decisions that impact years of your life.  It’s okay to be unsure, to change your mind, to take a break and even take your time.  Working at your own pace is essential to becoming the best version of yourself.  Your work, personality, skillsets, ethics and overall mindset will flourish if you take the time to do your own thing.  Yes, there are deadlines in life but this internship and my two years at Temple taught me the value of one thing, time management.

Managing your time and giving yourself short breaks in between schoolwork and real-life work will save you a lot of stress and give you more time to rest your body to perform the best at future tasks.  I’m a preproduction intern at Tweed Video Production.  My biggest role was to research people or groups of people that fit the criteria of our docuseries before casting, shooting, and editing videos online via AOL and Comcast.  Participating in on-location shoots was optional to get additional Production Assistance knowledge of the video production field.  I went for something a little different from Art Direction to widen my horizons because you never know what you like and don’t like until you try it.  I’m glad that I took the risk of trying something different because I have a broader knowledge of how American media works today.  It even inspired me to try out video production as a career-starter after college.

The opportunities are endless when it comes to media, film, and communication since it evolves within society every day.  It is a very competitive field so you must have the drive to make the best concept/idea out there to stick out and resonate with people.  Another thing I learned from the internship is you are not alone.  Don’t be afraid to ask for help or be ashamed of not knowing something.  Everyone works as a team especially in this field so it’s best to gain as much knowledge as you can to lift your team!  Everyone at Tweed was very friendly, funny, and helpful.  It also helps to get along with everyone you’re working with so you feel comfortable and safe in an environment where you must work your hardest.  Always be honest, curious, thoughtful and intuitive in your internship and anywhere you go in life.  Staying stagnant will lead to regrets and missed opportunities.  Take as much as you can being young now and SHOW GRATITUDE; it will pay off in the future.