The Nest That Helped Me Grow

Social media is changing the world of advertising. Hi everyone! I’m Brooke Melicharek, a senior studying Advertising with a concentration in Brand Strategy & Research. I’ve also taken a few courses within Social Media Marketing and SEO. This semester, as well as last semester, I have been given the opportunity to intern as a Social Media Coordinator and Event Planner at The Nest at 1324. The Nest is an off-campus high rise apartment building for students located on Broad Street. 

Let’s start with social media. I’m sure almost everyone has experienced getting lost scrolling down Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest… Shall I keep going? Through Instagram and Facebook, I have been able to reach much larger audiences, increase brand awareness, engage with followers, attract new residents, and so much more. I’ve been able to learn what works and what doesn’t work  as far as social media engagement within this industry. The main site I use to create social posts is Canva, while occasionally using Photoshop. I am excited to increase my knowledge within the Adobe Creative Suite. I would really love to master Photoshop and Illustrator, as I think these can be great assets for my future. 

My experience working with this company has been great! I’ve learned a lot of valuable organizational skills, both personally and professionally. At the beginning of each month I create a tentative social post and event planning calendar. Each calendar breaks down the dates I will be posting and the content. I also break down what is needed to successfully run each event. I find that it’s extremely helpful for me to write everything down whether it’s ideas, meeting notes, lists, basically anything and everything.

Some advice that I would give to others is don’t be afraid to ask questions and/or ask for help. Asking questions doesn’t mean you are incompetent, it means you’re curious and motivated to learn! Everyone at The Nest is more than willing to help me out whenever I have questions. The support from my mentor is something for which I will always be thankful. No matter what the situation is, I know that she wants to see me succeed and that is an amazing feeling to have when coming into the workplace. 

I’ve learned a lot of great event planning skills from my mentor since she used to work in event planning. Something as small as adding flower petals to a tray of stacked muffins completely changes the aesthetic and adds so much. Also, I’ve learned that it’s always better to over order than under order. One of the most important skills I’ve learned through event planning is adaptability. In the world of events, it’s a given that things might go wrong. Rather than feeling defeated if something goes wrong, I’ve learned to be resilient and think quickly. Overall, this experience has definitely met my expectations and I am thankful to have learned so much both professionally and within myself! 

“The human bird shall take his first flight, filling the world with amazement, all writings with his fame, and bringing eternal glory to the nest whence he sprang.” -Leonardo da Vinci