Making the Jump

I have decided to make the move from Blogger to Wordpress. I will no longer be posting here but instead will be posting at http://karissamarie.wordpress.com/. Thanks everyone!!

Are We TOO Connected?

Awhile back I read an NY Times article entitled "Growing Up Digital, Wired for Distraction" about how all of the technology surrounding growing minds can be both a distraction to learning and enable it. Last week Seth Godin presented this food for thought:

http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d83451b31569e20133f423636c970b

This idea that has been rolling around my head for some time. Where would the world be without Blackberrys? I am so dependent on my own beautiful berry that I carry around my charger. For the life of me I cannot understand why places do not have more convenient outlet spacing! Because the world will end if the berry dies. Really. I won't be able to BBM, text, email, or check Facebook and Twitter! Going of the grid these days is completely unacceptable. In fact, I've gotten so desperate that I actually tote my Macbook around at all times just so I can log on at any possible moment. Without the mac, I feel empty. I equate this feeling to leaving my firstborn child behind at Walmart for hours before realizing the house is just too quiet.

These days people have expectations. Instant gratification is what its all about! If you don't respond within 5 minutes, don't doubt that you WILL BE SHUNNED from society. A few weeks ago, I became violently ill. Imagine the episode of Glee when Matthew Morrison becomes ill and is confined to his bed.  This was me. I didn't respond to emails, texts, bbms, or return phone calls. AND I felt HORRIBLE about this. Here I was on my sickbed and I felt guilt because I was not keeping constant contact.

I think it is time for an experiment. Because going completely off the grid during school is just not possible, I've decided to do this for three days over winter break. I am forgoing my computer and my blackberry.  I am turning off the bberry browser, turning off BBM, and lockin up the mac. Note: I am already hyperventilating at this thought. 


I predict that I will probably go into Facebook withdrawal; shivers, sweats, and all. IF you want to talk to me, give me an old-fashioned phone call. Because I would certainly love to hear your voice. I will probably need someone to check Facebook or Twitter for me.

Cyber Monday: Whats the Deal?

Okay, I missed out on some major Black Friday shopping because I was selling some fabulous cupcakes to weary shoppers. Am I a tad bit sad? You bet your butt I am! After spending the past 3 days talking to everyone else about their fabulous steals and wonderful purchases, I am lamenting my lost chance to spend mayjah dough on fluffy sweaters, nifty electronics, and whatever else I could possibly imagine. So I was the teeniest bit pumped to actually do a little bit of internet shopping on what has come to be known as Cyber Monday.

But it's 6:42 on this supposedly fantastic day and I have yet to find the glorious steals that my friends had the chances to find on Friday. I mean while there is no replacement for coming across the most luxurious cashmere sweater at 75% off in store and racing to try it on in the fitting room, only to buy it even if it doesn't fit. Because hey, WHO CARES, when its that cheap!?! However I was at least expecting some glorious cyber steals. I am left disappointed with what I have found today!

To give a little taste of my Cyber Monday experience, here a few of the email offers I recieved:

Aveda: 5 FREE samples
Anthropologie: FREE shipping
J.Crew: 25% off ALL men's and women's sweaters (plus, FREE shipping)
Barnes and Noble: FREE shipping

So the gist of Cyber Monday is FREE shipping. OH MA GOSH!!! Who can believe it, if you spend the regular amount of money per usual you get to save about $10!! Shocking. This is a world changing offer. Mind you this is an offer that is usually offered after you spend $50, depending on the website. Excuse me, but isn't the entire point of Cyber Monday to be the online version of Black Friday. I see very little correlation here.

If I were a company that was going to participate in Cyber Monday, I would offer better deals than just free shipping. Just because you can send me by book for free Barnes and Noble, doesn't mean I am going to order from your website. I could easily walk the few blocks to Barnes annd Noble, pay the same price for the book without having to wait for the shipping time. Unlike the shopping that occurs on Black Friday, there is no instant gratification from online shopping. I bought a pair of L.L. Bean boots two weeks ago and have yet to recieve them!

I wonder if other shoppers are enticed and fooled by the offers of measly free shipping? Am I being to picky here or do people agree that retailers should take more advantage of Cyber Monday and offer better steals to increase sales?

Really, MTV? Reality taken too far...

It seems like everyone is obsessed with MTV's latest batch of reality shows, specifically Jersey Shore. I'll admit that I watch that show, perhaps may even be addicted. In fact, sometimes I find myself making what I refer to as Snooki sounds. I'll leave you to your imagination. However, I have a major bone to pick with MTV's programming. The problem lies with the network's series 16 and Pregnant and the subsequent spin-off Teen Mom.

These two series are hugely popular among not just the younger generation, but I have found that people my parents age also watch these shows. My concerns over this reality series, which depicts young pregnant teenagers and their struggles and triumphs becoming young parents and their lives afterwards, lies not with adults who watch this show (though heaven knows what they think of the world after viewing the antics on national telvision), but with other young teens who think that having sex and becoming pregnant will lead them to reality television fame.

These shows glorify both the negative and positive aspects of becoming a teenage parent. I heard awhile back that the show was created to portray the struggles of being a teen parent. The purpose of 16 and Pregnant was to supposed "prevent" kids from becoming teen parents. But since the show has blown up, the stars have become regular covers on weekly tabloids and news on gossip sites.

Prime example: Teen Mom star Amber Portwood. Her violent antics and short-fused temper have not only garnered attention for the show but have brought attention to her personal life of the show. She has appeared numerous times on gossip blog Perez Hilton, concerning not only her violent ways but her latest outing to a local Walmart with her latest boyfriend. A positive aspect of Amber's popularity is that attention has been brought to her daughter's living situation and authorities have intervened.


But my argument is this: Young teens are watching kids just like themselves achieve some fame and fortune through a tv show about becoming pregnant, which in my opinion doesn't focus on the true struggles of teen parenting. There is no way to prevent young, impressionable minds from watching what is supposed to be pure entertainment, and think that they can achieve success by landing on such a show.

Would you let your children watch 16 and Pregnant or Teen Mom?

Internship Battling

It is around this time of year when it seems that college students really seem to lose their minds. Not just because of finals, group projects, and the usual hustle and bustle, but for juniors and seniors, it's time to finalize your spring schedule. Which means one thing: securing a great internship. Usually I wouldn't find this to be so stressful. But as a senior, I hope that an awesome spring internship will lead to either amazing recommendations or perhaps securing that ever elusive fantastic full time job after the impending doom of graduation. Can you tell that I am freaking out about becoming an actual, full-time adult?!?

After going on many. many interviews over the past few years, you would think that I would have the interview process down pat. But it never fails, I always get incredibly nervous which I am ashamed to say, leads to sweaty palms. And this means that when the inevitable handshake occurs, the situation becomes quite awkward.

In fact, one of the best bloggers that I know recently posted about getting an internship!! If you haven't ventured to Ramblings of a Redhead, I suggest you drop everything, whip out the Blackberry and get there now. 

At this point in time, I am proud to say that I have secured a fall internship! But now all of the focus is turned towards doomsday, a.k.a. graduation. It's time for this little girl to find a big girl job and not return to school in the fall for the first time in my 22 years of life. Am I in denial? Yes sir, you better believe it.

At this point, I am welcoming all suggestions for my job hunt. In fact, how does one even start planning their future beyond college? Do I pick a city I want to live in? Do I make a list of all the agencies that I would like to work for? Any and all help is all welcome!! Perhaps this is like deciding what colleges to apply to, just a thought. But for now, we college seniors, must focus on getting through the next two weeks of our lives.

Going beyond the Communications Industry

 Whenever I tell people that I am graduating with a degree in public relations, I can almost guareantee that the follow up question is not going to be the typical "and what do you plan on doing with that?" but rather "uhhhh, what is public relations?" I am ultimately always disappointed with my response because I feel like I can't adequately describe all the facets of public relations. The common person automatically brings up the term "spin doctor." Or better yet, "hack." Which let me tell you really really drives me insane. Public relations goes beyond simple media relations, "spinning" reputations, and at times, crisis communications. Today with the addition of the internet and social media, public relations is about building and sustaining relationships with core audiences and bridging the gap between the corporate banner and the commonplace customer. These are among the reasons why I am so unbelievably excited to enter the public relations industry at such a critical time.

This semester I have learned many important lessons by taking what I have learned from my professors and books and using the information in my everyday life. In fact I have Joseph Jaffe's book, Flipping The Funnel, to thank for landing me my second job at SWEET Cupcakes. At SWEET, part of the mission statement is not only to provide the best cupcake possible, but also to provide the best customer service possible to gain the respsect of the customer. In my interveiw I was asked what the term customer service meant to me. Ironically enough, I had just read the chapter in Jaffe's book about the customer experience. In short, customer service is just a component of the entire customer experience. Naturally, being a public relations major I managed to pull out this term and win over the interviewer. Now I love my job and am proud to call myself a "Sweetie."

Side Note: Jaffe's book is a must-read. Click your way over to Amazon to purchase!

Moral of the story: public relations isn't just for those working within the communications field. The lessons that I have learned in the classroom, at internships and reading books have managed to get me part-time jobs that I depend on to live my champagne lifestyle on a water budget. I haven't gotten the memo that I am supposed to be leading a broke college student lifestyle.

Email is Not Dead. Nice Try Facebook

Ok, everyone. Calm down. E-mail is not dead. We've seen ideas like this before that were supposed to revolutionize the way we communicate (i.e. Google Wave, Google Voice. NOTE: these are all Google Flops). Yes, Facebook is the end all be all of social networks. The introduction of "f-mail," for those of you not in the loop this is Facebook "e-mail," is Mark Zuckerberg's evil plan to become the "King of the Internet" and challenge the behemoth that is Google. See the recent launch of Facebook Places and even more recently the incorporation of Deals in order to edge over competition from FourSquare.

In my opinion while F-mail will undoubtedly become hugely popular among Facebook users and social media savy types, but color me old school, I do not believe that e-mail is going to become extinct. While you do not need a Facebook account to use f-mail, I know many people that just refuse to have anything to do with Facebook. The "social inbox" as Facebook is calling it belongs only to friends and not to your bank, mass e-newsletters, etc. While this is a great feature, I love the excitement I feel whenever I long into my gmail account and discover what is awaiting. Will it be a business email, a personal anecdote, or the latest Groupon? If I am not alone in the world here, this is a major reason why the e-mail account is here to stay.

My point is that when Facebook chat launched, AIM and iChat did not disappear. People still use these to communicate among the office or at work and socially. Most professional environments block personal Facebook use. Meanwhile there is no way to block your work e-mail. While I do admit that yes I will probably use f-mail, my g-mail account is here to stay. 

In my opinion while F-mail will become hugely popular among the younger demographic and social media world, it will not replace e-mail. E-mail is just too ingrained in the professional world. E-mail will not go way of the fax machine and a good old stamp letter, because f-mail is just not that different.