Dream Jobs

Hello all!

Lately I've had "dream jobs" on my mind lately, and on a lazy Friday afternoon, I thought writing a blog post about it seemed like a good thing to do! So with no further ado, my top three dream jobs.

1. Residence Life Cross-Campus and Community Representative
Okay, to some extent this is part of all of our jobs, yes? But what I really want is a specific job that allows me the time to exclusively foster strong relationships with different departments and organizations in the community for means of co-collaboration. Collaboration is something very important to me, and I believe that there is so much potential for great programming waiting to be tapped. Too many times I think we work independently (not to say it is not necessary) but I can only imagine what would happen if we often teamed up to provide for our students. I want to know, and work, with other University and community members to create a more enriching environment for our students during their time at college. Does this position exist at your school? Your opinions?

2. Graphic Designer for Residence Life Programs
OKAY Y'ALL. I just really love design. I would probably get boosted from this job if I ever had it quickly by a legitimate graphic designer, but it still is a dream job. Marketing usually takes care of the big H&F things in terms of publicity, but I wish I could help with publicity for RAs, RSA/RHA, and Faculty-in-Residence programs in all residence halls. Actually, I think what I most want to be is a graphics and event consultant. I don't know everything, but I really really do love design. And I think it is such an important factor in programming. And I just want to help everyone be successful! Dream job for sure.


3. Women's Suit Boutique Owner
When I look for suits for interviews or the job, all I see is drab, antique, or pricy. Some say clothes don't matter or shouldn't matter, but I think they do. For some, loving an outfit and looking good in it is quite a confidence booster. In regards to drabness, I feel like the focus is always on black, grey, and tan suits, but I do think prints and color can have a place in the business world. Truthfully, I want to revolutionize the way we think about women's suits - there is a way to look classy but fun (happy!) and not look gaudy. I imagine a world of delicate colors and feminine floral prints, or bright graphic prints for the bolder woman. And when I say suits I mean suits, not bodycon skirts and cropped blazers. I'm not even sure you can get the look I'm thinking of, but if you can it means going to a countless number of stores and paying a hefty amount. I want to create a store specifically for the fashion-driven women who don't want to break their bank account, where they can conveniently find beautiful separates all under one roof.

What is/are your dream job(s)? Do they exist - are you pursuing them to make them exist? :)

must'a been an awful storm...

I know, I know. I have been gone for so long!
Well I've been here the whole time, just focusing on other personal things than my career.

I have started working more with my interest in photography and I had a two week long trip to New Mexico. I had hoped to visit the campus during my time, but unfortunately didn't get the chance to.

I feel that things are kind of settling down, getting into a schedule, and now I can focus more on my career aspirations. I have been working on my application to apply for grad school (yay!) and I have been thinking a lot about what I would like to accomplish in the next year.

Currently with my downtime, I think I'd like to perhaps find a virtual internship? I can't seem to find much work in Waxahachie, but I'd like to find more things to work on to occupy my time. I'd also like to find an internship right now or in the spring time because I think I'd like to actually work next summer to start saving some money up.

I think that's about it for me right now :)

I hope to update at least once a week, more often if I find anything of interest.

xoxo e

Where do I begin?

I spent time today looking into schools across the nation to try to come up with some idea of where I would like to go after I get my master's degree (I know I am jumping ahead of the gun seeing as I haven't even applied, much less got accepted, to graduate school)... but I digress.

My current thoughts are that I would like to stay away from Texas and Oklahoma so that I may experience something different. I am also avoiding the general tornado alley area considering I think I've been plagued enough with them my past four years, and I'm not too keen on California because of earthquakes. Random, I know, but I don't particularly want to live in natural disaster-prone areas.

Other than that, I am not sure what I want! What should I even be looking for in a school I am considering working at? For anybody who teaches in the university atmosphere, what brought you to the school you are working at? I really love the University of Oklahoma, but I just don't know that is in the cards for me to stay put. If it is though, I'll be much obliged. Back to what I was saying, I am just not sure what to look for - at this point I don't know that I'm entirely sure even what I want to do in the realm of higher education. I really think I would enjoy anything where my job primarily involved dealing with new students because I love their enthusiasm. Even more so I love students who aren't enthusiastic because getting them to that point just feels that much better. I am heavily weighing out my GA options in hopes that they may help me discover what I love the most. I'd love to work with student life, but am also highly interested in the leadership and volunteer graduate assistantship. I also think it would be fun to work with housing again because I don't truthfully know if I can ever give up my attachment to residence life!

As far as universities go, I think I would like to work at another state university since it's what I am most used to, but am also interested in working with the Art Institutes. A lot of research needs to happen in the days to come though. I'm hoping to find universities I might like so that I can pursue an internship with them between my years of graduate school and build a rapport with them.

As for what else is to come in the year.. a JOB! I am searching for a job as we speak and have found two that I need to fill out the applications for this week and hopefully I will get one of them, or at some point soon another job. The two I am looking at are in the education field (one at the local high school and the other at the university in town).

Guess I'll go work on those applications now, but I will blog again soon :) !

erikah meets the world.

In a little over a month I will graduate and officially be done with my time here at the University of Oklahoma.

What's on the horizon?

I am not entirely sure.

I felt like my life was going to fall apart, but know that I am in power of keeping it together and I control my future. I can't just let it go by the wayside anymore and I can't expect things to just come to me (you think I would have learned this long ago.)

I've come to the realization that I don't think I want to completely saturate myself and work in the music industry, but I would love for my future career to involve music in some way, shape, or form. I have also opened myself up to many other career options, so it is going to be interesting to see what happens. Right now I think it would be interesting to work for a non-profit organization, beauty pageants, tourism.. probably other things as well. I will actually be very excited to just work on almost anything where I can perhaps do promotions or something. While this is all very 'scary' to think about growing up, it's amazing at the same time.

Within the past day my plans for the near future have changed. I hope to stay in Norman, Okla. for the summertime and work a summer camp position while also volunteering with OU's Lindsey + Asp Student PR/Advertising Agency and am also looking into summer virtual internships. My options come fall are to return home and find something there, or, if God allows, I am hoping to get an internship for a semester's time. I never thought about doing graduate school, but occurred to me today if I can score internships to last me until Fall 2011, perhaps I could just start graduate school then. So now doors are opened to look at grad schools, but I just am not sure yet what to major in. I am actually very divided on that subject, but I hope to find a school to where I can GA in someway.

Just trying to stay positive :) I know that it will take plenty of time, but I hope to find the job of my dreams through hard work and dedication to the process.