Journey From the East to Look for Inspiration
I can say that starting my second semester of senior year in college was a little overwhelming. I could not get my mind right about graduating in just a few months. However, when I stopped to look back at all the opportunities I had and the people I met, it made this moment feel right.
During the winter semester of my senior year at Hanover College, I had to work on COMPS (Comprehensive Exam). This project allowed me to show skills and knowledge related to my major: Communication. Throughout the process, we had to create a digital portfolio and present it to our peers and the Communication department.
A few days after I started working on my project, I got the confirmation that I would be attending the NMGZ community's trip to LA. I was super excited because that would be my first time on the West Coast, and it would also be an incredible opportunity. However, I thought that going on this trip would slow down the progress of my project.
"Is it worth it going all the way to LA?"
After reviewing the trip's schedule and a long conversation with my advisor, I decided it would be worth it to make the trip. The week before the trip I sat down and organized my days, to make it work with every project deadline that I had.
Even with all my days planned, I was having a hard time coming up with ideas for my digital portfolio. When I realized that I had nothing done, the trip was the next day. This meant that I would have to spend a good amount of time working on it during the trip, and I thought that I wouldn't have time to really focus on this project.
I got to LA with some butterflies in my stomach and not 100% sure what to expect. However, since the moment that I met the group and had my first interactions with everyone, I came up with an idea for my project. It was incredible; it felt like I was meant to be there.
Right place at the right time
Being surrounded by students from all over the country and worldwide, from different cultures, with various opinions and unique identities, was a great experience. This feeling of having an absurd amount of information made me focus my digital portfolio on how my major influenced and kept influencing different aspects of my identity.
During the trip, we had the opportunity to meet and talk to companies that have a huge impact on everyone's lives nowadays: ABC7 TV, Warner Bros. Studios, The Wonderful Company, NBCUniversal, IW Group Inc., and Deutsch. While meeting all of these companies, I got to see how the "real world" works, and I started absorbing everything I could from that experience.
However, one specific visit gave me ideas and helped me get my thoughts together: the visit to Deutsch. It was inspirational to see how the office works and how it was separated into sections where every employee can be themselves and work in an environment that cares about them and their opinions.
During our time at Deutsch, Ms. Julie Aron, Senior Vice President and Director of Talent Acquisition, was ready to hear our opinions and be open to suggestions about how Gen Z sees the world nowadays and how they can keep up with the generation. This was our last visit on the trip, and it was the best way to finish this experience.
Wouldn't trade this opportunity for anything else!
It is a little insane to think that a four-day trip to the other side of the country was everything that I needed to find motivation to work on my final project in college. I created a type of website as my digital portfolio, where I talked about how being a Communication Major has influenced who I am as a person today.
My goal for this project after my trip to LA was to focus not only on my achievements as a college student but also on the impact that my decision to be a Communication Major would have on various aspects of my identity. My experiences have impacted me in "simple little ways" and made me into who I am today.
I end with this simple, meaningful quote:
"Dê tempo ao tempo" – Give time some time
