5 over 152

         

Plug in the four banger, set the board on the chairs, plug in the dx cable, look up at the monitor and see it spiraling out control. “You have three minutes left” - says a name somewhere off in the room. My heart was pounding. My teammates look at me as I become whitewashed with stress. Yes, this is NSAC and this is our A/V rehearsal. 

No the lights weren’t working. Who was in charge of setting them up? Oh yeah, me. When we were allowed a mere 15 minutes of A/V rehearsal the lights didn’t work. We went back to the hotel room, set everything up and they worked there. But, why not in the actual room?! 

West Texas A&M University’s advertising team Buffalo Advertising was lucky enough to be selected as the wildcard team and make it to nationals with our awe inspiring light showcasing, soccer ball hitting, presentation and I was going to be responsible for making it fail. 

          

We had traveled to Austin as excited as ever, meeting teams and being awestruck as we ran into #buffstahce (The University of Alabama) in the elevator - they were the team we ended up bonding the most with. Our competition was UCLA, College Station, Penn State, Syracuse, and other notable schools - so not exactly for the feint of heart. The first time a team from WT had mad it’s way to the national level for NSAC. We were a quarter horse among thoroughbreds. 

I think the big thing for me about this convention and competition was how lucky and honored we felt to even be there. The networking opportunities were amazing. Naturally our competitive nature emerged and we began to wonder “what if.” What if the small wildcard team placed? What if we got first? What if? 

When we walked into the presentation room and began our actual set up - the lights worked. Not only did they work, but there was a chandelier right above us that we pointed one at to reflect it tenfold, couldn’t have planned that any better. Our lines were slow for once. I hit my mark for once. We were great. 

Our Q/A with the judges was mostly a compliment section with one question that was answered with great response. Holy Moly - those ‘what ifs’ became ‘when will we knows’. When the 1-4th place teams were announced and WT was not on that list (congrats to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for first and our friends at Alabama for second) I literally turned and said “oh that just means we got fifth.” 

Little did I know. 

                     

West Texas A&M Univ. received 5th in the nation. 5th out of 152 other teams that competed this year. What an incredible feeling that was. We all felt like we had just gotten first. We beat not only one, but BOTH teams that we lost to on the district level. We were proud. We were honored. 

I can now leave WT and my last experience as a ‘student’ happy. Happy that NSAC has taught me more than I could ever imagine. More than I thought I would ever know. It stood out on my resume. It helped me get to where I am in my career. So thanks to my team, my coaches, my advisors, and everyone else that was involved because without the support and encouragement we wouldn’t be where we are today.

And as always, “Go Buffs!” 

In limbo

Lining a hallway, finding my place in line, breathing and smiling as I walked into the room. Sitting down. Facing the stage. Reality began to set in. 

It’s official I’m an alum of West Texas A&M University. A Buffalo (Bison) by heart, but no longer in academic practice. It hasn’t hit me yet. The feeling of the finale. Much like watching the season of some great TV show end, I don’t feel like it’s over until the next season starts. Problem is, I don’t know what channel my show will premiere on. 

Those feelings of goodbye, leaving my best friends, and the memories I have while becoming the adult I am today are all still fresh. It’s not over I keep telling myself - when in reality it is. 

I have a job offer lined up that I could potentially take. I’m waiting to hear back on an internship in California. All the while my lease on my apartment ends on May 31st. The clock is ticking. 

    

I’ve never been one without a plan, but what happens when life throws you into this ‘limbo’ stage? I can’t make any set plans. I don’t know what I’m doing. I can’t know what I’m doing because all the cards aren’t on the table. The table hasn’t even been set. I’m in limbo. 

This is not sitting well with my gold self. I often need to remind myself that patience is a virtue - welcome to that adulthood that I just mentioned. I will always value the lessons learned at West Texas A&M University. The people I’ve met and have come close with will still be in my heart. The reality of it all will set in at one point and I can imagine it will flood in like the hoover damn. 

Until then, I wait. Wait for the National Student Advertising Competition Nationals (I forgot to mention we were selected as the wild card team!). Wait for a word back on jobs. Wait to form my plan. 

Very Thankful

As I watched the Macy’s Lip Sync Thanksgiving Parade, I thought about how thankful I am this year for everything. I know this might sound cliche, especially since today IS Thanksgiving, but I really think it is true.

I’m thankful for being home for once. I haven’t been here since I was in High School for Thanksgiving and I’m glad to be home to spend the holiday with my parents, and my friend Dino who tagged along today. 

I posted on Facebook the other day that I’m thankful for being in the WT Broadcasting department, because where else could I showcase my documentary, host an acoustic music show in HD, and manage a radio station all in one week? The answer: no where else. 

I’m thankful for the lessons I have learned this semester and this year. I know way more about survey questions, advertising, how not to be a ‘stalker’ (that’s another story within itself), how to manage a student organization, but more importantly how to be myself. I think this last one is important. 

I’m most thankful for my friends and family right now. I don’t know where I would be without our inside jokes, our family dinners, or the occasional 10 hour drive here and there. When it comes down to it, these are the people that will either bring us up or down and I’m glad they have brought me up. That I’m able to be proud to say that I know many of you - that is a true thanksgiving. 

3 things you need to know about leading a student organization

                                           

The station for your generation 91.1 FM has been through several changes in the past years, from advisor changes to no longer streaming on the web, but it’s now currently under my reign. As a freshmen student, I knew I wanted to lead a student organization at some point in my college career but I never knew that I would have a paid position in which I work with the broadcasting family that I love so much. Anyway enough of the heartfelt, here are three things I’ve learned thus far: 

  1. Let them lead: I can’t sit around and micromanage as much as I would love to. Letting go of my past job, as marketing director, was really hard for me. I know that position. I know what it takes. I know what to do specifically. The hard part is letting Hope take over and lead without me telling her specifically what to do. I need to let her make mistakes and learn from them. I need to let my staff lead. 
  2. Relate more to the school: We haven’t always been actively involved with WT as an organization. I feel that this semester we have done so much more and been way more active on the WT campus. We’ve done campus cleanup, freshmen convocation, etc. Being involved on campus is critical to a student organization. From funding to cross promotion a student organization NEEDS to be in good standing and NEEDS to be involved with the university as a whole. 
  3. Handle problems yourself: Don’t let others take care of your problems for you. If there is a confrontation or a situation that occurs within your organization you need to handle it yourself. Don’t make a public deal out of it unless it’s a problem that concerns your entire organization. There have been times when students have missed their air shift, not signed logs, and we’ve gone over them in our staff meetings to “make an example”, but there have also been personal situations that we’ve handled behind closed doors as well. It’s all up to you in how you handle each problem. We’ve developed a three strike policy with KWTS - three strikes and you are out. 

It’s been a blast leading this semester and I have learned so much already that I can apply to the real world. 

Week in Recap

9/30: 

  • I have been working my tail off this week. When I posted last week that classes have been picking up, I was wrong. This week they have PICKED up. 
  • We had our President’s Ambassador dinner, picture taking, and meet and greet last Friday. It was fun not only to meet all the other ambassadors but to practice my fancy eating skills. 
  • I showed the Cambodia Documentary, Shedding Ignorance, to the President of WT, donors, and Kelsey Timmerman on Wednesday. It went so well! They liked it a lot and it spurred great conversation after it premiered. 
  • I’m running for Homecoming King at WTAMU! Don’t be a Weeny and vote Tyler Sweeney! The competition is fierce, but I’m looking to at least be in the top 3! Go buffs! 
  • On to another busy week and having a lot of fun! 

What a week

Wow, I feel like I’ve been running around this past week like a mad man. But I have to say that I love it. It’s the first week of school! It’s also my last first week of school. 

Things are going to be running smoothly this week. Eric and myself ran staff and practicum, and I think that we did a great job representing KWTS. I want to take this program into another gear. A place that we have been in the past, but it’s been awhile since we’ve set those goals and met them. I want to continue the friendship and family atmosphere (hey we go to football games together now!). I want us to find our passion. That is one thing that I feel like our broadcasting program has lost at times. I came into it wanting to do news and I have found myself more wanting to do things along the social media, advertising, and management side of things. I love what Eric and I can create and shape for the future. 

Sheryl and myself finished the Cambodia Documentary! It’s done! Shedding Ignorance will be coming to a screen near you very soon. I have to say it’s by far my best work as far as anything visual. It’s been my baby and I’m excited to share it with the world. We both watched it again once it was said and done and we still go chills and teary eyed, and we’ve been working on it all summer long! 

I’ll admit I may have been slacking on my internship with the Amarillo Bulls lately, but I’m excited to pick it up again and get the competition running. I wonder who will be eliminated first? 

Seeing my friends and family in the school hallways is always a blast. I can’t imagine my life in any other place right now than WT. Things are moving and it was great to see each and everyone this week. Classes are harder, friends are true, but I’m ready for what the semester holds. Go Buffs! 

Let’s go

Buff Branding 2011 is over. Or as Stayce and I called it all weekend Buff Branting. I’m pretty sure that I enjoyed this year’s social orientation much more than last years. Even though the Black Team was hated again…simply because I was on it. We without a doubt had a blast with the incoming Freshmen class and made lasting memories. 

I remember coming to Buff Branding as a freshmen. Making memories and meeting friends that I still have to this day. So I know that this First Year Experience Program really means something to this class. I can say though that Buff Branding is so much better from this side - the peer leader side. 

I have enjoyed making the chants, the flags, and creating the atmosphere of the WT family. I want to thank all of my fellow peer leaders and Buff Branding staff for making this past weekend an amazing one. As I sit here, the night before my last first day of school, I think back and reflect on my time here at WT. It has been full of ups and downs, but I’m ready for this year. I’m ready to start again and make more traditions and celebrate what God has given me - the opportunity to attend a place of higher education, and have fun while doing it. 

Confirmed

I didn’t want to read this book. I knew what would happen. I would think about the upcoming readership trip, would get jealous of the new ambassadors and want to travel on a trip to another country through an amazing program at WT – even though I couldn’t. I was wrong.

Opening up Kelsey Timmerman’s novel, Where Am I Wearing? I had several thoughts (besides the one mentioned above). I thought who in the world goes to other countries to meet the people that made their clothes just for the interest of it? What posses someone to take a complete standstill in their daily life to sit and think “where are my clothes made?” but more importantly “who makes my clothes?” The answer – Kelsey Timmerman.

Kelsey’s journey to travel the globe and meet the people that made his favorite articles of clothing: t-shirt, boxers, jeans, flip-flops, and finally a pair of shorts, began unsuccessful. His trip to Honduras ended with mostly a tourism vibe. But I was hooked to the book. Kelsey’s insight and comical thoughts propelled me forward, and made me await the part I looked forward the most to read: “Part III My Pants: Made in Cambodia”.

Having been to Cambodia, I wanted to relive those moments. I wanted to see where Kelsey went, what he did, and if we did anything similar. His description of the country and the sites he saw in Phnom Penh are exactly how I remember. It made me homesick in a way. My trip didn’t really cover anything about globalization or “sweatshops.” It was mentioned briefly by our tour guide how the garment factory jobs are better off than some of the jobs elsewhere in the country and that it’s not viewed as a sweatshop or a bad place to work at, but it was never one of the articles we read. It was never a full on discussion. It was brief.  Kelsey confirmed what was told to us. I was able to see what the workers go through on a daily basis. What they think and feel. How they came to be in such a place. It opened my eyes to issues that I wasn’t familiar with.

Reading this book I was curious to see if Kelsey had an organization or did anything of the sort just to make sure his beliefs matched what we were taught and what has since become engrained in the Cambodian Ambassador’s mind. We think about where our money goes, the impacts AND the inputs that non-profits take, and sustainability. The end of the book confirmed this as well. Kelsey points out that an “engaged consumer” will know where their money goes when purchasing clothing and that it is beneficial to support clothing companies that practice better working conditions, and lists what those might be and how to find them. This is something I never thought about. The clothes on our backs are just another way that we vote with our money.

Now, instead of becoming paranoid with EVERYTHING that I purchase, I’m now even more aware of the things I buy and the impacts that they make. I’m cognizant of the tags on my clothes and where they were made. Kelsey’s novel tells the story of those that make our clothes and the last line is “Each is an untold story.” Earth is an untold story. As you travel, as you read, as you engage you constantly learn and improve upon who you are today.

In the end reading Where Am I Wearing? confirmed my thoughts. It didn’t leave me feeling jealous or angry that my trip had come and gone. It made me excited for the next group of freshmen students and the next peer leader to travel to a foreign place and grow. 

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