What is interesting?

"Something is interesting to the extent that, even in its absence, you continue to replay it, develop it, compare it, communicate it, translate it, share stories about it, laugh at jokes about it, use it to understand other things, have an opinion about it, imagine variations on it, seek further information about it, want to communicate with it and with others who also find it interesting." 

- Jeffre Jackson

Essentials of Happiness

The grand essentials of happiness are: something to do, something to love, and something to hope for. ― Allan K. Chalmers

Collaborate with students outside of advertising

So I am graduating very soon and from an advertising student's perspective - my education was filled to the brim with projects. Whether it was (putting together an integrated campaign), (filming a movie), or (working on a group research blog), These projects certainly kept us busy!

It has been a rich experience of working with likewise people, but in my opinion, there was just one downside: that working on ‘school projects’ often meant you were limited to working with people within your directed field of study, or major.

I noticed the lack of major inter-mixing very early in my university career and made a conscious effort to take classes and get exposed to all of the extremely talented students the school has.

I have two examples of personal projects that involved collaborating with students outside of advertising.

Exhibit A; Going for experience: I was asked to be the actress in a movie filmed by Korean students in my 2nd year and got exposed to all of the elements of putting a short film together (screen writers, set & costume designers, cinematographers, acting, etc), as well as script rehearsal & the intensity of a full 3 day - back to back filming experience (A Rose in the Mirror, directed by Jung Hyng Park).

Exhibit B; Making a skilled trade: I met another director, MPT major named Christopher Gilson III and really hit it off in terms of creative collaboration. I’ll be working on developing a brand image for him and he’ll be filming my last class project, which happens to be an improv. dancing flash mob in Union Square with bananas and scarves.

Art school is just FULL of talent within arms reach! 

These are the students who will change the world with you someday.

The school is not going to foster your collaboration process very much. If it's something you are interested in, I would highly recommend it. Talk to a student you find interesting. Find out their story. Learn from them and the various majors the school has. You need to take it into your own hands and build that network. Network building takes time, so if you're working a full time job, you may be at a disadvantage. Think of networking with students as an investment. If you put time into it, it will pay you back!

Turn off your phone sometimes.

http://www.cashgenerator.co.uk/are-you-addicted-to-your-mobile-phone.aspx

 

 

 

Tune out. Turn off your phone once in a while. Go to a place with out signal. 

Hang out with each other.

Make a personal development plan

Life is about learning & self improvement. Sure, there's a correlation between experience and time but there's something to say for being active and owning the basis of what it is & how you learn. 

Hopefully with time, one gains in the areas they wish to increase knowledge. It follows along with the idea that we are constantly striving for self improvement or to become better skilled at something.

The pace of learning changes all of the time just as our bodies energy fluctuates throughout the day and season of year. Development plans are created for yourself. They are an aid to call to attention what you are practicing, what activities you are doing, where you want to be, and how you plan on getting there.

Are there times when you are more motivated to develop & learn? How do you get into this groove? What do you need to thrive?

Perhaps you are the type of life learner who takes everything in flowing freely without a plan. While I think this sounds like a soft cushion landing, I'm weary about it (and the length of time spent floating). Eventually, you're gonna need a plan. I'm not a casino gambler, but it's true: You can't win if you don't play.

If you're like myself, you set goals and you do everything possible to achieve them. Goal setting involves evaluating your self and deciding how high you want to set the bar. From what I have learned in previous personal plans, I tend to set the bar very high because I enjoy personal challenge. I intend to use development plans as tool post graduation because I think it is important to gauge, evaluate, and set & plan goals for your self. This semester's personal development plan focused on both short and long term goals (in bullet points below).

Skills / Muscles to Develop:

• I wanted to pinpoint my web presence Answer the question, what does your blog say? Here, in this blog I am sharing a semester's worth of leanings which include the art of getting connected to yourself, your community, your goals, and your style.
• Get comfortable and confident in sharing my work And talking about my work. This takes practice, practice, practice.
• Articulate my experience and what I have to offer to potential employers. This will be shown through cover letters and resumes
• Bring my point home (story tell with a strong finish) This involves practicing presentation.

Practices / Exercises / Activities

• Web presence
• Keep blogging
• Utilize Linkedin

• Presenting
• Include the audience

• Interact with the audience
• Slow down.
• Let them grasp it, for a second
• Articulation
• Conduct lots of informational meetings.
• Meet with people in and out of advertising.
• Show my work if possible.
• Ask for feed back.
• Ask for tips.

Thoughts: move em' to paper

 

I am a note taker.

If it's interesting, I'll want to remember it.

If it sounds good, I'll write it down word-for-word.

When my mind gets going, note taking helps me stay engaged in the moment.

I would recommend taking notes to anyone with an creatively active mind.  Carry a small notepad in your bag for random thoughts, ideas, reflections, etc and use presentation-sized post it paper (or white boards) for larger conceptualizing.  

Don't worry about how the thoughts will look on paper. Unless you're a writer, thoughts aren't meant to translate to paper exactly how you want them to. 

It's scary, its vulnerable, but it's a very important step. 

Love the imperfection. Embrace the spontaneous amateur. 

 

When we move thoughts out, we make room for new ones to emerge.

Get the fluffy stuff out of our heads!

Trust