By: Halle Sobczak
Give yourself a huge pat on the back because if you’re reading this blog right now, I’m going to make the assumption that you have probably joined or are considering joining CMU PRSSA. For that, I say congratulations! You have officially taken a huge step towards being ahead of your classmates when it comes to preparing yourself for the future. So many students simply attend classes with the hopes that it will be enough to land them an internship or a job in the future, but I am here to tell you that is not the case.
They are not exaggerating when they tell you that experience outside of the classroom is crucial to your success in this industry.
Now that you have joined PRSSA, my biggest piece of advice is to find another related organization to become involved in outside of PRSSA. Find a club, RSO or organization that ignites a flame within you. Discover your burning passion and then figure out how you can combine that with PR. Find out what it is that makes your eyes light up because that right there is what is going to make you diverse, it is what is going to make you stand out from your peers and most importantly it is what is going to make you happy.
Aside from the benefit of discovering a new passion, you will also find that being involved in another student organization outside of PRSSA will provide you with a whole new network of peers. Having a network within the PR industry is huge, but I would argue that it is equally as important to have a diverse and extended network beyond your industry.
It’s a cliché and I know it. You don’t have to tell me twice. Regardless of how many times you have heard it before, however, a new school year really is as close as you will get to a fresh start (aside from New Years Eve). So this is my challenge for you. Discover a new hobby or passion. Expand your horizons and create a new network. Most importantly, expand your interests and involvements so that you are able to further who you are as an individual, as well as a professional this year.