Jillian: "Let's Get Together"

Meetings, speakers, agendas, PowerPoint presentations. In a corporate environment, one might become all too familiar with these things. However, as this past week has taught me, there is an invaluable element affiliated with these business gatherings.

A large organization can be somewhat of a well-oiled machine, with various departments doing their routine tasks on a daily basis. The many departments may work well together, but a single department also needs to be an efficient team, producing quality work on the same page. In order to ensure this sense of higher organization, business meetings seem ideal. The 9-5, Monday-Friday schedule can become so familiar and so routine, that the work may become easier for an individual, and yet it can result in a point of stagnation for the department as a whole. Getting together for meetings, presentations, and speakers can alleviate potential problems such as this while motivating employees, reminding them of important elements, and discussing future procedures that will provide the organization with innovative approaches, efficient teamwork, and in turn, a higher success rate.

Jillian: An Inevitable Thing Called "Change"

As seniors, we are faced with the daunting task of planning our lives within a matter of a couple months (or at least it feels like it). It is now November, which marks the beginning of the six-month countdown until graduation. In planning the next chapter of our lives, we must take into consideration a future career we wish to pursue, grad school and things like. At this stage in life, every action we take as seniors will perhaps affect the path we take leading to the rest of our lives. A scary thought? Absolutely!

One might feel the need to strategically coordinate their next moves in order to achieve all he or she envisions; however, we must also take into consideration that, indeed, things change. And if there is one thing I have learned from my internship, it is just that – anything can change in one moment. Furthermore, in the industry of corporate communications, it happens quite frequently. From departmental structure, to employment positions and responsibilities, to standard procedures, many changes may take place that potentially affect our “9 to 5” lives. “So how does this pertain to my life right now?” you might ask. While this notion of change applies directly to the working world, as seniors, we must also keep this valuable lesson in mind on an everyday basis, being students and nearly-graduates on the prowl.

My eyes have been opened to the multi-faceted world of communications on so many levels. My internship introduced me to the fascinating world of scientific writing – the ins, the outs, the ups, the downs, and everything in between. Initially, I was surprised to discover that things change frequently in this industry. Just as I became familiar with the daily routine, the corporate structure changed within the department I was working. While it took some time to get used to the changes, I became comfortable once again with my daily routine and responsibilities. Well, a departmental change occurred shortly thereafter, and I am still in the process of familiarizing myself with the new conditions. I have come to the realization that in a corporate environment, things constantly change and modifications take place – but with the intention of growth. It’s inevitable. And we can either obsess over the fact that “hey, things aren’t going exactly how I envisioned,” or we can roll with the punches and master new challenges that face us, because it will happen. New ideas, new structures, new procedures, new responsibilities, and new experiences will come our way. As seniors preparing for the rest of our lives, we need to embrace this notion yet continue to strive for what we set out to accomplish. As we stand in front of forks in the road, deciding which way to go with desperation, just know that the new journey we are about to embark on will contain change and alterations but will eventually result in growth.