Drugs On The Subway.
On Saturday evening, I witnessed something very interesting while riding the subway. I was minding my own business, when a man sitting in front of me began to unpack several peculiar items from his jacket. While acting suspiciously frantic, he pulled out scotch tape and a small, clear bag filled with an obscure substance. Another student on the trip turned to me and said, “I think he is about to do heroin.” Sure enough, he began to constrict the inside of his arm with the tape, while slapping it repeatedly. Horrified, I stopped looking.
According to a study conducted by the state of New York, “Reported overdose deaths in New York in which heroin was a contributing cause reached a record high of 825 in 2014, the last year for which data are available from the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).” The increased usage of this drug, and alternate pain-killing substances are believed to be the result of a few different factors. The most prominent is low income, and the harsh realities which often come along with this (especially living in NYC). Fox News believes that the increase could be attributed to better healthcare, because it can cause people to be more careless about their bodies and what they put into them.
I am not sure exactly what drives people to hard drugs such as heroin. But I can say that after witnessing this, my drive to solve the problem of addiction has definitely increased. Sometimes it takes big city experiences to wake you up a little bit. Like the 8.491 million+ people living in this city, the opportunity for observational learning also never sleeps.
Emily Leclerc
5.09.17
“RECHARGE YOUR CREATIVE BATTERY” Erika Bridges 72&Sunny
Spending the day alone on Sunday helped me do just this in preparation for this week of continuous interaction. A morning at the serene Cloisters and an afternoon at the Museum of Natural History and Mummy Exhibit surrounded by families with small children. This was the perfect balance of quiet reflection and a reminder of childlike wonder and curiosity. Seeing these kids running around the museum reminded me of the types of questions we used to ask and should get back to asking. Childhood was a time when we weren’t afraid to say what we were thinking and sometimes as adults we should go back to this time to help us spark creativity and wonder again.
Audrey Grimes
Thoughts on being a great team player
To say that two hours at Sound Lounge changed my perspective is an understatement. It taught me more about how to create a strong client-agency relationship (or professional relationship in general) than I could have imagined. Relationships fuel our industry. How people connect and engage shapes how brands live in the world, how agencies and clients work together, and how we make great work. Here are a few of my takeaways:
Understand the other person’s vision/what they want to accomplish. Understanding a problem is only half the battle. You also have to understand how they want you to solve it.
Communicate early. The more time you can give people to do great work, the better the work will be (and you’ll probably pay less for it).
Build trust. When there’s an “oh shit” moment, be the person others can count on to solve the problem. This shows investment and instantly builds trust. (Just make sure you’re not the cause of the “oh shit” moment.)
Come from a place of “yes.” You want to be seen as a team player and someone who can help great work happen. It is a complex mixture of knowing what it’ll take to get there, knowing your limits, and choosing to invest in others by being in the thick of it with them.
Stimulation,
Beyond morning coffee.
Bright lights and brighter minds tingle the tentacles in the right side of my cranium.
Eyes wide open, dreaming in color.
Dancing with the post-grad possibility of calling this city “home”.
Expectations of the future can be dangerous, but what’s the fun in thinking safe?
That’s for another industry.
Nate Richards
5.9.2017
Day 1 and already a world full of info
Day one of this experiential week provided a mountain full of information and inspiration.
After a long, but way worth it, night of photography, Mr. Mullen and I embarked on a 630 run through Central Park. While I’m exhausted, Being up this early allowed for us to really see the city in a beautiful rare calm state. Truly a contrast to the hustle and bustle we’re used to talking about and seeing.
Kicking off with w+k really was a great way to do this week. Hearing their take on the atmosphere they work in-one that’s obviously commendable, yet egoless, was something I will try and take with me as I continue my journey. Hearing that they keep their (MANY) awards in the copy room show that The empathy and realism they portray there is unreal. To me that speaks so many volumes of a successful agency. They just make good shit that makes people think.
One example in particular that made me think was their campaign with bud light & lady Gaga. I was enamored by the fact that they utilized a somewhat unpopular platform, Facebook live video and combined it with a rather unusual venue-dive bars- to globally release what would be a chart topping new album from lady Gaga.
While W+K provided an inspirational beginning to the week, going to Publicis later in the afternoon allowed for me to comprehend whole day’s information with a more mindful look. Initially, i was surprised to hear that they had 900 employees working in just one building but after hearing of the variety of different ways that they bring the teams and employees together, I was pleasantly surprised. One method in particular that struck me about the culture was that they have open seating, similar to a college lecture class. An idea like this can help to bring together such a large company.
Ended the day with another round of shooting in Times Square-I just can’t get enough! Yesterday felt so long, but I’m Looking forward to what lies ahead! (Shout out to Justin Hartney for the Shot!)
22,014
6 blisters. 2 tired legs. 22,014 steps. 1 happy girl.
To say the least, New York is crazy. I’ve been in a constant shift between exhaustion, a second, third, and fourth wind, and so much excitement that I don’t want to sleep. There is so much do to, so many places to see, and so many things to eat. I’m just hoping the miles I’ve walked (at least somewhat) cancel out the amount of pizza I’ve eaten. Although it can be overwhelming at times, the things I’ve learned over the past two days have brought me an entirely new perspective on both the city and advertising as well. I’ve always felt I learn best through real experience, and I’m grateful for what this trip has already given me. Blisters and all.
5.9.17
Meredith Robinson
Questions vs Experience
Thanks to watching Lynette Scavo in action during all eight seasons of Desperate Housewives, I graduated high school with the sense that advertising was the career path for me. Although this show was influential in so many more ways than pointing me in the direction of my career (hello, now I know to never trust my neighbors completely), it did not fully describe all the many different aspects that pertain to advertising. Thus, I entered college and began asking questions. Despite gaining amazing advice, connections, friendships and opportunities from asking questions inside the SOJC, I wasn’t satisfied with the answers. I felt like there was still so much I didn’t know. So I kept asking. And what I found was that there are no right answers. The questions will never stop because the world never stops and thus, curiosity should never stop. To a girl who loves crossing things off of a list, the thought of this endless chase seemed daunting until I realized one solution to will help me along: experience.
Each day I step into Allen Hall, I leave with a little more knowledge. Just being in the right place, observing, talking, listening and absorbing helps me to feel more confident in my own abilities in this career. This confidence has led to taking risks, like applying to Allen Hall Advertising and the New York Trip, which has led to even more confidence and the spiral continues. Thus, the experience of being able to walk the streets of New York City amongst the local morning commuters, walk into the offices of major agencies, observe the cultures of these agencies, listen to their presentations of their campaign work, cheer classmates on as they pitch to these agencies, receive feedback from real-life, employed advertisers, discuss hiring tips with recruiters themselves and toy with the idea of moving to a mecca like Manhattan is unlike anything else. This week in the city is providing me the opportunity to “play house” with the thought of making the giant move from Eugene to NYC; an idea I never gave much thought too because I didn’t think I could do it. It’s like I’m getting the opportunity to peek into what my life could be like in 5 years, as if someone is helping me make the right decision.
Undoubtedly, I will leave New York on Friday with a whole new set of questions, but the amount of answers I received about the industry and myself is unparalleled. Although the questions may never end in this field, one thing is for certain: Experience leads to better questions and better questions lead to unbelievable answers.
Meg Meagher
New Yorkers are nice?
I know that New Yorkers are stereotyped as extremely rude people, and I am sure it is true for some, but personally I have encountered some gracious individuals. Today as some of us traveled to Rokkan, we had stopped on a corner to reevaluate the map. A woman approached us and asked if we needed help with directions. We brushed her off with a kind “thanks, but no thanks.” When we arrived at Rokkan an hour later, we found the gracious woman sitting at the receptionist’s desk. We both recognized each other and shared laughs. Earlier that morning, she had heard us questioning which way to the agency so she decided to stop and guide us there, however we had turned down her offer. After reflecting on this situation I realized that she did not have to stop and offer her help when she heard us, but she did. I guess New York isn’t such a bad place after all.
Emily Sarale 5.9.17
