Things change
After visiting W+K and hearing about working in chaos, I realized plans change and you have to just go with the flow and make it work. This became an inspiration to me as I am swarmed by the chaos of graduating and figuring out my plans after school. I was convinced I would be moving straight to New York after school, with or without a job, but I have decided it is okay to take a step back, accept the chaos and work with what I have right now. Nearly every agency I visited, there were people reassuring us that it is okay to not have something lined up right away. The industry is always hiring and New York is a hub of opportunities.
Post 4
AW
Recognize what you don’t want to do
When you ask creatives how they ended up where they are now, you realize that everyone’s paths are different. Some of them simply applied to the job, some had connections, and others advocated for themselves and proved they were passionate about the work. Either way, they all had their own journeys before ending up where they are now. Many of us being graduating Seniors don’t have everything figured out yet, but that’s completely normal. I’ve come to realize that one thing will lead to the next and eventually things will fall into place.
One thing that stuck with me was when Radical Media Creative Technologist Brian Allen said, “recognize what you don’t want to do.” I think that figuring out what you’re not interested in is the first step to realizing what you should be focusing your time and efforts on and ultimately will lead to your dream career!
Natalie Cedillo | 05.13.19
Takeaways
Make new mistakes, not the same ones.
Be comfortable with being uncomfortable.
Never fall in love with an idea.
If you don’t believe what you’re doing, no one will.
Don’t be a dick. It’s a small industry.
You’re never done searching for a job.
You pay for what you don’t know.
Make sure you’re getting paid for your worth.
Be able to work in chaos.
Post 3
AW
Culture
This being my third time in New York, I have realized why I love the city so much. What brings me back is the culture and diversity. There is nothing more special than walking on to a subway with people of color, privilege, struggle, different scents, and languages. The small passage between the subway walls is full of life, experience, and art. It is a place where people coming from all kinds of backgrounds come together to reach their destination. I can walk down any street in New York and be triggered by some kind of memory, it makes it a unique experience of connecting the present to the past at the same time. Nearly everywhere I ate, I could taste the passion and care put into the food. The fashion is entertaining as well. Some people are dressed in head to toe designer clothes that I could never afford, while some are wearing their best thrifted outfits. The culture in New York is so rich and full of life and that’s what I love about New York. You can be whoever you want in New York and you will fit in perfectly.
Post 2
AW
they’re just people.
out of all the insight i received on this trip, this was the best piece of advice i got.
i, along with a handful of peers, had the privilege of presenting a campaign to the united nations. preparing for that was nerve-racking for sure. and speaking for all of us, we were scared shitless. but when we were rehearsing the night before, alex morrison reminded us of something we hadn’t really thought about: they’re just people. that stuck with me through the presentation and throughout the rest of the trip.
it’s easy to psych ourselves out when we see these brilliant, creative people living our dream jobs. we want to be in their shoes so badly and it’s easy to fangirl over their job title, the company they work for, or the work they’ve done. but in reality, they’re just people. we shouldn’t be afraid of them. they’re all good people who were once in our shoes. the best thing is that they’re full of advice and they want to help us - all we have to do is ask. (just make sure to pay it forward.)
andrew sakuda | 05.13.2019
LA girl meets New York people
There is definitely something about New Yorkers. And I had a lot to learn. Why don’t we start with the first day shall we? I, along with two other gals on the NY trip flew into Newark, NJ. We were new to the city and started to aimlessly make our way through the world of subway transportation. The first train we got on, we met another woman whom I thought was a bit annoyed with us and our lack of knowledge for anything city-travel related. However, she ended up helping us find our way directly to the hotel from the airport! The journey ended up being two hours and she stuck with us the entire time, showing us how to get a metro card, how to read the way finding signs in the stations and how to walk f&%#@ing fast. It was crazy and I could not have asked for a better welcoming into the city. From this, along with the rest of my experience with interacting with New Yorkers on the trip, I found that it’s actions that these people use to show their kindness rather then words. This young woman did not have to show us how to get from the Newark airport to our hotel in Manhattan but she did. And for that I am so thankful.
Jess Leonard 5|13|19
The United Nations.
On Tuesday, May 7th, I got to join a handful of students in supporting 4 different student groups who would be pitching ideas to the United Nations about solutions to generating millennial involvement in tackling aspects of Climate Change. It really was so inspiring just to be there and especially to see so many adults in powerful positions to make change and who are genuine in their investment towards seeking young perspectives about the issue at hand. They were attentive, asked integral questions, and really made us think about the complexity we have on our doorstep to find solutions to the varying problems within this greater issue of CC.
If I had one takeaway in particular that I should point out, it would have to be when I was talking to Feng Lu, who is currently a communications intern at the U.N. She is a graduate from Boston University who also graduated with a B.S in Advertising, and it was super inspirational to see someone my age in a position title that could totally be found in an agency setting, yet is instead within an organization completely different from where an expected Ad grad would go upon graduation. It really goes to show that you can take your creative skills anywhere. And that the roles we are learning within the Advertising industry can be so useful to so many different organizations when we think a bit more outside of the box. I am super grateful to have met Fang and that she opened up to me about her journey thus far. I look forward to continuing that connection looking forward.
Emily Pearson
Senior, Project Manager/Strategist
the beauty of a big city
the diversity of new york city is incredible. walking down any block you will see people from different races and backgrounds speaking a language you don’t recognize - and that is absolutely fascinating. riding the subway, you will see the millionaire wall street banker, the less-fortunate homeless man, and everyone in between. it’s humbling to see.
residing in eugene we’re subjected to routine. we walk the same route to class every day, we drive to the same grocery stores every week, and we see the same people around campus all the time. that’s not the case in new york. you can take five different routes to get to one place, you can see hundreds of new face every day. and that’s beautiful.
andrew sakuda
Relationships
One of my major takeaways from this trip was how important it is to build genuine relationships with people in this industry. Advertising is much more than placing an ad on a screen. There is complex web of relationships that go into every product launch. From the agency dealing with the client, to finding a production house to execute the vision, this involves finding people you trust to work with. I remember hearing one production house say how they specialize in being a part-time customer service company. Meaning they are there to make sure everyone is happy to further the confidence in the work moving forward. This industry is about finding good people to make incredible work with.
Brayden Figueroa 5/13/19
Chaos
I think we can all agree that a majority of the time chaos is seen as a scary place. Every agency and production house that I visited really taught me to look at that word differently. There is never going to be a project or shoot that goes exactly to plan. We can always brace for what is ahead but we never will be sure of all the external factors that can affect our work. This industry really is about understanding people and learning how to make adjustments efficiently. Instead of looking at chaos as a bad thing look at it as a way to challenge comfort zones. I loved how everyone at all of these companies really relied on their teammates to work together to solve problems. Advertising is a team sport where we must lean on one another to get out of difficult situations. Challenge your comfort zones.
Brayden Figueroa 5/13/19