Real stories from students.
Words from Aislin Daugherty, Freshman
Social media has been an integral part of my life since I was young. As a kid growing up in such a digital age, I have always been semi-reliant on an online presence. I remember making my first Instagram account at 12 years old and even then, I was astounded by its seemingly endless limits.
I always did well in school, but I was never sparked by anything I was learning. Eager to learn outside of traditional subjects, I decided to apply to colleges as a Communications major because Communications is a broad realm and I can pursue anything, right? Upon getting accepted to schools and looking more into programs, Ohio State’s Strategic Communication major struck my interest. I love working with people and am inspired by marketing and advertising. The thought of pursuing a career where I have creative freedom makes me excited to grow up, with social media right by my side.
Discovering PRSSA and The PRactice was a blessing, and as only a freshman, I am excited to gain more hands-on experience in the PR world. I am excited to discover more knowledge about media, website design, and other aspects of PR in my next four years at The PRactice, and I am confident that the networking, professionalism, event planning, and media relations skills I will learn will help me go far and achieve success in my upcoming internships, volunteer projects, and career!
Words from Lexi Geltzeiler, Sophomore
As I’m sure everyone can remember, one of the scariest moments when filling out college applications in high school is getting to the little box titled “Major.” Staring at that little box, I had no idea what to put. I thought about my high school classes and which ones I enjoyed the most. My answer to this question was history, so I decided to put “Political Science” into that box, as that seemed to fit my interests at the time. After attending my first political science course at Ohio State during my freshman year, I began to question this choice. I realized I had no idea what other majors were out there, and my major was essentially chosen at my kitchen table when I was not sure what else to put.
After speaking with my advisor, switching to the “exploration” major, and taking many quizzes about my strengths and weaknesses, I came across the field of Public Relations. As I looked more into the major and potential careers, I felt the excitement rush over my body that was missing in that Political Science class on my first day of freshman year. I switched my major to Strategic Communications and then was encouraged to attend my first meeting of PRSSA, where I learned about The PRactice. Always struggling with self-confidence, I was immediately intimated by all of the amazing work done in The PRactice. While it was something that caught my attention immediately, I did not feel capable of the work I saw being produced.
It was not until I completed my first internship this past summer that I gained the confidence to finally join The PRactice. The PRactice accepts students at every level of experience, but for me, having some “real world” experience from this summer gave me the confidence boost I needed to join The PRactice. Despite being an upperclassman, I am extremely excited to gain more firsthand experience in the field of PR. I am motivated even more now to do more work like this, so I can set myself up for a successful career in the future. It’s never too late to get involved in PR!
Words from Kacie Back, Sophomore
From a young age, I always knew that Ohio State was going to be the place for me. Growing up just 20 minutes outside of Columbus, I was raised a Buckeye, and when it came time to choose a college, Ohio State seemed like a no-brainer. Now that I’m in the first semester of my second year here, I can confidently say that I made the right choice when it came to picking a school. However, choosing my major did not come as easily.
As a freshman in college, I thought I had everything figured out; my major, my friends, and my interests. Soon after, I discovered that maybe I really didn’t know what I was doing, as every freshman finds out at some point. So, I started looking for ways to be involved, attempting to find something that would interest me enough to stick to it. Luckily, I found a job with Ohio State Football, and this alone allowed me to take a step forward in the right direction. After working for a few months, I switched my major from English Education to Sport Industry (a big adjustment, I know). Entering my second year of school, I thought that I had finally found the right fit for me…until I stepped into my first class.
While I sat in my “Leadership in Sport” class, I slowly realized that maybe this was not what I thought it was. Now, I’m back at ground zero. I don’t know what I want to major in, I don’t know what I want to have a career in, and I don’t know what to get involved in. This required me to do a lot of self-reflection: What makes me happy? What do I truly enjoy? What makes me, me? I eventually landed on Communications with a preferred interest in Public Relations. I’ve always loved social media, writing, and being creative, and as a Communications major, the options are truly endless. After switching, I found The PRactice and haven’t looked back. I am so excited to finally be able to put my time and effort into something that I truly care about and am interested in. With this being said, it’s okay to not know what you want to do or where you want to go in life. College is for discovering yourself, your interests, your friends, and your future. I encourage you to try different things. Get a job or join a club, you’ll find what’s right for you.