Party of Five

With a knack for entertaining, I love to plan and host parties. In my opinion, hosting a dinner party is truly a “coming of age” event as a 20-something. I have imagined throwing dinner soirees in my future home but never thought about who would be invited.  If I were to host a dinner party and invite whomever I wanted, the top five people on my guest list would be: my grandmother, Rosemary, Kate Middleton, Jackie Kennedy, Steve Jobs, and Betty White. The setting would be an outdoor garden party with twinkling lights in the greenery and a plethora of fresh peonies and hydrangeas on the table. The menu would include chilled champagne, a variety of bread and cheese for hors d’oeuvres, roasted chicken breast and parmesan risotto, served with grilled asparagus for the entrée. This is the type of menu and environment I have imagined when dreaming about hosting an intimate dinner party.

The common denominator among the five individuals whom I wish to share a meal with is that they have made an impact on my life, influenced me, and inspired me. They were chosen so that I could pick their brain in a comfortable, laid-back setting over a good meal.

I lost my maternal grandmother when I was in the first grade. I can remember her being a part of my life prior to her death but I don’t remember her. I don’t remember her personality, her laugh, or if she had any quirks. My mother and I are extremely close and I can only hope that my grandmother and I would have the same relationship if she were still alive. I would ask her questions about what the world was like when she was growing up and how it was to live in the South during segregation and the civil rights movement.

Kate Middleton is someone who I look up to because of her ability to remain a positive influence for young women under the scope of the public eye. From the way she carries herself to the way she dresses, she exudes a gentle confidence. This trait is one I would hope to tap into during our dinner party and ask her how she stays humble.

Jackie Kennedy has always been someone I have idolized in a fashion sense. Her classic style is something that impacts my life every day [when I am choosing real outfits and not t-shirts and leggings]. In another sense, she is an extremely strong woman to have stood by JFK during his Presidency, his affairs, and his assassination. Having the opportunity to gain counsel from such a woman is one I would not pass up.

To me, innovation is the only thing that keeps our world spinning. Steve Jobs is the innovator of our lifetime. I would ask him about where he pulled his inspiration, what made him and kept him successful, and how to live a life full of innovation.

Last but certainly not least, Betty White would be asked to join me because of her quick wit and clever mind. Her love of life is contagious and is something that I hope would rub off on me. Enjoying every moment into my last years of life is a goal of mine and something I see in Betty White. Aside from hearing her advice, she would provide lighthearted tableside humor for the evening.

Feedback Features – Week 4

http://kelseyalynn.wordpress.com/2013/09/19/dinner-party-guest-list/#comment-54

http://cynthianoelwright.wordpress.com/2013/09/20/dinning-on-my-mind/

Feedback Features – Week 3

The posts that I chose to highlight this week are below.

Savannah Dozier 

Kelsey Lynn

 

Out of all the careers in the sea, PR is the one for me!

 

The first impression I ever had of public relations was watching The Hills as a star-struck high schooler. The reality television series wove public relations into the story line through my first love:  fashion and I can vividly remember the way Kelly Cutrone and her public relations firm, People’s Revolution, struck a lasting chord with me.

I knew from that moment that whatever energy drink she was drinking to get her to the top, I wanted some of it. Thankfully, the series did not portray the industry to be rainbows and butterflies so I knew that if I wanted to pursue a career in public relations it wasn’t going to be easy. Kelly Cutrone in her book, If You Have to Cry Go Outside, says “Be the first one in and the last one out,” about her approach to work ethic. I knew that if I wanted to be successful in this industry I was going to have to work really hard to prove myself but because it is something I am passionate about – it is extremely worth it.

Since beginning to pursue my undergraduate degree in public relations, I have been asked many times to explain what my major entails and what I plan to do with my degree after graduation. Side bar: It is alarming (and somewhat funny) how many people do not have a simple understanding of what public relations is. This is the time I take to educate them. I always start off by explaining that public relations is simply a part of an organization’s communication and marketing strategy which helps them to build relationships and engage with their audience.  If I am still receiving looks of confusion, I continue on to say that as a public relations professional it would be my job to ensure that the organization I work for’s image is always presented in the most positive light.

In my four years at Georgia Southern, I have encountered many students who have been unsure about where their future is taking them. Whether they want to hear my elevator speech or not, I give it to them. I believe that if a student is struggling to find a major that fits them, they should look into public relations for one reason which is my favorite thing about studying public relations at Georgia Southern. My favorite thing about having a degree in public relations is that it has prepared me for a variety of different positions. The curriculum at Georgia Southern does not only prepare you to work for a firm but in many different functions of public relations that are needed in all industries.

Is social media making us anti-social?

There has been a lot of talk since social media has blown up about these platforms making humans anti-social. Wait, so you’re telling me that these interactive communities designed to get us “socializing” with one another on the interweb are actually making us anti-social? In my opinion, it depends on how you look at it. On one hand, you have people socializing in ways they never have before with people they may have lost contact with years ago and are finally able to reconnect via Facebook or another social media platform. However, on the other hand, you have those of us who are so connected to social media that we are constantly checking it every few seconds when we are in the physical presence of other human beings. For some, this is just a way for them to keep people at a distance; but for others? We don’t even realize we’re doing it.

Being someone in the public relations industry who is an avid tweeter, blogger, Pinterester, (you name it) I look at my own life and can say that even though I am constantly connected to these various forms of social media I still manage to have a great social life. If I am in a social situation and am subconsciously looking for an escape, I find myself getting lost in my social media apps and tuning out whatever is going on around me. This has worked pretty well for me up until now with the exception of when someone thinks I am being rude. Whoopsy daisy.

I don’t see myself ever giving up social media due to my dreams of having a high-powered career in the public relations industry and I definitely don’t view social media as having a negative effect on personal relationships. If anything, social media has helped me engage with people I wouldn’t have otherwise and makes me even more a social butterfly than I already was to begin with.

And when social media fails to let us escape, there is always Jenna Marbles. Enjoy.