5 Things I Loved About Singapore

Many of us have had the ability to travel to a new country. Two summers ago, I had the opportunity to spend a week in Singapore, and I fell in love with the place. I can't wait to come back again one day, and I definitely see myself living there. Why?

1. It's got great public transportation. I hate driving, so reliable public transportation is a big perk for me. It's also better for the environment and cost-effective!

2. The food. I'm a big foodie, and I was able to try a variety of delicious foods in Singapore. Their food scene is pretty great, and I enjoyed this 100-layer cake that I can't stop thinking about. You can walk down a block and enjoy a midnight snack. No matter where you are, there's always some great food options within a quick walking distance.

3. It's so clean. I've been to cities where seeing a clean road is shocking (looking at you New York City). Yet, even with the vast amount of people living on such a small country, I was expecting some dirty streets and trash everywhere. That wasn't at all what I experienced. In Singapore, gum is actually illegal, so you won't find those black marks on the sidewalk you may often see. There's also no food or drinks on any of their public transportation, so the subways don't have a weird trashy smell to it.

4. Location. Singapore is located at the heart of Southeast Asia, so it's really easy to travel cheaply. I could have visited Malaysia for about $20 or taken a ferry boat to visit Indonesia. There's literally a port in one of the malls I went to, and the ferry boats had people from all over Asia who were casually visiting for the weekend. The proximity and the very low airfares are something to take advantage of for sure.

5. The city is alive and well. Singapore is a country/province/city all in one. With that, it's always vibrant. Whether it's the hustle and bustle in the weekday mornings as everyone heads to work or the nightlife where everyone is meeting up with friends at a cafe to snack and drink, there is always something to do. You can even go jogging at 10 p.m. along the bay, and it's completely safe.

If you're looking for the next country on your bucket list, I'd definitely put Singapore high up there. It's a unique place that I'm sure you'll fall in love with too!

My Passion for the Passion Planner

If you're like me, you can't live without a physical planner. Google or Outlook calendars don't cut it for you, and you're very specific about what type of planner you have. After trying out about 5 different planners, I finally found "the one." Passion Planner is a growing company, and I'm finally seeing more and more of them on campus. I could go on and on about why I love this planner, but what I really found engaging was their social media presence, specifically on Instagram.

Instagram photos aren't just supposed to show a product, but it needs to showcase the product in an enticing and intriguing way. You may be thinking how a photos of a planner can be enticing, but whoever managers Passion Planner's account does it right.

They display their growing product line in ways in simple ways that aren't boring. They also try to make a connection with their customers by showcasing their employees. In the photo below, two of the photos include Angela Trinidad, Passion Planner's CEO. In these photos, you can find Angela chilling in front of her desk, sharing a story about her experience starting this business after college, and displaying some unique Passion Planner products. It helps connect the product to a face, and followers are actually participating in the conversation through the comments.

When it's not a new product release day or an anniversary, Passion Planner keeps their accounts updated with cute and relevant content. They have various artists draw on their planners with an inspirational quote or tips on how to utilize their planner better. Passion Planner also does a lot of give-aways on college campuses, and they always showcase the universities they're visiting and the thousands of students who received a free planner. I highly encourage you check out/follow their account if you're looking for cute and exciting content, along with a chance to win their many giveaways!

8 Things I Learned from SparkSouth

This past Friday, I went to the Terry Executive Education Center in Atlanta to attend SparkSouth, a digital marketing conference for college students. Here are the 8 things I learned at the conference:

1. If you want to get a graduate school degree such as a Masters in Business Administration, it's okay to wait 2-3 years after you get your Bachelor's degree because that way, you'll have more real-world experience. However, try to go back before you turn 30 because life happens, and your priorities may shift if a partner, job, or kids join the picture.

2. Don't accept every LinkedIn invite. This is not a popularity contest, and if you haven't met them face-to-face or been introduced by a mutual connection, don't add them or accept the invite. It can be an easy way to "build your network" if you've just made an account, but don't do it.

3. When networking, balance self-confidence with self-awareness. As Dale Carnegie said, "You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you."

4. It's okay to change jobs or companies if you're looking for something new and challenging. But, don't job hop every 1-2 years because it'll look bad on your part. Are you uncommitted? Are you difficult to work with? The concerns can go on and on.

5. Take the initiative to teach yourself. Whether it's getting certified in HubSpot's Inbound Marketing certificate and Google Analytics, watching videos on Lynda about SalesForce or Marketo, or taking a graphic design class to learn Adobe Creative Cloud, these are very important skills to have in the industry. It's not just your college's responsibility to teach you important technical skills.

6. Plan your career goals. Make a 2, 5 or even 10-year plan. Then, let your managers, supervisors, bosses, etc. know. Your employers play an instrumental role in getting you to achieve your goals. Letting them know will not only help them know how they should help you, but it also holds you accountable.

7. Say "Thank You." For every favor someone has done for you, no matter how small or big, remember to say "thank you." Those two little words can be easy to forget, but remember that someone took their time, energy, or even money to do that for you, so thank them.

8. Have an open mind. I was excited when I got my SparkSouth tickets back in August, but with the chaos of midterms, projects, and internship hunting, I started feeling frustrated that I'd be spending an entire Friday in Atlanta rather than going to class and work. I have so much to do, and I just don't have time for this stuff. I was very wrong. SparkSouth was an incredible experience, and I learned more than I thought I would. The honest answers, feedback, and advice came at a great time for me, and I don't have any regrets now about going.

Thank you SparkSouth for letting me connect with some inspiring and knowledgeable industry leaders and mentors!

Georgia YouthSpeak Forum: Leading Change

The Georgia YouthSpeak Forum is happening this month, and I can't wait! I've been thinking a lot about how trivial some of the things I worry about are, which is very easy for college students especially. Many of us are taking classes, working, and involved with organizations on campus. Sometimes, thinking about things that go beyond showing up to a meeting on time or completing an assignment doesn't happen naturally; sometimes, we need to have the space to do it, and that's what the Georgia YouthSpeak Forum is all about.

Not only is it free (including lunch!!!) and open to non-UGA students too, but there will be some great speakers from The Home Depot, Umano, Thinc, Infosys, and the Institute of Leadership Advancement. This year's theme is "Leading Change," and some of the session topics are about how to be make yourself a better leader, leading change within the community, and working towards the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the 17 global goals that the United Nations wants to achieve by the year 2030.

I think it's these kinds of events that remind me to work for something that's bigger than myself, and it lets me meet new people that I otherwise would never have met. Some of UGA's student leaders expressed their interest and passion for the UN SDG's in this video. If you're interested in the event, find more information on their website.

The Love-Hate Relationship with Online Shopping

You know that moment when you look at your bank statement and hate yourself for spending all of that money through online shopping? That moment sucks, and it sucks even more when you know you didn't need to buy all of those things. Now, you have cute clothes but nothing to eat for a week because you're broke.




After I had an overflowing closet of useless clothes, shoes, or accessories, I told myself to never do it again. By that, I meant only once every month or so. I'm the worst. Online shopping is so tempting when you have nothing to do, and you don't want to start the entire Grey's Anatomy series for the 12th time...



It's just so easy to start looking around and convincing yourself in that moment that you NEED that new blouse or jacket when you don't NEED anything besides food and more room in your closet. Then you spiral down the hole and convince yourself how you're helping the environment by not driving to the physical store and polluting the very air we breathe.

Now, every time I get that urge to go online shopping, I started just letting myself peruse various sites at a time. I'll add anything I like to my shopping cart and literally make sure that the price gets so high that I just freak out at the thought of actually paying that amount and close the tab. While the freaking out part may be a little dramatic, this silly solution has "cured" my shopaholism. This lets me still enjoy the part where I look at the clothes, but then, I don't end up hating myself for spending all of my money.

You may think it's silly, but shopaholism has many cures, and the path you choose can vary per person. There is no judgement, and we're all here to support each other.

Humans of New York: Utilizing Social Media Platforms for Blogs

In case you missed it, Brandon Stanton is coming to Athens, GA! Brandon is the founder of the famous Humans of New York account. He first started with Facebook and then created a Twitter and Instagram account. Instead of having a website to showcase his work, he's utilized these three social media platforms to share his photos, interviews, and even fundraisers.

These are the Syrian refugee families who were/are coming to America. Brandon went to Syria to interview them and help fundraise money for their relocation and other needs. 

With a strong fanbase, Brandon has been able to utilize social media in ways not many others have. I mean, not many can capture so much emotion in a photo and get strangers to tell us personal and intimate stories, knowing that we'd share them for the whole world to see. Yet, Brandon finds a way to do it. Within the past year or two especially, he's done series that were relevant and gave people so much insight into what's going on. When he went to Syria to interview people and their families about the refugee crisis, he opened up a lot of people's minds about what it was like to be living in Syria. When he worked with the beautiful children in the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, he showed the world the rollercoaster of Cancer and managed to give other people hope to keep on fighting the battle. When he did the series on veterans, I know I learned so much about working in a war zone and then transitioning back home in the United States. Regardless of political opinion, he was also able to interview Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, who you know, are kind of important people.

This was the cover photo that began his series on American veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. 

The fact that he's only utilizing social media platforms makes it easier for his audience to engage - they can like, react, comment, and share his content more easily than if he only posted on a website. Social media platforms were originally for interactions and engagement, and that's what Humans of New York is doing. The growth of his "blog" is incredible, and I'm so excited to see him on campus this Thursday!

The App That Gave Me More Time

I've been told that you have a busier lifestyle while you're in college than when you first enter the workforce. That may not be true for everyone, but I hope that is for me. Between working 20 hours a week, being a full-time student, having leadership positions in organizations, and trying to find internships for the summer, I think I have a total of 45 minutes some days where I don't have to do any of those things or be in a meeting. While I'd love to squeeze in a quick Netflix episode or something in that free time, I usually am spending my time waiting in lines to get my food. Now, I do pack my meals most of the time, but there are just weeks where I get home close to midnight, and I barely have the energy to shower and get myself into some comfy PJs.

Waiting in line was how most of my free time during the day was spent in my sophomore year of college. But then, an app came out that saved me, and that beautiful gift was called Tapingo. I'm not a Brand Ambassador, and unfortunately, I'm not being paid to talk about the company; I just want other students who have hectic schedules to have their days be a little less hectic because I feel you.

Tapingo allows you to order your meals and drinks via your smart phone, and then you can pick it up whenever the food is ready. The app is connected to the Barberitos and The Niche Pizza Company on campus, and it's working on getting Chick-fil-A back on there. It's also connected to other places off-campus, such as Gyro Wrap, Zombie Coffee & Donuts, and D.P. Dough; they also give the option of having your food be delivered rather than only pick up!

When I discovered Tapingo and decided to get the free app, I was skeptical to see how it'd work. I had an unhealthy obsession with Barberitos last semester, and it sucked most of the time out of my 45-minute break since I'd spend about 20-30 minutes of it waiting in line. Then I'd have to scarf down my quesadilla or burrito and rush off to my next class. But when I first used Tapingo, I was able to order exactly what I wanted to go in my burrito or quesadilla, and my order was ready in about five minutes. It was glorious.

I went up to the front of the line, got my order with no errors, and saved myself the usual 20-30 minutes. It was so nice to actually enjoy the food I was eating and to not feel rushed. Now, I put my order in towards the end of class or right as I get out so by the time I get to Tate, it's ready for me. If you know of any other apps that could help us save time, let me know. I could really use it...

Creating Your Online Brand

I recently watched a documentary on PBS called Generation Like, which had me thinking a lot about social media marketing and branding. The documentary discussed important topics regarding many people's obsessions with getting a lot of likes and how we brand ourselves online.

Nowadays, it's not uncommon for employers to look at your resume and your social media accounts when they're considering hiring you.  Your social media accounts can say a lot about you, and it provides them with information they may not be able to ask you about in an interview. Two of my friends debated about whether likes truly mattered or not on social media, and the friend who said that likes mattered supported her argument by saying it's a part of your brand. She brought up how getting those likes, shares, or comments show that maybe you're well liked or that you have a large network. In opposition, my other friend brought up that if you're trying to brand yourself for companies, they won't notice the number of likes on your post but rather the content of the post. Were you holding a beer in your hand when it's evident you're not of age? Were you posting pictures of the house you helped build over spring break for a family in need? That's what companies are looking at.

There I sat thinking, they've both got a point. I definitely agree that the content that you post online is really the first, and most important, part of branding yourself, but getting those likes, shares, or comments don't hurt. It may show that you have a strong reputation or that you post content that people like or care about. However, my caveat is that it's not worth worrying or obsessing over how many likes or retweets you get. I doubt a company will base their decision to hire you because you never broke 100 likes on Facebook or don't consistently get 20 retweets on Twitter.

At the end of the day, the important thing to remember is be aware of what you post online. No matter what industry you're in, there's a chance that potential employers will be going online to search your name and look through your social media profiles, and you don't want that to cost you a job. Take time to build a good, strong brand for yourself because it could give you the leg up when you're in the final round of the interview process.

National Dog Day and Other Social Media Trends

So last Friday was National Dog Day, and my Instagram feed had cuteness overload. Not only were my family and friends posting adorable pictures of their dogs, but so were many companies and obviously UGA. #GoDawgs

Social media provided companies an easier outlet for two-way communication by posting relevant content and engaging with their customers. What exactly does it mean to have relevant content? Obviously, if you are a vacuum cleaner company, you won't just post information about your newest vacuum cleaner and all of its cool features; you'd post tips on keeping a clean house or how to make your carpet look like new again. This is because when people buy a vacuum cleaner, it's because they ultimately want to utilize it to keep their house clean, not just use one because they enjoy the motion of pushing and pulling the hefty thing across their floors.

Where the line gets a little blurry is when companies start posting things for all of these "national _________" days. There's National Dog Day, National Bourbon Day, and even National Corn Dog Day. There's a whole list of them, and boy do some of them get weird! I've seen some company's social media profiles post about these to keep up with all of the social trends that exist out there, and I guess because they think it's relevant. I understand why UGA or Petco would post about National Dog Day, but having Boeing post about it would be quite random in my opinion. These social media trends are pretty cool (and silly), and it's a good way for a company to post content that isn't directly about their product all of the time. However, I definitely think that it's about selecting what is directly relevant for the industry that your business is in because while content can be funny or interesting, it should still be relevant to your target market.

Baker's can post about National Bourbon Day, and Foster Farms can post about National Corn Dog Day, and it wouldn't be weird since it's still relevant to their industry and market segment. If Foster Farms posted about National Bourbon Day and vice versa? Not as much. With more of these "national _______" days coming up or being created, it's definitely important to keep in mind that most of them will be easy to post about on social media. However, just because you can doesn't mean you should.

How LinkedIn Changed My Life

If you're in college, especially in a business school, you probably know what LinkedIn is and have your own account. If you don't have an account yet, get to it! Now, when I say, "LinkedIn changed my life," let's not take that too literally. It's definitely benefited me in many ways and became one of my favorite online platforms, but it wasn't anything that changed my life's course of action.

I've got a list of 5 reasons why LinkedIn got me like:

1. There's no page limit

So we've all heard that our resume shouldn't be more than 1 page because we're all so young and inexperienced. True, but isn't it a little tear-jerker when you have to start removing things from your resume as you start gaining new experiences? With LinkedIn, you don't have to remove an experience or opportunity once you have another one, and I like how employers can see how you started off with these little roles or projects in certain clubs and organizations. We all had to start from somewhere (or multiple somewheres), and I think it helps create a story for yourself about how you got to where you are now. The one caveat I have here is that this doesn't mean you should be including every little position you had in that one organization for about 4 days.

2. Endorsements and Recommendations

I always get so excited when I get a notification that someone has endorsed me for a skill because I like to believe that someone genuinely believes you are good at that specific skill (unless your family member or best friend just starts endorsing you for everything). It showcases certain strengths you may have that you don't really put on a resume, and it can say a lot about your personality. The other part that I like is how you can get a recommendation from an employer or colleague. Employers are always trying to figure out what it was like for others to work with you, and these recommendations can provide them with that insight. It also helps me get a better sense of how others view me in a professional sense, and if there's anything I should work on.

3. Job search function

As a college student, I'm always looking for an opportunity to gain experience in the industry. Now that school has started again, it's time to start looking for summer internships. While I do use the platform UGA has us, I always like to look at other places too just in case. However, sites such as Indeed are overwhelming and not as aesthetically pleasing. In my opinion, LinkedIn has their job search function pretty organized, and it's easy for me to look at the job description and then learn more about their company's mission statement, what they do, the size of the company, and more.

4. Professional Groups

I started taking advantage of this to network with professionals in the industries that I am interested in entering. Whether or not I post anything in these groups, I am still able to benefit by reading any content that's posted and staying in tune with what's happening in various fields. While there are many social media platforms that allow for networking, LinkedIn (for the most part) is really focused on keeping this professional, and that means less clutter for me to have to sift through.

5. Projects

Many of the projects I've had to complete in my classes were real work that people in the advertising and marketing industry actually do. LinkedIn allows you to showcase those projects that you spent an entire semester pouring your heart into, and if are lacking relevant work experience, this gives you a chance to show to potential employers that you applied what you learned in those classes besides how to ace a teacher's exam.

For the other LinkedIn users reading this, what are some of your favorite parts of LinkedIn? What do you utilize LinkedIn for?