i'm not afraid of school.

so, i have begun a grand escape into higher education. the school of visual arts (sva) is my new home for two classes - portfolio and copywriting. monday was my first class, and it was a doozy. it made me have a tidal wave of emotions that i haven't felt in a long time. most importantly, it made me realize my huge and undying love for advertising.

which, i think is the most important take away from this next semester. as i have been living in nyc for almost 2 years, i have constantly viewed my career as futile. i have had internships and minor jobs, but never a real job, with a real salary and benefits. so i think for me, and most other people in my predicament, i have searched and searched to understand if my job was the right one for me because if it was, then i would be employed.

but then, you have to remember you are one in a million, or thousand at least, in the same situation, gunning for the same thing. which sucks about as hard as being eaten by a bear. because it's a recession, and the economy is an ugly thing right now. and to add with that, you are also competing for the same thing as everyone else.

thirty minutes into the class, i knew i loved it. and i was going to love advertising. it has been a good while since i have been in a classroom, and a while since i have been allowed to think creatively. and it was a glorious and amazing thing to be given full freedom to just create.

i hope these classes give me some great and amazing and lovely things to put in my portfolio. because let's be honest, i want a job. it's my dream and it's exactly who i am.

good news.

The past few days have been rather interesting in job searching.

Part A)

I have been searching for internships to coincide with my schooling. I have just been cold calling agencies and someone actually answered. talking to the person on the other line, it sounded like i might have a decent chance. they never said no, or that they didn't have any space. i figured if they didn't have room, or weren't interested in general, they would have said no. or given me the brush off.

a few weeks went by and i heard nothing, so i followed up. it was right before the holidays and i knew most agencies were closed or not even thinking of hiring/internships/etc. again, she just asked me to give my link to view my work.

PS, i am trying really hard not to say "he" or "she" so i am doing my best to keep it generic.

anyway, received an email later that day saying they had viewed my work and didn't have anything at the time. fair enough.

it just got me really down because it sounded like i had a shot. or at least, something could come of it. and maybe i am not what they are looking for. which is fine. and i totally respect that. but it's rough and difficult to think you see some light at the end of the tunnel and it's gone. just like that. i guess i would have enjoyed a little more upfrontness of it when i first began talking to the agency. such as "well, we might have an internship. it depends on such and such." or "we don't have anything available."

the second sentence is actually what was responded to me. followed by keeping my info on file. it's terrible when all you want is experience and to do what you love and you can't even do that. but it makes me want it more.

Part B)

i had applied for an internship for an agency and went in for an interview this morning. turns out, they liked me and i I will begin next monday. it's a chance for me to remember what agencies are like, and to work on some excellent brands writing long copy. it's two days a week and i hope i will learn a lot that will give me the experience to hit up some bigger agencies or at least find a job as a junior copywriter.

the position will be for one month. talking to HR, she said if it is a good fit, and i am enjoying it they will extend it. sounds promising. i just need to soak up as much as possible during this stint and really make my mark.

interestingly, it doesn't seem like an internship program, like other agencies i have worked with during college. so i feel this might feel more like a "freelance" position, even though it will be an internship.

this doesn't mean i am going to stop looking for positions, or give up on school. this is just the start of what i need for the new year.

interview one of the new year

i have just returned home from an interview. that's right, a real interview. it is for an internship position as a graphic designer.

i was awake, bright and early - well, it was 6:30 in the a.m. so not that bright - and arrived at the pearly gates around 8:35. i was ten minutes early for my interview and waited patiently for security to make contact with my contact. for the next thirty minutes, i stood in the grand lobby waiting. around me, other interns gabbed and cooed at each other, while i stood around wondering if i was an idiot or had made a mistake on the time, location, etc.

eventually, someone i knew let me up to the building and i waited in their "lobby" for 5 minutes. the interviewee was about forty-five minutes late to the interview and apologized. that's all you really can do in that instance.

the interview went fine. she never looked me in the eye and kept saying "Hmmm, Hmmmm." Followed by, "you have a lot of experience." i do have experience. but not enough experience. i want more experience so people will hire me instead of saying "you have a lot of experience." it's a constant circular battle.

i actually do want the internship. it is for a great company and i know i would learn tons as a designer. and who knows, it might even parlay into an actual job.

what i have gained from this experience is that no matter how prepared you are, people are already going to have their perceptions of you and your work. there is no going around that. so it's all about presentation and being present. ready to jump on their critiques and prove them otherwise. i didn't do that as much this time, but i will next time i have an interview.

so nice. so nice.

it's cold in new york city, and it isn't unusual. more of a statement. the real annoyance with the cold though, is the amount of clothes you have to put on in order to leave the apartment. it's like, you have to pile it all on, and the second you enter a building, you have to take it all off. because all the buildings are warm. hot. so you essentially look like a bag lady carrying all of your luggage trying to find something in a store. plus, you have encourage your coats and baggage not to hit everything in sight, thus knocking down precious goods.

other than that, today has been pretty full of exercise and reading. i just started "the amazing adventures of kavalier and clay" and am hoping it's as good as they say.

hitting the pavement

today, i was keeping with my resolutions and called/emailed for jobs.

so, i begin school in two weeks. and i am excited. i can't wait to get back into advertising, being creative and thinking creative and being with people who love advertising just as much as me.

so, to keep me involved, i am searching for internships/jobs. it's a painful experience and one i don't wish upon anyone. ever. jobs are hard right now, and i am completely aware of the competition out there. i just wish someone was on the other end to answer my phone call. or reply to my email.

today, i think i applied for about 6 "opportunities". they are ones i actually feel passion for, and they made me excited to submit my resume. so i hope i hear something.

as for the rest of my day, i did nothing. i stayed in my pajamas. grueling. i know.

on a total side note, i am wearing my retainer and hope my teeth stay straight. random, i know.

so, i have been meaning to blog for a while, and never really got to do it. and i realized it's because i don't have a reason to really blog. while i know my life is hugely entertaining to basically no one but myself and my close friends, who don't really read this, i didn't want to bore people with tales of grocery shopping and walking to the subway.

BUT! i have a reason. now.

i have been a graduate from OU for about 1.5 years. which is a good solid time to be out and about on my own. i've had excellent internships and work experience. but now, i am going back to school (portfolio school). and looking for a new job as a copywriter in advertising. so this blog, for now, will be of those adventures.

my goal is to document my interviews, school, and at the same time, write. i won't name agencies, or name people unless they are super famous and it has nothing to do with my advertising endeavors.

i'm excited about this. and hope you are too.