This time last year, I wasn’t sure PR was the career path for me. Officially a communications major, I bought tickets to PRess Play – last year’s Midwest District Conference – because one of my friends didn’t want to go alone. The first morning was a little intimidating and I wasn’t sure how to talk to the professionals who’d come to see us.
Then Lunch with PRSA rolled around and I met Janice.
Janice Cornell is a DePaul alum, which was a great conversation starter, and she was so open and welcoming. It’s easy to be blinded by fancy titles and prestigious employers (Janice, a VP at Edelman, has both) and forget that the people around you are just people! Janice sat and talked with some friends and me for a few minutes after the official event to talk about her work and what it’s like to pursue a career in agency life. It was educational, but, more importantly, talking to her let me relax and remember that everyone there was just trying to get to know one another.
I’ve stayed in touch with Janice since last year. Before getting more involved with PRSSA and connecting with professors, she was the only PR professional I knew. I was able to interview her for a few class assignments and she’s critiqued my resume and many class projects. Whenever we meet up, she continues to encourage me to put my all into my degree and to keep reaching out to others who might be able to give me some advice.
Without going to district conference, I don’t know that I ever would have met her. These kinds of connections aren’t just for alumni either—all the professionals who attend or host are inviting us to get to know them. The people involved with Chicago PRSA are some of the kindest individuals I’ve met, and they are always open to hearing from dedicated young professionals. This is a great opportunity to learn and get advice from people who not only know what they’re doing but are invested in helping students grow.
Oh—the G.O.Y. in the title stands for Get Over Yourself. One of my high school teachers made us do G.O.Y. exercises at the beginning of the school year to help us all get comfortable being silly or embarrassed in front of our classmates. We’d do bunny hops and sing baby shark and learn weird dance moves. It felt mortifying when I was 14, but by my senior year I looked forward to it.
There’s a lot to be gained when you’re willing to embarrass yourself a little bit. I’m not saying you should stroll into Edelman singing kids’ songs! Just try to take some deep breaths and be willing to get over yourself. Introduce yourself, ask the questions you have even if they seem rudimentary, and lean into the embarrassing, scary parts of meeting new people. By opening yourself up to failure (but, really, the worst you can get is a critique) you can end up with some meaningful connections.
At my first conference I was nervous. I felt like a freshman in high school being told to go all-in on baby shark, surrounded by my coolest, most intimidating friends. But I took some deep breaths and decided to go for it and get over myself. I introduced myself to the people next to me, I (tried) to approach the professionals at my site visits and ask questions. It’s uncomfortable, but it is so rewarding, and the only way to get through the scary feelings is to get used to them.
Beyond the Skyline is officially sold out, but if you’ve already got tickets, consider this your reminder that all the professionals and other students you meet are just people at the end of the day. We all get nervous, we’re all excited, we’re all a little unsure. Don’t be afraid to jump into a conversation or ask if you can follow up with someone—you might find a mentor who’ll give you advice for years to come.
(And if you didn’t get tickets… this is your sign to come next year!)