RRC: Two Years After, First Day for Some

I couldn't help but smile today as I thought of the new batch of Cre-comms filing into Princess Street classrooms for their first day of studies at Red River College. They may not know it yet, but they're about to have the best two years of their young lives.

I chose Public Relations for my major in my second year of Creative Communications, and one of the last exercises I was given was a speech writing assignment. The speech was on a school-related topic, and I wrote it for a classmate who read it aloud in front of the class. The topic was on helpful tips a Cre-comm graduate might give to a group of first year students. Themes in the speech touched on time management skills, being a parent while attending school, personal motivation, a social life (or lack thereof), and getting the most out of what RRC has to offer.

One theme that stood out for me the most as I wrote the speech was the type of people you will meet. Your instructors, college staff, and classmates are about to become a big part of your life from now on, but always know that the challenges you will encounter are shared challenges. All of your instructors want what is best for you, and they will teach you the best way they know how in order for you to succeed. The person sitting beside you in class will know exactly what you're going through because they are experiencing the same challenges with you. I would say "good luck," but it's not about luck. Help each other, work hard, and all of you will do well. No question about it.

I know it sounds cliché to say, but I don't know how else to say it.

Except this.

Enjoy your time. The next two years will speed by. The crazy thing is, no matter how hard it becomes, you will miss it once it's all said and done.

Finding Niche-land

Two years ago I chose to enrol in one of the most respected programs that Winnipeg has to offer. And as of last evening, I hold in my hand a hard-fought piece of paper that officially declares my achievement in Red River College's Creative Communications program. In the past month I've seen several online comments from my classmates about our impending graduation. We've worked tremendously hard. It's a bittersweet time, but for many of us a new reality begins and we are faced with one of the biggest questions in our lives. Where do we want to work?

I, and as I learned of many of my classmates, have a wide range of interests. We may not yet feel that the world is our oyster–more like freshly-hatched newborn turtles scrambling to the safety of the ocean–but we must never forget that we've been taught well, and with a little self-reflection we will find an area of interest where we will excel. In CreComm, I chose from a course list that reflected my own interests and what I felt would provide the most value to my future employer. I chose Public Relations as my major, but on top of the required courses such as Journalism, Advertising, Media Production, and Oral Presentation, I chose:

*electronic desktop publishing

*image editing

*advanced website design

*non-profit communications

*freelance business management

*television documentary production

*photography

*and to top it off, a 200-page sci-fantasy novel

So how well will my course decisions deliver work to me overall? It ultimately depends on where I focus my energy and how I pursue my plan for employment.

My strongest interests are in food and music. Before I entered CreComm, I came very close to entering RRC's Culinary Arts program such is my love for food. I am always cruising the web looking for new ways to prepare food, and I am not afraid to try something different in the kitchen. I've learned to play a wide variety of stringed instruments and I even took cello instruction for three years before I entered college. I am eager to spend more time doing these things I love, and my plan is to focus my career efforts in one of these areas. In the coming weeks I will be visiting companies and organizations that fall into my sphere of interest. It's an exciting time for me and for those I will approach; I have a lot to offer.

My official RRC transcript arrived in the mail a short while ago. Seeing how well I had performed validated my efforts and performance in a program that, at times, can foster a love-hate relationship. But always when the dust settled, the former emotion held true. I look forward to finding the right employer for me. I've worked for many years in other jobs, but the past two years in college have re-molded me for something more purposeful. The same is for all of 2011's graduating class of which I am a part of. Our talents will find the niche for what suits us best.