Fervent Youth: ADVICE

Success is measured differently for every person. Some view success as having the most money, holding the most power or even being the happiest person in the room.

No matter how you view or measure success, your goals are typically reached in similar ways. Now, guru's are always telling you to add more to your life. Add more cardio, add more money, add more time. I will give you some inspiration on giving a few things up to lead to your success.

No More Excuses

You are responsible for things that happen in your life. If you make the excuse of an accident, someone's mistake or even medical problems in your life; how you react to it is ultimately your decision and your responsibility.

Give Up Perfection

How many times have you stopped yourself from being successful or reaching a goal because it wasn't perfect? We have been taught over and over again that perfection isn't real. And it isn't. But that shouldn't scare you into thinking that your goal can't be reached. You will miss so many opportunities through the fear of failure.

Surrender Control

I'm not saying lose control, go wild and ruin your life. I'm saying give up control on things that are beyond your reach and hone in on those that you can. Like I mentioned before, your reaction to any situation is your choice and responsibility. It is something you can control.

Change Your Lifestyle

Maybe you don't need to add cardio to your routine six times a week (yes it's ideal but we're not Olympians) but try drinking one less day a week or skipping the fast food meal for lunch. Small things like change in diet and exercise will dramatically change your mindset. A healthy life reflects on healthy choices in other aspects.

Let Go of Toxic Relationships

This one may be the hardest for most people. We find comfort and solace in people we know. They hold our secrets and best memories. If someone is holding you back from your success or dragging you down with their negativity, let them go. Spend time with people who are uplifting, realistic and have the same mindset as you. If you spend time with a person who has a higher drive and ambitious goals, you will notice yourself wanting to be that way. Make it happen.

Stop Trying to Liked by Everyone

No matter how hard you try, someone in the room will not like you. They will not like your mindset, drive, ideas or opinions. The ONLY way to be liked by everyone is by changing yourself to meet everyone's expectations. By doing so, you lose your authenticity.

Lose Social Media

Okay, I sound crazy right?? Especially coming from someone who's blogging success comes from social media outreach. What I mean is give up the idea that you need to be what social media says is acceptable, cool or "goals". Give up binging social media accounts that don't actively play a role in your success. For guys, Dan Bilzerian looks super cool and successful with his girls, cars, guns and money and for girls, Kylie Jenner may have everything she needs in life from plastic surgery, cars and awesome vacations. Take the two, three, four hours you spend "Instagram stalking" these people and pursue your own goals and success.

Share your inspiration by leaving a comment bellow! Don't forget to share, subscribe and leave some feedback on this post. Follow me socially, links in sidebar!

xoxo, Kris

After working at my first internship for about a year and a half, I’ve learned valuable in-office lessons as well as some life lessons. As an intern for a Marketing and PR firm, I had a lot of computer-based work; this included: tracking mentions for companies, drafting and posting content on social media, occasionally drafting a company blog post and more than anything, countless hours creating lists of people to reach out to or for specific events, newsletters or reporters for clients.

While there was never time wasted working on billable hours for clients, there was some downtime that was occasionally filled with mind-numbing tasks: making umpteen copies, hand-writing addresses on note cards (horrible for millennials), cutting and labeling photos, ordering and unpacking office supplies or simply organizing the hard-copy files of previous projects.

The number one lesson I learned; always be hungry for work. Even if it is dull or tedious, there is always something to be done. This fact seems especially true in a small office setting.

As a millennial who had never worked in an office setting before, I learned how to fax a letter, weigh and stamp postage, and come to the conclusion that my cursive handwriting is almost useless (handwriting addresses was a struggle). These small tasks, along with the major marketing and PR duties I’ve learned, have taken my knowledge of my major further than I thought it could go. With that being said, I also realized that I know close to nothing compared to someone who is 10 to 20 years my senior. Every day I have learned something new whether it had to do with style and formatting, marketing lingo, or simply how to proofread a document. Here are some other tips I can offer:

Secure at least one internship in an agency setting.

This being my first internship, I have learned that each company no matter the size operates in its own way. Not only have I gained insight on the day-to-day activities in my own office but also in our client’s offices. I was able to sit in for conference calls, work with our clients directly and also work behind the scenes and still get an idea of what everyone’s role is on a project.

Show up on time or call if you’ll be late.

Self-explanatory

Always bring a pen and paper into your meetings.

The number one, most important thing in my opinion is to WRITE EVERYTHING DOWN. As a millennial, I am incredibly grateful that I do not rely on an e-copy of my calendar or tasks; I am a pen-and-paper kind of gal. I love keeping lists of everything I do or have done. Also, it’s great to go to instructional meetings dealing with your next project with pen and paper in hand. Mostly so that your boss doesn’t repeat their instructions more than once, but even more so that you don’t forget to actually finish the project itself. When it comes to billing at the end of the week, it’s much easier to flip back through your notepad to see what you worked on and how long it took rather than to shuffle and filter through countless emails you’ve received in the past month.

Realize that there is much admin-related support work.
I was warned there is a lot; it’s actually not that bad. Your attitude about an internship really plays a large role. If you are dissatisfied by doing assignments that aren’t directly related to the job at hand, it will make your internship unbearable. The admin-support related work breaks up your day and often times you learn life-skills that aren’t typically addressed in your regular busy schedule. For me, I learned how to properly weigh and apply postage to a letter that I wouldn’t have done at home. I even got to play with a toddler that was out of school early for an hour while her mom was on a conference call. This was particularly fun for me since my previous background included many years of being a nanny and after-school babysitter.

Look for ways to wow us in your work or with your ideas to streamline any processes.

In this field, I think the best way to wow someone with your work is too make sure you get it done correctly and in a timely manner. Using spellcheck and grammar check is also important even on an internal email; small things make a difference. If there is a deadline, I encourage you to meet it or beat it. Prioritizing your work will get you far. If you do make a mistake or fail to meet a deadline, make sure that your boss knows you’ll avoid it next time.

Ask questions, especially if you don’t understand an assignment.

Many interns fear asking their employers questions because they are worried that they won’t seem smart enough or that they are unable to understand or recall instructions the first time. It’s hard to swallow that you do not understand how to do everything you’re given, but it will save both you and your employer time if you ask questions and do it right the first time. I catch myself asking questions about press clips (a project I have done daily for the past 17 months) almost once or twice a week. The same goes for assignments I do throughout the week.

Maintain the relationship.

Follow ups are a crucial part of being an intern. These can lead to networking opportunities and potential job opportunities that you wouldn’t find unless you have been personally referenced by your employer.

Start and build your LinkedIn profile now.

Since working for MPD Ventures was not my first job, I had already created a Linked In. But after managing profiles here, I have learned it is important to keep it up-to-date, post articles and share posts that are related to your expected career, and stay on top of adding new folks to your network so you are in the loop for open positions and company events you could be a part of.

To learn more about me and my qualifications, check out my LinkedIn profile here. I wish the best of luck to any other interns and hope that you can benefit and reap knowledge from this article.

xo, kristina

Kappa Kappa Gamma, Alphi Chi Omega, Delta Delta Delta, Zeta Tau Alpha... don't belong to any Greek letters? How about ΓΔI? Chances are you've felt left out from a sorority (or fraternity, for you guys out there reading), maybe it's the feeling of being unwanted from an "elite" group on campus or just missing out on raging parties that you hear about the next day. You're not alone!!

I am a non-Greek student at Southern Methodist University. It is very heavily influenced by Greek life. A non-Greek student is often referred to as a GDI (God Damn Independent); it used to be a derogatory term but I feel it's transitioned to being an easier way to identify on campus. From my freshman to now senior year, I've had some form of social anxiety about attending a sorority or fraternity party but over the years it has gotten easier to be comfortable without being associated with any letters. I'll give you the top three things that helped me deal with the uneasy feelings of being a GDI:

Invite or Not, Here I Come

You should have no shame in attending a party you weren't "formally" invited to. Odds are that more than half of the students that plan on going found out about the party through a mass group text (how personal) or through a friend, of a friend, of a friend who happens to knows one person there. Step out of your comfort zone and meet new people. Chances are that you won't know anyone there and they won't know you either. That's the beauty of attending university... it's just a bunch of strangers trying to find their way in life (and get drunk together for four years).

Have a Ready Answer for "Why?"

The first question you'll be asked after giving your name to someone is "Which sorority (or fraternity) are you in?" You'll tell them you're not in one and by some wild and absurd reason they may not understand or compute the word "no". They will ask why, be prepared! Create a standard answer so you don't have to explain your situation to every person who walks in your path. My answer: "I just wasn't interested in rushing." Then move the conversation along to what their major is and what year they are. Finally, questions you can answer without feeling left out!

Not Invited to a Formal? Not a Problem

Find friends in groups outside of Greek life: your campus will have different clubs ranging from community/volunteer events, athletic events, rec teams or even your city's sports team (go Stars!), or even pick up friends in your classes or small groups from church. Meeting new people will help you stay busy during weekends when you won't be able to crash fraternity parties due to formals or away-weekends. Keep in touch and stay connected with people you meet; it should be fairly easy due to social media - follow them on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook (social events can be posted here). The easiest way to make someone your friend is to talk to them and spend time with them! I met my best friend and partner-in-crime (hey Ellery) through mutual friend of ours who had already graduated. Ellery is also a non-Greek and we both have had a great college experience so far.

I struggled with not being part of a sorority my second year at SMU. It was difficult for me to just invite myself to something because I was always so used to being called on by my friends to go somewhere with them or making the initial plans. But college is a different environment and I knew it was time for me to adapt. Over time, I quickly created a friend base that I could always talk to about going to fraternity and sorority parties, social events, concerts and Sunday brunches with. Now, in my senior year, I found friends outside of uni that are my go-tos. I couldn't imagine not spending every weekend with these people. From hockey games and parties to watching movies with seven people piled in one bed, they are my foundation. It does get easier, just remember to stay positive, make friends and always be the best version of yourself (even if the tequila does take over).

xo, kristina

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