Part 1: How College (slowly but surely) Changed My Outlook on Academics

I have always considered myself a good, hard-working student.  My high work ethic and desire to exceed expectations became visible to others at a very young age.  In my elementary school, I devoted all of my recesses to coordinating and working at the "School Store" that sold school supplies to younger students.  In middle school, I was placed in the upper-level classes and was chosen to represent my school as a guest speaker at a conference of 500+ middle school teachers (a 13-year-old's worst nightmare!)  In high school, I achieved in many honors courses and was inducted into the National Honor Society of Secondary Schools.  I even did well enough to be accepted by the prestigious Marist College!


Although I always did well academically because of my diligent personality, I never particularly felt "enjoyment" or "fulfillment" or "enlightenment" out of the knowledge I was acquiring each day from 8:00 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.  I concentrated on friends, family, and school activities to satisfy me, and saw school as a secondary part of my life that I had to exceed in to get into college.  


Even as a underclassmen college student I still struggled to be fulfilled by this education my parents were now emptying their wallets for.  When I attended my sister's graduation from Alfred University in New York last May, a sense of jealousy came over me as I witnessed her strong relationships with professors and her true love for academics.  Her strong intellect and eagerness to further educate herself each day has shaped her into the amazing person she is today.  She still has trouble describing in words how fulfilled she is because of the amazing college education she received.    

Alicia on graduation day!

I began to think, I'm in college, why aren't I feeling this amazing enlightenment?  What's missing from my education? Sometimes, why do I feel like I'm not being challenged  or taught anything new in class?  And how could anyone, in their right mind, love this so much that they would decide to pursue an academic career rather than working in the field they've spent so much time studying?  My parents encouraged me, saying that I just need to wait; those upper-level classes will change my outlook on education for sure. 



As always, Mom and Dad were right.

I dipped my feet into the pool of educated exploration during my time in Claire Keith's Global Studies class.  In this class, Claire allows the students to discuss their global experiences and learn from each other.  There are so many peculiar things to learn about in this world, and sometimes I felt silly sitting in this class amongst people who had so much global knowledge, and had experienced or learned about the world to a much fuller extent than myself.  It was during my time in this class that I first recognized the power of learning through experience: it can establish an appetite for academics.

My first dive into academia fever came to me while studying abroad in Florence.  Yes, being abroad in another country definitely brought about many new feelings of wonder, but it also gave me that extra push I needed to be intrigued by academics.  While those naturally inclined to "dig deeper" and educate themselves on a daily basis don't need an adventure  like learning in a foreign country to initiate their desire, others never experience the thirst for knowledge at all.  I am very lucky to have had the opportunity to go abroad and begin flourishing academically, professionally, and socially.


There wasn't one class that I walked out of while attending Lorenzo de'Medici that I didn't learn something new, leaving me fascinated and eager to know more.  Although the assignments and grading scale were not particularly difficult, I made sure to attend the classes and complete all of the schoolwork to my best ability.  Was I actually enjoying these academics and engaging my new knowledge even though I definitely did not need to do so to earn a good grades?  Was I actually embracing this stuff?  In Italy, I realized how much new information out there will intrigue and entertain me as I encounter it.  My art history, Medici family history, Italian language & cooking, and wine & culture classes helped me to develop new interests and mold me into the knowledge-seeking individual I am today.  Now, I find myself constantly on a quest to feel enlightened again, to grasp onto the same feeling I got while roaming the Florentine streets. 

Thats me! Chiavari, Liguria, Italia

(P.S. GO ABROAD!) 


As an enlightened student returned home from Florence, I can't help but blurt out new knowledge I gained from my academic and travel experiences in Europe on a regular basis.  I continue my quest for knowledge in my classes at Marist, and feel fulfilled now more than ever each time I walk out of a classroom (even if it is the LT basement).  My time in the classroom is sacred, and that sometimes reflects in my eager participation.  My time in Europe, as well as the great curriculum in my upper-level classes have forever changed my outlook on being a student: it's not just a job, its a life-long profession that I will always strive to achieve in.


Overall, I have never been as certain about myself as a person as I am today.  Now, I recognize that my appetite for continuous, growing knowledge will always be with me.  


A special thanks to my parents, family, professors, and angels of guidance who led me to this realization.

My First Social Media Outbreak

PR and social media professionals usually describe social media as "viral."

When I first heard the term, I thought they meant that it would bring a virus into my computer.  However, I discovered the true meaning of the word yesterday while I was on Twitter.

Apparently what they mean by viral is that once something exciting, fun, and interesting is posted on a blog, Twitter, Facebook, or other media tool, it spreads quickly, drawing more attention to the post.

Chris Dessi discussed this in his talk with Marist students almost three weeks ago that inspired me to step up my social media game.  He encouraged us to put something interesting out there, because once your follower sees it and likes it, their followers will become interested, and so on.  This perfect networking situation is how students can encourage employers to ask YOU for your resume.  Is there a bigger compliment than that? =]

For my public relations course at Marist with Dr. Mark Van Dyke, we were assigned to create a strategic plan for an event, campaign, or social media project that we'd like to execute.  A few ideas came to mind, but my best ideas always come to me in the shower (does that happen to anyone else?)  I remembered hearing about something called a "TweetUp" at my internship last summer at the Providence-Warwick Convention and Visitors Bureau.  I began researching about this type of event that is becoming very popular among organizations across the company.  The networking event allows people who connect on Twitter through trends and and mentions interact face-to-face.  Marist has created its own sort of online community, and holding a TweetUp would allow all members of the Marist community to learn more about social media and share their positive experiences with multiple tools.  

I completed my strategic plan, and with permission from my professor, I emailed my plan to Timmian Massie, the chief public affairs officer at Marist.  After I sent the plan, I tweeted Tim to let him know that it should be in his inbox.

THEN, the @marist college admissions office saw my tweet to @tcmassie about a #TweetUp and Dean of Admission Kent Rinehart asked me to send him a copy of the plan as well, because the admissions office would be interested in contributing to the event.  THEN Associate Director of Admission Brian Apfel (@apfelicus) asked me to send him the strategic plan too! Woah! Virus!  I was so excited that word of the event was spreading so quickly!

After all the encouragement, I decided to post my strategic plan to all who follow me by creating a GoogleDoc and posting the URL in a tweet.  I tweeted a couple of Twitter-crazed Marist students who I'd like to contribute to the event as well (@lshane262, @ARBro, @removethe1, @CuteCakesNY ) to send them the URL.  Others who follow these students saw my tweet, and the virus spread even more.  Within 3 hours of first tweeting Tim, I received 10 mentions, some from tweeters I don't even know!  Everyone is so enthusiastic about the event, and gave me the confidence boost I needed yesterday.

Each day I use it, I further recognize my growing passion for this social media stuff.  Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and this blog give me a voice in my academic and professional lives.  This is powerful stuff, and I'm so happy to soon share the passion with others at Marist College's first TweetUp event. Can you believe it?  Campus organizations are listening to ME, one of the 4,000 undergrad fish in the sea.  I've started a social media movement on campus! 

Watch out world, a new social media fanatic is on the loose!  

I Love Museums.

Another self-discovery that was made in college that continues to amaze me.

If I went back in time and told my 16-year-old self that I would be eager to enter the Philadelphia Museum of Art and explore paintings and other creations from Early European to Modern American art, I would laugh at you.  But today an intense feelings of fascination and satisfaction flow through my body as I entered this building of history, innovation, and culture with my boyfriend last week.

Many people become bored at the idea of walking around and observing this of the past while annoying, "older folks" take their time in reading and comprehending every single word on the wall plaques that describe the object displayed next to them.

I'm one of those annoying people.
Seriously, what a WONDERFUL opportunity to expand your knowledge and fulfill unanswered questions about the things that occurred before your time.  New information is there waiting for you on a silver platter.

On an afternoon in NYC free of any plans, you may expect a girly college student such as myself to spend her time shopping or site-seeing.  Instead, I eagerly entered the Museum of Modern Art, where I remained for 3 1/2 hours, curiously observing every piece I could get close to.

There is just something so satisfying to me about spending the day discovering new facts.  In high school, facts were spit out to me on a daily basis.  In college, I'm on the hunt for the hidden treasure.  I'm not afraid to say it: Hi, my name is Marissa, and I'm a museumaholic.

The first signs of this addiction came fairly early in life, although I would have never admitted at the time that I actually enjoyed the time I spent exploring the Smithsonians in D.C. on a family vacation when I was 14 (I was way too cool for it all - sadly I fed into the secondary school anti-literature, anti-intellectualism culture.)  However, the addiction came into full-bloom during my time living in the magical city of Florence.

The city itself is like a giant museum, displaying the frescos, sculptures, and architectural masterpieces of the Renaissance period.  I jaw dropped time and time again as I viewed new, breathtaking pieces on a weekly basis in my Art History and Medici Family History courses.

I felt as though I hit a gold mine within the first couple of weeks of attending these two classes.  Not only was I going on a field trip to a museum or church that featured drop-dead gorgeous and famous artwork, but I had my own personal tour guide to tell me the hidden meanings behind each piece.  My professors were encyclopedias of Italian history and culture, and I'm not ashamed to say that most classes, I was the one asking all the questions.

I think my favorite spot in Florence is Palazzo Vecchio.  Throughout all my time in Florence, nothing took my breath away like the frescoes created by Vasari in the Sala di Cinquecento.  I had trouble fathoming all of the detail in color and texture incorporated in the large room.  The rest of the palace was amazing as well.  Each room held a different purpose and had its own unique design, typically according to the specific requests of members of the Medici family.  I loved hearing about all of the transformations the palace had undergone through Medici reign, and how the artwork inside is preserved today.

Outside of Palazzo Vecchio (I took this one myself!

Although Italian culture and history holds a special place in my art, bring me into any building where I will be able to soak up some new knowledge and I'll feel in my element all over again.

Always stepping in a pile of Sh*t

Do you ever get that feeling that in other people lives, everything always goes there way, but for you everything seems to be going wrong?

I frequently get that feeling.
And my mother has a phrase for it.

"Some people just step in whipped cream their whole lives, while the rest of us keep stepping in sh*t."

Gosh I love that phrase, and I love her.  Although sometimes, knowing that you're always going to step in sh*t is not the right way to look at your schedule, achievements, and goals.  If we all knew we were always going to step in sh*t, then why not quit while we're ahead?

Laughter and patience are the cures that typically wash the sh*t off of my shoes, I've found.

The angry, impatient monster in me emerged one Sunday morning when I trailed a sh*tty road while I was studying abroad in Florence, Italy.  This monster had made an appearance or two at home with my family, and unfortunately arrived again during my time in Europe, when nothing is as simple as driving in my car to obtain exactly what I need in a flash.  While abroad, it seemed as though you needed an entire week to accomplish one task as simple as buying blankets, a full-length mirror, and some wine glasses.
        My roommate Milena and I attempted to make a trip to purchase these items early one morning following a night that included too much wine and not enough sleep.  We got to the bus station, and asked the driver if we were about to board the shuttle bus to IKEA (E-kay-yah, as the Italians pronounce it).  He nodded, "si," and we boarded the bus that ended up taking us for a tour around Florence for 45 minutes rather than to IKEA.  We grunted at the driver as we got off the bus and made our way IKEA via taxi (20 euros later), even though somehow we could have gotten there by free shuttle bus.  When we arrived, there was nothing but more aggravation with crowds of slow-walking, fast-speaking Italians and their annoying children.  We were in the store for far longer than necessary due to the language barrier between we American girls and the rude, unhelpful IKEA employees.  When we finally escaped the knock-down furniture scene, we waited another 45 minutes for the shuttle bus to arrive.  Tears started to streak down Milena's cheeks as she and I both realized this abroad experience came with a lot of sh*t.  We got off the bus to carry our heavy purchases back to the apartment.  I joined Milena in the waterworks project, and walked into a quiet apartment of sleeping, serene roommates who would soon wake to new wine glasses (that they never paid us back for). Whipped cream.  Milena and I filled those wine glasses quickly, stuffed our sorrows with cheese, and climbed into bed for a nap.  We awoke with clearer minds and something to ultimately laugh about.  There was nothing else to do but laugh at all this sh*t.  We laughed and laughed through our aggravation (with some more help from Mr. Gorgonzola, of course).

Another step-in-sh*t encounter occurred last summer, when I was ready for my first public relations internship.  I was ready to finally have some hands-on experience in the field, but no employers were ready for inexperienced me.  I created a killer resume, wrote a dozen cover letters, and called multiple agencies only to be told each time that I needed to WAIT.  This waiting quickly turned into rejection and disappointment.  I have so much to offer, and so much passion for what I want to do, but no employer could see beyond the lack of experience that appeared on my resume.  I applied so early to internship programs, and to such competitive companies that I set myself up to step in sh*t.  My patience had run dry, until my cousin Rebecca put me in contact with her Marist alumni colleague at the Providence-Warwick Convention and Visitors Bureau.  The opportunity came at such short notice, but it was such a rewarding, great experience that enhanced my passion for the tourism sector of PR.  I perfected my writing, research, and interpersonal skills with the help of the wonderful people in this organization.  If I had had more confidence and patience during the application process, I wouldn't have experienced the doo-doo on my shoes at all.  This summer, I am again anxiously awaiting feedback from the organizations I've applied to.  But with the help of a little more patience than last summer, I have my first interview set up and my eyes on the whipped cream!

I came to also realize that you're never stepping in sh*t alone.  There are a million other people who have gotten on the wrong bus or have been rejected by multiple companies.  That's life sometimes, a pile of sh*t.  And when the whipped cream finally arrives, will be much more respected and deserved by those who don't constantly walk in it.

College: Sweet, Stressful Confusion

The Marist College Career Services Office thinks that it is amusing to haunt seniors with the graduation countdown clocks that appear in multiple buildings on campus.

Well, its not amusing.  I'm a college junior and these clocks are already making me anxious, stressed and excited all at the same time.  This mix of emotions is unsettling, yet it's tough to imagine what my life will be like without them.

What in the heck does my future bring?

This is the question that I ask myself everyday as my graduation clock continues to tick.  Lucky for me, I know EXACTLY what I want.  My years at college only helped to expand what I already knew about myself.  They have brought me to this certainty about my future career and life.  Now, the only thing that is frightfully uncertain is how the heck I'm going to get there.

Marist provides me with much assistance along the self-discovery and fulfillment journey.  The internship and abroad opportunities are the top two reasons that I chose to become a Red Fox.  But ultimately, my journey is decided by me.

I am so excited about my dreams, goals, and future achievements, but the thought of getting there and waiting for it to happen is stressful.  Sometimes I wish that I could just arrive where I want to be, but then at a second thought, if this were the case, I would have skipped out on some of the most amazing times of my life.  This truly is a roller-coaster ride of emotions.  

So what has my time at college taught me about myself?

• Public Relations is definitely the right career field for me.
• I stand out in a crowd (in a good way).
• I enjoy working in the world of tourism, and I discovered this last summer as the public relations intern for the Providence-Warwick Convention and Visitors Bureau
• I love learning about many different cultures, but am most intrigued by European cultures.
• I want to travel to as many places as possible, and I think I'd enjoy even the most obscene destinations.
• Traveling is DEFINITELY better when you're not on a budget.
• I actually WANT to read or watch news, as opposed to being told that I SHOULD.
• I don't voice my opinion nearly as much as I should, and sometimes I am too much of a people- pleaser, but my backbone is slowly growing.
• It's OK to call home to Mom and Dad when I need help.
• I am not a patient person.
• Sometimes, I need to be more sensitive towards others.
• I need to accept the things that I can not change.  From losing a set of keys to losing a relationship important to me, I am working on understanding the phrase, "it is what it is" everyday.  (I have definitely come a long way!)
• I CAN find an outstanding balance between my organized, academic side and my social, fun-loving side.

What's in my future?

• I want to live in NYC after graduation and work as a young public relations professional in a small to medium agency.
• I want to work in the travel, tourism, lifestyle and/or hospitality sector of public relations.
• Eventually, I'd like to live an a FABULOUS apartment.
• With this fabulous apartment, I'd like some fabulous accessories and one night a week designated to fancy cocktails with my fantastic girlfriends.
• I want to remain in love.
• I could definitely live and work in Europe for a couple of years.
• Of course, these couple of years would be before I settle down, get married and have a family.

I can only hope that college provides this type of self-discovery and fulfillment for everyone.  I will be forever grateful that my time in college was everything that I hope it to be and more.  I am a confident, successful young woman who may currently be uncertain about my path, but is sure certain about my destination.

College has caused me to think sweet, stressful thoughts.

Introduction

Thanks to my readers for your support, it only enhances my enthusiasm and it makes me so happy that you'd like to hear more!

At this point, it is only appropriate to further introduce myself and provide you with a few of my interests and quirks that may assist you as you are reading the blog.  These precursors may explain some of my writings, so here are a few things you should know about me.

• Family always comes first.  I have an amazing family that has shaped me into the individual I am today, and encouraged me to always do my best.  I am extremely grateful to have grown up in such a loving environment.  My mom, Cynthia, and dad, Bob, truly are my heroes (Cliche? Too bad because its true!) They have provided me with everything I need to start heading towards a successful future, including love and support.  Although my sister Alicia and I have struggled through our relationship over the years, I believe that we will soon see this turn into a special bond.  My Auntie Paula, Uncle Rob, and cousins Nick and Lindsay are a part of my immediate family.  The eight of us are unstoppable; I have had the best times in my life when we are all together.

My family and I in Maine

• Aside from my ridiculous procrastination of the creation of this blog, I am a highly self-motivated individual.  Now that this has been created, I know my dedicated and motivated nature will cause me to develop an addiction to frequent blogging.  From working out early in the morning to thoroughly completing an assignment way before the due date, I typically don't need an extra push to complete anything.

• I am from a small town in Rhode Island, and discovered the true meaning of "you don't appreciate home until you leave it," when I came to Marist my freshman year.  I wanted OUT of Rhode Island; I did not apply anywhere in-state, on to bigger and better things for me!  But Rhode Island is such an amazing place: the city, the beach, the people, the Providence Place Mall!! Rhode Island will forever be my home, and I appreciate everything I learned while growing up there.
• I spent my summers down by the shore surrounded by friends and family who truly know how to enjoy life at a beach club in Narragansett.  Our circle of friends comes down each weekend to enjoy each other's company in this beautiful beach cabana community.  We never fail to laugh until we cry as we indulgence in food, drink, and beautiful weather well beyond sunset.  This group has become my family, and has helped to shape who I am.
• I am one of the lucky ones who has found true, deep, and everlasting love with my boyfriend, Cal.  We just met last summer, but I can't imagine a life without him now.  Although we are both so young and have a lot ahead of us, we know that life is going to be an amazing, beautiful ride as we help each other meet our goals and discover new dreams.



My boyfriend Cal and I at the top of the Duomo, Firenze

• I am of 100% Italian heritage, but never fully discovered the beauty of the art, culture, and language until I studied abroad in Florence, Italy for four months this past fall.  Here, I discovered a true passion for everything Italian.  I learned the language and can speak it fairly well, but am DEATHLY afraid of losing it.  Studying abroad was by far the best decision I ever made, and I will refer to my experiences abroad frequently.  I also spent some time exploring other European destinations, and found that I've now opened a can of worms; I want to see it ALL.

  

  Duomo, Firenze, Italia

• Over the past couple of years, I have become a self-proclaimed athlete.  Friends who knew me in high school would hysterically laugh if you told them that today I go to the gym and run 3.5 miles on the treadmill.  I was known as the girly-girl dancer and cheerleader, but I have redefined myself through activities and classes at the gym that I love participating in.
• I LOVE trying new things, a revelation that came to me at an older age.  As a kid, consistency was key.  But today, the thought of eating the same meal at the same restaurant twice, or traveling to the same destination over and over again makes me cringe.  This world has SO much to offer.. why not give every bit of it a try?  Yes, there may be many disappointments, but to me they are worth the try.

There are so many more things that I can't think of at this moment, but past and new discoveries about myself will be made through this blogging journey.

The Pilot

When I returned back to Marist College in Poughkeepsie after a month of winter vacation and four months of European exploration, I was overwhelmed with the amount of social media activity that I had been missing out on.  It seemed to me that all of these social media tools had amplified overnight.  Actively using Twitter, Wiki, and LinkedIn? Creating my very own blog?  I felt inclined to dig into the trend that is such a prominent aspect of my desired career field, public relations.

Although I had created all of these accounts previous to my arrival in Florence, Italy in September, I did not utilize them because I didn't realize their power or significance.  During my first Public Relations class, Professor Van Dyke demonstrated the exciting social media world by encouraging all of us to create accounts and explore the possibilities.  Great, here come the assignments... and as a self-proclaimed tech-disabled student, I did not have any interest in this foreign world.  I gave my Linked-In a facelift, started to become more active on Twitter, and finally began to download some applications on the Blackberry that Mom forced me to upgrade to over the winter break. (By the way, I've come to discover that it truly is a "crackberry")

Thanks to that extra push from my tech-savvy professor, I have discovered a new world that I love that also loves me back.  Once I began investigating multiple online social media tools, I couldn't stop.  Wiki questions turned into RSS Feed searches, which lead to a how-to blogging inspection.  The social media world is viral in every sense of the word; all tools are intertwined and generate a thirst to learn more.  Was I actually enjoying this research that I voluntarily took part in? Absolutely.  This experience only further enhanced my confidence in recognizing that I'm definitely going into a career field that I'm passionate about. PUBLIC  RELATIONS AND SOCIAL MEDIA ARE SO EXCITING!

I constructed this blog at the beginning of the semester during my intro to social media binge.  The design part was fun; it was the writing part that started to feel like a school assignment.  So I put it off, and then procrastinated a bit, and then waited so more.  I composed this blog to have my own space in the social media world, so perspective employers could see the work that I was doing. and understand that I was competent with the tools.  Yes, these are some rewarding aspects of having a blog, but these aren't enough to initiate a passion to write.  I thought my blog needed some sort of theme or structure in order to be special or newsworthy in the eyes of an employer. I struggled to push myself to produce something because I could not distinguish a focus area.  But what I didn't realize, until I attended Chris Dessi's social media session at Marist on Friday, is that I'M NEWSWORTHY!

That's right, me.  I'm interesting, I'm creative, and any public relations organization would be lucky to have me.  So why not write about me, the things that interest me, the people who have helped, inspired, and guided me, and the things that I aspire for.  Chris Dessi stressed in his session the importance of being fearless.  This virtue will cause you to stand out among a crowd by reaching out to others, expressing strong, intelligent opinions, and presenting new ideas based on personal experiences.  Isn't it an amazing concept, that I could make new connections or land an internship from this blog by just being myself?  That is what I intend to do here, so I'd like to offer a big thanks to Professor Van Dyke for my first push into social media, and to Chris Dessi for inspiring my second push into this rewarding blog.

I'm sure to many, the title of my blog may be utterly confusing, but it makes perfect sense to me.  I'm in my junior year at Marist College, located in Poughkeepsie, New York.  And although I currently reside in Po-town, my heart, soul, and blood belong to Tuscania, Italia.  Both places have changed me for the better.  Both places have helped me to discover who I am, and who I want to become.  Both places are beautiful, in very different ways.  I've changed the book title or saying "Under the Tuscan Sun"  to fit my magnificent, transitional journey to life in the real world.  Through this blog, I tell all about clever stories from my past, unique occurrences in my present, and exciting plans for my future.

I'm so excited to get started, and hope you are too! Stay tuned!