My First PR Event

Today was the day of my first public relations event. To say that I was nervous is a complete understatement. I spent about 15 minutes contemplating on whether or not I should wear a blazer with my dress. Though I'm dressed in an all black outfit, I opted for the blazer. So, I had to take the bus to get to my location but today the HSR was not on my side-- kind of. I left ten minutes early because I knew it would take me a bit longer to get to the bus stop with heels on. The bus stop is about a one minute walk normally. I don't know if I'm a lot slower than I anticipated or if the bus arrived too early but there it was headed towards my stop and I wasn't there yet. I flagged him down to get him to wait for me because I was about 10 seconds away. He shrugged his shoulders and drove off without me on the bus. "Oh no, I'm going to be late for my first public relations event," I thought to myself. Let's be real though, I don't give up that easily. I took off my heels and ran 30 meters to the next bus stop. It was pretty embarrassing. Fortunately, another bus came and I got to my destination on time. No one was able to notice that I had run a marathon to chase a bus. Phew! The event was absolutely amazing. We were able to network and ask any question we'd like to professionals in the industry. Every single person noted that I stood out for various reasons. Everyone commented on the fact that I was a philosophy graduate and how in the long run I would be a huge asset to organizations for being rational and ethical in nature, especially since I want to work in the financial sector. I was told by one person that I was an enthusiastic speaker who looked around the room and engaged the audience. I have done presentations in front of a room of 700 parents and students before so I guess that helped me out there. They also noted that my personality and goals would make me successful in the public relations field. However, I was discouraged from starting my own public relations firm as there are too many consulting firms out there. I was told it would be best to pick a company and advance from there. I was also given valuable information on what steps would be best for the financial sector such as completing courses and designations that most of the staff would have taken. Overall, it was a great opportunity and I look forward to being a mentee for the Canadian Public Relations Society and to being in the field.