Sarah’s Bella Vie

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Still trying to figure out all that I can about this summer, I was able to find out what living situation the intern program may provide us! From another UCF-MAIP Alumn, she told me she had been placed at the International House by the Upper Westside. For me, that’s almost a 40 minute commute to my internship. Hello getting ready two hours before I have to be up. Weak sauce!
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For other MAIPer’s who want to see how far of a commute their commute may be, I used the MTA New York City Transit’s website. Also, I checked out how much subway passes were going to cost. The one I’ll probably get is $90 and has unlimited use for 30 days. I also found that on the website, too!
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Hope this helps! (=
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xosbp

(more…)

twenty two days until I have an idea about where I’ll be and what I’ll be doing within the next year and a half.

last summer taught me to be incredibly good at living day by day and not being so crazyscatteredbrainedalwaysknowingwhattodonext. however, lately it’s not been as great. I’m incredibly anxious, my heart feels heavy, and sometimes it’s difficult to focus on anything. apparently that something that happens when you fall in love with someone you (1) totally weren’t planning on falling in love with, (2) lives 3,000 miles away and on the complete opposite side of the country, and (3) don’t know whether to look forward to another amazing summer together or another seven total months of racking up frequent flier miles and those god awful airport goodbyes.

if selected as a finalist for the 4A’s intern program, it’d be a seriously kick ass opportunity.

pros

+ hoping it’ll be in NYC or Chicago, and everything that encompasses a new experienced-filled summer — meeting new people, making new friends, seeing new places, and learning that much more about myself!

+ hoping it’ll be for account planning so there will be some sick work to do and at a good agency

+ it’s really a great resume builder too!
cons

- ten weeks of super hard work and long hours, which i don’t mind, but he’ll have to do all the flying to come see me

- graduation ETA would be May ‘11… so another four-five months of 3am phone calls (on my end), extreme texting, and wondering whether or not we’re going to get stuck in front of annoying kids on a plane or the always awkward fat person that squishes you in.
- the chance that there won’t be tons of time to soak up the sun, resulting in a not-so-tan Sarah.


OR if not, then another california summer will be had!


pros

+ all the love-sappy thing you can think of will happen for three and a half months. tons of mornings to wake up next to each other, the obscene amounts of lazy beach days, hiking and exploring california nature w/ the dogs, being able to bring him lunch when he’s at work, getting a call from him 45 minutes before he’s going to be home. and my personal favorite: getting kisses any and every time I want.
+ the opportunity to take lead for a solar power contractors company advertising and marketing, and probably making some very decent $$$
+ i could get my pilot’s license (=
+ i’ll be done with school by december of this year by taking online classes over the summer and then by the beginning of next year i could be a california resident!
cons

- can’t really think of any cons… really just waiting to see if the 4A’s makes this decision for me.

all there’s to do now, is just wait.

Chiat\\Day Interns

 

When I first found out I was making the move, I heard from friends and acquaintances that the people in LA were mean, cold and flaky. On top of that, other friends had asked me about what I was going to do about a social life. After hearing both, I still wasn’t too worried about it. Maybe it’s the personality I have, but I have attracted nothing but good vibes and great people during my time out here.  Everyone was very friendly and willing to show me around the city. Maybe their intentions were elsewhere, but the time spent genuinely taking the time to go around Santa Monica, Venice, Hollywood or other areas were so much freaking fun!

 

The picture below of my friend Vrinda & I was taken at one of my new friend’s birthday party. His name is Justin and is also a Florida native. We met at a cafe in Venice and were discussing all the similarities we had! Floridans, both in the advertising industry and crazy about California to name a few! He was traveling to Costa Rica but thanks to facebook, we were able to get in touch when he got back and he invited my friends and I to his birthday festivities! This is also where he introduced me to Thursday night reggae concerts out by the Santa Monica Pier. All you need is a blanket, cooler full of cold drinks and great company and you have yourself a relaxing Thursday evening!

 

 

Every Tuesday, I had taken a day off from interning and waitressing to volunteer at the Venice Beach Boys & Girls Club. Starting off at the end of May, it was just a lot of helping out getting prepared for the summer camps. The director was aware that I was minoring in marketing so every so often I’d help out their marketing director with some calls or events.

 

I was even more excited about volunteering when the summer classes started. The Boys & Girls Club does such an amazing job at providing cool activities, both outdoor and indoor, and trying to get the kids to be expressive and involved. In the mornings I’d stroll in and see if the office needed any help and then head down to the game room. Every hour the groups would change, all by age. Seeing how kids these days would always suprise me! Watching them dance, play and enjoying all the games was really cool to see and be a part of. A couple of weeks into it, I’d come in a few kids were run over screaming “SARAH!!!” and it was so cute and really made me feel special to be a part of their lives this summer.

 

One of my friends from back home, Ryan, came out to the West coast for a conference and introduced me to his friend Jonathan who is a California native. We’ve become good friends and hang out a bunch which requires me to do a lot of surfing spectating.  A couple of the interns at Chiat surf too, so sometimes they’ll go for a quick dip after work. An amazing idea to me, because you don’t go back into the water after dark/sunset or else you’ll be shark bait (ooh ha ha)! That and the fact that it only takes you about five to ten minutes to even get to the beach versus thirty to forty. The next two pictures are things I will really miss when I go back. The beach and the sunset. Of course, there is both in Orlando, but it’s such a far drive and to catch a sunrise- you have to wake up early.

 

 

The trip to Napa was an unexpected one but incredibly AWESOME! It was weird seeing rain clouds for the first time in three months, but the vineyards and scenery were gorgeous! A contact of mine from when I interned in the golf industry is based in California and had invited me to come up with him while he tried some wine to add to his collection at a recently purchased golf course of his. We talked directly to the owners and wine makers themselves and it was just so awesome watching them talk about wine with such passion and love.  We flew into Oakland, did a quick drive close to San Francisco and I got to see Alacatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge. We quickly toured a few vineyards, but I wasn’t complaining! I’m waiting to see how much info about wine I retained the next time I go out to eat!

 

 

It hasn’t taken long for me to get back into my work-non-stop-incredibly-anti-social routine out here in Los Angeles. The first couple weeks were probably the best since Christine, my roommate and best friend from Florida, was still in town. She kept me company throughout the whole 3,000 mile drive here!  

 

Once we got into town, we had a blast! Went paddle boarding, ate at a few hole-in-the-wall restaurants which were all amazingly delicious and roamed a few streets to check out the area! Not to mention, it was nearing the end of the NBA East coast finals, so we had to root for the Magic at few local bars! It was the start of a great move and then she went to San Francisco to visit family. I miss her so much, but I got really lucky in meeting a handful of great people out here! Eventually, I’ve been able to meet a some of their friends so I’m feeling pretty good about my social situation. Especially since I moved out here not knowing a soul.

 

 

As far as my internship at TBWA\Chiat\Day - I LOVE IT! I’m an account management intern on the Mars account, specifically for Pedigree, but I also help out with Temptations, Whiskas and The Good Life Recipe. I still walk around the agency feeling incredibly fortunate to have landed the internship! There weren’t many interns there yet since they were all arriving the beginning of this month, but there were three that I got to know pretty quickly when I arrived. Two interning for Media Arts, even though one was just finishing up his Spring internship, and the other for Visa. It totally helped that we were all set up on “Intern Row”, a serious of computers and desks right next to each other for some of the interns to use. Now, there are like twenty other interns, but they are scattered throughout the agency, closers to their teams and have their own desks. Just on Intern Row, there are seven us. Three working on Mars, two on Visa and two on Media Arts.

 

 

The actual work I’m doing is pretty interesting too. It’s kind of repetitive since this is my seventh internship, but practice makes perfect, right? I’m learning new ways to research, through lots of new resources, becoming way more efficient at PowerPoint and most importantly- HAVING FUN! My team usually gives me something cool and enticing to work on. Obviously, it IS an internship and there is the occasional ‘paper pushing’, but even people who have actual paying jobs do it and most of the time it HAS to get done, so I have no qualms about doing it either.

 

It doesn’t stop there! I’m also taking one day a week to volunteer at the Boys & Girls Club of Venice. After getting the O-K from my background check, I was able to start this past week. Their summer program begins June 29th, so they are getting their orientation started to make sure all the parents know what to expect and how they can help ensure a safe and smooth summer for all the kids! Since the director knows I’m going to school for Advertising & Marketing, he’s having me help in the Marketing Department. I’m glad that he was considerate enough to think of me and my education. I did let him know, however, that I’d like to spend some time with the kids and help out with some outdoor activites, if there was an opportunity to do so. There’s a chance that I could be helping  out with their sailing class, which would be AWESOME since I’ve been wanting to learn how to sail and I’ll get to be out on the water. SUPER stoked about that!

 

Finally, my job. It’s like being out here is a mini-vacation, but then I remember that I have bills to pay! There’s also having the cost of going out and it’s crazy how quickly that all adds up. Just being out here costs a lot and I’m lucky enough to have my Mom helping me out with my living situation. I think she knows she’ll be getting all of her money back when I will be making the big bucks- haha! I do work a lot, though. It gets kind of frustrating and I feel like I’m not getting to enjoy as much of Los Angeles and California as I would like to, but then again, I have to keep reminding myself that I’m here for Chiat. Everything else is just a big bonus. Like I’ve said before, if given the option to move out here post graduation- I woud do it in a heartbeat.  But yah- my job. It’s great for what it’s worth. I must say, I do miss the people at my old restaurant. They are just so much more fun to work with! Here, people wig out when they’re stressed out (which is most of the time), but back in Orlando, we would laugh and make the best of it! But that’s not going to change, so there’s no dwelling. I’m going to try to enjoy it and stay as positive as I can. I’m only working there ’til August anyway!

 

And there you have it! Just a bit of the beautiful, hard working life I have.  Haha! Whatever, it’ll all pay off one day- I know it. There’s a few other personal things that are on my mind, but if I could just take my own advice – I’d be fine. It’s just the unknown that scares me. All the “what-ifs” and not knowing if the decision you made is the right one and whether or not it’ll turn around and bite you in the ass one day. But I’ll learn! Who knows, I may just dish it out and write a big, long post about it!

 

-Sarah