Before College
Growing up, I never knew what I wanted to be when I got older. What I did know was that I loved movies, television, music and the stars that came along with them. I never thought I could make a career out of that since I didn’t have an interest in acting, singing or directing. So, when it came time to decide a major at UNC-Chapel Hill, I had no idea what to choose, leading me to scour the internet for a solution.
After searching for potential careers and majors for about 15 minutes and taking a personality-based career questionnaire, I knew with absolute certainty that I would get a doctorate in psychology and become a therapist. However, I’d soon find out that my quick Google search would lead me down the completely wrong path!
Finding PR
All of my plans came crashing down after taking one psychology class at UNC. After final semester grades came, it was evident that I needed to reconsider my choice. This time of transition led me to take different classes to explore my options. Among these classes was a PR writing course, which turned out to be the hardest yet most rewarding class of my college career.
When I walked into class on the first day and had to write an entire news release, I never thought I would survive the semester. In the end, this class taught me how to think on my feet and write effectively under pressure. It laid the foundation for me changing my major and even landing an internship in New York City!
Looking Forward to the Future
While there are many significant aspects of public relations, what I love most is that many PR skills and practices can be applied in almost any field! I hope to take what I learn to the entertainment industry in Los Angeles, where I aspire to be a publicist for singers, actors and others in entertainment.
Coincidentally, my sister is also following a career path in the entertainment industry by earning her master’s degree in filmmaking and directing. Maybe one day I can be her publicist! Until then, I’m looking forward to learning and growing my knowledge of PR during my semester internship at Clairemont Communications!
Did you know? Clairemont is celebrating its 10th anniversary! Check out this blog post to find out how!
By Clairemont intern Taylor Bolden, a senior at UNC-Chapel Hill.