From Pre-Med to PR
As a freshman, I came to college with a lot of uncertainty in regards to what I wanted to spend the next four years of my life studying. I thought for sure, however, that my degree would be in the field of science. Perhaps I would earn a Bachelor of Science in biology with plans to go to nursing school, medical school or dental school. Four years later, I’m a senior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill majoring in advertising with a minor in cognitive science. What happened, you ask?
The Transformation
After taking an introductory biology course paired with a lab and a statistics course my first semester, I soon realized that science wasn’t for me. I learned the hard way that college level science courses were a bit more advanced than the standard high school curriculum. Hoping to find a subject I was passionate about, I spent the following semesters taking various classes to fulfill my general education requirements. I found psychology interesting and picked up a cognitive science minor along the way. By the end of my sophomore year, I still wasn’t sure what vocation I wanted to pursue. Naturally, I was confused and began to panic.
Soon after, I walked into academic advising to declare my major to advertising through the UNC-CH School of Media and Journalism on a whim, not having taken a single class within the discipline. I heard great things about the program and the professors, but I simply hoped for the best.
The Transformed
The rest was history, and the best came. I have highly enjoyed all of the courses I have taken and the skills I’ve gained during my time as a journalism student. From working with Cartier in a creative advertising course to traveling to China on a global immersion program to learn about how the advertising, PR and journalism industries function in a communist country, the experiences I have gained will prove useful in all of my future career endeavors.
Not only do I have my professors to thank but also my internship opportunities that have provided me with real-world experience within the advertising, PR and marketing industries. As an intern at Clairemont Communications, I hope to expand upon my knowledge in the PR industry by working closely with clients to help them achieve their business goals. From creating social media campaigns to delivering media pitches and assisting with long-awaited grand openings of businesses, I am excited to meet new people and learn new things.
As they say at UNC-CH, “The ceiling is the roof.” At Clairemont, I hope to achieve new heights.
Written by Clairemont Intern Anna Ostrowski, a senior at UNC.