Working Under Pressure

This past week has been probably the busiest week all semester for me. That's because it was the week of the Dance Theatre show. I felt like my entire life revolved around dance for a straight week. This is my first year as an officer for Dance Theatre and it was quite an experience. I'm the Public Relations chair so I was in charge of promoting the show, helping out with t-shirt designs, and anything else related to PR. I really enjoyed having a say in everything we did, but it definitely kept me busy.

Along with the 6 hour rehearsals every night I spent a lot of time running to get pictures printed, working on a board to display the pictures, and I worked on editing music for the show, not to mention I had my own dance that I choreographed in the show that I had to worry about. I'm the type of person who is always happy to help someone out and I hardly ever say "no." So anytime anyone needed anything or asked me to do something I would be sure to do it. I don't know if my inability to say "no" is a good or bad thing, but it definitely made my life more stressful.

This whole week was a real eye opener for me because it showed me how well I can work under pressure, and that's exactly what it's like in the world of broadcasting and PR. Everyone is constantly working to meet deadlines and trying to be the fastest and most efficient at what they do. My one PR professor says that sometimes if you ask a client when they want something done they'll say, "Yesterday." It's a face-paced industry where you have to be prepared for whatever comes your way, and if you can't work well under pressure then it's probably not for you.

Although I wasn't in the best mood this past week, I was able to get all the work done that needed to be and it really paid off. The show went extremely well and we made the most money we've ever made in one night on our Friday night show. Not only did all the officers hard work make the show a success, but all the work I did must have showed because I was voted in as next year's Co-President, which I'm really excited about.

I feel that some of the extra-curricular activities you do on campus can really have an impact and prepare you for the real world. Whether it's learning teamwork by playing a sport, joining a club and meeting new people, or learning to be a leader by running an entire organization, it can give you the experience you need for a job after college.