Thank You, Google.

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Thank You, Google.

There are only so many things you can do on the internet. Sometimes Facebook gets boring, those 140 character updates on Twitter are just not doing it for you anymore and Pinterest keeps on sending you to the same beauty blog. If you’re like me, you can find yourself on Google looking up useless information just for the sake of putting off that budgeting assignment Tim assigned you. Instead of searching The Vampire Diaries spoilers or the latest Halloween costumes for 2012, I decided to use Google to my advantage. Who knew that by simply typing in “PR volunteer opportunities” would I have found myself interning for the day at The Toronto Independent Music Awards (TIMA).
TIMA is an independent award ceremony , showcase series and seminar founded in 2004.  The concept evolved out of a desire to support independent musicians and bring together the music community.
A simple email to the founder and I had a meeting scheduled to discuss my role at the award show. I was extremely nervous considering my resume contained few, *cough* didn’t contain any *cough* public relations related volunteer experience. The fact that I was enrolled in a Public Relations Graduate Certificate Program looking to gain experience was all I needed to show, as well as prove that I had the drive and determination to make up for my lack of experience. 
A little word of advice, answer unfamiliar numbers. I answered a call, hesitant that it was work calling me in on my day off, but instead it was the woman from New York who usually runs the TIMAs. Within a minute of being on the phone with her, I had sheets full of information for the night ahead of me, considering that she was stuck in New York and couldn’t attend. I was put in charge of the media attending the event and managing the green room-- Talk about stressful. 
Skye Sweetnam &Matt Drake of Sumo Cuyo,
 accept the TIMA for Best Female-Fronted Band
Being thrown into the event with my name badge, my press kits and clipboard,  I was ready to run around everywhere. Thank goodness I decided to put my diva heels away for the night, but the event wasn’t short of its own divas. I met my first diva, who will remain nameless, but he was a handful. I learned how to speak diva after a few too many complaints. This included calling lighting crews to fix the aesthetic of the interview room because the lighting was absolutely atrocious and did nothing to compliment the skin tones of the performers, so I was told. As the night progressed I received a tap on my shoulder by a photographer covering the event. I turned around to have her explain to me that Mr. Diva was hogging the media wall and would not move until he was done interviewing all of the nominees. I had to put my game face on and ask him to share the media wall and be considerate of the others trying to do a job as well. With a snap of his fingers in a z formation he explained to me that his name was on the brochure and he had the right to spend as much time as he wanted at the media wall. I had to call for backup. 
By the end of the night Mr. Diva was at the media booth telling me about how great the night was, how amazing everything went and how all of the footage he got would be of great use to him. I was so relieved he was finally happy. I guess those communication courses paid off when it came to building and maintaining a relationship in order to get the job done.
I met a lot of great people, some familiar celebrity faces and had the opportunity to listen to incredible local talent. After the show ended, the venue was cleaned and back to looking like an average concert hall, it was time to head back home and deal with the divas of my household; those who complain about sharing cars and tripping over my shoes in the front hall. I would take the media diva over the family diva any day of the week. 
After a couple weeks of keeping in contact with those from the TIMAs, I was offered an internship for 2013 and access to a great mentor. So all I have to say is: Thank You, Google.




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