My post-secondary education has been flying by. I remember the days and nights in grade 12 so clearly - the ones I would spend researching various programs and courses throughout Canada's many academic institutions. I had known a few things about myself back then, such as what some of my strengths and weaknesses were, but mostly I was just trying to figure out who I actually was. So choosing what area of study to commit to for at least three years was, to say the least, anxiety provoking. Now, three years later... people always ask me why I went to into communications, why (and what even is) public relations and what kind of career I want from it? Well, I'm here to tell you my personal answers for those questions, but in reality, it is all subjective and everybody's story will be unique in itself - which is one big factor of why I love public relations; a person can truly choose which area of work they pursue with public relations as a career - whether they want to work for government, entertainment, business, non-profit or anything else their heart desires because it's up to the unique individual to choose their path.
I don't quite remember how I stumbled upon the idea of studying communications but I do remember having a feeling that I could enjoy it, and so the googling began. Eventually I ended up applying to several communications programs around Canada but nothing stood out quite like the partnership that Brock University and Mohawk College had. I was, and still am sometimes, an indecisive person. I wanted to go to university, for the theory, but I also wanted to go to college, for the application and so when I discovered this collaborative program, I felt like I had found a giant discount and cheat in the system - because it most definitely is! I also remember discovering this very blog and reading posts from current students, it was liberating... I wanted more than anything to be a part of it and wow, here I am now, maybe this will be you, reader, in a few years or even next year.
So evidently, I chose the collaborative program, and let me tell you, I don't regret it even one bit. There's six of us this year - six third-year students pursuing a post-graduate diploma - and it seriously feels like we were granted a speed pass of sorts. It is definitely a different experience but I believe that it is incredibly worth it. Transitioning from university was difficult, it is crazy enough to go from having classes with hundreds of students in multiple class rooms to having class with the same group of 40 students in the same class room, but it is even more crazy to be the youngest of the bunch. Before attending Mohawk, I used to worry that the older students wouldn't take the other collaborative students and I seriously, but I couldn't have been more wrong - we're all equals in our class despite age, gender, race and etc. Before I attended Mohawk, I also didn't know how to describe what public relations was, and now I do - proving first hand that I've applied the knowledge that I've been receiving. So when your family or friends ask you "what is public relations?" you can just say "it's something you have to experience to be able to understand." Seriously, it's true. But the experience is great! We've accomplished so much this semester and had so many experiences that the university curriculum just does not offer. For instance, we held real-life fundraising events for local Hamilton non-profits by working in teams with fellow students. Furthermore, all of the assignments that we do make for perfect portfolio pieces which will help for future job hunting. None the less, this program at Mohawk has been more than I expected and I fully understand the benefit of having both theory and application. It's also been amazing to only have three days of classes per week - but that's just a huge bonus. There's also a mandatory internship component which is one of the most beneficial opportunities of this program. The students in our class currently have a variety of different public relations placements such as in the hospital, the YMCA, public relations firms, in the sports industry and even with Hamilton philharmonic orchestra - just to show that PR is everywhere!
None the less, I know that when I go back next school year for my last year of university, I will be more experienced, more knowledgeable, more practical and overall more certain about my ideal future career path. It's definitely a strange feeling to know that most of my classmates will be attending interviews and entering the work field whereas I will be heading back to school, but in hindsight, technically I got to skip a year of my undergraduate degree by saving a year's time and money and I will now also have all of my Mohawk classmates as connections which will most definitely be helpful for networking purposes after I graduate. I also believe that going back to university with all of this applied knowledge will be very rewarding throughout further studies, seminars and all else.
So here's my answers: I went into communications on the fluke that I would like it - and I've loved it more than I ever imagined; public relations is what you make it, it's about the experience and which area you pursue but in more simple terms, public relations people are the middle men between an organization and the media; and for which area I would like to pursue - I'm passionate about non-profit because they need to most help to raise awareness and understanding about various topics.
So whether you're a current high school or you're in your first or second year at Brock University, I highly recommend this collaborative program and even if you're not either, I still recommend this post-graduate program because it gives you the experience and applicable skills to enter the public relations field with the confidence and abilities that employers desire.
Word of advice? Make a professional Twitter or at least clean-up your current one to make it more professional, develop a LinkedIn account, create a blog and start writing about anything and everything, and most importantly, keep your head up and eyes out for new opportunities that interest you, because you'll never know where life can lead you in PR - it's all about the networking.
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