I Pledge...

I've completed my first week of the semester and so far I'm feeling pretty good about my classes.
1) Theories of Persuasive Communication/Consumer Decision Making - I've already taken an advanced theories course so this shouldn't be bad. There is a lot of work involved (readings, papers, etc.) but the content should not be an issue. This class has the potential to be extremely boring but so far I really like the teacher.
2) Integrated Communications Management - More of a business class than an advertising class. I don't exactly get excited when told to do case studies, and there are MANY case studies involved. So far seems pretty dry and boring. Oh well.
3) Immigrant Media - Based on the content of American media and how it is altered to reach multicultural audiences. It's outside of advertising in the RTF (radio, television, film) school and should allow me to study media from a different approach than I'm used to (demographics, cost analysis, etc.). The teacher seems cool and is holding a pot luck at her house for her students to get to know each other. Granted, it's a small class of less than 10 :)

If all goes as planned I should be graduating EARLY which means this time next year it is likely one of two things will be happening:
1) I will be freaking out because I can't get a job
2) I will be freaking out because I have to move across the country for a decent job
I would really love to stay in Austin AND have a job in a media department. I'll keep my hopes up and we'll see what happens!

I've decided to go to South by Southwest Interactive in March. I am PUMPED! My extreme nerdiness comes out with my excitement for the content, the trade show, the panels (see a list here). My desire to explode into the business world comes out with my anticipation of the networking opportunities. I have already developed a business card to give out to any new friend or potential business contact and I hope it will really stand out... It's not a typical business card size, it's skinnier, and on thick, black, what they call "indestructible" paper. On one side it has an Oscar Wilde quote, "We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars." On the other side it has only the address of my future website, www.whitneylawson.net and some stars around it. Mike is going to help me build the website. It's going to be very simple. A small bio, contact information and a link to my LinkedIn profile. I've already purchased the domain so it should be up in the next month. (Mike also purchased www.michaelmcbryde.com so we'll be working on that... aren't we such a trendy couple? haha) I realize my hopes for SXSW are probably higher than they should be, but I'll be on spring break and will be able to soak in everything to the fullest and stalk as many industry professionals as possible. I'm kidding. Kinda. I'm most excited to hear speakers from Razorfish (it's in my top 3 of where I sooooooo want to work), Adult Swim, Digg, Wired and, wow, so many others.

On a less nerdy note, Mike and I are going to see Ron White for his birthday. I'm not sure how I feel about it, but it's his birthday wish so I'll deal with it.

Back to a hopeful note, here is a very nice video to our NEW PRESIDENT!