Faye Oakey PR.

Today I received the official results from the first year of my BA Public Relations degree at Leeds Met, I’d like to take the opportunity to reflect on the past academic year, and note my aspirations for the future – both with regards to my career and personal endeavors.

Firstly, reflections on the year; some modules it appears I’m much stronger than in others. I managed to achieve two 1sts, and two very nearly 1sts, but my individual module results varied, weaker areas therefore affected my overall for the year. My lowest result was a high 2:2 though, so I’m not complaining. I propose to spend equal time next year working on those areas less interesting to me, as I do on my personal ‘favourites’, in order to achieve a more well-rounded qualification. I am happy to achieve an overall 2:1 this year, although I aspire to get much higher results in year 2, which brings me on to:

What I hope to accomplish throughout the course of my life…

• To graduate with a 1^st
• To visit at least one of the wonders of the world (I hope to do this this summer, I’m working on a plan to visit the Grand Canyon)
• To travel Europe
• To secure a good reputation within the PR industry through work experience, networking on and offline, and maintaining communications in the PR world
• Flip a pancake  
  
• Write a book
• Be on TV - either as a presenter or games show contestant - not too varied
• To leave a positive impression on the world, or those in it
• Go to Thailand
• To climb a mountain
• To meet the Queen
•  To be content and fulfilled, with the family I’ll have, and the career direction I take
• Get married
• Own a treehouse
• To maximise my potential creatively, and spend time on things I’m passionate about
• To travel America  This is something I always wanted to do, last year I spent the summer working at camp in Great Barrington in Massachusetts, during my time in the US I visited New York, Washington DC, Boston, Miami and Atlanta, as well as Six Flags in New England. This summer I’m in Fort Collins, Colorado spending time with my boyfriend who has a scholarship here, so far we have been to San Diego and Denver for trips, so my dream of travelling in America, most certainly came true. 
• Own a house, and make it a home
• Buy a puppy
• Go to Disneyland Florida – I’ve been to the Paris version
• Go to Fiji
• Work a year abroad in Australia or New Zealand
• Visit a zoo  Denver Zoo June 2012
• Ride a horse, or an elephant
• Go skiing
• Learn a second language (I’m working on this one, my boyfriends 1st language is Hungarian, so I’ve been studying a lot)
• Swim with dolphins
• See the White House  September 2011
• Stop biting my nails
• Go dragon boat racing
• Go to Mexico
• Become a blood donor (I’m terrified of needles, so this is a huge one, but I’m determined.)

Now, I know this list may seem a little extensive, but I never said I wasn’t ambitious!

The Met Online was launched in February this year and has since become a roaring success for students of Leeds Metropolitan University, which is why I was eager to get involved.

Recently I’ve been given the opportunity to write features; firstly an informative piece about what’s on at Leeds Grand Theatre and secondly I was invited to attend the press event for a production at the Theatre for Nicholas Wright’s Travelling Light and write a follow up review.

All great experience for me in terms of networking, and improving my writing skills. Hurrah!

Follow the link to see what we’ve got going on over there.

Networking: ”forming business connections and contacts through informal social meetings” as defined in Collins dictionary.

This is a skill that is more or less expected in the business world, particularly in the communications sector. But, as a student the whole idea of meeting with ”proper professionals” is exteremely daunting when experienced for the first time. Luckily for me Leeds Met’s PR course is known for it’s excellence, with an almost perfect employability rate, and now I know why! We really are encouraged and helped along in all aspects, even areas that can’t be taught in a lecture theatre! 

Through our course tutors, the PRCA arranged a networking event giving us students a chance to network with practitioners, and brush up on our networking skills. An informal chance to chat with professionals, free wine and nibbles, how could I refuse? And even in our own territory. 

The evening really was a nice occasion, encouraging relations with PRCA staff, practitioners from various agencies such as Propaganda and Finn, and PR students from other levels. It also gave a chance to chat with our tutors, overall a pleasant evening. And frankly, I’m not sure what I was so worried about!

Last night I took part in an online conversation: Comms Chat, with Richard Bailey, senior lecturer at Leeds Met and editor of Behind the Spin. It was the first time I’d come across this initiative, which is endorsed by Wolfstar PR, and what a great idea. It is self defined as “the home of Europe’s most popular communications conversation”. I really enjoyed the opportunity to converse with likeminded people; other students, professionals and educators. Plus it was very easy to use and follow, I simply joined in via the Twitter app on my iPhone. The discussion centred around the topic of learning. One of the questions offered was “How useful is a qualification (degree level or otherwise) in PR?” to which I gave my opinion. I tweeted (abbreviated for Twitter): “As a PR student, I see my degree as essential education not only of the industry but in life skills. I’d have had no idea where to start with gaining experience without it. Education allows for exploring our interests for our future career.” Personally I feel this time in education is extremely important for my development; school is a whole lot different to the working environment and university prepares us for that. It’s about finding your strengths, interests and working out what you’d like to pursue in your career. As well as allowing for making mistakes, making friends with people with similar interests and enjoying being young before the world of work. There was also a whole host of other discussion which gave me food for thought and made for an interesting evening. I’m always looking to learn and this is a nice way to network with people who can teach. I look forward to joining in another topic soon.

Day 2 of the Leeds Met open day weekend also went swimmingly! I spent time getting to know some really impressive students applying to come here, which was such a pleasant surprise. Really the type of young go getters that I’m sure will go far in this field; pro active is definitely a huge positive for PR! I also really enjoyed working, networking and socialising with students from second and final year PR, who gave me some great advice, which was very kind indeed. Not only did I really enjoy representing the degree and the uni over the course of the weekend but I got to earn money, gain a portfolio item, a couple of free lunches and a Leeds Met hoodie! Result. Such fun!

Following from this, as well as the usual uni and work commitments I’ve been working on our pitch for the Two Birds One Stone student apprentice for King of Shaves, again, very exciting! This afternoon Jonny, Ben and I met with Becky from Magpie Comms who is acting as our group mentor. She listened to our ideas and gave her opinions, feedback and advice, which really gave us the confirmation of the direction we would like to take for this. We now have a few days to cement our campaign into a presentation and prepare prepare prepare! To ensure we are perfect by pitch time on Friday. I thought by this stage of the process I would be a nervous wreck but actually my feelings are leaning more toward excitement than apprehension, I can’t wait for them to hear our ideas, and hopefully want them, and want us!

As I say “busy little bee” after all of this I attended the CIPR guest lecture at uni. Today I thought was a brilliant presentation from CIPR award winner Claire Davis who currently works at Turn Key as head of PR, based in Leeds. She had a lovely story to tell, regarding their involvement with the ongoing Eastgate Quarters retail project in the city centre. A real insight to an actual public relations campaign and the work that is involved, she discussed her media links, event management, crisis management amongst a whole host of other interesting tasks that come with the exciting world of agency based PR! Plus it’s always of interest to hear of positive stories happening that are relevant, being a Leeds lass I loved to gain information about this campaign and all of the amazing opportunities that this project is bringing to our city. I look forward to yet more excuses to go shopping. Go Turn Key!

Today’s been a great day :) I had my first job opportunity as a StAR (student academic representative); I got to take part in the open day on behalf of Leeds Met faculty of business and law representing my course, which is of course PR. I enjoyed spending time with next year’s potential students so much, informing them of the course, of the met as a uni and Leeds as a city and a place to live. It took me back to my a levels and the questions that i’d had and the advice I would have liked. This was followed by yet more exciting prospects as I met with my group for the student apprentice with Two Birds One Stone. We have our ideas and themes organised and ready to rock! We meet with our mentor to discuss it on Monday and then the fun really begins to prepare for the pitch to King of Shaves on Friday! Dum dum dummm! ;) followed by home, bath time, pizza, x factor and candles, ahhh…