My Last Semseter at Madison College

In the last post I did, I talked about my college experience as a whole. I did not focus on what I really did on my last semester at Madison College. I do not know why, but I want to fill you in on my last semester at Madison College.

When thinking about my past semesters I had during my career as a student at Madison College, they always have some stress built into them. Especially, during the beginning of the semester getting settled into your classes, then midterms, then the world of finals, final projects, and final paper hits. There is always something going on when I am jugging between four/five classes, with the newspaper, and my job at the bar. Normal, when one juggles things in their life.

But this last semester it did not seem that stressful. Yes, there where times of stress. But it did not feel like I was overwhelmed by it, like I normally be. I strangely without thinking about it handling it just well. I had that normal stress with beginning of the semester, then midterms, with finals, the school paper, plus working the bar job. It was all a breeze to me. I mean, I highly enjoyed my classes this semester. I loved this semester, I think it is one of my favorite semesters of my college experience.

I did apply to transfer colleges because I was on the transfer program also at Madison College. I applied to University of Wisconsin - Madison (for Journalism). I have not heard back from them, not sure about what is going on there personally. I also applied to University of Minnesota - Twin Cities (for Journalism). I did not get in. I am not depressed that I have not heard back from Madison yet, nor getting into the Twin Cities. This is a message for me to take a break from school, and try again if I am thinking about going back earning another degree. The door to education is always open.

Working at the paper and on the broadcasting team for the Clarion was quite fun. It was busy when I had both meetings back to back, but it was highly worth it. I got to work with my sports section fully, because the section became a multimedia route. It is something I highly encouraged as an editor. I took this from one of my professors, he said just doing print would not cut it anymore as a journalist. One needs to be doing video, radio, broadcasting, being a photographer, print, and also social media stuff. I used to not be a big fan of this. But now thinking about this, and learning about myself that I am pretty good at editing video (a few years ago, I was not that confident), this is the way to go. Also, after taking my On Air Broadcasting class, I like the radio and video side of things too. It's quite fun!

Also, with the paper I got to go to many conferences this year. We did a very good job when it came to cleaning up awards at the Wisconsin Newspaper Association conference. We managed to win one for our last issue of the 2016-17 school year, where I managed to score the headline article about our new Student Life offices. So, it was an honor to see that issue get rewarded with an award.

 

The other two conferences I went to where pretty special in their own right. I got invited by provost of our college to go to this ESPN Women's in Sports Reporting conference. It was more like a round table that was put on by ESPN Madison. It was interesting to listen to these women's stories in their field. It was truly inspiring for me. They talked about how it was important for them to do what they do, and why it is important to get more air time, and more respect for women in broadcasting, and also women who compete as athletes on the rink, pitch, field, court, and etc. because it's important to bring your grandmothers, mother, aunts, daughters, nieces, and granddaughters to these sporting events. Also, it's more especially important to bring your grandfathers, father, uncles, sons, nephews, and grandsons to women sporting events too, so they can gain respect for women in the sports world, and grow support for women in sports. It was something really inspiring to take away from, considering doing sports stuff for good after all. Let's see where the future takes me...

Left to right: ESPN Madison's Women's in Sports Broadcasting

& UW-Madison's Journalism School's Center for Ethics nametags

The second conference I went to was Journalism Ethics, it was put on by the University of Wisconsin - Madison Journalism School, and also their Center for Journalism Ethics. I was the only one from the Clarion who went to this. Little bummed that no one joined me. I understand why, because it was right in the mist of the end of the semester, and finals coming up. The things that where discussed where how to deal with shifting through news, and finding the fake news, and what to do about it. How to gain your readers back, and how to show the world that you, as the news organization you are in, you are truthful to your readers. What we should do as journalists, in the future of Journalism itself, how should we go on in this world we are in. It was highly interesting, and I am ready to go back to next years, and see what that conference covers.

 Screenshots of the videos I made. You can watch them on the link below.

I managed to do a video series for one of my Journalism classes, it was not intended to turn out to be big as it was. It was supposed to be a profile about either a student, an instructor, or another faculty member of the Madison College community. I had a couple choices in mind, at least four. Three out of the four responded and let me know they where okay with doing a video profile. I couldn't say no. I took it on as my own little mini honors project. I did not sign up to do anything like an honors project, but giving myself one just to make me feel like I had one (even though it didn't count for anything). I am proud of myself for completing this series, and working though different things to get them published. I found stories that I wanted to be told too. So, I am glad I made those videos to introduce to the world the amazing people I work, I mean used to work with with everyday at Madison College.

Speaking of used to working with amazing people at Madison College everyday, I am going to miss those who I worked at the paper with everyday. It's been a week already and I finished my Madison College student, and Sports Editor career, and I am already missing everyone! I know everyone is in the general area, and we can see each other whenever we want, but when it hits Fall. That will be a different story, everyone will be off doing their own little thing.

Our Opinion Editor planned a bonfire at her house. It was a fun night of sharing laughs and memories with each other. Learning how to fly the Clarion Broadcasting Video Production Manager's drone, and walking down to the lake. Cooking dinner of various foods, and enjoying each other's company before graduation, and going our own ways. Like I mentioned before many times, I will never forget this group, and if you need anything you have my contact information: you know where to reach me. We may never have office hours with each other ever again, but there is nothing wrong with meeting up at the Memorial Union Terrace, and watching the sunset eating Babcock ice cream, and having a beer! Good luck on all your future adventures, I am rooting for you all on your next chapters of your lives!

With that being said, that the semester is over, and I am done with school. I have more time to update this blog (whenever I can, it won't be daily). So look for more posts coming your way! I have some exciting stuff planned for you all! I cannot wait to share it with you all!

Bye Bye College, Hello Real World!

Well, I am officially done with school. It is SO wired to even say that! Ever since, I was five, basically my first day of Kindergarten, I have been in a classroom learning. First it was learning to write letters and numbers, then that turn into writing other words, then sentences, and then papers, and obviously how to read. Reading and writing both come hand in hand. Then it's no surprise I completed my Journalism Certificate, since I stuck with reading and writing in English. I may also took on the French language along the way. Let's just say I need to practice my French, because I am more fluent in English.

But after graduating high school, once I got to college I was not in college for the full time. I did a few semesters of college classes, but decided I need to take a break, and be in the world for a bit to figure out what I really wanted to do. That is alright. If you just graduated high school, and feel like you need a break from school. Take it! You're allowed too. No one is stopping you—you have every right to figure out who you are and who you want to be. It was something I suffered from when first starting in college feeling like I was forced to go to school even though I did not know what I wanted to study at first. A lot of college freshmen and students go through the same thing. Ask people around you how many times they switched their majors in college (if they did).

With having that feeling of not knowing where I wanted to go in life, and what I wanted to study, I felt lost. I managed to come across a poster for Walt Disney World on the Madison College campus. Truly, confused why there is a poster for Walt Disney World on a college campus. Spring Break trip? "Sure! Rollercoasters, spending time with Mickey Mouse, all the Florida sunshine to soak up," I thought to myself. "SIGN ME UP! I AM GOING TO THIS MEETING!"  I then head to the meeting to find out the opposite of little college trip. It was more of "Live. Learn. Earn." internship. Also, what I personally consider a internship of a lifetime (this is the 2010 and 2012 me, not the 2009 me).

So, the 2009 me considers this as an option for one day. I remember sitting around the Magic Kingdom or Epcot in the past (1998, 1999, 2000, or 2002... if dates are right), more I think of it I think it was a trip I took with my family in 2000. So, I was watching a custodial cast member on their trash run, or a food and beverage cast member busing off a table in a seating area for a restaurant outdoor dinning area (the cast member was probably also Disney College Program Intern, just thinking about it.). Just watching them do their job, and thinking: "how does one get a job at Walt Disney World?" I mean, just imagine popping that into a conversation that you work for one of the most famous theme parks and one of the most famous entertainment company in the world? It's nothing but a conversation starter! (Learned this from past experiences.) So, this was part of the decision factor for the summer. I could do an internship at Walt Disney World. This was no April's Fool joke.

So, in Fall of 2009 I applied for my first Disney College Program. Got it! Headed down to Orlando, Florida to work in Epcot (my FAVORITE park!), went in the Spring and Summer of 2010, FELL IN LOVE WITH IT! I believe you all know that story well. Then came home in August 2010. I started missing Walt Disney World like a mad person! It is something that everyone who has completed their Disney College Program, Disney Cultural Representative Program, Disney Professional Internship, Disney International Internship Program, and etc.—one will end up getting Disney Post Distress Disorder (it's a fake disease that full-time cast members make up working with a bunch of Disney interns). It's nothing serious, it's just that after living and working at Walt Disney World anywhere between three months, five months, seven months, up to a year, it is something that you get used to. Also, your Walt Disney World o'hana (family) is a tight-knit group as well. With those two things that you experience every day, plus it is something no one in the outside world understands, you long to go back to have that life again (in short, I will do another blog post to write fully about it).

Like I said above in the last paragraph, I FELL IN LOVE with the Disney College Program, I wanted to go back to work at Walt Disney World, again! I did a semester and a year at Madison College, so I could go back to Disney in the spring and summer of 2012, which I did. In August 2012, I came back from another completed program, and working at Downtown Disney (now Disney Springs). I learned a lot on my second one, very important lessons, I could NEVER had learned in a Madison College classroom (same with the 2010 program, but different life lessons). But after coming back in August of 2012, I ended up taking a gap year (a year and a semester off) to do some soul searching, and to figure out what I wanted to do. So, within that time I motivated myself to really look into myself to see what I wanted to do career wise.

Working for Disney one thing it reinstated in me was that I like stories. I like listening, reading, and watching stories, also sometimes myself I enjoy sharing stories of my own, or making up little stories in my head and throwing them down on paper. When working at Walt Disney World, I always enjoyed listening to stories of my fellow cast members, or my coordinators, trainers, or managers about how they found their way to Disney or just another story about their lives. Also, something that Disney reinstated in me was that everyone, every place, and everything has a story to be told, and maybe (if okayed) to be shared.

Another thing I took in consideration when thinking about a career path was, working with social media. As a kid who grew up in the 90's where I have memories of running around in backyards with my friends, or my cousins, I've got a childhood full of imagination, and outdoor fun. But when I got older around third grade being introduced to computers, along with the internet (the 90's version of the internet, before Wikipedia, YouTube, Facebook, etc.—PLEASE DON'T AGE ME! NOR CALL ME OLD!), also a 90's version of Microsoft Word (I miss that little dancing paper clip (Clippy? Was that his name?)). I grew up in a world where you could run around outside, until mom or dad called for dinner, and a young age of computers and internet. I got both worlds, the outdoor adventures one, and the Information Age, where you can Google just about anything.

But the more I got older, and went through school, the internet and technology kept on changing, and quickly (faster today). By the time I started college, there where fancier Blackbarry smartphones out  in competition with Apple's iPhones. Then one day in 2011, according to 'How I Met Your Mother', it was mentioned in a line in the show how everything suddenly changed, and everyone had their nose in their phone (anyone remember that?). But, I believe that statement was true. Suddenly one day in 2011, everything suddenly shifted over to smartphones. I did not realize this until I got my first iPhone in 2013. BOY! That was an eye opener for me! If you needed something to know, you could Google it, and know who that actor is, in that TV show or movie your watching. Or tweet or Facebook you're opinion and reaction about what happened on the new Game of Thrones episode (don't spoil it for anyone).

With growing up around the newly formed world of social media, with MySpace being new in high school, and then when Facebook opened up to high school students. Then once I was in college Twitter became the new thing (around 2009), then Instagram became the newest thing (2012 or 2013), and then Vine and Snapchat. I was thrown into the world of self-teaching myself how to use these new platforms. So, with the people who are older and younger than me too. With having this new field of way to reach out to the world as a person, a famous person, or a business. That is where social media became handy in the work force, and the real world. I tried to learn what I could form the different social media platforms that came out. I mainly stick with the main ones, because there is no way I am keeping up with every little application that comes out on a daily basis.

So, with my love of telling stories, and working with social media... I thought I would be perfect going to the Communications field. As, was looking through the branches of Communications I did not see much for social media. I looked at Journalism, and saw that this is a way I can share stories. That was the major thing that caught my eye. I went back to school in the Fall of 2013 - Spring of 2015 to get some of my generals out of the way. I have not had a chance to do that hence, yours truly was considering joining the Mickey Mouse Club (and getting it started up again) while working at Walt Disney World, did not consider what credits I still needed to finish. Got to the school bridge, then realize I had to quickly take care of the generals that I ignored.

  

Thank you to my lovely friend (the hand model)

 helping me during Valentine's Day!

In Fall of 2015 I started my major path of Journalism. Took a good starting class (Introduction to Mass Communications) for my major. If you are going into the Communications field, you need to learn about the whole field and it's laws and ethics before you take anything on.  Turned out that professor turned out to be my advisor once changed my degree into a Journalism Certificate degree, and also my instructor for many other Journalism classes I took.

So, in that introduction class I had to write an article for the Clarion (Madison College's Student Newspaper) for extra credit. I wanted to do well in school, and general. I took that opportunity to write for the paper. The first meeting I went to I wanted to check it out to see what it was like. I also went with the guy I sat next to in the class too. We both are inspiring to become future journalists (I am. Him? Not sure, I think he is more leaning towards broadcasting—I lost touch with him, until this last semester he popped in shared interest working with our online radio station (more on that later)).  At first walking into the newspaper office was daunting, but interesting, it had this excitement to it. I did not sign up for stories at first, I was just there to get a feel out of it. I managed to comeback to another meeting, the advisor of the newspaper talked with me to let me know, that this whole deer in front of the headlights thing is normal. I managed to muster up signing up for my first article, and around that time I was offered the position of Sports Editor. The one before me was overwhelmed with everything going on her life, so I ended up taking the job over for her. I also mentioned during the first meeting I was interested in doing social media stuff for the Clarion.

So, I was on double duty: Sports Editor and Social Media (have been up until my last day). I was helping run the Facebook account, I would post about when our new issues came out, and any other exciting happenings. In the Fall 2015 I helped living up our Twitter account, by posting new issues, and help to highlight articles that we wrote (added on the new banner in Spring of 2016). Then the Summer of 2016 (going into Fall of 2016) I revived our old Instagram account. I saw a sticky note on one of the old computers in our old office, and thought I would joking try the password to see if it worked. Surprisingly, did! Got into it, did not think much of it, until a meeting we had for our first issue of the next school year (2016-17). Logged into it, to post a picture to prove a point of we got our Instagram account active again.

 The screen shots of the social media I helped with. 

With content posted by yours truly.

During my last year (2017-18) at the Clarion we got a new branch of the Clarion called, Clarion Broadcasting. This is where we have a YouTube channel for the Clarion, and staffs' videos that they have made appear and people can watch them (I have made a few videos myself for the channel). The videos are based off of the Madison College community, Madison Community, or Wisconsin. The content varies. We also got ourselves our very own radio station this year called Clarion Radio. You can listen to it here (under 'Listen to Clarion Radio'). They did a radio show for Halloween, it was a bunch of students who came together to voice "Wars of the Worlds" and put on a Madison College twist to this H. G. Wells's original version, and modernized it. My lovely sports section writers came together to put together their own show on Clarion Radio, called WolfPack Recap (they also have a Twitter account too; because I know someone would want me to add that in). It was originally one of them at first, then they added on. They also took on doing play-by-plays for basketball games and softball games (which they ended up with two others who helped them).

 

From the Clarion Instagram 

Working for the Clarion was one of the most fun, and exciting experience of my life, it's up there with working at Walt Disney World! I got to meet so many different people who where on staff, and also many different wonderful individuals that make up the Madison College community! With working with the Clarion one can go on many conferences around the United States to win awards, also to network with future employers and co-workers, and also learn more about being a journalist. Also, getting to see the staff everyday and just enjoying time with them. I am truly going to miss you all. I know I have said that more than once to you in person.

While working on the newspaper, and learning about the path of journalism (through classes, and also the newspaper) was an interesting experience. Even now, with the way the world is, and how our politics are in America—with the way they view journalists. Right now it is an interesting time to be a journalist (even though I was a student one), and to be in the world of Journalism. We have people deeming news real or fake. The Clarion reports on real news, we inform the public about what is actually happening around them (to a certain extent, hence it being a student newspaper). But, reporting the truth and nothing but the truth, and local events that are of interest of the Madison College community.

 

 Awards we have won. Top would be Best of the Midwest and

Wisconsin Newspaper Association (Winter 2017).

Bottom would be Best of the Midwest and Wisconsin

Newspaper Association (Winter and Spring 2018).

Like I mentioned in the introduction, it is wired to say I have completed my Journalism Certificate, and to say I am done with being a student (for now). The door is always open, there is always more time to earn more degrees if I see fit. There is nothing wrong with taking a break from education, and living in the real world for a bit. In college or the real world, you learn new things everyday about the world around you, and yourself. You do not need to be stuck in a classroom. One thing the Madison College experience taught me through these years, is that there is always something out there to be learned. One does not need to be on that path of what others set out for them, make your own path, go follow that. You will grow into a much stronger, and better person. The world values you, just for being yourself. Go out there, and find your adventure! I am off discovering my new one too! I know it's scary, but I believe I can do it, and I know you can too!

If you are interested in reading my other articles I wrote 

for the Clarion >> They all can be found here.

Get Inspired Series: Do What Makes You HAPPY!

Have you ever been so stressed out, you feel just run down and tired? I have been there, I am here at the moment. Things in my life have been stressing me out lately. I cannot put my finger on it, but something has been stressing me out.

If you feel the same, I think it is time for us all to give ourselves some time to be happy. Do something that makes you happy, whatever it maybe... DO IT! I am doing that right now by writing this blog entry for you. Writing is one of the many things that makes me happy.

Life is stressful, that means it does not have to be stressful all the time. Your allowed to give yourself a little break, and do the things you enjoy. It gives you a time to unwind from your stressful day, and makes you happier.  I am not just talking about the whole coming home after a long day, and just grabbing a snack or dinner and watching television until you go to bed. Doing something that really makes you happy. “Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.” - Confucius. 

I personally believe if you give yourself time to relax, and do the things you enjoy it re-energizes you. You know how sometimes (everyday) you have to charge your cell phone and your laptop, I have a feeling we should do that for ourselves. We should try to do it everyday too, but knowing how busy we are, we should try at least twice or three times a week to do things that make ourselves happy. Just to replenish ourselves.  

I believe it we start with ourselves, and make ourselves happy, we can make others happier. Not trying to sound selfish or anything, but change in the world, starts with you. If your more likely to be happier, you will treat others with respect, and that goes for them as well.

- Unknown

I am not sure what makes you guys happy, but here a few things that make me happy. I enjoy doing to get my mind of stressful things that are in my life.

Writing: Writing is something that can help me through things. If I don't feel comfortable talking to anyone about it, I will write about it. I will write out the feelings I cannot exactly put my finger on in a journal (if running does not help me figure out what's really going on). It helps me figure out little bit better, and help me figure out where I should go from there on. So in a way you can say it is sorta a therapy for me.

I also enjoy writing for an audience, that is why I enjoy working on the school's paper, and also writing in this blog. I like sharing things about what is going on in the world, or in my community. Introducing people in profiles that are doing amazing things, telling someone about a new coffee shop that is opening, or whatever else you can imagine being in the news. But mainly informing people about the world, or people around them. Giving the audience a chance for themselves to decide about how they feel about that new show, album, or book I reviewed. Informing people about what is happening in the next election, about the candidates who their voting on, so they know who their voting for, and what the candidates stand for.

Sometimes I find myself writing little stories too. Short tidbits of what could be stories, but they do not have much of a plot line or characters. But just a little funny thought in my head, I just write the little scene out to practice my creative writing. I am use to writing for news articles, or academically for school—which does not give me a chance to be creative with my writing. I can be a little creative in those writing to catch the readers attention, and to form the article or assignment into an interesting read. Just writing in general clams me down. Gives me a chance to release some stress.

“You’re always going to write and draw inspiration from things that you’re feeling, things that you’ve felt.” - Harry Styles

Reading: I really enjoy a good story, no matter what form it comes in: a book, a television series, or a movie. I have a bunch of books laying around my apartment that I need to start, or finish. How many books am I reading currently at the moment (not counting school)? Three or four... I lost count. Because I have a bunch of book piles laying around with various books. Within these book piles there are books I am actually reading, and forgetting about. I will come back and read them and finish the story. I still have an idea what is happening in the story when I pick up where I left off.

Reading is something for me where I can leave the stress of the real world, and go adventures with different characters. Going on these adventures with these characters in a book makes me deal with the characters' stresses and problems, and I can forget about mine for a little while. I can be in a space station, in the wild wild west, or somewhere in a made up universe running around with the plot line I happen to be in. While reading the story I make a up a little movie in my head, I can put anyone in the roles of the different characters and create my own version of the story in my head while I am reading.

“My father always said: 'Never trust anyone whose TV is bigger than their book shelf.'” - Emilia Clarke

Going on Adventures/Running: I personally feel like both of these categories go together. Because I feel like a walk, hike, or a run is an adventure in it's own right. Did I mention, I love going on adventures? If I haven't, I do! If I am feeling stressed out, I will either go on a walk, hike, or run to clear my head, and to get some needed fresh air. Sometimes the wheels in your own head get you a little bit crazy, this is one way to figure out what is making them turn, or to put them on mute for a little bit.

 

I am fortunate enough to live in a city that has an amazing bike path system, and have many walking trails, and also many places one can go on a walk/hike/run. These trails, and parks are used by people on daily basis. Gives one a chance to get out, and take a walk, run, or a bike ride to get away from everything. I also venture off to be in my own little quiet spots where I can listen to myself think things out, and come to some inner peace. If possible to do my own little meditation thing I do to clam down. Or just to take in the nature, or the beautiful day, to hear the birds sing me their little songs.

“Adventure is worthwhile in itself.” - Amelia Earhart

Hanging out with my Friends and/or Family: If you do not want to be alone, go hangout with your friends and/or family. If you need to talk something out they are their for you. Maybe their going through the same thing your going through, they're the shoulder to lean on. There are times where I just call up or go out to eat with my Mom or Dad. Not only to catch up with them, but just to talk with them about things.

 

Take time out to get a coffee with a friend or family member, it can be a weekly or monthly thing. Catch up on things you have missed, or just talk to them about things going on in your life that is stressing you out. It is good to have those connections. We all are humans, and we need our support system, just like they need us. They're your net, they will catch you when you are falling. They will also be there for you when you fall.

“You need a really solid foundation of friends and family to keep you where you need to be.” - Lilly Singh

 
If anything, take some time out for yourself to make yourself happy. You will be better of in the long run. Find your inner peace, and you will find peace with the world you live in.

Disney Trading Pins

One thing that brings back memories from World Disney World would be looking at the collection of pins I have around home, and my dad's house of pins we brought from various trips at Walt Disney World. Pins from the original Millennium Celebration, and of the old Disney Institute Resort (or maybe those are just the t-shirts we amazingly still have from there) we would used to stay in, that is now Saratoga Springs Resort.

I have continued that collection while I did both my Disney College Programs in 2010, and in 2012. I would buy some pins here and there on my days off. I used to keep up with the pins, because on both programs I would be one of the many cast members who traded pins with guests. It was fun meeting different guests through out my program because of pins. I would learn about what their favorite rides where, what their favorite park was, where they are from, and etc. These guest would learn things about me too. Is that the main point of pin trading, is to bring people together? OF COURSE!

I am unsure if this is true or not, but I remember someone telling me that Disney started doing this because they do pin trading also at the Olympic games. So they borrowed the idea, and used it during the Millennium Celebration at Walt Disney World, and surprisingly Walt Disney World was the first place to do it (again, I am unsure about this). It didn't start until 1999. I remember it being a new thing when on one of my couple of trips with my family around that time. I still have my first pin and lanyard, I believe it is the Walt Disney World Millennium Celebration logo pin.

A starter pin that I believe that every guest received when 
they checked in 1999-2000. Again, not to sure about 
that one. Feel free to correct me...

I am personally not surprised that it turned into what it has, okay I was taken aback when in 2010 during one of my first training shifts where I got my pin trading lanyard. Now, I am personally not surprised that it turned into a big thing. Because I learned quickly in 2010 that pin trading is a big thing. There is a little pin trading station outside in the middle of Epcot behind Spaceship Earth, where people can look at a book full of Disney pins, and also buy pins too. Well in 2010, you could, now I am not sure. They had that also in 2012, but that was six years ago, I am not sure what it is now. But I personally, hope that it is still there.

But one thing I absolutely loved about pin trading still being a thing was that cast members could trade pins. As a cast member you could check out a lanyard and some pins they had all set for you. You had to (as of 2010, and 2012) had to have a certain number of pins on your lanyard, like 12 or 16. I don't remember. I know that certain locations that people work were really big on pin trading, so every cast member had to have one. But, it was always a choice to the cast member if they want to trade pins or not.

I remember during the 2010 program, not much of my coworkers had pins. But by the end of the program, the majority of them had pins. It was something everyone enjoyed doing with guests, it also was fun conversations during breaks about pins we had, and also on the bus rides to and from housing.

Compared to when it started in 1999 (only a few pins available) to now in 2018 their are a hundreds and hundreds of pins to choose from. Pins showcasing Disney's history of old things like the orange bird (that used to be big when Magic Kingdom opened in the 70's), old Disney rides, and other old Disney favorites. Also there are pins showcasing new things to Disney I remember getting a Star Wars pin (the Rebel Alliance logo, which I constantly got -- in both programs), I had some flag pins from the different countries around the World Showcase in Epcot, and lot of pins from the newer Disney movies that where coming out. 

I always enjoyed asking people what their favorite pins where. The nice thing about pin trading is that I got to deal with people who where "professionals" at it, to the kids who where just starting out on their first pin trading experience. I am not sure who had the most magical moment, the kid who did their first pin trade, or I. It was special for me to be apart of one of their many memories from that vacation they had at Walt Disney World, more importantly their first pin trading experience. 

Also trading pins with guests made me learn about things, and the pins. Like that Star War's Rebel Alliance pin I constantly been getting in both programs. I was not sure where it was from. It was just a logo pin. I was not sure if it was actually a Disney one at first, but it did have that little Mickey black stopper on the back. So I asked around to guests and my fellow cast members alike what it was. I eventually learned that it was from Star Wars, and I learned that Star Wars was apart of Disney in 2012 (in a non-pin trading event). Also sometimes not knowing what things where, made it a little difficult to trade. Because I had that Rebel Alliance pin for quite a while, and it seemed like every Star Wars fan I encountered had it. Because they did not want to trade it. 

 To your left: the Star Wars starter pack, is what I call it. 

On your right: Figment, the purple dragon that is a "figment

of your imagination" at Epcot, who stars in the Journey into Imagination 

with Figment ride.

I remember one time where I was working, and someone was just looking for a Figment pin, any pin with Figment the purple dragon on it. Sadly at the time, I did not have an Figment pin, but I knew one of my friends who was working Impressions de France in the France Pavilion had one. I am not sure if he was working that day or not. But I told them to make their way over there and hopefully he was around with the Figment pin they where looking for. I remember my manager was impressed with my guest interaction. 

I highly recommend if you are headed over to Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, or another Disney property you should pin trade, or get into the pins. There is a lot of cast members, and other guests who are willing to make memories with you and talk about pins with you. It is something that brings us all together, and build friendships off of. 

Also, if you are looking forward to working in either the Disney College Program, Disney Professional Internship, the Disney Cultural Exchange Program, or the Disney Cultural Representative Program you should consider doing pin trading. It is something gets you more interactions with the guests. You also get to learn things from people who are all over the world. It also adds to more memories on your program. It helps if your having a bad day, or feeling really homesick, doing a pin trade can help cheer you up. You will have a kid who did their first ever pin trade with you. You will be apart of their many Walt Disney World memories when they look back also. In the future they may also would share that memories with their kids, and their kids may want to get involved in pin trading.

Get Inspired Series

This is actually the first series I am ever doing. I just had an idea growing on me for what to do. I have been inspired by the New Year, and the fact it had fallen on a Monday, which is the start of the week, which is a the start of the first month of the year, and the start of the new year. It was also apparently a full moon, which means a time for change and starting over. It is something I have a feeling that everyone can feel. A chance to start over and have a new slate.

I have been seeing posts from friends all over social media about how they are looking forward to what the new year brings. For some of them it's a chance to start living or cracking down on having a healthier lifestyle (physically and mentally). Others it can mean a life change, like finding a new home and starting a new career. In general new beginnings.

This year, I am transferring to a four year college in the fall, and hopefully starting a full-time entry level journalism job. I will be a full-time student plus worker. I am looking forward to have the challenge ahead of me.

All of these new adventures that are looking ahead of us that are upcoming in 2018 are exciting and scary at the same time. It is something I know we all can get through, and deal with what we can control. A lot lately, things seem to be pretty crazy, and truly insane. But we are here together, to get through this crazy thing we called life (I think I may have quoted a Prince song... without realizing it).

In this series I am sharing the things and people that inspire me, what makes me happy, and other things I think would hopefully get you all to be inspired or find your inner peace.

"Listen to the inner light; it will guide you. Listen to inner peace; it will feed you. Listen to inner love; it will transform you, it will divinise you, it will immortalise you." ~ Sri Chinmoy

I feel the change in the air... I cannot put my finger on it. But it is a change towards a better, peaceful world for all of us. Whatever you have in store for us 2018, I cannot wait to experience it!

Sri Chinmoy
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/sri_chinmoy_613194?src=t_inner_peace

Listen to the inner light; it will guide you. Listen to inner peace; it will feed you. Listen to inner love; it will transform you, it will divinise you, it will immortalise you.
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/sri_chinmoy_613194?src=t_inner_peace

Listen to the inner light; it will guide you. Listen to inner peace; it will feed you. Listen to inner love; it will transform you, it will divinise you, it will immortalise you.
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/sri_chinmoy_613194?src=t_inner_peace

Round the Riverbend: Got swept off in my little old kayak!

Sadly no kayaks where used in this adventure, it was mainly on land, and mainly in a building. Been spending time working either at the bar I work at or in the newsroom at school working on the paper, or working on school work. 

While being caught up in all this work, and sometimes doing this work over my breaks from school. The bar job is a year around job, with events that keep us busy year around. So I have not spent much time as I would've like writing on this blog. I have things same from around this time last year that I was working on. Miss those Minnesota Wild half season updates, and the full season updates? I have not worked on those since 2016. I do not think I have gotten past the outline of the half the 2016-17 season update for the Wild.

I do truly do enjoy writing those. But I feel a little burned out from doing stuff like that, because I do manage to do season update stuff for the Madison College WolfPack for the school's paper, plus the stress from my other classes I have taken over the semester. If school was not stressful, I don't think it would be worth it to get an education and a college degree of some sort. I am enjoying the first couple days on break, taking time out to actually relax, and it feels nice. I may not be on a beach somewhere, but I am relaxed.

I help create this spread. I wrote mainly the words, and the graphic 

team took care of creating the layout of the spread. I am VERY PROUD

of this spread we all created. I also did a video for the Women's Soccer

team going on their first trip to Nationals as well. I filmed and edited it

myself.

I am not burn out of writing sports or being a journalist, NEVER! But I am a little burn out writing this blog, because I am not sure how many people read it. I have a clue about where you guys are who read it. But I am not sure if I have a tight following. No one really comments on here, which makes me think I am shouting into a void that is the Internet. I am not trying to sound whiny or get more attention, no. I am trying to figure out what I want to go from here. Because I like blogging and telling stories of things I find interesting, I like to write, and also to get a little practice writing while I am not working on a newspaper. Busy hands are happy hands, idle hands are sad hands... the saying goes something like that?

Like you read before I like watching these vlogs that one of my old friends from Disney is doing on her second Cultural  Representative Program in Walt Disney World. Because I did the Disney College Program, and I like keeping in touch with friends who I did my Disney Internships with. While going through my journalism classes, I am learning that journalist now to be multimedia journalists, instead of something of just being a print journalists. So I have been debating about doing something like that, vlogging, I did it for a class before. But I don't know how I feel about filming everything I do, and carrying around a camera everywhere. I won't be doing that kind of vlogging though, thankfully. I am going to save that kind of vlogging for people who are doing a Disney Internship kind of thing, or traveling through Europe (Backpacking? Or just general kind of traveling, and want to bring people with). Also if I do vlog something, it'll be an adventure, and I will let you know what it is, and offer you all to tag a long with me.

I like that people do vlog their adventures to bring their family, friends and anyone who wants to come a long. But as a journalist, and person, when I tell stories, I like to write them out. I am a writer. So I do like to blog.  Like I said before I like blogging I find things interesting. I am giving you all a chance to be heard too. So in the comments blow let me know that you enjoy my content, and also what do you find interesting? I am taking your ideas, and running with them. If you do not want to comment on here, feel free to comment, message, or reply to me on the other social media forms I use to post this link on.

I enjoy talking about things I like, I just want to get to know my audience more. I want to talk to you guys, and find out more about you guys. Like sports, traveling, books, and other things? Like me. I am not planning on this blog being a professional one for my journalism career (which has not been created yet, if you where wondering), it's something fun, just like my friend, Darci's blog. It is about her, and her going through life, living her dream, and much more other stuff!  I am just trying to find a way where I want to go with this. Also I am going to give a BIG SHOUT OUT to all of you who have been reading this! THANK YOU VERY MUCH! I am also planning on taking you guys through my journalism career adventures in becoming a journalist. So enjoy the ride with me!

A Clairey Tale: A girl vlogging her second Cultural Representative Program at Walt Disney World

Once I told my family and friends I was doing this thing called the Disney College Program in Walt Disney World, they wanted to know how things where going. I realized I would be telling the same stories over and over on the phone, in text messages, emails, and etc. So I was talking to my Mom one day on my first program in 2010, about how I would deliver all these fun stories that would be coming along  in my program, and she offered up a blog idea. It was actually a good idea, but there where some of my relatives, like my Grandpa who does not want anything to do with computers and technology. So with relatives like those, I just saved the stories for phone calls. I ended up doing a blog for both programs. I still have the link to the first one, that can be read, where as the second one, that is a dead link. Not sure what exactly happened there, but the second one got deleted by the website. I am gutted. Utterly, gutted.

I am however not the only one who has done this. There has been people who done the Disney College Program, Disney Cultural Representative Program, and other programs offered before me who have done blogs. When I was doing both of my programs, I was not the only one writing a blog, there where others too. Also people are still blogging about their programs I believe. Well, maybe not as much now, because the new thing is to vlog your program. Yes, that right I wrote vlog, it's not a typo. A vlog is a video blog, this is where one can take their audience with them on their adventure. They can show you as much as they can on their adventure. The issue with Disney is that you cannot take any photos or videos back in the employee or Cast Members' area, why? Disney wants to keep the magic alive.

I had made a friend in 2010 who was kind of "vlogging" his adventure, but not really. He has a YouTube channel, and is still a YouTuber. He mainly did fun little Q&A videos with his friends on the program, and would tell his family and friends back at home in England how life was like in Orlando. The YouTuber thing was a new thing, and was not really quite popular as it is now.

But this is where I learned more about the vlogging being a big part of people who are now doing Disney Internships/Programs really becoming popular, is from a girl who was on her first Disney Cultural Representative Program when I was doing my second Disney College Program in 2012. Somewhere between July 2013 and February 2017 when she started her second program vlogging became the thing to do show everyone what you where up to when you are working in Walt Disney World (no vlogging on the clock though). Maybe the fact with social media being at it's height (who knows if we are at the peak), with everyone who wants everyone to know what they are doing 24/7. That is probably why vlogging became popular, plus the Instagram, tweets, Facebook posts, Snapchats, and other forms of social media are helping tell the stories about interns adventures too.

 

Meet Claire. She is from England, United Kingdom. In her 2012 Disney program she worked in Epcot, in the United Kingdom Pavilion in the Rose and Crown restaurant (doing waitressing, bartending, and hosting roles). As of now, Clarie is doing the February 2017 - February 2018 Disney Cultural Representative Program, and she returned to work at Epcot in the United Kingdom Pavilion in the Rose and Crown doing the same roles.

I enjoy watching these videos. It makes my day better if I am having a crappy one, Claire is a very cheerful happy hostess that loves doing the program and sharing it with people. She also is a big Disney fan like I am, well anyone who has done a Disney program of sorts, will admit to that... But Claire has not only worked in Walt Disney World, she worked in Disneyland Paris for a bit. So with that experience of working in two Disney Parks in United States and Europe, she knows her stuff.

When one gets done with their Disney internship program they are on, they get into a depression (Post Disney Disorder, it is our version of PSD (has nothing to do with the real one, that is a lot more serious topic)). Working at the Happiest Place on Earth is an amazing experience, a one in a lifetime experience. Knowing that you only get to do it once (but some lucky ones do programs more than once), and knowing that you are going to be leaving or already left your Disney o'hana, makes you quite sad. Knowing that you will never wake up again to go work in a fun workplace with amazing people, who are from all over the world, and plus working with the guests who are also from all over the world, will make you feel very blue. 

 

So every year when it hits the end of January through the middle of August for me, I get to miss Walt Disney World very much. As a college student and being a young adult, I can't really afford to jump on a plane to go to Walt Disney World every year. I am saving up for another trip one day, but right now looking at photos, and watching videos on YouTube will have to do. I know it is not the same thing, but a little bit of Disney helps. There is nothing wrong with having a Disney Movie marathon, highly recommended to everyone!

But this year, I was in for a big surprise when I was on Facebook. I was scrolling threw my feed, and I saw a post from Claire announcing that she was doing another Disney Program, and it was the same one as last time. It made my day! Fast forward a few weeks or months later, I discovered that she had a YouTube channel and would be vlogging her trip. I needed a break from working on a paper I was working on to check out her channel. I found out that she was literally in my old stomping grounds! Claire is living in my old apartment complex: Vista Way. Apparently, the apartment complex called the Commons are open to everyone now (it was originally for international Cast Members who where working in the World Showcase in Epcot). Also she is now working in Epcot, like I used to in 2010. Learning that just made me smile. Claire thank you for making these videos, having me live through them with you, with everyone else. You are making an old Disney Cast Member smile, and relive memories. Also thank you Clarie for being the amazing, beautiful, and cheerful human bean, that you truly are. Everyone needs a Claire in their life!

If you are thinking about doing the College Program, or any Disney Internship and are reading this: do a blog and/or a vlog! It is highly recommended! Something you can come back to one day, to look back at. Also for another important thing: for those who will do the programs after you. Those who are trying to figure out if they want to do one, or those who have already signed up so they can see what they got themselves into. I am sure if you a big fan of Disney, you already know what you gotten yourself into. But there is nothing like actually being there and experiencing it. So capture those memories anyway you can! Share them with your friends and family, also the world! There is always a great story that comes out of an adventure...

Want more of Clare? 

Feel free to watch her videos, and check her out on social media!

Twitter: https://twitter.com/aclaireytale

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aclaireytale/

Tumblr: https://aclaireytale.tumblr.com/

YouTube: Watch her videos here! 

** Also a BIG thank you for Claire for letting me do this! These photos used in this post 

are hers, and only hers... can be found on her Twitter & Instagram. **