City Student on a Budget

You are finally living in the city, working toward your dream job in communications at a top metropolitan school, and you are ready to take advantage of all independence has to offer. One of the most shocking aspects of being a college student, especially in a city, is that things cost money. As a student, your flow of cash is probably not too steady, yet you probably will not realize this until the day that you overdraw your bank

account and think to yourself, “where did all that money go?” Newsflash: you probably can’t afford to dine and shop like the girls from Sex and the City (or, perhaps, Gossip Girl?). As someone who has learned the hard way about spending in the city, I offer you some advice on how to live on a college budget.

Walk.
What do I mean by this? Exactly what I say.

Although a few dollars here and there for subways, trains and buses may seem trivial, transportation costs are incredibly high. Whether you are new to a city or have been living there for a while, walking is an excellent way to become more acquainted with your surroundings, get some exercise and save some cash! You should scope out your route before you go just to be safe (you don’t want to end up in a bad part of town accidentally) but I’ve found that walking often leads to discoveries that you wouldn’t have made if you had been underground between Point A and Point B.

Get A Job.

I say this in the nicest way possible. If your school schedule allows for it and you really want to rake in some extra money, get a part-time job. The beauty of living in an urban area is that there is usually someone, somewhere who is looking to hire. In New York, for example, many college students make money by babysitting. Although this may sound like a “high school” position, there are families willing to pay top dolla

r for a responsible person to pick up Little Frankie at school, walk him home, and help him out with his homework. This job typically doesn’t entail weekends either, so you’re free after Friday. Try creating a profile at a site such as sittercity.com to advertise your services to sitter-seeking parents. Other options you might consider are paid internships (yes, they exist!) or retail. Although retail may not be the most fun job, clothing stores sometimes offer employee discounts, which could save you a little extra.

Look For Student Discounts
It is amazing what a student ID can get you: discounted food at a local restaurant, deals on movie tickets, books and salon services… even a special rate to NYWICI! If your area doesn’t offer many student specials, I would recommend picking up a Student Advantage card. The card offers tons of discounts online and in stores. Some places you can save are Urban Outfitters, Beauty.com, Amtrak, and Aldo. Your NYWICI membership also offers some spa discounts in the NY area (you can check out the list here).

Be Diligent About Saving
The reality of today’s college student is that they are somewhat scared to death about student loan debt. Being realistic about what you can afford and what you can’t is really the key, although it sounds easier than it is! Instead of paying $50 per person for a meal, suggest a cool, cheaper alternative that you found while walking around the city (See? I told you it would come in handy!). Instead of spending all your cash for the week on an expensive dress at Saks, head to a less expensive store where you know you’ll get more for your money. Try to set up a separate savings account that has a decent interest rate. Siphon funds into it when you get paid and use the account for textbooks, tuition or emergency money. Finally, reward yourself once in a while, when you have the means to, by spending on something important to you.

These tips are really just the start to establishing yourself in your new lifestyle, but by following them and keeping an open mind you will find that living on a college budget is not as difficult as it seems. You will undoubtedly establish money-saving tips of your own. When you do (or maybe you have already!), I encourage you to share them in the comments section below.

~Kristen Joerger
joerger@fordham.edu
Fordham University

Culture Shock in Puebla, Mexico

Just a few months ago, it was clear that the Olympic spirit had taken over Beijing and, in fact, all of China. And I was lucky enough to have been in the middle of it all. While my family and I did our yearly trip to Shanghai to visit our family, we decided to change it up a bit and get in on some of the patriotism over in the capital city. We were in Shanghai only briefly before taking off to feel the Olympic buzz that was all over Beijing.

I was only in Beijing for a few days before beginning my fall semester as a sophomore at New York University. But not exactly on campus. I was going to spend it in Mexico – Puebla, Mexico to be exact. Puebla is a city about two hours away from Mexico City. It is often referred to as the city of angels and is commonly known for its wide array of traditions and foods.

But what shocked me was not the fact that they used cheese on everything, or that they line-dry their laundry, or that there are parts of Mexico that can actually be quite cold. What caught me off guard was the palpable influence of the American lifestyle. It is the music, the television, and the advertisements. It is the Abercrombie tees, the Diesel stores, and, of course, the Starbucks coffee.

It’s an interesting dynamic that mixes tradition and technology, “third world” and the rest of the world. While on the public bus, I hear iPods all around me blasting Rihanna and The Killers – even the driver is listening to Hoobastank. The first place that my host family took me after I got to my house was to one of the several Wal-Mart Supercenters within walking distance. My host sister’s favorite shows include Grey’s Anatomy and The Hills.

And it’s not just the physical things. It’s the fact that on the bag that my tortillas came in today, there was an energy saving tip. It’s the fact that all around Puebla is a huge campaign for a cleaner city. It’s the frames of mind and the ideologies that are more familiar than different.

I am pretty sure that my friends back home would be upset to know there are not mariachi bands running rampant across Mexico. But why would there be? We get into these stereotypes of what other countries are like. I know that I do it too. Just the same, many friends that I have made here ask me about what life is like in New York and if everyone wears only black and speaks a mile a minute.

So, I’m going to keep an open mind and as always, open eyes and ears too! While China is the best of East meets West, Mexico is turning out to be quite a mixture of cultures as well. It’s safe to say that the culture shock I experienced was more than pleasantly surprising.

~Selena Shen
seshen@nyu.edu
Communications Major
New York University ‘11

What Our Favorite Editors in Chief and NYWICI mentors were up to at Fashion Week…

Sadly, New York Fashion Week has gone away… until next year. The good news: New York was just the beginning, and of course we can’t wait to see what is to come in Paris and Milan. As fashion addicts and aspiring communications professionals, we look forward to this week like Christmas morning (or at least I do – and it’s so much better than Christmas, it comes around TWICE a year!)

Linda Wells with Glenn O’Brien at Barneys
(source: nymag)

If you’re anything like me, you’ve been spending the past few days jealous of your city-dwelling friends who get to sit shotgun and wondering what your favorite magazine editors have been up to this week. Luckily, since coverage of fashion week is so extensive, it wasn’t difficult to fuel my curiosity.

Linda Wells

Being a NYWICI girl, it goes without saying that I am a huge fan of Linda Wells. Her speech at last year’s Student Career Conference was down right inspiring (anyone who was there will vouch for that). I get a little bit excited every time I read the Letters from the Editor in Allure. She’s just amazing, and I’m sure she’s been busy with her editorial duties and fashion obligations this week. She was spotted at the L’Uomo Vogue party at Barneys, where she told New York magazine that she’s “never a fan of a jumpsuit” or sheer chiffon pants. Me either Linda!

Kate White with Ludacris

Kate White

We are ALL completely ecstatic for the 2008 Student Career Conference featuring – among other communication greats – Kate White, Editor in Chief of Cosmopolitan, as the luncheon keynote speaker. Seriously, I’m counting down the days. The magazine editor and author started the season in style by attending Hearst’s 30 Days of Fashion party and hanging with the likes of rapper Ludacris and supermodel Cindy Crawford. If you haven’t already, save the date for Saturday November 15 – see you there!

~Kaitlin Tambuscio
tambusc3@tcnj.edu
Journalism & Professional Writing Major
The College of New Jersey ‘10

Living the Olympic Dream

Denise with Ryan Locte

Like Michael Phelps and Cullen Jones, I walked proud and tall in the crowded streets of Beijing this summer as a “winner” in the Olympics!  I won an NBC internship for the one of the most historic events of all time.  I did not wear a gold medal of honor around my neck as they did, but I was certainly proud to wear an NBC badge granting me media access and opportunities of a lifetime as a communications professional.

NBC selected nearly 100 interns from a pool of more than 1500 applicants to help secure more than 3600 hours of coverage during the Olympic games. As an intern I worked around the clock to help bring America the best Olympics ever.  I hustled everyday anywhere from eight to twelve hours as a logger for various events including wrestling, diving and swimming.  If you ever want to learn a few tips and tricks exclusive to behind-the-scenes management, feel free to ask me.

The experience was great! From sitting next to Tom Brokaw at lunch to having actual conversations with Dick Ebhersol and Adam Abramson, I received expert advice from my experienced and renowned broadcast journalism “colleagues.”

For nearly four weeks, I was up close and personal in witnessing historic events unfold.  Michael Phelps walked past me just a few hours after making history winning his eighth gold medal.  I sat and talked with Usain Bolt’s manager and Miss Universe 2007 shortly before Bolt astonished the crowd with a new world record in the 100M. On this unique occasion, the Communist country tore down the walls that often secluded their culture from the rest of the world to put on the best Olympics display ever.  London has a pretty tough act to follow.

When I looked at other people’s pictures who visited the country only a few years ago, I could not believe I was at the same place.  Today, Beijing is a beautiful, amazing city, representing China as a culturally rich country to experience.  People sometimes ask me about my time exploring China, and I find it hard to summarize my life-changing visit in just a few words.  Pictures don’t even serve justice to its mighty land.  I went to the famous snack street to witness people eating exotic foods like scorpions, silk worms, and ostrich head. I ate authentic Chinese food; overall, the food was outstanding.

Denise at the Great Wall

With all the required work of the internship, I wasn’t sure if I would have time to visit The Great Wall of China.  However, after seeing the world wonder from the plane, I knew there was no way I’d escape the opportunity.  Besides being hampered by smog, the Wall was remarkably breathtaking.  I took a gondola up 500 feet to the sixth watch tower and tobogganed all the way down from the fourteenth tower.

While previewing China from the Internet, I was a bit shocked to learn that I would more than likely witness just as much poverty as there is luxury in the land of Chinese civilization.  China is a Communist country experiencing an industrial revolution, and yet it is very much a developing nation.  Nevertheless, I fell in love with Beijing beyond even the touristy sites.

It baffled me that I was somewhat of a celebrity in the country simply because of my dark skin color.  Everywhere I went, I was stopped to take a picture, and sometimes people just took a picture without even asking.  I thought, “Wait, this isn’t TMZ nor am I Beyoncé.  Do they think I am Lauryn Hill?”  I couldn’t fathom their impression of me.  For nearly ten minutes people disregarded the actual athletes who were in Olympic attire just to take a picture of me.  Initially, I didn’t mind the attention, but then, beyond being surprised, I was deeply disturbed.  Undoubtedly, the country is taking steps to connect with the world, and I hope that through the Olympics the Chinese can be exposed to more people from all over the world.

I look at every opportunity in life as the gateway to greater opportunity.  Less than a week after graduating from high school I began interning with USA Network.  And for the next three years, I had the best time interning with the company and watching it evolve into a leading cable channel.  On August 1, I finished my four-year rotation with the USA Network.  On August 2, I was on an NBC-chartered flight to Beijing to work at the Olympics.  Less than a week after returning to school, I began the Lionel Chapman Fellowship with ABC News in Washington, D.C. With this fellowship, I am interning for ABC’s Senior Justice Correspondent Pierre Thomas.

I am sometimes asked if I realize how lucky I am for having the opportunities that I have been privileged to, such as this Olympics internship.  I am also asked for the key or “secret” to my success.  In all honesty, there is no solid answer or summary to this.  The opportunities I have been granted are just a few out of the many I have pursued.  I am constantly exploring avenues, never worrying about what I may not get, or what I do not want.  I think, therefore I am, but I want, and therefore I attain.

~Denise Horn
dlhorn_5@hotmail.com
John H. Johnson School of Communications
Howard University ‘09

One on One with the Ladies Who Laugh

Katie Corrado

On July 23rd, New York Women in Communications hosted the Ladies Who Laugh: Comedy Night at NBC to benefit the New York Women in Communications Foundation Scholarships. The five comedians – Becky Donohue, Robin Gelfenbien, Maureen Langan, Leighann Lord and Amy Schumer – put on an incredibly funny and entertaining show. Samantha Neugebauer and Katie Corrado, both 2008 NYWICI Scholarship recipients, had the chance to interview Becky, Robin, Leighann and Amy. So if you couldn’t make the event, no worries – read on and you’ll get a taste of the humor of these wonderful comedians, who also offer advice to aspiring communications professionals!

Interview with Leighann Lord conducted by Samantha Neugebauer.

Samantha Neugebauer

Sam: How did you get involved in NYWICI? I believe you said at the event that you were there last year, is that correct? What made you want to come back?

Leighann: Yes, I did do the show last year. I was thrilled to do it again because I had such a great time. Predominantly female audiences are particularly fun for me. I love the energy.

Sam: What is the toughest challenge to being a female comedian?

Leighann: Male comedians, stalkers and anthrax.

Sam: Do you have any advice for young women who want to go into communications?

Leighann: Yes: read “Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office” by Lois Frankel then go get your corner office!

The Ladies Who Laugh

Interview with Becky Donohue conducted by Samantha Neugebauer.

Sam: So, I wanted to know how you got involved with NYWICI.

Becky: I got involved with NYWICI because Katerina [Gkionis, 2008 Scholarship Winner] contacted my agent. I didn’t even know it existed, and I’m glad it does.

Sam: I really enjoyed your part of the show, especially when you reversed the roles and played out how it would be if a woman “complimented” a guy like they do us…phat vs. fat. What would you say has been the toughest challenge as a female comedian? Do you have any messages for young females who want to pursue a career in comedy and/or other fields of communications?

Becky: Toughest challenge as a female comedian – One of the biggest I think for most women is forgetting that they are female and that there are more challenges. I think as a woman in any field you have to know, “Ok, this is going to be a harder road,” and then you have to put that out of your mind in order to excel. For me, that has been easier because I played a lot of sports as a kid, and so the competitive aspect of my personality is an easier one to express. The other toughest challenge would be to battle people’s preconceived notions of what a female comedian does or says on stage. As you saw at the show, there were five of us and we’re all completely different. The standard thing that gets said about us is “Women do women’s comedy” and “All female comics talk about the same thing” and “Women just aren’t as funny”. As the show proved – and I often like to just let my act do the talking – these statements are completely false and ridiculous. I’m sure the same thing was said about all of us when we tried to vote!

As far as a woman going into the ‘communications’ field, I’d give this advice: BE SPECIFIC – when you’re thinking about your career, what you’re going to major in, and what internship to take on. I took a very general ‘communications’ major at Rutgers University and in hindsight, it was a mistake. For what I do, I should’ve taken television production, journalism or a playwriting/creative writing type of major. So be specific and persistent. Find out where you have talent (we all have it some where and in some capacity) and go after that FULL FORCE. If you do that, you will absolutely succeed.

Prepared and Fearless

Although it is part of my Virgo nature to worry about anything and everything, the last few months of my senior year of college — which should have been some of the most stressful of my life — have been surprisingly calm for me. As I geared up for graduation this past spring, typical senior year concerns that should have been flooding my brain (“What am I going to do with my life?” “How will I afford to live on my own?” “Will I ever see my friends again?”) were not sending me into a spiraling panic. Instead, I approached the big day with fearlessness: proud of my accomplishments, confident in my abilities, and excited about the possibilities in front of me, I was ready for the next chapter of my life to begin.

This fearlessness, I believe, is a result of a solid foundation. Referring back to my Virgo tendencies, my penchant for planning allowed me to approach graduation in a most unusually calming way. I worked hard in college to prepare myself for a career in media, an industry that has fascinated me since I was a little girl. My experience in NYWICI has undoubtedly prepared me for my entrance into the real world — I’ve received advice from industry icons, attended inspiring seminars, and made some amazing friends with whom I feel comfortable sharing my hopes and dreams for the future. I am fearlessly entering the work force because I know my experiences at Fordham and in NYWICI have set me up for success.

As for my social life— I’m pretty fearless about that, too. With many of my friends staying in the tri-state area after graduation, I know we’ll stay in touch as our lives progress. We’ll just keep building upon the friendships we’ve already developed. I fearlessly hit the road this summer as well — visiting Mississippi in June to volunteer as a camp counselor, Greece and Italy in July to visit with my family — excited to see three parts of the world that I had never seen before. Was I nervous? A little…especially since I don’t speak Greek or Italian — but fearless nonetheless, because this was a trip I had wanted to take for some time.

For me, fearlessness is a result of preparation. After working hard in school, gaining real-life work experience through internships, developing strong friendships, and planning an enriching summer, I’m more ready than ever to take on what life has to offer. I can’t wait to see what comes next — but it’s where I’ve been that’s made all the difference.

~Meredith Engel
m_engel86@yahoo.com
Communication and Media Studies Major
Fordham University ‘08