Author: Valerie Wire

Belmont University graduate; Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations. New media, public relations, entertainment & the ever-changing world seem to be quite fascinating and a wonderful muse.

Help: A Blogging College Student

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And I have no time for it!

Shocking, right?

I have this list of all these great topics I want to write about — like SOPA (well that one came and went.), Privacy, Wikipedia, the Kardashians (Seriously, though. I do!), Costa Concordia, the music industry, and so many more! But my little time to devote to myself and other things of importance (like, you know, eating, sleeping, etc.) kind of make it difficult.

This is my: WHAT?!-I'm-suppose-to-maintain-academics-work-keep-up-with-other-responsibilites-AND-find-time-to-blog?! Face

So here’s where you come in!

For experienced bloggers, how do you find the time to blog in the midst of crazy, hectic schedules? We all have lives, and most of them aren’t revolved around blogging. How do you do it?!

For not-so-experienced in the time management function, just tell me what you’re  interested in recently, what’s catching your eye, what are you talking about? What are you following? I want to know!

I really hope I get some feedback on this one. I could use it!

Thanks 😀

Googling Close & Personal

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I know Google+ hasn’t been the most successful social media venture of our time.  But, it has been a learning experience and a new world to explore the way we interact, adopt and use social media in our lives.

Now, Google has come along to shape another part of the way we live — by our searching.

Of course, this is largely determined by your use on Google+… but, is that really the question at hand here? No.

Why?

Because anyone could have a Google+ at this point, and anyone could be Googling you, and you never know what they’re going to find unless you Google yourself in all the ways and formats that other people are able to.

The point: when signed in to a Google+ account and searching a person’s name, “personal search” results come up first.  What does this mean? Well, let’s take a look.

This is now what comes up when I Google myself.

The first thing that jumps out at me is the “personal results” … so I clicked it, and I found this.

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Nonprofits: Telling Your Story

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As I’ve discussed throughout the last few weeks, blogging has an unlimited number amount of benefits.  However, these have been mainly focused on the benefits of blogging from a PR standpoint, or for students.  For the purpose of this post, I’m going to be focusing on the benefits of blogging as a nonprofit.

For my social media class this semester, I helped create a social media campaign outline, and one of my parts of the project was to focus on creating and implementing a blog. It lead me to one very, slightly obvious, conclusion.

All nonprofits have a story to tell.

A nonprofit is constantly doing work for one common goal or purpose.  A nonprofit is always working toward something, creating something, planning something, etc. If a nonprofit is working toward something so specifically, and always doing something different that constantly relies on outside support, why not blog?

As a nonprofit, you are constantly communicating between donors, the public, the board, and everyone between.  It’s all about making your nonprofit noticed, getting those donations, fundraising, and working toward your common goal.

An easy way to accomplish all of these things is by maintain a simple, clean, easy to navigate blog with all of your information and constant communication on all the efforts you (as a nonprofit) are doing. (more…)

Saving The Music

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Imagine your life without music. Really, without music.  No radio, none of your favorite songs playing at your command, no iPod, no soundtracks to movies or TV shows, no nothing.

Can you do it?

I’ve participated in music programs for as long as I can remember.  In 4th grade I started singing at church and in choir, and as I progressed to high school I went on to participate in Choir, Liturgical Ensemble, Madrigals, Musical Theater and even become Captain and Band President of my high school marching band.  Music, very quickly, became not only something that I participated in regularly, but it was defining who I was, who I’ve become, and who I will become.

Music programs are being cut from school budgets across the country, leaving children no opportunity to have the experiences like I’ve had, and like I’m sure many of you have had. Budgets are being cut, or completely taken away, leaving children with nothing to hold on to.

More importantly, music provides an outlet for children.  It allows creativity and ways of thinking that other educational programs do not promote.  It provides excitement throughout the long school days, and something to look forward to between all of the structured class time.  Not to mention, that time and time again it has been proven that children who participate in music education outshine and better perform on standardized testing than the children who did not have the advantage to.

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Benefits of Blogging

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Blogging has been a constant focus of this semester for me… primarily because I’ve started this blog and have really worked at making it my own, and making it something I can be proud of.

But why do I, and do others, place such an emphasis on blogging? (more…)