(Nearly) Six Weeks of Freedom

My heaven and hell, Gallagher Business Building.
CREDIT.

Well I did it.  After turning in one last paper yesterday afternoon I have officially finished my first semester of graduate school.  Perhaps the best part is that - I think - I managed to get away with a report card full of As.  I want to scream and laugh and cry and get as drunk as possible.  But most of all I want to spend my mornings sleeping in and not having dreams about accounting or finance.

I am free until the 23rd of January and I fully intend to spend each and every one of those days loving my life.  Next semester is like a thunderstorm looming in the distance, classes tumbling around like thunder.  And there is an awful lot of thunder on the horizon.

In addition to enjoying my life a little bit more, I intend to spend an awful lot of time with all of you.  Now that I'm done bullshitting through papers on my "personal theory of innovation," I have a lot more brainpower that is just begging to be used for less academic interests.  You're welcome, one of those interests is you.

Now who wants to get me a drink?  What, you say it's only 10:00 am?  Well that's what mimosas and bloody mary's were invented for.

Official Graduate Student

Crayons were not on my supply list this year.  Sad.

Today is my first official day of grad school.  As I sit here enjoying my usual post-workout egg whites and oat bran, I am nervous, excited and anxious all at once.  I’ve already done homework.  I’ve met my classmates.  I am a student once again and after three years of working as a waitress it’s a strange feeling.

My MBA experience began with two days of orientation last Thursday and Friday.  Classes and expectations were outlined, teambuilding exercises were held and I was bored off my half-asleep ass; you know how orientations are.  We began with the usual introductions – all fifty of us.  Of course being that this is business school, it was apparent people were trying to be impressive with their ventures and business experience.  It made me nervous.  As I am so often, I was left to decide if it was appropriate to bring up Hooters.  Would I offend anyone?  Would I lead a professor to stereotype me?  Would it prudent to just not bring it up at all?

As the woman next to me finished her introduction, I slowly stood and gathered my breath.  I started talking.  Out came my name and where I got it, along with my hometown and undergraduate history as a college athlete.  I spoke with ease and before I made a final decision on whether or not I wanted to bring up Hooters, I already had.

“And after being an unfortunate casualty of budget cuts my desk job ended and I – like so many new graduates – found myself working as a waitress.  Lets just say that the place involves owls.”

I got quite a few chuckles and then nods of what I hoped was appreciation as I went on to bring up my blog, it’s surprising success and the experiences that led me to my opportunities Hooters Magazine and Hooters of America.  I spoke about my time in Miami and the social media work I was given that so intrigued me.  I finished by saying that I hoped to continue working for Hooters and move into a corporate position when the timing was right.

I sat down feeling a mixture of relief and apprehension.  I had gotten the Hooters thing out of the way early.  But had I appeared ambitious or pigeonholed myself?  I mean it’s obvious that people were judging me, it’s human nature after all, I just didn’t know in what way. 

When we had a break a short time later, I was approached by several people and asked about my blog.  Not only were they interested they were seemingly somewhat impressed.  Yes, I was a Hooters Girl, but it was the ambition that people apparently noticed.  Even a professor asked about my writing in a positive tone.  I couldn’t help but feel relieved.  It turns out that maybe Hooters wasn’t so big of a deal after all.

So while I’m nervous on this first day, I’m looking forward to what this first semester will bring.  My course load is heavy, I am still working and I’m going to be busier than ever.  Luckily, I have an ambitious streak that will hopefully serve me well.  I’m not just a Hooters Girl.  I’m a Hooters Girl/blogger/MBA student/freelance writer/social media guru/girlfriend/fitness competitor/glorious individual.  And I’m so proud of all of that.

Hooters CAN Help Your Future

I alluded to the fact in a previous post that Hooters helped me get into grad school.  And while it was in a somewhat roundabout way, in the end Hooters did indeed make me a more interesting and therefore standout candidate.  And trust me, in this economy - which only makes the application process more competitive - standing out is a must.

I've decided to post a selection from one of my letters of intent to show how Hooters, this blog and all of my faithful readers helped get me into grad school.  I could never thank you all enough for that.

After graduating with a degree in Business Administration - Marketing, I found myself not working in my area of expertise but - as many recent graduates often do - as a waitress.  While my job simply began as a way to support myself, I was able to use the drive and creativity gained through my marketing coursework to turn a simple job into a thriving second career. 

Shortly after beginning my job, I started blogging as a sort of personal journal.  Having studied blogging in my Marketing of High Tech Products and Innovations course, it seemed a timely and interesting way to share my voice.  To my surprise, people not only read what I wrote on the blog but also responded incredibly positively.  That initial response grew until - just over a year after starting the blog - I was featured as Google's daily "Blog of Note."  Suddenly I had over 10,000 daily views hungry for more content related to my experiences as a woman in the workplace.  That one big success was preceded less than a month later by an offer to write for a bimonthly magazine as a featured columnist.

When I began blogging, I had no intention of creating such a valuable experience for myself.  Now I not only have a blog that provides income - a difficult task - but also a magazine column.  I was able to take a rather ordinary waitressing job and turn it into a brand utilizing my communication, media design, web development and promotional skills that spans multiple mediums.  With persistence, hard work and drive I founded a successful business based on my creative strengths.

What you'll probably note is that I wasn't entirely specific about the content of my blog.  While I obviously love Hooters, it would be naive of me disregard the possibility of negative opinions within the selection committee.  Would it be easy to find the blog if they wanted?  Of course.  But I figured I'd rather not take the chance.

So here's to being original, standout and creative.  I guess it all worked.  

Someone is a Graduate Student

This Hooters Girl is going to graduate school.  Yes, I was just accepted this morning and I have already spread the news like wildfire via Facebook and cellphone (which I hope will soon be an iPhone on my day of birth).  I proudly proclaim, "I am nerd!"  My brain is thirsting for knowledge and my resume is hungry for a way to get me a real job where I can wear pants - one day; grad school should do both those things nicely.

I'm now going to have a celebration because I'll use any excuse to have a good time.  Celebrations are even better when the reason is totally legitimate.

Oh and I get a new computer now which is awesome considering since my wreck a year ago the screen is slowly but surely going to shit.  Can't say I'll miss the cracks and growing black spots.

Go me!