AMC: How to Win Friends and Influence Employers

What happens when you put forty AMC students in a room together?  They become a family.  That’s why the AMC program is the right one for you.  It becomes more than a program, it becomes a source of never-ending connections, friendships, and amazing experiences.  The AMC program feels like something different.

Friendships are easily gained in AMC

AMC – When you’re here, you’re family!

Before I start, I should preface this by giving you a bit of a backstory.  I started at St. Lawrence College as a mature student.  I didn’t think I was going to fit in and I was terrified.  I had done the whole college thing straight after college and again five years later.  After about five years of working dead-end, minimum wage jobs, I decided to go back to school.  It so happened that I was moving back to my hometown of Kingston, Ontario without any job prospects, so this was a perfect opportunity.  Fast-forward three-ish years and I couldn’t have been happier with my decision.

So why should you choose the AMC program?  Well, if a scared 30-something year old with social anxiety found a place in this crazy world that feels like a second family, then you can too.  Between raising money to build a well in an impoverished community to learning from the top industry experts, to having a faculty that cares tremendously, the AMC program is one of the best. 

Raising money for a good cause

WELL that was a great idea!

Pardon the pun.  In our first-year leadership class, we were tasked with raising money for a charity.  The charity we chose was Charity: water.  To make an impact, we would have to raise $10,000 USD to build a well in an impoverished community somewhere in the world.

After months of events, outreach and one of the best local bands around throwing a kick-ass concert, we did it!  It is one of the proudest moments I have had in my academic career and I am proud of everyone who made it happen.  More importantly, I am excited to be able to provide clean water for a community in need. 

Photo by Sam Balye on Unsplash
https://unsplash.com/photos/w1FwDvIreZU

No boring profs

One of the best parts of the program is the opportunity to learn from industry experts.  Our profs are the best in the industry and have real world experience, with many of them still working in the field they are experts in.  Having a professor who knows about trends, current marketing tactics, and the growth and evolution of the industry.

This truly makes a difference and provides a better learning experience to the students.  They will also often bring in guest speakers or provide networking opportunities.  This can greatly help in the career trajectory of the student.  Jobs are usually gained based on who the applicant knows. 

Those are a few reasons why I would recommend the AMC program to pretty much anyone.  It has been one of the most rewarding experiences I have done, at least academically.  I have made friends for life and connections that will help me propel my career.  So, do what I know you want to do, apply right now to the AMC program!

New Video is Up!

Hey guys, I just edited a quick video with footage I had from March 2020. Check it out and let me know what you think!

What is your favourite travel destination?

SLC Opening Doors – My Experience

Going back to school at a later part of your life can be terrifying. Despite the life experience you may have starting over is something that can be intimidating, especially when you’ve been away from school for a little while.

I went back to school as a mature student, and I was terrified. I’m not the type of person who likes to thrust myself into a new social setting; I am very introverted. Not only was I going into a new social setting, I also had just moved back to Kingston after almost 20 years of living somewhere else.

The first week of classes was an orientation. I was apprehensive about attending that week because it was a whole new social environment and with 60+ students, I was nervous about meeting people. Right from the get-go, the professors made me feel welcome as did everyone else that I had met. Our first week was a little different. We had a group activity and as someone who hates group activities, it was a fun experience.

After the first week, my professors made me feel incredibly welcome. The faculty in the AMC program is amazing and anyone would be lucky to have them in their program. My classmates also made me feel welcome, never making me feel old or out of place. The program feels like a real family.

Have you gone back to school at a later age? What have your experiences been like?

#SLCOpensDoors #AMCfam #AMCDMC #ProudtobeSLC

Learning While Social Distancing

Photo by Logan Weaver on Unsplash

This is not the way anyone expected their year to go.  Alas, the world has shut down.  I don’t remember a time when something like this happened.  I remember people making a big deal about Y2K, SARS and the end of the world in 2012, but I don’t remember it being as crazy as this.  Entire cities are shut down, places that used to be bustling with crowds of people are now empty.

It’s an eerie feeling seeing pictures of Younge and Dundas Square in Toronto with no one in them.  Just last month, Glastonbury, one of the biggest music festivals in the world, was cancelled.  As someone who’s goal it is to work in the tourism industry in some capacity in my future, I fear for what the tourism industry is going to look like when this is all said and done.

Photo of Younge and Dundas Square by Joel Gale

With colleges and universities shut down for the time being and alternate learning being offered instead, it is a strange feeling.  Working from home is so much different and not seeing my classmates, and professors every day is very disheartening.  At points, I feel unmotivated, like my brain is blocking my ability to get anything done.

Not only am I learning from home, but I’m working from home as well.  My job can be done remotely, but it has had some setbacks.  I had three events I was to run at the college the week that COVID really hit hard.  As the school closed my events were cancelled.  It was really disheartening, but I understand why it was done.

Hopefully, if we all take the precautions as recommended by the government, this will end sooner rather than later, but I expect big events like Osheaga, TIFF and Coachella to be ultimately cancelled sooner rather than later.

Stay safe, and stay healthy friends.

How To Be a Travel Vlogger Video

Hello everyone,

For both my emerging trends class and my video class, I had to create a thirty-second video on a proficiency I’m studying.  I chose to keep going with the content marketing trend by delving into the world of Travel Vlogging.  Hope you enjoy the video.  Make sure you subscribe, and “SMASH” that like button.  Keep following my blog for more content.

Thanks, guys!

Creating Compelling Content

Photo Courtesy of Aaron Burden

I have been chipping away at my YouTube certifications and one of the most interesting ones so far is how to create great content.  I have learned some great tips for creating memorable content for your audience and I would love to share it with you!

Here are three great tips that can help you build your audience and create amazing content.

Get in the Head of Your Audience

Without content that people are going to find compelling, your videos or series will go nowhere.  Figuring out what your audience wants to watch will greatly improve your view count, watch time and, hopefully, overall subscriber count.  Try and look at a similar YouTube channel and see what people are watching and commenting on.  This will help you gauge what kind of content you want to create and the type of content that audiences crave.

Create Timely Content

Do you have an interest in something that is popular?  It probably has a place on YouTube.  Seek out popular topics and create videos that engage with your audience in that way will keep them coming back to you.  Another great thing you can do is pick topics that are trending.  If you spot a trending topic you think would make an interesting video, try and make a video on it.  Chances are there are other people that find out about it too.

Photo Courtesy of Christian Wiediger 

Speak to Your Audience

How are you doing today?  You look great!  People love hearing about themselves, it’s just the way we are programmed as humans.  Talking to your audience and asking them questions throughout helps involve them in your channel.  Another way you can interact with your audience is by asking them to subscribe, comment and turn on the notification bell.

One channel that does this particularly well is Epic Rap Battles of History.  They end every video with the questions: “Who Won?”  “Who’s Next?”  “You Decide!”  This helps keep their audience engaged and coming back for more content.

There are tons of more great tips to become a YouTube sensation.  If you are interested in pursuing YouTube as a creative outlook, I recommend you check out the Creator Academy!  Follow this blog for more on my journeys.  I have some exciting adventures coming up within the next few months.  Thank you for reading!

How we can use Marketing for Good

For the love of Blog

You may be asking yourself: “Where the heck have you been?”  Maybe you used stronger language than that.  I know it’s been a hot minute since my last post, but don’t worry I’m back (hopefully).

You’re probably wondering why I’m writing this.  Other than it being an assignment given to us by the one-of-kind Frank Armstrong (Hi Frank!  Sorry for the exclamation mark.), it’s a chance to reflect. This semester has had its highs and lows and it went by so fast.

 

Image Courtesy of Artem Bali on Pexels

 

Hello world, or how one student learned how to write to a global audience and love the blog

Phew, with that long-winded subheading, and reference to one of the funniest movies of all time, out of the way, it’s time to teach you my magical ways.

Writing to a global audience is something that any aspiring blogger would love to do. Technically speaking, any and all blogs can reach a global audience. However, only the best bloggers can connect with that audience.

The best way to try and reach a global audience is to come up with an idea you are passionate about. Without that passion, no one is going to care about what you have to say. Find something you love and they will come.

Because there are so many articles online that can help you out, it’s hard to summarize them all in a short, sweet Danny DeVitoesque post. All of the articles mentioned clean writing.  Clean writing is one of the best ways you can make yourself seem credible.  The best tool for that is Grammarly (#notsponsored).   It’s a fantastic free tool that has helped me tremendously.

Reflections

No this isn’t a Mulan song, but it is a way for me to look back on the year.  Since I have to keep this blog brief, I cannot go on and on.  This last year has been crazy.  From starting a program with a whole lot of apprehension to finding friends for life, there are not many words that can describe this whirlwind.

I don’t want to go on and on because I will certainly go over my word count. This year has shown me how amazing human beings can be.  For someone who is very cynical about other people, this experience has meant a lot.  Now excuse me while I go cry because this year is coming to a close.

What the blog?

Pixabay

So you want to start a blog? You have great writing skills, lots of ideas and want to share them with the world? Strap right in, it’s going to be a bumpy ride.

I have been writing blogs off and on for about ten years. My first blog was wildly inconsistent and I tried to kickstart a new version of that blog many times.

When I was given the opportunity to start a blog for my college program, I was both apprehensive and excited. I was excited because I love to write. It’s something I do every day and something that gives me great joy. I was apprehensive because I’ve never been great at keeping my blogs going. While I love writing, I lack the motivation to keep it going.

Have a great title

One of the things that frustrated me about blogging previously was not knowing how to get my writing out there. One of the keys to having a successful blog is to have an eye-catching title. If your title doesn’t get your reader’s attention, they are just going to ignore it.

Hyperlink, hyperlink, hyperlink

Another great way to have higher viewership is to link both externally and internally. Linking externally is a great way to prove your credibility. It’s also a great way to promote blog posts that you find interesting. Adding internal links can be a great way to promote your own posts that may have some relation with what you are writing about.

Just KISS

Finally, you have to keep it short. While I’m sure you have many great ideas, and your writing is amazing, we live in a soceity with very short attention spans. When in doubt, always remember to KISS: Keep It Simple Stupid. It’s something I need to work on. I have a lot of ideas and love to write, but I need to be way more concise.

As far as my own ambition goes, I would love to reach a global audience. My dream job is to be able to travel and just write. I would write about anything as long as I could have that freedom. Keep writing and plugging away at that blog, you never know where it could lead.

Do you have any tips for having a successful blog? I would love to hear them, leave a comment down below.

Why Travelling Opens Your Mind

Mark Twain once wrote, “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness.” Twain’s words allude to the thought of travelling making you more open minded. Not everyone agrees with Twain and instead believe that travelling doesn’t automatically make you open minded. Travelling gives you courage and the willingness to try new things. It also helps you open your mind to other cultures.

When you have travelled, something sparks inside of you. A new courage forms and gives you the bravery to try new things. Without travel, a person might not want to experience new sensations. They would go about their day doing the same mundane activities and eating the same food, not experiencing new exciting senses. Kira Shaw (2016) cites a German study from 2013 which found that students who studied abroad were more open to new experiences, compared to those who didn’t, when they returned home. This shows that travel makes you more adventurous and in turn more open to trying new things. If you do not want to try and experience new things, you can lose out on the little joys in life.

The world would be a boring place if everyone had the same values and traditions. Travel helps open your mind to new cultures. According to Emily Holland (2017), travelling can put you outside the comfort zone culturally. She states that this helps you shift your perspective and see the world in a different way. If someone never travels, they don’t know the joy of meeting people who are different from themselves. Travel gives you the opportunity to experience cultural differences first hand, learn traditions and, most important of all, see all the beauty in the world.

Surprisingly there are some who believe that travelling doesn’t automatically make you more open minded. It is thought that just because someone might have an enlightening, mind-opening trip, that same journey won’t have the same effect on a different person (Alcos, 2012). Essentially, Alcos is arguing that you don’t have to travel just to become open-minded. While this logic does have some merit, experiencing something first hand is the best way to become a more open-minded person. Merely dismissing the notion that travel makes you more open minded, in one way or another, is naïve.

Travel is one of the best ways to shift your perspective, experience new cultures, and it helps you become a more open-minded person. Without experiencing the beauty of the world first hand, the chance to open your mind to new things and experience different cultures, the world can seem like a much smaller place.

Works Cited
Alcos, C. (2012, November 16). Being a traveler doesn’t automatically mean you’re open-minded. Retrieved November 28, 2018, from https://matadornetwork.com/bnt/being-a-traveler-doesnt-automatically-mean-being-open-minded/
Holland, E. (2017, February 13). 6 reasons why traveling Is good for you. Retrieved November 28, 2018, from https://chopra.com/articles/6-reasons-why-traveling-is-good-for-you
Shaw, K. (2016, January 18). Travel broadens the mind, but can it alter the brain? Retrieved November 28, 2018, from https://www.theguardian.com/education/2016/jan/18/travel-broadens-the-mind-but-can-it-alter-the-brain

travel.

*this post originally appeared on another blog in 2016*

The year was 2013, I was going on my first trip outside of the country without either of my parents. I was set out to go to England with my brother, and someone I consider one of my best friends. I was both nervous and excited, we were both about to embark on a wonderful journey together, a new adventure and something I would never forget.

I had the time of my life and now all i want to do with my life is travel. All I want is to embrace other cultures, see amazing sights and immerse myself in incredible experiences. Five years ago, I would have never wanted to do some of the things I have on my bucket list or some of the things I have experienced. Now all I want to do is try new things and I have attributed that to my trip in June of 2013. Three years later, and almost one and a half months away, I am going on my next big trip. It’s the same trip I did in 2013, but it’s going to be longer and we are going to be doing more.

I took tourism and travel in college and learned about so many things and places that I want to experience. It really opened my eyes up to this incredible world we live in. Before then, I only really thought about going to your typical places like Japan, France, Italy, etc. But now, I want to go everywhere. I want to zip-line in the rain forests of Costa Rica, swim with sharks in Belize, climb Mt. Snowden in Wales, visit Dracula’s castle in Romania and embark in a new adventure in the Amazon.

I want to see it all, and experience everything I possibly can because at the end of the day, life is short. I don’t want to miss anything just to regret it later and live in the moment. Traveling will always be in my blood and I wouldn’t have it any other way

What is the Difference Between a Tourist and a True Traveller?

They say it’s not about the destination, but the journey you take there. Merriam Webster Dictionary defines a traveller as “one that travels; such as one that goes on a trip or journey.” It also defines a tourist as “one that makes a tour for pleasure or culture.” A true traveller goes for the entire journey, whereas a tourist just travels for the destination.

A tourist travels to their destination, but that doesn’t make them a traveller. They are so set on getting to their destination that they will often pick the shortest route. The most popular way for a tourist to get to where they want to go is non-stop flights. They will often ignore flights with stopovers, even if they can save a bit of money. Tourists also are less likely to travel on trains or by bus. The reliance on non-stop flights is because it would cut into the time they have on their trips. A tourist will often pay extra to book tours to highly popular attractions instead of going with the flow while on their adventure.

A true traveller embraces the entire journey. Unlike a tourist the destination is only part of their adventure. They don’t mind taking the longer route, especially if they can save some money. A traveller also enjoys experiencing new places and might drift from their initial plans. Unlike a tourist, a true traveller will completely immerse themselves with the locals. They will try to travel off the beaten path and find places only locals go to. They are not as concerned with staying in nice accommodations and will often stay in hostels. True travellers love to go to places that give them a true cultural experience.

You can easily spot a tourist at a location. Imagine a person with a camera strapped across their neck. The camera will overlap a loud Hawaiian shirt. They will have khaki shorts, high top socks and will be wearing a bucket hat. Of course, not all tourists dress in clothing that a stereotypical tourist, but tourists tend to stand out with the apparel they wear. A traveller will wear clothes that closely match what the locals wear. They will research what is customary to wear and dress accordingly. A traveller will respect customs and culture of the country they are visiting.

While all tourists need to travel to get to their ultimate destination, it doesn’t make them a true traveller. A true traveller wants to experience the entire journey, not just the final destination.