Christine's Column

As the semester comes to a close and I prepare to write my final blog for this class, I’ve found myself looking back through all my previous posts. I’m not usually the sentimental type, but rereading them has been a fun reminder of where I was at different points in my college journey. Each blog captures a small snapshot of my life at that moment, and seeing them all together has made me realize just how much has changed over the years. This isn’t the first time I’ve kept a blog for a class. During the spring semester of my sophomore year, I took Principles of Social Media with Dr. Aggie, and we also wrote weekly blog posts. While scrolling through the blogs I wrote this past semester, I decided to revisit the ones from nearly two years ago. Reading them side by side has given me a rare opportunity to compare my younger self with who I am now as a senior at Ohio Northern. It’s interesting to see how differently I wrote back then. My sophomore-year posts felt a bit more unsure, almo...

As my last blog post focused on what I planned to do over Thanksgiving break, I figured it would be repetitive—and honestly a little boring—to recap the holiday again this week. After staring at a blank screen longer than I’d like to admit, I realized that instead of forcing a Thanksgiving-related topic, it made more sense to talk about where I am right now with school. At this point in the semester, I’ve made it through the biggest hurdles in my classes: the major semester-long projects. Most of you already know about my client project for this course, since we all tackled one. But because I’m a senior, I’m also juggling Capstone and PR Practicum at the same time. For anyone who isn’t familiar with Practicum, it’s essentially an extension of what we did in class this semester. We work with real clients, manage real deadlines, and get real-world experience in public relations. It’s rewarding, but it definitely adds to the workload. On top of that, I’ve also been completing a semest...

Thanksgiving break officially starts Friday, and I’m more than ready for it — even if mine won’t actually begin until Monday. While most students are packing up and heading home as soon as classes end, I’ll still be on campus for the weekend because of work. It’s not ideal, but I keep reminding myself that a few extra shifts now means more spending money later, especially with a busy week ahead. My break really kicks off Monday afternoon when I finally hit the road for Toledo. Before I get there, though, I’m making a much-needed stop in Bowling Green to get my nails done. It has become a little ritual to start every holiday break with a fresh set, and after the past few weeks of exams and projects, the timing couldn’t be better. Tuesday night is reserved for one of my favorite traditions: watching the “Dancing With the Stars” finale at my best friend Claire’s house. We’ve been doing this for years, and no matter how hectic life gets, we always find time to sit on her couch, argue o...

This past Monday was my friend Libby’s 22nd birthday, and like any good friend with a serious case of FOMO, I wasn’t about to miss it. I met Libby last summer through mutual friends, and we immediately clicked. We kept discovering more and more shared connections, the kind that make you wonder how your paths hadn’t crossed years ago. Libby works as a nail technician in Bowling Green, and once I met her, she quickly became my go-to nail tech. She’s talented, creative and consistently delivers the best sets I’ve ever had. So when she invited me to join her and a few others for dinner and drinks to celebrate, I already knew I was saying yes—even if it meant a long night. I had work Monday morning, then had to drive to Perrysburg for the celebration, and afterward make the late trip back to Ada because I had class early Tuesday. Still, the fear of missing out won, as usual. We went to Bar Louie at Levis Commons, one of my favorite spots for happy hour. I decided to try a new drink, the...

Halloween has always been my favorite holiday. From the decorations to the costumes, there’s something magical about getting to be someone else for a night. In college, that excitement only grows during “Halloweekend,” when the entire campus comes alive with parties, themed events and plenty of creative costumes. Last year, my friends and I had to skip the festivities. My roo mmate’s dad got married that same weekend, so instead of celebrating, we traded costumes for formalwear and spent the weekend at the wedding. It was still fun, but it wasn’t quite the same as being on campus surrounded by pumpkins, lights and laughter. That’s why, this year—our senior year—we knew we wanted to make the most of it. It felt like our last big Halloween together before graduation, and we wanted to go all out. Two of our friends, Lilah and Ethan, attended Ohio Northern University with us freshman year but transferred after that. They live about three hours away in Indiana, so we don’t get to see ...

This past week was relatively uneventful, so I decided to focus on something that’s been both fun and meaningful — my group’s client for this class, Osborne Family Retrievers. The business is a family-run dog-breeding operation located in Alger, Ohio. On Tuesday, I visited their property to capture photos and videos for future content. While it was technically a work visit, it was also one of the most enjoyable assignments I’ve had yet — mostly because I got to spend the afternoon surrounded by puppies. A new litter had been born only a few weeks ago, and at just five weeks old, the puppies were small, playful and full of energy. We let them run around for a while, tumbling over one another and exploring their surroundings. Eventually, after all that excitement, every single one of them fell asleep in a pile of wagging tails and tiny snores. Lydia even let me stick around afterward for some extra puppy cuddles, which was the perfect way to end the visit. While I was there, Lydia ...

How is it already Oct. 23? It feels like October just began, and now I’m getting ready for Halloween. I love that time seems to be moving quickly, but with that comes the reality of senior year stress. Right now, I’m deep in the middle of several big projects across all of my classes. Between Capstone, semester-long assignments and client work, every week feels packed. There’s always something due or something that needs my attention, and sometimes it feels overwhelming trying to keep it all straight. Still, I remind myself that this busy season won’t last forever. In just a few more weeks, many of these projects will start wrapping up. I keep telling myself that if I can just push through this stretch, things will start to feel lighter. It helps to remember that once Thanksgiving break hits, the hardest part of the semester will be behind me. By then, I’ll hopefully be on autopilot, coasting into the end of the semester with a little less stress and a lot more relief. What’s kee...

After a week in Tallahassee, it was time to come home. In my last blog, I was in the airport about to start fall break; this week, I’m leaving the airport as my break comes to an end. I had a great time in Tallahassee. I ate good food and had some much-needed R&R. It was a great trip—until it was time to leave. My boyfriend flew back with me because his lacrosse alumni weekend happened to fall right after our break. We woke up at 3 a.m. Wednesday, which sounds dreadful—and it was—but I knew that by the time I got back to Ada, it would only be around noon. I’d still have the whole day to reset and get ready for classes again. For context, there are no nonstop flights out of Tallahassee, so we had a layover in Atlanta before landing in Columbus and driving back to Ada. While waiting in the airport, our first flight was delayed 60 minutes. That was fine since our layover was two and a half hours, giving us plenty of time to make the second flight. A few minutes later, though, ...

It’s 3 a.m., and the world is still asleep. My alarm goes off, and for a second, I debate hitting snooze—but not today. Today, I’m heading to the airport to see my boyfriend in Tallahassee, where he’s finishing his MBA. We’ve been doing long distance since the spring semester ended in May, and between work and school, it’s been nearly two months since we last saw each other. Knowing it’ll be another two months until Christmas makes this trip feel even more special. The drive to the airport was quiet and calm, the kind of early morning silence that makes you feel like the world belongs only to you. Once I got through security and found my gate, I opened my laptop and dove straight into homework. It wasn’t exactly the most glamorous start to fall break, but I knew I’d thank myself later. My goal for this trip is to actually relax—the last thing I want to think about the next few days is school. As I was typing away, I couldn’t help but think about what Aggie shared in class last week...

This past Friday, I spent the night in Toledo celebrating my friend Jai-Lin’s birthday. For some background, I worked at a golf course for many years and, through that job, met some of my closest friends. Jai, Kayla, Lamai, Abby and I all worked together, and while we always have a blast during the summer when the golf season is in full swing, we don’t get to see each other much during the school year. That’s mostly because I don’t go to school in Toledo. Despite the distance, one tradition we’ve kept alive is celebrating each other’s birthdays. No matter how busy things get, we make sure to show up for those moments. Jai’s birthday fell on Thursday this year, but the official celebration took place Friday night. The birthday girl also requested a "cowgirl/country" theme, so of course we delivered.  To mark the occasion, Jai rented a pedal bar downtown. For the record, we are all over 21. The group was bigger than usual because she invited several of her other friends, wh...

College life is often described as a balancing act between academics and work. While those two areas deserve attention, the real challenge — and reward — comes from balancing everything else too: self-care, friendships and simply taking time to breathe. Schoolwork and jobs can quickly consume many hours of the day. Between classes, assignments, client projects and part-time shifts, it sometimes feels like my calendar fills up weeks in advance. Organization helps. I rely on my planner, sticky notes and Google Calendar to stay on top of deadlines and take care of business. But here’s the thing: school and work alone aren’t everything . Those are important parts of my college career, but I believe other areas of life should be prioritized just as much. It’s important to put myself first sometimes too. If I ignore my health, my energy crashes. If I skip out on friends, I burn out. That’s why I see self-care as just as important as academics or paychecks. Going to the gym is more tha...

 As I finish my third week of senior year, I can’t help but think, “Can it go by faster?” I know, I know. Last week I wrote a sappy blog about senior year and “soaking it all up,” and while that is true, I also can’t wait to start my life after college. I have always been the type of person who dislikes school and wanted to throw myself into adulthood at a young age. While not everything about being an adult is glamorous, like taxes and bills, other aspects entice me. First and foremost, I love money. I love money so much that I believe the song “That’s My Lady” by Baby Bash is one of the most romantic love songs ever written, because what could you compare a woman to that is more beautiful than money? Anyway, I work while I am at school so I can fund my shopping habit, and I would be lying if I said I never struggled to manage work with school. My biggest problem is that I prioritize working over schooling, which sometimes spreads me very thin. I work a lot, but I still have t...

  This past week I started my senior year of college, and I still can’t quite believe how fast time has gone. It feels like I was just moving into my freshman dorm, nervous and excited about what was ahead. Now I’m pulling up to campus for my last first day. People always say college goes by in the blink of an eye, but I don’t think I truly understood that until now. Walking into classes this week carried a different kind of energy. In past years, the first week was about finding classrooms, buying the right textbooks and settling into new routines. This year, though, there’s an added layer of nostalgia and anticipation. Every first is also a last—my last first syllabus week, my last first icebreaker introductions, my last time setting up a schedule that only lasts one more year. Part of me feels like I should have everything figured out by now. The reality is, I don’t. College has been full of surprises, challenges and opportunities I never could have predicted. I know this ye...

 As my first blog back, I thought I would walk you through my very hectic last month of summer. On Aug. 2, my mom told me she was moving in 30 days. She was very excited about it, and I also thought it would be fun. However, I quickly realized that I was leaving for Florida on Aug. 13 and moving back to school almost immediately after returning. That meant I had about a week and a half to go through everything I owned. It’s also important to note that I am not moving back home after I graduate in May — I’m moving to Florida. So it wasn’t as simple as packing and moving my things. It was a cleanout of everything I owned. I don’t know how I managed to get it done, but by the time I left for Florida everything of mine was already pitched or packed. I then, thankfully, went on to have the most relaxing vacation. My boyfriend and I are long distance — he lives in Florida — so we decided to have a little getaway before we both begin our last years of school. Naples Pier, FL We went t...