Today = the day before Poster Presentations and exhibits.
I came in today expecting to finish my project of compiling restaurants onto Excel, but instead I had to help with packaging bulk order requests. Various businesses will ask for our Visitor's Guide and other pamphlets and brochures--like Rail Trail, Winery, etc. and today there was an order for 150 to be mailed out by tomorrow at 8:30 a.m. So I packaged almost 100, which wasn't too bad considering they wanted about seven brochures in each one. It takes time filling each folder and making sure each one has the requested info. This order was to be sent to the WVU School of Medicine. They wanted Visitor's Guides, Highway Maps, Mon. Arts Guides, Rail Trail, Dining Info...etc.
I also learned something today, which I thought I already knew but apparently didn't. This was that the name "Greater Morgantown" encompasses both Preston and Monongalia Counties, not Marion County (Fairmont as well). For some reason, I had thought that it included Fairmont areas, too. However it doesn't, and Cookie (our receptionist) said that when the board of Mon. county agreed on the name for the Center that there was some dissent about the name--Greater Morgantown--. I think it is confusing, because what is that supposed to mean (Greater Morgantown)? I mean when I think of Morgantown, I think of places like Rowlesburg and Kingwood as completely separate of Morgantown. I do consider Bruceton Mills which is in Preston county close enough to Morgantown and to be considered the same area. So, basically my point is I think the name is slightly confusing. Other areas simply name their Conventions' by their county name. Like Grant County Convention and Visitor's Bureau. However, I suppose they couldn't do it by county since they were trying to have the Center include and represent two counties. It is interesting to think of what the alternatives might have been. Maybe a little less confusing??
Anyway, tonight I am working more on my poster and dropping it off to Dr. Wible in Colson in the morning. Also, I am working at the library right now and trying to finish up my Excel Project. What a fun-filled night! :-)
Monday, April 27, 2009
Thursday, April 23, 2009
..."I have no idea what he just said"...
The Convention just hired a new guy who now occupies the desk I used to work at (the one I secretly claimed and called mine). So anyways, now I have been working at different people's desks, depending on who is at work. Lately, I have been using the computer desk at the front part of the visitor's center, where visitor's actually come in, so I have had a chance to sit next to the receptionist and be where there are more people, instead of just sitting inside an office cubicle. She is an older lady, named Cookie, and she is just a doll--I love her. She reminds me of a lady named Dot that I worked with at Seneca--and I loved her too (haha). Anyway, the title of this article has to do with what she said at work today which made me laugh.
The new guy, (I really can't remember his name), comes up and shows us this sqaure design of a bunch of scirbbly lines on a piece of paper (like a shaded box with a star). He asked us if we know what it was and we didn't. And then he said it was this new thing that people could use on their Blackberries and they could take it with them around Morgantown and at certain places, your phone would talk about the history of the place. Well, he kept going on and I was wondering what the heck it had to do with the scribbly dot on a piece of paper. And then when he finished--I being nice and having to say something nice--said "that is so cool." And then when he left, I looked at Cookie, and she was just like
"I have no idea what he just said." Oh--I laughed for a while, because I had NO IDEA either.
Anyways, on a different note (in case you didn't know), the Convention distributes a lot of brochures out to different businesses and people that request them. Tourism has been a big aspect of my intership as it is ultimately what the Convention centers around. This is why I'm usually kept busy doing bulk orders and mailing out visitor's guides among other things. Earlier this week, I traveled to the Visitor's Center by the Westover Mall near Gabe's, the WOW Factory, and The Cheat Lake Winery and Distillery. The last place mentioned took a little longer time to get to, but it was a neat place once I got there. I picked up brochures from them and delivered them back to the Convention. Also, I have been busy doing data management, entering patrons requesting visitor's guides onto the database and so forth.
The project that I was assigned yesterday and have currently been working on deals with using MS Excel. I have to compile a list of WV-owned and operated Restaurants (excluding chains) and put them onto Excel along with their addresses and other contact information. This project is due by next Monday, conveniently which is right before the poster exhibition.
After looking at poster examples today, I have a much better idea of the route I want to take with my poster. I have an idea for the title--maybe including tourism at the GMCVB. I want to keep it simple, but visually attractive at the same time. I might use the subheads: writing, data management, and editing.
Reflecting on this week, it has been much a much more busy week than last week with more projects and things to do. One thing I have noticed is you never know who is going to be at the office, with people having to travel around town to organize certain events or whatever they are required to do. It seems like one week Cindy will be there and one week she won't. The receptionist and the Visitor's center coordinator, Lauryn are usually always there, though. So, it in a sense it is not a mere typical place such as my mother works at,(i.e. she works for Department of Health and Human Resources) where the same people are always there at the same time all the time. It's interesting reflecting on the different work environments.
The new guy, (I really can't remember his name), comes up and shows us this sqaure design of a bunch of scirbbly lines on a piece of paper (like a shaded box with a star). He asked us if we know what it was and we didn't. And then he said it was this new thing that people could use on their Blackberries and they could take it with them around Morgantown and at certain places, your phone would talk about the history of the place. Well, he kept going on and I was wondering what the heck it had to do with the scribbly dot on a piece of paper. And then when he finished--I being nice and having to say something nice--said "that is so cool." And then when he left, I looked at Cookie, and she was just like
"I have no idea what he just said." Oh--I laughed for a while, because I had NO IDEA either.
Anyways, on a different note (in case you didn't know), the Convention distributes a lot of brochures out to different businesses and people that request them. Tourism has been a big aspect of my intership as it is ultimately what the Convention centers around. This is why I'm usually kept busy doing bulk orders and mailing out visitor's guides among other things. Earlier this week, I traveled to the Visitor's Center by the Westover Mall near Gabe's, the WOW Factory, and The Cheat Lake Winery and Distillery. The last place mentioned took a little longer time to get to, but it was a neat place once I got there. I picked up brochures from them and delivered them back to the Convention. Also, I have been busy doing data management, entering patrons requesting visitor's guides onto the database and so forth.
The project that I was assigned yesterday and have currently been working on deals with using MS Excel. I have to compile a list of WV-owned and operated Restaurants (excluding chains) and put them onto Excel along with their addresses and other contact information. This project is due by next Monday, conveniently which is right before the poster exhibition.
After looking at poster examples today, I have a much better idea of the route I want to take with my poster. I have an idea for the title--maybe including tourism at the GMCVB. I want to keep it simple, but visually attractive at the same time. I might use the subheads: writing, data management, and editing.
Reflecting on this week, it has been much a much more busy week than last week with more projects and things to do. One thing I have noticed is you never know who is going to be at the office, with people having to travel around town to organize certain events or whatever they are required to do. It seems like one week Cindy will be there and one week she won't. The receptionist and the Visitor's center coordinator, Lauryn are usually always there, though. So, it in a sense it is not a mere typical place such as my mother works at,(i.e. she works for Department of Health and Human Resources) where the same people are always there at the same time all the time. It's interesting reflecting on the different work environments.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Intern Work
I actually have interned twice this week, because Monday the Convention was off for Easter still and Wednesday I was sick. I didn't know that the Convention had off Monday, but it was no big deal. Tues. and Wed. were pretty typical workdays interning with, again, no big projects but normal busy, office work to bide my time. Tues. I looked over newspapers from the past week to see what new events could be added to the new website. I found a couple and still need to add one more that Lauryn found and e-mailed me. Also, I need to add a business's information on our site, since they just mailed their info sheet in for advertisement. Today I did some bulks orders, and when I say that it means I filled about 100 brochure packets with about 6 different brochures and our Visitor's guides to send out to other people that request them. This usually requires no brain activity, but it is not my fault as I am the intern and I do what people tell me to do.
There are some really nice people at the Convention. The sports director is really friendly and had me do a couple things for him today. I had to file and sort some papers of his to help him organize for a project. But, he always takes time to out and will sit there for like half hour just getting to know me --the intern--, haha. Like today he asked me where I was from, and what I was planning on doing after graduation. Everyone else is nice as well, Cindy wasn't there today but has been a lot lately. But basically, I have found it is really interesting working there. My favorite project thus far is the Retirement Times article I had to write. They even have a website where my article is written. I thought that was pretty cool. Right now, I'm focusing largely on the web portfolio, but after working with Dreamweaver, I don't really feel comfortable with the site. It's not my cup of tea, but if I could figure it out, who knows it might be totally awsome. I am looking for other things to work on right now. My coworker, Lauryn told me that she used Moonfruit.com but she actually paid to access the site, and I would rather not do that. Who knows, I may just create another page from Google. My old one I created for tech. writing is dormant but I can easily just set up another account. So right now, the portfolio and poster are foremost on my priorities.
There are some really nice people at the Convention. The sports director is really friendly and had me do a couple things for him today. I had to file and sort some papers of his to help him organize for a project. But, he always takes time to out and will sit there for like half hour just getting to know me --the intern--, haha. Like today he asked me where I was from, and what I was planning on doing after graduation. Everyone else is nice as well, Cindy wasn't there today but has been a lot lately. But basically, I have found it is really interesting working there. My favorite project thus far is the Retirement Times article I had to write. They even have a website where my article is written. I thought that was pretty cool. Right now, I'm focusing largely on the web portfolio, but after working with Dreamweaver, I don't really feel comfortable with the site. It's not my cup of tea, but if I could figure it out, who knows it might be totally awsome. I am looking for other things to work on right now. My coworker, Lauryn told me that she used Moonfruit.com but she actually paid to access the site, and I would rather not do that. Who knows, I may just create another page from Google. My old one I created for tech. writing is dormant but I can easily just set up another account. So right now, the portfolio and poster are foremost on my priorities.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Deja Vu Week @ the Convention
This week has not led to any new major projects besides the usual office work. I have mainly been doing busy work like mailing out business letters. I did help the sports director, Dave Plevich, with a business letter he was mailing out. I rewrote and reformatted the letter and helped with the overall layout. Then we printed it out and so basically I will not have much to talk about because it was sort of a hum-drum week. Everything was sort of Deja Vu.
I was hoping to get a new project to work on, but Cindy didn't have anything for me. I had just been lucky in previous weeks to get a steady flow of new and interesting things to do. This leads me to reflect on how this is typical, everyday office work. Not every day at the office is a new adventure. A lot of it is work that you don't want to do--but it has to get done. Someone has to do it. Interns are good for that!! I think it's funny because regardless of whether or not there is a big project pending, on any given day I can walk into the office and if Cindy isn't in, then Lauryn or Dave jumps on the chance to give me work to do. The good thing is though while I feel there is definately a use for me in the office, I don't necessarily feel "like just an intern". I get to sit at a girl's computer desk that is never there, who is another coordinator at the visitor's center (Markeisha) and feel comfortable working with everyone there. I don't know where Markeisha is that she is never there, though. Hmm, it's one of those things I don't know, but when I'm there never think to ask!
Here are some things I've learned so far. It is all really common sense and basic though. However, it is so much different from actually stating these and knowing it in your head to actually applying it as an intern. That's why I think being an intern is really valuable. First off, I don't feel too shy to ask questions, but I have learned to try to figure out more things on my own before giving up and asking first. Also, if I can't figure it out, it's much better to ask questions than screw the whole thing up and get it wrong. Also, as I have said before set goals and deadlines even if your boss doesn't give them to you. Also, if there is nothing to do, instead of doing nothing ask around to see what you can do. I have so far never been turned down. :-P I actually learned to do that in my old job because employers really appreciate that. Well, I am done talking today because it feels like I am just jabbering on.
I was hoping to get a new project to work on, but Cindy didn't have anything for me. I had just been lucky in previous weeks to get a steady flow of new and interesting things to do. This leads me to reflect on how this is typical, everyday office work. Not every day at the office is a new adventure. A lot of it is work that you don't want to do--but it has to get done. Someone has to do it. Interns are good for that!! I think it's funny because regardless of whether or not there is a big project pending, on any given day I can walk into the office and if Cindy isn't in, then Lauryn or Dave jumps on the chance to give me work to do. The good thing is though while I feel there is definately a use for me in the office, I don't necessarily feel "like just an intern". I get to sit at a girl's computer desk that is never there, who is another coordinator at the visitor's center (Markeisha) and feel comfortable working with everyone there. I don't know where Markeisha is that she is never there, though. Hmm, it's one of those things I don't know, but when I'm there never think to ask!
Here are some things I've learned so far. It is all really common sense and basic though. However, it is so much different from actually stating these and knowing it in your head to actually applying it as an intern. That's why I think being an intern is really valuable. First off, I don't feel too shy to ask questions, but I have learned to try to figure out more things on my own before giving up and asking first. Also, if I can't figure it out, it's much better to ask questions than screw the whole thing up and get it wrong. Also, as I have said before set goals and deadlines even if your boss doesn't give them to you. Also, if there is nothing to do, instead of doing nothing ask around to see what you can do. I have so far never been turned down. :-P I actually learned to do that in my old job because employers really appreciate that. Well, I am done talking today because it feels like I am just jabbering on.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Finishing Projects
This week has been fairly busy for me. I have not yet finished my Heritage Research, but have only found like three heritage-related shops. I think it will be fine, though since there is in actuality not very many to be found. Also, Cindy gave me a copy of "The Retirement Times" in which my first published article is included. It was really cool finally seeing it in print along with a picture Cindy put with it. I can definately use that in my portfolio.
I was assigned a big task this week, which I, thankfully, finished today. One thing I have learned is to set goals about when I want to get things done (when their is no set deadline) and it makes me works harder. For example, Cindy didn't say have this done by the end of the week, but I calculated how much time it should take me and set a goal for the end of the week to have it finished. My task was to pick out every ad from the current visitor's guide and then mark each page, mail each business that put an ad out a copy of a letter Cindy wrote telling them there would be a new visitor's guide and please send more business info for ads like last year. I included the letter in the envelope and a copy of the current visitor's guide with their page marked so they could see their ad from last year.
Today I was also offered a job there this summer, but I'm not sure if I can take it. She told me to let her know. So, all in all so far everything has been going really well. I have enjoyed my internship.
I was assigned a big task this week, which I, thankfully, finished today. One thing I have learned is to set goals about when I want to get things done (when their is no set deadline) and it makes me works harder. For example, Cindy didn't say have this done by the end of the week, but I calculated how much time it should take me and set a goal for the end of the week to have it finished. My task was to pick out every ad from the current visitor's guide and then mark each page, mail each business that put an ad out a copy of a letter Cindy wrote telling them there would be a new visitor's guide and please send more business info for ads like last year. I included the letter in the envelope and a copy of the current visitor's guide with their page marked so they could see their ad from last year.
Today I was also offered a job there this summer, but I'm not sure if I can take it. She told me to let her know. So, all in all so far everything has been going really well. I have enjoyed my internship.
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