I call any type of experience good experience. I also love anything involving fashion. So, when I heard about the opportunity to volunteer at Baton Rouge Fashion Week and be a part of the making of their first annual fashion week, I jumped at the chance.
We were split up into groups based primarily on our majors or strengths. Since I’m a journalism major, I was placed on the PR team. The PR team had the responsibility of making sure there were articles or blurbs produced about all the designers, the host and the awardee so that people were aware of who was going to be appearing at the shows. The day of the show we made gift bags. We also checked in guests, press and will call tickets right before the event.
While I was primarily on the PR team, our entire team worked together as one. When one team needed more assistance than another, or if one team was free of jobs at that moment, we’d make sure to help out wherever assistance was needed. This was the first of my volunteer experiences in college that really felt like I was part of a group. During most other volunteer experiences, I’ve just been “there” if I was needed. I loved the sense of teamwork and us working for one goal: to have an amazing and unforgettable show.
The best way to figure out if the career you want to do for the majority of your life is right for you is to get involved in that career as early as possible. Volunteering, job shadowing and interning are all great ways to see on a smaller and less responsible scale what you’d be doing once you have that degree in hand.
Baton Rouge Fashion Week was a great experience for me because, not only did I get to be a part of the PR aspect, but I also got to be a part of the entire production. And with every volunteer experience I do, I not only come out with another bullet for the resume, but another assurance I’m heading towards a career I’ll absolutely love.