NFL Football Returns

NFL football returns this week with numerous fans ready to watch the games.  Fans have been waiting eagerly to spend their Sunday afternoons around the television ready to cheer on their favorite team.  Typically, these days are spent with some great food, as well as family and friends.  Many people hold football parties with their favorite appetizers.  Appetizers include nachos, buffalo chicken dip, and chicken wings.  Many families are brought together because of football and food.  These gatherings create numerous memories during the anticipated football season.

In addition to watching these games from home, many fans will travel to the stadiums to see the games in action.  Stadiums are ready to be filled with cheering fans, who are also willing to pay the price to root for their favorite team.  Many of the football stadiums are updated in the offseason in order to continue improving the atmosphere for sports enthusiasts.  These improvements can include revamping the seats in general or enhancing the food options available.  Managers of the NFL teams have been waiting for the start of the season in order to begin earning revenue for the team.  Fans will often have to pay for parking, their entrance ticket, food, and possibly memorabilia.  These items are definitely not cheap, but they contribute to the entire viewing experience.  For some people, going to a game is a yearly occurrence.  Because of this, individuals are not afraid to pay a little extra to enjoy the day from start to finish. 

Currently, people are probably doing their last- minute party shopping.  They are buying their favorite foods, and getting ready for the anticipated start to the football season.  Whether you are a football fanatic or not, you can enjoy the time with friends and family during the games.  Personally, I love watching football games with my friends and family.  It is much more exciting to watch the games in the presence of company, than by yourself in your room.  The close interaction between fans, as well as the competitiveness of the sport, allows for an exciting football season.

Growing Up

Where has the time gone? It feels like yesterday that I was a freshman in college going through orientation.  I was worried about making friends, fitting in, and having fun.  Now, these are the least of my worries as I transition into young adulthood.  I still can’t get over the fact that I am a junior in college making decisions on my own.  My life is beginning to feel complete both professionally and personally with every decision I make.

First, I was able to obtain my intern license this past summer, and had the privilege of working at Walgreens Pharmacy.  I’ve been dreaming of this day for many years, so I could not wait for it to become a reality.  I learned a great deal of information and met some amazing mentors during my internship.  It was cool to actually get a taste of what my future may look like in the profession of pharmacy.  I absolutely loved the patient interactions while gaining valuable experience in the process.

In addition, I have received another taste of adulthood through living in an apartment on campus.  It is my responsibility to make dinner and go shopping when needed.  It’s still a little weird not having to go to the dining hall or relying on my parents to prepare dinner.  I love the freedom that comes along with college.  It resembles what life will be like when I have a stable job and have a doctorate degree.  In addition, my friends and I just signed a lease to a house for our college living arrangements for next year.  This was a very big step for me and made me feel like I am actually an adult.  I had to sit down and make the final decision to sign or not, which was a very large commitment.

 Overall, my life is slowly falling into place.  I recently started dating, which is exciting.  I feel that I am at a good point in my life for this to occur, since I am surrounded by wonderful friends and family.  Classes are stressful, but I would never change my decision to study pharmacy.  Honestly, the last few weeks have been great.  I am truly happy, and can’t wait for what the future may hold. 

Kanye West for President?

If you are like me, you love to listen to music.  This can be while you are hanging with friends, driving in the car, or simply doing your homework.  Artists are in the spotlight for their current track, the music video they produced, or what they are doing in their personal life.  I listen to a variety of genres including pop, rap, and sometimes even country.

The MTV Video Music Awards were held over a week ago, and the media is still buzzing over the entire incident with Kanye West.  Specifically, Kanye West announced he would run for president in 2020.  This announcement was made shortly after Taylor Swift presented him an award on stage.  As I watched this occur, I was shocked.  At this point in the show, many surprises had occurred.  This included performances from various artists, as well as Miley Cyrus hosting the entire event with her exotic outfits.  I expected Kanye West to make his acceptance speech grand, but not to this degree.  Was he actually serious, or was he just joking around?  Honestly, I was not exactly sure what to think at this point.  I was very confused with the entire situation, and was ready for him to get off the stage.

Personally, I do not think Kanye West will run for president, but only the future will tell.  I think being on this large of a stage with the crowd yelling and clapping behind him, played a role in what he said.  His adrenaline was high, and Taylor Swift presented the award.  Taylor Swift continues to make it big in the music industry.  The media promoted her giving away this award in order to gain viewers and hopefully spike ratings.  This was definitely achieved, especially after the big announcement from Kanye West.  Overall, the MTV Video Music Awards had many outstanding performances.  However, people will always remember when Kanye West announced his bid to presidency in 2020.  We will have to wait and see if this announcement holds true in the future. 

Crowdsourcing Benefits

While continuing to read Real-Time Marketing & PR by David Meerman Scott, I have come across many interesting points relating to social media.  For instance, the importance of reacting fast and responding to comments in real-time, as well as getting individuals involved in business practices and decisions. 

Crowdsourcing is a topic that was brought up throughout the reading, and I feel that it plays a pivotal role in many businesses.  Individuals like to feel that they have a say in a situation, whether through voting or simply expressing their opinions.  For instance, in many talent shows and competitions, viewers can text or tweet their votes for their favorite individuals.  By doing this, people are able to impact the show in very small way.  In addition, it makes watching the show more exciting because you are more involved in the process.  It is one thing to just simply watch a television show, but being able to participate takes it to a whole new dimension.  I know when I watch these types of competitions, I tend to get bored very quickly.  By being able to be a more active participant, I can enjoy the show and possibly not lose focus so easily.

In addition, social media can influence businesses on a creative level.  By utilizing different social media channels, businesses can offer competitions to their consumers.  The business can post something on Facebook and Twitter, and have people comment or complete the task.  Sometimes contests are posted so that the consumers can use their creativity to create a promotion for the company.  If the person is chosen, then they may win a prize specific to that product or company.  By entering these contests, individuals can gain exposure and practice in their hand at marketing.

As a college student, I am always looking for ways to earn free items. Sometimes these contests are as simple as filling in a blank to a sentence or briefly completing a survey.  If the contest does not take too much time and I like the product, then I typically enter the contest.  I have not won anything yet, but I keep my hopes up in possibly winning in the future.  Overall, I think the idea of crowdsourcing is a great way for companies to connect with their consumers and get them involved in their specific business.