As a full-time student, member of a Registered Student Organization (RSO) and part-time worker, trying to make time for a social life can be difficult. It is often a challenge to balance everything. I am positive I am not the only one in this position. As busy students, it is important for us to know different ways to relieve our stress and make time for ourselves. College has taught me how to manage my time wisely, especially when the days go by so quickly. In addition, as public relations majors, we all know that this busy schedule will not go away after college. It is important to know how to handle stress and anxiety, given that it is an everyday issue for most students and professionals.

PR is known to be a very fast-paced and intense work environment, often requiring you to think on your feet. Getting used to this early on in your college years is essential to building your professional character. It is extremely important to get involved on campus to gain experience and help build your resume. However, it is just as important to look out for your health as it is to look out for your grades. Countless studies show the impact of exercise on stress relief. Not only is it physically good for you, but it also increases your brain activity. For example, Brianne Garritano, the lead Event Planner at Marquette Avenue Events, came into our chapter meeting to explain what she does on a regular day. As you can imagine, her schedule can get chaotic and stressful. She explained that she makes sure to workout every morning to clear her mind before the crazy workday takes over. Additionally, according to the article, “Physical Activity Reduces Stress”, written by the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, studies show that exercise improves alertness and concentration and enhance overall cognitive function. Clearly, exercise helps relieve stress, which is something that we all have in our lives as busy college students.

One type of workout that I find extremely beneficial is yoga. After doing yoga, I feel clear-headed, calm and stress/anxiety-free. Yoga consists of meditation and breathing techniques along with poses that require concentration and focus, which is a great way to get your mind off of the endless things that you have due by the end of the week. Yoga and meditation allow you to focus your energy on one thing, which is harder than you would think. For instance, Sarah Elson wrote an article titled, “4 Yoga Principles that can be Applied to PR,” on December 8, 2015 on PR Daily. She mentioned how important it is to focus all of your attention on your current task, tackling each task one at a time. Yoga helps relieve stress and anxiety in many different ways, and the practice can even help you in your professional world one day. If you have not tried a yoga class before, now is the time! 

​Lastly , I suggest everyone to take at least an hour of their day to just focus on themselves and their health, and I can guarantee that you will feel a tremendous weight lifted off your shoulders. Exercise is not only good for your physical health, but it also is essential for your mental health as well. 

Written by Megan Rubinger

By now everyone is aware that Vine is shutting down. Vine is an app that allows users to upload and share personal 6 second looping videos. While rumors are circulating that parent-company Twitter might sell the app instead of deleting it entirely, it’s common knowledge to smartphone users that Vine’s popularity decreased since its launch in 2013.

​This news is important for anyone aspiring to have a career in social media. Many of the app’s users rose to fame because of their Vine content. “Viners” such as Hayes Grier, Page Kennedy and Logan Paul became millionaires from the platform and have millions of followers on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. How did a 6 second video result in millions of dollars you ask?

SPONSORSHIPS!

This is the key for every social media platform. In Vine’s case, this is most likely why the company flourished and eventually failed. In the beginning, Viners would be contacted by a corporation asking to use product placement in their Vines. This was effective because Vines were shared and viewed by millions on the Vine app and, more importantly, on other popular social media platforms.

The trouble came when sponsorships on Vine became compared to sponsorships on YouTube. YouTube is similar to Vine in terms of uploading and sharing videos, but YouTube has a much longer video time limit than Vine. Longer videos mean larger content and greater opportunity for corporations to show actual commercials prior to a YouTube video. This was not an option for Vine: viewers would be unhappy if they had to wait through one full commercial before viewing a 6 second Vine.

Another major downfall for the app was Instagram’s video integration. When Instagram noticed Vine’s rising popularity, it was quick to add a short video feature to its own platform. This shifted attention away from Vine and onto Instagram. Instagram offered more. Users could post and share a combination of longer videos and pictures which was less restrictive compared to Vine’s approach.

​This situation is a lesson for both sponsors and content creators to not rely too heavily on one social media platform. Many Viners are now losing their only source of income due to the Vine shutdown. The ones who will continue to succeed are those who used Vine to supplement their other social media, namely YouTube. 

Social media is continually changing. Keep this in mind when building your professional or personal brand: What is popular in 2016 might not make it until the end of the decade. Always anticipate what is next.

Written by Elizabeth Lynch

The Cubs won the World Series after 108 years and finally broke the “Billy Goat Curse”. As a life long Cubs fan I was, and still am, beyond ecstatic I was alive to see it. Obviously it means a lot for the organization and the city to yet again to have a championship winning team. But what does this mean about the Chicago Cubs as a brand? I have an obvious bias when I say the Cubs are one of, if not the most, iconic baseball teams in the world.  Along with that, the organization’s fan base has been one of the most loyal throughout years. This didn’t come out of nowhere. Wrigley Field is nicked named “The Friendly Confines.” How can you hate on that?  

The whole notion of the Cubs is more then just a baseball team. It’s the history behind it and the commitment to the the Cubbies lifestyle. The real question is; will this historic win make anything but the team less likeable? You can look back and think about the fact that one of the most infamous nickname for the team was the “loveable losers.” The longest World Series drought and many brutal losses does that to a team. But, that’s what they were known and loved for.

Over the last few years this team has been anything but losers. Clearly we’ve seen a team determined and driven to win. People love winners and I really think that the Cubs have already set up a likeable team. The ball club and the organization itself are doing really well with moving the brand forward. Hashtags, like #FlytheW, are examples of how an old Cubs icon has made its way into modern media. The transition from the old Cubs to the new Cubs will be apparent in the way the brand markets itself as winners. I hope with a growing fan base people will appreciate what the Cubs brand stands for and where the team comes from.

Written by Manny Carrera