All About Ashley

I absolutely love shopping. However, being a college student I don't exactly have the budget to fuel my passion. Often times people ask, “How do you have so many clothes? Where did you get that?” The simple answer, I am a Maxxinista (or TjMaxx lover!) TjMaxx is one of my favorite stores. I love the fact that I can get name brand clothing items at a discounted price. My favorite TjMaxx store is located in Bowling Green, Ohio. The staff there is very helpful and they keep the store very organized, which I find very helpful. Here a few tips to consider when shopping at TjMaxx: If you find something you think you may like, grab it. - Because TjMaxx isn’t like your traditional department store and their clothes are organized by size, you aren’t guaranteed to find another. Often times they only have one shirt per size. Check the price! - Recently I purchased a Thread & Supply sherpa vest that retailers for approximately $50, but TjMaxx had for $20. However, sometimes the savings are...

As the end of the semester is quickly approaching, I am beginning to feel more and more stressed. From the endless group projects, final exams, Capstone planning and presentations, the list goes on and on. I just wish there was more time in a day to take time for myself and complete all of my schoolwork. However, the world doesn’t work like that, so here I am writing my blog a couple hours before it is due. I often find that making lists and blocking off time in my calendar is the best way to get my schoolwork done. Here are a few other ways you can alleviate stress: Avoid Abundant Amounts of Caffeine - Swap caffeinated drinks for water, herbal teas or diluted natural fruit juices and aim to keep yourself hydrated as this will enable your body to cope better with stress. Indulge in Physical Activity - When you feel stressed and tense, go for a brisk walk in the fresh air. Try to incorporate some physical activity into your daily routine on a regular basis. Regular physical activity ...

Recently, I have been getting the question, “What would you like for your birthday and Christmas this year?” My birthday is December 16, which is nine days away from Christmas. Therefore, my Christmas list just becomes a list for my birthday too. Growing up my family has been great about keeping both my birthday and Christmas separate. But the challenging part is creating a list of everything I could possibly want for the year, because I really only get one chance. I have started my list, but still struggling to come up with enough items for my parents, grandparents and my boyfriend’s family. Here is what I have so far: Bombas Socks - Only about the best socks ever! These socks are so comfortable and the company’s mission is ever better. For every pair purchased they donate a pair to someone in need. How cool is that? Life Jacket - Call me crazy, but yes I would like a life jacket for Christmas. My boyfriend recently bought a boat with one of his friends and we went wakeboarding, wat...

Enneagrams are all the rage right now. If you don't know what an enneagram is, it is a system of personality typing that describes patterns in how people conceptualize the world and manage their emotions. The Enneagram model describes nine different personality types and maps each of these types on a nine-pointed diagram which helps to illustrate how the types relate to one another. To find your enneagram, you need to answer a series of questions honestly. Here is a link to a free test to help you find out which type you are. The test should take about 10-15 minutes. Once you have completed the test, your enneagram type will be revealed. There are nine different types. The test will score you on all nine and help you understand which you identify most with. In some cases, you may also closely identify with another type and that would be considered your “wing.” I am a type three, meaning that I am considered “An Achiever.” Here are some of my defining characteristics: Acutely awa...

Well, it’s official. I applied to my first job yesterday. Recently, I have been pondering where I am meant to be post-graduation. Should I work at an agency? Should I work at a corporation? Nothing seems clear. I like aspects of corporate, such as the structure, consistent environment and my time at Marathon Petroleum the past two summers has been enjoyable. However, I feel a slight draw to try agency life. I love the culture, flexibility and ability to serve so many different clients. Do you see my dilemma? Nothing seems crystal clear or a sign pointing at one over the other. I recently sat down with Michelle Olsen, president-elect of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) at the 2019 International Conference. We discussed my confusion and where I see myself working in the future. Michelle’s advice was simple, “Apply and interview at whatever seems interesting. You will know what is best for you based on the gut feeling you receive from interviewing and learning more about th...

This past weekend I traveled to San Diego, California for the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) International Conference. Let me tell you, IT WAS AMAZING! I am going to give you a play-by-play on what we did each day. Thursday, October 17 We traveled to San Diego, California. We flew out of John Glenn International Airport in Columbus, Ohio at 6:00 a.m. Yes, we woke up and traveled from Ohio Northern University at 3:00 a.m. Yes, we were very tired. Once we arrived in San Diego, California we went to La Jolla by the Sea, a coastline known for beautiful views. La Jolla was amazing and definitely had some of the most beautiful views I have ever seen. Here we explored, listened to sea lions bark and took in the amazing scenery with a drink at a local restaurant, Brockton Villa. For dinner we headed back to downtown San Diego, California to meet up with Dr. Aggie and Central Ohio Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) member, Kaitie Thomas. Friday, October...

Although we just got back from Fall Break, I am getting ready to jet-off to San Diego, California for the 2019 Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) International Conference. Here we network with various professionals in the field, meet PRSSA members from across the country and hear engaging presentations on all things public relations and marketing. Each year, the conference is held in a new location. I have attended the past four years. My freshman year the conference was in Indianapolis, Indiana. My sophomore year myself and 13 other students traveled to Boston, Massachusetts. This past year, my junior year has been my favorite so far. The conference was held in Austin, Texas and we also had the opportunity to visit Waco, Texas the home of Chip and Joanna Gaines from "Fixer Upper." With the conference being in San Diego, California this year, myself and four other PRSSA members are attending. We are all very excited to be visiting the sunny state of Californi...

I am absolutely obsessed with the show, “Grey’s Anatomy” right now. The show is a medical drama that follows the personal and professional lives of doctors at Seattle’s Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. The 16th season just began a couple weeks ago, however, I am still watching season 11 on Netflix. Because the show is so popular and first aired in 2005, it has been hard to not look into the spoilers or have one of my friends accidentally reveal a major detail from the show.  One of my favorite characters in the show is Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo). Meredith has such a way about her. She exalts confidence and honesty, two characteristics I try to live out each day. One of my favorite quotes from Meredith is, “Sometimes it’s good to be scared. It means you still have something to lose.”  I love Grey’s Anatomy so much that I convinced my boyfriend to be Meredith Grey and Derek Shepherd for Halloween. Derek is Meredith’s husband in the show. He is also a surgeon at Grey Sloan Memo...

This past weekend I traveled to Hilton Head, South Carolina with Dr. Aggie for a conference. The conference was held at the University of South Carolina Beaufort - Hilton Head Island campus and was hosted by the Carolinas Communication Association. On the first day of the conference, Dr. Aggie presented her podcasting assignment that she incorporates in Principles of Social Media during a session called, “Making Content Sustainable Through a Platform That’s Accessible On-The-Go: Podcasting.” Attendees were amazed and asked multiple questions on how they too could incorporate a similar assignment to their classes. On the next day, alumna, Rachael McKee, flew in to help lead a panel discussion with Aggie and I. The panel’s focus was on creating and maintaining a mentorship program. I also participated in an undergraduate poster session later in the day. The session allowed undergraduate attendees to share their research projects. I prepared a case study on Patagonia’s thought lead...

Phew… I am out of breath. I just finished having a massive dance party with my four roommates in our living room. Yes, we rocked out to Taylor Swift, Kanye West and Demi Lavato on a Wednesday night. We even have a playlist on Spotify for our house. Extra, right? Living with four other girls, I was hesitant. I was worried about the drama that comes with girls, the ability to get work done and just the other things that come with living off-campus. However, it has turned out to be a lot of fun. There is always someone to hang out with, talk to or even have a dance party with.  Getting work done can be hard sometimes, that is for sure. (Hence why I am writing this blog post dance party!) I am constantly having to decide if I should go to the library, lock myself in my room or work on homework with my roommates. For the most part I have been able to make it work, but I am finding that I stay up a lot later to get work done, unlike years past. Living with four girls is also emotionally...

Recently, I have found myself scrolling through Pinterest and Instagram looking at house plans, home renovations, decorations and organization solutions. The funny thing is, I don’t even have a home or plans to be a homeowner anytime soon. However, for the past three years I have been dating my best friend, Jacob Roberts, who I met my senior year of high school. One thing that we both share is our passion for home remodels and building things together. We have spent countless hours remodeling his family’s bathroom, building furniture and completing various home improvement projects. Some might even say that we are Chip and Joanna Gaines from Fixer Upper. (Okay, maybe that’s just me. But, I truly aspire to be them one day.) One of my favorite projects that Jacob and I have completed has been his family’s guest bathroom. Although I didn’t do a lot of physical labor, I helped select the color scheme and epoxy the top of the vanity. Most importantly, I serve as a support. Renovation projec...

Okay, so here is the thing. I would consider myself a very lucky and grateful person. I have grown up with two loving and supportive parents. I was able to participate in various activities and sports growing up. I have the opportunity to attend my dream school, Ohio Northern University. I have also been given tremendous opportunities to travel and grow as a young professional with all of my friends. However, one thing that I never truly appreciated until this year was air conditioning. Yes, you read that correctly. Air conditioning. All my life I have lived in a home that has had air conditioning. However, that recently changed when my four friends and I decided to become roommates for our senior year. Like any episode of HGTV’s “House Hunters,” we created a list of “musts” that our rental must include. The list wasn’t much expect for close proximity to campus, within our budget and had a bedroom of decent size for each person. The decision was simple actually, there was only one hous...

Yesterday, I traveled with the Ohio Northern University (ONU) Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) chapter to Cleveland, Ohio for an industry tour. Each semester, our organization travels to an area of interest. In the past we have traveled to Chicago, Illinois, Nashville, Tennessee and Fort Wayne, Indiana. Our day started off by leaving ONU at 6 a.m. to head to the Cleveland Indians, our first stop for the day. This was my favorite for the three other places we visited by far. We had the opportunity to go on the field, tour the dugout and player resources, including the weight room. We concluded our tour by visiting the press boxes and talking with Curtis Danburg, senior director of communications for the Cleveland Indians. We then traveled to Thunder::Tech, a digital marketing agency where member, Joe Dunay interned this summer. Alumna, Madison Letizia, director of communications for Thunder::Tech met with us and gave us a tour of the agency. In addition, she invite...

Wow, where has the time gone? The last time I was writing on this blog was freshman year. Now, here I am, a senior getting ready to graduate in the spring. Honestly, not much about my life has changed. I am still a marketing and public relations major and am actively involved on campus in various organizations. I can assure you though, I have grown as a person and look back at my freshman year and think, “Wow, I have come so far.” Ohio Northern has been my home away from home. I have had amazing opportunities to travel and network all across the country and have built lasting friendships that I am confident will carry far into the future. I am looking forward to the challenges that lie ahead this year. Tackling two capstones, applying for jobs and continuing to work for Marathon Petroleum in Findlay, Ohio while balancing 16 credit hours is going to be tough. I am looking forward to sharing my experiences and life journey with everyone this semester. In a couple of weeks, I will ...