Snow Day at Ohio Northern University

Last week I talked about the horrific winds that plague Ohio Northern's campus. Before yesterday I thought the wind would easily be the worst part of our winter here in Ada. Just when I thought conditions couldn't get any worse on the tundra, all hell broke loose. Well actually, hell froze over and the winds of Ada were accompanied by a base temperature of -10 degrees. The combination of frigid temperature and high winds led to a wind chill of -30 degrees. At these temperatures exposure longer than five minutes can lead to frostbite, so for the first time in about 30 years, Ohio Northern University was forced to cancel classes due to inclement weather. I couldn't believe it! Not once in my three years here on campus was there ever the thought of having a snow day in college. I just thought that was something that didn't happen in college. I now know that Ohio Northern University "prides themselves on their snow removal system" and they are not going to cancel school until they absolutely have to. My first snow day at Ohio Northern was actually bittersweet, yes, I didn't have any classes yesterday or today, but it is so cold and miserable outside that I can't do anything but stay barricaded in my room. In these kinds of situations, you truly find out what you're made of and come up with anything to avoid insanity.

If you were trapped inside for two days what would you do? You might read a book, binge-watch a TV show on Netflix, catch up on homework, or even just sleep the entire time. For me, it was a combination of all of these things. I started my microvacation off by sleeping in until noon. I think any college student would indulge in this luxury. Once I was fully rested I hopped out of bed and curled up on my couch in front of the TV. For the next six hours or so I became emotionally invested in season one of Hell's Kitchen. Man is that show entertaining, however, I can only watch a grown man scream at another grown man for a limited amount of time. It was time to start engaging my brain in something other than basic motor functions. I decided to walk across the hall to my neighbor's room where we played Fortnite for a few hours. By the time we had finished playing Fortnite it was already 11 p.m. and I was starving. This led me to meander back to my room and chef up some of the finest Hamburger Helper on this side of the country. A perfect meal for a perfectly wasted day. Soon after I finished stuffing my face I entered the dreaded food coma and passed out for the night.

Day 2 of my first ever snow day at Ohio Northern began this morning when I woke up to an email stating all classes before noon were canceled for today. I was supposed to have a class at noon today, but my teacher graciously called class off the Tuesday before. I decided this snow day needed to be handled much differently than yesterdays. That is exactly why I am here writing this blog first thing in the morning. The word for today is productivity and because of my lazy day yesterday, there are plenty of opportunities to be productive today. It’s a good thing though, to me, college is all about creating a balance between having fun and getting shit done. I think without that balance it’s only a matter of time before you go insane or drop out. This double snow day gave me the perfect opportunity to implement a 50-50 balance of productivity and relaxation.

Responding to Comments on Social Media

Imagine you’ve just created your new social media page. It doesn’t matter whether it’s Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or Snapchat all of these sites require the building and maintaining of mutually beneficial relationships with your viewers. This can be done in a multitude of different ways, but often the most effective method is responding to the various comments left by your viewers. Responding to comments shows your that you genuinely care about your followers and you actually take the time to read what they have written to you. It is important to remember that these comments may be both constructive and destructive to your image on social media so responding to them can be just as critical as the original post.

Now imagine that you had just uploaded pictures of your recent kitchen renovation to your social media page. It’s safe to say that you are very proud of your work and you want to show it off to your friends and family with the hopes of receiving positive feedback. Most of the time this is the case on social media, but it always seems like there is that one person who is just dead set on ruining your day over social media. These people can be referred to as "trolls" and are absolute cancer for any social media platform. That being said, it is important that you respond to both of these groups in a manner that will contribute to your post rather than take away from the post. 

For positive comments this is fairly easy, respond with a positive message that shows your appreciation for their praises. Your response does not have to be over the top, a simple “thank you” is often enough to show that your acknowledgment of the comment. Dealing with negative comments can be much more difficult because these often feel substantially more personal. This is where “defending your work” can turn into a full out argument very easily, and trust me, this is the last thing you want in your comment section. The best way to avoid this is to keep your number of responses to only 2. Your first response should address the initial comment in a respectful manner and your second response should only be used if there is a rebuttal to the first. Both responses should address whatever concern the viewer may have, while also remaining respectful and beneficial to your image on social media.

Responding to comments on your social media page is a great way to increase viewer engagement and keep the conversation going beyond the original post. Responding to comments is the easiest way to directly engage your viewers, and when handled correctly, can lead to an overall better experience for you and your viewers.

Social Media in the Tattoo Industry

The tattoo industry has always been unconventional when compared to other industries, so it only makes sense that their advertising methods would be unconventional. In the past the only advertising really done by tattoo artists was through word of mouth. They relied on those they tattooed to pass the word on to others about where they got the ink done. Word of mouth advertising can often be the most powerful because these types of recommendations are often coming from someone you trust or know personally. Although word of mouth can carry a significant amount of power, it also carries its fair set of drawbacks. First off, the tattoo artist has very little control about what information is getting out. The only thing he or she can do is give the best tattoo they possibly can and hope that the client is happy and willing to share with others where they got it. Word of mouth also does not allow the artist to get specific information out in a timely fashion to as many people as possible. For example, let’s say the artist wants to hold a flash sale on Halloween themed tattoos. Meaning anyone who gets one would receive a 15% discount on the piece. The artist can’t just sit back and wait for existing clients to hopefully spread the word around town. It’s important that the artist can directly reach out to prospective clients and provide up-to-date information about upcoming openings and sales.

This is where social media can become the most useful tool for the tattoo artist. Social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest have begun to revolutionize the tattoo industry. It has changed the way tattoo artists market themselves, as well as how potential clients determine what they want and who they want it done by. This has changed the type of people that are getting tattoos in the 21^stcentury. Traditionally the only people that really had tattoos were bikers, soldiers, rockers, and anyone else that was considered an “outlaw” to society. Nowadays it seems like everyone you know has at least one tattoo and they are becoming more acceptable in society and the workforce. The type of people giving tattoos has also begun to changewith the advent of social media. Before, many of the artists were in the same “outlaw” demographic as their clients, but now more and more young people are entering the industry. A lot of these young artists were inspired through images they saw on social media and decided to give it a try for themselves. This is all because of the integration of social media into the industry. 

Social media has become such an integral part of the tattoo industry that most new clients won’t even make an appointment without first looking the artist up on social media. This has greatly increased the accountability artists have with their work. Now that every tattoo they perform is most likely going to be posted on social media a lot more people can view and or judge their work. While this can lead to more potential customers, 1 bad tattoo on social media can lead to the end of your shop or even your career. The level of accountability created through social media has led to a new wave of tattoo artists whose work is under the scrutiny of the entire world.

Battling the Winds of Ada

Just when I thought conditions outside couldn’t get any worse, the temperature decided to plummet to a frigid 6 degrees this morning. The cold and snow is something that usually doesn’t bother me that much considering my previous residency in New Buffalo. A typical winter in New Buffalo consists of 2-3 feet of lake-effect snow, temperatures ranging from 32 degrees to -32 degrees, and wind chills of -40 degrees. I moved to Ada expecting the winters to be much easier to live with. Man was I wrong. Living in Ada for the last 3 years has led me to develop a new-found hatred for the absolutely miserable season we call winter.

 

I got my first taste of the brutal winds of Ada not long after I first arrived in August of 2018. These winds quickly became my mortal enemy and would plague the rest of my time spent here on campus. I know this might sound strange coming from someone who has lived in Michigan their entire life, but the amount of wind I experience in Ada is not even remotely close to what I experienced back in Michigan. Back home we have 1000s of these green plants called trees spread all across the countryside. The beauty of these trees is that they block most of the wind coming off the lake, basically neutralizing the wind before it has a chance to ruin your day. If you live in Ada or even in the general vicinity, you may have realized that there hardly any naturally occurring trees in the area. Instead, we are surrounded by endless seas of cornfields that accomplish absolutely nothing in terms of blocking wind. Furthermore, I recently found out that Ada is located within the largest flatland on this side of the Mississippi River. As the wind patterns travel across this plain there is nothing there to disrupt the wind and it just keeps getting stronger, essentially turning ONU into a giant wind tunnel.

The affect wind gives to winters in Ada is just unbearable. It's already frigidly cold outside, but when you add 20-30 MPH winds to the equation it creates a whole new beast. Sure, your coat might be able to save you from single-digit temperatures, but I can promise you it will not do anything to stop the wind. This wind just cuts through your coat like a knife and penetrates deep into your body to where you can feel it in your bones. It turns a 15 minute, rather menial walk across campus, into one of the hardest expeditions you will make in your entire life.

Maximize Your Social Media Profile

Nowadays nearly everyone in the entire country, maybe even the world, has at least one form of social media. This includes the more conventional sites: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, etc., as well as other sites  such as: YouTube, LinkedIn, or Google+. Although these sites cover a broad range of topics, they all require the same essential elements to ensure they are creating a positive image for whoever is using the site. It doesn't matter if you are a freshman in high school or a multi-billion-dollar organization, the way people perceive you on social media is often the only perception they are exposed to. What you post is the general public’s only information about you, it is important that you maximize these public perceptions of you or your organization.

Let's say you are designing a Twitter profile that future employers will have access to. Do you really want your avatar to be a picture of you chugging a beer at a party? Absolutely not. Your avatar is your first impression to the entire world. Having a professional headshot taken is the best way to ensure you have an avatar that gives the best impressions possible to your future boss. In this picture you should be wearing business professional attire, make sure your hair is nice and neat, and it is important that in no way does your smile appear fake or forced. If smiling isn't your forte, it is perfectly acceptable to not have smile in your picture, just make sure that your facial expression is still warm and inviting. It should give a glimpse of your personality to the employer.

Moving on to your cover photo, this is something that shouldn't just be picked willy-nilly. The cover photo should "capture the essence of the entire company" in the words of Dr. Aggie. It is also important to remember that the cover photo should in no way take attention away from the avatar. For example, if you are in college and trying to get an internship you might use your college or university's logo as the cover picture. Not only does it make it easy for the employer to see where you attend school, but it also shows that you take pride in being part of that organization. While your avatar may be your first impression, the cover photo is just as important when it comes to creating a positive image on social media.

Making a conscious effort in avatar and cover photo selection is the easiest way to jumpstart your public image maximization. Most of the time someone searches a new profile for the first time, the first thing they look at is the avatar. Within fractions of a second after that, they are already scanning the cover photo. Avatars and cover photos are becoming the business cards of the 21st century and these two seemingly menial pictures can actually be the difference between landing your dream job and working at Chick-fil-A the rest of your life. 

My Journey to Ohio Northern University

Let me start by saying that I am originally from New Buffalo, Michigan. New Buffalo is located in the very Southwest corner of the state, nestled along the pristine shoreline of Lake Michigan. Having such an enormous body of freshwater in my backyard growing up mean that I spent a lot of time around the lake doing all kinds of activities. My favorite of which included fishing, swimming, skim boarding, paddle boarding, tubing, and sometimes I even jet ski riding. The older I got, the more I was able to appreciate the sheer power and beauty that Lake Michigan truly possesses. The lake has always been my favorite part about New Buffalo, however, it was one of the only things I liked New Buffalo. I knew that when it was time to head off to college, I would want to get as far away from this town as my parents could stand.

Now let’s fast forward to my senior year of high school, more specifically the last 2 minutes of the last high school football game I would ever play. This was a hard reality to face because everything I had done in my life for the past 5 years was centered around football. A strict, high-protein, low-fat diet; hour and a half workouts, 5 days a week; and absolutely no partying. As crazy as all that sounds, it began to pay off my senior year when I became an all-conference safety and played the best season in my entire life. I felt like I was on top of the world and was by no means ready to stop playing the game. The day after my last game I was already in my coach's office asking him what I needed to do to play college football.

Now that I knew I wanted to play college football, I now had to decide which level I thought would be best for me. Coming from a very small school (60 kids in my graduating class) I knew my chances were slim to none for playing at a Division 1 or even Division 2 school. This led me to begin researching Division 3 football, and all of the Division 3 schools within driving distance of New Buffalo. I must have met with 20 different coaches during this process, but everything changed when I had been introduced to a recruiter from Ohio Northern University. The first time I met him was at a recruiting fair about an hour away from my home town. His energy stood out from every other recruiter at the fair, and it was almost like an ora was hanging over the booth. After talking with the recruiter, he had told me everything I wanted to hear and more. Before walking out of the fair, I was already signed up for an official recruiting visit to ONU. 

When I first arrived in Ada, it was immediately clear that things were much different around here. I had never been surrounded by so much corn in my entire life, and was also bombarded with endless plains and ferocious wind. I quickly began having second thoughts about my future in Ada. Once I arrived on campus, I completely fell in love with the buildings and landscaping of the university. I remember thinking in my head, "This is what a college campus is supposed to look like." By the time my visit had concluded, I was 100 percent decided that this is where I would be going to college.

Three years later I am still enjoying my time here at Ohio Northern. Although football is what originally brought me here, I decided to give that up after my freshman season. Rather than leaving ONU altogether, I decided to stay here and devote my life to my academics. Since leaving the team, my grades have improved drastically and I have been able to build relationships with people that I never would have had the time to get to know while playing football. I do not regret any decision I have ever made pertaining to Ohio Northern University and I truly believe that this was the best place for me to gain my college education.

Social Media Usage by Up and Coming Musicians

As more and more new musicians are trying to make a name for themselves in society, it has become increasingly important that they find a way to effectively market both their name and music. Before social media, the best way for new musicians to get noticed was by recording demo tapes, playing at dive bars, getting radio exposure, or even just being in the right place at the right time. It was very difficult for musicians to be noticed or heard by anyone, and they often gave up on their journey before it even started. 

The advent of the internet and social media has practically reinvented the music industry and how new artists find their way to the spotlight. The internet and social media offer hundreds, even thousands of opportunists for new musicians to showcase their work, reach out to fans, sell merchandise, and anything else related to marketing the musician. Social media essentially eliminates the middle man in the musicians rise to fame. With social media sites like Soundcloud or YouTube, new musicians can upload their work as many times as they want with the potential of reaching millions of viewers. For example, Post Malone, a famous singer/songwriter, reached stardom over night after uploading his hit single, White Iverson, to Soundcloud in 2015.

Let's say you're on your way to the top as a musician. What is one thing that is absolutely essential to the success of your new career? People actually listening to your music or coming to your show! Marketing yourself as a musician is just as important to your career as the actual music you are playing. One of the easiest and most effective way a new musician can market themselves today is through taking advantage of the numerous social media outlets used by millions of viewers every day. Twitter has become one of the most popular outlets used by musicians because it allows musicians to send out personal messages directly to their fans whether its through posting a tweet to the public, messaging a fan through direct messaging, or commenting on posts by other musicians or even fans. Social media has allowed musicians, new or established, to connect with their fans on a personal level that has never been able to be reached before through traditional marketing channels. 

Chance the Rapper is a musician from Chicago that has used Twitter throughout every stage of his young music career. As he was up and coming he would always post about new tracks he was recording or he would let people know when he was performing in the area. Later in his career, Chance still used Twitter to announce impromptu concerts, album releases, tours dates, and even raise awareness for his charity, SocialWorks. Through Twitter, Chance the Rapper was able to build a tight-knit network of fans that quickly spread beyond Chicago to the rest of the country.