It’s not that easy, but it does get easier.  Here are 5 things I wish I had known that college didn’t teach me.

1. How to pick an insurance plan.

Obamacare has caused a lot of private health insurance plans to rise dramatically in cost.  Switching from an employer with decent benefits to one with not so good benefits has left me trying to navigate the complexities of what is and isn’t a good insurance plan.  So thankfully I’ve relied on my Mom to help me figure out a good plan for my husband and I.  Don’t be afraid to look for a health insurance quote outside of the ones your employer offers.  If you’re a pretty healthy individual you might want to weight the benefit of having a low monthly premium and a higher deductible.  Either way, get informed and do your research before signing off on your insurance paperwork!

2. How to Negotiate.

Everything in life is negotiable.  I laughed as a teenager at my parents negotiating with salespeople to get lower hotel room rates, discounts on dining and especially at the flea market.  But when it came to negotiating salary or just saving SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS on wedding services, their advice really came in handy.  Don’t take no for an answer but be willing to compromise, hmm, sounds like a deeper analogy on life doesn’t it?

3. Don’t Panic.

There’s no class on how to deal with the unexpected.  You think you’ve had it rough with an onslaught of final exams.  It gets tougher and problems get a lot more realistic.  As a graduate of UTPA I think the college experience I had was a lot different from others.  I took mostly night classes and worked 8-5 everyday, and sometimes longer, before going to class.  The people in my night classes were an entirely different breed than those in the few morning classes I did take.  You could feel their hunger and desire to learn.  Some were Moms, some were “untraditional” students who were determined to get a degree and graduate.  My point with them is that they probably know what I’m getting at with this point.

In the workplace you will get deadlines, you will get no second chances and you will get no time to figure things out on the spot, and the same can be said for your “life”.  Is there a fire on your patio?  What do you do?  Is there a massive hail storm that has shattered all the windows of your house, totalled your cars and has now started flooding the inside of your house?  What are you going to do about it?

Did a loved one pass away and you have to issue a statement about what this person meant to you?

Like I said, my twenties have been pretty eventful.  College is NOT going to teach you how to cope with these kinds of situations.  My best advice is to think before you act.

4. How to Make Friends.

Don’t laugh!!

You will soon find yourself at a new job in a new city.  You won’t be in any extra curricular activities or classes to force you to communicate with people and therefore make friends.  If you have a husband this gets even trickier.  What’s the solution?  You have to step outside your comfort zone and make an effort.  Your co-workers are not going to invite you to lunch right away, you’re the new guy. But be nice, be friendly and don’t be overbearing.  Another suggestion?  Get involved!  This is a great way to learn what’s going on in your community, especially if you’re in a new city, and you might even find yourself joining an organization that gives back to the community, this is doubly rewarding.

5. Know Your Worth.

There’s a lot of articles being passed around making fun of our tech generation and our obsession with documenting our entire lives on social media.  Time magazine even ran a cover story on our generation.  Articles like this have been written about twentysomethings well before our generation.  Don’t believe me? Google, darling, is a wonderful thing.

With so many people talking down about twentysomethings, don’t forget how valuable this decade of your life really is.  It’s hard to believe that my twenties are almost over, I’ve packed so many life experiences into such a short time and have acted as a sponge this entire time to learn from my mentors and to learn what not to do.

Remember at this age you don’t know everything, but you also know something.  Maybe it’s your Twitter and Instagram skills that will land you an entry level marketing job.  Maybe it’s your ability to listen that will bring you into the old office routine.  Either way, you are worth something.  Now is the time to prove it.  Don’t be afraid to take your newly minted college education and put it to good use, just remember, whether you are 10, 20, 30 or even 60, you can still learn something.

A little bonus advice: it gets better.

Share/Bookmark

Do you see where I’m going with this? I was a total nerd and if I wasn’t standing behind a podium speaking, the most physical activity I got was lugging home stacks of books from the library.

Fast forward to 2013, I am married, living in San Antonio and work in public relations and marketing at KGBTexas.Communications. Needless to say, a lot of the jobs I’ve had in the past five years have involved a lot of time sitting at a desk.

So, with my wedding done, higher education done and living in a new city with my new husband, I felt like it was time to make a change in my life.

That’s when I decided I would finally commit to saying YES to training with Team In Training and saving my own life by living a healthier lifestyle and helping to save the lives of others by raising money and awareness for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Publishing this on my blog is really quite terrifying.  The Internet IS FOREVER!  There’s no taking it back, there’s no quitting, there’s no thinking about quitting.  This is it.  I now have people seeing me commit to a goal.

But then I think back again, back before high school and think back to middle school.  And I remember my best friend in middle school, Linda Celeste Luna.  At that age it’s really hard to make friends, it’s the most awkward set of years you will ever go through, yet my friendship with Linda was one of the most important ones of my life.  She’s the first friend I ever spent HOURS on the phone with, passed notes to in class, obsessed over boy bands with and struggled with algebra with.  I will never forget the last time I saw her at school.  Then finding out she was feeling sick and stayed home.  Then finding out she had leukemia and was going to Houston for treatment.

I’ll never forget the last time I talked to her on the phone and how I was shaking and trying to be so cool on the line even though I could hear the strain in her voice.

And I remember the day at school that our teacher told us to go home and hug our Moms really tight that night.  And I remember finding out the terrible news shortly thereafter.  I remember my Dad driving me to her funeral.  I remember it being my first real experience losing someone you love and having to face the concept that life is really finite.

So when I think of my goal of training with Team in Training, I’m going to do this for Linda.  Because it’s not fair that she didn’t get to grow up with me and go to college with me and be at my wedding and me attend her wedding.  Because it’s not fair that a disease like this has no cure and that so many people are affected by it.

If you don’t believe me that the Internet REALLY is forever, well, I found this that I wrote years ago about Linda:

I have a very special friend with me now. She’s not your average girl. She is an angel. Yes it is true. Linda is my best friend. She is now my guardian angel though. Her name is Linda. Although I didn’t know her for very long she was always the greatest friend I ever had. Linda’s wonderful life was cut short at the young age of 13 by a terrible disease known as cancer. I always wonder why such a wonderful person had to leave the earth so soon. She had a wonderful life going for her. Wonderful friends, teachers that loved her, great parents, a very nice brother, but most of all personality. I remember being in seventh grade sitting all alone because most of my friends had turned on me and chosen not to talk to me. She came and sat next to me. She was very easy to get along with too. We could talk about anything. We were like sisters. No we were sisters. In my heart she’ll always be.

Oh the drama of seventh grade, if only life could be that simple again.  Nonetheless, I wrote this when I was 13 and it may sound a little silly now, but here it is.  She was just too young to leave us so soon.

So here’s to publishing this post, to finding a cure and to making a difference.

Share/Bookmark

When my UIL sponsor wanted me to throw a debate round so the team could get on the road back to McAllen, my parents put her in her place and stayed with me, where I eventually won my round and advanced to the state level, then they drove me back to McAllen from San Antonio.

I probably didn’t appreciate it at the time, but my Mom went with me to New York City my junior year of high school.  The year before that she single handedly planned my quinceañera, made my quinceañera dress based on a sketch I did for her on a napkin.  My junior year of high school she made me a floor length, red prom dress based on another napkin design in just three days, because I decided on a whim that I wanted to go to prom.

She shopped with me for college supplies and helped me pick out my first car with my Dad.

Yet I think it wasn’t until I lived in San Antonio, and I was on my own, that I really learned to appreciate all the things my Mom did for me.  I consider her my best friend, my inspiration and without her my wedding wouldn’t have been as opulent and amazing as it was.  My Mom planned most of the big day, calling vendors, keeping a detailed budget, saving all the important documents in a binder and coordinated everything for the big day.

I wish I had all the money in the world to buy my Mom Chanel handbags and Christian Louboutin heels like she deserves, but instead I hope she’ll read this post (since I know she avidly reads my blog) and sees how much I really do appreciate her and how I will always remember all these things she’s done for me my whole life.

Share/Bookmark

From their press release:

On May 10-11 at 8 p.m. at Laurie Auditorium, the San Antonio Symphony pays homage to the Beatles and its founding member Sir Paul McCartney with its Live And Let Die—A Symphonic Tribute to the Music of Paul McCartney Pops concert series.

Bridging the sound between popular Beatles rock tunes and classical music, guest conductor Martin Herman will take center stage at Laurie Auditorium. Herman will amplify the essence of the Beatles era through orchestral arrangements as singer and accomplished musician Tony Kishman and his four-piece tribute band will evoke the iconic spirit of Liverpool’s famous band and its iconic front man. Hailed Beatles’ anthems and popular McCartney solo tracks to be performed are “Hey Jude,” “Penny Lane,” “Yesterday,” “My Love,” “Uncle Albert,” “Let It Be,” “Maybe I’m Amazed,” “Hello Good-Bye,” “The Long and Winding Road,” “Get Back,” “Silly Love Songs” and “Live and Let Die.”

Paul McCartney and The Beatles are among some of my first musical memories as a kid, so this sounds like a really great event!

Tickets:

Individual concert tickets range from $12 to $92.  Students only $8.  Tickets available to purchase at the Symphony and Laurie Auditorium Box Offices or by calling (210) 554.1010 or visiting www.sasymphony.org.

Patrons can also visit any Ticketmaster location, www.ticketmaster.com or call (800) 745.3000.

Wanted to get an even more fabulous Beatlemania experience?

On May 11, travel with Club Coda on the Lion & Rose’s double-decker bus to the San Antonio Symphony’s presentation of Live and Let Die – A Symphonic Tribute to the Music of Paul McCartney with former Beatlemania front man Tony Kishman.

Tony Kishman, singer songwriter and Sir Paul McCartney tribute artist — Actor, singer and recording artist, Tony Kishman doubles as featured performer and producer of Twist and Shout.

Kishman starred for six years in both the national and international tours of Broadway’s smash hit, Beatlemania. “Tony Kishman is the quintessential Paul McCartney…” said the Long Island Advance of the gifted young musician’s uncanny resemblance both visually and vocally to the beloved Beatle.

So, let’s say say say I’ll see ya there?

Share/Bookmark

I wish I knew a better way to pack but with both of us working full time it’s pretty impossible to have time to do it other than on weekends.  Oh well, it’ll be worth it!  Here’s some cat pics for your daily internet lolz:

Share/Bookmark

This week I got to chat with Debi-Lamb Burrows, a protégé in the program, to hear about her business, what she’s learned from the program and why marketing is so crucial to success.  As she said, as marketers, we are our own worst marketers, because we are constantly pushing our clients instead of ourselves.  Check it out!

Share/Bookmark

Nonetheless, I thrive on stress and while my anxiety may mean a lot of sleepless nights, it also gives me a chance to break free from habits, try something new and be a risk taker.  So, with our upcoming move to downtown San Antonio fast approaching, it is with great pride that I can officially announce that I am leaving the City of San Antonio’s Economic Development Department to join the Public Affairs team at KGBTexas Advertising.  Working for EDD has been such a thrilling experience.  You probably wouldn’t think that working for a government agency, but not many people can say they’ve worked on the type of projects I’ve worked on.  From creating a marketing strategy and brand identity from scratch, to working on several big company expansions and relocations, to racing against the clock to create a print piece for Mayor Castro to deliver to the President of Mexico, every project in this department has been high profile, maybe a little high stress, but always high quality.  Our Director says we are a “Tip of the Spear” department, meaning we are always on point, we are always outside the norm and we are always under the watchful eye of the public.  That type of work is what moves this City forward, the science of economic development has been amazing to watch and learn from AND market.

All that being said, I’m very excited about this new career opportunity and for our upcoming move to downtown.

Here’s to many more adventures.

Share/Bookmark

Still, knowing the day of our wedding we wanted to celebrate and enjoy our limited sunlight for photos, we decided to schedule a photoshoot after our wedding here in San Antonio, to celebrate the place we now live in our new married life.

I’m really happy with the photos and you can see the complete spread in Maxwell Novias magazine!

Here are some shots from our shoot at the Pearl Brewery!

Photos by: Eric Sierra

Dress: Martina Liana, Sposa Mia Couture – McAllen

Shoes: Boginni & Co.

Veil & Belt: My Mom!!

Jewelry: Nordstrom

Flowers: HEB Blooms, Alon Market

Groom’s Suit: Mark Ecko

Groom’s Shirt, Tie, Accessories: Macy’s

Cuff Links: Burberry, Nordstrom La Cantera

Share/Bookmark

As I constantly find myself battling with feminist issues in the workplace and “real life” I am inspired by a few quotes from Ms. Thatcher.

“If you set out to be liked, you would be prepared to compromise on anything at any time, and you would achieve nothing.”

“Being powerful is like being a lady.  if you have to tell people you are, you aren’t.”

Share/Bookmark

HVHC Inc., the San Antonio-based holding company for the eyewear firm that includes the Visionworks of America chain, plans to invest $25 million in a manufacturing plant that’s expected to employ 600 workers on the far West Side, the company’s chief executive confirmed Thursday.

HVHC also is looking to expand its downtown headquarters by 150 positions, up from about 350 now.

What’s really cool about this project is the fact that the new manufacturing plant will churn out the eyeglasses you and I already wear–if you purchased them from Visionworks.  Stylish glasses and sunglasses at a good price, made in the U.S. AND made in Texas–you can’t ask for more.

HVHC already operates a manufacturing plant in Schertz that makes 2 million pairs of eyeglasses a year. Holmberg said the facility employs a similar number of workers that will be hired for the new plant, to be located near Texas 151.

The new plant will produce custom-made eyeglass products and will occupy about 120,000 square feet.

Holmberg declined to pinpoint the plant’s exact location, but it should be identified next week as City Council votes on the city’s incentive package.

Manufacturing workers will earn between $11 and $20 an hour, Holmberg said. At least a dozen supervisory positions also will be hired to oversee the operation.

San Antonio won the 18-month site-selection process for the new plant over competing sites in Allen and Richardson, both near Dallas, Holmberg said.

“I’m pleased HVHC is creating hundreds of good-paying jobs in San Antonio,” Mayor Julián Castro said. “Most of these are manufacturing jobs that will have a good multiplier effect in the San Antonio economy. I’m confident City Council will be supportive.”

You can learn about the Schertz manufacturing center and why CEO David Holmberg chose San Antonio over outsourcing jobs here.

Share/Bookmark