Hello! My name is Melanie Krcilek and I'm a public relations junior at the University of Oklahoma. I’m originally from Lafayette, Indiana, and at home, I live about 15 minutes away from Purdue University. Unfortunately, that means I’m about a 13 hour drive from Norman. I came to OU in the first place because I thought I wanted to pursue a degree in broadcast meteorology. However, after one semester, I could tell that wasn’t for me. I wanted to stay within the journalism college, and after some indecisiveness, I decided on public relations. So far, so good as far as that goes.
Along with this online class, I’m taking five on-campus classes, so I know I’ll have a lot going on this semester. Somehow I managed to work my schedule out in a way that allowed me to have Fridays off, which I’m pretty excited about. I don’t have any terribly early classes this semester either, so I really can’t complain.
This summer was a pretty eventful one for me. I returned to my job at home at Moe’s Southwest Grill, which is pretty much (in my opinion) a better version of Chipotle/Qdoba. Sadly, the only Moe’s remotely near here in the airport, so I don’t get to have it much while I’m a school. I miss it already. I did a lot of caterings for Moe’s this summer, and I enjoyed that a lot.
In addition to working, I celebrated a lot of birthdays this summer. My little (and only) sister turned 18, my mother turned 50, and I turned 21. We all thought it was pretty exciting that these monumental birthdays were happening in the same summer. I took my mom to see Billy Joel in concert at Wrigley Field for her birthday. He put on an incredible show and we both really enjoyed it. For my birthday, I went skydiving. It was a cool experience and one I encourage everybody to try if they’re even remotely interested in doing so.
I also did a lot of typical summer activities, such as going to an amusement park, tie dying, eating watermelon, etc. ☺
(Image Information: personal photo of me above the clouds while skydiving, photo from July 2014.)
Hi Melanie! I really enjoyed your introduction post! It sounds like you had just as good of a summer as I did. I think it is great that you come all the way to Oklahoma from Indiana to come to the University of Oklahoma. It must be hard to be so far away from home! I am from Norman so I am not as adventurous in that way as you seem to be! Speaking of being adventurous, that skydiving picture is pretty awesome and terrifying. I have always thought it would be fun, but cannot see myself actually being able to jump out of a plane! I am glad we are in this class together, and I am looking forward to keeping up with your blog!!
ReplyDeleteHey Melanie! Your summer sounds amazing! I cannot believe that you went skydiving! I have always wanted to do it. However, I feel like I would have to have someone push me out of the plane. It must be so hard to live so far away! I only live like forty minutes from the University of Oklahoma, so it is nice to go home whenever I need things. I can't wait for this class and can't wait to read your blog this semester!
ReplyDeleteI was so confused at first because I thought you were saying you drive 13 hours every week to Oklahoma from Indiana. That would be a hefty commute! You saw Billy Joel! He's my favorite! I'm finally going to be seeing him in December at Madison Square Garden. I bet he was fantastic, I can't imagine him not being great. I hope majoring in public relations works out for you, it sounds really interesting! Either way, though, there's no shame in figuring out what will make you happy. :)
ReplyDeleteHave a great semester!
WOW, now that is a picture, Melanie!!! Fantastic! I don't think I could ever do skydiving... but I would love to go up in a hot-air balloon. That is more my speed (i.e. not so fast, ha ha). With your busy schedule, this class should be great, and I am personally a fan of Fridays off! Of course, I am always at work on Friday... but I occasionally fantasize about a week where by some miracle I get through the whole Storybook Stack (which will start to rule my life very soon) before Friday, in which case I would so gladly take Friday off.
ReplyDeleteAnd about Moe's... do you know about Tijuana Flats? I just discovered it here where I live in NC this week - what a fun place! We will definitely be going back - I posted about it here because I thought their branding/marketing was really cool too... since you are in public relations you might appreciate it! Very good food AND very good branding!
Tijuana Flats: YUMMM
I love that you're a PR major! Gaylord is the best college.. But I may be biased. :) I know it must be hard to be so far from home but I know I wanted to go somewhere far away when I was applying to colleges. It's a great opportunity to meet new people and totally be outside of your comfort zone! That's crazy and awesome that you got to go skydiving! I've always wanted to but it sounds so terrifying! Sounds like you had a really fun summer!
ReplyDeleteMelanie, you have a super busy semester ahead! Good luck with everything, I hope you do awesome! It's always a new experience being away from home, but I'm sure you will enjoy it. You seem very outgoing! I think I would be way too scared to ever try skydiving, but that is super awesome that you do! :) Congratulations on the Fridays off and enjoy your 21st year! It's always a fun one.
ReplyDeleteHello! I am also a public relations major! My freshman year I took one meteorology class and it was extremely difficult, so I understand why you decided not to do that anymore. Also, I have been skydiving as well! What did you think about it? Surprisingly, it made me afraid of heights even though I wasn't afraid before. However, I still think it was an amazing experience.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with this semester! It sounds like you have a lot going on, so don't stress too much!!
Hey! I have always wanted to go sky diving. My mom went sky diving for her 40th birthday with her siblings and she says that it was so much fun. I can't believe you work at Moe's! There used to be one on campus corner, where Tea Cafe currently is, when I was in high school. Me and my friends would always go there for lunch! I can still here the people working there screaming "Welcome to Moe's!" at anyone who walked through the door. Good luck with such a large work load this semester!!!
ReplyDeleteMelanie, I feel like we have a lot in common! For starters, we both have really interesting and hard to pronounce last names - poor us!! But they make us unique :-)
ReplyDeleteAlso, we are both PR majors! I am a PR senior, so if you ever have any questions about classwork or courses to take, let me know! I really enjoy public relations, and I hope that you do too!
Lastly, we both recently turned 21! I can't say I did anything as exciting as skydiving for my birthday, but 21 is still a fun age to be. I really want to go skydiving at some point in my life though, if I can ever work up my courage to do it.
Other than that, I hope you enjoy this course this semester and I look forward to reading your work!
I know exactly where you live, as I live in Grand Rapids, Michigan and thought I would be attending Purdue for the longest time. The drive back home definitely is not a fun one but I do love the north. Having Friday's off is amazing, except somehow I never manage to actually get ahead on my homework those days, but I get plenty of Netflix time in!
ReplyDeleteWow, it sounds like you had an awesome summer! Going skydiving for your 21st birthday seems like a great way to celebrate. I've always wanted to go, but I've never been able to find anyone to go with me haha. You sound awesome and all, but there is no doubt in my mind that Qdoba is better than Moe's, but I forgive you. Anyways, good luck with the rest of your year!
ReplyDeleteMelanie, I hope you are having a great first half of your semester. It is so nice to hear from another Public Relations major. I guess I forget how many of us there are. I also started out in broadcast and decided that PR was a better route for me so that is pretty neat that we have that shared experience.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to reading your stories and I hope you have a great rest of your semester.
Sounds like you had a pretty exciting summer. I've always wanted to go skydiving, but my family freaks every time I bring it up! One of these days I'll go. I've heard the most dangerous part of skydiving is not actually jumping, but the old rickety planes they use to take people up.
ReplyDeleteI envy you for having Fridays off, I work Friday, Saturday and Sunday!
Hello Melanie! I have never been to Indiana but I do know it is a good drive away. I am glad I don't have to make that drive. Skydiving sounds fun. I have been wanting to do it but I have never had the chance to go. I also do not have class on Fridays. I use Friday mornings and early afternoon to do my commenting and catch up on other homework. It was nice to get to know you and good luck on the rest of your undergrad.
ReplyDeleteAlright Melanie, you've got guts girlfriend.. SKYDIVING?? While I do enjoy adventure, one of my only fears is heights. And I know my luck, I'd jump, be enjoying the free fall and the view and my chute wouldn't open, neither would my secondary ... so I'd land so hard, all they'd have to do is put a headstone where I drove myself into the ground!! lol
ReplyDeleteThat's so awesome that you're from Indiana too. I was born in Indianapolis and a lot of my family still lives in Elberfeld. It is quite a long drive from here to Indiana, but family's always worth it, right?!
Six classes is a lot for one semester, but I'm sure as active as you are, you'll be able to keep up. I myself enjoy being busy, gives me a lot less time to get into trouble! lol
Good Luck this semester and for the rest of your time at OU as well as your career after graduation!!
Hi Melanie! Wow 13 hour drive? That is a really long distance to travel home! I can't believe you are taking that many classes. I took that many classes one semester, and although it was not as hard as I thought it would be, I definitely do not think I would do it again. Congrats on managing to schedule it to allow yourself to have Fridays off! That is so awesome you went skydiving. I have been wanting to do that but I can't talk any of my chicken friends of family members into do it. Anyways, hope you're having a great semester!
ReplyDeleteHi Melanie! Your summer sounds like it was fun! I had a friend go skydiving a couple of months ago and she said it was completely amazing. I don't know if I'd ever be able to get the nerve, as I'm not a fan of heights. It sounds like you are having a busy semester with so many classes. But being able to have Fridays off would definitely make it better. Good luck with the rest of your semester!
ReplyDeleteHi Melanie! Skydiving sounds awesome! I've never been, but I'm sure that was a blast, and what a great birthday present! Also, I totally understand your decision to change from meteorology to PR; that program is so rough, I have a lot of friends who tried to do meteorology but it's so difficult! Glad you enjoy PR though! And the fact that you have Fridays off sounds wonderful. My roommates have Mondays and Fridays off and I get so jealous. Glad your semester is going well, have a good rest of it!
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to meet you Melanie! You are the second person I know from Illinois that attends the University of Oklahoma! I cannot imagine a thirteen hour drive. I have a six hour drive and I think that's a long drive! I have never even heard of the restaurant 'Moe's' before, but I do love Chipotle so I think I will have to try it sometime! I wish you luck for the rest of this semester, sounds like you have quite a course load. I love your picture! Skydiving is definitely on my bucket list!
ReplyDeleteHi Melanie! It's nice to meet you! That drive sounds terrible! I am from Albuquerque so my drive is about 9 hours. That is a really long drive, so I can't imagine making it longer. Having Fridays off is awesome, though I have started work which means they aren't really free anymore. Skydiving looks amazing! It is on my bucket list, but I haven't worked up the courage to try to do it yet. Good luck on the rest of your semester!
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