Networking is everything!

I've been hearing it for ages from everyone from my parents, to teachers and mentors at work, but networking really is everything! It's all about who you know in this business that can help you get ahead. Get ahead isn't even the right thing to say, even... it's more about partaking in different opportunities. I am very thankful to the contacts I have made throughout my life, and especially during my time in New York.

I was fortunate enough to get paid a visit from one my past mentors and good friend Melissa Batulis last weekend! Melissa is an '03 Westminster Grad who has been working as a news reporter since she left WC. Melissa was in town with a colleauge from WFMZ-TV 69 News in the Philly region and stopped by for some dinner.

It was great catching up with Melissa about what life been like for each of us since graduation. Although we're both on very different paths, we have encountered many of the same obstacles and desires along the way. Melissa brought up the point that there's basically two ways to be successful in television; You can either start out in a small town with a bigger position and work your way up the markets, or you can start in a big market with a small position and work your way up that way. Each of us is on the opposite path from the other, but it was really great to see how we can meet in the middle. Melissa and I also had a very professional moment when swapped business cards. I'm such an adult.

Not only is networking important for the professional aspects, but you can also get to do some really cool stuff, too! One of my best friends, Kelly, is an assistant at the Today Show and invited me to come see Beyonce perform on the show live on Monday. We were right up front and I took some great photos with my camera. Thanks, Kelly!

I also learned that my camera takes some pretty great video, too, so I tried it out with much success! I've been noticing that Mr. Weaver and many of the other current WC students have been including video on their blogs and it's making me very jealous, so I'm getting in on the action.

Here's my contribution:

Beyonce "Irreplaceable" clip