Meet Kristin
The Best to Offer
Honestly, as a senior in high school, I thought I wanted to get as far away from home as I could. I didn’t think I would stay in Austin. I actually applied to nine different public and private schools around the country, and I got into eight of them. But my choice came down to the fact that UT really had the best to offer at the lowest cost. Making the Texas cheerleading team just reinforced my decision to come here. It really has ended up being the best decision I ever made – I love it here at Texas and I’m in one of the top advertising programs in the country.
My Calling in Life
I originally came into UT as a journalism major, because at one point, I thought that reporting and becoming a television anchor was my calling in life. After almost two years, I realized that it wasn’t. My father had always pushed me to get into business like him, but it wasn’t very appealing to me, other than possibly doing the marketing side. So I decided to test out an advertising class. I enjoyed it and switched majors in the College of Communication my sophomore year to get into the creative field of advertising. Additionally, after I studied abroad in Spain that summer, I decided to continue taking Spanish classes and added that as a second major. I think it’s important to understand more than one language, and in the US, Hispanics are the largest growing target market! I’ve also just completed the Business Foundations program, which is basically a minor in business. I’m so happy I switched and found something I truly enjoy.
Interact with Your Professors
Honestly, the more you are able to interact with your professors, the better you will do in the class! I’ve had a ton of great professors and my best advice is to get to know them, because they are often your best resource for recommendations, contacts, and just general guidance.
Kristin’s Advice
Balancing studying, family, friends, and work
I used to be obsessive about studying and getting good grades. My first two years in college, I kept a 4.0 GPA. I’ve kept extremely busy over the past 3 ½ years, whether I was doing cheerleading, working multiple jobs at one time, or balancing multiple student organizations. I have learned how to be more efficient, and I think that just comes with time, especially if you study something that you enjoy and are good at. I still have a high GPA, but in the industry I plan to work in, I don’t need that 4.0. I realized that getting work experience, being a leader in an organization, and my friends and family were more important to me. You really just have to pick your priorities and do the best you can. Set high goals, but don’t put too much pressure on yourself. A lot of college students seem to pressure themselves to a near breaking point – I know I have.
Living on or off campus
I lived in the Dobie dorms my freshman year, lived in an apartment in West Campus sophomore and junior year, and now live in a nice apartment in the Hyde Park area. It seems like every year students get farther away from campus. However, for freshmen, I 100% recommend living on campus or living in a nearby private dorm. Don’t live far away your freshman year! This is the best time for you to make friends and meet as many people as you can. You will never in your lifetime get this experience again. Some of my most fun memories are from the dorms freshman year. When you are a senior though, you don’t want to deal with the partying, cramped space, and messiness that comes with living on or near campus.
Making friends
UT is HUGE, so make sure you join some kind of organization, or you may easily feel lost in the crowd. It doesn’t matter if it’s a sorority/fraternity, intramural sports, or a professional organization – just do something and get involved. I always felt bad for people that I knew from my old high school who struggled to meet people because they didn’t get involved in a group. I made a lot of friends through cheerleading, but now that I’m not a part of it anymore, I have really enjoyed meeting new people through my involvement with Texas Ad Group. A lot of my closest friends are ad students. Not only are they great friends, but they are a future network I have to rely on when I’m working in the ad industry.
What to wear or not wear
Don’t mix multiple trends that don’t match. My biggest pet peeve is seeing girls on campus wearing Ugg™ boots, black spandex leggings, Nike™ runner shorts, and a big The North Face™ jacket. These are fine when worn separately with the right clothes, but all together makes you look like you are trying way too hard and don’t have any sense of your own identity.
T.A.G.
I’ve been an officer in Texas Advertising Group for over a year now, and it’s been the single most beneficial tool for me in college. My current position is Vice President of Industry Relations, so I am responsible for booking our organization’s speakers from advertising agencies around Austin and even different parts of the state and country. I’ve made so many contacts and friends, and it has really increased my knowledge of the industry. I co-founded a student ad agency within the group called TAGlines, which has been a great learning experience. I also have T.A.G. to thank for a free trip to New York from the American Advertising Federation, my most recent three internships, the three job interviews I’ve had in the past week, and of course, all the fun I have had with the group over the past two years!
Football & Spain
Going to the Rose Bowl in Los Angeles my sophomore year and watching us win a national championship was probably one of the most exciting things I’ve been a part of. In addition, studying abroad in Spain through UT was amazing – it opened my eyes to so many things. It gave me a new sense of independence and a deep appreciation and curiosity for the world.
Kristin’s Favorites
Study location on campus or off campus
I like studying at home so I can take breaks and multi-task.
Class
Advanced Media Planning with Lisa Dobias – I gained real life experience presenting a plan to RadioShack headquarters and media agency Carat in Dallas for the class.
Place to eat on or near campus
Book
The World is Flat by Thomas Friedman
Movie
Pride and Prejudice by Joe Wright
Thing about Austin
The friendly, quirky people and the amount of fun activities always going on!
Pastime/recreational activity
Singing (I actually sang the national anthem at a UT baseball game when I was in high school) and traveling! I’ve studied abroad, backpacked through Europe, and just came home from a trip to Australia over the winter break.