I have. It is one of my worse memories and perhaps one of the most influential of my character.
I was ten years old. My parents and I were shopping in the market, when some clashes broke out and people began to scream and run. Bullets flew by, and the dreaded line of white smoke went up into the air. A tear gas canister was fired. I saw it, I heard it, I felt it.
My breathing got heavier by the second, I felt my airway constricting, and my skin burning. Tears! So many tears! some because I was afraid of dying, but most because of the pain.
A minute passed, I was in a sealed room with a group of people, they pulled me into a butchers shop and into the meat refrigerator. That was the only place the smoke couldn't penetrate. I stood there, unable to speak or breath, clenching my mother's dress. She couldn't breath either. She did everything she could to avoid eye contact with me. She knew I couldn't breath or speak, so she just patted my back. No words were spoken, but I understood that she wanted me to calm down and focus on trying to find a breath.
I wished that she would look at me. I wanted to tell her that I loved her, but that it was time for me to leave. It was getting darker, and I was no longer standing up.
I sensed a strong smell. An unpleasant smell. It came with an odd sense of relief. Something cold was entering my nose. It felt great. Air! I can breathe. Someone made me smell an onion (the strong onion smell counteracts the tear gas effect and opens the airway). I slowly came back and the physical effects of what just happened began to subside.
I went home thinking of how vulnerable and worthless my life was. How at any moment, I could cease to exist. At ten years old, I decided to become the best person I can be and to use every moment I have on this earth wisely. At ten years old, I decided that life was too short to be sad or have regrets. I decided that being kind and helping others is the best way to be happy and live life to the fullest.
The most important thing I learned was to respect life. Not just mine, but everyone else's.
Six years later, it was time for me to move the United States. I left behind family and friends, only to find the same waiting for me here. It took me about a year to get used to everything. Today, I am extremely comfortable with everything and everyone. Other than the initial shock on people's faces when they first hear my english, I fit in just fine.
I work, go to school, teach people Arabic, travel, love and learn everyday. I try to live everyday as if it were my last and my philosophy in life is to treat everyone exactly the same way I would like to be treated.
As I began my freshman year at VCU, I wanted to find a major that would relate to my identity and brand. I found advertising to be a sensational business that is also an art. Peter Nivio Zarlenga said; "In our factory, we make lipstick, in our advertising, we sell hope" I was intrigued with the idea of selling an emotion wrapped into a product. I started my journey as a creative. After doing that for a couple of semesters, I began exploring more of the strategic side and found that's where my strengths are. My work on the creative side gave me a strong appreciation for the creative process as well as the way creatives work. Writing a strong creative brief, clear communication, and being able to relate to creatives are important qualities that I posses which contribute to my success.
There is beauty in advertising, my goal is to get people to see this beauty and change the way they feel about it. Changing the perception around advertising is difficult because the only people who have a positive image about advertising are the ones who make it. We are uninvited guests in people's homes. We pop up when they are really into their shows and then they use us for bathroom breaks. Making this unwanted break something they look forward to and actually enjoy is a difficult task that requires deep insight and the ability to understand how different groups of people think and operate.
I spent a few months interning at a small advertising agency in Midlothian this spring. Feedback agency is the company that specializes in social media strategy and big ideas, backed by unique thoughtful research. During my time there, I compiled and analyzed consumer sentiment data for Sleep Island Mattresses. Sleep Island planned to launch their new product; Mattress In A Box. In order to do so, they needed detailed, extensive research about what the market is like for this category of mattresses. I created a report discussing the sentiment behind boxed mattresses which helped Sleep Island strategize for their next advertising campaign.
I enjoy advertising and view it as a way of helping people to solve their problems. I want to work hard because I know that I will get exactly what I put in. My perfect workplace would be an ad agency that allows me to be myself and respects my individuality. I would love to work with diverse people to learn as much as I can. I know that I have the ability to shine in this business, I am only looking for the chance to prove it.
No comments:
Post a Comment