Basically from middle school and on I remember our supply sheets always asking for pens and pencils. Fully stocked, we’d all go to class on our first, dressed in our best and ready to start yet another year of school. We used pencils for math and pens for basically any other non-mathematics based subjects (read English, Social Studies, etc).

Eighth grade came. Teachers claimed they throw away our papers if there wasn’t a name on it. It was a bluff for most while some actually stood by their statement, regardless, most students were given a shot to fix their mistake of the missing name before the all mighty zero hit the grade books.

High school started. We had lockers, people were kissing and holding hands in the halls, and football players basically ran the school, at least at my school always. I always knew I was a smart and fairly athletic kid. I wanted people to know me and I wanted them to hear what I had to say. So I became a football player.

In high school teachers were less “lax” than previous years, but that really meant they either gave you more wiggle room if they liked your or less if you annoyed them. I stayed on their good side.

In college they told us to look good, impress the teacher, be tentative and introduce yourself to each professor. I believed that up until I saw a line that went from the stage of a 400 seat lecture hall to the doors in the back. Teachers didn’t really care if they knew you. They could judge, understand and evaluate you based on your work. I had one instructor, Professor Batchelor, who taught Mass Comm & Society. It was an intro course for mass communications majors and, again, filled with 400 or more students. He was more lax than anyone I’ve met. He gave us our assignments, he gave us options and that was that. Our final two assignment had to be no less than 3 pages each. I wrote on eighties pop-culture and on MTV. Seven pages and 12 pages respectively.

About two years later I had him again. On the first day of class he was telling us how “you should be the smartest person in the room,” as well as tremendous writing skills and other things. He pointed at me and said, “Patrick, you were in my Mass Comm & Society class. You wrote really good papers.” While I knew who he was I didn’t think he knew who I was, let alone my name, especially from two years prior, but apparently my worked proved my value. I spoke, he listened.

I should be the smartest person in the room. During my first semester of my junior year, right when I got into the PR program, I realized the only way I could secure my future – the way I wanted – was to do stuff my peers didn’t. I read industry stuff, tech articles, PR case studies, the list goes on. I did what I had to do to be the smartest person in the room, and I quickly became that person. At the end of that semester Batchelor and another professor said Mark Clennon and I may be two of the brightest students they’ve seen. I can’t quite remember who and how it was said exactly but you get the gist. We basically called ourselves the dream team. WE were the smartest in the room.

Throughout school I’ve been told how to prepare and how to meet the requirements and bars set for me. This is how you get an ‘A,’ here is what you do to get stronger, here is how you get smarter. But now, no one is paid to hold our hand. Instead, we are paid to produce. Everything leading up to tomorrow, graduation (unless you are reading today, Thursday May 5, 2011 or another date after) was preparation. Working toward the “heavenly” goal of getting a job after graduation. No one tells you that you’ll be kicked out of the nest, literally, and start paying bills, loans, figuring out health, dental and vision insurance, 401k, how to divvy up 2-5 weeks of paid vacation, let alone how to find a job.

Basically everything up until now has been in sections. We go to school, in sections, with small bumps in our timelines, then move onto another section. What happens when you’re in the “final” section with only bumps to look forward to? I’m lucky enough to leave college with a job starting roughly two weeks after, thanks to my friends and, I’d argue, hard work. But I’d say the transition is harder than anything else. I’m not one of those lucky kids who’s parents still pay for their shit. I’m on my own, 30k+ in loans and regular bills like everyone else, and I still have to find a place to live in NYC which is outside of what I consider normal means. Where is the pencil for that?

It’ll be good though. The problem with pencils is the lack of blemishes. See, with pens if you screw up you have to scribble it out. People see where you made a mistake and then what happened after that. Think of it like messing up and then fixing your mistake. Pens stain clothes, they can poke through your pants and into your legs if you sit down wrong, pens can explode. If you are dumb enough you might even get bad tasting ink your mouth. Pens are the bumps. The first ex-boyfriend/girlfriend, the failing grade on a test, the basketball roster you didn’t make. I like reading papers in pen. You can see the pressure someone wrote with, their feelings, you can see where the messed up. You can see a person.

Here goes life…starting in pen.

Edelman just released a study titled “8095ers” to show the correlation between this unique generation, brands and their purchasing habits.  Although Edelman’s and other pieces are interesting and have some “valuable” information tied to them I feel like there are some issues that aren’t discussed throughout any of the “millennial” research that is published, mainly the root of our being.

We are materialistic. Brand affinity and loyalty is a bullshit way of saying that we feel like we need to buy certain products to be labeled, stereotyped and type-casted into a mold we strive to be.

None of these studies went into the reasoning behind the correlation between what we buy and the prices we are “willing” to pay. These studies fail to show the connection between a pair of $300 headphones and “feeling good” or “trusting a brand.” Previously the idea of quality was a pair of handmade shoes or things that contain a personal story behind each item.

Societal Expectations

Products are becoming easier to obtain as price points go down. The idea of class through brands and products have come to an even ground where no one can judge based on products or material goods. Just as this has created less classism it also strengthens materialism.

Generation Yers are more worried about what products they have or what their friends believe is an acceptable cell phone. Instead of conforming to the “needs” and “ideals” of society we are conforming to the products of society. T

he reverberation of products and reviews isn’t because we are bettering our world, it’s because we judge others based on what we have more now than ever.

On Friday I sat in a room with about 15 high school juniors and seniors from the Tampa area. They were able to identify theme songs and sounds associated with particular brands faster than I can. It isn’t that they are “more knowledgeable,” they are bludgeoned with more advertisements than any other generation. Marketers and advertisers are subliminally reaching these students and they don’t realize.

The Millennial Shift

We are changing the ideals of our society through shitty tactics and morals. Those in communications would argue this is good because hard work and practice pays off. I on the other hand, believe that it’s horrible. We are conditioning our young and current generations to spend $300 on headphones and question giving $5 or less to a charity.

Instead of separating people by color or religion, I feel like we are creating a divide through brands. All the iPhones on this side while the Androids go over here. Yea, we have loyalty to brands, because they “define” us. Yea, they say, “you’re good enough because you can buy a $400 cell phone.”

If this is how we are defining Millennials then I’m moving to Antarctica.

We have cell phones that are computers. Facebook is the ultimate platform for internet consumption, and Google searches finds results for queries you haven’t even thought of yet. We no longer are living creatively. We are living adaptively. Which isn’t bad but it means the end is near.

This post stems from the movie Toy Story 3. I hope you’ve seen it if not jump ahead to the Toy section because I give the idea of the movie here. Andy is grown up. He is forced to ditch his toys because the social norm says he is too old to play and needs to do grown up things. He adapts rather than creating a new idea, taking toys to college. For me the movie is more than that. It shows where and when we are torn from our creativity. The day we are given electronics and depend on them is the same day we drown our personal imagination and creativity.

Technology = Adaptology

Yup, I just made a new word. Adaptology. Quote me. We learn how to adapt in life, we make changes for the better or worse and do what we can. Technology is guilty of harboring the adaptivity as a lifestyle. We know think through adaptation versus thin air. We, as humans, think to make something better rather than making something brand new, which isn’t bad, just tiresome. I’ll elaborate through toys.

Toys- Here is where my Toy Story idea circles back.

How many of us had G.I. Joes or Barbies? They were plain and basic, we could change their clothes or accessories and that’s it. How much fun did we have with these toys? We created the scenarios that they narrowly escaped from. We made the most ridiculous things out of table and chairs. We made forts with sheets and pillow cushions. Both, for the record, are neither sturdy nor stable. But we made do. Point blank. We made the best with what we had, yes we adapted, but our creativity and imagination took us further. G.I. Joe adapted to having Barbie as his wife and the fact that she was taller. But we created the wedding on the North Pole of Mars. Yes, the North Pole of Mars. The benefits of these toys were not that they were intuitive and told us when crap needed to happen. It was because they were plain, we decided what happened and used that to our biggest advantage.

We cannot create with creativity, hence the root word in there. I am going to make a bold statement and say that this mashup of tech and social will slow down soon. The general publics attention span is only so big and adapting only lasts so long. Let’s stop making feature and start playing with boring toys.

If you think otherwise, tell me. I’d love to hear your side/opinion.

By the way, I LOVEEEED the Toy Story 3 movie. I cried like a baby.

Is it odd that I like to have the   television on mute? For me, its   like that glow that I can sit with, doing whatever I’d   like, and not even noticing it for a second. Well, tonight. Tonight I write without that effervescent glow.

Since being back an in Tampa I was re-inspired. Working on my social, stealth start up is my big project this summer. It can only be summed up as a social network for college students; ha, so Facebook. But regardless I’m at a standstill, both in life and my current project. Things just haven’t been the same. I have NYC-lag, I think?So Here I am asking for your assistance. Yes, this cry of help is to you, the reader. I’m outsourcing my life, in some ways, and need your help.

Redundancy = Complacency.

I wake up, work, shower, read, sleep and somewhere in between I eat. That is a daily routine I’ve managed to work myself into. It is one that I despise. So, I’m asking you to conjure up a new routine or activity I can add to my day. Did I mention work is something I don’t need to do? By no means am I financially set, but a job isn’t a career, and this one definitely won’t get me into my career so its disposable. Life, however, isn’t.

The Not-So-Stealth Brick Wall.

As I said before I am embarking on a project. One that remains quiet until its release, which is yet to be announced. Thus far I’ve developed the designs and mock ups. I now need a coder. Someone who can help develop my skills or is willing to join the team. I’m not looking to outsource to third party, I want someone who envisions our idea and concept. I want someone who is willing to break out of the “I don’t know” and venture into the “I’ll find out.” I want someone who knows some code, but maybe not enough, but has the gumption to go ahead and dive headfirst. Or someone that knows it all. Either will work. Regardless I need your help to find one. Since Tampa, at least the corners I’ve searched, has resulted in 0.

With that, I leave you with this:

Any and all help, in either or all departments is greatly appreciated. I value my readers more than any google analytics will tell you. So anything you have to say, I’ll read and respond. Oh yea, Mom, thanks for reading, Love you.

The dreaded “reflection post.” It stinks because I’ve missed New York City since the second I lugged my purple tote and body onto the train at Penn Station. But, I was out of money, so therefore, had to leave. Regardless, it was an amazing experience. The four months there cemented my dreams of moving to NYC immediately after graduation. But enough cute talk, lets get to the meet. What did I learn? what did I take away? Most of this isn’t pertinent to the PR or marketing industry, but more so to life.

Patience

Sounds funny, right. How did I learn patience in the fastest city in America? The “city that never sleeps.” Well, you have to wait for subway trains, cabs, traffic and the average slow walking, tourist walking in front of you on Broadway. It really shows me that no matter how fast I walk, there is always a time and place to catch my breathe. It created opportunities to think and really just to put things in perspective.

Central park is a great place. Sitting  on the Great Lawn isn’t just fun. It’s  surreal. You are in the middle of a  huge lawn, with no cares in the  world. You feel the soft, green grass  between your toes and fingers and  feel like you are nowhere, and love it.  You look up, and see buildings. Such  a serene and peaceful place that is  filled with positive attitudes and good  vibes is smack dab in the middle of  New York City. Your skyline from the lawn is that of corporate buildings, apartments and the city skyline. FYI I’m drooling right now.

People

According to this there are roughly 3.4 million NYC residents. I was lucky enough to meet the best people while I was there. I worked with crazy, smart people. I hung out with incredibly awesome people too. Living in such tight quarters you see the real emotions and attitudes of people. The straightforward attitude of New York residents is usually a bad thing, right? Wrong, its amazing. New Yorkers are the only people to tell you how awesome you are at the drop of a hat. They are the only ones to really tell you how they feel, and it’s usually a good thing too. The people I’ve met, which are too many to name (I love you all!) are wonderful. They are all my true friends. I’ve bonded with them quicker and easier than I would have imagined. Thank you all for making my time there great!

Overall, after paying close to $27,000 for my New York experience I’ve learned these things. NYU is overrated; it’s a college, geez. New York City enables passion, endurance, strength, and AwesomeSauce. It’s where I want to live, it’s where I want to grow old. It’s where I want to leave my legacy. It’s not a big apple, it’s a big, loving, beating heart. It continues to beat from the people who walk, bike, run, commute in and out to make their dreams come true. Thanks for making mine.

photo creds: Flickr

Every time I watch the movie Accepted it gives me a sense of urgency. It brings feelings of a want and a need to do something that I believe in. Not necessarily something that is along the lines of normalcy. Why? Because I want to be that guy that lives his dreams. Not the fabricated lines of conformity and “safety.” Here are a few quotes that give me chills every time I hear the character Bartleby during the closing speech

Bartleby Gaines:  “Just because you want us to be more like them when the truth is we’re not like them. And I am damn proud of that fact.”

Dean Van Horne: “Your curriculum is a joke, and you, sir, are a criminal.”

Bartleby Gaines: “You know what? You’re a criminal. ‘Cause you rob these kids of their creativity and their passion. That’s the real crime!…

…Life was full of possibilities. And isn’t that what you ultimately want for us? As parents, I mean, is – is that, is possibilities.”

Why do these quotes mean anything to me? Or you, the reader? They make me really think about where I wanted to be when I was 8 and where I am now. It’s a totally different path than what I wanted. The younger we are, the more creative and unconventional. We don’t live life with limits.  We dream big and aspire to be great, until we are told otherwise, unfortunately.

I tend to think about things in this manner. The only limitations that I live by is the day I was born and the day I’ll die. That’s it.

So when you think of crazy ideas that are potentially life changing, DO IT. When people question you or your idea, ask yourself, does that really matter? Am I living for myself or am I living for you?

Think back to when we were  kids; the creativity in our dreams, the outlandish yet equally realistic aspirations. Just because we’re older and are in the “real world” it doesn’t mean we can’t live a creative and fulfilling life.

The English probably thought that the Pilgrims were crazy too.

Follow your dreams and your passion to make your own opportunities and possibilities.

I’ve met countless people through social networks; all for the betterment of my life and theirs. But there is one connection that stings. It hurts a lot more than one would think, thanks to social media.

It happened in the summer of 2009. I was at a friend’s house sitting on his couch. I noticed I had a friend request on Facebook…

It was my father. This was the first time in my life I’d ever made a connection with him.

A lot of people would find this as groundbreaking; social networks connecting long lost family members and rekindling the values of family relationships. Well, I say to hell with that. I went through a full range of emotions, and the occasional humor cover-up.

Why does it suck? I wasn’t looking for the movie themed reunion, but I would have loved a traditional letter, phone call, or the best, meeting him in person. Facebook basically ripped the reunion to pieces. Throughout most of our messages I couldn’t feel emotions from him or myself. The messages were cold and lifeless.

I’m still dealing. It’s tough, I’m talking to my REAL dad, I’ve never heard his voice and as a kid I’ve only seen one picture. I feel like I’m talking to a complete stranger. I have the opportunity to meet him since he lives around Boston, but I feel like Facebook stole my curiosity.

I’ve never valued face-to-face interactions more than I do now. My story is one that no one should experience. The feeling of a handshake, hug, or kiss is something that shouldn’t be replaced by emoticons and acronyms.

If my interaction could have been reversed, I think the foundation of our still-growing relationship would be a lot stronger, not one that I question.

This past week was by far my best week in New York City. Thank you, Social Media Week.

The week was filled with different panels covering a variety of topics in the online space and how socialized web is effecting current and future media. Listening to panels and going to the insanely awesome after parties was amazing.

My greatest memory was working the door for the Digital Somethings event.

It was the VIP party for SMW on Monday night. Needless to say you needed an invite, and it’s pretty obvious I didn’t get one. Thankfully Damien messaged me asking if I would man the door. I gladly said yes.

What did this do for me? I feel like I showed some important people I’m willing to work. I hope they feel the same way too. Damien is a great guy, who gave me an awesome opportunity. That one doorman gig landed me endless handshakes and introductions. I met Jeff Pulver. JEFF PULVER!!

“The Future of Journalism” was my favorite panel. Thinking about the future of journalism and what it will bring newbie’s and veterans will be interesting, Vadim and Sree created a fantastic presentation that made me question my previous change from journalism to public relations.

All the nights were equally fulfilling, I learned so much from each panel and the people I was lucky to meet. Here is a shout out to all that I met. Why? Because they don’t realize how much this means to a lil’ ol’ college kid like myself. So thanks, to:

Damien Basile

Digital Somethings

Brian Solis

Leora Israel

Oz Sultan

Phil DiGiulio

Rachel Kay

Scott Beale

David Trahan

Adam Ostrow

Sree Sreenivasan

Nick McGlynn

Stuart Tracte

Elisabeth Rosario

Zeb Dropkin

Jeff Pulver

Kyle Studstill

David Spinks- thanks for hanging with me most of the week.

Heather Damico

Seamus Condron

Teresa Cantwell

Vadim Lavrusik

Daniellesaid

Amy Vernon

Sharon Feder

Tameeka Time

These are just a handful of people, so if I forgot to mention you on the list. Please know that your presence still made an impact. Thanks again!

Recently I posted #nowplaying: Soundtrack to My Life. Music plays a huge role in our lives and should be taken into consideration when we reflect on life and events. After rereading my tweets, these are the songs that sum up my first week in NYC:

Mute Math – Electrify – Sort of encompasses NYC — crazy, frantic, fast paced and will fry you if you’re not careful. It has been an intense first week here. When the melody streams into my ears I move quicker and get a nice kick for that morning walk to work. It’s comparable to caffeine for coffee addicts.

Wale – World Tour (feat. Jasmine Sullivan) – I’ve traveled more in the past few months than I have ever before. To top it off, I’ll be doing even more travel in March to attend SXSW. Three different states and eight cities later I’m here in NYC. I’m not quite a world traveler, but I’m getting my fair share of the states.

Lupe Fiasco - Turnt Up – Sort of like Lupe’s “I’m-back-and-harder-than-ever” jam. For me, he comes with the hard stuff, and it’s good. I like the sound and attitude of this track. I feel like I’m Turnt Up with a new attitude since my recent transition.

Mute Math – Progress – A nice mellow tune that sends me back into reality. It is a song that I can wind down to. I can always count on Mute Math to give me great music.

La Roux – Bulletproof - The title is self-explanatory. I’m not saying I’m invincible, just bulletproof; or at least that’s my attitude. Nothing will stop me from achieving my goals.

What songs are you listening to? I want to know. Plus, I love new music, so shoot me some suggestions!

Think of your own passion as a bottle of coke. It sits calmly until provoked. Once shaken, it builds and builds, until it bursts.

What makes your passion explode? What life events or situations make your passion scream out of you at full force?

What’s my passion?

After contemplating the topic and a conversation with @tmcantwell it’s clear to me that I’m a passionate about competition. At first I thought about how I could be passionate about something that isn’t necessarily tangible. It’s not like music, writing, painting or things that can be made physical.

My passion is competition. I don’t care about what the person next to me is doing but what I CAN do at my best. Kanye West sort of embodies it best in these quotes from his book.

“Know your worth”

“Would you rather have 100% from an average person or 10% from someone who is outstanding”

-Kanye West,

Thank You and You’re Welcome

Knowing your own worth is important. As a person without limitations, I know that I can achieve anything I want. I am passionate about being competitive with myself. I want to force the best out of me.

For me, passion isn’t about loving what you do, but rather, a driving force.

Competition is my driving force to be successful. Competition with myself will create the best Patrick and professional I can be. I know what I can do. I have the world at my fingertips and I will utilize it to the fullest.

What are you passionate about? What drives you to be the best? Is your drive your passion?