THE FIRST POST

Hi. If you’re reading this, you’re probably either Gary, in my class, or related to me. If you’re reading this, you probably are aware that I’m taking the “Branding of Me” class this semester, and that this blog is required. But if you’re reading this, you may not know that I, unlike most, actually do like to write, and therefor am not exactly bummed about this project.

In fact, I like to do a lot of things, and that is what I will be writing about here in this blog. When challenged to figure out what our current “personal brand” is, my professor (that’s Gary) told us to ask our friends to describe us in single words, because our personal brand, despite how we try to portray ourselves, is determined by how we are perceived. To be honest, I was pleasantly surprised with the words I was given; however, I did ask my friends, and they weren’t going to give me mean or negative words. The two words (phrases) that stood out to me the most were storyteller and living in the moment. When I asked for an elaboration on the latter, I was told that I am someone who likes to focus on the now and make the moments that we’re living in count. When I thought about it, I realized that she was right, and that I was proud to have that as my personal brand.

And so there we had it, the idea for this blog, Choosing Joy.

As a second semester college senior at UNC Chapel Hill, I am beginning to feel the natural nostalgia that comes with all the “lasts.” I started this year determined to make as many memories as I could in the short 10-month school year, doing the things that I love the most and making the moments count. Here, I will tell the stories of the memories made by trying to choose joy every day. I hope you enjoy reading!