A little bit about me.
Hello, my name is Lauren Druskinis and I am studying advertising and public relations at Grand Valley State University. I am originally from Plymouth Mi, so I chose to leave behind everything; in a way, to be apart of the west side of Michigan. I have always been outgoing, and I realized moving two and a half hours from home would push me to expand my horizons and branch out in more ways than I thought was possible. In high school I was always exploring my creativity and tried to be as outgoing as possible. I took several art classes, a tv production class, and my senior year of high school I took yearbook. Yearbook taught me so much about design and helped me interact with all different kinds of people at school. I was able to walk around for an hour a day and capture moments that people could hold onto forever. I was able to interview teachers and students, and that helped me learn how to communicate better with others. My tv production class allowed me to speak in front of the entire school and helped me prove to myself that I can get over any fear I have if I put my mind to it. Besides these classes, one of the most memorable parts of high school was working with my schools PEER program which helps students who have any type of learning disability. This class was so rewarding and I made connections with students of all different ages. I was able to sit with students in their classes and help them be the best student they could be, and they did just as much for me as I did for them. These students in the program gave me a purpose the last year of my high school career. As high school came to a close I truly thought I had a plan but I didn’t. Grand Valley State University was never a thought in my mind until one day I received a packet in the mail, and I saw a tiny look into the campus life here. Within days I set up a date to visit here, and rest was history. Well, not actually. My dream school was always Michigan State University because my dad is an alumni, so I decided to visit there as well. I always had this picture in my mind that I would “bleed green,” but the more I thought about it, I had to make the right decision for myself. Although it was close to home, Michigan State was too big of a school for me. After a lot of thinking I knew Grand Valley State University was the perfect fit. Growing up, I moved several times but always stayed in the same area. The east side of Michigan was the only thing I truly knew. I love the east side of Michigan but I felt the urge to explore and grow. At first I was scared because I didn’t know anyone coming to this school, but the more I thought about it this was an opportunity of a lifetime. If I would of stayed home and went to school somewhere close, I would not be here today typing this blog. I wanted to know what this school had to offer, and what opportunities could be available to me. The creative side of me was drawn to advertising and public relations within the first months of moving to school, but I started off with a business major. All the jobs I have had in the past allowed me to use my creativity and I wanted to find that in college. I worked at a small ice cream shop in my hometown as my first job, and later got a job at a salon in the town of Novi, Michigan. I got to express myself with makeup and managed the social media page for the salon. I always found social media exciting because it is growing and changing everyday, and it gives people a platform to express themselves however they want. I also learned that social media is not just for individuals, but companies as well. It can transform businesses and connect people from all over the world, which is amazing and crazy at the same time. I feel as if these experiences shaped me into who I am today and what I believe in. I love working with others and collaborating, and I also love making other people feel good. When I originally picked business as my major, I didn’t know the classes I needed to take but I just knew that business was interesting to me and I wanted to learn more about it. As I dove into my business courses, I found myself less interested than I expected. Learning about economics is great, but I knew it wasn’t my passion. The more I looked into other majors, I knew advertising and public relations was for me. The opportunities are endless with this major, and I still decided to minor in marketing. As I was taking courses and working hard in school I have made some lifelong friends who support me, and I am able to share my thoughts and feelings openly. I am also able to communicate clearly and openly with professors and advisors, which is one of the greatest feelings. When you are surrounded by people like this, it is easy to make Allendale and Grand Rapids feel like home. I believe that connecting with people is one of the most important things in life. At this current moment, I have fallen in love with my major and the opportunities that lie ahead. As for the future, I plan to push myself everyday to reach my goals, do well in all of my upcoming courses here at Grand Valley, graduate with an amazing degree, and eventually help advertise for a major corporation. I would love to advertise for a beauty company or even something sports related. I have a wide variety or interests and I am excited to see what I become more interested in as my time in college goes by. I love the life that I have started to create at Grand Valley State University, and I am proud to be apart of this campus. I stand for acceptance, self expression, and equal opportunity for all, and that is exactly why I am continuing my education at this beautiful school that I can confidentely call home .
Life With Lo 