As a Creative Communications student, I’ve been given some amazing opportunities to do schoolwork for actual clients. In my Public Relations class last semester, I designed a fact sheet for the Future Leaders of Manitoba.
Cool.
They chose one to use to promote their gala, a night on which they awarded young people in Manitoba who make a difference socially and professionally. They also chose a few that they liked, and gave those designers free tickets to the gala. Mine was one of the runner ups.
Cooler.
I walked in (or, arrived, that sounds fancier) to the gala in my grade 12 graduation suit. The pants were too small and the jacket felt boxy. I had just barely gotten over a bug I’d had all week. I couldn’t stop coughing into my arms and I could feel my eyes puffing outward.
Now I was supposed to mingle.
I was supposed to introduce my sickly, badly-dressed self to a room full of super-successes and convince them to help me become a future leader with nice pants.
Um.
How about I stand here, by the table of cookies?
Yes, I understand the importance of networking. In the communications industry, connections are everything. Or, so I’ve been told. A lot.
Still, I just stood by the cookies.
I made polite conversation with Chelsea Caldwell, a nominee for the Future Leaders of Manitoba award. I had interviewed her two years ago for The Uniter’s Uniter 30 issue. She was being celebrated for doing amazing things then, and she is being celebrated for doing amazing things now.
What am I doing?
My pants don’t even fit.
I congratulated Chelsea and moved to stand by the chocolate-covered strawberries with some other CreComms.
They mingled. They talked to all of the well-dressed, uber-confident, super-successes. I ate six chocolate-covered strawberries.
Eventually, I made my way over to a line that led to a table from which a chef was serving filet mignon. I had him place the tiny slice of meat on a tiny baguette, then scooped some tiny fries on top.
Even the sandwich was fancy and beautiful and intimidating.
I like to think I’m socially adept. I can carry a conversation and meet new people. That’s fine.
But networking. That’s something else entirely. Isn’t it? Probably not. Maybe twenty is too young for mingling at fancy hotels. Maybe I just need new pants.
I said goodnight to the rest of the CreComms. They were in groups, meeting people and planning their lives and becoming future leaders.
I wanted to make connections with like-minded people. I wanted to meet people that were doing amazing things and could help me do amazing things. I wanted to get my name out. I wanted new connections on LinkedIn. I wanted to amaze people with maturity beyond my two decades. I wanted to network.
One day I will. But not that day.
Instead, on the way out, I wrapped three cookies in a napkin and quickly shoved them in my coat pocket.
Not cool.
Here’s what I had at the Future Leaders of Manitoba Gala at the Fort Garry Hotel:
Filet Mignon: served with a baguette, dijon mustard, and skinny fries
Impressions: The thumb-sized sandwich fit nicely on the delicate saucer. The thin slice of super-fancy meat tasted incredible, but was lost in the dense bread. The fries were crispy and made for a great sandwich stuffer.
What made it: The filet mignon was cut as each well-dressed future leader walked up to the table. Although the piece was small, it was full of flavour.
Power Goes Out (to eat) 