I never expected social media to become such a big part of my life. What started as something I was interested in turned into experiences that have helped shape who I am, what I enjoy, and what I see myself doing in the future. From working with a restaurant, to managing my high school basketball team’s social media, to gaining professional experience, and now serving as the Social Media Chair for Women in Business at Merrimack College, each experience has taught me something different.Â
My first experience with social media was through a local restaurant. I was excited to have the opportunity, but I also remember feeling unsure of myself. I was still learning and figuring out what looked good, what people would actually engage with, and how to represent a business online. There were times when I questioned whether my ideas were good enough or whether people would even notice the content I created. I learned pretty quickly that social media does not always give you the response you expect. Sometimes you can put a lot of time into a post and barely get any engagement. That was frustrating, but it taught me not to give up just because something did not work the first time.Â
My experience with social media became even more personal when I started helping with my high school basketball team’s social media. Basketball was a huge part of my life throughout high school. I played all four years and was a captain, so being able to help showcase our team was something I genuinely cared about. I loved capturing game days, recognizing my teammates, and sharing moments that made our team special. It was not just about promoting games. It was about showing the people and memories behind the team. From there, I was able to take what I had learned into my co-op at All Sports Heroes and Promotions. This was where I started seeing social media from more of a business perspective. I worked with social media, advertising, market research, and customers. I began to understand how much thought goes into building a brand. I realized that I did not just enjoy creating content—I enjoyed thinking about why certain content works and how it can make people interested in a business.Â
Now, as a first-year student at Merrimack College, I am continuing to build on those experiences as the Social Media Chair for Women in Business. This position is something I am genuinely proud of because it combines two things I care about: business and creativity. I get to create content, promote events, highlight guest speakers, and help show other students what Women in Business is all about. Taking on this role has also pushed me outside of my comfort zone. I sometimes put a lot of pressure on myself to come up with the perfect idea or make every post look professional. I have had to remind myself that I am still learning, and that I do not need to have everything figured out. Social media is constantly changing, and part of growing is being willing to try something, see what happens, and learn from it.Â
Looking back, I think the biggest thing social media has given me is confidence. It has pushed me to share my ideas, be creative, communicate with different people, and put myself out there even when I am not completely sure of myself. What started with a restaurant and my high school basketball team has turned into something I can see myself continuing in college and eventually as a career. I am still figuring out exactly where this path will take me, but I know that I want creativity, business, and people to be a part of it. And for me, social media has been one of the first places where all three have come together.