It's All Good Baby, Baby

Ah, to quote The Notorious B.I.G. is an understatement of what I've decided is the mantra to the past few months of my new adulting life. In review of my life in rewind from May to November I've graduated college, moved (willingly, but yet unwillingly back home), become gainfully employed, opened a retirement savings account, and even started saving more money for future me (you're welcome 2021 Maddy or hopefully sunbathing in Charleston, SC Maddy). With each passing day of the end of my 6 month loan repayment grace period, its become alarmingly real that my income will most likely no longer allow me my biweekly manicures, impulse beauty buys, nor support my tendency to "add to cart" and "check out."

So with a month before I begin my repayment, I've made the efforts to budget. Ew. But better late than poor-er, right? Although difficult to adjust to now, I know that it will be top 10 best ideas I've ever had. Because, you know, anything I do has to be my idea or I don't like it or won't follow through on it (hello Bic Mic and her endless suggestions to lob my hair). I've enlisted the help of two apps: Mint and Level. They allow me to create spending budgets for categories like Gas, Groceries, and even a specified Beauty section. I set the amounts at the beginning of each month with a specific amount in each category, which forces me to watch what I'm spending my money on, when I'm spending it, and does it actually bring me true joy? Oh, did I mention I'm reading a new book? Thanks to the Kondo method budgeting has and will continue to become easier and easier.

Because it's all good baby, baby.

p.s. do I need this shirt or do I need this shirt?!!

True Colors Part II

Not so long ago (read: basically a year, but what's time anyway?) I wrote my very first article to be published on the world wide web for everyone and their mothers to see. I have a good friend and an amazing organization to thank for that opportunity, one that I didn't think I would want to pursue. Becoming involved with Behrend's Her Campus chapter opened doors for me that I never thought to knock on, let alone even open.  For the longest time I wasn't interested in a communications position that involved running social media accounts, email campaigns, and following analytics. I genuinely thought event planning/interior design was the thing for me.  It wasn't until I became immersed in the Her Campus chapter both on the executive board (what up, @hcpsbehrend) and as a staff writer, that I began to day-dream. I day dreamed the heck out of a lifestyle so much that it has now become my first real-person, adulting job. 
Luckily enough, this opportunity came at just the right time. I was graduating, transitioning, and still incredibly eager to keep learning. As the social media associate for T2 Management, I have consistently grown as an adult and as a student of life. This job has pushed me to think, reimagine, and reevaluate almost everything I learned from my Behrend career. Although I may not be a PSB student anymore, I still stand by everything I wrote in my first Her Campus Penn State Behrend article - True Colors. 
So here it is, True Colors Part II. As I embark on the rest of my Wiz Khalifa inspired journey, this blog will chronicle the ups, downs, and inbetweens of the life of me: Madeline Rae Reichel, or as my dad likes to call me, Grace (but, that's for another time and post!)

Marketing to Millennials: Breakfast

            

             In case you were still on the fence about the impact social media actually has on us millennials, let me give you an example. But first let me introduce myself. My name is Maddy and I am a 22-year-old social media maven enamored with how to be my best self while employing the help of Mother Earth. I’ve recently hopped on the matcha with a side of avocado toast for breakfast train, and I can officially tell you my obsession with this breakfast has come from the countless Instagram posts I’ve Liked from accounts who know me (or we) all too well.  

These accounts are businesses actually advertising to me in disguise. I know this because I just spent my college career learning these same tricks of the trade. Businesses aren’t hard selling me on buying their brand of matcha. Instead, they have other millennials advocating the benefits of their matcha, which forms it is best in, and why they are drinking it.

            A few short months ago I was utterly appalled that someone would drink such a green drink. That is until I began reading one of my favorite websites, Byrdie.com, that my interest was piqued. With many a mention in countless articles, matcha shot straight to first in my Google searches. I spent countless hours researching what it was, how it was made, and the most popular forms to enjoy this drink. Instead of simply buying a bag of matcha from the first ad result that popped up, I spent time reading reviews from other millennials and most of all checking social media. I checked different blogs, Twitter accounts, and Instagram accounts of trusted people I’ve followed throughout my quest of incorporating a more natural aspect to my life. The reviews I read acted as gold in my search, ultimately influencing my first matcha purchase.

            My point being is that if you aren’t on social media and getting reviews on social media or are hard selling to me through an impersonal manner, you aren’t on my radar. Which, ultimately you should be. Because I am a millennial, aka the generation of now.

             

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