I graduated from East Syracuse-Minoa High School in 2005 with a Regents Diploma (I didn’t choose to have the Regents part). I didn’t know what I wanted to do when I graduated high school, I didn’t have a plan, or the money to attend college. My grades weren’t always the best either – I was also out of school for two months in Junior year due to my Migraine Associated Vertigo.
So, I didn’t go to college, I continued working. I’ve had several jobs over the years, since starting at Wegmans in 2002 (I left there in 2014). I worked at a casino (Cigarette Girl), an independent contractor (delivering medicine), an automotive photographer, and now in retail customer service. The only “education” I did was taking cake decorating classes at AC Moore (they’re closed now) and I absolutely loved it. Pastry school would be AMAZING, but it’s so expensive.
Another thing I’ve had an interest in, is Conventions. Fan events put on by companies for people to meet their idols, their favorite celebrities. I’ve attended over forty conventions since 2007 and I’ve worked a few as well. You start to notice things after a while, learn things. Well at least I did. I even worked with a convention company last year, up until early this year (that wasn’t the best experience. You can read about that HERE and HERE). But now, I’m back to attending conventions, well once this whole Coronavirus thing blows over.
With the Corona Virus taking over everyone’s day to day life, I’m one of the many people that still has a job. My job – BJ’s Wholesale Club (think Costco or Sam’s) - is still open. I’m still working 30 – 40 hours a week like I was before this whole thing started. But, many people are NOT working.
So? Many colleges and universities are doing free or discounted classes for people to take to further their education or just for something to do. Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, FL is one such university. They’re offering a Certificate in Hospitality and Tourism to whoever signs up. For free. It’s a 15 hour certificate that is done all online. One of my friends shared in on Facebook, and of course I signed up. Afterall, Hospitality and Tourism is just one part of conventions, and events, as well as other things.
I was supposed to start Wednesday, April 15th. But due to my hectic work schedule, I wasn’t able to start until Monday, April 20th. Sitting on my computer, in the living room, with the TV playing in the background, I’m very glad for the headphones that I keep attached to my laptop.
The first module or section is The Law & You As A Hospitality Associate, taught by Dr. Jeff Miller from FAU. A lot of the things in this course, I either knew from having an LLC (from an old job I had), to somewhat knowing or not knowing. I did learn a lot about things that I actually learned while working with a convention company, and things that I now know where done incorrectly and I wish I had done differently.
Having not gone to school since 2005 (omg 15 years), I haven’t lost my touch of taking all the notes. In an hour and a half of video lecture, I took nine pages of notes. Thank god for computers. Nine pages of handwritten notes are insane. I do remember my one class in junior year where we had to take handwritten notes everyday. My hand was so sore.
The second module is Competencies for Hospitality Success/Career Prep is so long. Twelve guest speakers – including an industry icon (Mike Leven) – and it’s taken me like three separate days to work on this module as my work schedule has been hectic.
I have three more days to finish – I have to finish by 11:59 pm on April 30th, but from what I’ve been told the next three modules are a bit shorter than this one.
Doing the lecture on module two – about management – I’ve actually been noticing and realizing a lot of things that have been done correctly or incorrectly in my life, working at conventions, or at jobs in general. I love that this course is tying itself to my life, even not having worked in hospitality very much in my life.
With a day and a half left until the deadline for this course, I’m determined to finish module 3 – 5 by tomorrow. I have been working like crazy, and busy as hell, but this is important to me. To prove that I can do it, that I can do school if I want to, even if it’s free.
Today is the last day. I have half of module 3, all of module 4 and 5 and I’m determined to finish this today.
Throughout this entire process I’ve learned so much about hotels, about hospitality, tourism, and so much more. Whether or not I someday have a job in this field, this course made me realize that I’m able to go back to school if I want to. That I haven’t lost that ability to learn. I do enjoy online courses more so than I ever enjoyed in person classes (back in high school). I feel like I’m able to take my time and learn things at my pace, which sometimes in person isn’t an option.
For someone who’s not the best at math, I somehow managed to get an 80% out of 100% on my first try on Module 3’s quiz. Onto Module 4 with about ten hours left to finish.
Just over five hours to finish and I’m now starting the fifth Module, having gotten a 100% on the first try in Module 4. Module 5 is Excellence in Guest Services.
In this whole entire class, I’ve taken 85 pages of notes (thank GOD for my computer, my hands would be so sore if I had to do this by hand). I’ve passed all my quizzes, I’ve learned so much about Hospitality, Tourism, and so much more. Having attending conventions for thirteen years, I started to notice a lot. About the company running them, about the people attending them, and having volunteered for quite a few conventions (being a runner, or working at vendors), I became with friends with several convention employees or volunteers. I learned more and more about behind the scenes. How things are supposed to be run.
Working for a convention company was always on the backburner in my brain. It was always something that I loved doing. Meeting and working with actors, traveling, helping put on these events, it was all something that was in the back of my mind. I’d even inquired from people who worked for convention companies what education I needed – not that I could afford it, just in case.
Now knowing how to be a celebrity handler, create a convention schedule, be a food (or other things) runner, and so much more, I’m really wanting to work more conventions. To work more in hospitality. I love my job at BJ’s. I’ve never had a company expand my list of departments worked in so fast (it took me five years to move to a second department at Wegmans – at BJ’s it took less than a month). When I had a dizzy spell where I was not fully dizzy, but enough to notice, it was the first time where my employer wouldn’t let me drive home (even if it was two minutes away), when I used to have to drive for work I used to have to drive upwards of an hour home, making me glad that I was able to catch my headaches before they turned to vertigo. But working at conventions, I feel, will always be on the back burner for me.
I am so grateful to my friend Mandy, who I actually met through conventions, that shared the link for this course on her timeline. I’m so very glad I was able to be one of the 80,000 people that signed up for this course. To earn a 15-hour Certificate in Hospitality and Tourism that I can add to the education part of my LinkedIn and resume.
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