By Lucy Walsh and Marisa Davis
While the beloved Belmont adage of “from here to anywhere” inspires adventure and curiosity of post-grad life, sometimes this message can seem easier said than done. Logistics can be tricky, sometimes the stars don’t align and adulting can be hard. However, with enough confidence and planning, Belmont PR grads can successfully make the leap from being a student of the classroom to a student of the world. To learn more about a recent alum who did just this, the PR at Belmont blog interviewed Marisa Davis, a 2020 public relations alumna who recently relocated to New York City.
What are some professional considerations to take into place when considering a cross country move? How do you think about making the jump?
I know something that people had told me was that “It’s harder to get a job somewhere else if you’re not living there, since companies don’t want to wait for you to relocate.” I’ve heard that it’s easier to at least have an address of where you’re wanting to move so you have an address for your resume. It can play a big part in getting considered for new jobs.
Also for me, the dance industry specifically is small in a lot of cities with only one or two companies that would have a PR or communications employee. New York definitely has the most opportunity and arts organizations that would have a big enough team and budget. So, even though my post-grad internship isn’t in performing arts right now, I’m still gaining the skills to get to do that and apply them eventually to my industry, and I’m here in case anything in my area pops up. It would give me a leg up on people located in other parts of the country.
From a social standpoint both personally and professionally, what should people know about branching out to a new city where they might not know as many people?
I moved here with people from Belmont, and one of which I have been friends with since freshman year! That was a pretty easy built in friendship base. I think that I also have enough acquaintances from past experiences that I can hopefully form friendships, which is a good skill wherever you go. With a city like New York, it can be a hard city to meet people since a lot of people are doing their own thing and have a mindset of minding their own business. But, I do think that a lot of offices have a good culture of being open to having relationships and friendships forming within and anywhere they can. You just have to be open to that.
What were logistical things that people might not take into consideration until they’re in the midst of their move? How can people make something as daunting as packing up their entire life as easy as possible?
I feel like my experience was so different since it happened so quickly. I got an apartment and an internship and moved up here within two weeks, and COVID-19 precautions on top of that was interesting as well. Because I did Belmont East I had flown up here with only the essentials, and that was helpful in knowing what I absolutely needed and what could wait for now. Living pretty minimally and knowing what you want takes care of all of the big stuff. Having your own frame of reference is so helpful in any context. Even though it did happen so quickly, I knew that it was something that I wanted to happen and that I could reasonably do.
What would you say to someone who has a dream location but is afraid to take the next step? How can you take some of the anxiety out of this life change?
It was definitely scary for sure. COVID-19 made it more scary, but it was less scary for me since I had already lived in New York through Belmont East. Having friends and people behind you who support you definitely helps! There are so many Belmont connections, and I feel like alumni are all over. They can be so helpful as both friends and colleagues, but you have to do the work to reach out. I know that Belmont alumni have Facebook pages and mixers, so taking the time to go to those is definitely important as well!
Marisa Davis is a 2020 graduate of Belmont University, where she studied both public relations and dance. After completing two internships in New York City as a member of the fall 2019 Belmont East cohort, she has recently moved back to the city that never sleeps. She loves the performing arts, University of Tennessee football and chai tea.