Hidden Treasures Pt. 2

This next gem I found in my files was an essay for my Mission Prep class sophomore year. This one really touched me. The struggle to yield myself to my Father in Heaven's vision for my life is a continuous work. It's nice to be reminded that He does know best for me.

                                                                                                                                               

One of the prominent themes in the novel of my life is that God and I don’t always have the same vision for my life. If you had asked in me as a sophomore in high school where I would be as a sophomore in college, I probably would have told you that I would be at NYU, been on Academic Decathlon, and probably have started a business. If you had told me that in reality I love colorguard, participated in Model United Nations in high school, and go to BYU, I would have laughed in your face. These past four years have been a whirlwind of unexpected decisions and unexpected revelation. But through it all, I will admit that’s God’s plan is better than my own.

When I was sixteen, I was somewhat lost in direction.After some difficult months, I was starting to heal, but was figuring out how to do that. It was just an ordinary day. I was walking to my math class when I looked up and saw a poster for winterguard, which is basically colorguard (people dancing with flags) without the marching band. I had never heard of winterguard before.  My curiosity was piqued. I tore the poster off the wall and continued to study it for the rest of the day. Sounds interesting, I thought, but I don’t know anyone who does guard. Fortunately, a girl in my ward was trying out too. So together we went to winterguard auditions and in the end I made winterguard. Winterguard and colorguard gave me an identity, friends for life, and wonderful experiences I will cherish forever. I loved it so much that I continue to do colorguard at BYU.    

After I joined colorguard, a lot of great things happened to me. Two specific blessings were my AP History teacher and my participation in World Scholar’s Cup (WSC), a worldwide academic competition, similar to Academic Decathlon. These two blessings came to face off each other at the end of the year when my history teacher urged me to do model United Nations while my WSC coach urged me to join Academic Decathlon. I was torn. Both opportunities sounded interesting and had plenty of wonderful experiences in store for me. But I couldn’t do both. So I turned to the Lord. And the answer came as Model United Nations. The Academic Decathlon team that I could’ve been on had a fantastic season, winning second in the nation. But I never regretted doing Model United Nations. It was in Model United Nations that I made lasting friendships with people all over the world, traveled the country, and developed a love for international affairs. 

These experiences led me to one of the most stubborn, long suffering, difficult decisions of my life: the decision to come to BYU. My sophomore year of high school I decided I wanted to go to New York University and study Marketing. I love city life and NYU had one of the best programs for my major in the country. I had the grades and extracurriculars to have a pretty good chance of being accepted. But Heavenly Father had different plans for me. Midway through my junior year, I knew that I needed to go to BYU. But that didn’t mean I had any desire to go. In fact, I fought against it with all my might. What did God know? During the next year and a half, I continued to protest going to BYU, knowing that I would obey. I protested it until the third day of school freshman year. As looked around at the beautiful campus and the clean-cut people rushing by me to get to their classes, I finally realized and admitted that Heavenly Father was right.

So here I am standing on a precipice of the unknown. I have no idea why I live in Monticello Apartments or why I am doing a second year of BYU colorguard, but I do know that my Heavenly Father has led me to where I am and He will continue to guide me as long as I have faith and trust in Him.  

Hidden Treasures Pt. 1

I was sitting in the Oakland Airport waiting to board my flight home to Mesa for Thanksgiving. I didn't want to use the public wi-fi (side-effect of my job in computer security) so I started looking through all my files. Among the school essays, iterations of resumes, and edited photos were a couple writing gems from the past. For the next little bit, I'll be posting some these essays and thoughts on here. I hope you enjoy!

The first post is a speech I wrote during a brief enrollment in a public speaking class. The prompt was to introduce yourself. What better way to introduce myself than by focusing on my name and the effect it has had on my life.

                                                                                                                                              

My parents have a lot of trouble agreeing on what to name their kids. It is actually quite ridiculous on how long it takes my parents to finally decide a name for their baby. Take for example, my poor sister. My parents couldn’t decide on a name until she was a bloody, squirming baby in the hospital nursery. Oh they talked about it a lot. They’d discuss it for hours, names spewing from their mouths. Debbie! Elizabeth! Chelsea! Tiffany! But whatever name one parent threw out, it was immediately shut down by the other. So when March 19th came around, my sister’s birthday, the best name that my parents had devised was Brooke Trout Toller.  But by some miracle, my parents regained their senses and saved my sister years of grief in elementary school and officially made her name Brooke Taylor Toller.

Although my sister’s story is more tragic and extreme, my parents also had a difficult time naming me. I was the first so therefore my name had to be absolutely perfect. But perfect meant two very different things to my parents. On one hand, my mother loved old fashioned names, or what my father calls “librarian names”, names such as Hannah, Aubrey, and Annaliese. My father, on the other hand, was more into the popular names of his generation--Denise, Patricia, and Karen. Each parent despised the other’s preference for names, creating one big problem. How were they ever going to agree on a name? Well, with some underhand dealing and my mother’s apt knowledge of my father’s family history, they finally decided my name: Sarah Ione Toller.

I like my name. It’s actually pretty awesome. For example, my initials spell the word SIT. How cool is that?! My initials make a WORD! My name also is a sentence. Sarah (comma) I own Toller. In fact it is one of my dreams to meet John Bytheway so we can talk about our super awesome sentence names together. But what I really like about my name is the history and meaning behind my name Sarah Ione. It is that history and understanding that makes me who I am. 

I will start with Sarah. Sarah. The word has two meanings to me. The first is the literal meaning of the name which is Princess in Hebrew. Now, I am not going to start a tirade about how my names fits me because I’m my daddy little princess (though I am), but rather how my name’s meaning is a constant reminder of who I am and how I should act. I am a daughter of God and that makes me a princess right? Isn’t that what they always told us in Young Women’s? And since I am princess, I have a responsibility to act accordingly just like the Sara in the book A Little Princess. Although she is reduced to a servant and sleeps in the attic, Sara always maintains her dignity and continues to keep her head high and be kind to everyone she meets. Therefore, my name is a reminder of the dignified, compassionate, daughter of God I need to be. The second meaning of my name is a more familial one. I am named after my great great Aunt Sarah Eva Paine. She was a remarkable lady. She continuously thirsted after knowledge, her home was filled to the brim with books about every subject. But not only was she a great scholar, she was a great mother, too. She did not have any children, but if you ask my grandpa or my uncles, Sarah was like a second mother to them. Pretty much she was a second mother to every kid on the block. Because of Sarah, my name takes on a meaning of curiosity and love for children. Like my great great aunt, I love to learn and can read and read and read, whether it’s reading a biography of Steve Jobs or reading a travel blog on frugal ways to travel the world. And also like my great great aunt, I really enjoy being around kids. For example, I taught the six year olds in my home ward over the summer and I had the greatest time with them. Through my name, my great great aunt memory and qualities live on. 

Moving on to my middle name, Ione. It is another family-based name. In fact it is my great-grandmother’s middle name. My great grandmother Annie Ione Toller loved life. She would often go hiking and hunting with my great grandfather.  She also was an avid card player and helped invent the family game. That zeal for the outdoors and games are still prevalent in my family. I have hunted before and I can totally beat you all at cards. By bearing her name, I am reminded of the wonderful qualities she had and it gives me the desire to develop those same qualities in myself. 

In ancient times, names were very sacred and personal. They were your essence, your very being. I feel the same way. Though a name may seem to be only an array of letters you put on the top right corner of your English essay. I believe that names can give insight into who we are and can give us direction on who we can become.

Tide Pools

It was my friend's last day in California so we had one last big hurrah of a Saturday. Because he was going back to a non-coastal state (*cough* UTAH *cough*), he wanted to spend his last day at the beach.

So we packed up my car and headed to Santa Cruz to Natural Bridges State Park--a wildlife beach with monarch butterflies in the fall and tide pools all year-round. 

I'd never checked out tide pools before (or if I had, I don't remember it) and it was really cool. We saw some sea anemones, mussels, and crabs (ew). And I even had a "Little Mermaid" moment (picture below)!

July Roundup

Here’s a new little feature to keep everyone somewhat updated on my life. Because let’s face it, I’m kind of a “out of sight, out of mind” person. If you aren’t immediate family or interface with me on a regular basis, I probably never talk to you. This was painfully pointed out to me by my cousin a couple weeks ago. So this is one step in the right direction. If you want more, message me on FB and we’ll set up a call or Skype date.

Happenings

Fourth of July weekend- Jam-packed. Did a bit of everything—hiked, went to parties, visited the beach—except see fireworks. Cause I was way too tired to do that after everything else.

Sunburn- the price of that weekend was a nasty, lobster-red sunburn. Who knew that it could snow in July? Ew.

Blog published- I’m a published writer! Actually, I've been a published writer for 2+ years. But anywho, read my post on the McAfee intern blog!! 

Rafting the American River- Just around the riverbend...is more river.

First kisses- the anticipations, the nerves, the 90-10 rule…sigh

Songs on Replay

Anything by Sam Smith- Just can’t get over that voice! I discovered this crooner when he covered Whitney Houston’s “How Will I Know” and have been listening to him ever since.

I Choose You by Sara Bareilles- This is so the soundtrack of my future wedding video. Sums up everything I feel about marriage. It really is a choice. Now, I won’t go any more into that and save you some major sentimentality.  *sniffles*

Food to make you hungry

Fry Bread with Cookie butter- First time having cookie butter and let me tell you, I’m converted.

Meadowlark Creamery- The best soft-serve in the Bay Area!

Chocolate Covered Bacon- 'Nuff said.

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

Back in the day, I was the BIGGEST baseball fan. I would religiously watch the De-backs every night (Third grade homework was much less time-consuming…those were the days). I could give anyone a detailed explanation of the game. I played the sport closest to it—softball—and took it very seriously.

But junior high came and I was girlified and baseball exited my life. But the other week I relived those baseball glory days of my youth.

McAfee was gracious enough to send all the interns to a Giants game. And not just any Giants game—the Battle of the Bay versus the A’s. So for the first time in six years, I went to a MLB game.

And can I tell you! Ballpark food is pretty darn awesome. McAfee also gave us food credit (so spoiled) so I made sure to try a myriad of items including a polish dog covered in sauerkraut and ranch, fry bread with cookie butter (converted!), and garlic fries. It was a meal I affectionately refer to as the “kiss of death.”

I died of happiness as I joined along in the cheers. Though I had to restrain myself from saying “BYU” instead of “Giants”. #colorguardprobs

As for the baseball, embarrassingly I am not the expert I used to be. I mixed up the ump signals for ball and strike. It took me a bit of time to remember what RBI stood for. Yeah, I was a bit rusty.

In the end, the Giants won! (Haha A’s and Dodgers fans!) It was a good night at the ballpark. 

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A Love Letter to My Temporary Home

Dear Bay Area,

Happy 6 months!

I didn’t plan to stay with you for very long. I was just passing through, taking a break from the bitter, snowy winter of Utah. But after a few weeks, I just knew 4 months wouldn't be enough.

Cause basically, you stole my heart.

You stole my heart with authentic Chinese food. You stole my heart with your green hills in springtime. You stole my heart with nerdy street names like the corner of Research St and Reliance St. You stole my heart with perfect weather almost all year round.

Like every relationship, we have our bumps in the road. Literally, in your case. And don’t get me started on traffic, or parking, or basically anything that has to do with cars (or BART). And I’m a little afraid that someday soon you’re going to get the shakes.

But everyone has their quirks. And your positives far outweigh the negatives in my book.

So let’s toast to our unlikely union. I’m sure you’ll have a wine glass in hand with something probably from the Santa Cruz Mountains. I, on the other hand, will toast you with some green power smoothie filled with kale and whatever else.

Cheers, Bay Area! Cheers to six wonderful, life-changing months. And cheers to our future months together.

With love,

Sarah

What to Expect At A Rugby Game

In an unexpected turn of events, last Saturday I found myself at a rugby tournament in Palo Alto. Not my usual scene--my only other interactions with the sport have been Forever Strong (mostly because of my undying adoration of Sean Faris) and the time the BYU Rugby team took a picture with the colorguard and President Samuelson.

Needless to say, it was quite the experience. Here are some of the things one can expect to see at a rugby game.

1. Shorts

So many short shorts--thought I was somehow back in Europe again or something. And with those shorts, thighs. And lots of men losing or forgetting their shirts. Moral of the story: there was an abundance of exposed skin, like a sorority car wash.

2. Skinned Knees

Rugby is a brutal sport. Lots of tackling and body slamming and grappling. And guess what? Those short shorts aren't very protective. By the end of the tournament, everyone was limping around with nasty bloody knees that could inspire you to have a rendezvous with lunch (if you know what I mean...).

3. Tattoos

I'm not a fan of tattoos. I can count on one hand the number of times I thought someone's tattoo was attractive, impressive, cool, etc. Well, add another finger because there were some sweet tats at that tournament. 

4. Beautiful Man Hair

Something I definitely did not expect was the parade of long, flowing, wavy man hair. To me, it just seems wrong for men to have better hair than me. I might have been green with envy at that tournament, especially at the guy with the full and perfect top bun. Not fair.

So am I converted to the sport of rugby? We'll see...

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

Life comes atcha fast! Sometimes too fast for your blog to keep up! Here's a little update on what's been going on recently.

My Birthday

Last week I celebrated my 22nd birthday. It was a good day. My parents sent me flowers to my work. So then everyone knew it was my birthday. I ate bacon ranch fries for lunch (calories dont exist on your birthday). Then my ward friends and I went to the Alameda county fair where I got to get my adrenaline fix, see some cute bunnies, and taste a delicious funnel cake.

New Internship

I am happy to announce that I am an intern for McAfee, An Intel Company. I will be working in the Consumer Marketing Department on the Programs team...for the next 9 months! So far, it’s great!

Blog

There are going to be some big changes coming to the blog. For starters, the url is now gingergrl.blogspot.com. Then in the next couple weeks, you’ll see some new things on the blog. So get excited!!!

Here's a picture (selfie!) from when I took a solo trip to San Jose and checked out the Winchester House.

National Doughnut Day!

Yes, National Doughnut Day happened two weeks ago, but the doughnut I ate that day was too delicious to stay silent about.

Earlier that week, a friend was telling me about this awesome doughnut shop in Oakland where they fill the doughnuts before your eyes. It sounded pretty fantastic and the doughnut holiday gave me the perfect excuse to check it out.

So I grabbed a friend and Friday morning I made my way to Doughnut Dolly.

Doughnut Dolly is located in a darling part of Oakland called Temescal. It's located in an alleyway, but no worries, there are signs to point you in the right direction. The shop is owned by this adorable, friendly lady who made my friend and I feel right at home. Not to mention, she told us this hilarious story about the time she went to a fertility festival in Japan. That's a conversation you'd never think to have in a doughnut shop!

The doughnuts themselves were ah-mazing! They have four flavors of filling that change every week. You choose what filling you want and they'll fill it for you. You can even mix flavors! When I went the flavors were cherry jam, bourbon creme, dark chocolate, and naughty cream (vanilla).

The doughnuts were delicious. I took a couple home to share with the roomies and they highly approved of them too! So if you ever have a hankering for doughnuts, stop by Doughnut Dolly's for a culinary delight!

Also, check out their Facebook and Twitter page for more information!

Hooray for Birthday Months!

When asked what their favorite holiday is, most people will say Christmas, or Halloween, or even Thanksgiving.

Mine is my birthday.

And I take it seriously. It’s more of like a birth month than a birth day. A whole month of celebrating the awesomeness of me! (That doesn’t sound self-centered at all, right? :P) And the world agrees. Here’s some of the great things going on during my birthday month! Thanks universe!

•       Suits returns in a week! I seriously need my Harvey Specter rush.
•        The start of pool parties because it’s finally warm enough to take a dip in the pool. My first one is Thursday.
•        The Alameda county fair starts on my birthday. And all rides are only a dollar! I knew my birth county loved me!
•        MY BIRTHDAY!!!! AGT49FIG@(^3IGMK&NU93NGFNI!!!!
•        I start my new job!
•        Ingrid Michaelson is coming! I may or may not have had "Girls Chase Boys" on repeat for the past two weeks.
•        Victoria Secret’s Semi-Annual Sale--that magical time twice a year when I can actually afford Victoria Secret.

Things I Miss About Hong Kong

A year ago today, I came back to America after four wonderful, magical months in Hong Kong. To commemorate, here are a few thing I miss about that Special Administrative Region I called home.

The Jungle

As a Arizonan desert-dweller, I loved living in the middle of a lush, GREEN jungle.

Adorable Baby Asians

I can't explain but, to me, Asian babies are xx% cuter than any other babies. Maybe it's the chubby cheeks or the 100% Hello Kitty outfits...

Weird McDonald's Items

Yes, the McCurry may have wreaked havoc on my fragile American digestive system, but it was really fun trying all the unique McDonald's items.

Mangoes

Sometimes I weep over the fact that there are no good mangoes in America. In HK, I would eat mangoes all day every day.

Being Pampered

This applies to Asia in general. I never had to throw away my lunch tray. I could get my hair washed and styled for less than $7 (in Mainland, it was ridiculously cheap! $3). I could get my laundry hand washed and pressed. I never had to clean the bathroom. When I returned to America, I had forgotten which way the toilet paper goes. I was spoiled.

7-11

Life pretty much revolved around the 7-11 in Hong Kong. It was where you paid your bills, added money to your octopus card, and grabbed an icecream and fresh bowl of ramen. What more could you need?

Dumplings

I dream about dumplings. I would probably kill for a chance to go back to my favorite Taiwanese dumpling place at the local mall. I need to make a trip to LA soon to go get some xiaolongbao at Din Tai Fung.

Public Transportation

There was zero need for a car in Hong Kong. Through buses, mini-buses, and the MTR you could get anywhere, even isolated mountain trails. If only BART was as efficient as the MTR...

Student Exchange Program: The Road Less Travelled

I am a strong believer that every student should go on a study abroad. And the BYU Study abroad program is really cool. But there’s another option in the Marriott School that a lot of people don’t know about. It’s the Student Exchange Program. Basically, you will get to take business classes for credit at another university.

Here are some of the differences between the SEP and a regular BYU Study Abroad.

Study Abroad

•      You are with a group of other BYU students
•        Lots of traveling involved (bounce from city to city, continent to continent)
•        Led by BYU professors
•       Stay in hotels or with local families
•        Pretty expensive- term: $6000, semester: $10,000

SEP

•       Enroll as an exchange student at another university
•       Few if any other BYU students (only one other BYU student on my program)
•       You plan your own travel
•       Stay in dormitories or local families
•      You choose how much you spend through budgeting

They are both great programs so you need to decide which one is right for you.

Going to Hong Kong through SEP was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I got to have a more local experience. I made friends from all over the world that I still keep in touch with. I traveled to amazing places like Thailand, Taiwan, and mainland China. I had a taste of international business (because it’s way different than American business).

So check the SEP website out! And if you decide SEP is something you want to do, I’ll be more than happy to answer any questions you may have. 

A Glimpse into Another World: Muir Woods

I am always amazed by the beauty and variety of nature. Some places even feel other worldly. When I was in Yangshuo last year, I honestly felt like I was on the set for Avatar. The jagged hills covered in fog looked so alien.

But yesterday at Muir Woods, I felt more like I was on the planet Endor in Star Wars.*

Muir Woods is a national monument north of San Francisco in a redwood forest. Redwoods are the tallest trees in the world reaching almost 400 ft in height. It's a nice break from the craziness of the city and the Bay Area. 

The time to go is right when the park opens at 8 AM. My friends and I got there around 8:15 and were able to get a parking spot in the lot closest to the entrance. Win! And there was only one group of tourists there so we just sped past them and were able to have a semi-private walk around the park. And because there were so few people, we could really listen to the sounds of the forest around us.

Muir Woods was one of the most beautiful forests I've ever been in. Hundreds upon hundreds of clovers dotted the forest floor. Moss covered the low branches. The redwoods shot to the sky. 

Making a pit stop at Muir Woods was totally worth it.

*Actually, the scenes on Endor were filmed in a redwood grove near Muir Woods so I was kind of was on the planet Endor! #nerdmoment

Napa It Up!

I am in love with California.

You know what Jane Austen says, “What are men to rocks and mountains.” And although any Austen reference usually inspires an eye-roll, there’s a bit of truth in that statement. Rocks and mountains are pretty awesome. But hills and grapes are even more awesome.

My roommate and I headed up to Napa on Saturday. I did not really know what to expect. I mean, I’ve heard about Napa my whole life. I mean, what 20 something girl hasn’t seen The Parent Trap (Lohan version) and The Wedding Planner? And I had been to the French version of Napa in Burgundy, France. But what really is Napa? Was it as beautiful as everyone says?

The answer is yes. The valley filled with rows upon rows of grapes. The green hills covered in trees, framing the valley. The train tracks on the side of the highway. The beautiful buildings.

We started in Yountville, where we went to the famous Bouchon bakery. And oh my gracious the food was DIVINE!! I could eat the whole selection (and consequently gain 100 pounds) because it all looked amazing! But I settled on a pain au chocolate, a lemon tart, and a French baguette. And each one was phenomenal. It’s probably a good thing I don’t live anywhere near Yountville or I would eat there every day.

We then continued down Highway 29, stopping at the occasional beautiful winery and trying the free food. We explored gardens, crashed Kentucky Derby parties, and took lots of pictures. We headed back to Napa, the city, and ate lunch at Gott’s Diner, which was featured on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives. I got the blue cheese burger and it was definitely intriguing. We also stopped by Oxbow Public Market, basically a warehouse (a really fancy one) jammed with little restaurants and stores selling incredible delicious top of the line food.

So basically, Napa’s just jumped up to one of my favorite places to go visit. So if anyone wants to go to Napa, I’m game. 

Channeling My Inner Jackie O

When my mother showed me this dress about a year ago, I fell in love immediately. It was classic and I LOVE classic. But it was sleeveless and I could never find the right thing to wear with it. So it wasted away in my closet. But my blessed roommate (and her more blessed closet) saved the day.

In a world of pantsuits and boyfriend jeans, sometimes we need to take a moment and express our feminine side. I just felt so posh with curls, pearls, and fuzz! Like I was Jackie O or something.

What do you do to bring out your girly side?

A Night at Manresa

I’ve realized that I have had some pretty crazy, abnormal experiences in my life. One such experience was when I won a food and wine tour with the Executive VP of Professional Services. This was a pretty ironic event. First, I don’t ever win raffles, auctions, sweepstakes, etc. Second, it was the most envied prize and the intern won it. And third, I don’t drink.

So the prize was altered a bit to accommodate my circumstances. Basically, less wine more food. Really expensive famous food. We decided to go to Manresa, a 2 michelin star, 5 regular star restaurant in Los Gatos, CA.

And we went there in a stretch limo—complete with disco lights and a bar.

The meal was absolutely fascinating. We did a tasting menu which essentially means you have no idea what you are going to be eating until it is directly before you. Portions are small, but then again it was a 12 course meal complete with bread basket. By the time the eighth course had come, I was feeling pretty full. But I stuck around for the dessert courses.

Speaking of dessert, I’m sure you want to know all about the food. Some of my favorite dishes include olive oil icecream with kale and squid with peas and fermented plums. There was a gorgeous salad complete with foam dressing. But there were some weird things I had. There was the chocolate and olive oil macaron. The first bite was like a brownie. And then I took and second bite and it was wet. Then there was the dessert that looked like a beautiful mint ice cream chocolate wonder. But it definitely didn’t taste that way. It was more like dirt and herbs.

Overall, my dinner at Manresa was an intellectual experience. My taste buds were definitely intrigued. But I still think I’d take Din Tai Fung’s one Michelin star xiao long bao any day.

Networking For Those Who Hate Networking

We all have that one friend who knows how to work a room. My one such friend could walk into a room of strangers and by the end of the night be buddy-buddy with majority of the room. Because of this strength (talent? gift?), my friend had a vast network. To prove this, one time we played a game in the Wilkinson Center to see who knew the most people in the building. My friend won by almost double my score. Some people are just natural networkers.

I, on the other hand, am not a natural networker. The thought of attending networking events fills me with dread. Introducing myself to strangers is a chore.

I am not alone. There’s a good chance you are reading this because you too find networking hard (or you are just stalking my blog to which I say, stalk away!)

But networking doesn’t have to be hard. It just requires taking control and networking on your own terms. Here are 3 strategies to make networking a little less scary and a whole lot more rewarding.

1      Seek out the wallflowers

Being in a room full of strangers can be overwhelming. And it’s probably overwhelming to other people too. I like to look around to see if there are other people on the edge—kind of alone, trying to get the courage to get out there. And then I go other there and introduce myself. They will be grateful you approached.

2     Tag team with a networking master

You know those natural networker friends? Use them to your advantage. Have them do the hard part of breaking the ice with people. Then you just have to smile and continue the conversation from there.

So when I would be with said friend from the introduction, lots of people would come and say hi to him. And then he would introduce me to them and then we could talk. That broke the ice and then I could carry my own from there.

3      One-on-one networking

I do a lot better in small groups or one on ones. Recently, I read a great article about networking and how millennials should do more one on ones over coffee (or hot chocolate, lunch, etc.) Read more about it here.

Networking doesn’t have to be that bad. Do you have any tips that help you with networking?