My name is Ashley Thompson and I am a third year from Miami, Florida. I am studying public relations and sustainability. I would love to do influencer relations for a beauty/fashion brand. In my free time, I enjoy taking walks and doing yoga, hanging out with my friends and family, and spending time on the water. A fun fact about me is that I love country music!
What do you like to do?
I actually like my day to day life. I love learning at school and I love being able to fill my time with working at The Selling Factory. They both give me extremely positive outlets, and they allow me to meet and connect with new people. I feel accomplished at the end of the day, and that fills my soul. Aside from that, I love to spend time outdoors. Being from South Florida, I have a special connection to the water. When I am in Gainesville, I try to spend time doing homework outside or taking walks around the city. I love hanging out with my friends, cleaning my space/taking care of myself, and I get physical activity in through practicing yoga.
What is your favorite thing that you are involved with on campus?
I know it sounds cliche, but I am a very proud member of Alpha Omicron Pi. This is the sorority that I am involved it, and I love it because it gives me a home away from home. The friends I have met through Alpha Omicron Pi are the most supporting and loving people in the entire world. They never let you have a bad day, and they truly are my safe space in a place that feels so unknown. They motivate me to do better in school, they push me to get to work, make new connections, and learn everything I can. Most importantly, they are there for me when I fall back down, and I need a soft place to land. I could not imagine how my college experience would go without the help of the strongest women I know.
Imagine that you could have any job (be creative), what would it be?
My dream job would be to do influencer relations for a beauty/fashion brands. I want to do PR packages and plan events for product launches. I would also love to stay in the social media realm, and do social media management for companies.
What is one accomplishment you are proud of?I am proud of getting into the University of Florida. I am most proud, however, of studying abroad. This has been a dream of mine since I was in elementary school. My Spanish class had watched a show based in Spain, and I remember going home and telling my parents I wanted to study abroad in Spain. They told me that no matter the situation, if I could get into a program, they would make it happen. This past Summer. I got to live out my dream and study abroad in Barcelona, Spain. I am proud of making a dream come true. However, the sense of accomplishment lies somewhere else. I have never been a very independent person. I lean on others for support in almost every way I can. Studying abroad was my first time throwing myself into something that I was going to have to support all on my own. I would be thousands of miles away from home with none of my closest friends and family. This terrified me, but it ended up being the biggest lesson. I am proud of not only throwing myself into the situation, but also for getting out in a much better way than I could have ever thought.
What is the best piece of advice (and from who) you have ever received?
I am extremely blessed to have received a lot of advice from everyone in my life. However, the best piece of advice has come from my parents. They love college. They love the academia, the night life, the independence, and the friends. They are constantly reminding me to work hard, and play hard. They are the hardest workers I know. They never leave something undone, whether it is at work or around the house. They do everything they can to never stop learning, and they have instilled those same values in me. However, they also understand that everyone needs an outlet. They push me to hang out with my friends, and to make emotional connections with the people I love the most. Work hard, play hard.
