It’s hard to believe that it’s already been a year since I crossed the stage at the University of Alabama with a bachelor’s degree in marketing, packed up my things, and moved back home to sunny Scottsdale, Arizona. Just one month later, I started my first full-time role as an Account Coordinator at ANDERSON.

Now that I’m officially a year into post-grad life, I’ve been reflecting on what this transition has actually looked like: a little less sorority-girl dress-up and a little more business-casual shopping. A few less “Roll Tides” and a few more “copy thats.”

The past year has been full of learning curves, new experiences, and figuring things out as I go, but looking back now, I wouldn’t trade the transition for anything.

College Doesn’t Teach You Everything (But It Sure Helps)

I loved all my marketing courses in college, but honestly, there’s no better way to learn than to be hands-on and actually do the job, rather than just hear about how to do it. One of the biggest things I’ve learned over the past year is how important soft skills really are. College doesn’t necessarily teach you those skills, and even when it does, you probably don’t pay much attention because you think, “I already know how to communicate.”

Once you start working full-time, though, you quickly realize how important communication, organization, collaboration, and adaptability really are in agency life. During my internship with ANDERSON the summer after my junior year, I learned so much from doing reporting, sitting in on client calls, and listening to strategy conversations. That experience made me much more engaged during my senior-year marketing classes because I could finally connect what I was learning in the classroom to real-world work.

Over the past year, that learning has only continued. My marketing classes gave me a strong foundation in strategy and understanding the bigger picture, but agency life goes so much deeper than that. It’s fast-paced, collaborative, and detail-oriented. One of my favorite parts about working at an agency is getting exposure to so many different industries, teams, and perspectives. I’ve gotten to learn about everything from certifications through the American Heart Association to the latest exhibits at the Arizona Science Center. Every day looks a little different, and I think that’s what has made this first year so exciting.

The Art of Communication

Before starting agency life, I thought communication skills mainly meant being good at presentations or knowing how to write the perfect email. Over the past year, I’ve realized communication is really at the center of everything (especially as an Account Coordinator).

My job is communication. I’m communicating with clients about goals, timelines, updates, and follow-ups, while also communicating internally with our team through brainstorming sessions, translating feedback, prioritization, and keeping projects moving forward. I quickly learned that communication is so much more than just sending emails; it’s about being organized, adaptable, collaborative, and making sure everyone stays aligned. I’ve also learned a ton about how different teams work together and how much collaboration goes into even the smallest projects. Seeing how media, creative, account services, and clients all work together behind the scenes has given me a whole new perspective on agency life.

When communicating with clients, it’s easy to think you always need to sound perfectly polished and professional, which, yes, is true to an extent, but I’ve also learned how important it is just to be yourself. You’re building real relationships with clients and vendors, and people want to get to know you, not a robotic or scripted version of yourself. One thing that surprised me most is how much confidence comes with experience. I remember being nervous before some of my first client calls and overthinking emails before hitting send, but now, a year later, so much of it feels more natural. I’ve learned that you can still be professional while being personal; you don’t have to sacrifice one for the other.

Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable

The phrase “get comfortable being uncomfortable” became very real during my first year in a big-girl job. Growing up, my dad would always say that to me, and while I’ve understood the idea for a long time (and even started learning it in college), it didn’t fully click until I experienced it in a full-time role.

Starting agency life means constantly being introduced to new challenges, responsibilities, and situations you’ve never experienced before. There were definitely moments during my first few months at ANDERSON where I felt completely out of my comfort zone, whether it was sitting in strategy meetings, learning new systems, or hearing acronyms and words I had to secretly Google later. A lot of it has been about asking questions (even if you think they are dumb), learning new platforms and processes, figuring things out as I go, and realizing that no one expects perfection right away.

But some of the most important growth has also come from the harder parts of the job, like having tough conversations, whether that’s relaying negative client feedback, talking through challenges with leadership, or learning how to receive and apply feedback constructively. Those moments aren’t always easy, but they’ve been some of the most valuable. Over time, I’ve realized that growth really does come from those uncomfortable moments, and some of the biggest learning experiences I’ve had this past year have come from simply being willing to try, ask questions, and figure things out along the way.

The Biggest Surprise? How Much I’ve Grown

If there’s one thing I didn’t fully expect coming out of college, it’s how quickly you start to learn and adapt in a real-world role. Things that once felt overwhelming now feel like second nature, and I’ve realized just how much you pick up simply by doing the work every day.

One of the biggest surprises for me has been how much strategy actually goes into every single campaign. From the outside, it can seem like ads just appear. But there are so many moving pieces behind the scenes, from planning, coordination, and timing, to creative direction, media strategy, and constant collaboration between teams to bring everything together. Organization has also become something I rely on heavily, because keeping track of all those pieces is what keeps everything running smoothly.

But one of the most rewarding parts has been seeing client wins come to life. Whether it’s strong performance, a successful campaign launch, or positive feedback from a client, those moments make all the behind-the-scenes work worth it. Looking back on this past year, I can see how much I’ve grown, not just in my role, but in my confidence, perspective, and the way I approach challenges.

I still have so much to learn, but I’m excited for what’s ahead and grateful for everything this first year has taught me. If anything, this year has shown me that growth doesn’t happen all at once; it comes from showing up, learning as you go, and being open to every experience along the way.