The presentation at Pennsylvania College of Technology went so well!  I am relieved and excited.  Lots of women – and men – turned up, and people were talkative. 

IMG_3429

Rewind a bit…

 

I took a nap this afternoon and then went in search of food.  So many people recommended Wegman’s hot and cold bar, so I decided to give it a shot. 

IMG_3406

The bar was kind of like Whole Foods’, just less vegetarian-friendly.  There was only one type of tofu and it was laden in cream and just didn’t look like it would sit well in my nervous tummy.  It did look delicious, though!  🙂

 

There were other good options!

IMG_3408

I got brown rice, roasted sweet potatoes, and two types of stir-fry veggies.

 

Plus, a bunch of fresh fruit.

IMG_3410

After dinner, it was time for me to head over to PCT campus.  I’m not going to lie; speaking engagements still make me a little scared.  I wonder if I’ll ever get over it?  Probably not.  🙂

IMG_3412

PCT campus was so beautiful.  I was pleasantly surprised; for some reason, I thought it was going to be very utilitarian… but the architecture was interesting and colorful.  And I love how the trees look – Spring is here!

IMG_3415

My presentation was in the Campus Center’s main presentation room. 

IMG_3424

One of the really neat things the universities I have been speaking at do to advertise the events are post-its in the bathrooms!  I went to use the bathroom before my presentation and found a bunch of notes advertising the event and the site.

IMG_3421

Guerilla-style marketing!

 

The presentation went well.  About 125 people attended!  I’m trying to expand my presentation to talk about issues such as photoshopping, marketing, and other issues surrounding body image.  I also talk about ways to find your Healthy Ideal, which of course looks different for different people.

 

I was super excited to meet readers Hannah and Sarah after the event!  When readers of HTP come to my event, I feel so happy… it’s like I have friends in the audience.

IMG_3432

Now… I’m back in my hotel room, and I cannot wait to relax in my giant Jacuzzi with a cup of chamomile tea and a free cookie from the hotel lobby.

IMG_3435

What a day!  I feel like I did so much.  :)  Did you have a busy day, too?  Hope it was a good one!

{ 56 comments }

 

  • Mary April 13, 2010, 10:51 pm

    I’m so glad you went to WEGMANS!!! They’re really prevalent where I’m from in NY the Original wegmans is not too far from me! Next time you go you should get one of their subs, they have an awesome veggie sub 🙂 You’re making me miss home!! it’s definitely one thing that I miss about Northern Living.

  • John April 13, 2010, 11:01 pm

    Definitely some creative advertising. A jacuzzi sounds so good now alas I don’t own one 🙁

  • Beth @ Beth's Journey to Thin April 13, 2010, 11:02 pm

    Congrats, Caitlin! Glad to hear it went so well! My day was busy but I’ve got nothin’ on you. Enjoy the jacuzzi!!

  • Estela @ Weekly Bite April 13, 2010, 11:06 pm

    Way to go! We all knew you would do great!!

    Hope you have a nice relaxing night!

  • Alex April 13, 2010, 11:07 pm

    Don’t hate on Wegman’s!! I will defend it to the death!

    Actually, I have never eaten anything from their hot-and-cold bar — but as a grocery store, it’s the bomb. Diggity.

    • caitlin April 13, 2010, 11:10 pm

      hahah i liked it!

  • Angharad April 13, 2010, 11:12 pm

    Congratulations! Super awesome that so many people showed up! Do you have a q&a session at your talks and if you do, what kind of things do people ask you?!

    Oh and on the public speaking thing: it makes me a nervous wreck and I’m pretty sure that’s just in my blood!

    • caitlin April 13, 2010, 11:14 pm

      Sometimes people ask me questions about healthy living or blogging or just running the site in general.

  • Morgan @ Life After Bagels April 13, 2010, 11:12 pm

    I actually had a pretty busy day too . . . although not nearly as exciting as a plane ride, a long drive, a crazy hotel mix up and a speaking engagement!

    I must ask – do you have prior speaking experience or did you just get some courage and do it when you started doing talks for OB?

    • caitlin April 13, 2010, 11:15 pm

      I worked as a sexual assault peer counselor in college, and that pretty much got me over most of my college fears. i’d do presentations about date rape to the football team and fraternities. if i can do that, i can do anything!!! LOL

      • caitlin April 13, 2010, 11:15 pm

        i MEANT, speaking fears. not college fears. but i have those, too. LOL

        • Morgan @ Life After Bagels April 13, 2010, 11:24 pm

          That totally would be daunting! I like that you’re info about photoshopping and marketing too. Kind of like I said in my comment on your post the other week – if more people just knew how much it happens and really how it happens then they would look at those photos through REALLY different eyes. Me and my BF know all the behind the scenes stuff of how they do it so we never look at it as real. In fact even film (tv and movies) will manipulate images too!

  • Cynthia (It All Changes) April 13, 2010, 11:17 pm

    My college used to always advertise things in the bathrooms. Kind of weird.

    My day was super busy and now I’m off to bed. Have a relaxing night.

  • Nicole April 13, 2010, 11:20 pm

    caitlin, you. are. adorable:)

    • caitlin April 13, 2010, 11:21 pm

      you are adorable!!

  • Caroline April 13, 2010, 11:25 pm

    You should come to Ohio State!! I see post its all the time, it’s great! But I’m sure as one of the biggest universities in the country you’d have a few more than 125 people 🙂

    • caitlin April 13, 2010, 11:28 pm

      talk to student health services about flying me up!!! i would love to come 🙂

    • courtney April 14, 2010, 8:20 am

      Yeah, come to Ohio State! I’d go!

  • Candice April 13, 2010, 11:26 pm

    Way to go! No surprise at all that it went really well:) On American Idol last week, the mentor was saying that she still gets nervous every time she goes on stage. But, as referenced above, it always feels awesome to overcome something you’re scared of.

    I’d love to hear one of your talks…wish you could video one sometime and post it for us!

  • Matt April 13, 2010, 11:36 pm

    Everyday has been a busy day lately! When does it end?

  • Run Sarah April 13, 2010, 11:48 pm

    What awesome event advertising! Would love to hear one of your presentations – you need to come to Canada 😉

  • Lisa (bakebikeblog) April 13, 2010, 11:48 pm

    Congrats on your presentation!!!! I am so glad to hear that it went well 🙂

  • Jolene (www.everydayfoodie.ca) April 14, 2010, 12:22 am

    That is the coolest advertising!!!! I love it!

    You are doing such wonderful things Caitlin!! Congrats on another successful presentation!!

  • Samantha @ Mama Notes April 14, 2010, 12:23 am

    did anyone catch your “speech” on video? I’d love to see it and hear what you ahve to say!

  • Katie @ Two Lives, One Lifestyle April 14, 2010, 12:43 am

    Glad your presentation went so well, talking about photoshopping in magazines would be an awesome addition. Wegman’s is amazing, but that one isn’t the best, too bad about the vegetarian options 🙁

  • Sam (My Sugar Obsession) April 14, 2010, 12:47 am

    you should come to arizona! i’d love to see your presentation!

  • Tania April 14, 2010, 1:04 am

    !!! I love the advertising for your events! So smart! I’m sure you did awesome- sometimes adrenaline can make things even better? I have to speak a lot and I still get nervous too. Come do a talk in Texas!! 😛

  • maria April 14, 2010, 1:08 am

    Glad to see your presentation went well. I think the more you practice (and present) the easier it will become. Maybe you could enroll in a public speaking class to help ease your fears a bit?

  • Hedda April 14, 2010, 2:55 am

    Congratulations Caitlin 🙂
    I wish there were someone like you here in Norway who traveled to different schools talking to students about body image and self-worth. It is important issues- math and physics and the “regular” subjects are of course very important but hey, a lot of aspiring mathematicians etc. struggle with body image.

    My day was not so busy, but really great 🙂 I took my dog for a nice walk in the sunshine, then me and my mother played hair dresser and got his fur shaved off. Oh, my dog is rather fit under all that fur.
    And, the dinner I made for the two of us was a success!

  • Freya @ Brit Chick Runs April 14, 2010, 3:11 am

    Yay well done! You should totally come over to England and do some talks – spread the OB love worldwide!!!

  • Julia @ British Bride April 14, 2010, 4:44 am

    Wow well done Caitlin!! Amazing stuff! I agree with Freya – come see us OB enthusiasts in England!!

    Have a good flight home x

  • Laura April 14, 2010, 5:01 am

    Presentations are an art, and from what others seem to say about yours you have the knack! A lot of my friends who stayed in academia say that they used to be really nervous before the lecture courses they give, but now are so much better- once they kind of have an idea in their mind as to how things are going to go, and that you know you can consistently handle presenting, and discussions with the class you get more confidence… I’m still learning- I kind of ‘blacked out’ when I gave my final year presentation at uni, am getting a bit better though 😉 And whats with the tofu in a cream sauce? That totally pigeon holes their customer market surely- seeing as it automatically excludes vegans? Hope you enjoyed the jacuzzi!

  • Alison April 14, 2010, 5:04 am

    Oh my gosh, I’m nervous just looking at the picture of that room! LOL. Congrats on a successful presentation. Public speaking terrifies me so I have so much respect for people who can do it well!

    I’m 10 years out of college, but if you ever did a presentation at the University of Michigan, I’d totally go.

  • Jessica @ How Sweet It Is April 14, 2010, 6:39 am

    Congrats on another presentation gone great! 🙂

  • Lauren April 14, 2010, 7:02 am

    Great job on the presentation!!!! I am dying to attend one of these and I am bummed that you were in PA and I couldn’t come see you! 🙁 Oh well, next time girl, we will have to meet up.

    Have a wonderful day hun!

  • Nicole, RD April 14, 2010, 7:52 am

    I bet it’s like having fans in the audience when you have readers in the audience. I think that’s a great turnout, and your outfit was too cute 🙂

  • Heather C April 14, 2010, 7:57 am

    Glad it went SO well =) Seeing PA & my cousin’s school made me kind of teary! I’m such a sap!

    Our Wegman’s (in VA) has greek yogurt in the natural grocery section, I’ve been to that Wegman’s, but no idea where it might have been. I loveee getting their fruit bar! YUM
    Safe flight back!

  • Whitney @ Lettuce Love April 14, 2010, 8:01 am

    Great job! Public speaking always makes me nervous at first but once I get going it is fine. I love the guerrilla-marketing — so college!

  • Stephanie April 14, 2010, 8:29 am

    Hey Caitlin!!! I absolutely love your blog, i’ve been reading it for sooooo long now! After seeing this post I would totally love for you to come to my University! It would really be a dream come true!
    I go William Paterson University in NJ!
    So I definitely think I’m going to talk to student health services =)

    • caitlin April 14, 2010, 10:10 am

      you rock! thanks stephanie 🙂 i would love to meet you too!

  • Hannah April 14, 2010, 8:32 am

    So excited I got to meet you! 🙂 I’ll be in touch ASAP with some info for you!

  • JenRD April 14, 2010, 8:46 am

    Aaahhhh, Wegmans–brings back my college days! Although you are right, not always the healthiest fare–did they have the made-to-order pastas? Those were yummy. Congrats on the presentation–I am SURE that nobody could tell if you were nervous–it always seems worse to you, right? Besides, a little nervous energy is a good thing–motivates you to practice and work harder. 🙂
    On a side note, I was cleaning off my bookcase, and came across this book which I read in college: The Body Project: An Intimate History of American Girls, by Joan Jacobs Brumberg. If you haven’t read it, it would be very useful for you work/research! You can find it on amazon.
    Congrats on a presentation well-done!

    • caitlin April 14, 2010, 10:11 am

      i’ll check out that book! thanks for the recommendation 🙂 and no i didnt see the pasta bar. but i was feeling kind of overwhelmed by all the choices!

  • Kelly April 14, 2010, 8:57 am

    Oh Wegman’s is fantastic. They have the best rolls for subs ever!

  • Heather (Heather's Dish) April 14, 2010, 9:01 am

    that’s so awesome that it went so well!!! i’m so glad you’re able to do these presentations 🙂

  • Laura@FindingAHealthyBalance....after a 100+ Pound weight loss!!! April 14, 2010, 9:52 am

    Congrats on your presenation!!! I think is great what you are doing….keep it up! =) We need more “postive” people like you in the world.

  • Amber K @ sparkpeople April 14, 2010, 10:02 am

    Not nearly as busy as yours! That is absolutely fantastic that they advertised with post-its! What a neat idea!

  • Kacy April 14, 2010, 10:11 am

    I’m so glad the presentation went well! I’ve never even seen a Wegman’s, but I’m very intrigued by them. Good to know they’re not that veg friendly though.

  • Kim B April 14, 2010, 10:36 am

    Congrats on a successful presentation Caitlin!

  • Liz April 14, 2010, 10:36 am

    Ahhh please come speak at UGA! I would love to see this presentation (and you!) and I bet a lot of my fellow students would, too. 🙂

    • caitlin April 14, 2010, 10:38 am

      tell student health services about me 🙂 my agent is preparing a filer for my services soon and i can email it to them! 🙂 i would love to meet you too!

  • Lisa @ Early Morning Run April 14, 2010, 1:25 pm

    congrats on another great event! I love hearing how you’re spreading the word about healthy body image! Keep it up!

  • Lauren April 14, 2010, 7:51 pm

    I am with Liz from above, come to UGA!!!! 🙂

  • Lauren April 16, 2010, 3:49 pm

    We stay at that hotel at Thanksgiving! We have family about half an hour from there, up in farm country!

Healthy Tipping Point