My Blog post for PR

Kayla Looper’s Story

I’m the type of person that likes to know what lies ahead. However, in life, our future is often full of a few general ideas and a plethora of blank details. I graduated from BYU and I wanted to move back east – I planned to fill in the details along the way. I drove 35 hours cross country and found myself in the land of swimsuits and sand: “Welcome to Plantation Resort.” I was immediately charmed by the Palmetto trees that lined the road. I could smell the salty air and I just knew it was going to be a good summer.

My name is Kayla and I worked for Plantation Resort as a marketing intern. Three months went by so fast. Every week there were new faces, new smiles, and new stories as guest after guest traveled here for their beach vacation. I was blessed to spend half of my time with the recreation department and the other half working on promotional projects. The recreation department allowed me the opportunity to work directly with guests through food and beverage, poolside entrance, daily activities, and weekly venues. My favorite thing about working with the recreation department was having the chance to meet new people and enhance my interpersonal skills. I have a hard time not saying hello to people outside of my uniform – this job will make you talk to strangers and that’s a wonderful thing: the best of friends began as strangers. I would watch kids interact during the Wii championship as if they were related, but it turns out they had never met before.

Vacation is about experiencing new things, meeting new people, and having a good/relaxing time. Although it was not easy to be around the vacationers and remember I was not the one on vacation, it was a comfortable and fun environment to work in – especially when it was my job to play. And my favorite perk? I definitely liked being able to attend the aerobics classes and the gym.

Plantation Resort was a good experience for me because I was able to use my love for photography and work right along with the videographer on new promotional pieces. One of the biggest “takeaways” I have learned is that of initiative. It is easy to assume everyone knows what they are doing, that you are just a game piece, or that everything is already set. Innovation keeps a company growing and we all have instinct and ability. Plantation Resort helped me expand my portfolio and gain experience under my Business Management and marketing degree, while living minutes from the beach. I will miss so many people, but it is not an end, just a new beginning for us all. When I think of something happy, it will be the sound of the waves and the touch of summer’s wind.