Drew Mametsuka's Portfolio
New website, who dis?
Frequently Asked Q's (or not)
Why did you choose to do public relations?
I really enjoy hearing stories from people, I like to write and I like to be creative in my work. Public relations encompasses being able to work with people, being creative in your work and thinking outside of the box. Plus with the changing technological times, this field is always adapting, which keeps you on your toes. I took an intro to PR course at CSULB and after reading more about PR, I fell in love. I'm still young and not seasoned in the PR game yet, but I look forward to the endeavors that await me.
What do you want to do with PR?
I have a couple of specialties I'm interested in, but I'm not too sure yet. I still have a lot to learn about this industry and the logistics of the various fields. However, I am interested in travel, social media, medicine, potentially some media design and tech!
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On a serious note, I continue to tell myself that whatever I do as a career, I want to make a difference. That difference can be within a community, a neighborhood, city, state or even the country. No matter the magnitude, I will be forever grateful. One of my many mentors in life once told me that it's important to give back what was given to you. These words are tied to generations of giving back to a community my family and I hold near and dear to our hearts, the Japantown community in San Francisco. I hope one day my work will make a difference to the people around me.
Why media design?
To be honest, I didn't even know this was a line of work or anything. I enrolled in a media design class at CSULB taught by Gary Metzker, but I didn't think I would enjoy it as much as I did. This class gave me a new way to be creative from a journalism perspective and it gave me the chance to learn more about how design can be used in different aspects as a PR major. I had the freedom to layout pages based on the various photos and stories, which was stressful but also fun. Learning Adobe software was also a plus!
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It wasn't until the end of the semester Gary offered me a job at the Daily49er. I originally declined because I was supposed to study abroad, but accepted after I couldn't go (a story for another time). This decision has not only tested my ability for time management and my creative mindset, but it also gave me my first group of friends at CSULB! The group of people in the newsroom who were strangers suddenly became like a family to me. Having friends definitely does make a difference in our attitude and motivation with school.
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Shoutout to Gary, Jade and the rest of the Daily 49er staff!
Why photography?
Like it said in the short description, it allowed me to see different perspectives. I'm in touch with my emotions and being able to recognize and then capture emotions in real time really brings any photo to life. Sometimes you have to have an eye for design, photography or even just art in general. You have to understand how light works, how colors interact with each other and the emotion of the subject(s). I act like I know what I'm talking about, but photography has taught me many things about art in a visual sense. Everyone can be a photographer with all the technological advances with cameras and phones, but to be an excellent photographer takes time, skill and $$$. I'm broke so I'm not an excellent photographer...hahah.
I enjoy photography for many reasons but the one reason I enjoy it is because you get to capture a single moment in time and be able to recall the memories tied to it. It's another reason why I also love Instagram. Instagram, to me, is a visual diary of the accomplishments, moments, feelings, places and things you've done in your life that you can share with your followers. You're allowing people to peek into your life through your pictures and I think that has changed the way we view the world and how we feel connected. With photography, you can capture and share your life through your eyes.
What are your career goals?
My career goals change every day and that's partially due to lack of sleep, interests in many things and reading. My current career goal is to find a job in the public relations realm of tech, medical, social media and travel. However, just because I listed those specific fields doesn't mean I'm set on pursuing those jobs. I don't think there's ever been a time where I knew exactly what I wanted to do, I might have interest but my knowledge of the world and the adult world is limited. Like I've said previously before, I'm young and I have a lot to learn about the world in order to really know what I want.
Translating the above, I don't know the world or the fields I'm interested in to know what exactly what I want to do. In 2016, I wanted to be a journalist. In 2017, I decided to do public relations and social media. Although 2018 just started, I'm already looking at business field jobs. Never think that picking a major or a job will be your career for the rest of your life, at least that's what I thought when entering college. Career goals aren't meant to be set in stone and your interests in life won't be the same as they were five years ago, so being open to the different possibilities of the world will alter your perceptions of life and even your career.
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I guess I can say my career goals are fluid.
How did you like working for Disneyland?
I love Disneylaaaaaaand! Like many people, I grew up with Disney and I have many memories there. Disney has inspired me to do many things in life and it has also taught me a few lessons. The usual Disney corny mess.
I was originally a seasonal Cast Member at the Disney Store in Santa Clara, CA. In 2014, I applied for the Disney College Program at the Disneyland Resort and the Walt Disney World Resort. I got into the program at the Disneyland Resort, which is extremely difficult apparently, and my decision to come down here was one of the best decisions of my life. Moving down here was the best decision...working for Disney had its ups and downs. Don't get me wrong, working at Disneyland was fun and it taught me many things about my work ethic and life, but like all companies it needed work. For example, higher pay, but I digress.
For me, although the Disney College Program wasn't all the glit and glam like they advertise it to be, I still enjoyed working for Disneyland. Hearing about people's day, creating "magic" for little kids, telling guests Disneyland secrets or fun facts, getting to watch the firework show and parade every day (which got kind of annoying), and being able to say I worked during a huge anniversary for Disneyland have been some of the highlights while working there. I will never forget my time at Disneyland and I'm proud to have that on my resume.
You can ask me more about Disneyland or the Disney College Program by filling out the contact form!
So, you like to travel, where have you been? Where do you want to go?
I love to travel! If I had the money to travel, I would! But hilariously, I'm fresh out of the debt trap and will be mourning my bank account for a bit. To answer a question, I have been to a couple of places - Senegal, Spain, France, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam and various states in the US. It is my goal to touch every continent, including Antartica.
Truth be told, I was supposed to study abroad my fall semester in 2017 (again, I can save this story for a later date). I had to cancel two days before my trip and that was extremely tough. So to answer your next question, the next place that is calling me is Melbourne, Australia. I planned half a year of living in Melbourne and I'm itching to go! Like...mosquito bite itching.
*"Come Fly with Me" by Frank Sinatra plays in the background*
What is your outlook on life?
I try to be positive as much as I can. I'm human, I make mistakes, and sometimes life can sometimes be, for lack of better word, a beach. There's a symbol on my works page and it stands for mental alchemy - turning a negative situation into a positive one. Although I am young, I've experienced some dark times and I've learned that although life can have a horrible sense of humor, you must learn to laugh it off; it is also important to laugh every day! Laughing and smiling is a cure for when you're feeling down in the dumps. I love to laugh and I love to make people laugh. Laughter fills the room and it is definitely contagious.
I can go on for days about my outlook on life. So I'm going to save you from that boredom. :)
Northern California or Southern California?
NorCal all day, every day. I was born and raised in San Francisco, the City by the Bay. Don't get me wrong, Southern California is great and the weather is nice, but sometimes it is way too hot for my San Francisco, fog 24/7, never above 65-degree skin... Damn near melting in the summer.
Bay Area fam represent!
Why do you even have a FAQ page?
I thought it would be a fun way for people to get to know me? Plus this is MY website.
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I don't know. I thought it would be fun and something people don't normally do. Don't be a hater.
