Determined for Success
By Tiffany King
海角社区 senior Antonia Bashir isn鈥檛 letting anything hold her back. Even as a baby, she couldn鈥檛 wait. She was born in a van on the way to the hospital, and then years later, she set her heart on attending college far from her home in North Georgia for a new beginning.
鈥淚 wanted a fresh start and I didn鈥檛 want to see the same people,鈥� she said of high school. 鈥淲hen I was researching, I found this school because it鈥檚 next to the beach, which I really like, and it was far enough. This was the perfect place to go.鈥�
The marketing major has truly found her stride at the College. Initially, she decided to major in economics since she enjoyed it in high school. However, she quickly figured out that it wasn鈥檛 the right fit, and switched to marketing.
鈥淲hen I took my first marketing class with Professor Scott Williamson (professor of Practice, Marketing and Communications), I really enjoyed it,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 a pretty creative person, but I鈥檓 also business-oriented. I think marketing is a good blend of both.鈥�
Communicating with Confidence
Bashir is set to graduate May 2023 and has come a long way from her first year in College. She came to Coastal Georgia with the mindset of meeting new people鈥攁nd that鈥檚 exactly what she did. Meeting other students and doing group projects pushed Bashir out of her comfort zone鈥攅specially public speaking.
鈥淔or me, it鈥檚 been the speeches. That鈥檚 something I鈥檝e never been comfortable with and had to be pushed into doing. College has been good for me because I鈥檓 doing things I wasn鈥檛 comfortable with before,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 still don鈥檛 like speeches, but I鈥檓 at the point where I can do it. It鈥檚 a good thing.鈥�
One of her favorite moments actually involves public speaking. In Dr. Bill Garlen鈥檚 upper level entrepreneurship course, the class did a Gullah-Geechee shrimping cooperative feasibility study for shrimpers in McIntosh County. Garlen is the director of Business Innovation Development. The class shared the results of their study in a presentation to the boat captains, local partners, and community members. Despite how nervous she was during her part of the presentation, Bashir described it as enjoyable.
“That whole project was a really good experience for us鈥攋ust to learn about the history and all that鈥檚 involved. It was the biggest speech I ever gave, and it showed me that I can do it鈥攖hat I have a gift with that,鈥� Bashir said.
She shared that Williamson provided great advice to students about overcoming the nerves of public speaking.
鈥淗e said those nerves that you feel, it鈥檚 good to feel that. It means your body is working properly. When you鈥檙e in an uncomfortable position, you鈥檙e supposed to feel that. It鈥檚 that fight or flight feeling. You take that energy and try to channel that into confidence,鈥� Bashir said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what really helped me. Turn it into confidence and say over and over again in your mind, 鈥業 got this.鈥� When you get up there, you鈥檙e going to be nervous those first seconds, but then you have it after that moment. His advice really, really helped. He taught us that before a presentation he assigned us. So, for the feasibility project, I just thought of that and it was a big help.鈥�
Coming to the College also opened a new world of health for Bashir. She鈥檚 very fitness-oriented, and back home, she only worked out with dumbbells. At Coastal, she has access to an actual gym and is moving forward in her fitness journey. When not in class, Bashir can be found in the gym either exercising or as a student worker for Recreation and Wellness.
鈥淚鈥檓 in the gym all the time, even if I鈥檓 not working out鈥攁nd if not in the gym, then the rec. I really like my co-workers. I鈥檝e gotten the chance to see how you interact with co-workers and figure things out if things don鈥檛 work. Just learning how the business works and how to be a team player, she said.
She even creates workouts for her friends, and now hopes to open her own gym.
Looking Towards the Future
Bashir likes to stay on the move and that applies to her future career鈥攐r careers鈥攁s well.
鈥淚 want to work for Nike and climb the ranks within the marketing department. Then with real estate, I think that鈥檚 a great passive income resource. With the gym, it makes perfect sense for me to open up a gym. Those are all the things I want to do at some point in my life,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 would say Nike first, then real estate, and eventually a gym. I鈥檓 the type of person that can鈥檛 sit still. I can鈥檛 be tied to one thing. I鈥檓 going to do multiple things in my life.鈥�
Bashir is very happy with her choice of Coastal Georgia. She described the campus as small, but close-knit with everyone knowing each other, creating a good community of people.
鈥淲e all get along for the most part. At a big school, you鈥檙e not going to have that community鈥攖hat鈥檚 a selling point for this school,鈥� Bashir said.
Her advice to other students is to make time to study, utilize the academic services at the College, and talk with your professor. To meet people, she encourages students to take advantage of the opportunity to visit club tables during events.
鈥淕o up to the tables and see what we have. Go out of your way to meet people,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 very important to have your support group while at College.鈥�
As a newborn, Bashir was impatient to enter the world, and was very quiet despite the havoc she caused. Since then, it鈥檚 apparent that she鈥檚 taken that same determination and channeled it towards her collegiate and future careers.