Boozy Tea Toast by Katie Schaffstall

It’s crazy to think about all of the milestones I’ve hit in my professional life just six years out of college. After graduating from Marymount Manhattan College in 2018, I secured a job as a daily writer for The Hollywood Reporter. Unfortunately, my hours were cut amid the COVID-19 pandemic and I felt like I was back at square one. Luckily, I was able to get a job at The Sun before I found my way to A360 Media. I started out as a digital staff writer for In Touch Weekly before getting the opportunity to also write for Life & Style Magazine. After nearly two years with the company, I was promoted to associate editor for both brands.

My current job started out as full-time remote and transitioned to hybrid in July 2023. At first I was terrified, and worried it would have a negative impact on my work/life balance. Would I still be able to travel? Would I still have the energy to hang out with friend after work? While it was certainly an adjustment, one thing that made it easier was the bond I quickly formed with my female co-workers as we navigated the change together. Despite having worked together for more than a year, my relationships with them initially felt surface level because we rarely saw each other in person. I can now acknowledge that the transition to working in the office was made much easier thanks to my co-workers. I can rely on them whether it comes to brainstorming story ideas, meeting deadlines or venting over a stressful week during happy hour. My immediate team –mostly comprised of women in their 20s and 30s except for our one all-star male reporter –makes me feel comfortable as a writer and editor, and as a friend.

I credit a lot of my success to the female mentors who helped guide me. Whether it was Susan Shapiro Barash, who is my former professor or my editors in the past and present, many women who have taken me under their wings are trailblazers in their fields. 

While I love the fast-paced environment of my job, it can also be both physically and mentally draining at times. Once the work week comes to an end, I always love getting dinner with friends to catch up before we go out for drinks and dancing.  Recently if we want a more low key evening, we host dinner parties at our apartments. I’m not much of a cook, so I love crafting cocktails and bringing drinks for the group. My go-to drinks are Owl’s Brew’s Skinny Hibiscus Margarita or the White Tea, Raspberry & Watermelon Boozy Tea. What crowd pleasers, even my pickiest friends have said they love them. You can never go wrong with Owl’s Brew!

Bio: Katie Schaffstall was born and raised in Buffalo, New York before she moved to New York City in 2014. She currently works as an associate editor for A360 Media.