Friday, June 10, 2011

Big Man On Campus.

Everyone has their comfort zone. For me during the summer, it extends from my room, to my kitchen, to my den. Any further and I'm out of my element. So you can imagine my first thought when I was accepted to this workshop and was faced with the prospect of spending a week on a college campus. My mind raced from thought to thought (as it usually does) in mass thinking about the week. Are the dorms nice? Who's my roommate? What if my roommate is weird? What if he thinks I'm weird? What will I eat? Where will I hang out? Will any of my friends be here? What if I'm a bad journalist? Then I simply told my self to not think about it and continued on with my present life. Eventually, the week arrived and I threw my suitcase into the car and headed over to USM with my mom. After we actually found the building (it's kinda tucked away), we headed up to meet my fellow journalists. This is the worst part of any new setting: the meet and greet. I'm a social person, but there's always that little bump to get over when you meet new people, kind of a "testing the waters" mentality. After the good byes to my mom and the dinner, I settled in to meet my dorm mates. I can honestly say I've never clicked with a group of people that easily. It was like we were all  connected in some way, shape, or form. We went from not knowing each other, to trying to remember life before we knew each other. A few events stand out in my mind. Watching Game 2 of the NBA finals with Malaizsa on the first night. Playing Just Dance 2... every night. Finding my twin telepathy parter in Yolanda. Elizabeth and I taking our "lovey-dovey" picture. Interviewing alongside Becca, Ashleigh, and Dana. Talking Colbert with Helen. Playing Would You Rather with DeeJay. My witty banter with our very own Tooth Fairy, Savannah. Racing John up the stairs in the elevator. Singing with Justina on the last night. Hanging out with Jonathon and Zoe the first night.  And finally there was a moment that just seemed... right, we were on an escalator heading upstairs and I thought "I'm going to remember this forever." But on to the actual work I did here at the camp. First off the instructors were amazing for all four mediums of journalism. Photography taught me the difference between a picture and a photograph, as well as to always take off the lens cap... always. Thanks Sicily and Dr. Coleman! Video was amazing, Keona, Rodney, and Jared helped us so much and the interviewing was a blast. Radio was a lot of fun, being on the air was nerve-racking, but Sarah and Justin helped us all the way. and finally, Print was like a return to normalcy with writing, and Jonathan was a huge help. the best part about camp though was just... talking to people. The interaction, using communication, was what I enjoyed. So I got into a program where I thought I'd learn a few things, and had a memorable experience. And I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Little Guy On Campus.

I'm at college. I am at college. No matter which way you say it, it sounds weird. I'm not... ready to be at college. Notice I say "at" and not "in". I'm not enrolled in college, but I'm spending a week here for Journalism camp.  I've been around town, I'm used to that. Same with my school, I know every inch of Oak Grove. But college is... an oddity. It's bigger, and there's a lot of walking involved. I'm still getting used to it, but I'll need some time I suppose. This complexity shall be unraveled.

All the World is Media

So it's three days into the journalism workshop and I've learned a few things. One, it's possible to trip over anything. And I mean anything. Two, Just Dance 2 is fun whether you play or just watch. And finally, if you're in a new place with new people that you need to break the ice with, try comedy. But in all seriousness, I've had a lot of fun learning about the different kinds of media and their various applications. My favorite so far is video. Why? Broadcasting video in a news format is... just plain fun. The interviewing, the filming, interacting with people, I feel... in my element. Plus I got to do a voiceover, like that guy who introduces every movie in the theater like it's the most intense thing ever. Video so far is the best experience for me and I'm looking forward to the rest of the week. Until then I'll continue to crack wise about my experiences here.