My Summer Internship

I don't know if I've had the opportunity to share with you guys what I plan on doing this summer!

I have an internship with the Ohio State Fair and a PR/Marketing intern. This basically means I'll be writing press releases about the fair and arranging for news and radio stations to come and do some coverage of the fair's events. Maybe I'll get a free concert ticket or two (fingers crossed!).

I think this will be a really neat opportunity to get my foot in the door of the communication/journalism world. I really lucked out with this internship because I didn't get it at first, then I was called back a week later and informed that one of the interns couldn't come through so I was the backup. YAY!

Finding an internship was actually a lot harder than I anticipated that it would be. I feel like I just got really lucky with this opportunity, it sort of fell into my lap. Regardless, I'm very excited and very much looking forward to the opportunity to spend my time at the fair all summer.

The major downside will be the 45 minute drive to work each morning with these gas prices. At least the internship is only for 2 months!

The Blog Requirement

Overall, I have really enjoyed doing blogs for class. However I still feel like confused about what makes a good blog. What topics do professional bloggers write about? What does the layout look like?

Furthermore, the blogs were just never mentioned in class. I think that is part of the reason why we got so far behind. I think more class discussion and opportunity for feedback is needed.

I like the assigned topics, but I also like having the freedom to select which topics I want to write about. After all, in the real world we don't get topics given to us all time, we have to generate some stories and pull our weight.

My suggestions for next year's bloggers:
1. Pull up examples of famous blogs in class. Let's discuss layout, how many followers, topic ideas, etc.
2. Have students weigh in on their favorite blogs from the class more than just once.
3. Select your favorite blog each week and bring it up in class and discuss why it's your favorite (similar to what we did with Taylor's blog about marijuana use on campus).
4. Try to get more discussion going. I feel like no one reads my blog, but I really like the feedback. This would be something the students really need to do.

I can only cook Deviled Eggs.

No really. That's all that I can make from scratch. I made some this morning for Easter.

I'm looking forward to my house next year and the ability to cook meals to save money. However, I've been thinking a lot lately about what I'm going to make and I'm realizing there isn't much I know how to cook! I can make deviled eggs and french toast casserole. That's about it. (Sad, I know)

I learned the deviled eggs recipe from my mom, who learned it from her mom, and so on and so forth. It's a family recipe and I have it memorized. I'm pretty proud of my quirky talent!

But who wants deviled eggs for dinner every night?? Besides, they're kind of a pain in the ass to make. I need to learn how to cook! And quick!

This summer my mom is planning on making a small cookbook for me with all kinds of quick and easy recipes that she finds. This is just another instance in which I am grateful for my mom. She rocks.

For those of you with kitchens, do you have any advice? Better yet, do you have any recipes you can throw my way??

Things NEVER go as you plan!

I was planning on blogging about my wonderful weekend! I had plans to go horseback riding with my family down at Rio Grande, my brother's university. But of course, Murphy's Law had to be right again. What can go wrong WILL go wrong!

I drove home Friday night and got up at 7 a.m. on Saturday to leave by 8 a.m. to meet my brother at Rio for a late breakfast. So I was sleepy and cranky to start the day. Then we got there to ride horses and not only was it super muddy and cold, but they ran out of rental horses! We were out of luck after we had driven so far and I was bummed.

I know the point of the day was to see my brother but I had my heart set on riding that horse! I've never rode a horse before so I was looking forward to the experience. I guess it wasn't meant to be. The day ended up being alright because we went and got ice cream and just hung out, which doesn't happen enough anymore since my brother and I are both in school.

In hindsight the whole ordeal is so trivial, but when you're caught up in the moment it seems like the world just sucks. That was how I felt at 10:30 a.m. with muddy boots, no horse, and no sleep. I guess the only thing you can do is take a step back and look at the situation for what it's really worth.

The point was to spend time together as a family no matter what.  (And the cost of 4 ice cream cones was a lot less than 4 horse rentals so the same task was accomplished for a lot less! Can't complain :))

Anyone else hate it when things seem to fall apart? This whole situation reminds me of how the printer breaks right before class every time we have something due. Murphy's Law at its finest!

Spring Fever! But...

It's springtime in Springfield! We all know summer is right around the corner, but it's not time to mentally check out just yet.

I was talking to my friend Brynne this morning about our Public Speaking class and she just went on about how she is mentally checked out of all her classes and she knows she shouldn't be. I think we're all at that point but it's dangerous to go there. I can't even imagine how seniors must be feeling!

But that doesn't give anyone an excuse to stop working or to blow things off.

I'm not trying to sound like a goodie-two-shoes or sound condescending toward anyone, but there are some things I'm noticing about our journalism class lately.

Half of the class didn't show up to journalism on Wednesday and half of the people that showed up left early. My heart went out to Mac who is just trying to keep the class together at this point and it's not fair to him to have to do that. Mac is a great professor and I think it's nice of him to let us get away with turning in assignments late but I think we all take advantage of him to a degree. This isn't fair!

From getting to know all of you in the class, I know we all respect Mac greatly for all the experience he has given us and just for being an all-around nice guy and knowledgable prof. So why does the class collectively seem to blow Mac off on a more regular basis?

Once again, not trying to sound mean, but I'm noticing the patterns and trying to figure things out.

I know spring is in bloom, but classes aren't out yet. We can finish up the semester strong, guys! Only a few weeks left :)

Stereotypes CAN be true...

Ever had that moment when you're like "wow, I thought you were different but you're really just like all the rest"?? I just had one of those moments tonight and it was about something that I've tried to think differently about since I came to college...

Greek life.

I'm sorry for offending anyone but hear me out.

There are so many stereotypes surrounding greek life; that all they ever do is party, that they're really cliquey, etc. Furthermore each greek organization on campus has their own individual stereotypes: Beta's are the theater guys, ADPi's are preppy, FIJI's all play soccer, you know how it goes.

But I've been willing to look past those stereotypes time and time again to get to know people. There are a lot of really great people who are greek, a lot of my friends are! So I find it incredibly frustrating when those stereotypes actually end up being true.

I guess all stereotypes were created for a reason.  And I think we as humans like to categorize things. Rather than taking the time to get to know every single Lambda, we just assume they all like to play video games (sorry Kent and Nishant, had to poke fun at you at least once!). So I get why stereotypes exist despite how unfair they are.

Regardless of how I think I understand it all, my friend still lived up to her chapter's stereotype and I was disappointed by it. I've gotten to know her and I thought she was different, not the cookie-cutter that the stereotype placed her in, but I guess I was wrong and I was disappointed.

Anyone wanna try to convince me that there really is more to greek life than the stereotypes and molds? I want to hear your feedback to this situation.

What do I hate about Witt?

Scheduling.

I am going to be a junior in the fall and I'm only 5 credit hours shy of being a junior at this moment. Yet I'm  STILL continuously shut out of the classes I need to take. It's the most frustrating feeling in the world.

When I vent to friends about this they say, "just ask the professor to add you in! They're generally nice about that." I have to disagree. I asked 3 communication professors this past semester to allow me into one of their comm classes and got denied each time.

I COULD graduate early. Instead I'm struggling to find a class simply to have a full schedule.

I also have to wonder what's going on when the ONLY journalism class offered this fall is Beginning Journalism. I know the journalism department is growing rapidly, but come on! I want to take more classes and they're not even available! (Sorry Mac, but it's frustrating!)

I know I'm not the only student in this boat. It happens to a lot of others, but why isn't more done about this? Who else is struggling to fill a schedule?

How Happy Are You?

I recently heard about a study by Live Science that ranked the 50 states by how happy its citizens are.

I was just in Florida this week for Spring Break and I wasn't at all surprised to find that Florida was ranked the 3rd happiest state in the U.S. Everyone was so friendly, outgoing, and helpful. (Maybe it's because they knew we were tourists and they were making money off us, but either way they were nice)

However I was shocked to hear that Ohio was ranked 44th.

I'm surprised, but I'm not. I would consider myself an overall happy person; but at the same time I'd say I'm unhappy living in Ohio. I was much happier being in Florida this past week, which begs the question: does weather REALLY influence our moods and overall happiness in such drastic ways??

I blogged about a month ago about how the dreary and hazy January days were just bleeding together and making me depressed, so I'm a believer in the fact that cold weather can really bring down one's spirit.

For those of you who are curious, New York was ranked 51st in the list (they counted D.C. as a state in this study) and Louisiana was ranked 1st.

Are you happy in Ohio? Would you rather live anywhere else?? Do you think weather has anything to do with it?

Smiley face image taken from http://www.stickergiant.com/Merchant2/imgs/450/ss35_450.jpeg

Honestly....

Tolerance at Witt sucks.

And I don't just mean  racial tolerance, as evidenced by the events in the past month. I mean tolerance in general. Students are overly-critical, very preppy, and generally unwilling to accept anyone who is different in the slightest. We're all obsessed with labels and fitting a certain mold. It makes me sick sometimes.

I think the administration has noticed this stereotype and therefore put the community service requirement in place. I don't know how long the community service requirement has been around, but the "Witt Bubble" is still alive and strong. I think we are all reminded of that daily.


If I could change one thing about Witt, I would want the entire Witt community to be more accepting and encouraging of one another. If we can't even accept what's inside the Witt Bubble how are we every going to accept anything that's outside of it??

What do you guys think? Do you think Witt students are tolerant at all? Have you had different experiences than me?

These are a few of my favorite things...

What is my favorite thing about Wittenberg??? Well I have a few things.

This is going to sound weird but I love the drive from my house to Wittenberg (I know it's not really Witt per say, but bear with me here.) The drive from Marysville, OH to Springfield, OH is a piece of cake. Route 4 literally takes you directly to and from Springfield so it's super easy and convenient to give my friends directions! And when I do have to drive home, it's bearable because it's easy.  Believe it or not, the drive to and from home DID play a (small) role in my college decision.

I love that Wittenberg has such a small campus. I didn't think about it when I first arrived because the weather was really nice. But after experiencing a couple of winters where you have to walk to class regardless of the downpours or ice-coated walkways, I'm extremely grateful that this campus is so small.

I really like the Communication Department as well. I know I'm biased because it's my major, but all the professors are really friendly. It just makes life easier to take classes with friendly people! I can't imagine taking classes from professors I don't get along with, it just seems terrible to endure that for semesters on end. Furthermore, my fellow Comm majors are really friendly as well. I realize it's cheesy but it's nice to come to class and get along with the people you're learning with.

There are other quirky things that I like about Wittenberg, but they're mostly just memories. I think I will have a much longer list of things I like about Witt after I graduate, but as a student this is how I'm feeling about my college of choice.

I guess the thing I like most about Witt is the IDEA of Witt. I can't lie, Wittenberg isn't what I was told or expected it would be.

Anyone else like the idea of Witt?

Muffin Madness

Guys, I just ate one of those sinfully delicious Otis Spunkmeyer muffins from Post. Have you ever read the nutritional information on those things??? This seemingly innocent breakfast staple is gonna cost you 500 calories. And now I feel really guilty.

I'm in a constant process of justifying eating pizza and muffins all the time by saying I'm so stressed out or that I should enjoy it while I'm still young and have metabolism, etc. I'm sure I'm not the only one. I think it has something to do with our culture telling us how to look all the time.

I just had this discussion with my roommate last night when we were both munching on chocolate at about 11 p.m. We knew we shouldn't but we couldn't help ourselves! Then we went on for about 5 minutes complaining about whatever parts of our bodies we didn't like until I realized what we were discussing was really stupid.

Bottom line is that nobody is perfect. I don't want this to turn into some cliche blog about body image and coming to terms with who you really are, but I really think body image is something that women in college deal with on a daily basis.

As for me, I'm going to enjoy eating my muffins until my metabolism slows down too much that I can't stand it anymore, and you know what? I'm ok with it :)

(Maybe this would be an interesting story idea, especially since women and men alike are trying to get fit for swimsuit season and summer in general. Any thoughts??)

My Semester Story

My BIG story for the semester is going to be about faculty evaluations on campus. I would really like to cover all angles of this story because I think it all relates.

I'd like to explore whether or not they're really effective (in the opinion of students and professors). How much do they cost and why aren't they completely paperless already? Is the cost worth it? Do professors who are not tenured teach differently than the professors who already have tenure? How much do evaluations weigh in the decision to give a professor tenure? And I'd really like to talk to the professors who spend a whole class period discussing evaluations.

Does anyone have any other suggestions on how to make this story better? I wonder if I should narrow the focus of this story because it seems like a lot to tackle, but I think it should be good for a 1000-word story.

Let me know what you guys think and if you have any ideas on who I should interview? Anyone know who is in charge of faculty evaluations each semester??

My Parents vs. My Spring Break Plans

This year I am going on my first Spring Break trip EVER to Tampa, Florida (pictured above). Needless to say, I'm incredibly excited.

But when the idea was first proposed to me I wasn't at all excited. I thought "How on earth am I going to convince my parents to let me go?" Because unlike a lot of my friends, it seems like my parents are not so easy to convince and are often extremely vocal and disapproving of things ( things that I think are fun and harmless, like going to Florida).

Over the past year and a half of my college experience I've had to hide a lot from my parents. They aren't very understanding and are afraid that college is going to corrupt me. It's hard to explain this relationship to my friends because deep down I know my parents only want the best for me, but they come across as very strict.

Maybe it's because I'm the only daughter and I'm the youngest of only 2 children, but I wish my parents would just let me enjoy my college experience sometimes without feeling the need to give their opinion about everything. I already know that they're going to disapprove! They told me they disapprove of this Florida trip but I'm going against their wishes and going anyway. I feel bad about it, but I'm technically an adult and there's nothing they can do!

Is anyone else in the same boat as me or are my parents an anomaly?

WUSO-Witt's most underutilized media outlet.

Do you or your friends listen to WUSO?? The chances are that none of you do.

But why not????

WUSO is Wittenberg's campus radio station and there are currently over 50 hours of live music on WUSO per week. There are a lot of students volunteering their time and efforts into having live programming on WUSO for you, our fellow student listeners.

Because although WUSO broadcasts to the world (really anyone with an internet connection) our purpose is to bring music and news to Wittenberg students. 

From talking to people who have known WUSO since its inception, I've found out it used to be a really big deal on this campus. WUSO used to sponsor concerts and do live broadcasts from all over campus at various events. I don't know what exactly happened but I think it has something to do with radio becoming a dying medium.

But I really don't think radio is dying at all, just adapting to the times. We can all think of our favorite hometown radio station that we listen to in the car. That's proof that radio still has a large effect on everyone, specifically our generation.

Radio is still a HUGE outlet for news and the latest music. The Billboard Hot 100 wouldn't exist without radio stations playing the latest music. And virtually the only way for anyone in the music industry to get famous is from radio stations playing their songs. Our generation identifies with music and it's something that brings us together. Guess where you can get the latest music while hearing your friends DJing? WUSO 89.1 fm The Berg. yup.

I hear a lot of complaints from campus that WUSO doesn't do enough to reach people, or that all we ever play is pre-recorded material. The truth is that we can't make anyone turn on their radio but I guarantee that once they tune into 89.1 they'll be pleasantly surprised by how music live music we really do have.

WUSO, like the Torch, takes a lot of heat from the campus without anyone willing to step in to make things better. But WUSO and the Torch have both taken huge strides in the past few years to improve their image, campus relevance, and outreach. I'm proud to tell people to listen to The Berg. It's come a long way in a few years and has started to transform into a cool extracurricular for students to be a part of.

So I guess I'm curious, why don't you listen to WUSO? Or if you do, who do you listen to and when?

Time to Find a Roommate!!

It's time to think about housing for next semester already! I'm wondering, is it possible to find someone to live with without any kind of drama?

Finding living arrangements is a drama magnet. Everyone is afraid to step on friend's toes or offend somebody in the process which leads me to my next point: people suck at confrontation.

I'm not pointing fingers because I am certainly bad at confrontation as well! But the bottom line is that some things just need to be said and it's best to say them and get it over with, like ripping off the band-aid. And I guess when it comes to it, I'm not afraid to talk straight with people. 

Fortunately, I just got my own living arrangements sorted out last night, but only after my future roommates stayed up until 7 a.m. confronting a friend whom they did not want to live with. Needless to say, the friend didn't handle the news well because she was strung out until the day the house renewal was due. I don't think the friendship is going to last much longer. 

I just wish there was a way people could be honest and open with their friends about situations like these. After all, your true friends will understand and be there for you (even if you decide to live with someone else.) 

Winter Blues Got Ya Down?

It's so cliche to talk about the weather, but I really do think weather affects our moods (or at least I've noticed a change in mine!).

I've just felt increasingly 'meh', for lack of a better description. I feel as though I'm constantly going through the motions and not paying much attention to the things going on around me. My memories from the past month are completely strung together and hazy (much like each and every January day in Ohio).

And I blame the weather! I haven't been getting my recommended 10 minutes of sun exposure per day and that lack of vitamin D makes a difference to me. Constantly being exposed to cold and wind has wreaked havoc on my skin as well (and let's face it, dry skin doesn't make anyone happy).

I've turned to a few things to keep me optimistic and happy in this unpleasant weather. I definitely listen to music to brighten my mood. I've been listening to the Avett Bros. a lot lately, they always put a smile on my face. I've also been trying to see the bigger picture in stressful situations. And when you do that, the small things seem to matter less and less. I'm also looking forward to my spring break trip to Florida this year! It's my first spring break excursion so I'm very excited.

But perhaps the best mood-brightener is knowing that the days are slowly but surely getting longer! The sun being out a little longer each day motivates me to do my best to shake off my winter blues.  :)

A Brief Update on My Stories for Class

Thus far I've only been able to complete one story for Advanced Journalism, and it's been on the effects that dopamine has on the brain when one listens to his or her favorite song.
A study was recently conducted that found that as much dopamine is released in your brain when you listen to your favorite song as when you have sex.
So I interviewed students across campus and the overall consensus was that nobody was at all surprised by the findings of this study.
I found this interesting, because I was kinda surprised by the study. But apparently I was the only one!
I spoke to a professor of behavioral neuroscience, who explained why the brain has this reaction.
I also spoke to a friend of mine who is a psychology major and music minor, the perfect combination for this story and she was very helpful.
Then I spoke with the Head Music Director of WUSO who explained his feelings on music and how he feels when he listens to a song he really likes.
Lastly I interviewed a music major who also wasn't at all surprised by the findings because he has enjoyed music his whole life.

The story was a lot of fun to write and I didn't have any difficulties getting interviews or reactions with this piece. I think a lot of students will read it when The Torch hits news stands this Friday.

Facebook...how I loathe thee.

Image courtesy of google


I want to take this opportunity to share my hatred of Facebook.

I feel like I'm one of a dying few who refuse to have a Facebook page.But I must admit, I had a Facebook page at one point. My friend made me a Facebook page my junior year of high school which I kept until freshman year of college.

I made the mistake of friending my dad, grandma, and aunt on Facebook when I went off to college. And they all started "stalking" me, particularly my dad. When I realized this was happening I got really uncomfortable and called it quits on Facebook. I didn't want my dad to realize I had "de-friended" him so I figured I'd nix the whole thing, it wasn't worth it anyway.

Speaking of which, the obligations that go along with having a Facebook are exhausting!!! You're obligated to "friend" someone who you only recognize for fear that ignoring their request would hurt their feelings. Making relationships "facebook official" has no doubt been the end of many budding relationships because one person jumped the gun. And can you "friend" your professors or is that crossing the line?? Should you remain "friends" with your exes or is that weird too?
I would rather not deal with it.

But avoidance is not an option. In my everyday interactions, someone will say "I'll friend you on Facebook later" or "Just look him up on Facebook!" and I have to stop them and foil their plans for communication. I always get a comment of some sort. Not a SINGLE person has been able to get past my Facebooklessness.

But, honestly, I'm proud of the fact that I don't have a Facebook page.

What's interesting is that every single person who has been shocked that I don't have a Facebook is equally as impressed that I have the nerve to go against the grain and have the ambition to reach out to friends and family in a more personal way. I skype and write letters to my friends at other schools. I make phone calls to my parents.

Call me old school but I prefer things this way. It's so much simpler, I can talk when I want to and I'm not bombarded by ridiculous status updates or obligations.

Wittenberg's Dirty Secrets...

A recent event on Witt's campus has caused quite a strong reaction from the student body, faculty, and administration. On Monday, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, an African American student found a racist note on his door saying "Whites only, no coloreds".

The administration responded with numerous emails. The students responded by picketing in the CDR during lunch time. Faculty responded by facilitating classroom discussions.

It seemed like everyone was responding in some way, so I felt obligated to respond as well.

This is exactly why I attended chapel hour today. Students, faculty/staff, and administrators all gathered in Weaver Chapel to host a forum for discussion--a way for everybody to talk about what was on their minds.

The chapel was standing room only, it was so packed. 

The reactions of the African American students and staff was completely beautiful. They were so moved by the sheer number of people who showed up to support them that it brought most of them to tears to think about it or look out into the crowd...

Furthermore, the young man who unfortunately had the note posted on his door stood up to speak, and when he was finished he received a long and tear-filled standing ovation from his Wittenberg family.

I attended chapel hour expecting a discussion about how wrong racist behavior is and how deeply it affects the lives of minorities on campus, but I walked away truly feeling like simply by my attendance, I impacted the Wittenberg community in a positive way. I did my part, I showed up and stood up against racism.

The first step to fixing this problem is understanding the we are ALL part of the solution. 

Pineapple Express

Everyone knows that college students in general don't make the best decisions, especially regarding drug use. I've been told that some Wittenberg students get stoned before class and some use hard drugs on a regular basis as well. I find this topic interesting and slightly depressing (because it CAN ruin lives). I want to know what is going through students' heads!
Do I know people who smoke regularly? yes. But this doesn't mean I approve of their actions or participate myself. I've never smoked anything in my life. Call me a goodie two-shoes or whatever you like, but I value my lung capacity and normal brain function. Besides, I don't feel the need to smoke something to have a good time or fit in. It's just not necessary.
Although I know people who smoke regularly, I don't know anyone who smokes CONSTANTLY. And I certainly don't know anyone who uses hard drugs....or if I do, they've kept it a secret. I find it amazing that some of my classmates and even my professors have spoken about students who have confessed to getting stoned before class regularly. That's really shocking. I came to Wittenberg to study, not get stoned. If students are getting stoned before class, then I think they really need to step back and take a look at themselves and their situation. Maybe even get some help, or at least a new group of friends.
I think peer pressure plays a large role in drug use on college campuses nationwide. Students want to fit in, it's difficult moving to a place where you don't know anybody! You hardly ever hear instances where someone smokes by themselves (unless they're addicts), it's a social behavior.
With that in mind I have to wonder what kind of friends pressure their friends into smoking. Certainly none that I want to keep...but maybe that's just me...

Testing....1...2...

I'm just testing my new blog site. Hopefully it works!