I'm only a couple of weeks away from being able to blast Alice Cooper's "School's Out" for the last time, a tradition I've kept since eighth grade. I'm graduating from college. Wow. I'll type that again, but in capital letters. I'M GRADUATING FROM COLLEGE.
As a last blogging hoo-rah, I've decided to recap the top three Journalism-related moments of my senior year:
1. Covering the men's NCAA basketball tournament
I had the opportunity to follow the Jayhawks across the country during the last few weeks of the season. My first trip was to Oklahoma City for the Big 12 Tournament. After KU had that championship under their belt, Drew Davison, Justin O'Neal and I made the drive to Chicago for the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament. It was one of most entertaining road trips I'd ever been a part of. An all-expenses paid trip to cover basketball and blog about my experiences in the city? I'll take it.
We (and by we, I mean Justin) drove all through the night back to Lawrence after the last game in Chi-town. I had about 36 hours to prepare for my next trip to San Jose, Ca. for KU's third- and fourth-round match-ups. We didn't make it to "Hotlanta," but it was still a heck of a trip.
Touchdown Nelson!
We decided we needed to try the Mentos and Diet Coke experiement on the way home...at three in the morning in a Des Moines high school parking lot.
2. Sports Anchoring
I needed one more elective credit for the Spring '07 semester. I could have taken bowling or something, but sports anchoring sounded like a fun experience. As usual, I was right. I'll take my experiences as a KUJH sports anchor over the 150 bowling score I'd have by now any day. I befriended an awesome group of guys in my fellow anchors and our fearless leader, The Sharma. My work here also set me up for my top J-School moment of the year seen above.
3. 692 Reporting Shifts
I had a love-hate relationship with my 692 reporting shifts. I hated that I had the lecture at 8 a.m. and the shift started after it at 9:30. I hated that for the first month or so, it took me until 3:00 to finish a story. I hated the snow and cold rain I had to deal with since I took the class in the fall. I hated that I didn't have a parking permit, so I had to either bug other people for a ride to interview a source or walk 15 minutes home with a camera and a tripod to pick up my car.
However, the "good" kicked the "bad's" ass well enough to make this list. My producer was my good friend Pat Shehan. My reporting partner was DeJuan "Day-Wahn" Atway. After carefully considering whether or not my 692 reporting shifts would make this list, I considered the time Pat heard on the scanner that a bobcat was seen at 9th and Iowa.
"Pat, PLEASE let us chase that bobcat," I said.
So with Atway at the wheel, I shot video out of his car while we searched for a freakin' BOBCAT. We didn't find it, but we did follow animal control all the way back to their base.
I think that may have also been the day that Pat heard about a jailbreak on the scanner. He sent DeJuan and I to K-10 to check it out. There were flashing lights, but that was it.
What'd you do that day? Sit in class? Cool, I chased a bobcat and an escaped convict (who may have been riding the bobcat. We'll never know).
So I guess that's it. Good bye. I'll miss you. Cheesy, sappy, sad words. I'm out!
What would a blog be without a Mentos and Coke explosion? Thanks for making eHub a complete blogging experience for us all, and thanks for your late nights at the wheel on the road trips.
I, too, have the traditional blasting of the Cooper when I leave an institution of learning. In fact, I've lapped campus three times myself, each time with Alice blaring out my windows. I always get funny looks, but there is nary a sweeter ride in the world! Enjoy and don't be a stranger!