April 2008 Archives

The one guy that I can legitimately call my journalistic hero is Rick Reilly. His column locked up the back page of Sports Illustrated for as long as I remember. There would be days when I would come home from school and my mom would have a not attached to the Sports Illustrated instructing me to go to the back of it and read his article.

Rick Reilly really made Sports Illustrated special. I would make a point to read his article every week. His words were put together so well that every week reading his work would give me goosebumps. He had some great articles that I will never forget. The one that always comes to mind is the one about the father that did the ironman marathon while carrying his son with him the whole time. The way he told this story on the back page of Sports Illustrated made me wish that there was some way I could do anything like that.

Now he is on to new things. He just signed a contract to write for ESPN the Magazine that is reported to be for 5 years and $10 million. ESPN the Magazine now has the two most popular sports writers in the country with Reilly and Bill Simmons. Without the help of Rick Reilly I don't think that I would be interested in journalism to the extent that I am now. He really is my journalistic hero.

When I think about my favorite writers, one man's work has seemed to follow me from the time I learned to read until the time college professors took away my leisure-reading time. Elwyn Brooks White has stayed on my reading list since the third grade when I read The Trumpet of the Swan. For those of you who played video games during your childhood instead of reading, I will summarize.

The Trumpet of the Swan is about a cygnet named Louis, who tragically was born without a voice, making him a failure in the swan world. But with the help of a boy named Sam, he learns to read, write, and play some smooth jazz on the trumpet. 



White also wrote classics such as Charlotte's Web and Stuart Little. Even George Bush thinks you should know about good ol' E.B. The man is, in short, a big freaking deal. 



Most recently, E.B. has popped up on my required reading list for editing in The Elements of Style. But why is this man my journalistic hero?

 Well, besides the fact that he can write anything from witty perspectives on life for the New Yorker to entertaining children's literature, his work continues to encourage the precision and clarity of language.

White's literature has encouraged my interest in reading and writing as a child and an adult. Both of these skills are crucial for any individual.

White may not have lived to see the iGeneration, but children and adults still look to his writings for inspiration. 

Any writer whose work encourages a child to pick up a real book instead of reading it on a laptop or listening to someone else read it on their iPod is a hero in my opinion.

Writers like White keep children, and adults for that matter, interested in reading and using their imagination to form ideas and images when they could be staring mindlessly at YouTube.



So, E.B., you've kept me hooked for more than 10 years now. You helped form my consciousness and my imagination. If you weren't dead I'd give you a hug…but, you are. So this blog is dedicated to you, essayist, grammarian and swan trumpeter of genius.

My blogging hero is not some A-list super-star journalist with thousands of page hits per day. He is not even a typical journalist at the moment, although he certainly has had journalistic training. So who am I talking about, and why is he my blogging hero?

Meet Arie Vanderhorst. Arie started blogging back when blogging was invented (as nearly as I can remember, anyway), and had the first blog I'd ever read. According to him, he didn't start his blog with any specific purpose in mind -- he just made it up as he went along. Now it's an eclectic mix of Jayhawk basketball talk (gotta love that), book, music and movie reviews, photography, creative writing and theological thoughts. Not really what you'd expect from a "journalist," right?

Maybe. I think what BitterSweetLife proves, however, is that the skills we learn in journalism merely serve as a platform for whatever we end up doing in life. Arie's writing skills were honed through journalism training, and now he uses his blog as a way to market himself as a freelance copywriter.

He also proves that if you can convince enough people of your genius, you can create a following for your blog. Although most of what I knew about blogging until 694 was from reading BitterSweetLife, somehow I never managed to feed the beast enough to form my own fan base. BitterSweetLife, however, is usually updated at least a couple of times a day. I like the often-snarky yet never rude style of writing Arie employs, and I've tried to emulate it. After all, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

He isn't flashy and he isn't famous, but this non-traditional journalist continues to be one of my favorite bloggers.

The initial reason that I read Bob and Lee Woodruff's In an Instant was because I have a lifetime connection volunteering with the Veterans Wheelchair Games and I knew his story would only benefit my volunteer experience. But I had no idea how much appreciation and respect I would gain not only from Woodruff's experience in Iraq, but his experience as a journalist.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Bob Woodruff, let me give you a quick rundown. He was involved with ABC News since 1996 and was named co-anchor of "World News Tonight" in December 2005. While reporting in Iraq in January 2006, Woodruff was seriously injured by a roadside bomb. His full recovery and survival was unlikely, but somehow, just 13 months after being injured, he returned to ABC.

Woodruff is not only a well-respected and devoted journalist but he is inspirational to me because of his strength and endurance. You would think that after almost losing your life while doing your job, you would be scared to go back. But he immediately returned to his life as a journalist. Maybe that seems crazy to some, but to me it is a constant reminder that no matter what, you must pursue what you love to do.

I not only appreciate Woodruff's work as a journalist, but his current involvement with the Bob Woodruff Family Fund. This Fund raises awareness of the war's injuries including Traumatic Brain Injury and Combat Stress, and assists service members and their families as they go through the path toward recovery.

Bob Woodruff's life changed in an instant. Yet his dedication to his career is never ending. His book details his life up to and after his injury and I encourage everyone to read it. I always respected Woodruff as a journalist, but it wasn't until after his injury that I truly understood his undying devotion to his career and impacting others' lives.

Ya know, I really don't drool over any particular journalist's work—online or off. I do give Wolf Blitzer the Best Name in News award, and Helen Thomas gets the Grizzled Battle-Axe Matriarch Award for covering every President since J.F.K.

But really, I don't think great journalism lends itself to public fame. I don't know anyone, journalist or not, whose hands sweat cold in fantods during the unbearable wait between Anderson Cooper segments—or those of any other known journalist.

Though I don't worship at the pedestal of any newsmonger, I do like Garrison Keillor an awful lot. He's more a storyteller than a reporter, but he does have journalistic stripes. He's kind of like Mark Twain, another writer/journalist. Both report more on society and the human experience than on the particular events of the day.

And both say the darndest things.

But as far as an online idol, I'm partial to the musings of The Resident. The Resident is an Internet personality played by Lori Harfenist. She "investigates topics relevant in today's complicated world with a fresh viewpoint." Example, example, example.

Than again, as my sweating hands indicate, I do get the fantods every week, recently on Wednesday nights, when I drip anticipation for ehub's bloggers' provocative thoughts and grammatically whimsical sentences. Or are my sloshy hands just another symptom of constant insomnia and caffeine addiction?

It's funny that for the last several months now, I have blogged about the new media revolution. Heck, sometimes I think I even sounded convincing. But if you were to ask me who my favorite digital journalist is, I would answer with a blank stare.

I'm a student of online journalism, and I understand that I need to open up to those other inputs. But in all actuality, I am still very "old media" minded. I walk outside to my driveway every morning to pickup the Kansas City Star. I listen to NPR on the way to school. I even watch network nightly news and my local news if I'm fortunate enough to be home.

When I do venture to the online realm, it's very habitual:
1. Check all three email accounts.

2. Check class messages/assignments/grades on blackboard.

3. Google whatever strikes my fancy.

4. Find my way back to the MSN homepage and see what stories they think I should read. (Most of the time it's odd news, like "Nude charity calendar ends up costing moms")

Don't get me wrong, I love the benefits of multimedia news. I understand that the online era these days offers a richer experience than ever before. But it seems to me the greatest negative of digging deeper into any issue is time – which is something that I, and many other Americans, don't have much of.

Consider the average time a visitor is on a site, for example. Web analytical tools show a user averages 30 seconds to one minute on a single site. Needless to say is barely enough time to read a paragraph to a story, let alone sift through slideshows, make sense of a graph or pole, or even make it through the bridge of a video.

Americans are succumbing to culture catch-phrases such as: quick and easy, on the go, portable, and high-speed. All have emerged to keep up with our fast-paced lifestyles.

I think it's great technology is reinventing itself to make our digital lives more assessable. But the one thing that worries me is that people aren't using these devices to keep up with breaking news. News is just one more thing people "don't have time for."

The industry needs to find a way to relate to its audience. They need to make people realize news is an important piece of democracy. To me, that would be the most heroic gesture the industry could offer.

I'm sure that many Americans would like to thank Stone Phillips for his nice smile and little up-and-down bounce that we all love. Or maybe the To Catch a Predator guy for his hard-hitting pedophile journalism.

I guess my guy isn't so glamorous. But he is a legend, so I would like to take these 200-some words to give a small homage to my journalism hero, Bill Moyers.

I first discovered him by accident. A friend of mine forwarded me a link to his speech about media reform nearly a year ago. You've got to watch this, he said.

Boy oh boy, I thought. I let it sit in my mailbox for a few weeks until finally, one lazy Sunday, I decided to give it a chance. And I'm really glad I did.

What's a-miss, he said in his southern accent, at a time when America is socially divided? When inequality and poverty grow steadily? When young people without privilege and wealth struggle to get a footing? When we're racially divided in every sense except in the letter of the law?

Make no mistake, he said. The media- the foundation of our democracy, the fourth estate- are under attack.

Soon after I saw the speech, I began tuning in to his special on PBS once a week. And I love it, love it, love everything about it.

So, Dear Mr. Bill Moyers, my hero who makes many people believe in great, deep-thinking journalism,

My hat is off to you, and I want to say thank you. I'll keep this short, and since I don't know how to do it without being cheesy, I won't even try.

Thank you for making us think.

Thank you for being courageous, for discussing issues that others fear to talk about.

Thank you for framing your stories in complex historical contexts, for interviewing top experts, for asking tough questions. (In other words, thank you for holding my attention for more than five minutes, and thank you for not wasting my time with fluff.)

Thank you for being a great story teller.

Thank you for understanding the true calling of a journalist.

To the big news honcho who should be just as concerned about his future in journalism as I am:

I am well aware that your organization (like many in the industry these days) is most likely canning brilliant journalists who have been in the industry for years. However, I strongly urge you to consider making one minor staff adjustment – hire me.

After reviewing your media content, I am confident that I will be an asset to your organization for the following reasons:

1. I can write for all forms of media including, but not limited to: print, television, radio and the Internet. (Pay no attention to those organizations asking bloggers and citizen journalists to report for free.)

2. I can shoot and edit video in a professional manner to produce a sequenced narrative. (Never mind the fact other news organizations are using YouTube and other viewer generated content than ever before.)

3. Able to maintain a point of view while remaining objective about sources interviewed. (Because I can rant and rave all I want about the story later in my blog.)

4. A persistent journalist, able to drop whatever it is I'm working on to produce breaking news. (Caution: May lead resentment and/or reporting burnout.)

5. I am able to calmly and tactfully handle deadline pressures that the news atmosphere presents. (Hey this one is a bonus, at least you won't have to increase health insurance coverage).

I appreciate your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you to arrange a time for an interview.

Sincerely,
Jessica Reber

Disclaimer: The contents of this idealistic, fluffy, hypothetical letter will change dramatically in two years, and at which point my career goals will probably be completely different from what they are now.

Dear (hopefully) South American/globally oriented human rights organization,

I am writing to you because my personal goals are very much aligned with yours and because I want to know that the work I do every day helps to lift up the global community.

I think we need optimistic, creative, intelligent and skilled leaders. That doesn't mean elementary school teachers who smell like patchouli and practice new-age healing methods. It means hard-working, selfless, compassionate individuals who have the ability to assess the real problems of the world and to create attainable goals that help them to do their part to solve it.

What are these problems? For starters:

* Over half the world's population lives on less than two dollars a day. The division of wealth in third-world countries is increasing each year.

* According to UNICEF, 26,500-30,000 children die each day due to poverty.

* Less than one per cent of what the world spent every year on weapons was needed to put every child into school by the year 2000 and yet it didn't happen.

I am one of many people who refuses to accept this reality, and I want to do my part to help make it better.

So what can I do to help, and what makes me a good candidate for this job?

*I've traveled independently across Latin America and can speak proficiently in Spanish and Portuguese.

*I've worked for two years as an elementary bilingual educator in Kansas City, Mo. for the Teach for America program, where I gained real-world leadership experience, gave back to my hometown and did my part to help eliminate the extreme educational inequity in our country.

*I've interned at the Organization of American States, where I was able to observe how a well-respected international organization operates on a daily basis.

*I've worked with people from around the world as a conversation leader at the Applied English Center at KU and as an ESL tutor.

*I have solid editing, writing and presentation skills.

And, most importantly:

*I will work relentlessly. I will set ambitious goals and do everything I can to contribute to the mission of this organization. I'm ready to get my hands dirty, and I'm not afraid of disappointment.

Also: if you don't hire me I might eat your clothes off your body or spit in your face.

Thank you for your time.

Dear Nelson-Atkins,

It is my dream to work for a museum. It is also my dream, surprisingly, to remain in the Midwest after I graduate. Therefore, I can think of no better place of employment than the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Here is a list of the skills and talents I can provide:

• I can play badminton: This skill seems relevant, seeing as how your museum sculpture park includes gigantic shuttle cocks.

The Nelson and I look good together. Rodin and I both think you should hire me.
• Editing: Recently, the Smithsonian Institute got told by a 5th-grader who found a mistake on an exhibit label. I can help make sure this doesn't happen to the Nelson. I am a copy chief for a student newspaper, and after this summer, will have interned for two professional daily papers as a copy editor. I am also the communications intern at the Spencer Museum of Art, where I edit labels, help plan events and create promotional materials.
• Double the education: Not only can I offer you my journalistic expertise, but I am also earning a degree in art history. I can wax eloquent on anyone from Caravaggio to Brancusi, and I understand art lingo. That means I can write a well-informed press release on an upcoming art installation, and have no trouble editing a flier on Henry Moore's sculptural style.
• I communicate effectively through any medium: Do you need an interview with a local artist? A video press release with voiceover? What about an html newsletter? I have print, TV and Web experience. Just say the word, and it's done.
• People person: I can talk to anyone about anything for as long as you need me to. Do you have an important guest that needs to be entertained/introduced at an opening? Or, perhaps they want a private museum tour? I'm your woman.
• I keep it real: Many people in the art world are pretentious. I am not one of them (except for the previous paragraph where I said "wax eloquent"). My primary concern is to make the Nelson-Atkins a place that people of all backgrounds can visit and appreciate. Art is not just for the rich and famous.

So there you have it. My skills range far and wide. Additionally, I am punctual, organized, have a spectacular memory, and if you want to start me off as a paid intern, I can make one helluva cup of coffee.

On May 18, 2008, I will be an official graduate from the University of Kansas. That means landing a job is only a month away.

I know I won't land my dream job straight out of graduation. I worked hard for four years to gain the experience and knowledge I have today, and I know that I will have to do the same in order to reach that dream job. And that's okay. But that doesn't mean that I don't have the skills and qualities to be hired. Here's why:

• I have skills gained through classes in the School of Journalism. From multimedia reporting and copy editing to online production, I gained well-rounded skills and knowledge.
• I have experience in a variety of fields. I was a copy editing and copy chief for The University Daily Kansan, an online producer for KUJH-TV and have internship experience in the magazine industry.
• I am involved. Whether in the community or on campus, I have numerous service experiences.
• I have strong qualities. I am professional, understanding, involved, hard working and can work well alone or with a team.
• Most importantly, I have guarantees. I guarantee to be available, to go above and beyond, to carry a professional attitude, to uphold the company's image and to provide any assistance where needed.

I am ready to graduate. I am ready to move on to the "real world." I am ready to find a career. And I think a career is ready to find me.

This is probably the way these letters are supposed to go:

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to you because of my interest in the xyz position at your magazine/firm/organization.

I am very qualified for this position. I received my undergraduate degree from the University of Kansas (2008 NCAA Basketball Champions) and my JD from Columbia Law.

I have abc qualities that you're looking for and efg experiences, which I believe have prepared me for this position.

Also talk to jkl for glowing references.

Very Truly Sincerely,

Irina Yakhnis

Except that's not how it happens. When in four years I get to my "hire me already before I'm out of my mid-20s and OLD," it will probably go more like this:

Hello Ben,

How's everything with you? If you remember, we met at your friend Mike's wedding. (I was the bridesmaid in the green, dress.)

You told me that your magazine/firm/organization had an opening and asked to shoot you a resume, which I've attached.

Feel free to call me with any further questions or to set up an interview. My number is 913-867-5309.

It was great meeting you. Hope to hear from you soon!

Sincerely,

Irina

I need a job. I'm not totally desperate yet, but I'm moving that way. My student loans will only support me through May, possibly June, but after that money runs out I'll need another source of income besides my parents.

It's weird, I'm not even looking for a full-time career for post-graduation, yet I feel like I'm in the same boat as everyone else who doesn't know what they're doing yet. I know this much: I'm going to law school…somewhere, and it costs a lot of money to get through three years of higher education.

So, back to the job issue. I need a summer job, but I've heard it's next to impossible to find a job in Lawrence over the summer. And in all honesty, who wants to hire a recent graduate that is only going to be in town for June and July?

Here's why you should hire the college graduate: we've survived four or five years of school and have more experience than some 18-year-old freshman who just moved to Lawrence.

Plus, I just spent four years of my life working in a fast-paced environment where things were constantly changing. I've had internships and been on business trips, and somehow managed to balance school on top of these.
I'm organized, somewhat of a perfectionist, and love to delegate (when necessary). If you tell me to do something, I'll follow through on it until it's done. I learn things on the fly and adapt to changing situations very easily.

I know that there are plenty of people who want a job this summer that will be able to stay on through the next school year, but don't tell me that you won't hire me because I just graduated. So what if I'll only be around for two months? I guarantee you that my two months would be 100 times better than most other people.

Dear Companies of the World,

I hear you need a copy editor.

Or, rather, a copy editor who:

• Can write clear, concise and accurate copy that entertains as well as informs for both traditional and alternative style story forms.
• Not only edits copy and writes headlines for print news, but also can repurpose articles and scripts for the Web, adding appropriate HTML code and multimedia elements.
• Can produce said multimedia elements, including photographs, slideshows, videos, charts and graphs, and polls.
• Has practical experience in doing all these things through campus media.
• Can shoot and edit video and photographs.
• Can design and produce eye-catching promotional materials.
• Has training in Adobe InCopy, InDesign, Flash and FinalCutPro, not to mention being self-trained in Adobe Photoshop.
• Can work as part of a team or alone under the pressure of a deadline and do it cheerfully.
• Has traveled extensively in the United States, Germany and England. Speaks German. Has worked with international students for several years. Has studied and understands global issues in journalism. Did extensive research on current problems in Welsh media.
• Has concentrations in English, History and Political Science.
• Knows what's going on in the world of online journalism and the Web in general.
• Is self-motivated, a quick learner and can memorize things easily.

In other words, me.

I'm available beginning May 20th. References, editing and photography portfolios available upon request.

Bonus benefits include:

• A strong artistic streak


• A love of creative writing


• A pleasing alto singing voice


• A well-developed sense of humor


• The fact that I don't smoke, drink or do drugs and am single, so I would never come into work drunk, high or in an emotionally volatile state because of a breakup.

I'm smart, funny, talented, reliable and self-motivated. You need me. We'd be great together. I can already imagine it.

(Written like Bud Light's Real Men of Genius ads)

This goes out to you Mr. College Gameday hiring guy.

Today I ask you Mr. College Gameday hiring guy. You are looking for someone to fill in for Lee Corso because he is sick with pneumonia after sitting out in the rain all Saturday. Look no further than the University of Kansas William Allen White School of Journalism (background singing: That's a good school). They have a talented and motivated student by the name of Andy Gryszowka (background singing: He knows his stuff). He can edit film, shoot footage, interview, write scripts and he even knows a little bit about football (background singing: And he's good looking). So if you need someone to take his place permanently this might be the candidate, because Lee Corso is getting kind of old (background singing: He coached in the 60's). This goes out to you Mr. College Gameday hiring guy.

This is my dream job. I would love to have a job talking about college football all day and going to the best game of the week every week. When a person is extremely passionate about something it makes them want to succeed at it. If you, Mr. College Gameday hiring guy, need someone to work for you, I might be your guy. I have many skills that would be useful for the show and have the passion that is needed to take on the rigors of this job. I understand the time that needs to be put into researching and production and would love to be involved in it. Now it is in your hands and I hope that you can make the right decision.

Good journalists are like buzzy bees. Publishing is pollination. We create a sweet, healthy product (best consumed in moderation). A queen bee leads the newsroom hive. Snoopiness is a stinger (and we die if we lose it).

And, like bees, journalists are a dying (b)r(ee)d. But it's not cell phones, fungi or pesticides that kill us - our demise lurks in the World Wide Spiderweb. Good thing I've been tangled up in the Internet since pizza.com was an available domain.

Most of my college courses have revolved around writing. Indeed, I very much like the writing lifestyle, minus the times when I'm bee-littled by the hive queen. Har har.

But I'd think that prospective employers would look past my ability to write and focus on other traits I have: video, music, pictures, graphs, galleries, blogging, RSS.. I dig learning new webby presentation tidbits.

I even know how to RUN a website! Take that, 1996!

And if that's not enough for you, just check my officiation ad:

Currently marrying and burying folks as they please! Can oversee baptisms, circumcisions, wedding ceremonies and funerals! Bi-lingual and flexible. Can also double as the wedding photographer and reception band.

A good web guy is moot without a keen writing education and versatile multimedia background. Lucky for me, that's the hive in which I was bred. And even though the hive is crowded, hectic and smelly, it sure can be sweet.

OBJECTIVE: Fulltime self-fulfillment with a paycheck, maybe in the news industry. Maybe not in America.

MARKETABLE SKILLS: Reading, righting and rithmatic. Also:

• Spanglish: Parachute me into Buenos Aires or Mexico City and I'll get you a taco and a cuba libre in no time. Your Hispanic constituents will love me.


• Digitalness: I can do things on the Internets. I can make you a cat blog.


• Multifacetedness: I can cover floods, frogs, cat ladies, council meetings, protests, anniversaries, deaths and more!

EXPLOITABLE TRAITS:

• Hypersociality: Since I require constant human interaction, I communicate most excellently.


• Fastidiousness: I am fastidious when presenting news to the masses. Like old man Gill always said: "There's the Wrong Way, the Right Way and the Gill Way." (Scientists have speculated that the Gill Way is the most desirable option.)


• Professionalism: I look good in a suit and can use jargon words with businesspeople. I work well with others, including women and most minorities.


• Caffeine addiction: I work nights!


• Youth: An excuse to lure me into a low-paying, entry-level position with the nebulous promise of "advancement opportunities."


• Impoverishment: I own a futon, a minifridge and a 1984 Cutlass Supreme. I have no union representation. I need your peanuts. Do with me as you will.

If you read my last blog, you know I've battled with staying with my retail career, versus stepping into the roller coaster ride of journalism.

While the search for my next career move continues, one aspect never changes: my interviews.

"So if you already have an established career, why are you wanting to switch to journalism?"

My obvious answer: Because I've just spent the last seven years and thousands of dollars on a career I hope to use someday.

But then I reflect on the question asked. Is my possible employer really that concerned with my opinions on my future, or is there a subtle hint lying deeper with in the question?

A part of me wants to believe that the interviewer values my personal goals, but it seems to me the person is warning me to steer clear of the industry.

Whether journalists want to believe it, our career is dying. Most news organizations aren't hiring, they're firing. And if they are hiring, it's not some fresh college graduate with excellent writing and video skills.

Next question in the interview: "How well are your html and flash skills?"

Excuse me? Didn't you just hear what I said? I just said I was versatile – I can write, shoot and edit video, produce newscasts and know my way around the newsroom – and you want more?

It's strange, I'm graduating in May from one of the top journalism schools in the country, and I may not get a job in online news – and it's not necessarily something I can blame on the struggling economy.

But maybe what I have spent the last several years studying will be enough to push me into the next generation of new media. Julie Starr, a New Zealand journalist said students don't need to be an expert in everything but they need to know what's right for the story according to our market.

The industry needs quality journalists now more than ever before. Hopefully those organizations ready to reinvent their websites will want to take a chance with me.

I came to the University of Kansas because of the prestige of the William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications. And no matter how much money it would cost, I wouldn't give up my educational experience in the School of Journalism for anything.

Coming to the University, I expected to get some experience, learn, the usual things freshmen expect. But what I've received is much more:

• Experience in various fields and with numerous programs that I didn't even know of before I came here.


• Knowledge and skills that come with that experience and that continue to grow and develop each day, with the help of the school's revised curriculum designed to reflect upon the developments in the journalism industry.


• Relationships- with fellow students and faculty and staff that won't fade in the near future.

Most importantly, I have gained a great sense of pride for the School of Journalism, my classmates and myself. I have learned just how prestigious this program is and how, when compared to other universities, it is overwhelming with greatness. This sense of pride gives me the courage to succeed in the future because I acknowledged skills and experience that students at other universities may not have acknowledged.

In all honesty, there was not one class in the School of Journalism that I didn't find helpful at some point. Yeah, I may have despised some at times, but I eventually learned its purpose. Now that I am at the end of my college career, I see how all these classes came together to help me develop to the level I am at today.

Whether it was $40,000 or $75,000 that was spent on my journalism degree, I am getting what I (OK, my parents) paid for. And I wouldn't trade that for anything.

In four years I've spent thousands of dollars on books alone. College has a way of making five pounds of paper worth three tanks of gas, six concert tickets, two weeks of groceries, or 100 double cheesburgers at McDonalds. It's funny that after four years at KU I've begun to value things in big macs and concert tickets.

I believe we've all been mislead to buy the wrong books. I've studied transcendentalism, convergence, and so many other ism's and philosophies than I've ever cared to keep in my tired, little sleep depraved head. I've taken the liberty of putting together a list of the top five books that I could have used, knowing what I know now.

#5) How to Cure a Hangover
I never drank before college, in fact, I never drank until halfway through my freshman year. I was pressured, I was stressed, I was rebelious and free. I was ill-prepared. Most students don't realize how to handle the toxic cocktail of freedom and booze.

It does no good to attempt 110% when at least thirty percent of you was left in the trashcan your friends left for you next to your bed last night. Had I known this, several of my classes would have gone stronger throught the semester.

#4) How to File for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
I'm broke. So goddamned broke I was actually looking for something along the lines of "Homelessness for Dummies." I now face a debt in the tens of thousands. I'll most likely be paying off these loans by selling various body parts. I'd whore myself out, but my boyfriend wouldn't go for that, and who would pay for this

I'm not sure if this book is necessarily a great preemptive book to avoid this plight, but between the mandatory readings you can study up for your future financial woes. The homework you might take on with this book is locating your nearest soup kitchen, salvation army, and sperm bank.

#3) Insomnia

I wish someone walked up to me during orientation or even on my first day of classes four years ago and told me, "You, prepare to neve sleep again!" and then punched me in the nuts and ran away to really emphasize the point. I always told myself I never slept in high school so I must be prepared for college life circadian rhythm.

On average I sleep 24 hours in a week. That's just over three hours a night. One thing I've taken from my four years of college is the ability to fall asleep anywhere at anytime. I can sleep outside classrooms, in a restaurant booth, at amusement parks, doesn't matter. In college sleep is where you can get it, not when.

#2) Overcoming Procrastination
I have put off fixing my procrastination problems so many times. Irony is a whore. Something I have taken from college is how to really wrap my mind around a daily schedule. This doesn't just take into account school work.

I work nearly full time at a hotel, I have a tight-knit family, a full time boyfriend, and a desire to have some sort of life outside all of that. I was so unprepared for the grueling schedule of university life. I leave the colleiate life able to juggle better than a circus clown with a gun to his head.

#1) What to do With the Rest Of Your Life

The last book on my list is one I still could stand to buy. I'm a month and a half away from graduation and I am without job prospects and a direction. I think that the majority of students at my point in the race are having the same issue.

I'd like to be able to say that the school has helped me realize my direction in life, but I just don't feel it. I think that the most important thing I've taken from my four years here is an extended therapy session of "finding myself." Everyone who steps foot on campus, drags their ass up the ninety stairs of death or gets food poisoning from the Underground should utilize this time to find yourself and find what makes you happy.

* all photos compliments of BarnesandNoble.com

Four years of my life have been spent living in Lawrence and attending classes at the University of Kansas. There have been classes that I loved such as Fundamentals of Debate and classes that I hated like Oceanography. Each class had its own strengths and weaknesses and each provided certain lessons that I'll take with me after I graduate.

The School of Journalism has given me the capabilities needed to excel in the world of Journalism. I feel like I could get a job being a reporter or an online producer somewhere. At the same time though I feel like the School of Journalism has let me down. Here is how...

I came into college wanting to get deep into sports journalism. I got into the school and began to see the class selection and classes needed to graduate. I had trouble locating any classes that were in the field I was interested in, sports. There were two sports journalism classes available during my time at KU: Sports Media and Society and TV Sports Production. In order to do anything else with sports and journalism I would have had to do extra curricular activities that would require a lot of time outside of school. Once again, I would have had no problem doing this except I got a job with the football team that really limited my time.

I am glad that I am getting a journalism degree from KU. I feel like it means something because this is not an easy school to get through. I also feel like my professional career might not revolve around journalism though. I still would love to get into sports broadcasting, whether it be on television or on the radio.

I would have to say the most useful journalism class that I took would be Online Production. Honestly I have learned more valuable skills in this class than any other. I have discovered blogging which really sparked an interest for me and could have a spot in my future.

Growing up I wanted the same thing all little girls want – a pony and a job at Vogue. Pretty much my life would be complete if I could live in the big city and have an amazing job running a magazine and correcting people's grammar all the time. I could wear fabulous clothes and travel the world and meet fabulous people.

Then I came to college and became a journalism major. I took a little class called Fieldwork in Magazines and my professor set me up with a two week internship at InStyle. My dad, who had already taken to the habit of watching The Devil Wears Prada whenever he missed me, started calling me "Miranda's girl."

My winter break: My boyfriend and I sublet an apartment in the City. Every day he went to work at Details and I went to InStyle. I'd ride the subway to the Time, Inc. building where I got to know the security guard within a couple days. I'd ride the elevators to the 18th floor and enter an office where stilettoed girls wearing black went about their daily business of packing up a fashion show to ship to L.A. or getting Renee (Zelwegger, duh) lined up for the cover of the Color Issue or calmly panicking because the Grammies were cancelled and what would we do with those 20 pages in the editorial well? On my lunch break I went shopping on 5th Ave. and got catcalls from construction workers.

Long story short – I was living my dream.

On my last day there, I was invited to have a talk with the managing editor. He offered me the possibility of coming back for a full summer internship. And I saw my life happening: I'd go there in the summer and then they would offer me a real internship after graduation, after that internship and maybe a few more at similar magazines, someone would hire me as an editorial assistant. I'd work my way up the ranks…

PANIC ATTACK!

I can't have my life planned out! I'm still in school! I have other things I want to do!

I told InStyle that I was very grateful for the offer and I would keep them updated on my summer plans. And I left New York having reaffirmed my love for the City and learned that maybe – just like the pony, maybe fashion magazines just aren't something I want anymore.

I am painfully aware of how much I have spent on my degree; I am a first generation college student and I have had to work to pay my own way through college. I know that if I quit I'm screwed, so I remind myself how much I love to write, and tell myself that when teachers and classmates criticize my writing, it's only to make me better.

I think the most valuable thing I have learned at the J-School is how to use constructive criticism. I remember when I wrote stories in 415, Patty Noland would give some of them to KUJH-TV and the Kansan, but mine were never picked. I made good grades, but by the end of the semester, I felt defeated and left out. I was so relieved to walk out of Dole and hear the doors slide closed behind me to begin the summer.

Three months, a wedding, a trip to Jamaica, a grueling slave-labor internship, and two lame jobs later, I was back at Stauffer-Flint begging for more. I was determined to stop being the last one picked for dodge ball. Somewhere in my naïve little mind, I thought I was done being picked on: wrong. Now not only was my professor scrutinizing my work, I had Malcolm, editors and the entire student body (or at least the ones who picked up the paper for more than the Sudoku) ripping it apart.

And alas, the criticism didn't stop when I stopped reporting for the Kansan. The pressure has only increased now that I have the weight of the paper on my shoulders as the campus editor, and with each feeble attempt at blogging I am further convinced that I suck at it.

It's cool though; I can take it. After all the money and hard work I have put into my education, the most valuable thing I am taking away is thick skin. The classes I have taken and the hands-on experience I have gleaned from campus media gave me a decent resume, but my new exoskeleton gave me a basic survival skill needed to make it in any newsroom. Besides, I have more respect for people who make the effort to tell me when I'm wrong.

At six, I drew and
Wanted to make greeting cards
(Sorry for your loss)

Jazz reigned at sixteen
When I tromboned around town
(Be-bop a-job flop)

End crappy Haikus
Transmission through intertubes
(Oh, the agony!)

With $40k for college, I probably should have taken a poetry class. When that 401k kicks in (or not) I'll delve more in the blues.

But that's not the point - I've always been indecisive in my "career path." Just because I settled on a major doesn't mean my feet are stuck in cement.

I was a junior in college when I began studying journalism. I pursued the degree on a whim - an English teacher once told me that I was good with words. I combined the compliment with my strange observation skills and voila! Big money, big prizes.

Like a baby with a rattle, anybody can be a journalist and shake up a good tale - this is especially true with the rise of the glorious "Internet Age." (Why do we still capitalize Internet as if it's the Greek God of pornography?)

With all of the kick-ass experience, internships, teachers and bowling I've experienced at KU, I feel slightly ahead of the curve - certainly more than a Mizzou, JCCC or University of Phoenix grad.

At KU, my favorite KC Star writer (Eric Adler) taught me how to write. I snagged an internship at my favorite magazine (MAKE) through a magazine fieldwork class. My favorite (only) student newspaper gave me a pretty slick web job. How could it get better? I guess I'm still working on the whole employment thing.

Ah, who cares about any of this - thanks to college, I can now bowl as well as 180. Thanks, KU!

We were in for a surprise when we arrived at the Alamo Dome. The NCAA would not let us purchase (for under $1,000) Internet access. And we thought $30 a day in Detroit was bad.

Let me explain how important Internet is to our operations. We need it to post to tv.ku.edu, upload to our ftp, upload our blogs, and check email to communicate with the newsroom. It's like telling the visiting baseball team they can't play with bats.

Thankfully the hotel has wireless, slow wireless, but at least it's Internet.

Basically the NCAA is telling television stations and other high bandwidth users to work without a business necessity, unless they cough up some serious cash. That's cash a student-run, university affiliated television station doesn't have to drop. When pressed, the NCAA representatives couldn't produce the rule in writing.

"If you want, I can write it down for you," said one official. How unprofessional is that? After no problems in Omaha or Detroit, suddenly we might try to leak the signal live online and rob the NCAA of their precious money, sorry, I mean bandwidth. Come on, why watch in stunning HiDef when you can watch a jumpy Internet feed...? It's asinine and greedy.

We as students are held to the same standards as every other journalist at these events, yet we are denied the proper tools to work.

We still get treated like we have no idea what's going on... Despite other "media" wearing team colors, "media" cheering, "media" crowding us out, "media" breaking the rules, somehow it's the student's fault. Oh, yeah. Our "fellow professionals" unplugged our equipment twice on Saturday, thanks WRAL. It's not everybody at these things, the majority are well-behaved.

Here are my solutions.

1. We're not going to stream video. You can stand over our shoulders and watch us work. We're journalists, we're not exactly in the business of hiding what we do for a living.

2. Throw out the hacks. These guys are like the annoying kid in elementary school who cheers for the Yankees and his only justification is, "We've won it 26 times, you're stupid." And as far as touching my equipment goes... That's as low as it gets, I know UNC is losing, but don't take it out on me. I've got nothing to do with the game. I already know you're upset because you're cheering, childish.

3. Stop handing out freebies to the media. Yes, the leather folder is nice. But you're not changing the way I report how you treated us. As a matter of fact, I'm here to cover a game, the less the NCAA is involved in that the better. Wait, SHINY! It's a Final Four Pin! I take it all back...

4. Put it in writing. If you're going to have rules, have them posted somewhere and be able to produce them on demand. It's like a professor dropping a 20 page paper on her students that wasn't in the syllabus. You think the coast is clear for finals, then BAM! Surprise! Consistent enforcement is step two here.

5. Tacos are awesome on game day. They're almost as awesome as gigantic meatball subs. I can't think of two better ways to ruin a shirt. "Hey, anyone got a Tide pen? I'm going live in five minutes!"

For all the complaints contained here I think I owe an honest compliment. Thanks Kansas Athletics Department, you've done a standout job this year dealing with the increased media attention. Just keep the Cold Stone ice cream cake coming during half time.

Justin and I have been to two cities in the past two weeks that have Final Four attached to their names. San Antonio is home to this year's Big Dance, while Detroit will get a chance to host the event next year. After seeing both venues, we decided to put together our likes and dislikes of each city and venue.

1. Seating: Basketball is meant to be played in front of small crowds (under 25,000 people). Ford Field can seat 70,000, but due to the incline of the seats most of your view of the court is blocked. The Alamodome seats about 43,500, but almost 2,000 of these seats have a better view of the media workroom than the court. Bottom line, determine possible obstructions to your seats before you buy them.

2. Accommodations: Staying in a hotel close to the fanfare is a major plus. San Antonio has plenty of luxury hotels as well as college-budget motels within walking distance or a short cab ride of the Alamodome. Detroit has a few upper-end hotels close to Ford Field, but the majority of places to stay are not within walking distance to the general vicinity of the venue. While there's nothing wrong with taking a cab or renting a car, being able to walk everywhere will definitely save you a few bucks and prevent some hassle.

3. Atmosphere: You have to have something to do when games aren't going on. Concerts, restaurants, and shopping are all excellent ways to pass time, and San Antonio has got all of these in one area – the Riverwalk. Detroit has Greektown and plenty of food and drink close to the venue, but you better hope for warm weather because wandering around in the cold just isn't as much fun.

Nothing compares to being at the Final Four. The crowds are amazing and everyone is out for a good time, but some cities just have a better environment for hosting an event like this. I have no problem with the NCAA wanting to host the games in venues with seating for 65,000 or more fans, but please don't compromise the overall atmosphere just to make extra money.

Courtney and I have agreed that we have a newfound respect for those people who make their lives traveling week-in and week-out. Be it for business or athletics a life on the road definitely wears on you. Don't get me wrong here, I love traveling, but to do this over a long period of time has to be one of the most demanding jobs out there.

In February I began to plan for the different scenarios for Kansas' March Madness run. I had to budget, decide on staff, arrange equipment, and book travel arrangements. You can have a plan going into the conference tournaments, but Selection Sunday is when you have to put that plan in motion, a mere four or so days before the first round of games.

Omaha was the first stop for Kansas. Kyle West and Alex Dufek took care of KUJH-TV Sports' duties there. I was able to relax for a couple of days over spring break after starting the avalanche of paperwork required to send reporters to venues for sporting events.

I arrived back at Kansas from my home in Iowa on Sunday evening with just Monday and Tuesday to get ready for our flight to Detroit. Classes had to be dealt with, we needed to debrief from Omaha, equipment needed sorting, and sleep fell victim to activities that were cut to get all the work done.

After five nights in Detroit we flew back to Kansas on Monday and had to be ready to fly to San Antonio on Thursday. Again classes, debriefs, sorting equipment, turning everything around and leaving again was the order of the two whole days we got to get caught up.

Now imagine you're playing for a major league baseball team or are a national accounts manager for some company. This is how life is for you every week. I sat next to a woman on the flight to Dallas who lived in Kansas City, who was just in San Antonio, who was headed to New York (maybe, was that Wednesday or Friday, oh well, I'm in Dallas now for a while, what day is it?) Where am I? Oh yeah, San Antonio, Texas, it's Saturday, game day is all that matters.

Personally, I love the stress of running to an airport gate, not knowing where my luggage is, coming up with solutions to problems on the fly, haggling, wheeling, dealing, watching a product come together with insufficient means, rushing to beat the deadline, and then just sitting back to watch all the effort pay off. It makes you really appreciate down-time.

For me that relief usually comes when I see myself on ESPN's Sports Center sitting on press row, or chasing someone with a camera, or hearing, "Hey nice work on that package." I can say, "Yeah, thanks. I can't wait to do it again next week!" Or tomorrow as the case may be.

What would a trip involving a change of planes be without lost luggage? One delayed plane + four checked bags + 25 minute layover in Dallas = recipe for disaster. The funny part is that only half of the luggage was lost. My suitcase and the camera case arrived as planned, but Justin's bag and the bag carrying most of the camera equipment took the long route to San Antonio.

You would think this would be a simple fix. Put the bags that were left in Dallas on the next plane to San Antonio (and with the Final Four, there are plenty of planes to San Antonio) and everyone is happy.

Apparently nothing is as easy as it seems. Southwest sent the bags to San Antonio, but then the hotel somehow misplaced them. So just like last week we were on a wild-goose chase, only searching for luggage this time.

After the luggage issue was solved, we lost our minds trying to get internet access in the TV bunker. Since the NCAA doesn't want us streaming video online, the obvious solution is to not allow internet in the bunker. Never mind the fact that some of us have to FTP our files back to the station.

But perhaps the biggest loss of the day was Rodrick Stewart. Stewart fractured his kneecap at the end of practice and is headed back to Lawrence for surgery. While he doesn't get significant minutes, he was still a reliable guard coming off the bench and during the Final Four you need all the depth you can get.

We know that there is no way to solve the problem of lost luggage, that's a given with traveling. And as for losing our minds, that too is a chance you take with this job. So if anyone has an answer for how to get the NCAA on your side, let us know.

I am not a member of Hillel. I did not live in Naismith Hall. I don't even keep kosher.

My Facebook features me proudly displaying not one, but two cups of green beer in celebration of Saint Patrick and as I write this, I'm munching on egg-shaped chocolate (post-Easter half-off sale).

Notwithstanding all that, I am still Jewish and in about two weeks I will be celebrating the Festival of Eight Nights. Nope, not the one you're thinking -- Passover.

Hanukkah is over. It came and went right before Christmas break (winter break is a nice euphemism) without too much notice.

This Christmas season for me started a little after Halloween, when my roommate and boyfriend started singing/humming/whistling/belting Christmas carols. We had three Christmas trees of varying sizes in our apartment (courtesy of my roommates). Christmas music and Christmas movies and Christmas ads seemed to pervade everyday life with a never-before seen vigor.

"I feel it in my fingers. I feel it in my toes. Christmas is all around us, so let the feeling show…"

My feeling was slightly nauseous and irritated. I was sick of Christmas before Thanksgiving had showed up.

On December 4 (day one of the Festival of Lights), my boyfriend and I came home from class. It was about 4:15. Boyfriend, who'd been feeling guilty about imposing Christmas upon me three months early, suggested we go get a menorah.

There was 45 minutes until sunset. (All Jewish holidays begin at sunset.)

But where in small- (albeit liberal) town Kansas to find a menorah?

I searched Target's website - 16 hits for menorahs. We're about to run out the door, but wait. Let's call Target to double-check.

Boyfriend: "Hello, do you have menorahs in stock?"
Target: "I'm pretty sure we do. Let me check..."
"No, actually we don't. I'm sorry."

Thirty minutes until sunset.

Boyfriend: "Let's call Wal-Mart."
Irina: "F*ck that. I have standards."

Call Michaels.

Irina: "Hello, do you have menorahs?"
Michaels: "Do we have what?"
Irina: "Menorahs..."
Michaels: "I don't even know what that is."
Irina: (crying on the inside) "It's a...uh...candleholder for Hanukkah."
Michaels: "No. We definitely don't have any of those."

Boyfriend: "Let's call Hobby Lobby."
Irina: "I heard they support Fred Phelps. No way would they have menorahs…I'm calling Wal-Mart."

Irina: "Hello. Do you carry menorahs?"
Wal-Mart: "What's a ‘menorahs'?"
Irina: "It's for Hanukkah."
Wal-Mart: "uh....hold please…"
(Christmas muzak starts. Five minutes later I hang up.)

Boyfriend is just getting off the phone. "I just called Hobby Lobby. They had menorahs, but they're out."

I'd already given up. I was busy watching the sun set.

When I first came here, all I knew is I wanted to travel abroad.

How could I get a rewarding job in South America, speak fluent Spanish, meet a handsome Latino man (preferably, who plays an instrument) and have a life that spans both hemispheres?

I never would have guessed back then that:

A. I would spend five years in college

B. After graduation, I would spend two years just twenty minutes from where I grew up, as an elementary school teacher.

C. I would be dating an awesome white guy (who doesn't play an instrument), and

D. I would be completely happy about all of the above.

My, how things have changed.

So, how did my journalism career get me here? Does it really matter anyway, when a degree is just a degree?

First, undergraduate degrees do not, by any means, define us. There are plenty of journalists without journalism degrees, entrepreneurs without business degrees, and in my case, teachers without teaching degrees.

That said, here's a list of the most valuable skills and experiences I will take with me. Many of these are tied in with journalism.

1. Foreign language: In a world that is increasingly interconnected, being able to speak more than one language is immensely helpful. I will use Spanish every day as a bilingual education teacher, and plan to use it in my future career.

2. Study abroad: A big reason why I didn't finish on time, but definitely worth it.

3. Writing skills: The ability to research and write concisely and accurately will be an immense benefit in any job.

4. Leadership roles: Organizing events, working in teams and creating measurable goals will be valuable in the future. Working on campus, in student organizations and on the Kansan helped.

5. Presentational skills: Extremely important in any job, especially teaching.

Now, was the journalism degree worth the 40 grand? I think so. But really, so is any undergraduate degree. From my perspective, I gained greater work ethic and writing skills than I would have from being hunched over finance books for 2 years.

But realistically, knowing that the average person changes jobs at least 10-12 times and that a graduate degree is pretty much essential to getting a foothold in any career, I don't think the title of our undergraduate degree will make or break any of us.

Looking back on journalism coursework so far, one class sticks out big time: J415. It's been a year since I took it, but my heart rate still goes up every time I walk toward Dole. But just like a shot of nasty cough medicine, 415 was good for me in the end. It wasn't my favorite class, but 415 taught me most of the skills that other classes in the J-school have since honed:

• Writing and editing: This one is kind of a given, but perhaps the most important. Stats still show that employees who can communicate effectively and accurately through writing are in demand.
• How to tell a story different ways: 415 taught me how to turn a print story into a TV package and vice versa. Then we learned how to put it on the Web and add interactive and visual elements. These days journalists have to wear many hats if they want to keep a job, so it's important that they know how to do a little bit of everything.
• How to work with unpleasant individuals: City commissioners can be cranky, professors can be unorganized, partners can be lazy. Taking 415 taught me how to interact with all sorts of people while keeping my cool and staying on deadline, an important job skill in any field.
• How to make a counseling appointment at Watkin's Health Center: The first thing J415 gave me was a mental breakdown. No joke.
• Networking and namedropping: When you say "I'm a journalism student working on a project," sometimes people don't have time for you. But when you say "Good afternoon. My name is Ima Reporter and Mr. Big Shot told me you were an excellent source for an article I'm working on," you tend to get somewhere. Then you can call Mr. Big Shot later for another article, or perhaps when you're looking for a job.
• Always panic early: 415 enhanced my already neurotic tendencies to be obsessively on time and over-organized. These traits could end up killing me, but for now I am a pro at time management and working under pressure.

So, was this worth $40,000+? Ask me again after I graduate next May, but so far the skills I've learned have paid off. I'm pretty confident these skills will get me a journalism job, and if not, I will make a damn good secretary.

The $40,000 question: Was my journalism education worth it?

The simple answer is yes. Yes, I have the basic skills I need to work in the news industry. Yes, I can wield the tools of the reporter. Yes, I've suckled the teat of journalistic culture with its focus on professional practices and values.

I have tasted, and believe.

But I've had to swallow an awful lot of fat while eating my academic meal. Most of this lard loosely hangs from the idea that I need to be well rounded and versed in the humanities. While I agree with the idea, the portion size has created a curricular obesity that clogs out more relevant, vocational study.

Read: My YEAR of Western Civ. was overwhelmingly worthless and ate into my reporting time.

I put the most effort and derived the most satisfaction out of classes that were relevant to my core motivation for attending KU: learn how to do journalism. This usually implies that a journalism faculty member teach a class that will help me be a good journalist. J101 didn't fit that mold, but all my other J-School classes did.

My favorite classes were those that made me miss the most meals and instigated the severest conniptions. Multimedia Reporting and Advanced Reporting, like a dose of colon blow, are self-induced traumas that beget growth and a sense of euphoric lightness—once completed.

And I gotta say, Gentry teaches delectable and digestible courses in finance, management and other business-worldly delights.

But there are those vegetables that are missing, and would be nice to see served. Can I get a side order of info-gathering strategies and product delivery and other computery things with that?

But, all and all, I am satisfied. Check, please!

There's nothing like graduating from college knowing that you're at least $40,000 in debt. Yes, I probably could have stayed in Arizona and gotten some pretty good schooling, but then I wouldn't have been able to enjoy KU basketball.

Sure, I wish I didn't have to pay student fees for things I didn't use when I was in school and I don't understand the point of differential tuition, but I guess that money wasn't enough to keep me from transferring, so: end of story.

To be perfectly honest, I think it was 40 grand well spent. Included in my investment was a semester in Spain, a bowl game in Miami, a trip to San Antonio for the Final Four, access to a lot of expensive equipment, and plenty of memories.

As for the most useful (or best) class I've encountered…I'd have to say Journalism 415. Why? Well, it taught me some useful journalism skills and once it was over I decided that there was no class at KU that could be as challenging as what I had just been through. Coming in at a close second was any class I took in Spain. If you're ever debating about whether or not to study abroad, stop thinking and go sign up!

The only class I wish KU offered is one that actually teaches you how to survive in the real world. In a way, journalism provides these classes because those Advanced Media classes are like jobs…except we don't get paid. But seriously, I've encountered some people that can't balance a checkbook and have zero people skills. I think those are more important than learning about non-Western cultures.

Among the endless parties, non-stop text messages, and the occasional fight with the roommates, I somehow managed to go to class and get a pretty damn good education. But as my Dad says, the learning's not over once you graduate, you just stop paying for it.