Imagine my shock, when after a wonderfully exciting day of rubbing elbows with Colby-Sawyer trustees, I come back to my room to find a six year old boy took off in his parents’ helium filled balloon! These are the types of stories that always come out of no where and they brighten up a dull news day. It never hurts to have a story that is so outrageous that it bonds the country.
UPDATE: the boy was hiding in the attic
Today’s lunch with the trustees proved very eventful. I love getting a look behind the scenes of the place I go to college. After this summer, I know for sure that I am in the right major. I never knew how much I love to inform people and how much I love news. I always jump at the chance to watch television whenever a story is breaking. It gets my blood pumping.
But back to today’s trustee lunch. Getting to mix with trustees is great because it gives you another unique perspective on the college. It gives you a chance to tap into their minds and they into those of the students. It is so easy to forget that, while the students are the heart of the college, they don’t run it. It isn’t up to us to make the decisions for the college even though we have to live with all those decisions once they are made.
The highlight of lunch was getting to finally put into words not only my love for the college but for the department I spend my days working in. I love Colby-Sawyer because of what a wonderful pre=””>enviornment is. Everyone works together and there is a chance for everyone’s voices to be heard. I love how there isn’t a disconnect between the administration and the students. The small atmosphere really plays into that. Colby-Sawyer is so small that nothing goes unnoticed. That can be both a good and bad thing. Trust me when I say, if you’re not in class, your professor will know.
I love being a communication studies major because of all the wonderful opportunities it has provided. I have gotten to mix all my loves while completing a challenging curriculum that keeps me on my feet. One of the highlights has been my radio show. There is nothing I enjoy more than sharing my passion for Country Music with the campus and neighboring communities. My passion comes through when I take the mike.
I actually have two great loves. My number one love is Country Music, and right behind that is writing. I love to write. I love composing excellent writing. Life is too short to be a crappy writer. That’s why I write for the newspaper. It is so much fun to compose articles that help to inform the college about things for which they may not be aware. I believe that one of my life’s purposes is to inform people.
Going along those lines is the idea of bringing about change. There is so much going on not only in this world but on campus that should be changed. The biggest one is the attitudes taken by the students. There is a huge disconnect between those students on top and those sort of in the middle. What makes a student feel that they can make a comittment and not stick to it? The idea is insane to me!
I am guilty of my next point, BUT college is a place to practice being in the real world. I’ve heard twice now from my advisor, a piece of advice the President gave the first year students when he opened the college last month. He told students to get up in the morning saying that a lot goes on between 8am and noon. Truer words never spoken!!! I just want to thank him for raising that point. Believe it or not, people feel better when they get up early in the morning. You have more hours in your day to get things done and you do miss a lot when you sleep in to all hours. Getting up early is SO MUCH better than staying up late. Plus, you feel better when you get a full night of sleep. Thank you, President Galligan, for making that point.
I love the college because of the atmosphere created here at Colby-Sawyer. I love being a communication studies major because it allows me to do everything I love. I love to be on the radio, be a writer, and follow news. I couldn’t be in a better place for that.
I have never had more fun in THE COURIER. I got a renewed since of purpose after attending the fabulous conference at the NY Times this past March. I was in a room with people like me, all student journalists who feel the same passion that I do for creating the best college papers possible. Also, I got to hear from the best of the best in the newspaper business and learn insider tricks of the trade. I took extensive notes, but the one point that really stuck with me: to be a good writer, you have to read good writing.
They cited both the NY Times (no bias there, huh?) and THE NEW YORKER. I now faithfully read both. One thing I know for sure is that life is way too short, to fall into bad trips and waste time surrounding yourself with crap. Be it low quality wine, or bad journalism. Life is way too short.
I’m warning you Colby-Sawyer. No one is perfect and we can always be better. I’m going to keep challenging you while I challenge myself at the same time. PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH!
I am going to use my voice, in editorials, to hold CSC accountable this year. Everyone should be on top of their games. If you’re not giving 100% you’re going to know about it. This issue is no different. Just read my thoughts on students not keeping commitments.
I learned in my internship that little mistakes (not unlike my awful misspellings on the front page) make a bad impression. It’s time we all grow people. Grow and get better. Life is too short to be any other way.
The Pappalardo Periodical 