Big Man On Campus
It has been a good while since I wrote another addition to Journal Today. I have been very busy with my job at the the University Library and keeping up with all of my classes. Since my previous post, I have met many people who have helped me become familiar with the University of Missouri. Last week, I just took my first two college exams. I will admit, some of the questions seemed a bit hard, but as long as I attend class and do my homework I should be good. Now then, let me catch you up to date.
Currently, I am an official member of five MU sponsored clubs. The Online News Association (ONA) helps me keep up to date on new developments in modern day journalism and teaches me how to brand myself in a more efficient way. The MU Magazine Club introduces students to the field of magazine writing, photography, design, and production. I am currently signed up for a trip in late October to go visit St. Louis check out some magazine productions in the city. The MU Improv Club is open to all who have a funny bone. We have practice every Thursday in the Arts and Science Building and work on how we can make each other laugh. The MU Venture Club takes students off campus to go on outdoor hiking and recreational activities. This past week, we went to hike the Pinnacles, a group of stand alone rock formations that jut up into the air for about thirty feet. I had to be careful when hiking the trail because of the loosened rocks on the path. One misplacement of my foot would've sent me tumbling down to my doom. Finally I joined The Maneater, Mizzou's student based newspaper. This production gives students the hands on training to improve their reporting skills before heading out into the professional field. On Thursday the 20th, I was assigned my first event to cover. I am so excited to say I was picked to interview the New Folk/Alternative band, Nathaniel Rateliff and the Nightsweats. (I'll be sure to put some of their music below.) The band is going to be playing next week at Columbia's biggest music festival, Roots N Blues N BBQ at Stephens Lake Park. I am super excited to meet with the band and interview them as a representative of the University of Missouri's student voice.
Besides hanging out with clubs, I have been studying new forms of journalism. In my Introduction to Journalism class, the professors have been inviting guest speakers to talk about their professions in journalism; I had no idea that there were so many positions in Strategic Communications, Documentary Journalism, Storytelling Journalism, and Magazine Journalism. All have been riveting, but I still show most interest in Magazine Journalism.
Since I have moved here to MU since August, many of my friends and I have noticed many dock-less electric ride share scooters in the Columbia area. I have taken up a curiosity for these scooters. The service is called Bird and basically how you access these scooters is by downloading the app and attaching your drivers licence to the system. You must be 18 to ride these scooters as they are registered as street vehicles. Once certifying your information the app then connects to a form of payment. Rides start at $1 and add on $0.20 for each minute you are on the scooter. It is a very convenient way to get around campus if you are almost late for class or if you want to hang out with someone downtown in Columbia. Since Bird has started in town, the city has been on edge about safety violations of where the scooters are put. I for one think it is another addition to transit to work for people. The business model seems to work and if there are so many safety concerns, the city should just make a lane for bike and scooters.
Tomorrow on the 22nd of September, Mizzou will face the Georgia Bulldogs in their fourth game of the season. As a member of the Tiger's Lair, I will be sure to be on the sixty yard line to cheer on my school. Hopefully, we will not get crushed. I have full confidence quarterback Drew Locke will deliver and the Tigers will be 4-0 this season.
One last thing, I have currently changed my blog title to just Journal Today. The reason of the name change is because I have new partner for the site! In the next coming weeks you will be reading the adventures of my friend Hugh O'Donnell who is currently taking a gap year abroad. Hugh is a photographer and he will be sharing his pictures and his own journals on Journal Today. With that in mind, I have created a new series covering Hugh's adventures. It will be called A World View w/ Hugh. Each new post will come out every two weeks for the next few months. Hugh will be travelling from Kathmandu, Nepal to Kenya. Be sure to tell your friends because in the next few weeks, we will be telling more exciting stories!