The Best Part about UF: My Peers
My favorite part about being a student in the UF College of Journalism and Communications is working with the other students. I know that I had to work my butt off for years to get accepted to this incredible Top-10 university, and it was quite a journey. Now I am surrounded by other students who have their own stories, struggles and goals, and I admire them all for not only getting to where they are today, but continuing to work hard toward the future.
Being in high school and then community college for two years, I struggled to have my interests align with other student's. Now every day I interact with students who love what I love, and have the same giddy feeling about typewriters, cameras, writing, sports, and even the fonts we choose to represent ourselves. That is what I love most.
Additionally, these students inspire me! I attend class every day, yet I learn the most from my peers, not my professors. They work hard to report the truth. They stay late to work on stories. They drive far to get just a 10 minute interview. They don't let their dreams be dreams-- they go out and achieve them.
Here's just a few who inspire me:
First up-- Courtney Mims:
Her blog "Sports with Court" captures her true passion for sports. I don't think it's a coincidence that her name rhymes with sports. Courtney is eager to learn, eager to teach and eager to grow. She's any teacher's dream. I think she could teach most of the classes we've had together. Court knows her stuff and I wouldn't put anything past her. Court took me under her wing, and I will always remember that. Courtney would help everyone with their projects before even starting her own. She has a big personality, and you know when she's in the room. Any reporter could learn a lot from her, I'm just glad that it was me who got to really take advantage of her guidance.
Next up is Veronika Vernachio:
Veronika is another example of a hard worker. Any breaking news story, she's there. Even when it's not asked of her, she is in the field always reporting, whether on the weekend, over night, in extreme weather conditions or states away, Veronika is covering it. She has a passion for storytelling, and I think that is why she is so fun to talk to. Her laugh is infectious and as respectful as I am in class, I think I get in the most trouble for talking and laughing with her. Her blog reveals the best places to eat in the county. Most of the places she talks about in her blog are restaurants she visited while on business trips as a reporter (she never stops)! I think that she had no choice but to blog about the best places to eat, because she's already covered everything else. Funny enough, the first time I was sent out on a story with her, we made a few stops for lunch and then coffee. Journalists gotta eat too. I always jumped when given the opportunity to work with her. She even makes the boring stories fun.
Finally is Alexis Pastore:
Alexis' blog paints a picture of what life as a student reporter is like. Alexis embodies everything about a journalist: knowledge, empathy and hard work. When I think reporter, I think Alexis Pastore. She's the type of girl who goes above and beyond the requirements every time. She is the student that others envy. She makes other's effort look like just that: effort, compared to her outstanding accomplishments. She's the type to win every award and deserve it! Alexis looks sweet and she is, but don't get it twisted, because she is quick to shut you down if you try to pull one over on her. Spokesmen should beware! I know Alexis will go very far in whatever careers she decides to pursue.
The four of us are seniors, and as sad as it is to think that we will be going our own ways, I can't wait to see how far these girls go.
Being in high school and then community college for two years, I struggled to have my interests align with other student's. Now every day I interact with students who love what I love, and have the same giddy feeling about typewriters, cameras, writing, sports, and even the fonts we choose to represent ourselves. That is what I love most.
Additionally, these students inspire me! I attend class every day, yet I learn the most from my peers, not my professors. They work hard to report the truth. They stay late to work on stories. They drive far to get just a 10 minute interview. They don't let their dreams be dreams-- they go out and achieve them.
Here's just a few who inspire me:
First up-- Courtney Mims:
Her blog "Sports with Court" captures her true passion for sports. I don't think it's a coincidence that her name rhymes with sports. Courtney is eager to learn, eager to teach and eager to grow. She's any teacher's dream. I think she could teach most of the classes we've had together. Court knows her stuff and I wouldn't put anything past her. Court took me under her wing, and I will always remember that. Courtney would help everyone with their projects before even starting her own. She has a big personality, and you know when she's in the room. Any reporter could learn a lot from her, I'm just glad that it was me who got to really take advantage of her guidance.
Next up is Veronika Vernachio:
Veronika is another example of a hard worker. Any breaking news story, she's there. Even when it's not asked of her, she is in the field always reporting, whether on the weekend, over night, in extreme weather conditions or states away, Veronika is covering it. She has a passion for storytelling, and I think that is why she is so fun to talk to. Her laugh is infectious and as respectful as I am in class, I think I get in the most trouble for talking and laughing with her. Her blog reveals the best places to eat in the county. Most of the places she talks about in her blog are restaurants she visited while on business trips as a reporter (she never stops)! I think that she had no choice but to blog about the best places to eat, because she's already covered everything else. Funny enough, the first time I was sent out on a story with her, we made a few stops for lunch and then coffee. Journalists gotta eat too. I always jumped when given the opportunity to work with her. She even makes the boring stories fun.
Finally is Alexis Pastore:
Alexis' blog paints a picture of what life as a student reporter is like. Alexis embodies everything about a journalist: knowledge, empathy and hard work. When I think reporter, I think Alexis Pastore. She's the type of girl who goes above and beyond the requirements every time. She is the student that others envy. She makes other's effort look like just that: effort, compared to her outstanding accomplishments. She's the type to win every award and deserve it! Alexis looks sweet and she is, but don't get it twisted, because she is quick to shut you down if you try to pull one over on her. Spokesmen should beware! I know Alexis will go very far in whatever careers she decides to pursue.
The four of us are seniors, and as sad as it is to think that we will be going our own ways, I can't wait to see how far these girls go.
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