A Day In the Life of a Journalism Student

**Assignment for school.**

Here is the link.

This video is the paparazzi stationed in front of the hospital that Britney Spears was at, during one of her many episodes.   There are many ethical issues here, but I think the one that I am most concerned about is the other people that are in the hospital and their privacy.  These people have families that need to come in and out of the hospital.  They deserve to be able to go in and out of the hospital as they wish.

What I would have done differently is just report the story.  You don’t need to show who is going to visit her, or who is going to stay with her.  Report that she’s in the hospital and leave it at that, in this situation Britney Spears was suffering from mental illness, and she needed to be treated and left alone.

**This post, and the next post entitled, Ethical Dilemma #2 are for a class.**

 This is the link to my ethical dilema.  Here is the link to the video, in question.

The Ethical Dilemma is that it has nothing to do with the election.  It’s also showing gruseum  things that the public doesn’t need to see.  If I am running for an office, I would say what my plan is.  As Ted Leonsis said, “If I was a candidate right now, I would NOT get into the mud. I would try to rise up and rally America with a plan; with specifics; and with inspiration.”  The shape our country is in, we don’t have time to deal with the smack talking, we need facts.

If I were a candidate, and this ad came to me, I would first of all, tell them absolutely not.  This has NOTHING to do with the shape the United States is in.  It has nothing to do with the majority of the United States.  Not once does it mention what the alternative is.  It also never mentioned the overpopulation of the wolves in that area, and how they come into camps, and how they injure people.

If this was an ad I was putting out, I would change it around, you don’t have to show animals getting killed to get your point up.  You could get the point by just doing a dark commercial with white words on the screen, a completely silent commercial, people would notice that there was no sound and pay attention to it.  Whenever something changes on the television and I’m watching, I notice.

**Please read this post  remembering that I am on a lot of medication at the moment.**

Day three and I am already having issues.  Not with school really, but the last couple of days I have been having issues with swallowing and a sore throat.  This morning I woke up with difficulty breathing, so I woke my mom up.  I couldn’t stop crying, and when I get like that, I don’t take questions very easily.  I’m sure I was rude to her on more than one occasion.  Neither of us knew what to do, and we finally decided I should go to the hospital.  I put on some comfy clothes and off we went.  Luckily, the Emergency Room wasn’t too full and I was helped immediately.  I was supposed to get a shot of cortizone, but luckily right before the nurse stuck me, the doctor came in, and said “Hey, just feed it through the IV.”  I only got stuck once, but the nurse had difficulty getting the vein.  She dug around until she FINALLY got it.  Then the doctor wanted to do a cat scan.  So, off I went.  They put me in a wheelchair, which really bothered me because I could walk, I was fine to walk.  But, no.  My head went into the cat scan and they pulled me out.  Then they put this dye in me.  The dye made me warm all over, and they took another one.  The cat scan technician noticed that one side was worse than the other.  But, the doctor said he didn’t see anything on the cat scan.  Weird.  I ran into a woman from work, and she said that I looked awful, which made me feel GREAT.  I ended up having an inflamed roof of my mouth, and a uvula that was filling with fluid.  The uvula filling with fluid is what was causing me to have issues breathing and swallowing.  The doctor told me to take antibiotics, pain pills, and benadry.  I went home and went back to bed.  I was determined not to miss school, so I woke up and got a shower, and off I went.  I made it through my first class, and there is about an hour and a half between my first and second class.  I sat in a building lounging on the bench, and playing on my computer.  I began getting dizzy and lightheaded.  I immediately called my mom, and bless her heart, she came and got me.  I went home, seriously regretting my decision to go to school.  I took another pain pill, and fell asleep.  I don’t know what I am going to do about school tomorrow.  I have an 8 o’clock class, and it’s math…I guess we will see how it goes and what I decide.  I will keep you posted.

I have been to ALL of my classes.  Well, you know except for that one that is on the internet.  I am really going to enjoy this semester.  I am taking a VERY wide variety of classes.  If you care here are my classes:

• Art Appreciation
• Newswriting I
• Intro to Mass Communication
• Intro to Criminal Justice
• Math

The one I will struggle with is math.  I am horrible at math.  I don’t understand it, and probably never will.  I am trying to get my life in a bit of an organized manner also.  I am going to enjoy this week, study, get everything finished that I need to, and then, this weekend…I am putting myself on a schedule.  EVERY SINGLE DAY.  I am aware that things will come up, especially me being on the paper, and being very interested in learning how it runs and operates.  As a part of my schedule it will include time for studying, catching up on the blogs and blogging, and also reading.  One of my goals this semester is to have time to read three books.  Not long books, but just some books for fun.  I don’t want to read them all on the weekends, I want to have a few minutes here and there to actually be able to enjoy them.

Anyway onto the classes.  I was definitely right when I said newswriting will be my favorite class.  And, I am not just saying that because I think my teacher will read this.  He’s VERY cool.  He is into social media, and believes that it is the way to go.  In class today he even brought up Gary Vaynerchuk, which totally won me over because I adore that man.  Anyway, I am going to try to head to bed.  But, I hope to blog daily, on my endeavors and what is going on in each of my classes.  Honestly, nothing is going on just yet…but things WILL pick up.

My first day of classes are  over.  Actually, they were over yesterday, but whatever.  I had a pretty good first day of classes.  I really liked my Intro to Mass Media class, and the group that I was in was spectacular.  I am currently waiting outside of my first class of the day, anxious to get started.

The class I am most looking forward to this semester is my Newswriting class.  From what I hear my  teacher is pretty awesome, and if it is who I am thinking it is, he is writing a book on social media.  But, I guess I will find that out this afternoon.  I will try to keep this updated as I battle through another semester as a journalism student.

You know it’s funny, when I finally figured out what I want to do with my life, it seems like I figured everything out.  I want to be a writer, I am doing everything in my power to make that happen.  My goal is to write for a paper.  But, not just any paper, I want to work for the Montreal Gazette.  Why you may ask?  Well, since I have figured out what I want to do, I have this…obsession with Montreal.  I have met some amazing people from there…seriously, I have never met an awful person from Montreal.  I am sure they are there, but, they’re not in my little circle.  I have been trying to plan a trip up there, it hasn’t worked out, yet.  I am hoping to go in February or March of 2009.

Anyway, I am losing my mind going to school, and just trying to get there.  I know eventually I will be done with school, and could possibly get a job there, but it’s hard getting excited about it, because it seems so far away.

I don’t know if this post made any sense to anyone…but whatever.

So, if anyone cares I am going to put my paper that I wrote for my college writing class on here. It’s about hockey but I am pretty proud of it, so if you do read it, please let me know what you think. Read more »

Well, it’s been a crazy few weeks.  School is going great, and I am just having a great time.  My god daughter is due on Tuesday and I am waiting as patiently as possible for her arrival.  And, then about three weeks ago I found out that two of my old roomies are pregnant also.  And, well, my brother and sister in law are expecting also.  Pretty crazy.  It’s funny, the more I am seeing people get pregnant and expand their family the more I’m like…you know…I am happy for them but that’s not what I want right now.

School is making me realize I just want to finish and get on with my career, and also, be able to travel around and only focus on work.  I couldn’t imagine leaving my husband and kids at home with the traveling I plan on doing…eventually.  *Unfortunately journalism is one of those fields where you have to work your way up so it may take a little while*

I am really happy with the way things are going right now, I don’t think I would change anything.  Eyes are on the prize…and I can’t wait to graduate and get my career going!!!!!!

Well, it’s Thursday, and tomorrow is the end of the second week, but I just want to say I LOVE school.  I am so happy with my teachers, my classes, my job, my life, and well just everything.  Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I have College Writing and Speech, both of my teachers for those classes are absolutely amazing.  I never find myself bored in either of those classes.  Tuesday and Thursday I have Race and Gender in the Mass Media and Math.  Math, is math, you have to try to make the best of it, but it’s kind of difficult.  My R/G/M class is amazing.  I find myself looking at everything differently now.  I consider myself a pretty open minded person, partly because of the way I was raised.  I was taught to always love one another…regardless of skin, religion, and well everything.  But, even I have moments where I lapse and find myself thinking bad thoughts about someone.  Anyway, it’s an amazing class and if you get the opportunity to take the class do it.  I’m not sure if it’s my teacher or what but I love this class.

My friends are fabulous and are being so supportive of me.  I love being in school and being able to say, I can’t, I have homework.  I know it sounds dumb, but I actually look forward to heading home and working on my homework.  Yes, I am a dork.  Anyway, I am one happy girl right now and thankful for my family and all that they do for me.  Especially my mom, she is so good to me.  Anyway, I have to get back to my hockey…have a wonderful evening.  I will try to update this more often.

Well, it’s just about official.  School starts on Monday, I can’t believe it, I’m finally getting back.  This time feels so much different than my other attempts of school, I know what I want to do, I have a goal, and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.  I am thrilled to be going back and to be working on my Journalism degree.

I have blogged about hockey for nearly a year now, I can see my writing improving every single day that I write.  I mean you look at my earlier entries, and you can tell a major difference in what I write now.  That feels like an accomplishment to me, but you know, it’s only me.

There have been some set backs in my back to school quest.  First of all, I quit my job at the bank, it was stressful and there was no way I would be able to go to school while I was still working there.  There was never a definite time that I would get off, and I would not have any me time, and that’s something that I have to have.  I am working my catering job and I have such an amazing boss, who is so helpful and understanding with school and my life.  Then, there’s my dad.  My dad and my mom divorced when I was 17.  My dad hasn’t been the same since, he’s a different person, I feel uncomfortable around him.  Growing up I was a daddy’s girl, I could tell him anything and could go to him for anything, these days I dread calling him, I never visit him, and well, it’s not my fault.  He has separated himself from my family,  that’s on him.  Anyway, I called him to ask him for money for my school books.  Keep in mind, I haven’t asked him for money since 2003.  He then began to give me excuses as to why he couldn’t, now trust me, I understand financial problems very well, but his main excuse to me was, well I am trying to help Pat out.  Pat is a nearly 100 year old woman that he met when my parents got divorced.  Anyway, Pat is not his family, but I am, and he can help her but not me.  It seems a little messed up.  Anyway, I just needed to vent.  Dad, if you do read this, you need to realize who your family is and start being there for them.  There will be a time when you need Matt and I, if you keep acting the way you have been recently, you won’t have any family left.