Reflective Essay: How The Media Changed My Life

People often say that every college has its own unique culture. However, everyone that attends AU knows that this university takes that to a whole new level. There is no way to describe the atmosphere at this school...except maybe through one story. ‘

When I was a freshman, living in the Anderson dorms, I was in my room when I heard an uproar of screams and chants coming from the lounge. I figured there was a football game or something of the sort on TV, so curiously, I walked out of my room, lanyard in hand, to see what all the fuss was about. When I walked through the doors of the lounge, what I was greeted with was an election poll, projected onto the TV. A literal live-count of votes with all my floormates cheering and screaming with every

I didn’t go into this class thinking it would change my career path, or my life. Like I’m sure a lot of you can relate to, I simply wanted to check off another box on my gen-ed list. Yet, as I listened to Professor Cooper talk about the importance of the media and all her crazy, exciting stories as a journalist - I realized I was sitting at the edge of my seat and, slowly, I felt that same passion bubbling up inside me. So, I quickly changed my major to journalism.

The next semester, I took “Writing For Communications” with Professor Doug Hecox. I walked into the class, my brand-new AP Stylebook in hand, ready to become the next great journalist. Now, anyone who’s had him knows exactly what I’m about to say, but I’ll tell the story anyway. I sat down along with my classmates as Professor Hecox looked us all in eye and said to us, “You all suck at writing. But that’s okay, I’m here to make your writing suck less.”

I was absolutely petrified. Again. What if my writing sucks? What if I’m not meant to be a journalist? All these thoughts rushed through my mind. But I persevered, as everyone here has had

I will never forget the countless hours, many laughs, and also tremendous amounts of heartache I spent at the Eagle, AU’s student-run newspaper. Though my classes had taught me so much, The Eagle is where I truly enhanced my writing skills, my reporting skills and, it is where I learned how to be a leader. As a managing editor, I spent a lot of time in that office with people I now consider life-long friends. And had I let fear control me, I would have never switched my major to journalism, or stayed in Professor Hecox’s class - and I would’ve never found those