The University of Blog

As programming director for the Society of Professional journalists, I helped planned a panel for how to be an awesome intern. I came away with a lot of good tips. I would like to intern this summer for my local paper, but we’ll see. If I do, I will be sure to follow some of the journalism panelists’ advice.

1. Research the community in which you are working. Get lost in the community. Know everything and plan story ideas ahead of time. Be proactive in your curiosity about the world.
2. Swallow pride. Yes you attend the University of Missouri (world’s best journalism school), but you still have a lot to learn.
3. Bring a clock. Always be on time and professional. You are auditioning for your professional career.
4. KNOW you can do it.
5. Find a champion. Seek out another person who you can turn to and accept constructive criticism from. It’s a safe place.
6. Stand out by asking questions and being prepared.
7. If an internship isn’t structured, find a way to make it meaningful. Ask “what will I be doing?”. If the answer is “it’s up to you,” seek out opportunities.
8. You are a millennial, use it. People will be seeking you out for knowledge about technology.
9. It’s all about the clips—quality clips. It doesn’t have to be hard news, it just has to show your talent.
10. Know what your “news philosophy” is. In interviews, you might be asked “what is a good news story.”
11. Do not have typos or grammar errors on a cover letter or resume. This is a first impression, create a good one.

Just some thoughts to keep in mind if you are in the internship boat.

Sometimes it can catch up with you to be away from your family. Sometimes everything can just get a little overwhelming. Sometimes you can just feel a little blue for no apparent reason. There are some things you can do that might help with this.

Go outside. If it is nice weather outside, nothing makes me feel better than going into nature. On the outskirts of campus, there is Peace Park with a babbling brook. The grassy knoll by the columns is also a nice spot to study, play Frisbee or just hang out. I have a friend who hosts a wiffle ball game on every Wednesday there.

Get away. Since you are going to class in the same place that you live, it can be hard to separate relaxing time from studying time. I am a big movie buff, so to relax, I really enjoy going to the movies. It is a good idea to get off campus if you can. That way when you are relaxing, you don’t have to be constantly reminded of school or what you have to do. If driving somewhere is not an option, going for a walk is also a nice alternative. Hanging out at a coffee shop or downtown can also help you relax.

Set aside some time for yourself. Participate in your favorite activity at least a few times a week. If you like to read, set aside time each day to read that novel you’ve been dying to finish. Maybe crocheting or painting is fun for you. What about a rousing game of Scrabble? The Craft Studio (located in Brady) offers classes or just a membership ($30 a semester) to go there and do art. My roommate knows how to throw pottery so she always brings back her creations, and I’m always impressed.

Work out. A great way to relieve stress is by releasing some endorphins at the wonderful Rec Center. Several options include treadmill, track, Tiger x classes or swimming. Inclined toward water? There are many options including the lazy river, whirlpool, hot tub, steam room and Olympic size swimming pool.

Still blue? The Counseling Center offers individual and group counseling. The health fee includes 12 individual visits as well as unlimited group therapy. This can be used if you are just a little stressed or feel depressed. Sometimes it’s nice to have someone else to talk to.

I’ve seen a lot of tours around lately. I remember visiting during a Black and Gold Day. I believe you can visit the school anytime, but there are special days where programs are offered to give you more insight into the school. There are several times to visit. One includes Mizzou Black and Gold Day where admissions holds an overview of the school, financial aid, and residential life. There is then a campus tour and a FREE lunch at a wonderful dining hall. You got to love the freebies. Visits are usually held on Fridays and enrollment is online. The next Black and Gold day is March 16. The next Meet Mizzou Day is April 7.

I remember lugging around a huge bag of glossy brochures, but it also allowed me the opportunity to envision myself at the school that I would be going to for the next four years of my life. I visited once during my junior year and once during my senior year. My mom and I loved the college visits. I visited 12 colleges altogether (Boston College, Boston University, Yale, Williams, Stanford, New York University, Syracuse University, Pepperdine University, Drake, University of Kansas, USC and Mizzou). I got to go on so many vacations masquerading as college visits. It allowed me the opportunity to know what to look for in a college and be completely happy with the school I finally chose.

Oh my goodness, for a sweets fiend like me, it is a paradise (or an undeniable hell when it comes to calories). The dining rooms are ridiculously full with cookies, frozen yogurt, ice cream, cake and pie. In addition, for the salt fan, there are potato chips, fries, and nachos. The common denominator here is that they are unhealthy and there are plenty of them.

So, the alternative to eating all of the good-yet unhealthy-food is to choose healthier options. Good tips are to always have breakfast and to always have two meals of the same food. This means to always have a salad or sandwich for lunch. Limiting your options helps make you feel fuller. Eating different ethnic foods (pizza with tacos for example) does not signal your body that you are full as fast due to the different spices.

Then limiting the junk food options is also smart. For example, have dessert once a day or once a week. Treat yourself, but don’t overindulge. I have learned firsthand that I feel like crap if I eat too much chocolate.

Knowing what you will eat or planning meals is also a good idea. This makes sure that you know how many calories you are eating and you can stick to your plan. The menus will be available online (once the site is updated).

The key is moderation. Have dessert, but limit to a few times a week. There are SO many options that it is wise to stick to one type of ethnic food. And balance protein (meat or cheese) with carbs (bread or pasta—wheat is always better) with GOOD fat (olive oil or almonds). Use the options (including your meal plan) to your advantage.

For $11 I went to see Of Montreal at the Blue Note. I liked their song “Requiem for OMM” made famous on the OC (series finale is tonight), but they have changed quite a bit since then. Elekibass from Tokyo, Japan opened for them. They were so full of energy it felt awkward not smiling and dancing along. They went through the audience to get to the stage wearing masks and playing their instruments. Got me very much in the mood for Of Montreal.

When Of Montreal came on, they were dressed in equally obscure costumes. (The guitarist was in angel wings and the lead singer wore hot pants.) The concert drew all types: I tried to ignore the guys in front of me with glitter under their eyes and big flower arrangements in their hair.

Of Montreal had a lot of energy and theatrics on the stage, but I felt that it took away from their performance. From their beginnings as an indie band, they have moved toward an alternative dance band, which is fun to dance to but hurt my ears after awhile. I’m glad that I could go and dance along, but given the opportunity, I would have stayed home and listened to the CD.

February is body image awareness month and I have noticed that there are many events this month in celebration. Saturday, I went to the Vagina Monologues hosted by the MU Women’s Center and the LEAD Institute at Jessie auditorium for $5. The Vagina Monologues are part of V-Day, a global movement to stop the violence against women and produce awareness. The “V” stands for Victory, Valentine and Vagina.

Women of Mizzou presented the monologues of other women. Some were hilarious, and some were very poignant. They all evoked conversation and discussion. They sold chocolate vaginas and birth control and proceeds benefited the Shelter, LEAD institute and the MU Stop the Violence Fund. And we have several events in Mark Twain to discuss what we’ve learned. Tonight there was a Vagina Monologue discussion with free doughnuts and coffee. Tomorrow there will be an event promoting sexual health with banana splits and condom relays. I was very glad that I could support my friends in their performances.

I have felt what it feels like to have four tests in one week. And let me say, it is not too much fun, but definitely possible with a little foresight. Since I received all of my syllabuses at the beginning of the year, I started studying a week before my tests. On Monday, I took Spanish and Psychology. On the way back from the Shins concert on Sunday, I studied some more for those tests.

Wednesday I had a Cross Cultural Journalism test. It was pretty time consuming. We spent an hour and fifteen minutes on ten short answer questions. Needless to say, my hand felt like it had died. And let me say, what a good way to spend Valentine’s Day! The week was not done for journalism though. I had my Principles of American Journalism test on Thursday. What a full week! Those big journalism classes that everyone takes seem to be weed-out classes, so it is very important to study for those tests. Also in both of the journalism classes, there are only three tests for the entire class and only extra points for the online message boards. Hopefully, I did well. I will find out next week.

I would not use the word fun to describe taking four tests in one week. However, it was definitely manageable with a little planning. Studying for tests is made a lot easier if it is started about a week or a half of week before the test date. Just a thought.

So KU won on Saturday, and I hate to say it, but I was happy. It is not so great that Mizzou lost at home, but since I am from Lawrence, I feel like I should root for the team that I grew up with. On the upside for Mizzou fans, the game was the most exciting one that I had been to!. It began when Truman the Tiger was suspended in a harness from the ceiling and brought to the floor greeted by an arena full of cheers.

The line to get in was not too bad, but parking was congested since the game was sold out, and this is the must- see game of the year. There are surrounding areas to park such as metered spots across Stadium road as well as a garage. Upon entering through the student entrance, we got colorful bracelets so we could sit in the student section, which is at one end of the arena. The basketball tickets are included with the All Sports Pass (around $200.)I’ve only gone to a few games because a lot are during the week. However, I was very excited to see the KU game– definitely well-worth it.

(above: Pic of The Shins)

What a full weekend! Concerts galore. I think that I spend almost all of my savings on concerts. Saturday night Ben Kweller came to Mojos, which is a smaller venue about ten minutes from campus. Amsterband from the Ozarks opened for them, and Ben Kweller (BK) put on a great show. Lots of sha-shas– check it out if you are not familiar with him. I highly recommend the upbeat, happy vocals and guitar skills. I got a pic with him. Too cool.

Last night I attended The Shins concert at the St. Louis The Pageant. Made famous by the Indie movie Garden State, The Shins did not disappoint. The drive is about two hours to the Pageant, and while waiting around, there are a lot of nice shops in the Loop (surrounding area). So worth it. Natalie Portman said in Garden State that “This band will change your life.” They had so much energy playing songs from their new album as well as the greats such as “Caring is Creepy” and “Kissing the Lipless.”

Interested in being a “cool cat”and seeing some sweet concerts? (the fact that I used the term ‘cool cat’ might take away from my cool factor, but still There is a box office in Brady Commons where they sell Ticketmaster. This is easier than online because you get your ticket right there, and gift certificates from the Blue Note can be purchased. Also, Mojos or Blue Note tickets can be purchased at the Blue Note. There is no reason not to go to several concerts since Columbia is a great venue. If it’s not here, it’s in St. Louis or Lawrence. The tickets range from about $15-25. Highly worth it for some great pictures, music and memories.

Being away from home for the first time means one thing: doing laundry by yourself. There is no mother to help and I hadn’t learned how to do laundry until entering college. The price is $1.00 to wash and $.75 to dry. Be careful about finding one that works though, because the dryers can be shotty. And keep track of the time on the washer and dryer. Students have no problem taking the clothes out of the dryer if they need one. It is up to you if you want to sit in there with your clothes. A couple people do, but they don’t have the most comfy place to study. I think if you pay attention to the time, it is not bad to just come back and forward the laundry.

In Mark Twain, the Laundry room is downstairs in the basement. There is one room that takes just coins and another that takes student charge. I just use my ID because it is easier, but all of them also take coins. I choose to do laundry every week because it is easier to find a couple of washers rather than four. It seems to work out pretty well.