I’m always excited to know people are reading my published articles, no matter where I’m working or what the article is about. Lately I’ve been getting SO many wonderful messages from people who are reading my work from The Huffington Post. It’s really great to know that so many people are taking the time to read the things I’m writing this summer; I really do appreciate those who go out of their way to search for my byline!
My byline on HuffPost. Neat, right?!
In case anyone else wanted to keep up with my stories, I thought I’d share this page — it’s the page on HuffPost’s website where any article I write gets listed. (Of course, I think you should check out every article on The Huffington Post, but I thought I’d share this for people like my relatives and friends who want to see what I’m doing over the summer.) Click here to see the page, and thanks again for all the kind words!
I’m two weeks into my internship at the Huffington Post, and so far it’s been really great. I haven’t had much published yet – I’ve had two major bylines and I’ve helped in little ways with plenty of other stories – which is different from a lot of internships I’ve had in the past. But of course, this is a whole new ball game. Not only am I now dealing with national news, but I’m also dealing primarily with politics. Continue reading →
I had started another post about my first couple days in D.C., telling about all the places I’d been and how nice the area is that I’m living in. But yesterday I realized that’s not what I’ll remember about my first few days in the city.
The biggest realization that I’ve had since I came out here was that I’ve never really done anything this alone. (I made this realization with the help of a few friends, who talked me down when I started to go into panic mode Sunday night before my first day at work… Thanks yall.) When I went off to college, I had my parents drop me off and I had lots of friends close at hand. Most internships and jobs I had before now were in Charleston and Morgantown, two places that I call home. Even when I went to London to work, I had my best friend and twenty-something other WVU students with me to share the experience and keep my nerves in check.
And I’m in no way literally alone here. I’m living with distant family now, and they’ve really been supportive, kind and totally welcoming since I arrived. (I’m extremely thankful they are gracious enough to let me share their home for the next few months.) I already had several friends in D.C., and I’ve made a few more since I got here. Plus, I’m not even totally surrounded by new faces in the HuffPo offices – I had already met a few of the staffers during previous visits to D.C.
Still, it all felt very alone. It was the first time I didn’t have close friends or immediate family right beside me until the very last minute, until time to leave for work on Monday morning. It made D.C. seem so much bigger, so much more intimidating, and I couldn’t stop thinking about how easy it’d be for me to mess up and want to go home.
I’ve already mentioned on this blog that I read the book because I know one of the authors – Hollee Schwartz Temple is the wife of my college adviser, and throughout my last semester at WVU I often babysat her two sons. But I can say with certainty that I’m not bragging on this book because I know Hollee, and I know how hard she worked on this project – I’m telling you to buy it because it’s great. Continue reading →
Well hellooooooo, blog readers! A number of factors have caused me to neglect this blog for the last month or so, including lack of internet, a chaotic schedule, finals, etc. But I’m happy to say that I’m back!
Happy to take part in the online discussion about OBL's death.
I was lucky enough to be featured in an article for Huffington Post about the reaction to OBL’s death on college campuses – you can read that article here.
After all that excitement, I had to take finals and turn in last assignments, all of which went well. I finished my last semester of college with a 4.0! But I couldn’t celebrate too hard – I had to (temporarily) move home with my parents. All my stuff from my old house is piled high in the garage now, and I’m back in my old room for the time being.
Then, this happened:
GRADUATED!
YES! That’s me! With a Bachelor’s Degree! I’m so thrilled to be finished. Graduation weekend was absolutely wonderful, and thankfully, WVU put together this lovely video with highlights from all the commencement ceremonies. (I’m featured at the 00:30 mark!) Every time I watch this, it reminds me how special graduation was.
So, now what?
Well first, I’ll be taking a beach vacation with my family & best friend. I figured I better get in a little R&R before I start at the Huffington Post June 6th. I’m excited, nervous and totally scared to live and work in D.C. I think it will be a fantastic experience and I can’t wait to go.
Also, I decided to attend graduate school at the American University School of Communication. I’ll start there August 1, and work for a year to get my master’s in Journalism and Public Affairs.
Since I’m not quite done with school, I’m not going to change the headline on my blog just yet. I’ve still got a year to go before post-grad life really sets in, and I’m hoping to stay in D.C. even after I’m done with grad school. So don’t give up on me yet! I plan to continue blogging about graduate school, moving to a bigger city, adjusting to life outside of West Virginia and – as always – trying to find a job and a way to comfortably settle into post-grad life.
What are your plans for the next year? Do you have any tips for starting graduate school or moving to a bigger city? If so, let me know in the comments – we’re all in this together, right?
I’ve been pretty tied up lately finishing my bachelor’s degree (!!!) so I haven’t been able to focus on much but homework. Luckily, I worked ahead on all my final papers so I could take time off from school & watch the Royal Wedding today.
Prince William of Britain wed Kate Middleton today.
First, I just have to say that I would be Kate Middleton if I could. That girl is so gorgeous and classy, and I am so thrilled for her & Prince William. (And that DRESS! Stunning. Absolutely beautiful.) My fascination with being a princess reached its peak today, even though she’s technically a Duchess. (Whatever. You know everyone’s going to think of her as a princess even if that’s not her official title. She married a PRINCE, for goodness’s sake.)
Anyway, aside from being a royal fangirl all morning (I got up at 5 a.m. to watch the historic event) I was also tracking the use of social media during the couple’s big day. This wedding was the first to truly utilize all sorts of media, and I think it’s great that the Royal Family decided to embrace new media and make every aspect of the wedding more transparent for those watching around the world. Continue reading →
I wrote a blog post for West Virginia Uncovered about my four semesters in the class. Of all the courses I took in college, this one had the most impact on my learning, and I’m sad I’ll no longer be a part of it in just a few weeks. Click here to read my recap of the program, and if you have any questions about WV Uncovered, do not hesitate to ask me in the comments!
