The Alchemy of New Beginnings

“You’re never going to kill storytelling, because it’s built in the human plan. We come with it.” – Margaret Atwood. Storytelling is the narrative of our experience. As my first week at USC AYA comes to an end, I reflect on the transformative, yet pervasive nature of storytelling within the daily lives of us humans. As I navigated the underground maze of the Los Angeles metro system, I immersed myself in the ethereal pages of Paulo Cohelo’s The Alchemist. This novel became my oracle, as well as “my favorite piece of media” for the week. Santiago’s journey in pursuit of his Personal Legend to find his treasure aligned with my time at USC, each experience enumerating my wisdom, personal growth, and perspicacity. Just as alchemy transforms the copper into gold, storytelling transforms ordinary experiences into narratives of flourishment and growth making means of forging human connection and purpose. This was just what I learned my first week at AYA. Join me as I share my experience at Annenberg’s intensive where every encounter contributes to my story and Personal Legend.

I initially mentally prepared myself for the college-level coursework to be the most challenging aspect of the program. I soon learned I was exceptionally wrong. To my surprise, the commute would be the most daunting part. Navigating the vast metro for the first time by myself contributed to my personal growth, story, and self-realization. Each trip, especially the first, forced me to make quick-witted decisions and communicate with strangers to accurately navigate the foreign routes. Arriving at USC felt like a breath of fresh air, a familiar feeling- this was all a part of my “personal legend” at USC.

Stepping into the Annenberg building, I was immediately inthralled. I was greeted by Karen and Brittany, both of which already knew my name. Though seemingly such a minor detail, their attentiveness and warm welcome put me at ease. Following the welcome, we were introduced to AYA and Annenberg graduate Jordyn Holman– now a Business Reporter at The New York Times. Jordan shared the story of her journey as a professional journalist. I was captivated by her journey– one that took her from Chicago to LA, and eventually New York. As she spoke, she revealed her “personal legend”, the deeper purpose that had guided her every step. When faced with an internship opportunity in NY she nervously approached mom. Her mom responded, “What are you going to do about it?” I immediately felt an unexpected connection. This was a recurring motif I noticed the entirety of this week as we were introduced to new speakers, professors, and mentors. Why did I feel such affinity with these strangers? The secret: they were all incredible public speakers who had mastered their “personal legend”. A couple days later, I was once again mesmerized by the connection and incredible story Melanie Cherry crafted of her PR career unfolding due to a basketball player wearing unusual socks. What seemed like such a mundane topic stunned me like no other.

I concluded that I wanted to feel heard by these people. However, in order to do so, I had to approach them myself and share my story. I stayed in the classroom after her presentation to seek guidance. As she began to leave the building, for a split second, I was taken back to the metro. I knew I had to make quick decisions, push my boundaries, and communicate with strangers to accurately navigate my own path. I quickly approached her. What started as a simple question, evolved into a forged connection. I applied these skills throughout the rest of the week, when making friends, asking for guidance on an assignment, and interviewing strangers in Little Tokyo.

The lectures and field trips at AYA also contributed to the broad intellectual simulation I received within the first week. Through lecture we learned the fundamentals of communications, civic media, and journalism through subjective topics like the “common good”. “Communication is a systemic process in which people interact with and through symbols to create and interpret meanings”(Wood, 2013). Civic Media is “the technologies, designs, and practices that produce and reproduce the sense of being in the world with others toward the common good” (Gordon and Mihailidis, 2016). Journalism is the spread of information with intention to make people feel heard. The dissemination of information and storytelling are the powerful tools that established connection in society. Such subjects teach mankind to understand and appreciate the depths of human culture, history, awareness, and emotional connection. As week one comes to a close, I view AYA through a different lens. Each one of us, embarking on our unique journeys of life, had diverse “personal legends” that lead us all back to one room: the Wallis Annenberg Hall at USC.