My second week at USC AYA was very different and felt very hands on compared to my first week’s experience. In my reflection on how the week went, I will divulge into the things I learned, the places I visited, and the new experiences I gained in my Communications and Journalism 101 classes.
For my first day of the week in my Communications class, I had to come in already having listened to the podcast Three Miles. While I was dreading having to listen to the hour-long episode, I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed it. Listening to Melanie, Raquel, and Jonathan’s stories made me feel emotional. In the podcast, it is explained that the three were incredible students in high school but faced much struggle after. The episode explored each of their individual experiences. Although they differed, one common factor united them all: they came from a low-income community. I am no stranger to these stories of kids coming from similar backgrounds facing difficulties when it comes to higher education. In fact, because I come from a similar place, this reality that I am sure to face has plagued my mind. I am always worried about how much harder academics will be once I go to a university and fear that I won’t be well-equipped to handle it. However, after listening to Jonathan and Melanie’s regrets and Raquel’s dedication to succeeding in a challenging environment, I walked away with a powerful takeaway from this podcast. I gained inspiration and reassurance. Not only did I have an example through Raquel of how taking advantage of resources can ensure success, but I was able to gain a better understanding of the possible issues I may face in the future. This way, I can now expect it and be ahead of the challenges rather than being taken by surprise. This has provided some relief for my worries about the future, and I am grateful to have listened to their stories.
Aside from the assigned podcast, our class was also visited by people who worked for USC’s admissions office. They gave us an incredibly insightful presentation on what the process of applying to USC is, why USC is a great choice, and they answered some of our questions. Following their presentation, we were given a little pamphlet with information about the school and the majors and minors they offer. It made me more excited to envision my future at USC.
To end off the second week for my Communications class, we took a visit to the Natural History Museum. This trip was extremely fun and was a nice break from the classroom environment. Walking around, I was able to look at fossils, exhibits with varying animals, and learned about California’s history. From this trip, I left with new information learned and tons of pictures with my friends.
As for my Journalism 101 class, it felt much more hands-on this time around. In the last two days, we got to travel to the Wallis Annenberg Hall where we recorded introductions for our Voxpops and got to film for our newscast.
When recording our voices, we went in groups of three and sat in front of microphones. Hearing my own voice from the headphones we wore wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. I was worried I would mess up from talking and listening at the same time, but it wasn’t really a problem at all. The entire experience was really fun, for lack of better words. I felt like I was recording for a professional podcast and it is an experience I definitely won’t forget.
For our newscast, I learned so much about the behind the scenes work it takes to film one successfully. There is a lot of communication, teamwork, and feedback that goes on in order to film a perfect shot. It felt very cool seeing our work all come together. After all of the official recordings were done, I got a chance to read from the teleprompter in front of the cameras and had a blast doing it.
Overall, my second week at AYA was unforgettable and insightful to say the least. Although our time is coming to an end in the following week, I cannot wait to see what else is left to come for the rest of our time in the program.
Works Cited: Glass, I. (Host). (2015, March 13). Three miles (No. 550) [Audio podcast episode]. In This American Life. WBEZ Chicago. https://www.thisamericanlife.org/550/three-miles
Communicating Change 