I want to be a storyteller: to find people with something interesting or meaningful to say, encapsulate their messages, and present them to the world. After reading the essay, “Shit Happens” by Etgar Keret, I came to a realization that I also have a desire. Keret reminded me of this when he said, “that page was just a pipeline through which I could transmit my feelings from my mind to his…I had discovered the magic that I needed to help me survive” (page 110).
As a little girl, my family often called me the next Kelly Ripa. Instead of hosting doll tea parties, my friends and I used to play LIVE! With Regis & Kelly: I always chose to be Kelly and used a hairbrush for my microphone.
I am a “people person” and love to tell stories while seeking experiences through which I can have a positive effect on others. It is ironic because even though I have always loved this, I continuously work on my fear of public speaking. Being nervous to public speak was a big part of not allowing myself to explore this desire. First semester of my junior year in college I decided that it would finally be time to take a public speaking class. Taking this class was a huge step in terms of getting over the hump of letting go of some of the nerves. From the first time I got up there in the class to the last I truly did improve each time and saw it too. I always practiced numerous times before getting up there to make sure I was always prepared (sometimes too many). When I finally got up there the worries drifted away, and I was able to do it. I realized that I needed to take a breath and not get so worked up every time. This is definitely easier said than done but it was the small victories I had. I realized that when thinking about my future career I want to be interacting with people.
When picking a university, I also knew that I wanted to explore all aspects of communications including public speaking, film, and television. I knew that the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University was the place. Here, the school offered unparalleled academic options and extracurricular activities through which I can master the skills necessary to succeed in the competitive field of communications. Now that I am entering my senior year I look back and couldn’t be happier and more grateful being a student here.
When thinking back on my last campus visit as a rising freshman, I arrived for the Newhouse tour early, and one of the professors graciously asked me if I’d like to see the TV studio. I sat down at the news desk and they turned on the lights. As I sat in this real-life studio setting, the air felt truly electric and I knew this is where I belonged.
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