It All Pays Off

Two fridays ago I covered the gubernatorial debate for the Trib. Seeing that the event was on a Friday, it was pretty much impossible to get a photographer to go with me, so I had to take pictures myself. As expressed in an earlier blog, I am by no means a photographer... but the knowledge we gained from the lecture on photography definitely helped me to feel more confident and do a better job in making the pictures. Things such as the rule of thirds, cropping, and focus and frame stood out in my mind and they enabled me to produce a pretty decent picture.

This is a classic example of putting what one learns into action. It is especially important in the field of journalism, for as is well-known, is going through a process of high transformation. It will be key for journalists to be able to use a camera, make videos and produce multimedia packages. Luckily, this class is enabling its students to know how to do these things, and how to do them well.

The final project is so much more than merely creating a website and hoping to receive an A in the class. For some students in other majors, that is really the only thing they think about while in class-- the grade. They obviously know that statistics and how to write a paper will help them along their way, but they don't see those things as detrimental as to whether or not they get a job. In the realm of journalism, practicing and mastering the curriculum of the classes is a key step in attaining a job. As time progresses, the idea of print publications might be shrinking, but more and more is expected of journalists. I have learned through my classes and experiences that it is simply not enough to do homework and study for tests; one has to engage themselves in what they are learning, and truly understand the effects it will have on their future.

I'm Late, I'm Late!

Yes, this blog is very far behind. The title however, made me think of Alice and Wonderland(one of my favorite Disney movies). Thinking of Wonderland led to thinking about Disney movies in general, which led to thinking about entertainment within the media. So although it isn't exactly related to the class, I am going to discuss media entertainment and its decline.

Entertainment is going down a terrible path. Whether it be television shows that do not provide quality content, popular magazines that depict the individual in an impossible manner or music that portrays unrealistic messages to society, the entertainment realm of media is decreasing in its potential each and every day.

When I was younger, there were such fantastic television shows, and I'm sure that before my time they were even better. I remember coming home from school and watching "Boy Meets World" on the Disney channel. There was also a monthly "original Disney channel movie".  Older generation shows like "Saved by the Bell", "Dawson's Creek" and "Happy Days" were also of great quality. Now, shows such as "Spongebob" and "Wizards of Waverly Place" plague household television screens; they don't promote anything, and they aren't even funny.

If I could change anything about the media(and this is a large thing to allude to, I know) it would be the way it portrays women. In decades before, women were deemed unhealthy if they weighed less than a certain amount. Movie stars appeared classy in magazine ads, not as if they had just gotten out of jail...which sadly is the case most of the time. Women like Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn were idols to girls all over the country. There weren't idols for being unhealthily thin though, but for their radiant natural beauty and talent.

Media today teaches viewers that they must appear a certain way in order to be accepted and liked in society. Women are depicted as thin, fake and oftentimes dumb or as sex symbols. Men are encouraged to be buff and exude an overly masculine aura. Not only are these things unrealistic amongst all, but they are unhealthy and degrading. The media needs to figure out some other way to sell magazines or heighten ratings.

Entertainment within the media is something that is only going to get worse. With the onflux of technology in today's society, there are countless ways to produce and view various forms of media. Whether it be televison, movies, music or publications, the media is expressing an unattainable ideal to men and women all over the world. Society needs to realize this as a whole, or else it will never be able to fight back.

Oh, the concept of group work...

Classroom group work is something that one either loves or hates. Some might find themselves constantly doing the entire project by themselves, where others might sit back and do absolutely nothing. In my case, I have a very hate/love kind of relationship toward group work. On one hand, I am oftentimes the individual that does the entire project on my own. Most of the time I don't trust the rest of my group members enough to do a good job, so I typically decide to take on the task by myself. On the other hand, I enjoy getting to know others through group projects. There is always something new to learn and it is interesting to discover little things about those around you.

I feel as if the final group project assigned in class last week will be a very interesting process for many reasons. The team that I am on should produce intriguing circumstances. I'm fairly certain that all three of us are typically the ones to take on the role of "doing all of the work", so it should be a surprise to see what happens. Also in regards to this, I feel like all three of us like to have things done our own ways/feel a little power-hungry sometimes. Again, interesting things will occur.

Adding to the intrigue that this project presents is the topic we chose to cover-- food. Food is a huge part of any college student's life, and it should be interesting to investigate the different aspects of it both on and off campus. We divided the roles up so that I will be covering "Marquette-known" restaurants(Dog Haus, Real Chili, Marquette Gyros...) and campus vendors. This will actually be quite a learning experience for myself, seeing that I embarrassingly have never been to the Dog Haus or Real Chili.

Although the project seems as if it will be a decent amount of work, I believe that it will be an enjoyable work effort. I'm happy with the team I was placed on, and although it should be interesting, I am certain that we will do an excellent job. I'm excited to explore a part of Marquette that I personally am not very knowledgable of, and expect a good number of months to accompany this project.