Summer Journalism Institute

Beaty Towers dorm

Me in my dorm on the last day. I had the bed by the wall

My roommates and I. (from left to right) Jenna, Alexa, Maya, and Me

Alexa and Maya mattress surfing

The cover I designed in my Yearbook class

The student life page I created for Yearbook

My yearbook class :)

Me at the stadium. This is where the players would run out onto the field.

A sign at KFC. I thought this was both funny and gross at the same time.

My family and I took the 5 hour drive to Gainesville on Friday, June 18th and decided to take a campus tour. My mom and I had taken one the year before and we had fun despite the humid, rainy weather. This time, as soon as we stepped out of the information session it started to rain and then as soon as we got to the Engineering building it started to pour. So we stayed in the engineering building and then ran back to the Welcome Center. Needless to say it was an unpleasant day but we had fun at the hotel, which was the same one my mom and I stayed at the summer before.

The next day we decided to do our own tour before I was to be dropped off. We went to the brick buildings and towards Century Tower and then we went to the College of Journalism and Communications which was where I would be for the majority of my camp. After that, we went to the Ben Hill Griffin Jr. Stadium and saw the Bull Gator in front and then went into the stadium itself. After that it was off to Beaty Towers to check in and then my parents and Katie and Jia would go back home.

When we got there I checked in and got my t-shirt and a folder with the College of Journalism and Communications printed on the front of it. Inside this folder was a pen, our schedule, a welcome letter, and a copy of the Independent Alligator ( a student run newspaper with no rules). Then I went up to my room on the 12th floor and met my roommates. Alexa and Maya were in one room and they both knew each other, they were from Fort Myers, and Jenna, my roommate, was from Tallahassee. I was happy with my roommates :)

That same day we went downstairs to Beaty Commons and they welcomed us, we went to Weimer Hall and then went to Gator Dining. Gator Dining was good the first day but then eating it for the next 5 days was a little too much. Not to mention that it was the same food everyday and the numerous amount of camps also sharing the Hall with us. Anyways after dinner the day was done and we went back to the Towers, checked in, and went up to our rooms.

Day 2-

wake up at 7:30 for breakfast, which me and my roommates didn't go to because it was too early, so we just waited for lunch at 11:30 and then went straight to a lecture at 12:30 about Jeff Stevens, who works at the University of Florida. He told us how we have to get ourselves out there. For example, make a blog, make business cards, and get your name out there. He said getting internships were a great way to get a feel of the business you want to be in and a great way to get your name out there. After that was a class session from 1:30-3:25 and then another lecture about writing a perfect admissions essay and all things related to journalism by the co-director of SJI, Meredith Cochie, and she was hilarious, probably one of the best speakers I heard. After her lecture it was dinner time and then a movie after. We watched the stupidest movie ever. It was called Gentleman Broncos and I never want to see it again. Back to Beaty Towers to go to sleep.

Day 3-
6 a.m. wake-up call. breakfast. Class from 8:15-10:10 and then a lecture by Wayne Garcia who worked for the St. Pete Times, the Tampa Tribune, and the Creative Loafing. Mr. Wayne Garcia told us about the blogging world till 11:15. 11:15 was lunch and then a 12:30 lecture by Kristin Harmel, who is a People Magazine correspondent who started there at 16 years old, about conducting a great interview. After the lecture was a crazy long 4 hour class, then dinner, Dominos pizza :), and a 7 p.m check in. This was one crazy night because it was the night of mattress surfing. At about 7:30 we got a knock on our door from another camper and he told me there was a party on the 13th floor. So we all traveled up there only to find a mattress surfing party going on. Here is the breakdown of mattress surfing:

1. Place a mattress in the middle of the hallway.

2. Go to the end of the hallway and wait.

3. Run full speed at the stationary mattress.

4. Glide down the hallway at breakneck speed and slam into the door at the end.

You have mastered the art of mattress surfing. I myself did not try this because I didn't want to break my body. Some kids decided to be dangerous and stack 3 mattress. This was not the best idea so they went down to one again. Then the party broke up at 10 and we went to bed.

Day 4-

breakfast. Class session at 8:15 till 10:10. Lecture by Mike Foley , who works for the St.Pete Times and is now a Professor of Journalism Excellence, at 10:15. He spoke to us about Newspaper Journalism. Lunch. Lecture at 12:30 by Ted Spiker, who teaches magazine journalism at UF and is a contributing editor to Men's Health magazine. He told us about the importance of magazines even if magazines are going to be completely on the internet soon. Class at 1:30 till 3:30. Q&A session from 3:30-5:30. This session was a chance for everyone to ask questions on how to get into college. The requirements, essays, applications, and test scores needed to not only get into UF but other colleges as well.
My roommates and I then had dinner, delivered by the Wok and Roll (chinese food), until we had to check in at 7.

Day 5-

breakfast at 7:15. Class from 8:15 to 10:10. 10:15 lecture by Denise Reagan, an assistant managing editor for design at the Florida Times-Union. We learned that even though you are a layout designer for a newspaper or magazine, you are still a journalist. Lunch. Speaker at 12:30 by John Freeman, who is a Professor at UF and a photojournalism teacher, he taught us how to "fill the frame' and other tips on taking great pictures. 3 hour class session from 1:30-4:15 and another hour Q&A session called, "Trust Us: Advisers Aren't the Enemy." Dinner at 5:30, my dormmates and I had Pita Pit instead of Gator Dining, and then another dance party on the 13th floor, which was the craziest dancing party in a tiny hallway that I have ever seen.

Day 6-

Last day :( 7:15 breakfast. 8:15-10 class session. 10 a.m closing session, where everyone's work was shown, videos in multimedia, editorials in newspaper, photos by the photography students, and pages by the yearbook students (me :D). Check out was between 11 and 2 and my dad picked me up at 12:30.

Overall this was one of the best experiences I have ever had and it made me realize that I really do want to go to UF and attend their College of Journalism and Communications. I plan on going to the Summer Journalism Institute again next year.

Signing off,

Anna ♥