Months into my education as a public relations major, I find myself viewing the world with a fresh pair of eyes. I observe and mentally chew on every billboard I pass, every television commercial I watch, and every breaking news story I read. The classes I have taken have helped shape my worldview.
When I was enrolled in the computer design course for journalism majors, I learned about the four concepts of design: alignment, proximity, repetition and contrast. With this knowledge I am able to provide my personal opinions about certain visual campaigns and advertisements. Not only do I feel I have earned the right to assess visual media, but I feel confident when doing so. I can defend my personal opinions with knowledge I have learned through the classroom and experience. It is liberating to feel secure in what you know and are sure of.
Ever since I have learned to write radio public service announcements (PSA), I find myself tuning into talk radio stations and perking my ears up when PSAs come streaming through my speakers. I ask myself, “What is the format used? Should they have put the phone number in the middle or not? How do they make this product sound so inviting?” Methodically, I put myself in the position of a public relations representative for a corporate company, and envision myself selling their product, service or experience. My mind never stops thinking even when I beg for it to give me a rest! Higher education looks so much prettier to me now than it ever has before.
The Mayborn School of Journalism is quite genius. At the beginning of the road to obtaining my bachelor’s, I found myself uninspired and clueless. I was drawn to the University of North Texas (UNT) because of their world-renowned music program. As a vocal performance major, I felt I wasn’t exercising all of my strengths that I was born with, but only one: my voice. After two difficult semesters, I switched to a major that would fine-tune (pun intended) my writing, speaking, designing, and leadership abilities. Deciding on public relations felt like coming home. It felt welcomed, and I knew it was right for me.
All of the preliminary courses I took helped stretch and break me than ever before. Writing for the NTDaily made me get out of my comfort zone, learning Adobe applications for computer design showed strengths of mine I had never seen before, among other nuggets of knowledge I obtained on my journey. Thank goodness I pressed on through the seemingly impossible projects.
The knowledge and skills I have learned have no price tag (other than the thousands of dollars my gracious father has provided for me). I am a changed woman for the better. For the first time in my life, I love going to class everyday and trying my very hardest to be at the top of my class in each assignment I turn in. For anyone who knows me well, this is groundbreaking.
I am inspired, and my knowledge will never peak. My daily life experiences provide an education, and I am finding this out through opening my eyes and breathing my highly advertised, consumeristic, opportunistic, artistic world in.
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