Music Monday: Kansas Concert!

                                                         Kansas performing "Carry On My Wayward Son."
Hey everyone! So, if we're Facebook Official you would see that this Monday would be  One of the things I've been looking foreword to pretty much all summer was the chance to see Kansas live in concert this past Friday. For those of you who know, I'm a huge fan of classic rock. So, when I heard that my town was going to feature them as a part of their free concert series I was so excited. (Of course, it was free so YOLO)

Let's fast foreword a few months later when I got the assignment from one of my editors to do a piece about the Hamden Music Scene. So, I interviewed the lady who runs the Summer Concerts for my article. After interviewing her, I then sent her an email thanking her for her time. She then invited me backstage, which I gratefully accepted. (After all, who can resist going backstage?) I then emailed my editor asking if she wanted me to do a piece about being backstage with Kansas as well as covering the concert. She said yes. 

So Friday night, I went backstage and actually wasn't sure what to expect. I carried a notebook which was from the ACP Conference I attended and had my friend Elisia in tow. At first we ate some delicious cupcakes from the Sugar Cupcake Truck, and then headed towards backstage. 

                                                    Cupcake! 

All of a sudden I was in a whirlwind. I didn't prepare (which was bad for a journalist, I will never make that mistake again!) because I didn't know I was going to be interviewing. However, I quickly was able to think of questions as I interviewed a few people. 

One of the people I've interviewed was the violinist, David Ragsdale. At first, I was kinda of starstruck, because who wouldn't be? He was such a great person to interview and I am so glad to have gotten the opportunity to meet him. 

                                                               Elisia and I backstage!

After that, things were a bit quieter. I did get a chance to be in the town picture with the Arts Commission which was also cool. Than, Kansas took the stage and they were amazing. They played hits such as "Carry on My Wayward Son," and "Dust in the Wind." 

Overall, it was an amazing night and an amazing concert to get a chance to both cover and attend. I enjoyed covering it, and honestly wouldn't mind if I got to do more stuff like this in the future as I progress through journalism. I must say, I really am enjoying my job! 

What Gets Me Through

As a college student, it seems like everything begins to come at you all at once. I'm talking about all of the responsibilities you may have. You have to go to class because that's where your future will be. You have to prepare for classes (ie study for exams, write papers, do homework, etc) because it's what you need to do to pass. You have to work, because let's face it we all need money. And for some of us, we also have internships, second jobs in case you don't make enough at the first one, and other things we need to take care of. And of course, there's this thing called sleep and have a social life. And they say college is the most free time one would have.
However through the hustle and bustle that is college, there's something that motivates me. For those of you who know, I am majoring in journalism. This past semester was one of my roughest ones, because I had too much going around in all directions. Whether it was being an editor of my college newspaper, having too much going on in classes and of course working at the library I literally felt like I was a chicken running around with no head. What got me through that was therapy and of course getting a break to go to Los Angeles. However, something else did too.
And that is? My passion for journalism.
The nutty thing about all of this is even though I wrote pretty much 24/7, I still enjoyed doing it. I loved every interview, because I got the chance to learn more about the school I went to. Through out it all, it made me a better writer. I've learned so much about the field I chose to do in. I've learned how to quote better and how to become a better reporter.
This summer, I'm excited about two (possibly three) more experiences that I'll have. The first is getting the wonderful opportunity to write for my hometown newspaper. The second is getting to be a Style Guru for College Fashionista. The final, maybe thing, is doing some interviewing for my friend's mom's college community. I'm excited about these opportunities, because it will not only give me experience it will give me a chance to go and do what I love.
You see, the reason why I am so passionate about journalism is simply the fact I get to tell other people's stories. Every interview I've done over the past year was to tell a story of someone else's. I've interviewed countless students for their commentaries, a college campus pastor (my favorite person to date whose story I've written) and that's only just naming a few. I get to learn about their worlds, what makes them happy and why they do what they do. To me, there's no greater joy in that because then you get to get the chance to make a difference.
Even as an opinions editor, I got the chance to do just that. Instead of interviewing people, I took what really mattered to me to make my stories better. Even though I lacked experience, the one thing I was also willing to do was learn. And I did. I learned how to use InDesign and how to balance writing multiple articles in about a week's time. Through my classes, my writing is more sharper and I've learned how to master a lead. I've even tried my hand in feature writing, which is no easy task let me tell you.
I'm proud of my past accomplishments, and I'm proud to call myself a journalist. There's nothing I would rather do other than to sit and interview people. And of course, go home to write an awesome lead and nutgraf. Being passionate about something is important, because after all, there's nothing worse than being stuck at a job you hate for the rest of your life. Even though it might be tough, I still want to be the best journalist I can be. And what gets me through? My passion for the field, as well as the fact I'm truly passionate to do something I truly love.

So You Want to Be A Writer?

It's safe to say part of blogging is writing. Over the past year, I've learned so much about writing and style. All of this translated into improvements made on the quality of writing in my blog posts. Sure, I make some spelling mistakes (don't we all!) but here's some writing tips for bloggers, aspiring writers and journalists everywhere.

Go through everything at least once: I know once you're finished with something, you're going to want to print that paper or hit "publish" if you're blogging. But, go through it to make sure everything is spelled right and things aren't repetitive. If things are worded awkwardly, go through it and try to make it worded better.
Avoid thats: One of the bigger things I've learned this year was the word that. For the most part, that is a filler word. For a blog, you're going to want to get to the point. Using filler words will not only put you over your word count, but also delay your message. Having trouble deciding? Write the sentence with out that. If it makes sense, than don't use it.
Read: I believe if you're going to be a great writer, you're going to have to read. A lot. Magazines, newspapers, novels, you name it. I say this because by reading more you're getting your brain to work in ways you've never imagined. Plus, you get ideas for posts, as well as inspiration to try different styles of writing.
Have friends edit it: I have a lot of friends who served as copy editors at the newspaper I worked at. If it's a paper or something, I try to have them edit it. I also spend a lot of time editing papers that my friends give me. Having peers edit your papers, or even blog posts can get you a pair of fresh eyes to notice what you've never previously noticed.
Got writing tips? Share them below!