FAQ
many questions that nobody has yet asked me about grad school but which i am prepared to answer, especially because i am the Future of New Media Journalism and one day people will look back on on this blog and marvel at its humble beginnings and want to know how it all started before i pass away and have my ashes shot out of a cannon or fed to a wild african lion to complete the circle of life or what have you, and it is important to document your intents and purposes for the little people.
so. where are you gonna go?
good question! this fall, i only applied to three places: university of maryland, northwestern, and berkeley. some people urged me to apply to columbia or missouri, but i never really considered those because the idea of moving to NYC or missouri would make me want to dig out my own eyeballs and cook them for dinner. for the most part, i always secretly told myself that if got into northwestern, i'd go. problem is, i found out i got into berkeley before i found out about northwestern, and thus had many hours to imagine myself making napa valley my playground, sipping wine with michael chiarello, and generally communing with nature. i'm still holding on to that sunny dream. but probably northwestern.
you know that chicago is kind of cold, right?
i have heard vague rumors of this coldness, but one thing a good journalist is supposed to do is not believe anything unless presented with facts. so this whole "being frozen into a meat popsicle" thing will have to wait until i can see it for myself.
so, like, are the facts that you are a lazy writer, a sloppy speller, and can't understand an issue more complex than your pinky finger of a concern to your journalistic future?
not really!
well, they worry me. a lot.
don't worry too much. i'm not going to journalism school to be a political magazine writer or a daily newspaper reporter, as worthy and interesting as those jobs may be. yes, writing and reporting is a "big part" of my "education," but i'm in the new media program, baby! which really means I'M LEARNING HOW TO BE A BETTER BLOGGER! or, actually, what i'm really interested in is this crossroads that traditional print journalism and online technology seem to be at. for the past couple of years they've been like two awkward eighth-graders at a school dance, holding each other at arm's length and swaying back and forth to boyz II men while trying to hide their totally out-of-control-budding-sexual-hormone-freakiness. i want to be there to encourage that next step. note: this is not like me advocating that 13 year olds have sex.
so are you freaked out?
yeah, well, i've had that special throwup feeling in my stomach for over 24 hours now, so i guess so. leaving DC is not something that agrees that much with me, especially as i've felt i've just started to really know and enjoy the city in the past year. i feel like i'm just starting to make really important contacts and do better work with DCist and, like, GO OUT and be a normal 25 year old in what i realize is a rather remarkable place. plus, you know, all the people in the world that i love are here. but i've done it before. 2002, i packed up and moved to italy to do a job i knew nothing about and live with people i had never seen before. and it was fantastic. of course, italy didn't turn me into a frozen meat popsicle, so i might not be ready for that. but it's only a year, right?
any other questions? bring em on! i'm gonna be A JOURNALIST, which means i now know the answers to everything!
Comments
two questions:
1. Do you really think Chicago is a better place to be young than San Francisco? Because if so, I've got some bad news for you...
2. Where does young Thomas fit into all of this?
1. well, i never said i thought chicago would be a better place to be younger...but i know that a) it's a cheaper place b) i like northwestern's program a little better than berkeley's and it's got a better name recognition c) berkeley's is a two year program, and i don't want to and can not really afford to be in school that long; northwestern is just a one year master's. i really would prefer to move to san fran, though, if schools weren't a consideration. if only northwestern would pick up and move to northern cali!
2. umm. i guess probably that you'll know when we do!
As I remember my half completed application to Northwestern for said program before I freaked out (uhm, wait, no, postponed my decision until I was sure) the cold was the major detriment to my motivation. And please remember, I believe we are talking Evanston, not Chicago. You know, just clarifying them said facts.
Your acceptances have, however, reinspired my application process and made me give a big bag of shush to the self-doubt and before I change my mind again I am going to complete my application for USC (Jan. admission).
So thanks! And I will be seeing you on the flip professional side as I try to figure out how to combine marketing communications, new media and entertainment management into some form of career in ... something cool.
of course, i am always open to hearing bitter, bitter arguments about each city's perks (even if evanston is not technically chicago, i know). it's really ridiculous how little i know about each city...like, where would i even live? there are things called bart and the el? or something? there's a lake somewhere?
My friend Ashley just finished the Northwestern program, and she'd be happy to answer questions. I can give you her e-mail address. If you'd like to hear someone complain *bitterly* about Evanston, Susan will be more than happy to it, but she did adore Chicago. Personally, I feel that DC is colder than should be permitted under the laws of God and man.
But the really pressing question on my mind: Where are we going for happy hour?
Catherine, before you do anything, be sure and check out this primer.
http://treyjackson.typepad.com/junction/files/dailyjay1.mpg
my brother went to northwestern, and then he moved out to SF. i've visited him at both places.i've also lived in berkeley for a summer and visited the campus. i will say that any of my issues with berkeley will not affect you. the weather there is beautiful, and it is far enough away from the coast that it is not always too cold.
although, the real question here is that one school only requires one year of training,a nd the other requires 2 years. if you do the math, it just makes more sense to go to a school that only keeps you from having a salary for one year, and only expects to receive money from you for one year. it's all about the big bucks!
it's all about the big bucks!
totally! i'm going to be so rich...i can't wait.
:)
Chicago is so fabulous that you will simply gloss over the fact it turned you into a giant frozen popsicle. but, do be sure to stock up on wooly hats. otherwise your ears will fall off.
Congratulations, Catherine, and best of luck!
I'm not going to lie: Chicago is really cold a lot of the time, and you will need to stock up on lots of cold-weather stuff. But, Chicago IS a really fabulous place to be young, with tons of great shows, restaurants, and other fun stuff. Besides, if you're only here for a year, then you won't really have time to turn into an popsicle.
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