Clicking to a New Chapter

That first submit button sure was intimidating, but I clicked it.  My four CSU applications are successfully submitted!

All I have left to do for the applications I sent in is verify my associates for transfer degree. Then, I wait.

I applied to Long Beach, Northridge, Fullerton, and San Diego State. As you can tell, my transferring thought process has changed a bit since I started.

CSUN's newspaper

A couple of weeks ago, I decided to visit the Northridge campus since it was in between my two destinations. I toured the campus for an hour and realized that I could see myself going there. I still don't necessarily love the city itself, but I like everything else about it. The campuses is huge, they have a great journalism program, and it is the campus that is closest to my family and friends.

For awhile I was hesitant to apply to San Diego State as well. And honestly, I still am, and that's okay. I'm trying this thing where I do my best and leave it up to the universe to decided the paths in life that will be available to me. San Diego is extremely impacted, meaning it is difficult to get in. They also require a difficult class that no other school wants me to take for journalism. On top of that, I think I want to stay near LA because of familiarity and opportunities. I decided not to take that difficult class, but still take a chance and apply. If I happen to get accepted, then that's when I'll know that I should consider touring San Diego.

Los Angeles

Speaking of classes, I signed up for my last semester of them here at SBCC. I still can't believe it...I may not believe it until graduation day. Transferring to a university out of town will be starting a whole new chapter in my life, no doubt about it! In order to transfer, I have to have at least 60 transferrable units. Technically, I only have one class I need to finish for my journalism transfer degree, but I still need at least three more units to make the minimum amount required for transfer. I wanted to make the most of my last semester in Santa Barbara, so these are the classes I plan on taking:

JOUR 122A     The Channels: Newswriting & Editing = 4 units

PE 126B           Intermediate Beach Volleyball = 1.5 units

PE 133               Ocean Kayaking = 1.5 units

WEXP 290B    Career Advancement Skills (Internship Credit) = 1 unit

Crossing my fingers!!! And my toes... Hahaha. Just kidding. I'm confident that I will get accepted to the university that I am meant to go to along with others as well. 

I've been thinking a lot about my future lately, including my future after college. It may not be worth it to go to Chapman or USC if it's significantly more expensive than the CSU's with scholarships and grants. Those applications aren't due until February, so I still have time to think about applying and ask questions. 

Reporting on Election Night

I have resisted saying anything about the election on my blog for a few days. I didn't want to add more chaos into America's outrage. At first I was feeling like a lot of other college students...scared. Nov. 8, I voted for who I thought had the best chance of defeating Tump.

Election Night

Election day is "Super Bowl Day" for journalists as my teacher likes to call it. I did not get to sit home, stare at the TV, and let myself freak out. Most of The Channels staff (including myself) were sent out to Democratic and Republican viewings/gatherings to interview other political candidates and community members about the races and propositions.

I went to a Democratic viewing at The Mill in downtown Santa Barbara. It was the most difficult reporting I've ever had to do in my entire experience as a journalist and it just might be for a long time. Results kept appearing on the TV disfavoring my hopes and everyone else's around me. People at the bar faced towards the TVs while others stood in a crowd paralyzed in fear. Those who could not hold in their emotions walked to the back and hid their faces in their hands sobbing. My job was to interview these people around me about Prop 67, the ban of plastic bags. My thoughts at the time: 'HAHAHAHAHA you got to be kidding me right? *looks at the results on the TV* 'YOU GOT TO BE KDDING ME RIGHT?'

SBCC students watching the final debate at the City College

My biggest job of the night was supposed to be getting quotes, but it felt like setting aside my presidential election worries was the biggest job of all. At least it was easy to push aside any biased feelings I had about plastic bags being banned. Although, I was turned down for interviews multiple times. At first, the rejections were all simultaneous. No one wanted to talk about plastic bags when the poll results that meant the most to them weren't appearing their favor. Eventually I got the quotes I needed, including quotes from Monique Limón (State Assembly Candidate) and Daraka Larimore-Hall (Chairman for the Santa Barbara Democratic Party). 

Reporting with the "big dogs" KEYT

By 10:15 p.m. I told one of The Channels' photographers that we had to go back to the newsroom at SBCC. Our stories were due at 11:59 p.m. that night. Shaking with the stress of the election and the time crunch, I sat with my news staff team and we rushed to get the story done while the results played on the projector behind us. One of my teammate's showed me his phone, that read "Donald Trump is the 45th president of the United States." 

Monique Limón and
Hannah-Beth Jackson

My jaw dropped in my hands and my voice could not form a sentence for a minute. At this moment, I knew this would be a night I would never forget and a story to tell my future grandchildren. I turned to look at the projector behind me as well as the rest of the class. Trump was walking up to the stage with his family. We were all supposed to be working on our stories, but the surprising final result left us speechless. Yeah....journalists.....speechless.

Just after midnight, I left the newsroom after finishing the Prop 67 story with my teammates. I could not have gotten it done in time if it wasn't for their help. I drove back to Isla Vista on the 101, feeling like I was entering a new world, wondering if those driving around me knew they were too. 

Midnight at The Channels Newsroom

Before I enter through my apartment door, I hear loud protests erupting through the streets. Residents of Isla Vista were more wild on this Tuesday night than any Friday or Saturday night I've seen. I call my friend up and walk with a group to UCSB. It's not like I was going to be able to sleep anyways. If my phone wasn't dead, I would've reported everything that was going on. Over 1,000 students stood in a crowd next to Storke Tower expressing their fears and disappointment. Nationally, about 95% of students voted democratically and it showed. Many cussed and talked of violence, while I stood there in a chanting crowd hugging my friend in silence. I am not one to get mad and I know violence never does any good. I respect and encourage protests as long as they are peaceful and have a reasonable purpose. 

Over the past few days after the election, things have calmed down a bit. I've caught up on some sleep as well. Trump has released some information about what he will do during his presidency that is a whole lot different than what he was saying during his presidential race. Thank heavens.

The Word Around the President Elect's Plans

• Trump "respects" the LGBT community. After Obama's protection of gay marriage and the Orlando shooting, I sure hope Trump doesn't disturb America's progression of love.
•  Trump will not be building a "wall" but more fences. Clearly he exaggerated to obtain more votes because a wall would be way too expensive and obviously he can't make Mexico pay for it. 
• Trump plans to repeal Obama Care, but still protect people with preexisting conditions and those under the age of 26 on their parents' insurances. I was terrified about Obama Care being repealed because otherwise getting covered by insurance companies after my preexisting condition of cancer could be extremely difficult and expensive. Hopefully he keeps young people and people with preexisting conditions in mind.
• Trump is pro-life (against abortion), but Obama is moving to protect planned parenthood funding permanently.  Personally, I couldn't emotionally handle getting an abortion, but I do respect the ability for women to make their own choices. 

1 p.m. protest at UCSB

The list could go on and on...including discussion about lowering college tuition that is a "YUGE" issue amongst us college students and alumni . However, this blog is getting long and I appreciate your interest in my opinion of the election after hearing about this political race in the news consistently over the past year. After all this chaos, I'd be surprised to see Trump as president for more than four years. I think there even is possibility of impeachment in his future. Who knows, all America can do is make the best of the situation or try their best to change the situation.

America as a whole is more powerful than one president will ever be. Use your voices, not your fists. Work for the changes you desire. 

Fear less and love more. 

Newspaper Staff Field Trip

Last weekend, members of The Channels staff and I were given an opportunity to extend our knowledge of journalism. This event is called JACC, Journalism Association of Community Colleges. Professional journalists from places like the LA Times and NBC 4 News came to educate and inspire us about the world of journalism.

Friday morning we met at SBCC. The conference wasn't until Saturday, but the staff agreed that visiting Grand Central Market and the LA Times would be ideal. Out of all the food options at Grand Central Market, my friend Julia and I decided to get tacos because saying no to Mexican food would be outrageously silly. The LA Times was fascinating to tour. It reminded me of the movies you see of people in big offices with hundreds of cubicles and a big meeting room.



The rest of the night we spent getting situated into our hotel room, walking to a buffet, and chatting like newspaper nerds in the jacuzzi. Before I went to bed that night, I studied for the competition that I thought I was going to participate in at JACC.

I woke up at 6:30 in the morning to breaking news on TV that Hillary Clinton's investigation case was being reopened. What a way to start the day! We scurried onto the bus and headed off to Cerritos College where the SoCal Regional JACC was being held.

Alice Walton, LA Times Reporter, welcomed the conference. Last minute I was informed that I was not going to compete for the opinion story, but instead a news story. I freaked out. Usually I am confident in my work, but seeing all the other journalism students from around California left me feeling intimidated.  

None the less, I competed. Personally I already focus an extremely generous chunk of my time writing my leads and my teacher told us we should make sure the top of our stories are attention grabbing. However, the competition only gave us 45 minutes to write the story. I can write really smoothly and fast when it comes to my opinion, but writing facts about news can take a lot longer due to the crucial obligation to get all the facts correct. Unfortunately, I didn't have enough time to complete my news story. The important thing is I was proud of what I had and I learned that I need to manage my time better when I have only minutes to write a story.

During the day, we were given different workshop choices to attend. Since I competed, I was able to go to three of them: branding, broadcasting, and social media. Jorge Medina, the branding workshop instructor, taught me not to be afraid of being confident in my accomplishments. Matthew Glasser, the broadcasting instructor, taught me what it'd be like to work behind the camera. Frank Russell, the social media instructor, taught me how journalists use social media.

The trip ended with an award ceremony. Our city college won multiple awards for the night, leaving my teacher extremely proud and leaving me inspired and confident in my future as a journalist.

Here is a link to my most recent personal column in The Channels newspaper!
A golden girl in a pink world: Living through childhood cancer

CSU Applications

Apply for CSU Campuses here!!!

I had to share this picture of THE FIRST
TIME I have ever got my own table at
Starbucks....after two hours that is.

Over the past couple weeks, I have limited my focus on applying to CSU schools. Private school applications are not due for a good few months and UC applications are not even open until next month ( it is also unlikely that I will apply to any of the UC's). 

Again...here are the CSU schools I have at least once considered: CSULB, CSUN, CSUF, SDSU.

Last week I attended a CSU application workshop to understand how to get started on applying to these campuses. You can sign up for one of the workshops at the Transfer Center in the Student Services Building. All you have to do is go to csumentor.edu and make an account. Next, you pick the semester you are applying for. Finally, you pick an application to start with! 

I decided to begin my first application with CSU Long Beach. After you fill out one application, you still have to submit separate ones for other CSU campuses. However, the information from your first application will transfer onto your future applications *crossing my fingers this works out.*

The good thing about applying for CSU schools is that if you don't get accepted, they will send your applications elsewhere based off a list of schools that are less impacted. Unfortunately from the ones I have seen so far, none have a journalism program. However, I am not too worried because I know I will get in somewhere no matter how much my anxiety and stress tells me differently. If you are aiming to have an associate degree for transfer, the likelihood of getting accepted increases tremendously. Guess who is getting a journalism for transfer degree in May? .......... That'd be me!

November is approaching us. I am so sorry to you transfer students who are applying to a bunch of UC schools on top of CSU schools. And you TAG students, you are lucky ducks....or should I say... vaqueros. 

I however, will still be focusing on CSU schools in November. I am so proud of my procrastinated-self that I didn't wait until next month to start. Right now I have filled out everything in the application that I could. Next, I am planning on going to the Transfer Center to get my final set of  questions answered before submitting all my applications. To be completely honest, I know when it comes time to submit everything, I am going to become so paranoid about everything being perfect. I am terrified of making even the tiniest mistake in the application that could cost me my acceptance. I will get to that when I get there. Doing my best is all that I can do! 

Voices

For the past two weeks, I have been working on filming and editing for The Channels. On top of written articles, the school newspaper has these videos called "Voices" that are published every week. Three staff members will get assigned a specific question every week to ask people who are walking around campus. The photographers work with the camera, while the writers switch off between interviewing and recording audio.

Our little film news crew was assigned two questions to report in two separate weeks, those being: "What class have you grown to love?" and "Describe the weirdest living situation you've ever experienced."

To the right I am holding a boom mic that is clearly taller than myself. I recorded the audio for "What class have you grown to love?" It was definitely a struggle being short and small, holding the boom mic up close and above the person being interviewed, but also out of video frame. Imagine a person carrying this, walking around campus. It can be pretty intimidating. I felt like a news crew nerd, in a good way. It was an awesome experience that taught me more about the broadcasting side of journalism.

As for interviewing, it was mainly all the same. The only difference I experienced while interviewing people for "Describe the weirdest living situation you've ever experienced" was receiving a lot of rejection. People see the camera and the boom mic and suddenly go into shy-mode. Not going to lie, every time it happened I got more and more frustrated. I've been learning by experience to block out taking rejection personally, but it was early in the morning and after 20+ times, around 15 of those in a row, it became harder and harder to build up the courage to ask another person.

After we got all the video footage needed, we had to use this video-editing program and put everything together, which ended up taking hours upon hours because there is so much editing involved. The person who was reporting (interviewing) the students, records their voice asking the question for the beginning of the Voices video. Before announcing each question you have to say, "This week The Channels asks students.....(then the question)." There is a funny audio clip I saved where I messed up that I specifically saved for this blog, but it wouldn't let me upload it. I don't believe that will be the first and only time when that happens, especially if I continue broadcast! That tends to happen in the field.

Voices gave me just enough experience and confidence to go into my internship orientation this Saturday. I will talk all about looking for internships in my next blog or two! Also, tomorrow I am going to one of the CSU Transfer Workshops in hopes to get a better understanding on how to complete the applications, so I will talk about that as well. Things are happening and they are happening fast!

Ready, Set, Transfer!

Hello my friends, yes this is the blogging team! You may see this image on the school buses, banners, postcards, or other ads. I have yet to see a bus pass by since I carpool to school, but I can tell you that when I do it will be pretty darn flippin' cool!
#sbccfamous


Fall semester is flying by and before I know it, it will be my last semester as SBCC (Spring 2017). Soon after, I will be in my cap and gown accepting my journalism transfer associate's degree!

But wait....where will I be transferring to??? That's what I'm working on.

Here are my thoughts:
I want to stay in SoCal. I prefer to go to a school around Los Angeles for opportunities to be more accessible and to stay close to family/friends. I want transfer to a university where I could see myself thrive. No UC in SoCal has journalism except for UCI so I will mainly be applying to CSU's and a couple private schools.

Here are my top choices that meet all the thought requirements above:

CSULB- California State University, Long Beach
CSUF- California State University, Fullerton
USC- University of Southern California
Chapman University

That's the first step. Figure out your top few transfer schools, focus on their transfer requirements, and do your best to get accepted. Put those schools as your top priority. Next, you may want to have backup options and apply to a few of them. Mine include: SDSU, CSUN, and UCI. Why are those my backup options you may ask? San Diego State is very far away, a difficult school to get into, and requires that I take extra classes to transfer. Northridge is in an area that reminds me of some difficult parts of my life. On a positive note, it is closest to where I'm originally from and my family that is still here. However, it is right by my mom and brother's cemetery and in an area where a family member (who was like a grandmother to me) passed away. Irvine is a UC school. I will have to do more research regarding this school because I have heard that the UC schools are known for their research more than their creativeness like CSU schools. Apparently CSU schools are more helpful with guiding you towards a career rather than just giving you a degree. The journalism major at UCI is under the English department and is actually "literary journalism." Although, the best part about the UC schools is that you get to submit an essay along with your application to make yourself look good. I wish the CSU schools had this option because I could show my writing skills through it and mention all I have accomplished in life.....which I don't mean to brag...but hey if it gets me into a school why not!

What now?
Recently I met with my journalism teacher, asking her for advice on where I should transfer to. She told me not to apply to a school where I don't want to go or can't see myself being happy. That knocks out CSUN. She also told me that most of journalism opportunities will be in LA, that the journalism major at SDSU is more focused on communications/media, and that you are most likely to get careers/internships around the place where you graduated school from. This is starting to lean me away from SDSU. She finally told me that I can apply to what I once thought was my dream school (UCLA) as a separate major since they don't have journalism and work for their "Bruin Daily" newspaper on the side. I could do this with any UC that has a school newspaper. I am turned off by this option because I would not be learning about journalism, but rather working for it as an activity.

Right now I have narrowed down my options (thanks to writing this blog out). I have decided on my top choices and I have two backup schools. At most I will be applying to six schools: CSULB, CSUF, USC, Chapman, SDSU, and UCI.

My next step
Apply! Apply! Apply! CSU schools allow students to apply between Oct 1- Nov 30. UC schools let students apply between Nov 1- Nov 30. Private school application deadlines vary, my deadlines are in February.

The next couple months can and will get very stressful. Here's a piece of advice that I need to practice following myself: Do not worry/stress about where you will be next. The truth is, you don't know! Not knowing can be really scary. Time can change a lot of things. Try your best not to worry about where you will be attending school next until you get back those acceptance letters! Good luck my fellow transfer students! If you need any help applying, go visit the Transfer Center in the Student Services Building. They have workshops you can sign up for where you can receive help with your UC or CSU applications.

Why Don't We Know?

Forewarning you....things are about to get a little chaotic. Upcoming transfer students, you know what I'm talking about! Before my blogs start to get all advising and academic, I'd like to catch you up first!

We Gaucho Back

Hello IV

My friend Joseph and I went to the Pardall Carnival last weekend. For some reason, after the two complete years I have been here, this was the first time I went. They had food, club kiosks, face painting, a ferris wheel, and games all in the center street of Isla Vista.  It was awesome to see all the residents walking around IV from high up! You really start to think....how many people do they shove into these houses? 

Recently I been attending a few Hillel events with my birthright friends. I enjoy it more this year now that I know people. Last year I went there to keep updated on my past birthright adventure. Now, every time I go to Hillel I can't help but be in shock that my birthright trip is a mere memory. I looked forward to this trip my whole life and now it's over. I apologize for not making a blog post about my trip yet, but I will eventually! I simply haven't had the time to make the iMovie because there are hundreds....and I mean hundreds of pictures/videos.

Cam Cam the Camel
I always walk into
Hillel thinking it's a dog

          Why Don't We Know?

I'm not sure what it is about the city college and the Santa Barbara area, but I feel like there are a lot of events and clubs that are happening that people don't get word of. For instance, this past weekend I covered an article about the SBCC Cosmetology Academy for The Channels. They informed me that maybe two percent of the school knows about them. They perform a range of cosmetology work at a very reduced price. Why didn't I ever know about this? 

Fun, random beach photoshoots with
your best friend are....the best! An
IV must do.

Another example is The Channels. I started going to SBCC in Fall 2014 and I didn't realize the school had a newspaper until Spring 2016. WHY DIDN'T I KNOW ABOUT THIS? I AM A JOURNALISM MAJOR FOR CRYING OUT LOUD. I guess I'm a curious person and that's why I love journalism. Media informs me about what's going on in the world, so when I don't know about things I tend to freak out like I have been living in some sort of lie or some separate world. You should've seen me last night trying to stay awake and finish watching the Vice Presidential Debate when I clearly couldn't keep my eyes open. I am passionate about life and I don't want to miss out on anything it has to offer.

I could go on and on about things that I am just now figuring out as a third year student. I don't have the answer as to why or how the school can adverstise more efficiently. I do know that being a part of The Channels staff has been the most informative to me when it comes to learning about things going on around campus. Maybe because the newspaper is only online, students don't know about it. The internet is a distraction as it contains everything you could ever think of. Some say print will never die because of its unique ability to shut the world out when one is reading it. I'm interested in finding out whether more students would know about the school newspaper or read it more as a print or online form.

We are not a regular community college. This school feels like a university and I am grateful to be here. Maybe this is a lesson in disguise? Maybe we as college students are expected to find out things for ourselves. We are adults even though sometimes it doesn't feel like it. I think the main concept of this blog is to inform you that you gotta go out and find what you want. During childhood, we kind of just got told what we were going to do, what we were allowed to do, or what we should do. Now that we are adults, we have been set free to make our own decisions. This is the beginning to our lives that we  have the power to control the destiny of. Whatever it is you want to do, go out and make it happen!

I feel as though I am just now starting to figure out this concept of adulthood and I couldn't be more excited to finally have some control over my life! Gotta go start this transfer process!