The real world...

I started my journalism classes this semester. Newswriting and Photojournalism. I'm stoked. Because this is what I want to do with my life, of course I decided that I would schmooze as much as possible without being obnoxious or brown-nosing. Just friendly and active in discussion-- to make a good impression.

My newswriting professor is amazing and extremely kind. I really like her. I asked her today if I could e-mail her my first ever Plainsman article that I stumbled into writing, and she said she would take a look at it. She encouraged me to keep writing and getting experience. Sweet. Uplifting. Nothing too special, but nice.

I also dropped my my photojournalism professor's office today to ask for help selecting photos for my Glomerata photography staff interview (this is my "resume building" semester since I only have 13 hours and no real job). He told me to come back at 1 p.m. Sweet again. What I good day, I thought. I go to his class at 11 and then eat lunch and head back over there. And of course I show up at 1 o'clock, and he forgot I was coming. Okay, not too bad; simple mistake. He looks at my pictures and just shrugs them off like, OK, but not spectacular. Again, not too bad considering I've only been taking pictures since January, and I've never had any formal training. Then, he tells me to bring back my "student portfolio" one day and we can pick some stuff out of that. I was like "my what?" Awkward silence. He said, "haven't you had my class before? You know, the portfolio." Ummm no. I am actually the girl that sits in the FRONT ROW of your class this semester and answers a bunch of questions with eager enthusiasm because I'm obsessed with photography. Cool. I calmly reply, "Oh no, I'm actually in your class this semester." Bewildered look. "Oh! Sorry, I have a lot going on," and for about the third time this week, "What's your name again?"

As I sauntered out the door, it hit me. This is what the real world is like. The world where I will soon be trying to get a job from people who "have a lot going on" and who are super nice, but also super don't care. We have to be diligent, and we have to keep being ourselves no matter what!

I made another appointment to go over my application and final picture selections on Monday, and I'll tell my name again if I must. Life's a bigger fishbowl than I thought.