1) I cannot escape social media. My relaxing absence from Twitter was very short-lived. In the middle of the job search process I was constantly reminded that journalists need to be active social media users. These days it seems most employers won’t even give you a second look if you don’t know how to express your thoughts in 140 characters or less. So I had no choice but to crawl back to Twitter…again.
2) Beware the Polar Vortex. When OSU cancelled classes in January for the first time in four years, I was ecstatic. And then I made the mistake of stepping outside….Who knew Ohio could actually be colder than the North Pole?
3) I have found the perfect pair of sneakers. And it was love at first sight.
4) I need my space. I mean no offense to two of my former roommates, but my single dorm room was long overdue. After enduring hell for much of my time in residence halls, living in a single room for my last semester was the perfect escape.
5) OSU football is still a cult. They sucked me in two years ago and I haven’t missed a game since. I even stayed on campus for Thanksgiving this year to watch the Buckeyes beat that team up North. Totally worth it.
6) Some foods should just not be cooked in the microwave. I was left with no meal plan and no kitchen access during my last week at OSU. My only option for dinners came in microwaveable containers, with foods ranging from fish sticks to pudding. Never again.
7) “Carmen Ohio” is a tearjerker. Singing the alma mater at the end of football games was a tradition I honestly didn’t think twice about. I didn’t even know the words until I was a sophomore, but I’ll be the first to admit that I was holding back tears after singing the familiar tune with my fellow classmates at commencement.
8) I’m still the world’s slowest texter. No smartphone in the world can improve my finger mobility. If you want a timely response from me comprised of more than five words, you’re going to have to call.
9) Ohio isn’t all bad. Interning at Ohio Magazine this summer opened my eyes to some of the more fascinating and quirky things the Buckeye State has to offer. I know I complain about my home state on a weekly basis, but I would still proudly brag to an out-of-state tourist about the best Ohio attractions. It’s like the relative you hate but you feel you have a duty to defend.
10) I need to earn at least $38,000 a year. The government says I should be earning at least $38,000 annually to live comfortably while paying off my student loans. I wish. #journalismprobs
11) Carmegeddon was a nightmare. Carmen is a website that is essentially the beating heart for all things academic at OSU. When the system crashed for almost a week, students, faculty and administration were discombobulated by its abrupt absence. I’d like to say I enjoyed the lack of homework and various deadline extensions, but being the nerd that I am, I was just plain stressed.
12) Strawberry daiquiris have stolen my heart. Okay, so I have only been exposed to a miniscule selection of alcoholic beverages since I turned 21, but I know what I like. Evidently my mother does as well, since she’s the one that introduced me to the fruity, delicious drink.
13) I’m never getting my hair cut again. Yes, I’m exaggerating. But after a shorter than anticipated haircut took almost five months to grow back, I don’t want to take any more chances.
14) Time flies by. It seems like just yesterday I was starting my freshman year at OSU, and now 3 ½ years later I’m officially an alumna, preparing to enter the “real world.”
That's What Shay Said 