Yesterday, I went to the NW Editor's conference. Technically, I am a college publication editor in the NW; however, the conference was intended for editors of college magazines. They accepted me anyway, and I learned a lot. First, they gave me lots of ideas for sprucing up a student newspaper, including more photo essays, small "shorts" (100 to 200 word stories), "man on the street" sections, etc. Also, I'm hoping to work with the editor-in-chief to help get planning done early; our school newspaper comes out bi-weekly, and we often plan the feature the week before it's due. However, as several people at the conference mentioned, features are usually planned out earlier. That way, a writer and photographer can put lots of time into the features.
The conference was good, and it energized me for working on the paper this year. I really enjoy writing, but I have difficulties sitting down and doing it. That's why I started this blog, and I obviously don't post here enough.
However, I've noticed something about blogs; it's really hard to sit down and post an in-depth, interesting column on a daily basis. Even getting out 200 words regarding anything that doesn't concern my daily life, problems with boyfriends, or personal rants is difficult. I'd like to write about things I see. I want to elucidate odd scientific things, or rebut urban legends regarding health that just aren't true. But like the link on my last post shows, whenever I go to research something I'd like to write about, someone else has already written about the same topic and done a better job of it than I have.
Today, though, I can write about one thing. When I looked around at colleges, I had this romantic belief that I would attend a college that's somehow different. I wanted to go to a small, ritzy school with "intellectual kids" that aren't snotty about it (which is quite difficult to find, let me assure you). I thought I did a lot of searching, and I visited four out of the six schools I applied to. I attend Pacific University, outside of Portland, and I also applied to Reed College. I visited Pacific many times before I decided to attend, but I never visited Reed. First, I doubt I would have been able to afford Reed (although I probably could have taken out loans). Second, my father visited Reed while he was down here once, and he liked Pacific's campus much more. But now that I've been attending Pacific for two years, I finally had an opportunity to visit Reed, as my Friday conference was on Reed's campus. And, damnit, if they didn't have a beautiful campus! It's tucked away into a suburban neighborhood, but Reed is quite close to downtown and SE Portland by bus (as in within 15 minutes on the bus). Now I really wish that I had visited. I mean, I'm glad I came to Pacific; I enjoy my classes and my professors, and I feel like I'm getting a good education here. However, there is always that "grass is greener" mentality, and I've been bitten hardcore by it. I definately recommend visiting (during the school year) each and every place you might want to apply to; it's worth the time.