I'm on my last GA shift at the Missourian for this semester. I actually didn't get to write anything today (at least not yet). It could always happen at the final hour. I guess I'll let you know. For now, onto the Missourian presentation. If all goes well, I'll have created my first Prezi by the end of the night.
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
GA over Thanksgiving
I signed up for three GA shifts over Thanksgiving, but unfortunately, could only make one of them. I was disappointed, but looking back, I'm so relieved that I focused on the research papers. I would not have been able to finish everything (to my liking) had I only had this week to finish them.
I did make it in last Monday and it was really fun to be in the newsroom during such a quiet time. There were only a few of us and I had the chance to go to court and attend a small media conference. At the time, I thought the media event was boring, but looking back, I think I learned more than I actually thought I was learning at the time. Sounds so typical of most things in life...
Court was fascinating. I've never heard a judge go through the process of accepting a guilty plea. The first time I heard it, it was interesting. The second time, I caught nuances I hadn't noticed before. The third time I heard it, I just felt bad for the judge. I can't imagine going through that script thousands of times a year. My friend, Sam, who is currently in law school said that many lawyers want to add even more questions to what seems like quite a long and tedious question list. He said a surprising number of people appeal their guilty pleas later on, so the legal community thinks more questions will help clarify. I don't know the details, but at first glance, I disagree with the legal community. I think most people know exactly what they're saying when they enter a guilty plea; they just change their minds later when they're actually sitting in jail. Oh, I should mention that the guy I was there to report on did not enter a plea. His lawyer asked for a continuation.
Later that evening, I covered a media event announcing that a Toronto-based pharmaceutical testing company is coming to Columbia in February. They'll be creating at least a dozen jobs and will be using space that previously housed an autism program.
Pharmaceutical testing company to expand to Columbia in February
I also finished up the rural emergency medicine doctor article on Monday (finally!).
MU's emergency medicine residency aims to alleviate physician shortage
I did make it in last Monday and it was really fun to be in the newsroom during such a quiet time. There were only a few of us and I had the chance to go to court and attend a small media conference. At the time, I thought the media event was boring, but looking back, I think I learned more than I actually thought I was learning at the time. Sounds so typical of most things in life...
Court was fascinating. I've never heard a judge go through the process of accepting a guilty plea. The first time I heard it, it was interesting. The second time, I caught nuances I hadn't noticed before. The third time I heard it, I just felt bad for the judge. I can't imagine going through that script thousands of times a year. My friend, Sam, who is currently in law school said that many lawyers want to add even more questions to what seems like quite a long and tedious question list. He said a surprising number of people appeal their guilty pleas later on, so the legal community thinks more questions will help clarify. I don't know the details, but at first glance, I disagree with the legal community. I think most people know exactly what they're saying when they enter a guilty plea; they just change their minds later when they're actually sitting in jail. Oh, I should mention that the guy I was there to report on did not enter a plea. His lawyer asked for a continuation.
Later that evening, I covered a media event announcing that a Toronto-based pharmaceutical testing company is coming to Columbia in February. They'll be creating at least a dozen jobs and will be using space that previously housed an autism program.
Pharmaceutical testing company to expand to Columbia in February
I also finished up the rural emergency medicine doctor article on Monday (finally!).
MU's emergency medicine residency aims to alleviate physician shortage
surviving...
Well. I almost survived my first semester of grad school. I almost don't want to write that because I don't want to jinx anything. I am a few sentences away from finishing my first literature review and a final edit away from finishing my first (and probably last) legal research paper. I'm nearly finished with my research project for the Missourian and my TA responsibilities are finished after next Wednesday. Wow. It feels so good to write all of that.
Graduate school is all I had hoped for and is just as difficult as I expected. In just a few months, I've learned how to read research articles, how to synthesize complex works and how to report. I also learned how to grade and even though I would have appreciated much more instruction in that area, I feel like I have some baseline knowledge for next semester.
Here are a few lists that I've been mulling over the past couple weeks:
Top 5 favorite moments of the semester:
1. Calling myself a journalist for the first time last August
2. Finding out how much I like health reporting and then learning how to actually be a health reporter
3. Learning that there is an area of health communication called media advocacy
4. Listening to Aye Aye Win talk about being a journalist in Burma
5. Watching the leaves change on the MKT trail
Articles I wish I'd had time to write:
1. Acetaminophen overdose and how the knowledge is changing health practices
2. FIT WIC
3. Out, Proud and 40
4. World AIDS Day highlight
5. Dr. Williams' lecture: Your zip code dictates your health more than your genetic code
What I've learned:
1. Grad school involves a huge amount of research
2. Say yes now and tackle inner reservations later
3. Time off is sometimes more valuable than study time (though it needs to be appropriately timed)
4. Long-distance love doesn't have much of a chance (but that opens the door for love closer to home...)
5. Coming to grad school (even at 31) was a good idea
Graduate school is all I had hoped for and is just as difficult as I expected. In just a few months, I've learned how to read research articles, how to synthesize complex works and how to report. I also learned how to grade and even though I would have appreciated much more instruction in that area, I feel like I have some baseline knowledge for next semester.
Here are a few lists that I've been mulling over the past couple weeks:
Top 5 favorite moments of the semester:
1. Calling myself a journalist for the first time last August
2. Finding out how much I like health reporting and then learning how to actually be a health reporter
3. Learning that there is an area of health communication called media advocacy
4. Listening to Aye Aye Win talk about being a journalist in Burma
5. Watching the leaves change on the MKT trail
Articles I wish I'd had time to write:
1. Acetaminophen overdose and how the knowledge is changing health practices
2. FIT WIC
3. Out, Proud and 40
4. World AIDS Day highlight
5. Dr. Williams' lecture: Your zip code dictates your health more than your genetic code
What I've learned:
1. Grad school involves a huge amount of research
2. Say yes now and tackle inner reservations later
3. Time off is sometimes more valuable than study time (though it needs to be appropriately timed)
4. Long-distance love doesn't have much of a chance (but that opens the door for love closer to home...)
5. Coming to grad school (even at 31) was a good idea
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