If I’m Goldilocks, This Is the Best Porridge Ever

Being a student who changed majors, I can advocate for Arcadia’s ability to expand your horizons. I lucked out and found the bowl of porridge that was just right for me. I’m a loud and proud Media and Communication major. 

Activism is my cup of tea, and I really enjoy bringing awareness to the things that matter. Whether that’s with climate change, racial injustices, or queer and trans rights, there’s always something to advocate for. 

I use the written medium to amplify my voice and reach, and journalism is a powerful tool to do so. I fell in love with the power of journalism during my junior year of high school, and since then have been involved with numerous publications. I partner with WHYY’s Youth Set The Stage program, which amplifies the message of young creators. I also got involved with PBS Newshour’s Student Reporting Labs Academy, where I took part in a rigorous 6-week-long journalism program created to teach young journalists media literacy. Once I was a senior in High School, I just knew I had a future in journalism. 

After figuring out that Media and Communication was the way to go, I quickly fell into the Multi-Media Publishing concentration. This concentration gave me a broad scope of journalistic mediums, from radio to broadcasting and everything in between. I knew writing was my passion, but I soon fell in love with the different mediums available to me. 

Being in my major gives me access to the Media Lab, which is a resource on campus where you can check out production equipment. The Media Lab has things like microphones, and cameras and is even equipped with a student production studio. This allows students to create podcasts, radio shows, and more! 

I also am part of the on-campus magazine Loco Mag, which allows me to utilize these resources. The experience you obtain just through being in the major is invaluable, but the classes are something to highlight in themselves.

The classes you take as a Media and Communication major vary, but so far they have been nothing short of amazing. I take Speech Communications; it’s a class centered on public speaking and the benefits of fine-tuning your vocal skills. As an upcoming journalist, public speaking skills are essential to articulating your points as clearly as possible. The class environment gives you the space to make mistakes, so you can learn and fine-tune your voice. 

I also take Multi-Media Publishing & Production, where we learn to put together radio packages, which is the fancy term used in podcasts and radio broadcasting. Despite being more favorable toward writing, broadcasting happens to be just as fun for me! Plus, there’s nothing better than working with like-minded people to strive toward a common goal, and at Arcadia, you’ll find that everywhere.

There are numerous reasons why I’m a Media and Communication major, and I could go on and on as to how being in this major has changed my life for the better. But all in all, I hope everyone here and at other institutions can find the bowl of porridge that’s just right for them. If I’m Goldilocks, this is the best porridge ever.