My morning began at the crack of dawn, when the orange sun was peering over the horizon. When the clock hit 6:37am my alarm sprang to life. It buzzed and paused until I surrendered and woke up. Realizing the fact that the first lecture began at 8:25am, I wasted no time and got to work right away.
Our daily schedule was a split between lectures and activities. During the first lecture on journalism I was able to gain in depth knowledge of the technology, skills and processes behind the television scene. Above all, I recognized the fact that individuals working in the journalism industry have to cope with a tremendous amount of stress and pressure. They only have one chance to present the news. From that experience, I was able to break through my fear of failing and taking risks in life and truly appreciate the comments made by others. Through Skype lecturing, we were able to hear from Alex Shipillo, our guest lecturer. He is an extraordinary individual, and a Shad alum himself! His inspirational lecture motivated me to aim high and forget the past and he let us know about numerous workshops and activities that we could participate in. At the end of the lecture, I realized how it only takes passion and action to achieve or accomplish anything in life. Life is a roller coaster - look forward and forget the past.
In conclusion, even though some of the lectures consisted of principals and ideas that I would experience in the future, I was able to apply that to my daily life. I want to create my own opportunities and hold on to the knowledge I gained. I want to maximize the Shad experience by getting to know each and every single Shad and staff member!
John Lee, Shad Valley Carleton University 2011
Hometown: Surrey, BC
