Major Exploration Scavenger Hunt

Things I learned and relationships I built:

1. I will not lie, I am one of those people who take their life and ambitions very seriously. My life has been planned out since I was 10 years old. I knew exactly who I wanted to be, and what I wanted to do. However, traversing through very new experiences and changes this past year has taken a toll on me, and I have become more wary of wanting to continue on the path I set out for myself all those years ago. I have too many hobbies and passions I would like to see fulfilled, which makes it hard to want to stick to one thing. Looking through this course catalog and curriculum, I am glad to see all the opportunities and paths that I could explore during my time at the College of Arts and Sciences. I like how we can try new things through electives, and look forward to exploring new paths through those–like Advertising, Marketing, Sports Leadership and Management, Public Relations, and Photography. There are lots of electives I would like to do, so coming to college with already 12 credits, and coming in as a second semester freshman, I am hoping I’ll be able to take more. 
2. “…Communications and Media Arts major offers small class sizes and close working relationships with peers and faculty.” – I grew up in a very small town, my entire school being 280 kids, my graduating class was 54. I have always enjoyed having a small class where you aren’t just a number and can create meaningful and lasting connections with your peers and faculty. Getting ready for college, that was the one thing I looked for when choosing a school: small class sizes and population. UNE was not the smallest school on my radar, but I hoped that the class sizes were small enough to benefit me and my learning.  My normal class size was around 8 kids for the last 8 years of my life, so I knew that experiencing that size was unique and wouldn’t happen in college, but I’m glad to note that they are not too big at all.  
3. The Communications and Media Arts overview states that we will have “hands-on training with the latest tools and technologies of the field”. I learn by doing, so being able to use equipment to learn and try out new things is extremely important to me. I spent the past year of my life working in a studio/lab space full of all high-end technical equipment, and learned everything I know now by actually performing tasks. Going into this field and completing this degree it was imperative that I sought out a college that would allow me to be hands-on with equipment. I didn’t know the extent that UNE allowed, but after a couple of Intro to Communications classes, we are already starting to use professional equipment and I highly value that as it is vital to my future success. 
4. In the “Mission” section of the program curriculum, I appreciate and emphasize the regard to preparing us to be ethical and socially responsible in our future endeavors, as well as continuing to develop our problem-solving skills. I think those are two of the most important tributes to becoming successful. The emphasis on being ethical and socially responsible in your future endeavors is crucial because, in any career or field, your actions have a direct impact on others—whether it’s colleagues, customers, communities, or the broader environment. Employers and organizations increasingly value integrity and responsibility, especially in an interconnected world where decisions can have far-reaching effects. Problem-solving skills are equally important because they enable you to navigate complex challenges. Whether it’s addressing work-related issues, interpersonal conflicts, or societal problems, the ability to think critically and find solutions is important, especially when going into a field where communication is key. 
5. Wishful thinking: in the catalog, it states that one pursuing a Communications and Media Arts degree “must earn a minimum of a 2.0 GPA”. My personal standards are way too high and will not let me get low enough to that, or at least I hope they are. I have always held a high regard for academics, as it was preached as such in my household. I ended my high school academic career with a 3.92/4.0 GPA, and graduated Valedictorian. I understand that college is different and the workload is more rigorous and potentially strict, but since I value competency and intelligence, I hope to keep my GPA above a 2.0. 
6. The track that I am on right now has me pursuing a career in sports broadcasting. Looking at the learning outcomes there are a few things that I believe are the most important when considering my career. 1) Effectively communicate and speak in public settings. 2) Write for specific purposes and situations. 3) Use communication technology effectively and ethically in a professional setting. 4) Have a working knowledge of media story structure. 5) Contribute to the production of media content by serving in different roles and working effectively in teams. When I watch a professional sports game, the broadcasters and field production always seems to accomplish/work with the points listed above. So being able to come out of college with these skills is essential to my career.