New Chapter

Hello all,

For those who may not know, I just graduated from Oswego in May, and I must say it still hasn’t hit me that I actually am done there. I guess that’s kind of because I’m in graduate school at Syracuse University now.

As of tomorrow at 4pm, I will have successfully finished my first semester of graduate school with 3 more to go, and I must say I am excited. It’s weird that just three months ago, I was rushing to hand in final papers, and stories. Flash forward to now and I’m rushing to hand in designs, edit feature viedo stories and cover local feature stories.

As much as many recent graduates encourage taking a break between undegrad and grad school, I have truly appreciated going straight though. Since my program is only a year long, I’m basically studying as long as someone my age who may be doing an extra year o undergrad. So in just 5 years, I would had accomplished two degrees. I think that is a great accomplishment and ready to tackle even more.

For now, I’ll be starting fall classes in two weeks, work as the assistant housing director of Bryant and Stratton College, and TA an undergraduate journalism ethics class. This may seem like a lot, but in fall 2011, I had three jobs, three internships, three class, while also working as the president of a club and an RA. So this should be a breeze right?

Although I’m no longer a student at Oswego, I would love to keep writing on this blog and kind of show a glimpse into post-graduate life. The ups and downs. Good, bad. ugly. And whatever other cliché outcome that comes mind.

To commemorate a successful first semester at Syracuse and say goodbye to a hectic last semester at Oswego, I leave you with this video. It is my first multimedia piece from grad school. I’ve done work like this before, but I am especially proud of this video in particular because it marks the beginning of something great for me… my career as a multimedia communications professional.

Post-Grad

As I patiently await my degree in the mail, I often contemplate all the amazing things that I can do with this token for my four years of sleepless nights, extracurricular activites galore and stressful events. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had a great time in Oswego, but I think that this book is coming to a close. And although I’ve enjoyed reading, it’s time to move on to a new story.

This is why I chose to move on with my life in grad school. Why not move as far as I can away right? How about Syracuse, right? Well that’s how far I’m going for now, for graduate degree in magazine, newspaper, and online journalism. But what’s next?
After that year, where is my path? Boston? Chicago? California?

One of my best friends and I  joked that we would move to LA, intern at E! News and become the new Kardashians, except we would actually have college degrees.
It’s interesting to have so many possibilities in the dreams that I possess. I could be practical and live at home with my mother in New York City and get a job. This would save money, and NYC has millions of opporunities. But who wants practical? I have a bachelors degree and will have a masters in a year?

I’ve been practical for the past 21 years. Can’t I venture into a spontaneous and irrational goal in the future if I wanted. Now I won’t say I’d fly to LA without a dime in my pocket, but I’ve lived for so long looking at my dream of being an entertainment journalist as a mere dream. But why can’t this dream become reality? I guess reality will let me know in a year.

VIVA CUBA

Now I have previously mentioned my recent trip to Cuba, but I wanted to create something to show you guys instead of just telling you. Although I went there with a Travel Photography class (shoutouts to Julieve Jubin), recorded some video shots as well. Here they are compiled together.

White-Out

It’s just been a week since the Oswego Men’s Hockey slammed Plattsburgh in the one the SUNY Oswego’s biggest events of the academic year. This was my third time attending the event so I was pretty familiar with everything that goes on with the game. This time, I was more focused on the fans. I was impressed with the amount of students who put so much work into preparation for the game. Whether it was painting themselves in all white, dressing up in a skin tight greenman costume, or intricate face makeup, it all was superb.

Before coming to Oswego, I had not watched a single hockey game. But here, I have myself sitting in the seats of dozens of games. I think it is more than fights, pucks, and encouraged violence. The true experience manifested far beyond the ice. I enjoyed the unity it brought students. Everyone was there to have a good time…..Tormenting the opposing team’s goal serves as one of the primary team building activities!

Space

Poetry used to be a passion of mine. I loved getting my thoughts and feelings on paper. And ironically I was not a fan of non-fiction. After deciding to pursue both genres in my creative writing minor, the tables turned. I think that taking a poetry class taught me a lot, but stressed to0 much formalized uniformity to a chaotic passion of mine. There was a time where I thought I only had space for one: non-fiction or poetry…. But recently I have learned, that just like jello, there’s always room for more…

This inspired me to write a poem focusing on the word Space

Spatial Issues

Confined in our own place
Intertwined in our given space
Love life laughs jokes unshared
Stares, grins, moans, sighs placed upon this burden we all share.

Nucleus membrane microscopic motives
Lovely lashes batted by the mystery queen of vision

You can make no sense but people love you
For you are space
Given arrangements

Love in color coded segments

Bubbles of mercy

Facillitated and delegated before thee

In an emergence of your entity
I find additional space for you
Reservations for two

Proud

Over winter break I worked at a non profit arts organization. Here is one of my projects.

It feels great to look at that video and remember a time where I never thought I would be able to do something like this. Editing this video truly gave me the confidence to believe that it is never to late to learn a new skill.

Winter Break

Slumber till noon
A momentous break from tests, group meetings staff meetings

Forever trapped in your own responsibilities
Wrapped in your 9-5pm
Held by the contraints of am’s and pm’s

I thought I’d start this blogpost with a little poetry. So I have been on break for two weeks now, and I must say, it has been one of my most favorite. Now I’m not saying it’s been loads of fun, but this marks the first break where I’ve been able to end my long relationship with my bed and my tv. I applied for a bunch of no profit internships in hopes of being able to help out during the winter break. I knew my chances were even lower because I would only be available to work for 2.5 weeks.

I got an email back from CITYarts, Inc. CITYarts is a no profit organization that empowers kids by helping them create large scale mural projects throughout the world. One of their slogans is “If kids create, they will not destroy.
For the two weeks there, I have been working on creating a Social media plan for future interns so they have a clear and concise way to use social media. I also worked on a video advertisement project for them to be published on their youtube account. I am proud of the work I did for them in this short amount of time. This truly inspired me that many things are possible if you just find the right people!

Globetrotter

So as this semester comes to a close, I’m so excited to be going to Cuba in the January with my photography class. I haven’t gone abroad (besides Canada) in over 8 years. Be sure to look out for all of the photos that I will take.

For now, I am excited that my journalism class has opened me up to developing my own internet identity. Check out my new website!
Flavors.me/chrismcpherson

Procrastination

Poetry is great way to de-stress,
It is also a great way to procrastinate homework

Enjoy this stream of consciousness

Love promotes change
Evokes deranged paranoia
Assists insomnia
Aids self awareness/self consciousness
Encourages emptiness
Delivers desperation
Allows emotions to run free

Love does a lot….more than anyone can ever handle.