Walking back into the bright, brilliant newsroom that is The Oakland Post was one of my favorite ways to end the summer and start my final year of undergrad. This room and the people who have filled it with their creative, sometimes unpredictable ideas are what I’ll cherish most about my time at this university.
Some know me as a piano major who dwells in Varner Hall, others may know me through my many, many public relations and journalism endeavors. If you don’t know me, I am a senior whose interests are as widespread as my Apple Music playlists; somehow, Franz Liszt, Elvis Presley and Saint Levant all found a home in the same library.
If you can relate, you’ve likely been told to narrow your focus, because “a jack of all trades is a master of none.” But frankly, I couldn’t disagree more.
Performing Chopin and Rachmaninoff in a recital hall each week may not be my long-term career, but it has taught me the importance of grueling preparation and the thousands of attempts necessary before greatness strikes. There is always the chance that public relations or journalism don’t end up being my endgame either. At least I can say I’ve dived headfirst into both, covering everything from arts and politics to medicine and the automotive industry.
The Post has always been an experimentation lab to find your beat as a reporter and to foster friendships. My experimentation began as a contributor, chronicling a friend’s rapid rise in composition, eventually carrying him all the way to the New England Conservatory. Chelsea Bossert hired me shortly afterwards as an arts reporter, reshaping the rest of my college experience.
Whether it’s your first time stepping onto campus, or you’ve incessantly strolled these halls, The Post is here to be your source for what’s happening at Oakland. Our staff tells the stories of students, from reports on housing developments to keeping you updated on when that new lunch spot will finally open, even highlighting the arts and sports communities that thrive across OU’s 1,441 acres too. As you find your footing in a new environment, oaklandpostonline.com can help make sense of the campus around you.
The first few weeks are some of the most exciting. Perhaps you’ve attended events like the New Student Welcome, Student Program Board’s Outer Space Carnival or Grizz Fest. These celebrations grant an exciting glimpse into the year to come — outside of the homework and studying.
In Volume 53, change is omnipresent. We are reducing our print schedule to the first Wednesday of each month, while continuing to publish stories online every Wednesday. New this year, “The President’s Corner” will feature members of the administration explaining their roles and projects and “The Data Center Diaries” will target a plethora of perspectives for the recently approved data infrastructure project.
Several other columns from the past will be revived, including the advice column “Dear Mallory” — rebranding to “Dear Andrew” — and “This Week in Law” making a return as well.
Entering my final year at Oakland, I’m still not too keen on narrowing my focus. If anything, The Post has taught me to do the opposite: chase the stories and opportunities that pique my interest and learn more about the people involved along the way. I have my entire life to master one trade. For now, I’m content being a jack of many, and I hope Volume 53 gives readers the same freedom to discover just how many interests can fit into one college experience.