Erin reflects on her first year at URI as a journalism major. Over the past year, she was selected to join the Harrington School Social Media Agency as a writer and has published nearly a dozen articles. She also plans to expand her major into digital media and hopes to sharpen her photography skills. 

What advice would you give yourself a year ago?
Don’t get discouraged when not every opportunity goes your way. It’s because of these opportunities that didn’t work out that you’ve been able to meet the people you’ve met and achieve everything you have in the past year. Rejection is simply redirection. 

What’s your major?
I am a journalism major and adding a minor in business of digital media.

What is your dream job?
I would love to write for a major newspaper one day, such as The Boston Globe. Above all, I want to be able to help people and make a positive impact. My favorite thing about journalism is that it gives people a voice, and I want to be able to give that to people.

Where is your favorite spot on campus?
My favorite spot on campus is anywhere on the quad when it’s warm out. It’s become my favorite study spot (when there’s wifi).

What’s your favorite food on campus?
My favorite food at URI is the acai bowls from Bru’s Coffee Bar (technically off campus but part of the emporium).

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned this year?
I’ve learned to go for every opportunity no matter how unlikely the outcome may be. If I hadn’t applied for this internship in the Harrington School Social Media Agency despite only being an incoming freshman, I would have never been able to gain these experiences I have in the past year and build my resume to what it is now.

What’s something you want to achieve at URI in the next year?
I want to become more experienced with the technology in this field, like photography and digital layout and designing.

What do you want to say to yourself in a year?
I hope you’ve been able to keep your drive and passion for this field and continue to fight for stories that need to be told.

This article is the first of a four-year series as an exercise to reflect on how much can change and what stays the same over the course of an undergraduate career.