Blogroll: Featuring some pretty cool people

I enjoy blogging, just as my classmates do. We all appreciate the chance to post our opinions and insights on a public forum that is all our own. It's incredible to learn of the dreams and aspirations held by some of my classmates. So take this time to check out the work of my classmates, because they have some pretty interesting things to say and read about.

Jessica Alpern blogs about entertainment news and pop culture, and provides some great commentary about these popular topics.

Bianca Bahamondes talks about her quest to inspire spiritual healing both in yourself and in others. She offers a fresh new outlook on certain topics that perhaps you had not thought of before.

Jessica Barreto inspires you to practice healthy living, because it can be tasty and enjoyable!

Carla Bayron is someone who shares many of my viewpoints about reporting, and I am proud to call her my co-anchor as well. Her blog is definitely worth checking out if you have enjoyed my posts so far.

Drew Bryan's blog is one I can connect with. I used to be very involved with theatre, and so I feel that I (and you) can enjoy his posts about both theatre and journalism!

Taylor Burke follows the Gator soccer team, and soccer in general. So if you want to keep up with this popular sport, her blog is worth perusing.

Zak Dahlheimer blogs about his passion for reporting and his love for music. He's a rocker and a reporter, and his blog proves it!

Colette DuChanois aspires to be a sideline sports reporter for the SEC Network, so it is only appropriate that her blog is about Gator football.

Chelsea Gates is already in Chicago living the beginning of her dream! Check out her blog to keep up with her adventures in the world of sports news.

Megan Gannon tells you about the "hidden gems" around Gainesville that she has discovered. She encourages you to check them out as well!

Kara Hudgins talks about something we can all relate to: food. If you want some delicious insight, check out the link to her blog.

Richard Johnson also provides some discussion on Gator football, covering all of the hot-button football issues that have blanketed our Swamp throughout this season.

Courtney McKenna gives both examples of her work as a reporter and helpful tips for her fellow "type As" to get by in college life.

Jonathan Munoz delves into the origins of building names at the University of Florida, such as Ben Hill Griffin Stadium and Anderson Hall.

Hannah Oliveto's blog is another that details the antics of Gator football, with a few special features and surprises in there too!

Jonathan Perez discusses the very popular theme of superhero movies, as he critically analyzes a variety of them.

Gabrielle Peterson gives some helpful cooking hints, and even includes some discussion on Pinterest recipes (not to mention the cute and clever title of her blog).

Raphael Pires tells you how you can stay fit and healthy with your workout routines. He goes into detail about how to work out different parts of your body using special techniques.

Paige Pitisci pleases the palette by blogging about Gainesville restaurants she has tried and recommends.

Larissa Scott states the viewpoints and life of a journalist that are so easy to relate to, from one Telecommunication student to another.

Peta-Gay Sherwood's blog is wonderful for exploring different cultures, and the beauty that lies within them.

Codi Snead explores campus life here at the University of Florida, and gives details about some of the hottest places to check out during your stay as a Gator.

Jennifer Tintner talks about her passion for feature storytelling. Feature stories are the components of the newscasts that contain the "feel-good" stories, and some argue that features can be just as important to the show as the hard news that it usually follows.

Carson Williams has inspiring blog posts about one of her favorite book entitled The Last Lecture, by Randy Pausch. It's pretty cool to see how this book has had an influence on her life.

Last but not least, Adriana Yurizza's blog draws some commentary on trending news stories. I think it's always interesting to read about a reporter's perspective, since reporters are the people who are responsible for diving in and gathering all details on a story before forming an opinion.

I hope you enjoy browsing through these different blogs; I know I have!

Review of "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell

I found The Tipping Point overall to be a very interesting read. Oftentimes I have seen Internet videos (ex: the new and adorable Baby it's Cold Outside rendition), pictures (ex: Humans of New York), posts, etc. become viral. Upon viewing/consuming this viral content, I usually can understand why it is so popular, but a lot of times I have wondered how that content came to be so popular. I wondered who or what was the factor that caused it to rise to widespread attention to captivate such a large audience on social media. In other words, I wanted to know when and how this content "tipped", and I was happy to find that The Tipping Point answered this question very thoroughly.

I think the most interesting concept presented in the book was about the Connectors, Mavens, and Salesman...all of which were the types of people who can be responsible for the successful spread of epidemics. Malcolm Gladwell describes connectors as the people with the rapport and widespread credibility necessary to influence other and spark movements on a broad spectrum. Mavens are the ones with in-depth knowledge about certain topics and a deep desire to use their knowledge to help others, as well as induce change and opinion-building. Salesmen are people who use their tactics to persuade; they have the credibility of a Connector and the knowledge of a Maven, but use their skills for "selling" a 

particular item or idea.

Gladwell discussed how all three of these types of people are needed in order to spike an epidemic such as Hush Puppies (which was commonly referenced throughout the book). With the thorough breakdown of each type of person and their role, I was intrigued at how much sense it makes that these three types of people are the agents of change, and I believe I can start to recognize these agents at work on epidemics such as social media trends and viral videos.

Another point of discussion I thought was interesting was the Stickiness Factor, which, in its breakdown, discussed the differences between the development of Sesame Street and Blue's Clues. I never would have thought before that Blue's Clues would trump Sesame Street simply because of its, well, simplicity (ex: characters named by the object they are, like Mailbox the mailbox). However, I can understand how such a literal interpretation can resound well with young audiences, and I can see how the very small increases in viewer salience launch a program far above its competitors. It's interesting, really. And I believe that Gladwell once again did a great job in explaining just how this approach works in tipping popularity.

The Power of Context discussion was also quite fascinating. This, again, deals with small differences in a scenario, whether it's a simple cleanup, or a game of just a couple of numbers. All in all, Gladwell went into depth in this explanation to prove that small things really can make a difference. It was amazing to read about the experiments and examples that proved this point.

All in all, this was a very good read, and this book gave me some valuable insight as both an aspiring reporter and a social media manager. I feel that, thanks to Gladwell's examples, I have a better understanding of how things "tip" into something infectious, whether it be in a good way or a bad way.

Classmate Spotlight #2

The following are three more spotlights on people who are talented news-gatherers, people I can learn a lot from and enjoy working with in the newsroom.

So, first up is Zak Dahlheimer. Not only is this guy the next Ron Burgundy (except far less vulgar), he is also one of the nicest guys I know. His talents expand beyond reporting, as he also boasts musical expertise. He's a good pal of mine, a very hard worker, and the star anchor of WUFT's new and prestigious 6:00 news broadcast. He's on Monday through Friday if you want to catch him doing what he does best!

Next is Carson Williams. Carson is always in the know when it comes to sports news, and she dreams of going to law school to be a sport agent. I've had the pleasure of working with her on the Gator Growl team this year, and I am confident that her dedication and her passions for sports will land her exactly where she wants to be.

And the final spotlight goes out to Bianca Bahamondes, whose blog is very intriguing. She wants to use reporting to help explore and better understand different cultures, as well as open people's minds to new ways of thinking and viewing. Reporting in itself teaches you to be open-minded, but Bianca wants to take this to the next level, which is something I find inspiring.

Check out my previous post for my first three spotlights. I hope you have enjoyed visiting these blogs!

Classmate Spotlight #1

For a twist, I would like to take a moment to spotlight the accomplishments and personal blogs of some of my classmates in the Journalism and Communications college here at the University of Florida. Everyone has a story to tell, and these people who I am happy to call my peers have some really great ones.

In addition, these particular three also happen to be the people on my news team for WUFT.

The first classmate I would like to spotlight is the lovely Adriana Yurizza. She is a very talented news-gatherer, and I was happy to call her my partner in crime for the television broadcasting class we took together this past spring. She is now my anchor double for the consumer news segment of WUFT's First at Five news broadcast! I encourage you to check out her blog for some valuable insight on trending current events.

Next, I would like to call attention to Carla Bayron, who serves as my co-anchor for First at Five. She's the type of person I can easily see as the next up-and-coming news personality. Carla is very passionate about her work, and is very good at it too. If you'd like to see for yourself, tune in to WUFT on Wednesdays at 5pm to see her anchor alongside me!

Last but certainly not least is Jessica Barreto, our main anchor for the broadcast. Jessica also works for Gainesville's ABC affiliate, GTN News. Jessica's blog is definitely worth taking a look at if you'd like to draw some ideas for healthy eating and living!

Check out the above post for three more spotlights!

A Little More About Yours Truly

As I'm sure you can see from my several blog posts about Telecommunication, especially my post about my passion for reporting, you can probably easily guess that my dream is to one day become a news anchor.

I've worked very hard toward this goals thus far, and despite the trials and doubts I have had, I have discovered that this is the right path for me. I truly believe I have what it takes to be successful.

I am fortunate to have held several leadership roles here at the University of Florida (elaborated upon in my resume) that have helped to prepare me for the work I will be doing, and the leadership I must demonstrate upon graduation.

However, something more to know about me is that I am very driven. I understand that perfection in my work is rarely possible, but I believe in bettering myself so I can get as close as possible. This is true in just about everything that I do.

I also am a very compassionate person. I love investing in close friendships and relationships that will  be long-lasting. I find true beauty in the strong bonds of friendship. In fact, my very first blog post was about platonic love, because I believe that no matter where you go in life, friendship is the positive force that can help carry you through any difficult time.

Last but not least, and perhaps my greatest asset toward my dream, is my curiosity. I love asking questions and finding out information about people or situations that I did not know before. I especially love the fact that reporting gives you valuable insight that you get to know first, and that people will be grateful to you for sharing with them.