A Lookback on my Radio Experience
This weekend Gannon University had their fall Open House, and we as a station got to meet many new and excited potential incoming freshmen for next year. Being on the other side of an event like this is extremely rewarding because this radio station has impacted me in so many ways and it’s a pleasure to get to share that with others.
Being a pre-med/ math major, it took me a little longer to discover the radio station than it did others, but this did not stop me from finding my family and home at this station. Radio has impacted me in ways I could have never imagined. It has taught me valuable lessons in communication that will one day help me in whatever career path I shall decide to take. Personally, I do not see my future consisting of being a radio DJ for the rest of my working life, but that hasn’t stop me from learning the significance of communication in any setting I may be in. For example, this semester I am in a public speaking class. Camryn before the radio station would have been terrified to get up and talk in front of twenty college kids, let alone be successful in doing so. Camryn after the radio station will walk to the front of the room with confidence before a speech and knows how to present herself and have an effective delivery thanks to her time spent on the air.
Whenever I walk out of the station, it is impossible for me to not have a smile on my face. I have met some of my greatest friends through the radio station. It is a place that is built on the foundation of letting your true personality come out and being able to express yourself. The radio station is a place for conversation and learning more about yourself and others. From simple conversations off the air or talk break on the air, there is no way for anyone to feel alone when they are in the station.
Being involved with radio is just fun in general. I think it is secretly everyone’s dream to be on the radio or on tv, so getting to experience that is incredible. When I go home and tell my friends and family that I’m on the radio I’m practically a celebrity in their eyes. I may not admit it out loud, but I even feel like a cool kid when I hear my own voice on the radio.
Radio isn’t just for communications majors- it is an experience that is open to anyone who is willing to give it the chance. So my advice to incoming freshmen is that if you have any interest in radio, no matter how big or small, whether it’s long term or short term, just give it a chance. You will be surprised how quickly you’ll fall in love with it, and you will be eternally grateful for the experience you will have.
