I Love You, I Just Can't Find The Words

So I started this blog for my Interactive Media One class. I stopped writing in it as soon as the course was over. In truth, I just never really had a thing for writing about my adventures at that moment in time. I actually acquired a love for writing after I studied abroad about a year ago. This semester, for my Interactive Media Two class, I had to make a blog. So I decided to revive this one, because I really do find joy in exploring my surroundings.
The reason I’m divulging this is because this week’s assignment is to write a blog post about “the CMIR and my life as a journalism student at UF.” CMIR stands for the Center for Media Innovation. Also known to us news students as the newsroom. Also known as Weimer. 

Also known as my second home in Gainesville. So now I'm supposed to delve into a long and descriptive narrative about the countless hours I've spent in CMIR, but I just can’t bring myself to go into detail. I picked up my cap and gown today. I’m graduating May 2^nd. It’s been an emotional day for me and I’m on the verge of tears. Going into detail about my life at UF these past four years would break me down too much right now. I’ve loved every minute of my journey here and the College of Journalism and Communications is to blame. I love the lessons I’ve learned, the way I’ve been forced to grow as a journalist and as a person, the people I’ve encountered in my story telling, and the lifelong friends that I have made in the newsroom. I think the fact that I’m too emotional to write this, makes a more powerful statement about how much I love my soon to be alma mater and my life here.

It really is great UF. So thank you. Thank you for the ridiculously long days and sleepless nights I spent in Weimer writing and editing stories. Thank you for access to the NBC feed which allowed my friends and I to watch live car chases. Thank you for the jam packed days of reporting that forced me to have my first meal of the day at 4pm. Thank you for letting my personality shine as an Entertainment anchor. Thank you for the privilege of anchoring the 5pm show and always letting me read the cute animal stories at the end of our newscast. Thank you for the laughs and advice brought on by my professors and peers. Thank you. I'll miss you and I'll always love you.

Until my next adventure ✌️

Book Review: The Tipping Point

Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia.org

The world is a great, big place and it's easy to feel like a drop of water in the ocean. We feel like in the grand scheme of the ocean our little drop isn't really making a difference. What's cool about The Tipping Point is that it's an excellent reminder that we all matter and have the potential to make a difference in this world. You could be that one person that changes the face of technology, or fashion, or medicine.
I quickly took a liking to this book because it puts in perspective a lot of everyday questions I have about trends. Just the other day I was talking to my mom about fashion trends. She saved a lot of clothes from when she was in her 20's and every now and then she'll bring them out of the depths of her closet and give them to me. Over the weekend she gave me a high waisted skirt and a crop top set. We immediately started talking about how interesting it is that trends circle back around. Who's to say when something comes into fashion and when it goes out of fashion? We're always so amazed by this concept and we talk about it regularly.
In his book, Gladwell compares trends to epidemics by pointing out that they are contagious, little changes that have big affects, and both changes happen in a hurry. These three things are all rules for the "tipping point." I really liked the example he used about Hush Puppies. The shoe company was about to go out of business when a "handful of downtown hipsters" started wearing hush puppies. All of a sudden they became all the rage. Our generation has the capacity to start trends and I think Hush Puppies is a perfect example of how industries look at our age group to see what's hip and what's not.
Gladwell breaks down the rules of the tipping point in order to help us make sense of epidemics. The rules are: the Law of the Few, the Stickiness Factor, and the Power of Context. The Law of the Few is centered around the idea of word-of-mouth and the people that spread these messages. A lot of times when we share our everyday experiences with others, we forget how much of an impact what we are saying can have. My sister and I share everything, so naturally when she tells me she just bought this really cool bracelet, chances are I'm going to check it out and want to buy it also. Word-of-mouth is so powerful and it plays a huge role in the spreading of ideas and trends. The Stickiness Factor focuses on how memorable the message we're relaying is. Is it something that is so memorable it is going to spur change? Lastly, the Power of Context breaks down how "epidemics are sensitive to the conditions and circumstances of the times and places in which they occur."
If you want to learn more about everything I've discussed in this post, I highly recommend you read the book. It is extremely eye opening and a page turner!

Food Is Forever

So chances are if you read my blog, you've noticed food posts make quite the appearance. Like myself, my classmate and fellow blogger Jorge Perez likes to check out the food scene in Gainesville as well. He's got some great reviews so check him out! For the days you're trying to cut back on the pizza, burgers, and cookies, skim Jessica Barreto's blog for healthy ways to eat in. And lastly, if the dollar bills are keeping you down, Abbey Taub shares tips on eating while on a college budget.

Until my next adventure ✌️

35 Days And Counting Down

It's crazy to think that in 35 days I'm out of here. No more classes, no more newsroom, no more Bagels & Noodles. How did this happen?! Can't I just stay in college forever, or at least for a fifth year like my friend and fellow blogger Renee Beninante? Speaking of which, totally check out her blog if you're one of the many extending your stay in college.
Like many of my peers, the looming future has been weighing down on me and in this time of stress and excitement, it's nice to know I'm not alone. Sometimes, knowing there are others in my position is enough to keep me sane. I'm one of many struggling in the sea that's infested with senioritis. All we want to do is skip class, even though we know we'll be longing for the classrooms and exams once we're in the real world.  And our senior bucket lists- can't we just waste our days away anxiously completing and checking off all the things we haven't done yet?
In between trying to live what's left of our college lives to the fullest, we also have to ask ourselves "what's next?" While a terrifying question to answer, just remember so many are struggling to answer it too, like my other fellow bloggers Erikka Lieberman and Jane Schwed. Erikka's a self proclaimed pessimist who's just trying to get by and Jane shares her struggles of trying to go to law school. So again, if you're not sure what your future holds, just remember, you're not alone.

... and if you happen to have your whole life figured out, then wow, kudos to you. I guess you can just ignore all of us out here waving red flags and screaming SOS.

Until my next adventure (or in this case senior struggle) ✌️

Me, Myself, and I

So I normally post about cool places I'm checking out in Gainesville, but the following is more about who I am. So if you want to get to know me, read on! 

My name's Ryanne- rye like the bread, Anne like Anne Hathaway- and yes... that is how I introduce myself to people. And even then, some still get my name wrong. I grew up in hot, sweaty Ecuador until my family moved to hot, sweaty Florida when I was five. They didn't like the temperature in Ecuador I guess? Sarcasm probably doesn't translate well over text... anyways, I grew up in Clearwater with the luxury of one of the nation's top beaches a ten minute drive from my house. I love wasting away my summer days with the Florida sun, coconut waters by the pool, backyard barbecues with my family, and late DQ ice cream runs with my siblings. With the exception of summers, I spend all my time in Gainesville as a student at the University of Florida. I live in a house with three of my best friends, but I also consider the campus newsroom my second home in the 'ville. I'm a telecommunications major with a specialization in news, so I spend a lot of time working for WUFT TV 5. Check out my resume to see what I do around the newsroom. When I'm not busy with classes or newsroom responsibilities I love making the most of my college experience with my friends. We're often exploring new places in Gainesville like the Bluefield Estate Winery,  First Magnitude Brewery, and Maude's Classic Cafe. 

I have a deep seeded passion for acting, which I am pursuing after graduation, so we'll see where that takes me! I also have a love affair with traveling. I studied abroad in Valencia, Spain in the spring of my junior year, and am stoked to be going back for the summer as a Program Assistant for FSU International Programs.... that being said, Go Gators! I love exploring unfamiliar territories like the bustling markets of Marrakech, Morocco to the music filled streets of Nashville, Tennessee with people I love and those I've just met. In my downtime, when I'm not soaking up the sun and my surroundings, I'm snuggled up with my sketchpad or a good book (currently reading The Artists Way), while Alt-J tracks and a vanilla scented candle keep me company. 

Until my next adventure ✌️

The Final Countdown

As a senior at the University of Florida, I'm constantly reminded that the real world will be looming over my head in less than two months. Since the start of my senior spring semester, I have been trying to "get my life together" and "figure out my future." I'm constantly updating my resume and website, so that I can readily share them with prospective employers. It's exhausting and stressful to say the least. But constantly exploring Gainesville keeps me sane! I love sharing all my adventures with you guys, and I hope you enjoy reading about them just as much. I'll have more blog posts up soon, so keep a lookout!

Until my next adventure ✌️

Nothing To Wine About

It all started with a Groupon. Bluefield Estate Winery was offering a wine tasting and two bottles of wine for a group of four people at the beautiful cost of 7 dollars a person. This had me and my friend's names written all over it! Four of us hopped in the car this past sunny Saturday and drove 30 minutes to the winery. It's a quaint little place with grape vine fields, of course,  and some horses on the outskirts of the field. We parked in front of the small building and stepped inside to find wine tasting sections already set up. We presented our groupon and had at it. We were given a card that showcased11 different wines and their descriptions. We were allowed to taste 8 of the 11 so we strategically picked and tasted. The winery is most known for their three blueberry wines, which I highly enjoyed. They also had 2 muscadine wines and 6 other fruity wines. After tasting and ranking the wines, my friends and I easily agreed on two named Sweet Blueberry and Peachy Perfection. But with so many yummy tasting wines, we have already talked of going back and picking up a few more bottles!

Big on cool beverage spots, then check out my previous post on one of my favorite coffee shops in town!

Until my next adventure ✌️