University of Southern California - here I come! / by Helen Arase

Wow - it's been a while since I've even looked at my website. 

To be honest, I've been on a bit of a media and internet haitus since... maybe the end of April.

The avoidance of news - or lack of intensely following the 24-hour newscycle - was by choice. I am gearing up to jump into living, breathing and dreaming about journalism and decided I needed a recouperating period. 

The internet haitus was forced. I moved closer to USC and didn't have internet until three days ago. I haven't had TV since 2014 so this internet/TV bundle feels like the best thing to happen to me in a long time. I got to watch James Comey give testimony to the Senate Intelligence Committee and then wall-to-wall commentary ALL DAY. So nice.

I took a freelance assignment that required me to transfer many gigabytes of data over multiple days so I had to drive back and camp out at my mom's house just to use her internet. So, it's better.

 

Now, USC. I've committed, gotten a scholarship, all that. I am now waiting to sign up for classes. The summer immersion program begins in July and I'm super excited. We all had to submit a headshot and short bio for a new student directory. I had my friend Meghan Attaway shoot mine in the studio at the University of La Verne. It's possible she did the last one too, now that I'm thinking about it. 

I submitted a tighter crop than this one. I think I look grown up? I don't feel grown up.