I'm not going to lie. When I was walking around campus during tours, I knew exactly what department I wanted to be in, but I had no clue what I wanted to do in it. Communication Arts amazed me with the amount of variety you can have in it. You can be in film, advertising, music, radio, news, TV and so much more. Basically, if it's a form of media, I can do into it with a comm arts degree.
I slowly drew to film as I started thinking about it. I loved to tell stories, and what better way to do it than to do it on a big screen showcasing epic fights, romance and just spectacular human beings? But once I started getting into my program, I found a new lover: radio.
Radio was something I honestly never considered at any point in my life, which I don't know why. Even when I was 7 or 8, I would make CDs with my favorite songs on them and play them for my friends so I could share my favorite music with the world. I was always listening to radio personalities and enjoying their shows, thinking how great it would be to be a guest on one of them one day. I never considered it to be a real job for some reason.
This past semester, I worked on my school's station, 91.7 VMFM. I had a 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. shift on Sunday mornings. This is the only time I ever actually wanted to get up. I was excited to go and do my job and play music for people. Granted, no one was listening to me besides friends and family, because who is actually up at 10 a.m. on a Sunday by choice? But nonetheless, I enjoyed it. I loved being DJ Crystal, because I felt more confident. DJ Crystal is a girl who knows her music and can pick a damn good playlist.
The power radio gives me is something I'm grateful for. I feel like I can easily improve someone's day just by playing their favorite song or dedicating a song to their sweetheart. It's a feeling I never knew I could have and I'm so grateful I've been given the opportunity to experience it.
Now when I look to the future, I could see myself being a radio DJ full time, becoming the next Casey Kasem doing Top 40 or getting a simulcast morning radio show like Elvis Duran. I may continue with radio after school, or I may not. But I know I'm going to keep going with it while I'm still here.