Owen writes:
During my first year at Reed College, I joined its independent, student-run newspaper, the Reed College Quest. During my time with the Quest, I covered student life, features, breaking news, and investigated issues pertaining to students, staff, and faculty. I worked late nights with a newsroom team to collaborate with editors to ensure the quality of my articles, along with taking a week-long trip to Atlanta to participate in the Fall National College Media Convention to tone my journalistic skills.
Even though I plan to do an ad-hoc major in Physics and Math, improving my writing skills is important to me, and I believe in having an interdisciplinary approach to my studies and career, hoping to pursue science journalism or communication later in life. Along with that, working with the Quest has allowed me to expand my understanding of what community is, as I’ve used my Woodstock Wanderings weekly column to engage with small businesses in the Woodstock community of Portland.
To me, my college experience doesn’t stop at the boundaries of Reed’s campus, but also includes experiences I have throughout the city of Portland. One of these experiences was interacting with the ASL Cafe that opened at a 7 minute walk away from Reed. I’ve used this space along with the ASL club I created in order to keep in touch with the Deaf community, a part of my own identity due to my close relationship with my Deaf grandparents. While my involvement in the Quest has been really valuable, it can also become quite stressful, which is why I’m glad I have the other connections I’ve made like the ASL club for a more personal and introspective part of my college experience.
Now that I’m back in the Bay, I spend my time doing lifeguard training and teaching swim lessons with the City of Pleasanton, taking the lessons I learned from working last summer into this summer. When I go back to Reed in the fall, I plan to try out their Nuclear Reactor program and explore more research opportunities with Reed’s Physics department.
