Samuel Wolfe

An aspiring journalist, YouTuber, and ordinary teenager making my way through life.

[thesamuelwolfe]

This Ain't Goodbye - #WJMC2014 Day Six

I know I've said it before, but the only thing that can describe this day--and the conference as a whole--is wow. Every day, I was amazed at how much was packed into the 18 hours in which we were awake. But what got me even more was how close I grew with me members of my small group in such a short amount of time. I have never loved twenty five people with so much of my heart before after just six days of knowing them. They are the ones who got me through this conference.

Okay, that sounded bad, let me rephrase that: They are the ones who inspired me to better myself and bring them along for the journey. There, that's better!

Today was emotional, and I knew it would be from the start of this week. But what I didn't know was just how emotional it would really be. Answer: VERY. Our day started out as usual at 7:00, and breakfast was a pretty somber time as we at our final meal together. We proceeded to our color group meeting, in which we let out some of our last laughs together and reminisced over memories from the past week. What came after the laughs were tears. And lots of them. We each went around and said what meant the most to us throughout the conference, and the answers were all the same: Each other. 

Our group had been close since day one, and we were probably the most outgoing and energetic croup at the conference. Thanks to our spontaneous dance parties, codenamed "Club Morado", and our GroupMe filled with GIFs, we were able to grow closer and closer by the second. We did everything together: Meals, walks, tours, photo ops, everything. And boy, was it worth it.

After the water works were dried up for the time being, we collected our things and headed down to the auditorium for our closing session. Juliana Simmons (@julianagsimmons), Managing Director of Human Capital Strategic Consulting, gave a short talk on the "Three C's of How to Be Successful". The only one that I remember is "caffeine". #Starbucks. What I loved from her talk, though, is the quotes she used in her presentation. She shared quite a few, but one really stood out to me since we had just come from our final team meeting:

If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.

Not gonna lie, I started to tear up at this point. I can honestly say that I absolutely love my #PurplePack team members, and "love" is not a word I throw around in conversation. After Juliana closed out her short speech with a rendition of "Don't Stop Believing", which we all sang along to, Amy Takayama-Perez (@AmyTakayama) took the stage for one last time. Amy, who had become my favorite speaker of the conference, spent the majority of her time sharing blog posts written by students throughout the conference... One of which, to my surprise, was MINE! This confirmed for me that yes, I was supposed to be here. And when Elena Johnson (@elenajohnson), Program Director of WJMC, took the stage and shared a poem she wrote for us, the long-awaited tears began to stream down the side of my cheek.

And just when I thought it couldn't get any more emotional, SURPRISE! A slideshow of pictures taken throughout the week. I LOST IT. I was a hot mess, bawling into the shoulder of my Junior Faculty Advisor. As I looked at the pictures from Monday's long, hard walk around the city to pictures from the dance party last night, my heart overflowed with joy and thankfulness for all of my friends at the conference.

By the time the slideshow concluded, it was that awful time that we had dreaded for days: Goodbye. We exited the building still in tears, when--oh look, another surprise! We had to take a group picture! We all dried our eyes and did our best to smile, and then proceeded to make the walk back to our dorms where we would embrace one another for the last time. Thankfully, we had a little tune called Careless Whisper playing in the background as we made the journey.

Arriving at the courtyard with our luggage, I hugged each of my twenty five #PurplePack friends, and then some, and took a second to really soak in the love from each of them before I left. As I walked away, something made me stop in my tracks and smile... They were singing "Careless Whisper" to me, which had become our group theme song. I turned around for the last time, and walked away... Not knowing when, or if, I would ever see them again.

It's now 2:05, and I'm sitting at my gate in the airport with my friend, Mary. Surprisingly, I haven't shed a tear while writing this, but I wouldn't be caught off guard if I got emotional later on tonight. I've said it so many times, but I'll say it once more: I am so, so thankful for everyone who made this conference one of the most impactful weeks of my life... The interns, the advisors, the junior faculty advisors, the speakers, and last but not least, my frickin' awesome PURPLE GROUP! 

I guess the best way to close out this post is just to say thank you. Thanks to Campbell who sent us to this amazing conference, thank you to our journalism advisor Pam Lutrell for convincing us to accept the invitation (which wasn't that hard to do!), and my parents for allowing me to take advantage of this incredible opportunity. 

It is now 2:27 and our flight is starting to board, so it's finally time for me to head home!

This has been Samuel Wolfe reporting live from Washington, D.C. for #WJMC2014, signing off.

[thesamuelwolfe]

Stay With Me - #WJMC2014 Day Five

UPDATE (7/18/14, 2:33 AM): I just scrolled through this article to try and get a sense of how long it was, and it was way longer than I planned on! Sorry about that. But I still hope you enjoy it! :)

Well... It's that time. As I sit down at 2:08 in the morning to write this blog post, I'm already overcome with emotion. I don't want to cry just yet, and I don't want to get all emotional in this post since my final #WJMC2014 post isn't until tomorrow. But I'm not so sure that'll work out, I'll let you know at the end of this post.

This morning was another early one! Breakfast at 7:00, "squap" (squad up) at 7:40 to board the buses to the US Capitol. In the bus ride over there, I sat behind two of the WJMC interns and we partied like there was no tomorrow! Upon our arrival, I was actually a little taken aback by the view. I've seen the Capitol hundreds of times in pictures and movies, and even in person once or twice while here in DC. But when I stepped off the bus, something felt different. Something looked different. Perhaps it was the sun just barely peeking out from behind the huge white dome? Who knows. Whatever it was, it felt awesome. I can still feel the excitement almost 16 hours later.

We took our group pictures, followed by individual shots, and then we split up into two groups: Those who toured the Capitol building, and those who made the seemingly never-ending trek to the Holocaust Memorial Museum where even water wasn't allowed. I think you can guess which tour I went on. And it didn't help that I'd messed up my foot earlier and now got to walk across the city with a stabbing sensation in it! But really, the pain was well worth it.

The museum was beautifully laid out with four layers, each almost like a square border, with the main lobby in the center (see it for yourself here). Along every wall was some type of placard or video screen with loads of interesting information about the Holocaust. I've learned about this awful time in history multiple times before, but this visit really engrained everything into my mind since I was able to see and experience the doors of the gas chambers and the shoes of its victims. After an hour and a half, our self-guided tour concluded and we headed out to the museum cafe for lunch. We then hiked back to the buses and rode back to campus. And guess what! I was finally able to take my first nap of the week!! 

After my nap, I changed into my clothes for the highly anticipated gala and met up with my color group. We all accidentally pretty much matched, wearing a dapper combination of black and white. #Classy. On board the bus, we had yet another jam sesh which made the awful traffic jams a little less awful. 

We unloaded at the hotel, the location of the gala, and headed up to the ballroom. To my disappointment, we weren't seated with our color groups and were left to fend for ourselves! We scurried over to any open seat and managed to snag a few tables close to each other. But dinner was over before we knew it, and then the real party began! DJ Eskada (@djEskada), a Mason alumna, gave an awesome party/dancing experience in which almost every single Correspondent participated. The dance lasted almost three hours, and we were all exhausted afterwards!

On the bus ride home, it began to hit us (or at least those who managed to stay awake) that our group, who had grown so close these past few days, would be separating and going home in less than 24 hours. I legit almost lost it on the bus. I'm not gonna lie, tomorrow (er, today) is undoubtedly going to be very rough emotionally for me to get through. I've grown so close with my team members and faculty advisors in just five days. This has never happened to me before. I trust them completely, I love them with all of my heart, and we all understand each other... And we have to leave.

The thing that sucks is we don't know when--or if--we'll ever see each other again. Sure, we have social networks and GroupMe, but it's honestly not even close to the interactions we've had this week. At the beginning of the conference, GMU Dean of Admissions Amy Takayama-Perez (@AmyTakayama) warned us that this week would go by super fast and that we would be exhausted by the end of it. I didn't believe either one of those statements at first. NOW I DO!

Given that we've only gotten an average of five hours of sleep per night and that the days have been literally non-stop action, Sunday through Thursday have almost seemed to blend together. For non-members, this may be hard to understand, but anyone who was or has been here knows where I'm coming from. Regardless, saying goodbye to my color group will be super hard. These 25 people have become my best friends in a matter of hours, and it's just weird to have to say goodbye to them in just a few seconds.

I don't like it. I don't like it at all. But that's life. And as I've learned at this conference, life can suck sometimes. But that's the thing: it can suck, but it always gets better. So if tomorrow will hurt, then will happiness follow later on? I can only hope so. I'm definitely looking forward to going home and sleeping for a few days with no interruption, but I think I'm strangely going to miss these short nights! 

I have so many memories that I want to share, but I also want to sleep! It's now 2:31, so I think I'm going to wrap this thing up. And hey, look! No tears! BOOM, I WIN. 

[thesamuelwolfe]

You're a Photographer Second - #WJMC2014 Day Four (Part II)

Read part one of this blog here.

Something interesting David shared was that you don't have to major in journalism to be a journalist, since you can pick up many of those "learned" skills just by working on the job. Instead, he recommends that you study something you're very passionate about in college, such as business administration or psychology, and then applying for internships and part-time jobs at local news stations. By doing this, you make your background more diverse and you become much more marketable to different networks.

"You never want to limit yourself," he said, "and you don't try to force anything." Let things happen naturally, and always make sure that your passion leads you, not the other way around.

Concluding the night was a session that will be nearly impossible to forget. Entertainment reporter and movie critic Kevin McCarthy (@kevinmccarthytv) walked on stage to be greeted by a herd of fangirling journalists. Starting at 9:00 at night, I expected the session to be interesting, but short and dull. Oh God, was I wrong.

Every 10 seconds, there was a cheer or laugh in the audience somewhere. Besides his charming personality and good looks, Kevin gave us some really good advice on how to be the best journalist you can be. "You have to push, you have to ask, and you have to be noticed," he says. "Always ask a question, even if you know it [will] be a 'no'." Fear is simply not an option in this career.

"If you want or need something, just ask for it." This one-liner really struck me... We've all been told as kids that the worst thing they can say is 'no', but what we're not told is how much being told "no" hurts. Well, answer: A lot. The thing is, we can't let that pain get to us and keep us from trying again. As Kevin said in the closing of his speech, there is a fine line between annoying and persistent. Always be persistent in getting what you want. Don't be afraid to ask questions, and always be ready to do what's required of you to get the job done.

On a completely separate note, I can't believe that tomorrow is our last full day of this conference! It's gone by so fast, but no tears are allowed just yet! ;)

[thesamuelwolfe]

You're Human First - #WJMC2014 Day Four (Part I)

"You're human first. You're a photographer second."

I'm pretty sure whoever coined the phrase A picture's worth a thousand words was talking about Carol Guzy when they said it. Just take a look at her photos, most of which are in black in white; A simple glance at her work evokes emotions in your heart you've never felt before. However, today there were two types of sadness in the room. Her thirty-minute slideshow presentation was full of injured animals, wounded children, and lifeless corpses, but what was even harder to get through was Carol's own personal struggles. 

When a fellow Correspondent complimented Ms. Guzy on her work, saying that it was an inspiration to her, Carol said something I was totally not expecting: "I don't think my work is that good."

Um, excuse me, I don't know about you, but if I won two Pulitzer Prizes in my life I would think I was pretty freakin' awesome! However, we soon learned of the source of Carol's anguish, which may have in turn caused her seemingly low self esteem. In one of her stories, she shared how her mother was recently diagnosed with advanced Alzheimer's, and was barely able to remember anything for more than a few minutes--if at all. One of her mother's last memories on Earth was of Carol telling her she won a Pulitzer Prize... Her mom passed away soon after receiving this news. Her eyes filling with tears, Carol humbly admitted to the entire audience that she has been going through extremely hard times, and that we--the students--were her inspiration. Wow.

During the break following Carol's speech, our group sat outside for a quarter-hour in silence, trying to take in and process what we had just seen and heard. But our day was just getting started. We soon after heard from the Director of International Communications at the American Red Cross, Jana Sweeny (@sweenyj). She too shared some pictures with us, and also promoted a Red Cross campaign for donating blood.

Around noon, we broke for lunch. Today was actually the first AND last day we would eat lunch on campus... And man, was it good! Following our college-life lunch, the founders of Young Voices, Casey Given (@caseyjgiven) and Cathy Reisenwitz (@cathyreisenwitz), spoke to our group on both the anatomy of and the strategies behind writing an effective Letter-to-the-Editor, as well as an Opinion-Editorial. Very informative!

Our third speaker of the day was an incredible woman who serves as not just the George Mason University Dean of Admissions but also the Executive Director of the Washington Scholars Program, Amy Takayama-Perez (@amytakayama). Ms. Takayama-Perez (from here own out, referenced as "TP") guided on us what college admission experts look for in applicants. First and foremost come grades, and "Nothing can make up for your grades," she says. Students should also strongly consider taking the SAT and/or ACT and submitting their score results along with their application. One thing Mrs. TP, as well as other speakers, repeated frequently was the importance of internships during your high school years. She ended her talk with telling us that as stressful as the application process may be, "Don't try to force anything." Just do your research, do your best, and let what happens happen.

Stick around for part two, coming very soon!

[thesamuelwolfe]

Hoda Day! - #WJMC2014 Day Three

Today was simply amazing, let me tell you that. I honestly had no idea what this day would hold for us, besides the fact that the renowned Hoda Kotb would be speaking in the afternoon. Sure, we started out with the usual breakfast and bus ride, but what came after was definitely something like we hadn't experienced before.

We also heard from White House Correspondents Mike Shear (@shearm) and Jamie Smith (@JSmith44) before heading off to lunch at Buca de Beppo where I so conveniently lost my wallet :( . But our #PurplePack jam sesh totally made up for that very quickly! Nearing the long-awaited speech of the week, we convened at the National Press Club where we sat in on the Politics Panel, made up of Jonathan Karl (@jonkarl) of ABC News, Jennifer Bendery (@jbendery) of the Huffington Post, and Ed Henry (@edhenrytv) of Fox News. Throughout the panel, we learned how to retrieve correct information from sources, what "transparency" really looks like in the media, and what being a journalist really requires of you.

After the panel, the moment we had been waiting three days for had finally arrived: We were honored and privileged to hear from the host of the fourth hour of the Today Show, Hoda Kotb (@hodakotb), who shared more than just her story... She told us straight up that "Not everyone has to like you; Just one." This hit home with me, since being a journalist requires making those tough calls where you just know will make some people mad. But that's okay! You can't please everyone! And, in the words of Hoda, "Sometimes, in life, it takes something scary to make you stronger." 

She also told us to not hog our journey, as "It's not just for you." When the universe inevitably takes its revenge on you and knocks you on your ass, you can't let it keep you down, nor can you host your own pity party of one. You can, and should, use your shortcomings and struggles to encourage others who are or have been in the same place as you... Because two are always better than one, right?

Concluding her speech, Hoda told us that "The way you spend your day is the way you spend your life," and we should make sure that we spend our days wisely, as they are shortly numbered. Feeling inspired and thankful to have heard her speak firsthand, we all walked out of the building with our heads held high as we returned to campus for a quick nap and dinner. Finishing out the evening was a talk from Staff Member Matt Schott (@matthew_schott) about how to use social media effectively. It's crucial for us to think smart and be deliberate in our activity online, and even more importantly, to own up to our mistakes.

As almost every speaker pointed out today, failure is okay. In fact, it's expected. But what we have to be careful of is how long we stay down and how we let it affect our future efforts. Being a journalist is a long, difficult, and painful road... But if we stick with it, the results will be more than just rewarding. They'll be amazing.

[thesamuelwolfe]

Journalism in Action - #WJMC2014 Day Two

Wow. I never thought that one day at a camp could be so exhausting, let alone a journalism conference! Obviously, I was proven wrong very quickly. After a short six hours of sleep, breakfast promptly commenced at 6:45 AM. Following our meal was a bus ride to the Newseum, a six-story museum located in the heart of DC which is filled to the brim with print, photo, radio, and television journalism exhibits, as well as special 9/11 and "Freedom of the Press" rooms. 

Finishing off at the Museum, we transitioned to a walking tour of some of the most famous monuments in the city. At first glance, this sounded pleasant and informative. But when you factor in the 90 degree heat and 60% humidity, as well as the numerous miles we walked, well... Let's just say we were all hot, sweaty messes at the end. But our journey didn't stop there, we were just getting started!

The bus ride back to campus was like our refuge, where we were able to nap and get ready for our next big evening. With only 45 minutes to shower, change, and get ready for dinner, everyone was in a frenzy in the dorms. But no worries, we all made it on time! At least, almost all of us! Our keynote speaker, CNN News Anchor Candy Crowley (@crowleyCNN), was definitely impressive. With her non-stop humor and inspirational message, her presence was definitely welcomed and appreciated at WJMC. When asked about education in the journalism world, she shared that "An educated person is one who knows what they don't know." Wow. That made me think, and it still does three hours later!

Being a journalist forces you to consider all the facts before you present a story. We may think we know everything, but no one ever does. It's part of being human, and it's part of being a journalist. But what sets the greatest journalists apart from the averages ones is the fact that they can accept the fact of not knowing everything. Rather, they are willing to commit to finding all the evidence possible and running with it. That's what a journalist is all about: being present and in the moment, and being ready to take a story and run with it at any given time.

At 12:28 AM, it's time for me to call it a night as I get ready to spend the next six hours dreaming of what tomorrow--er, today--holds in store for me and my team. Goodnight!

[thesamuelwolfe]

Find Your Color - #WJMC2014 Day One

Anyone can tell a story. Anyone can read a list of words off a teleprompter. Even your average journalist can bring you breaking news and present the information in a way that appeals to most. But if you take a step back and look past the names and fancy words, what is it that really matters?

Our introductory keynote speaker of the night, Peter Doocy (@pdoocy), Chief White House Correspondent for Fox News, shared that it's crucial for one to "find the color" in your story. Find the little things that people care about which make up a story. Sure, you can throw around facts and statistics at people all you want, but if you can't get your audience to care about what you're telling them, you may as well have said it all to your dog.

People care. People have emotions. They want to laugh, to cry, to feel human. Journalism is arguably the best way to do just that. You not only get to show them what's going on around the world--and in their own city, for that matter--but you get to show them why it matters and why they should care. Details come in all shapes and sizes, but the ones that hit home are usually the smallest ones you can find. Those are the ones that can penetrate the heart and stimulate emotions in an instant.

[thesamuelwolfe]

Just a Quick Thought

Life has been very busy for me lately, so my blogging has been on a bit of a hiatus! I managed to break away from my daily routine for a few minutes and I just wanted to share something super quick:

You don't owe anyone an explanation for your actions.

You don't want to go to that party? Fine. You don't want to have that drink or take that drug? Cool. You want to get that tattoo on your ankle? Go for it.  You will never be able to please everyone, so do what makes YOU happy. (That was in bold, underlined, and all capital letters, so be sure you're understanding me correctly.)

I'm not saying to go out and kill people or do immoral and psychopathic things if it makes you feel good; what I'm saying is that you shouldn't do something that makes you feel bad about yourself. Don't let people force things on you. Be your own person. Love yourself for who you are.

[thesamuelwolfe]

What's the Secret to Commitment?

Let’s all just take a minute and admit it: Commitment is hard. Whether we’re talking about something as complex and serious as marriage or as simple as cleaning up, it can be very easy to let things fall aside and never finish them. For me, it used to be homework and studying for school. Now, it’s more like completing a project for a client or continuing my vlog on YouTube.

So what’s the secret to commitment? Hard work? Nope. Business connections? No sir. The secret to following through on a commitment is commitment to the commitment! Woah, okay let’s back up for a second. Commitment to a commitment?? I’m getting dizzy… How does that work? Easy! You have to be committed to following through on a commitment for you to actually do the following through part. If you just decide on a whim that you’ll do something and you don’t really have any desire to do it, chances are you’ll end up “forgetting” about your promise. But if you are truly committed to pleasing this person and following through on your promise to them, it becomes natural to want to finish what you started. 

Desire is the key to motivation, but it’s determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal - a commitment to excellence - that will enable you to attain the success you seek.

-Mario Andretti

It’s my hope that, even though this post was very repetitive with the diction, you will be more inclined to see your commitments through and have a better understanding of what dedication and commitment mean.

Share what you think the secret to commitment is in the comments!

[whattheevenheckkk]

don’t fucking ignore someone. ever. that is literally probably the worst thing you could ever do to someone. if you’re pissed at someone, tell them. if you don’t like someone, tell them. if you love someone, tell them. bc if you ignore them, their whole goddamn world will fall to pieces as they...

[thesamuelwolfe]

I Don't Believe in Mother's/Father's Day

Personally, I don't feel like Mother's Day and Father's Day don't be a thing. I honestly just do not understand the point of the holiday. Sure, it shows our appreciation to the two most important individuals in our lives, but otherwise what's the point? We don't have "Children's Day" to celebrate the joys children bring to parents, that's what birthdays are for: to have a day all about you! 

I understand that some readers may be offended by this post, but let me just say that I am not hateful towards parents at all--I am simply confused as to why such a holiday exists. I mean shouldn't parents be treated this special every day? If kids are being taught to respect their parents yet we have a single day set aside to do so, what's to keep them from thinking that's the only day to treat them with respect? To me, Mother's Day and Father's Day are a senseless holiday that take away from the meaning of birthdays.

[thesamuelwolfe]

VLOG: How To Be Happy

Sometimes life can get rough, there's no question about that. But one decision you'll always get to make is how you view a situation... YOU get to determine your level of happiness.

[thesamuelwolfe]

39 DAYS UNTIL DC!!

This summer, I have been blessed beyond belief with the opportunity to attend the Washington Journalism and Media Conference at George Mason University in Washington, DC... ALL EXPENSES PAID. I won't go into detail about how exactly this came about, but long story short, thanks to a generous donor who is dedicated to my success as a journalist, I am now able to attend one of the most prestigious journalism conferences in the nation with one of my best friends (who happens to be my co-anchor!). 

So far, I've been highly impressed with the level of professionalism shown by the staff at WJMC, and I'm honored to be able to represent my city and school at the conference among the top CEOs and business executives in America. While there, I'll be documenting my journey on this blog every evening.

I'm so excited for what's in store and I can't wait to see how this conference will affect my journalism career!

[thesamuelwolfe]

VLOG: My Most Embarrassing Moments

I can't believe I did this, but I put together a list of some of my most embarrassing moments... Which actually aren't even that embarrassing, most of them are just me being stupid. But my friend/Assistant Writer/Wardrobe Manager (Mac White) is here today to help laugh at me. Yay.

[thesamuelwolfe]

VLOG: Words You Didn't Know Existed

I found a list of 58 words that pretty much no one knows... Most of which sound SO wrong but they're SO hilarious! Watch this video to learn the best of those 58 and how you can use them in an everyday conversation!

Credit: Buzzfeed [Original Article]

[thesamuelwolfe]

VLOG: I Did The Cinnamon Challenge!!!

I ALMOST DIED DOING THIS CHALLENGE BUT IT WAS WORTH IT!!! I've never done the Cinnamon Challenge before, and I probably never will again, but I wanted to cross it off my bucket list... And I'm glad it's over with! 

[thesamuelwolfe]

Comparison is the Thief of Joy

So I don't know about you guys, but sometimes I just feel like I fall short. What of, I'm not sure, but I just get the feeling that I do sometimes. And it sucks.

Now that I've started vlogging again, I'm constantly thinking about my success on YouTube. I would be lying if I said I was completely at peace about it... I'm honestly completely terrified that I'm putting myself out in the open. I've never done anything like this before, and it's gonna take some getting used to.

I don't know if this sounds cliché or not, but I have this desire (or maybe "need") in me to be successful. I see all of these YouTubers out there with 2 million subscribers and hundreds of thousands of views... And here I am with 14 subscribers and 50 views. Now for me, that's a big accomplishment because a week ago, I had 0 subscribers and 0 views. Compared to big YouTube names like Miranda Sings or Joey Graceffa, I'm a nobody... But that's where we need to pause.

Whenever you compare yourself to someone, regardless of if they're more or less successful than you, one way or another your joy will be robbed at some point in time. If you are constantly trying to live up to expectations of something far greater than yourself, you will only seem to continue to fall short and never be able to reach your goals. But once you decide that you live your life for yourself and that you don't owe anyone an explanation for your actions, the sky literally becomes your limit. Anything you do is considered a huge accomplishment... Because just like my YouTube channel from seven days ago, you went from nothing to something.

And that's an accomplishment.

--

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