When BU allowed students to return to campus this fall, I had no idea what to expect. At the end of August I only took two weeks worth of clothes with me to school, believing that my time in Boston would be short-lived. Hybrid learning, multiple COVID tests a week, and no visitors seemed like a lofty goal for the University to achieve. It took me until mid-October to realize that the world hadn’t ended and I was living many students’ dreams of being on campus. I am so glad I decided to return to BU.
This semester has been full of unforeseen opportunities for me. I was lucky enough to be part of BUTV10’s “The Vote,” which was our TV station’s election coverage program. As the alumni correspondent, I interviewed various BU alumni like Channing Curtis and Adrian Thomas — successful journalists from across the country — about their thoughts on battleground states, the event of a contested election, and many other problems that seem insignificant now. I was also part of the writing team. We wrote tosses for our anchors to lead into segments, and on election night we wrote polling updates. The process was made even better by our ability to use the studio — with the proper safety precautions — to do the show.
The energy when putting together a show like that is unbeatable. It’s the adrenaline rush you get when you’re playing basketball with a cohesive team and everyone keeps sinking shots. It’s the feeling of pulling off a showstopping song-and-dance number when the whole ensemble hits every note and lands every step. It’s the type of feeling I didn’t think I’d experience during a pandemic, and I couldn’t have experienced it in the same capacity at home.
“The Vote” was the product of over 50 brilliant students’ blood, sweat, and tears. If you’re sick of election talk, I understand. But if you’re not, please check out “The Vote” on BUTV10.com, it’s 4+ hours of outstanding reporting, intense hard work, and no advertisements. If you want a comprehensive look at the passion and drive of the students at BU’s College of Communications, “The Vote” is indicative of that passion. It’s that same passion that brought me to BU in the first place.
