OIDJ Editor - page 28

by Ronnie Rhodes We see commercials for Hollywood blockbusters almost every day, wondering what big installment of a franchise will come next and who will be the next big actor. Now, the rise of a totally different entity – the independent film – is giving Hollywood a run for its money. OU senior Kyle Whalen has been in multiple independent movies and defines independent film as its own genre and style. “Something that has a lot of quirk. Something a big production company wouldn’t bank their summer revenue on,” Whalen said. Independent films did not come into the world unexpectedly…

by Caitlyn Minton Sixteen high school journalists were put to the test during the 2014 Oklahoma Institute for Diversity in Journalism. “Journalists don’t get a lot of sleep,” said sophomore Camila Gonzalez of Harding Charter Preparatory High School in Oklahoma City. The University of Oklahoma hosted the OIDJ workshop for the 11th  consecutive year.  This year’s eight-day workshop was overseen by Melanie Wilderman, director of Oklahoma Scholastic Media at OU. “I believe in OIDJ. We are cultivating the next generation of journalists,” Wilderman said. All the students attend high school in Oklahoma. But they represented different ethnic groups, races and…

by Dyneisha Kornegay Staying in the wrong major can be catastrophic. Students change their majors for a variety of reasons and often realize what they’re learning isn’t what they want to study. For some students, this happens more often. According to collegeparents.org, 66 percent of students base their major of a career they are interested in. Students are encouraged to explore their options and figure out what they want to do. Brittney Johnson, an academic counselor at OU, said she starts by speaking with unsure students to get a feel for what they can see themselves doing in life. Next,…

by Dyneisha Kornegay As students leave for college, choosing a major isn’t the only concern. Where the student will live can also be a huge anxiety. Students’ social lives are affected by where they live during their college careers. Students have options for housing in college. Some colleges require freshmen to live in the dorms though students can get waivers to live elsewhere. While living in the dorms, students find themselves surrounded by others all the time. Friendships form between roommates and dorm mates living down the hall. OU student Drew Howard said he formed close bonds with his roommate…

by Teagan Halbrooks For the past year, teenagers in Moore, Okla., have watched as their community is rebuilt after a devastating tornado destroyed everything in its 17-mile path. Moore is coming alive again. “It was very painful to see all the damage done to the city I grew up around,” said Katie Galloway, 18, who was inside Moore High School during the tornado. She graduated May 25 and is joining the Navy. Maddie Clapt, 16, an upcoming junior at Southmoore High School, recalled awakening on May 20 this year and realizing that the disaster had occurred exactly a year ago.…