Oklahoma Institute for Diversity in Journalism

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Selecting a major can be a major headache

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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,…

Deciding where to live can be a source of stress for college students

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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…

Moore teens reflect on last year’s devastating tornado

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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.…

Thousands of music fans head to Norman for Jazz in June

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by Ashley Cooks and Richelle Hallows Grabbing her lawn chair and snacks, Melanie Corder headed out the door and to the Jazz in June festival. It wasn’t her first time at the festival. She has attended at least five others, saying it has become a tradition. “After a long day at work, it’s nice to come out here to the relaxing atmosphere to come chill out and listen to people’s talents,” she said. “It’s the highlight of the summer.” Corder lives in Norman, Okla., where Jazz in June is held. This year, the festival took place June 19-21 and was…

Shooting scare tested OU campus police responsiveness

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by Ashley Cooks When security procedures at the University of Oklahoma were put to the test in January, Julie Jones was teaching multimedia journalism in a Gaylord College auditorium. “My students noticed something was going on outside, so we all went to the window to look and to try to figure out what was going on,” she said. Outside the building, authorities were responding in force to reports that shots had been fired. The journalism school and nearby Gould Hall, which houses the College of Architecture, were shut down briefly. Maj. Bruce Chan of the campus police department said members…

Camp Crimson aims to ease nerves of attending a new school

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 by Mariela Claudio For most students, going to a new school can be terrifying. Luckily, Camp Crimson is here to help at The University of Oklahoma. Camp Crimson has been an OU institution since 1995. This year, it started June 18 with the transfer session for students. This camp focuses more on helping students learn about the campus and its traditions. Maryann Callaway is a soon-to-be junior. She transferred from Western Oklahoma State College. “When you think of Oklahoma, you think of OU. You think of Sooner,” Callaway said. “It’s history. It’s just Oklahoma. “I don’t think of any of…

Only Human – The Confessions of an International Student

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by Chase Bryer Prior to coming to the U.S., Shugofa Dastgeer worked as a famous news anchor for Afghanistan’s biggest media network – TOLOnews. She went from a life of success and fame to a life of pure isolation as an international student plunged into a different culture. The University of Oklahoma is home to roughly 22,000 students, about 2,000 of who are international students. Migrating from across the globe, these students are given the opportunity to embrace the Sooner state though the International Student Service program. Dastgeer, a second-year doctoral student, said reporting in war-torn Afghanistan was challenging but…

The United States of dependency

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by Maria Chaves Gwen Sommer started drinking coffee in the fifth grade. By the time Sommer was 18, she was bringing coffee to school and drinking sodas during the day. Sometimes, she added an energy drink for a boost. She needed her caffeine fix. “When I wouldn’t have it, I felt like I needed it,” Sommer said. “I used to get crazy withdrawals.” She wasn’t alone in her caffeine dependency. The number of teens consuming caffeine has tripled since the 1970s, according to an American Dietetic Association study. (http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/teen-angst/201305/over-caffeinated-teens) Caffeine is the most consumed legal psychoactive stimulant in the world,…

Social media sites often a big source of ‘drama’

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by Lauren Szmutko   The same websites that connect users with friends and family are the same platforms that have resulted in loss of friendship, self-confidence and deaths. Social media sites can bring news, keep the public informed and help businesses advertise.  Though there are many purposes, none of them include bullying, arguing, or gossiping online – which constitutes cyberbullying. “It’s too much to have drama on Facebook,” said University of Oklahoma student Alexander Plotkin. Unfortunately, Plotkin’s statement is true.  Nobody knows how another will react to comments.  Some shake it off, others take it personally, become depressed. A few…

Oklahoma Writing Project sends teachers back to school

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by Lauren Szmutko Despite popular belief, teachers still go to school to learn. The National Writing Project focuses on teachers teaching teachers. “It has definitely improved my teaching style and writing ability of my first grade students,” said Charlotte Fiekor, a Putnam City elementary teacher. Fiekor attended a 2014 summer workshop by the Oklahoma Writing Project  on The University of Oklahoma campus. It’s one of two National Writing Project sites in Oklahoma. The other is the OSU Writing Project at Oklahoma State University. Established by Jim Gray in 1974, the National Writing Project has more than 200 sites. A university’s…

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