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Happy Halloween!

Hope everyone had a spooky and fun Halloween.

To help get us all in the Halloween spirit, our class worked on a set of scary short stories this week. Every student wrote a piece centered around the fictional Greenbriar House. From the long and detailed history of the house we were given, I chose to write a narrative set in the early 40s. The background we were given and my story make up the rest of this post. Enjoy!

“1939—the house is sold again, only this time it’s turned into a home for the mentally ill. The house is renamed the Donald Haynes Institute of Mental Health after the director of the home. The establishment takes care of wealthy patients families want hidden away.”

“1941—World War Two begins and stories are told about the various inmates at the hospital. Reporters constantly try to penetrate security to get pictures of the famous inmates. Some of those reporters go missing, as well as orderlies and staff. More than a dozen deaths happen there over the next ten years. Some are suicides. Some are murders. Other people disappear. And there are constant ghostly sightings.”

Greenbriar House 1945 – by Jessica Zimmerman

They shouldn’t have brought me here.

I have my room, my chair, my bed, and my sink. I have the bland food, the pale pills, and the dull nurses that arrive at my door on a regular schedule four times a day if I behave. I do not have my knives and tools, my books and diagrams on the human body, nor my lists and ledgers and bottles and chemicals for mixing up strange and fascinating concoctions. 

That matters not, because I have my large, dusty window that looks over the back of the grounds – my window covered with ivy and carelessly crafted metal bars – bars that are hardly more substantial than the ivy itself. The windowpane rattles in the wind, and in the winters the cold seeps in at the seams. When it rains, puddles collect under the sill, and in the humid summers the moisture feeds the dark-colored mold that clings to the wall. But I love my window because when the wind howls, the sterile, white-clad figures that guard the halls at night can’t hear the scrape of the glass being raised open, nor the squeak of the bars being twisted aside. And if I hide my pills properly, the nurse assumes they’ve been consumed, and I have a peaceful, unbroken timeframe of six hours before they’ll bother to check my room. I squeeze my thin limbs through my treasured window and into the shadowy night. 

They shouldn’t have brought me here.

Here, where the outsiders say you’d hear voices and see whisps of those who once had been.

Here, where any havoc I care to wreak is dismissed because the nurses would rather not have to investigate the “mysterious forces” that might cause such occurrences. I do not fear the mysterious forces. The only mysterious forces at play are my own ruthlessness and cunning.

They say this house has a history of ghosts. I say it is only a history of people who care more for their own ambitions than for the well-being of their fellow man. Which is to be feared more?

They say you’ll hear voices. I hear them too, but I know they are only the voices in my head and the voices of my victims. I’ll be here for years, free to soak in the glory of my reign of terror. Freedom is simply a game of blending in and biding my time. 

They shouldn’t have brought me here, where they call me crazy and brush me aside, leaving me with all the power my heart desires. 

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Campus Costumes

Throughout this Halloween week, each day there have been more and more costume sightings around campus. Whether it is dressing up with friends or wearing a costume to a club meeting, there are many opportunities to show off creativity and personality. 

With a football game the day before Halloween, it was no surprise to see costumes sprinkled in among the fan attire at the stadium today. Joseph Matthews, the hotdog sitting in the row behind me, gave me the rundown of his costume experience. 

Joseph decided to show off his costume at the game today because he wanted a chance to be on tv. 

“I felt like it was going to get me on ABC, and I heard about Fan of the Game,” he explained. “I’m going for that…get those air pods, that’s what I heard.”

While he did not get fan of the game, his school spirit was evident. 

You may be wondering what inspired Joseph to dress up in a hotdog suit. It was a matter of fate.

“I won the costume at church and had no other option.”

Last-minute Halloween costumes can still be the best, however. Joseph claims he has not seen any costumes on campus that tops his hotdog suit. He has even worn it to Chick-fil-A and Braums. However, he does admit that it is not the best costume he has ever worn. 

“I was dressed up as Phantom of the Opera when I was in third grade with my sister,” he told me. 

I have to agree that would make a better costume than a hotdog. 

Who knows what other free costumes Joseph might have been willing to wear. He does, however, draw the line for one thing: he would never dress up as an OSU fan. Seeing that the OU football game is where he chose to wear his costume, this is probably for the best. 

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Free Speech in College and Beyond

As I previously mentioned, my first year in college has been the first time I was aware of Free Speech Week. The University of Oklahoma put effort into organizing events and making statements to raise awareness for the week. Historically, there are many examples of when college campuses have been centers for free speech. I talked to one of my peer mentors, Chris Firch, to unpack the role free speech plays in a college education. 

Chris did not participate in any of the campus-sponsored Free Speech Week events, but he is aware of it. He feels comfortable speaking his mind freely, and he expressed to me his appreciation for the rights we have regarding this. During college, the things we learn help grow this respect. Chris gave me a recent example from his own life.

“I’ve been watching these North Korea documentaries which made me appreciate the blessing of free speech in our country.”

Chris has witnessed several instances of free speech during his time on campus. He has seen protests on the South Oval ranging from topics like pro-life and pro-choice to the conflicts in Palestine. 

“I would say the reason we go to college is to educate ourselves on real-world issues,” he reflected. “The right to protest and speak freely on the south oval really encourages free thought.”

As a campus tour guide, Chris has had to explain this to visitors to OU’s campus. Whenever a protest or activist event is occurring while Chris is giving a tour, he does not shy away from mentioning it. 

“Even if it can be polarizing at times…it’s important to value knowledge and hear the different perspectives.”

This is all part of the college experience. 

“Adults have their minds made up a lot more clearer than college students do,” Chris explained. “Freedom of speech is so prevalent here in college…it’s the first time we can experience so many backgrounds, beliefs, and cultures.”

As college students are exposed to so many different perspectives, they also have the opportunity to access quality content to help shape their interpretation of the world around them. Whether it is hearing from professors or student government leaders, learning from literature and textbooks, or staying caught up with campus and global news, college is full of opportunities for accessing quality information. All these aspects contribute to another freedom that is firmly dependent on freedom of speech.

“Freedom of thought…[it] is so valuable. Freedom of knowledge and actually getting accurate information is so powerful.”

Keep an open mind. Be a lifelong learner. These are important lessons that extend far beyond our time in college, and they will allow us to celebrate free speech every day of our lives. 

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Dean Walker on Journalism and Free Speech

It is difficult to discuss free speech without addressing freedom of the press. My Intro to Media professor, Dean Yynette Walker, gave me her insight into the role the press plays in freedom of speech.

Journalism, she explained, is rooted in free speech.

“The whole reason that we do our work is because we believe in the right to free speech and our right to exercise that right.”

Journalists create awareness about community or national events. This allows people to speak up about the issues that affect them.

“We try to give information that people need to know to keep them informed to make better choices.”

If citizens want to actively engage in free speech, their words will be much more effective if they are well informed. 

“Read the news,” Dean Walker advised. She told me that most of the facts journalists uncover are open records to the public, but the average person probably does not know how to get to such records. This is where journalists come in. They help make this information easily accessible to everyone.

“Read it from a variety of sources,” she advised. “Then you will be armed with enough information to…use your voice and that free speech.”

Journalists also hold our elected officials accountable. 

“We have the right to ask them questions.”

Sure, politicians do not have to answer everything, but they generally understand the importance of being transparent with their constituents. Journalists play a vital role in this. 

“[There is a] relationship between reporters and leaders,” Dean Walker said.

Journalists keep up the conversation between the people and their leaders. In this way, they serve as watchdogs.

Today, the role journalists play in free speech is often downplayed, especially when words like “fake news” get thrown around.

“Fake news as a term used to be about satire and jokes,” Dean Walker shared with me. “Over time, leaders corrupted that term and began to accuse reporters of lying and creating stories that are not true.”

Sure, this happens, but these stories are not produced by credible journalists.

“Leaders use that term knowing full well that it’s not applied to credible journalists, but they use that term to basically dispute what a journalist is saying because they don’t like what they said…even though they know it is true.”

This poses a threat to free speech because it stands in the way of journalists doing their jobs.

“That is a big challenge, but it’s been a challenge throughout all of time for reports to develop relationships with their communities,” Dean Walker assured me.

To establish trust, journalists must build this relationship with their audiences.

 “I actually do care about this community and I want to get this information to help you.”

These are the responsibilities, challenges, and rewards that come with the field of journalism. On a final note, Dean Walker shared with me the thing she believes is most important for people to understand about free speech.

“That they have it, that it’s important to use it, and that they should research credible sources to inform their free speech.”

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Free Speech Across the Board

Free speech is significant across many different areas of our lives. Some of these connections are more obvious than others, but Free Speech Week allows us to stop and consider all different aspects of this freedom. I talked to several of my professors this week to find out more. 

Dr. Lindsay Marshall is my instructor for gateway to belonging. This required freshman class seeks to help freshmen find their place at OU and foster a sense of community and belonging here on campus. Dr. Marshall shared with me the role free speech plays in creating spaces of belonging.

Being able to speak our minds without restriction from the government is important.

“That’s crucial to us being able to find belonging to each other,” Dr. Marshall explained. “When institutions of power determine how we engage with each other, it ensures that we can’t be our authentic selves.”

This authentic self is something we discuss in class quite frequently. However, Dr. Marshall expanded on this: there is a level of responsibility that comes with free speech if it is going to be truly capable of extending belonging to all. 

“Freedom to speak is not the freedom from consequence.”

Being reckless with our speech is just as dangerous as an institution controlling our speech. Luckily, if we respect the value of free speech, we can learn to wield it responsibly. 

On a more personal note, Dr. Marshall explained what free speech means to her.

“It’s important to me because I think decent is one of the most crucial tools that we have for seeking a more just society.”

Next, I spoke to my environmental studies professor. Dr. Rebecca Sherry gave me some examples of the role free speech plays in environmental issues. Once again, this topic lined up very well with what we had already been discussing in class. 

“I have a few examples within this lecture,” she told me after class. “Some substance was banned or regulated, but in most of these cases, initially the press was heavily involved. A journalist made people aware of issues with particular chemicals or substances.”

This is generally true for all types of environmental issues. 

“Getting information out there that can sway public opinion has been important to a lot of environmental regulation.”

The right to free speech allows people to raise awareness whenever something is not right in our society. 

When I asked Dr. Sherry what free speech means to her, she acknowledged that she had never thought much about it.

“Since I never felt I didn’t have it, it’s hard to say.”

Upon further consideration, though, she had an answer for me.

“Any improvement always starts with talking about what’s wrong, so the ability to criticize our government…it’s absolutely necessary to improving life.”

I found this really insightful. Free speech is something we often take for granted. This is why Free Speech Week is important. It causes people to slow down and appreciate what we have.

With this in mind, the last professor I talked to was Christina Audas. She has lived in many countries around the world. I wanted to find out if she had experienced life in places where freedom of expression is more restricted than it is in the United States. 

In some of the places she has been, Professor Audas was aware of a difference in expression.

“I’d say there’s more fear of oppression to speak freely…I don’t think folks feel as emboldened…I don’t know if that’s because there’s actual lived experience of violence happening, or if it’s just part of the culture.”

American culture puts a lot more emphasis on free speech than some other parts of the world. It’s up to us what we do with this. Professor Audas uses this to encourage understanding across cultures. Respect is an important part of utilizing free speech.

“If I hear someone say something in class…I try to use those opportunities,” she explained. “We need to create spaces of humanity.”

As you go through the rest of your week, take time to think about the many areas of your life that are affected by free speech!

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Tavana Farzaneh on the Importance of Free Speech

How does free speech affect our community on campus? How can we uphold the values of free speech on our campus? To answer these questions, today I talked to OU’s student body president, Tavana Farzaneh. 

Tavana’s office is located in the union in a section I’d only been in once before. I pretended not to be a scared little freshman as I knocked on the door to talk to someone of great importance. However, after being greeted with smiles and a lot of love from a tiny dog, I realized I didn’t need to worry. Tavana is a student here just like me. She is eager to talk to anyone and is full of encouragement. However, with her position, she has had many experiences that have given her first-hand examples of the importance of free speech. 

“Within the Student Government Association, free speech is huge,” she told me. “Especially in congress, it’s important that you are able to express what you believe freely.”

With so many backgrounds on campus, people may disagree. As long as it is not hateful, these conversations can be used to make our university a better place. 

“Because I love [the university] so much, I can criticize and improve this place as much as possible, and free speech is a huge way to do that,” Tavana told me. 

This potential for improvement is exactly what makes free speech important. We need to have the space to criticize the university and not be in fear of retaliation so the things that need fixing get fixed. It won’t ever be perfect, but when we express issues and work together, we can shift the culture to make continuous improvements. 

As student body president, Tavana carries a huge responsibility when it comes to free speech.

“I think understanding that everyone has their own voice, but it’s just that some people’s voices are heard louder than others.”

Tavana sees it as her job to amplify the voices of students who often go unheard.

“I have the power and the privilege where I can express that for them,” she said. She gets to use this to give others space to speak. 

“My responsibility is to put aside my personal beliefs and make sure that I recognize someone whether I agree with them or not…try to make sure everyone’s voice is really heard.”

Tavana encourages others to speak freely and to speak loudly. 

“There’s been times whenever I’ve spoken up about something where I’ve had tears in my eyes, and I’m actually shaking.”

However, this vulnerability is sometimes what it takes to make change happen.

Respecting the opinions of others is another important part of effectively putting free speech to use. 

“If you learn to be able to disagree with people but have this positive discourse, it doesn’t have to be a bad thing…look at someone else’s perspective and understand where they’re coming from.”

In doing this, Tavana has learned patience and understanding. These have allowed her to be the advocate her peers need. She knows how to speak up for herself and for those around her. These are qualities we should all keep in mind when we stop this week to appreciate the true power of our right to free speech.

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Happy Free Speech Week!

Bright and bold, the image above is the social media banner that announces the significance of October 18-24, 2021. This is Free Speech Week!

I had never heard of Free Speech Week before I came to college. However, as we have seen through the course material for Intro to Media, freedom of speech is very important to the journalism and mass communication profession. From radio to television to newspaper, every topic we have covered in Intro to Media is tied to freedom of expression. Being in Gaylord College, it would be hard not to be aware of the celebratory week. 

Additionally, the University of Oklahoma is working to promote the week of recognition. College is a time to develop the skills to think critically and constantly learn from the world around you. Free speech is a vital part of this process. If we are not discussing our own beliefs and comparing them to the beliefs others hold, there is no way for us to learn and grow as a community. Communication is key. The ability to communicate our views without fear of endangering ourselves is the only way to truly foster this learning environment. The university is holding several events throughout the week to promote a deeper appreciation for how valuable our freedom of speech is. 

This blog will be honoring Free Speech Week with posts and interviews over the next few days. We need to be able to appreciate our right to free speech so we can utilize it, grow from it, and defend it.

If you want to know more about Free Speech Week, check out the official website, the University of Oklahoma events that will be held, and this blog!

https://ou.edu/freespeechweek?utm_source=email&utm_id=IOU-Oct06

https://www.freespeechweek.org

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Blog Reflection

Meeting new people was the most exciting part of my first few weeks on campus. I love talking to people with different backgrounds, majors, and outlooks. College is the time for broadening perspectives and exploring all the world has to offer. I was eager to embrace these opportunities as soon as I arrived. 

When I began my blog, I wanted to capture the excitement I had for my new experiences and new friends. This was how I chose the topic of my blog: interviews. I’ve been able to use these interviews to discuss all sorts of things on campus, from football, to protests, to campus jobs. My interviews remind me to be intentional about sitting down to talk with friends and professors about their personal experiences. The excuse of “I am doing an interview for class” has served as an ice breaker when I want to ask a random stranger a question. 

One challenge that I expected was simple the difficulty of remembering to keep up with posting twice a week. I have to remember to ask someone to take time out of their day in advance. Oftentimes, it is Thursday night before I remember that I have yet to write out a single interview question for the week’s posts. Luckily, there are many people on campus that are willing to help with spontaneous interviews. 

It can also be challenging to format the quotes I gather. If I sit down to write a post the day after an interview, I may realize I am missing an important piece of information, but it is too late to call up my interviewee and ask for another comment. Because of this, some of my interviews are not as professional as I would like. I came into this blog without any knowledge about formal interviews. Although I have been complimented on my writing by friends and family who have read the blog, I know the style is far from journalistic. I hope to learn more about proper questions and formatting for my interviews before the semester ends. 

Lastly, one of the roadblocks I faced this semester was not knowing what I wanted to major in. Though I had originally planned to major in public relations, by the time I signed up for my classes, I had changed my mind. However, thanks to a last-minute schedule change, I ended up in Intro to Media anyway. Since I wasn’t planning to pursue a major in Gaylord College, I felt out of place. I did not make much of an effort to introduce myself to others in my class. However, as the semester has progressed, I realized how much I love Intro to Media, my blogging experience, and the time I’ve spent in Gaylord. Thanks to these experiences, I decided I will pursue a PR major. I know I still have time to change my mind, but this blog has helped me discover what I am passionate about. 

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Public Relations Interview!

As I have spent more time in Gaylord College, my interest in studying public relations has increased. As the time for enrollment for spring classes approaches, I have sought out opportunities to talk to different people about majors and career paths. This week I got to talk to Lori Stevens, an OU public relations alumni. 

When Lori was in Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication, it did not look the same way it does now. She was at OU a few years before the current College of Journalism building, Gaylord Hall, was completed. You had to know your way around to find the newsroom or the yearbook room. Today, all the studio spaces and workrooms for Gaylord are together in Gaylord Hall with study spots and classrooms mixed in. However, Lori still remembers the “family feel” Gaylord college had, even without the brand new, fancy building. This family feel is something that has already stood out to me in my short time at Gaylord. As this was a very positive thing Lori remembers, I am glad this tradition has continued within the college. 

Lori was not always a Gaylord major. She started as a pre-med major, and switched to public relations her senior year. 

“[It was] a little bit of a crisis moment,” Lori recalled. “I was going to do orthopedic surgery…this is what I said I was going to do since third.”

She told me a little bit about her process of choosing PR.

“I really had some friends that were in journalism. I knew that I had always done well with writing.”

Though she could not see herself as a journalist, she came to realize that her strengths and interests lined up with public relations. 

“I think I did really appreciate the writing opportunities I had in PR.”

Additionally, many of the classes she had enjoyed over the years were related to social sciences. This interest turned out to be very useful for understanding, predicting, and changing human behavior, skills that come in handy for PR.

Many people have told me about the great connections and networking opportunities Gaylord college provided them with. Lori’s stories echoed this sentiment. One of her favorite Gaylord electives was a class about public relations in sports.

“Mick Cornett taught it.” Lori told me. “He was mayor of Oklahoma City for a while, but before that he was a sports reporter.” 

Through this class, Lori was connected to other public relations professionals. For one assignment, she got to interview someone who worked for the Miami Dolphins.

These connections also led Lori to an internship.

“Someone from the NOAA Weather Center came and spoke about their PR experience or opportunities there, so I chatted with her after the meeting and ended up doing a small internship.”

Today, Lori’s career has taken her beyond the realm of public relations, but she still uses the skills she learned from the major. 

“I speak a lot with the work I do. I’m either teaching or instructing or giving presentations.”

The writing and speaking skills she honed can be used anywhere. She also gained graphic design experience through another elective. This has allowed her to create designs or brochures.

“That’s been helpful and cost saving, and fun for me to have that sort of creative outlet.”

Lori even learned about research.

“Different types of research methods that would work in a qualitative setting,” she explained.

Overall, Lori is a great example of the wide variety of opportunities that come with a major in public relations. As my college career continues, I cannot wait to discover more!

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Welcome Back to Tornado Alley

Sunday night after the OU/Texas game, Oklahoma decided to welcome us back to Norman with some wild weather. After a rush to beat the storms to campus and a mad scramble to claim a spot in the parking garage, a bona fide tornado warning was issued for Cleveland County. There is a little rain, a lot of lightning, and a few hundred freshmen gathered in the black box theater on the first floor of Cross A. 

Before the warning had officially been issued, I stepped outside to take a look at the sky, as any good Oklahoman would. Lucy D’Braunstin stood beside me admiring the purple bolts flashing across the sky.

Lucy is from Orange County in southern California, so this is her first tornado experience. I asked her what she knows about tornados.

“Just that they are really windy, they involve lightning, and you typically have to shelter.”

Somewhat correct. I really love the way tornadoes work – the perfect combination of warm and cold fronts, humidity, and good old Oklahoma wind. But Lucy knows all she needs for surviving Oklahoma weather. When people started sending messages about taking shelter in the GroupMe, Lucy followed the crowd and did not have to worry. 

“I feel fine now just cause everyone else seems fine.” 

She certainly does not look nervous. 

“I think I feel fine cause I can’t see it,” she admitted. We are back inside the black box, and more students are starting to trickle in. 

I asked Lucy about her thoughts on storm chasing, and she told me she has no interest in that.

“I think it’s cool and brave of [people], but that would not be me. I think lightning is pretty, but it’s the thunder…it scares me.”

While we were talking, everyone’s phone alarms started going off. We were officially in a warning. Lucy looked around, then we just looked at each other and laughed. The whole situation is surprisingly calm. 

Next Lucy told me how tornado warnings compare to the severe weather she is used to in California. Earthquakes are the main threat from her home town. 

“I enjoy that there are [tornado] warnings. There’s sort of warnings for earthquakes,” she explains, but it is not the same. I pulled up the radar for her to look at. That’s one thing I like about tornadoes; you can see where they are going and when they are gone. 

The threat of tornadoes died down before the 8:30 end time of the official warning. All that remained was a severe thunderstorm warning and a flood watch. My car is safe in the parking garage, so I am not worried. Lucy and I both hung out in the black box a little longer after the warning ended. People are slowly trickling out, but mostly happy to sit around with blankets and laptops with Netflix and NFL football showing on the room’s two tvs. 

I did not expect to be taking shelter at college until the spring, but Oklahoma likes to keep us on our toes. Here’s to an exciting end to an even more exciting weekend. Wherever you are, stay safe and stay dry! And maybe go rewatch a few more highlights from OU’s comeback victory over the Texas longhorns.