Hello World.

I've been gone for quite awhile. I know I said I wouldn't blog again until Monday, but a friend brought me out of hibernation a little early.

I've been busy trying to fill my days with both track workouts and musical practice. In fact, I'm leaving my house in about five minutes for our last rehearsal. Opening night for Bye Bye Birdie is tomorrow. I'm excited for musical weekend and my first track meet next week.

The time is flying by. I have made my final college decision: Chapman. I wasn't accepted into USC. I can't say I was surprised. In fact, I think I might have been leaning toward Chapman all along. I don't know what it is - I just know it's the school for me.

Enough about me. What brings me here today is my friend Sara. Like myself, she is still working on scholarships. She wrote an essay about the importance of free speech and individuality. Both Sara and I have found these essential during our senior year as we prepare for college. Our generation needs to fight for our beliefs. After all, no one wants to live in a world where Big Brother limits your every move. Individuality is a beautiful thing.

To Sara, good luck. And to everyone else, have a nice weekend.

Check this out:

"Thousands of people stand around me, angrily shouting and thrusting their signs into the air. As the mass marches toward the Capital, I realize that these people are all standing in the frigid January temperatures in order for their voices to be heard and to exercise their rights under the first amendment. In response to the video, “Lukianoff on Free Speech,” censorship on college campuses is wrong; higher education should be promoting the education and dissemination of serious topics to further prepare students for life after school. Both national and international issues need to be discussed because younger generations will not learn to have a voice about serious issues facing our world in the coming years.
In my senior year of high school, I am taking a morality class in which we often get into debates about heavy moral issues such as abortion, capital punishment, and marriage. Before the year had begun, I had somewhat understood my views on these subjects, but was unable to fully defend my beliefs. As the year has progressed, my eyes were opened to the views of others who actually understand their views entirely and have defended them up until the end of each class. Through free speech, others have helped me to further formulate my personal views on global issues of importance, and I have found that I have become a well-rounded person. Instead of only speaking to those of my own generation about the hottest fashions and the newest songs, I can now speak to anyone; I am better able to understand and discuss my views. It is vital that we instill the values of open discussion and debate in our young adults before they enter the working world without ever having expressed themselves. Debating in classrooms and helping young adults to understand the various views of the world needs to be a higher priority for colleges. Colleges should be encouraging debates that allow students to express themselves and explore their own opinions. Without the right to free speech, students will come to believe that having a voice is inconsequential, along with the idea that one cannot be an individual. Everyone should have an opinion, along with the liberty to express that opinion, especially in a college setting where one is taught to question, examine, and discern.
In conclusion, censorship on campuses is a problem; one should be able to freely express his or her views and practice the use of his or her voice like the people I witnessed marching toward the Capitol. If students can engage in an open debate with the guidance of a professor, it may help some of the students to refine their own opinions. Colleges should stop ignoring and making light of the first amendment and start educating the future of the world, because without it the nation’s voice will become obsolete. Society needs to break the silence and make some noise to prevent a lackluster future for the land of the free."

LMU

Today, I want to write a quick review of Loyola Marymount University, but first a few recent happenings:

After Wednesday night practices in the summer, the cross country team hangs out at Eat'n Park - a chain of family friendly diner-like restaurants that are famous for its Smiley cookies. Last night was our last Eat'n Park adventure. It was fun. A few friends and past runners dropped by to say goodbye before they left for college. That will be me in a short year.

Speaking of college, I am still working on finalizing my list. My parents are worried because I haven't begun to apply yet. They are now clocking my time. Yesterday, my mom yelled at me because I watched America's Next Top Model for twenty minutes while I ate lunch. This means I might have to do some secret blogging.

Finally, I keep hitting dead ends with my short film. On Tuesday, my faithful french teacher gave me a list of possible male actors. Two days later I still haven't found someone. Sigh. Summer feels as if it has been over for awhile.

And now introducing Loyola Marymount University.

I'm pretty sure that Loyola has schools across the country. LMU is a small Jesuit school in LA. My cousin Danielle went there. I'm not sure of the differences between the Jesuit and Catholic faiths. They seem similar.

Danielle and Erica took me on a little tour of LMU on the Saturday after film camp. While there, we got locked outside on a dorm roof. It also rained (drizzled actually). Rained in LA - I told said the weather was weird while I was there.

I went back later that week with Carol Anne, and we got a personal tour of the film building. The student who gave us the tour had some good information, but he also talked a lot of trash about other film schools in the area. He came off as a bit biased and arrogant. He also mentioned that he was attending LMU and his brother was going to attend USC because they had "connections." Which is what it's all about folks.

LMU sits in the middle of LA on top of a mountain. The location really is beautiful. It's in a safe environment - a residential neighborhood. It's also a short drive away from LAX and Manhattan Beach - one of my favorite areas of Los Angeles.

The school seems religious. Each dorm has an in-house priest. Although from what Danielle tells me, that doesn't stop the students from having a good time. As a whole LMU reminds me of a local college - St. Francis University. A ton of kids from my high school, Bishop McCort, go there. It has earned the nickname 13th grade.

After attending a small Catholic school for my whole life, I am anxious to break out. I want a big school in a big city. Just visiting LMU makes me feel chrostophobic, and I worry that I might go crazy there.

The film school itself is a tiny, and I mean tiny, little building. It is pretty hard to get accepted into the school. LMU has a two sound stages, a nice theater, and a cool editing suite. It sits in the heart of the action and seems connected to the industry. A bunch of cool people come to talk to the film students. Advanced film screenings are sometimes held. Plus, students can break out and explore opportunities in the city.

All in all, LMU is not my top choice. But the campus is very nice. LMU just got a brand new library that was probably one of the nicest buildings I have ever been in. The film school is reputable and connected to the industry. It serves as a good backup school if USC and Chapman don't work out.

I want to end by introducing you to Pratley. I know it's random, but my good friend Christina introduced me to his music. He's a student at USC. Listen to Fall Wind. After all, Autumn is around the corner.

http://pratleyproject.com/

USC

With so much to blog about, I'm not surewhere to go next. So, I guess I'll start with my thoughts on the University of Southern California. I went there on my first Friday in LA.

The film school at USC is in the process of being completely rebuilt, and the facilities are really pretty breathtaking. Both the Steven Spielberg and the George Lucas building are littered with classic movie posters. Just stepping into the buildings makes you want to film something
.

We went on the official tour, and USC is undoubtedly one of the best film schools ever. Everyone has heard of it. My cousin Brad is a USC Trojan, and so Carol Anne swears by the school.

USC is definitely one of my top choices, but I'm still a little skeptical for a few reasons:
1. It is nearly impossible to get in.
2. The school owns the films, not you.
3. You have to finance your films too.
4. You apparently don't touch a camera until your third year.
5. It is expensive.
6. USC seems like a mini industry. Film School Confidential says that USC is very technical. I want a school that focuses on story.

The best thing about USC is the name. I'll be guaranteed a job if I manage to get in and graduate before going broke. Plus, every school I have ever attended has the colors of red and gold. Maybe it's a sign.

And while we were there, hundreds of half naked teenagers were walking around campus. The Electric Daisy Carnival was going on. It's apparently a big rave. I really wanted to go.

Anyway, tomorrow morning I leave for West Virginia for my last Cross Country camp. I feel like I just got home, and now I'm saying goodbye to everyone again. Plus, as with my trip to LA, I still haven't packed anything.

I'm totally pumped! I'll continue spilling the deets my LA adventure when I get back. See you in four days!

Goodbye Rain

This morning, I woke up early to go for a run. It poured (and even lightning was involved). However, I did not mind. In fact, I absorbed as much rain as I could. Tomorrow, I leave for L.A. I will not see rain again for at least three weeks.

I'm heading to L.A. because I got a scholarship to attend a two-week digital film camp at UCLA. While there, I will also spend an extra week with my cousins to explore and visit colleges- USC, LMU, and Chapman.

This will undoubtedly be the biggest adventure of my summer, and as I ran around the travel section of Wal-Mart earlier today, the excitement set in. Hopefully, I'll find some time to blog while I'm with my cousins. If not, I'll write about all of my adventures when I return to Johnstown.

Tonight, I'm hanging out with Alaina and our peeps. For now, I should go pack. I haven't started yet.