Senioritis is killing me, but freedom looms ahead

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EL PASO — I’m suffering from a compilation of excitement, regret, anger, laziness, and nostalgia, but I don’t need a shrink. My ailment is called senioritis and all I need to get better is to graduate. I’m fully aware that I suffer from senioritis, but not because I’m skipping class or getting lower grades. Neither of those have occurred so I’m in the clear in that category, but I’ve just been dragging along these past few months for several reasons.Excitement: Like every other senior, I am pumped to be able to say, “I’m a college graduate” in a few months. After four years (okay, I lied, 6 years) of all-nighters studying (with Facebook and Netflix study breaks), group projects (where you end up doing 90% of the work and everyone else gets your well-deserved A), and subjecting your body to fast-food so you can even find time to eat (which you eventually learn to enjoy), you deserve that diploma.Me personally, I love knowing that once I get home from work, I won’t have to worry about checking Blackboard and that I can re-watch Dexter from the beginning in peace, without feeling like I’m not accomplishing anything.

The Dead Bolts is one of only three other men’s roller derby teams in Texas. (Amber Watts/Borderzine.com)

Roller derby got me down

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EL PASO – The interview process with the men’s roller derby teams had been stimulating, attending the practice had been inspiring (although a little scary at times), and the writing process had been consuming. Altogether writing about one of Texas’ few men’s roller derby teams brewing right here was one of the best experiences I’ve had as a journalist in El Paso. After three years of journalistic writing, this was the story I was the most amped about covering. After months of waiting for the chance to get the story, hours of work, and bubbling excitement – my story was published. I sent a text of ‘thanks!’ and ‘hope you enjoy’ to my sources, and anxiously waited for their texts back of approval.

I can vividly remember the first interview like it was yesterday. (Joshua Gutierrez/Borderzine.com)

Terrified of doing interviews, journalism forced me to face my fear

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EL PASO – I have always had a fear of that word, for myself or to interview others. My major is multimedia journalism, so I knew that I would have to learn to love interviews, one-way or another. I guess the reason you could say that I picked that major is because I have always been fascinated with sports and I would love to be involved with the company ESPN. My best friend Sean Sida always told me when I was growing up, “do something that takes you out of your comfort zone.” He always pushed me to go to new places or talk to new girls, although I was terrified. So this past fall semester when I was taking the Digital Video and Audio production course at The University of Texas at El Paso with professor Lourdes Cueva Chacón, I had to get out of my comfort zone almost every week.