My Life as a UF Telecommunication Student - School Days

Reporting live from the Innovative News Center

Gator NABJ 2013 - 2014 Executive Board 

It is an absolute pleasure to embark on my last semester as an undergraduate student at the University of Florida. I must say my college career thus far has been nothing but a professional and personal learning opportunity. Such an eventful college experience wouldn’t have be possible without the support of my family, friends, professionals, instructors and faculty I met along the way. 

Out in the field

If you know me, you will know that I literally live at the College of Journalism and Commutations. My oversized purse bag merely holds all of what I need to sustain me throughout the day. Inside you will find a variety of snacks, my must have headphones use for study music or making sure my sound level is on point when working on a story, my Mass Media Law and Broadcast News Handbook, reporter notebook and how can I forget my planner.  Let’s not forget my mobile device used to receive all sorts of news notifications, text messages, tweets, emails and Instagram post. Gosh! My day would not be complete without my cell phone. Yes, it’s a big bag. I know. The only thing I don’t tote along with me when I leave home is my blanket and 31” x 38” x 10’’ foldaway portable cot.

Forecasting live in the Weather Center

My life as a College of Journalism and Communications student differs from semester to semester as I undertake different opportunities in the college. My day varies throughout the week and can sometime be a little hectic. Some days may start off with me heading to my Hurricane class before a make a dash to grab lunch then off to the weather center. There, I will analyze forecast data, models and get ready for the First at 5 show on WUFT. Other days may consist of me going to my Television 2 Reporting class, Mass Media Law class and work at the Knight Division. While various days I am in the Innovative News Center working as a multimedia journalist shooting, editing and writing stories for the First at Five Show. Or the times spent in the Center for Media Innovation and Research to study, work on projects and go to meetings. Not to mention, my extracurricular activities with the College of Journalism and Communications Ambassador and The Gator Chapter of National Association of BlackJournalists.

 
From my experiences in and outside of the classroom, I’ve learned what it takes to be an unshakable forecaster and journalist at heart. Aggression and assertiveness! I am excited to see what the future holds.   

Working at the Knight Division in the PATH Office

The Tipping Point

“ To appreciate the power of epidemics, we have to abandon expectation about proportionality. We need to prepare ourselves for the possibility that sometimes big changes follow from small events, and that sometimes these changes can happen very quickly.”

Modern culture has a way of enhancing these trends through various forms of communication, on and off the web. 


The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell does an amazing job exemplifying the enhancement of trends. His belief in the three rules of epidemic, which ultimately defines the idea of the tipping point where the tipping point is the climax of a trend. The three rules of epidemic, the Law of the Few, the Stickiness Factor, and the Power of Context.


It’s no shy of presenting itself everyday. We can all admit to doing it. From contagious yawns to fashionable Hush Puppies. It's infectious and the epidemic of trends is hard to get around. 

Take me on a Trip to Greece for Lunch

Zoe's Kitchen Chicken Kabob, roasted potato and greek salad.
Peta's lunch is nowhere to be found

There it was sitting in front of me. A dish of roasted chicken kabobs fresh off the grill seasoned with Zoe’s Kitchen spice of life seasoning and olive oil. Beneath it was a bed of warm roasted potatoes seasoned with herbs like scallion and garlic. On the side was a handful of crisp garden fresh Greek salad. Indeed it was flavorful, layered with lettuce, feta cheese, olives, cucumbers, red onions, tomatoes and a drizzle of Zoe’s Kitchen salad dressing.  At Zoe’s Kitchen, their food quality is grounded in freshness where simplicity is key. That’s what it truly was. Simply goodness. 

Blogger Megan Gannon says it best “Hidden Gems can found everywhere– only if you remember to open your eyes and look.” Such a statement speaks volumes to our society. Beautiful creations in the form of cultural food will always be where you least expect it. It is up to us to scratch the surface and take part.

Today, I took a trip to Zoe’s Kitchen inspired by Blogger Kara Hudgins, who seems to spend her time Grubbin’ in Gainesville.  It was an amazing experience of flavors that truly made me feel like I was siting in a mom and pop restaurant in Greece.

If you ever want to explore additional cultural restaurants in North Florida, check out Paige Pitisci blog, Just a Girl in Gainesville. She will let you know where they are dishing out flavors that will make you want to take a leap around the world.

Dishing Out Thanksgiving With a Cultural Flair

Traditional Thanksgiving meal
Credit: Country Living 

We’re all familiar with the “Thanksgiving aroma.” Yeah! You know the strong whiff of the oven baked turkey, sweet ham, candied yams intertwined with the gooiest macaroni and cheese, creamy mash potatoes merged with the velvety smooth gravy, collard greens, hearty stuffing and cranberry sauce chilling on the side. 

Particularly in my family, the smell of Thanksgiving is a combo of Jamaican traditional and American tradition dishes trying to find a happy medium. Trust me when I say, it’s the smell of curry chicken, barbeque chicken, curry goat, rice and peas, plain white rice, mash potatoes, jerk pork, macaroni and cheese, a secret recipe fruit punch that somehow changes ever year made of every juice in the pantry and Publix ginger ale, and fried escovitch fish. Oh did I miss anything? How could I forget the turkey?

To an extent we all celebrate Thanksgiving differently within our own family and friends. Michelle Provenzano is a student at the University of Florida who is looking forward to her split Thanksgiving dinner with her father and grandmother. However, her Thanksgiving dinner is usually spent at her Italian grandmother’s house where traditional turkey, mash, stuffing and cranberries are all on the menu. She says her typical Italian grandmother will always throw in an Italian twist where marinara meatballs and chicken parmesan is essential to the Thanksgiving table.

Have you ever tried adding a twist to your Thanksgiving dinner? Or consider celebrating the holiday by emerging yourself in another’s culture? Maybe this year’s thanksgiving could be Italian, Chines or Greece themed.

In addition, eating healthy this Thanksgiving won’t hurt. Gabrielle Peterson has some healthy recipes on her blog. After all that festive eating, traditional or non-tradition, bloggers Jessica Barreto and Raphael Pires has some great tips on what to eat post all the holiday festivities. 

Who is Peta?

Hello there,

My name is Peta-Gay Sheerwood, and I enjoy traveling, trying new foods, soulful music, exploring significant weather events and the ever-changing world of journalism.

Me at a local restaurant in Paris, France

I believe my adoration for all of the above was formulated during many of my childhood experiences. I was born and raised in Miami, Florida. It was there I discovered my interest in Hurricanes, as tropical weather would pour torrential rain over South Florida. Living in South Florida, I was able to emerge myself in different cultures, which is almost inevitable.  It is really hard getting around not eating Bahamian conch salads, Haitian griot (fried pork) and diri ak djon djon (mushroom rice and peas), and the never ending list of Latin American foods.

Coursing through my narrow veins, there is a blood full rich and vibrant culture. My family’s heritage is rooted deeply in Jamaica, out of many one people.  There was never a day I would walk in from school and not hear the soulful reggae music of Beres Hammond, Dennis Brown, and Bob Marley just to name a few.

Now, I am a senior at the University of Florida studying Telecommunication with a Minor in Geography. I am grateful for the experiences and I’ve had during the course of my college career.  They have served as fostering professional opportunities and were more than resume filler. From serving as a reporter, forecaster to a camera operator, there is no way I would have ever wanted to spend my time at UF.

When I am not lurking around UF studying, you can find me exploring life’s discoveries through another culture in this world so magnificent of people from many backgrounds.