George Mason Experience

When I told my mom that Chuck Todd was to be one of the speakers at the conference, she insisted that I participate in this conference. Almost every night, my mother sits in front of the TV and is practically hypnotized by Brian Williams ever raising eyebrows and Chuck Todd’s precise reporting. During the epic 2008 battle between the aging McCain and sprightly Obama, Mr. Todd’s coverage was beyound perfection. An unbais approach unparalleled in his field, Chuck Todd made a quite powerful impression on me.

Today the man that asks all the tough questions was on the receiving end this morning. Although Mr. Todd was very fatigued from the exhausting and tedious task of accompanying the president to the All Star Game. Chuck Todd spoke about the legend Willie Mays with the giddiness of a kid on Christmas day. Todd soon slide into his topic discussing the controversial line between commentary and factual truth. He advised us youngsters in the audience to, as he out it so elegantly, “show up” to the job. Mr. Todd also encouraged the group to not be afraid to get your hands dirty. “Work hard and stay late,” he stated with the sincerity of a professional. 

The next speaker on the agenda was the distinguished Dr. Andrew Flagel. Flagel was a mix between a strait shooter and Jerry Seinfield’s stand up routine. Bubbling with the energy of a 5 year old and the knowledge of a seasoned insider, the speech was unforgettable. The entire room of sleep deprived teenagers were kept on the edge of their seats. Tales were spun and recounted of monotone admission counselors and fictional accounts of vandalism. 

The capital tour was a a boring escapade filled with the names of countless statues and a tour guide who was obsessed with Stephen King. The evening was full of carnival cookies from the buffet, “YEAHS!” that were the war cries of the “family”, and inappropriate Lady Gaga lyrics.

The day started with my roommate shaking me awake. I wasn’t fully functioning until consuming 3 bowls of coco puffs. The National Press Club had an incredibly affluent and knowledgeable panel willing to lend us rising seniors a plethora of journalistic information. However, one of the distinguished panelists still managed to check his phone about forty times. After viewing way too many museums and I fell asleep on the bus. I apparently missed a crazy bus driver who talked to himself and ran a couple of red lights. At the George Mason Arlington Campus our “family” discussed a fictional packing list for an unfortunate backpacker on Everest. Things got feisty over tin biscuits and a lamp. Thankfully, the “family” worked things out. Dinner was pretty interesting in a lecture hall with swivel chairs. The tour was amazing thanks to an insanely knowledgeable tour guide. Now the days ending with the melodious vocals of Lil Wayne courtesy of one of my roommates. A good ending to an exhausting but amazing day.

Hey, I’m Brenna from Portland Oregon.  I like running on the beach, swimming in my friend’s lake, going to concerts, traveling, and eating food. I hate traffic, mini-vans, and clowns. I go to Central Catholic High School in SE Portland. At school I work for the newspaper The Rampart, run XC and track, and coordinate service for NHS. I plan to go to school on the east coast and study journalism or English. I hope to visit every continent in the world, surf in Costa Rica, and become a successful journalist or author.