hey ms. dj...

I have been in a nostalgic mood lately.

I've not only found my cassettes from my old radio WMUR - Marquette University Radio shows, I find myself listening to them. There are moments I miss being a DJ, but I opted against radio as a career because there's no money in it. For some reason I thought Sociology/Social Welfare would rake in the bucks. Ha ha ha. Talk about college junior wisdom. Despite only being involved with radio as a listener, my time at WMUR has had a bigger impact on my life than I would have expected.

The obvious influence would be musical. In high school, I liked some of what would be called "alternative" but I was pretty much a rock girl with some new wave and pop infusion. During my time at WMUR, this genre called "grunge" started a music revolution of sorts...and I was there in the middle of it. Nirvana, AIC, Pearl Jam...you name it, we likely played it. MUR was also big on Wisconsin's own, the BoDeans. I also heard of the Goo Goo Dolls long before "Name" and that song off "City of Angels". In fact, their debut CD is somewhere in my CD stash and the song "Just The Way You Are" (no, NOT a cover) is still awesome. Of course, there was the not-so-common and the obscure...the Dead Milkmen and the Rainmakers, for example.

Looking back, the music I once spun has influenced the music I listen to today. I will maintain that the early-to-mid 1990s was the best span of music created in our lifetime (thus far). However, my main genre continues to be alternative music - both classic and current. You'll still find me listening to Red Hot Chili Peppers, REM and older U2; bands who are around today due to college radio. I also love hearing new and emerging artists such as Billy Talent, Rise Against, MGMT and Alexisonfire...and I wonder how the music scene will evolve. Hopefully, it's back to the artistry and individuality of the 1990s, but only time will tell.

The other main impact is not so apparent. You wouldn't know it today, but I was shy in high school. Sure, around my friends I was fine but otherwise I could barely give a three minute presentation in speech class. I couldn't tell you why. Maybe I didn't feel I fit in (which was probably true). Maybe I wasn't comfortable with myself at that awkward puberty stage, and for a late bloomer, it was even worse. For these reasons and others, I decided to high-tail it out of Maryland and attend college elsewhere. Elsewhere ended up being Marquette.

Upon arrival as a freshman, I knew absolutely no one. While it was daunting, I realized that almost everyone else was in the same situation. I figured the best way to meet people outside my floor was to join some sort of student organization. As with any college, there were a plethora of clubs, organizations, etc. and radio piqued my interest. Let's face it, as a shy person I still liked to talk if I was comfortable with the situation. So I joined the radio station. The first semester was just learning the ropes and maybe doing on-air stuff. Second semester I was paired with an upperclassman to teach me the ropes so I could have a show of my own.

Well, it was a freakin' blast...and I fell hook, line and sinker. With radio it's just you, a mic and a remote audience. Since no one actually saw me, it was easy to put myself out there. It was a perfect fit for someone who will still joke that she has a face for radio. Radio also allowed me to express my individuality through music selection, studio guests, DJ babble, etc. Furthermore, I learned my brand of rumor (in moderation) translates well to radio. But really, my time as a DJ served as a platform for me to come out of my shell...although I'm sure some people wished I would have stayed in.

Back to those radio show cassettes...I still dislike my voice. My Maryland "o" is prevalent, and I'm strangely happy about that. I discovered that I still am amused by the content of the shows and my dorkiness, which much like the Maryland "o", hasn't wavered. And most importantly, I learned (in front of those ten listeners) that I can indeed be comfortable in my own skin.

So if you give this girl a mic, you never know what might happen...