By Robbie Sirven

Do you think you made the right decision by pursuing journalism?

After three years of journalism studies at the University of Oregon, I can now definitely say that journalism was the right path for me to take. However, it wasn’t such an easy decision to make. Throughout my life, I have always loved two things more than anything else. These two things are sports and music. Although they may seem like they are on opposite ends of the spectrum, I have always found a way to enjoy both simultaneously. From an early age, I started playing sports and followed all of the professional leagues as closely as I could. My favorite team, the Philadelphia Eagles, has always been a constant factor in my life, and sometimes I would call my fandom of that particular team a borderline obsession. I would memorize the coaching staff, depth chart, front office, and even practice squad just so I could know everything about them. Eventually, this became a norm for me as I ended up investigating every team in all the major sports this way, and I quickly realized that I had a passion for it. Over the years, I also developed a love for writing, and writing about sports seemed like something that I definitely wanted to pursue as a career path coming out of high school. However, I also have a strong passion for music. I started playing the drums when I was in middle school, and I haven’t stopped since. My love for sports sort of took a backseat during this time as I turned from being a sports geek into a metal head. I was always constantly involved with music whether it would be practicing by myself for hours, or performing with a band. I also had a summer job where I volunteered as a drum instructor for underprivileged kids. To this day I am still playing music, and I am currently recording an EP with my band on drums as well. In the end, journalism ended up being the bridge where I could pursue both of these interests through writing and other journalistic mediums. It is the perfect middle ground for both subject matters, and myself as a whole.

Is Oregon the right place for you and your studies?

When I was applying for colleges, I wanted to go somewhere that was far away from home, and had a totally different environment than what I was used to. Coming from Phoenix, Arizona, essentially the sibling to Southern California without an ocean, going somewhere where it rained and where there was lush greenery was ideal for me. My older cousin, Sarah, actually attended the University of Oregon before me, and I was able to go to her graduation when I was still a junior in high school. It was then that I was introduced to the beautiful campus at the University of Oregon, and the overall beauty of the state of Oregon and the city of Eugene. I was sold instantly, and looking back I know I made the right call. In addition, being in one of the best journalism schools in the country as well as having great football team doesn’t hurt either.