Survival starts with sweatshirts

By Aisha Hasan

There are certain survival skills every cherub learns after a few days of class.

First, keep the blood flowing.

“Always bring a sweatshirt to class,” said Katherine Perry, a cherub from Santa Barbara, Calif. Perry, without a sweatshirt, sat in a freezing cold, uncomfortable chair in the center of Fisk Hall 217 one day into the program. “That was the first and last time I ever forgot my sweatshirt."

What every survival pack should
include.

Both Fisk Hall and McCormick Tribune Center can get very cold, she said.

“Bring pillows and blankets to 'McTrib' when they show movies,” said Jessica Jackson, a cherub from Clinton, N.J.

After the first field trip to the Chicago Tribune, when everyone was watching “Citizen Kane,” Jackson was cold and uncomfortable. She didn’t bring her pillows or blankets like everyone else.

Next, keep the ink flowing.

“Always carry more paper than necessary,” said Alexandra Wildenhaus, a cherub from Ottawa, Ohio.

After the first day of class, Wildenhaus had filled more than 20 pages in her notebook. After the first week of class, her notebook was almost entirely full, she said.
           
“Keep lots of pens handy. You never know when one might give out,” said Elisabeth Dion, a cherub from Midland, Mich. Early in the program, her pen died, and she ran frantically to every person she saw, asking for a pen.
           
Instructor Victor Chi has a motto, “Always have a back-up.” He developed this motto after a colleague was interviewing a player during a football game in Michigan and his pen froze because of the temperature. But since he had a back-up pencil, he was able to finish the interview.
           
Then, keep the brain going.
           
“Always pay attention,” Dion said. “Pay close attention.”
           
Dion said she remembers sitting in Fisk 217 and being the only person out of 88 not laughing. One of the instructors, John Kupetz, had just made a very funny analogy, but Dion missed it. Missing the analogy made Dion feel left out and out of place.
           
“Don’t ever forget your AP Style Book,” said Erin Vickrey, a cherub from Chatham, Va. “You never know when you might need it.”

Vickrey forgot her AP Style Book once and had to scurry for someone else’s to write an article on a short deadline.
           
Finally, keep the respect for your instructors and friends showing.
             
“Not having headphones when reviewing your interviews on your voice recorder can annoy people,” said Alexa Fogler, a cherub from Blue Ash, Ohio.

She recalls working on stories and getting “antsy” when people were listening to their interviews on their voice recorders without headphones.
           
“Don’t conduct phone interviews in the computer rooms,” Fogler said. “Try not to disrupt people.”

Talking on the phone can be disruptive, especially when people are already stressed about their trend story, she said.

Finally, Roger Boye, director of the cherub program, has good news and bad news.
           
“Be careful when you lean back on the chairs in 217 Fisk,” he said. “The good news is that the chairs are recliners. The bad news is that they squeak every time you lean back. Just wait for someone to sneeze, and then quickly lean back."