By Scott Furniss
I come from God's country in Orange County, California. It is my Mecca, my Jerusalem, My Medina. It is there that I make my pilgrimage where I engage in the finer things in life. In the OC I can scuba dive in Laguna Beach , golf in Newport , have a cocktail at Club 33 in Disneyland and much more. I think that where you come from has a huge impact on the kind of person you become and having the privilege of living in Southern California all my life has convinced me that I never want to leave.
I attended Foothill High School in Santa Ana like my parents before me where I first became interested in journalism. While there I served as both the sports editor and managing editor of my high school paper and I decided it was something I would like to continue to do in the future.
College has been the most defining part of my life. I left my homeland and traveled the 22 to the 405 to the 110 to USC where I began my career as a broadcast and digital journalism major. While here I've created some fascinating memories and made lifelong friends along the way Exploring downtown San Francisco in animal onesies, attending outrageous college parties, and making new frends are just some of my experiences here. My most vivid journalism memory from freshman year was covering a car collision on Greek row. A man in a fraternity hit a woman on a bike. I arrived right on time to get B-roll and see the man being questioned by police. After his talk with the police he approached me and offered me cash to delete the footage. I was so excited to be offered my first bribe in my journalism career. (I did ultimately decline the bribe).
At the end of my freshman year I opted to add an environmental studies major having been disappointed with the journalism curriculum in my freshman year. I have enjoyed it a ton and I’m currently considering jobs in environmental studies or even law school. However, journalism has been intriguing for the stories that you get to tell and the unique experiences you have. I never would have explored Skid row or gotten an exclusive tour of an aquarium had I not pursued a journalism degree.
When I'm not doing schoolwork, I like to fish in Mammoth, take a recreational game of basketball too seriously, and do anything beach-related. Whether it's scuba diving, snorkeling, tanning, or exploring, I love being at the beach. When I'm not doing that, I like to risk all my money on high-risk high-potential stocks (see CARA for a free stock tip). Currently, to fuel my stock habit I work for two charter schools ( STEM Preparatory Schools ) in Los Angeles as assistant to the CEO.
Ultimately, I have several different interests which I think is a strength. However, one of my dreams is to work as a National Geographic Reporter. Having the opportunity to explore wild places and have crazy interactions with animals would be amazing. My idol is a guy by the name of Paul Nicklen. The guy risked his life to swim with giant leopard seals and lived to tell the tale. Now in my senior year, I hope to make the most of my limited time before I have to get my big boy job and enter the real world.
Cheers,
Scott Furniss
