Privacy

 

Watching Catherine Crump’s TED Talk made me realize something I honestly hadn’t thought about before: how much of my everyday life is quietly recorded without me ever knowing. And not in a dramatic, spy‑movie way — just through something as simple as my license plate.

Automatic license plate readers scan every car that passes by. Not just people doing something suspicious. Not people involved in a case. Everyone. That includes me driving to campus, heading to my internship, running errands around High Point, or even just going to get food with friends. All those little moments — the ones I don’t think twice about — can end up stored in a database somewhere.

And the part that sticks with me is how long that information can sit there. Months. Sometimes years. Even if I’ve done absolutely nothing wrong.

It makes me think about how much someone could piece together about my life just from those scans. They could see what time I usually leave for class. When I get home. How often I go to the station. What neighborhoods I drive through. Patterns I don’t even notice about myself.

As someone who’s studying journalism and sports media, that hits differently. I’m learning how important it is to protect sources, protect people’s privacy, and understand the systems that shape our communities. But at the same time, I’m part of a system that’s tracking me without ever asking for my permission. It’s strange to realize how normal it’s become to be monitored without even realizing it.

And honestly, it makes me think about safety in a more complicated way. I want police to have the tools they need to keep people safe — of course I do. But I also don’t want my entire routine stored somewhere “just in case.” I don’t want my movements to become data points that could be misinterpreted or used in ways I never agreed to.

Crump’s talk made me realize that privacy isn’t just some abstract idea. It’s personal. It’s about the freedom to move through the world without feeling like someone is building a file on you. It’s about having control over your own story — something I care about deeply, both as a person and as a future journalist.

And the truth is, most of us don’t even know this is happening. We don’t see the cameras. We don’t get a notification. We don’t get a choice. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t affect us.

If anything, it affects us more because we’re not paying attention.

AI Brainstorm

 

As someone building a career in journalism, I think about AI more than I ever expected to. It’s everywhere in newsrooms, in editing software, in the way stories are produced and shared. And the question that keeps coming up is simple: can AI take my job? The short answer is yes, in some ways. But the longer answer is a lot more complicated.

There’s no denying that AI writes fast. It can stir up summaries, spin up headlines, and pull together data in a blink. For the quick-hit stuff —game recaps, breaking news, those surface-level stories — AI already does the work that used to fall to the interns and entry-level writers, or the reporters who never had enough hours in the day. And honestly, that part stings, because those are the jobs that help young journalists get in the door in the first place. But here’s the thing, journalism isn’t just information. It’s judgment. It’s instinct. It’s knowing when a quote feels off, when a story needs more context, when a moment on the sideline says more than the box score ever could. AI can process data, but it can’t feel the energy in a locker room after a tough loss. It can’t build trust with a coach or athlete. It can’t understand the weight of a story on a community. That’s human work.

Still, pretending AI isn’t changing the field would be naïve. It’s already reshaping newsroom roles, pushing journalists to be more than writers — to be storytellers, editors, producers, and fact‑checkers who know how to use AI as a tool instead of seeing it as a threat. The journalists who thrive will be the ones who bring something AI can’t replicate: perspective, lived experience, emotional intelligence, and the ability to connect with people.

For me, AI isn’t the end of journalism. It’s the end of lazy journalism. It’s the end of copy‑and‑paste reporting and the beginning of a world where journalists have to lean into what makes their voice worth listening to. If anything, AI forces us to be better — more intentional, more creative, more human.

So yes, AI might take parts of the job. But it can’t take the heart of it. And if you’re someone who cares about telling real stories, building relationships, and showing up with authenticity, there will always be space for you in this field.

8 Values

The 8 values are the things that guide how we move, grow, and show up in the world. They’re the foundation behind our choices, our boundaries, and the way we understand ourselves. The eight values are: truth, self‑government, autonomy, safety, value, stability, change, and self‑fulfillment — each one shaping the way we build a life that actually feels aligned.

The truth is about being honest with yourself first, and the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy explains why truth is such a powerful grounding force. When you commit to truth, you create a foundation that keeps you steady even when everything else shifts.

Self-government is the discipline of managing your own life. It's choosing responsibility over excuses and trusting yourself to lead in your own direction and do what you believe in.  

Autonomy is freedom with intention, and the American Psychological Association highlights how autonomy supports healthy decision-making. It's about choosing your own direction, even when people around you think they know a better way. 

Safety goes beyond the physical — it’s emotional, mental, and social — and Mental Health America talks about the importance of feeling secure. When you feel safe you feel you're more willing to grow, take risk an be bold even when you don't want to just to step into new spaces. 

Value is knowing you matter simply because you exist, and Positive Psychology dives into self‑worth about yourself and others. When you recognize your own value, you stop shrinking yourself to fit into places that were never meant for you.

Stability gives you something solid to stand on, and Psychology Today explores how resilience supports that stability within yourself. It's not about staying still — it’s about having a base strong enough to support movement.

Change is uncomfortable but necessary, in order to make yourself, others around you, and the world in itself better.  When you stop resisting change, you open the door to possibilities you didn’t even know were there.

Self‑fulfillment is the long game, the process of becoming who you’re meant to be, and mindful offers insight into that journey that could turn out to be beneficial. It’s never been about perfection — it’s about choosing what feels real and staying aligned with who you are.