News writing and editing major Ally Valiente says she’s glad she overcame her self-doubts about going behind the mic at Sonoma State’s radio station, KSUN.
Credit: Courtesy of Ally Valiente
When I told a friend that I would be hosting a radio show every Monday at 11 a.m. on KSUN, Sonoma State University’s student-run radio station, he looked at me almost in disbelief and said, “Are college radio stations even, like, a thing anymore?”
Admittedly, I thought that, too. Before signing up for the course, I considered radio stations to be another thing of the past.
But it turns out, college radio stations are very much still around. While many of the CSU campuses such as San Francisco State, Sacramento State and Cal State Los Angeles have switched to an entirely online format, other campuses like Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, San Jose State and Cal Poly Humboldt provide listeners with an option to tune in online or on the airwaves.
As a communication major, my sole focus was on written journalism, specifically writing and editing for the school newspaper. The idea of venturing outside my “area of expertise” was a daunting one. Because of that, I put off choosing any electives for three years.
And I know I wasn’t the only one who felt tentative about stepping out of my comfort zone.
Jalen Jenkins, the new general manager of KSUN radio, originally took COMS 385: Media Lab (Radio) to fulfill his elective requirement.
“I did not know much about radio before getting into KSUN and was mainly drawn to it because of my interest in music. Since then, I’ve found so many things that have encouraged me to stay. From group work that keeps the station running smoothly to improving my show each week, the involvement I’ve had in KSUN has kept it in my schedule since I first enrolled,” Jenkins said.
Like Jenkins, when Daniel Oliva, a television, film and media studies major, decided to sign up for an introduction to digital art course during his senior year in 2022 at California State University Los Angeles, it was to fulfill a course requirement.
Oliva said that he initially felt a bit unsure because he did not know how to draw or shade properly. Nonetheless, he decided to “throw the hat in the ring” and try it.
“When you’ve been taking classes that are related to your major, a lot of it is shared information between classes. Sometimes it doesn’t feel like you’re learning more. I went into that class not really knowing how to use Adobe Illustrator or art in general,” Oliva said. “I feel comfortable with a program that I didn’t otherwise have any experience in. I’m glad I didn’t listen to that voice in my head that said ‘You don’t know anything about art, so why take an art class?’”
I would be lying if I said it wasn’t uncomfortable taking a radio course at first. And it wasn’t as if all my anxiety melted away when I slipped on the headphones and spoke into the microphone for the first time. I was self-conscious about not having any experience with operating a sound board, writing segments for a show or audio mixing.
But throughout the semester, I gained confidence behind the mic, even though the thought of public speaking terrified me in the beginning. The support from my peers and professor helped me to gradually break out of my shell.
I learned how to write scripts for show segments and promotions, production techniques like audio-mixing and editing, and effective voice delivery for clear pronunciation in front of a microphone.
Similarly, Marivella Torres, a fourth-year communications major at Sonoma State university, was apprehensive when she first joined the Phi Sigma Sigma sorority, but later found it empowering
Torres said her primary concern was not knowing what to expect from the experience.
“I never thought I would be a person to be affiliated with a sorority, and I had some concerns about whether sororities were inclusive. However, before accepting my bid, I met with the girls in a casual setting and those worries quickly went away as they were more than happy to answer all my questions and concerns,” Torres said.
“Being in a sorority has taught me many things. I have had the pleasure of getting involved by being our bursar, which is a treasurer, and I am currently holding the vice archon (vice president) position.”
Torres said that since joining, she has learned leadership and how to delegate and work in a team, meet strict deadlines, deal with budgets and make executive decisions.
If I gave in to my anxiety and avoided radio simply because I didn’t have the experience, I would never have experienced personal growth or gained the confidence that I have now. Joining KSUN radio enriched my college journey, and that wouldn’t have been the case if I hadn’t decided to take the first initial step out of my comfort zone.
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Ally Valiente is a fourth-year communications/media studies and English double major at Sonoma State University and a member of EdSource’s California Student Journalism Corps.
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