AP Stylebook: My New Best Friend

I am LOVING my co-op at RIT University News and it has just a week! Everyone here is really nice and helpful and I'm learning so much! 

Here, we use AP style when writing press releases.  I have never used the AP format before this week and I'm plunging into it.  It reminds me of the time freshmen year when I wrote my first real paper in college when I had to use APA format for the first time. It makes me wonder how so many people come to use different formats other the MLA (the format I was formally taught in high school).  I even remember my teacher stating "This is the format you will use in college and in your career.  The other formats don't really matter." Now, I think I had a fairly good English education but this is ridiculous. If I feel so behind in formats, how did others feel? I can honestly say I have never used MLA format once in my higher education. I have heard similar complaints from my classmates at RIT.  I think teachers need to reevaluate how much time they spend on formatting and the types of formats they cover.  I understand it can't all be taught, but an introduction would be nice.

After adjusting to APA format (which I still have to reference on occasion) here pops another challenge! AP format! 

Thanks to the stylebook and the editors at University News who are kind enough to explain the technique, I am slowly but surely catching on.  My goal is to have read through the AP stylebook by the end of the month.

I will master you AP format... if it's the last thing I do!

The Hunger Games

Wow. Just wow.

With all of the hype around "The Hunger Games," I thought, yeah, okay, sure, whatever. The style of the book is in 1st person, not usually my cup of tea (plus I couldn't stop comparing it to Twilight...). But I am so impressed and can't put it down.  I know it's seems I'm jumping on the bandwagon

I finally caved and bought the book a few days ago on Spring Break.  I bought a cheap version at Barnes & Noble and thought: what's the harm? It's not like I've never bought a book that I didn't like.

For those of you who don't know about "The Hunger Games" it's about a futuristic society created after the fall of North America. The Hunger Games is an annual televised competition between the Tributes (teenagers between ages 12 and 18) of the 12 districts of Panem (the new society).  One boy and one girl is chosen from each district.  Only this is not some competition, it's a fight to the death and the last one standing wins. 16 year old Katniss volunteers after her sister, Prim (who is 12) is chosen.  Katniss fights for her life in the games using her special skills and charm.

The story deals with many issues such as starvation, poverty, oppression, and the effects on war in a light way so many can understand the meanings and context.

Now that I have read the book, I will most definitely be pumped for the movie which releases March 23rd. In the meantime, I think I'll stop by Barnes & Noble to pick up the other books in the series "Catching Fire" and "Mockingjay"...