Being a Radio DJ

UNK has almost everything that you could want to try. We have interested classes that range from glassblowing to archery. Since I am a communication major, I have to practice my speaking skills in order to communicate with others effectively. Sure, I’ve taken a public speaking class and it helped me a little, but the experience was stressful. When I learned there was a class for radio hosting, I was very intrigued! I sometimes listened to the college radio on my way to the store. Sometimes I heard people talking about the music or home games, but it was hard to catch them since not many people host throughout the day.

After joining the class I wondered to myself, “What are you doing?”. I have a fear of public speaking and half of the work of this class was talking to an audience. I was very intimidated by the idea of being the only person talking to an unknown audience. At least I was the only person in the radio studio, which made me feel a little better! I am very grateful for my professor. He encouraged all of us to enjoy the experience by talking about topics that interested us and was always available for any questions. Thanks Mr. Clark!

The radio shifts consisted of a schedule of alternating between talking, music, and reading off events/weather. Having a set schedule helped to ease my anxiety since I didn’t have to come up with content all on my own. First, I would introduce myself to the listeners and start off with a song that I thought matched the theme of the show or related to what was going on in the world. Then, I would play my favorite music for whoever was listening! My favorite genre of music is Kpop, which is extremely different from the classic rock that usually plays. My goal was to introduce others to music they may have never listened to before. Korean pop has been on the rise recently, so by playing it I was able to show people the variety of the genre, as well as appeal to the international students that may be listening.

By the end of it all, I got used to being a radio dj. I had lots of fun listening to my favorite music, announcing events around campus, and just talking about what interested me. Even if people weren’t listening, I enjoyed the feeling of being able to speak my mind. If one person was listening, I hope that I was able to make a connection with them through the radio.

This is my first ever radio shift. Since I am not a good public speaker, I was pretty nervous. I was reading off a shift and kept telling myself to not mess up my cues. Of course I ended up making mistakes but it helped me get better at hosting. I ended up having a lot of fun on the radio!

Evie · First Radio Shift Ever!

Here’s my last radio shift! Do you hear the difference in my voice? I was definitely a lot less nervous here. Working for the radio is one of my best memories at UNK! I hope I can take the skills from this experience and use them in my career someday!

Evie · Radio Shift 8 – The Finale
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