Preparation for San Diego: A Time for Reflection

As I begin to pack my bags (and video equipment) in preparation for my trek to the West Coast, I have been very nostalgic about my past five years as a scholar in communication academia. I am always in awe of how diverse members of the discipline are: in educational background, in political ideology, and in research interests. Yet despite these differences, there is a real sense of unity and family among communication scholars, and a genuine buy-in to the commitment to serve the greater good. I have been reading numerous abstracts from top paper categories I see so many names I recognize, and many more that I do not. I will likely run into professors who I work with at my current school, Emerson College, and reunite with professors from my undergraduate alma mater, Ohio University. Simultaneously, I will meet brand new people who I will talk to at NCA and perhaps never talk to ever again. But each person will have an essential impact on my experience in San Diego, and ultimately my journey as a communication scholar. To say the least, I am looking forward to a very enriching weekend.

Will Wemer