Students How 2

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Being a succesful radio host

Getting into guitar Sound setup at WZMB, ECU student radio station
photo by Anna Tart

How 2 be a succesful radio host

Learning to swim
By: Anna Tart

Continued on p. 2
 2

Production manager of WZMB, Demitri Suruy prepares to

go live on air
Radio host continued
Photo by Anna Tart
Preparing for your first radio show can be nerve-rack-
ing and may almost seem impossible if inspiration
does not strike. Knowing how to prepare your show,
build your identity and stay relevant can be difficult to
manage before going on-air for the first time.
“Don’t get in your own head,” said Greta Wagner, the
WZMB Station Manager at East Carolina University.
“I feel like it makes it 10 times worse to put that much
pressure on yourself.”
While it can be overwhelming before going live be-
fore your first show, utilizing these different resources
and techniques can help you create a successful on-air
show.
Be yourself
Letting your personality shine is the best way to grab
your audience's attention. According to Shayna Jones,
the WZMB 91.3 FM adviser, people tend to pressure
themselves into becoming someone they are not while
on-air, but doing this can impact the success of a show.
“Be authentic to you and then your topics and your
music will naturally align,” she said. Building an on-air
persona that reflects who you are is a great way to ex-
press your interests and connect with listeners.
Talk about things that interest you
When scripting your show, it is important to include
topics that you know. Whether it includes a movie, a
major news headline or even a recent outing you had
with friends, the possibilities are limitless. In other
words, try not to overthink when it comes to finding
 3
topics for your show. When you are passionate about
what you are talking about while on air, your listeners
will notice.
Be prepared before your show
Knowing what you will be talking about before
going live is a key component in ensuring that your
show runs smoothly and follows a flow. Some radio
hosts like to have a script on hand during their shows,
whether it be a bulleted list or a word-for-word script.
It is also important to rehearse and review your script
before going live to avoid any major issues. An acoustic guitar,
Photo by Sean Sullivan
Wagner suggests that for shows with co-hosts, some
DJs may not write a script before going live. How 2 begin learning guitar
“That’s what Demitri and I do, but it’s a little easier By: Sean Sullivan
for us because we have a show together, and with two Congratulations, you just got your first guitar, or
people you don’t really need that much stuff because you're thinking of getting one. Now, how do you start
you just have a conversation on-air,” Wagner said when playing? Many new beginners get stuck and do not
talking about how she and her co-host prepare for know how to get on the right track. However, don't be
shows. discouraged. Here are some tips for getting into the
Jones believes that by taking time to prepare, you can guitar world.
also consider other assets you can bring to your show. Getting a guitar
“Whether that’s guests, or quotes, or soundbites, or The first step to playing is having a guitar. If you have
clips, or anything else that you can add to that unique already acquired your guitar, you've completed half of
perspective,” Jones said. the first step. If not, I suggest buying an acoustic guitar
Stay relevant Continued on p.3 at a music store. Before going to the store, have a bud-
While preparing for your show, it is also important to get in your head. For your first guitar, try not to spend
pick the most up-to-date topics to stay relevant. Jones any more than $300.
suggests that if your topics are more than 24 hours old, "Find a guitar that feels the best, not just looks, hold
it is considered old news and is not relevant anymore. it, and get a feel for it," said Jacob Miller, a guitarist
“News is updating so quickly that I think relevancy is of 14 years who works at McFayden Music located in
key, so you have to have the latest and the greatest,” Greenville, North Carolina. He helps new people select
Jones said. and repair guitars.
Of course, this may not always be the case, especially Try out multiple guitars and find which guitar feels
if you have one show each week. Jones suggests that best when sitting with it. In my past experiences, it was
you can also take older topics and add a unique twist beneficial to try out multiple guitars. Don't be afraid
to them or talk about them “from a unique angle that to ask questions while at the store. Once you have the
maybe not everyone is talking about.” To do this effec- guitar, you're ready to start playing.
tively, try incorporating personal anecdotes or lessons Getting a feel
you may have learned from your own experiences in When you first sit down with your new guitar, get
relation to older, less relevant topics. a feel for it. Get a sense of the neck and body. When
Use resources looking at the neck, you will notice multiple metal
Some radio hosts may only engage with their audi- pieces going up the neck to the head. These are frets;
ence during their showtimes; however, it can also be they show where to place your fingers on the fretboard
good practice to use outside resources to enhance your to play notes and form chords. Practice pressing down
presence while off the air. According to Jones, social in between the frets on the tips of your fingers. It may
media is an important tool to use to engage with your initially hurt when you press down, but this is normal.
audience. “Let’s say there’s a topic that you’re talking With continual practice, you will build up your finger-
about on your show. You can open up a segment and tip strength. Continued on p. 4
Learning guitar continued 4
Inspiration music school at ECU.
The guitar is one of the most popular instruments If you are frustrated while learning a song, take a
that spans many genres of music. So, there are many break and return to it. The worst thing you can do
guitarists out there to listen to. When first learning to when you're angry is give up.
play, try listening to more guitar-centered songs. Find a Have fun
guitarist who amazes you and look into them. Explor- Hopefully, these tips have put you in the right di-
ing a famous guitarist's catalogue can be great motiva- rection for learning this beautiful instrument. Getting
tion when learning. A guitar influence can dictate what past the beginning steps may be difficult, but putting
genre you want to learn first. in the work can pay off. You can have endless amounts
Learning how to play of fun learning songs or even writing originals. Who
There are plenty of sources you can use for learning. knows, maybe learning the guitar inspires you to learn
The internet has many websites with tutorials and more instruments. So, start practicing and remember
lessons. However, many websites, such as fender.com, to have fun.
charge for lessons and tutorials. Plenty of free resourc-
es can be used if you want to avoid paying. YouTube
is an excellent platform with free lessons and tutori-
als from multiple content creators. If learning online
isn't for you, music stores offer lessons. Just know that How 2 learn to swim for adults
music store lessons are typically not free; prices range
from $30 to $60 an hour. By: Sean Rocca
Practice, practice, practice Having the ability to swim allows people to enjoy
The most important part of playing guitar is practicing. activities in the water. This includes swimming at
Many beginners will play for a week, put it down, and the beach, going off the diving board at the deep end
not touch it again. Typically, these beginners stop due of the pool, or even surfing.
to fingertip pain or difficulty in learning. Try practic- Despite the various options, most adults can not
ing for 15 minutes every day at the beginning to see if swim. According to the American Red Cross, 54%
this instrument is for you. of all Americans do not possess needed swimming
"At first, I would play for 20 minutes a day when first skills to stay safe in the water. . ECU Coordinator of
starting. This was because my parents would make Aquatics and Risk Management Grant Hinson said
me, then after a while, I fell in love and would play this is due to people lacking the necessary motor
for hours," said Jake Thompson, a bass guitarist in the skills that swimming requires or possessing a fear of
water.
“When it comes to anybody who has never learned
how to swim their entire life, normally nine times
out of 10 it’s motor skills and the fear of water itself,”
Hinson said. He also said when people do not want
to get in the water, it could stem from a traumatic
experience that happened to them or a family mem-
ber.
Despite people's fears, swimming is not hard to
learn. There are six easy steps to follow for those
who would like to swim.
Finding a swim instructor
It is always better to learn from a certified instruc-
Picture of an electric guitar tor as they are trained both in swim instruction and
first aid.
Photo by Sean Sullivan
“I always make sure there is an instructor and a
 5
Once kicking is understood, step five is next.
Teaching the arms
Klein said the key to teaching proper arm technique
is to teach the lesson about their hand position.
“You want their hands to scoop the water and pull it
behind them,” Klein said. She also said the arm should
be bent slightly instead of being completely straight.
Arms are taught by using a pull buoy. The person puts
it in between their legs and it prevents them from
kicking. This allows them to just focus on pulling with
their arms
Putting everything together.
Bryce Bailey teaching college students about swimming The combination of floating, breathing, kicking, and
arms makes up freestyle. If the person can successfully
Photo by Sean Rocca
put all of these skills together then they are swimming
lifeguard present for each lesson. This always makes by themselves. These steps might take time to learn,
the person feel more safe when they have multiple peo- but once they are mastered they will not be forgotten
ple around them who are trained in safety measures,” Klein said ECU offers packages that give of up to eight
Hinson said. lessons in a single package. The person will learn these
Becoming comfortable in water skills throughout the package.
How long it takes to become comfortable in the wa- “We offer various preview days for adults who are on
ter is different for everyone. Hinson said the best way the fence about taking lessons,” Klein said. “They are
to make people comfortable in the water is to reinforce 30-minute, free sessions that give the adults a chance to
safety. He does this by ensuring a lifeguard is present at meet the instructors and see if they want to purchase
all times and encourages swimmers to learn in groups a package. It is a nice atmosphere and it is a great way
so they can help each other. This allows the person to for adults to get their toes wet and begin the process of
relax and get used to moving in the water. Once they learning to swim.”
are comfortable, they move on to step three.
Learning survival skills.
ECU Aquatics Program Manager of Swim Lessons
Alison Klein said she teaches floating, treading, and
proper breathing techniques. These can sometimes be
tricky to learn as everyone is different in how long it
takes it them to learn. Once the adult feels comfortable
with those skills, Klein moves on to teaching freestyle,
which is the most basic stroke.
Learning freestyle kick or flutter kick
Freestyle is the easiest stroke to learn. The stroke is
swum on the stomach with both arms pulling water
to move efficiently. Flutter kick is when both legs are
kicking up and down with toes pointed to move faster
through the water. Klein said she says she spends plen-
ty of time teaching kicking.
“I have them practice on the wall first. We work on Jake Neal practicing freestyle kick on his
pointing their toes and getting a nice, steady motion back
with the legs. Then we’ll go to the kickboard and prac-
tice in the water,” Klein said. Photo by Sean Rocca
 SETTING UP FOR 6
A COLLEGE
TAILGATE

ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS YOU’LL WANT TO

DO WHEN PLANNING A TAILGATE IS FIGURE
FIND A
OUT WHERE TO PARK. MANY STADIUMS PARKING SPOT
HAVE DESIGNATED TAILGATING AREAS I
WHERE YOU CAN RESERVE A SPOT FOR THE
SEASON. DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU ARE,
YOU MAY BE REQUIRED TO PAY FOR A SPACE
AHEAD OF TIME.

BRING
PREPARED
FOOD
TO CUT DOWN ON COOKING TIME, YOU MAY WANT TO
PREPARE SOME FOOD AHEAD OF TIME AND BRING IT TO THE
TAILGATE WITH YOU. CONSIDER MAKING SOME SIDE DISHES
LIKE POTATO SALAD THE NIGHT BEFORE AND CUTTING UP
ANY FRUITS, MEAT, AND CHEESE.

Providing seating for your guests is

GIVE GUESTS
one way to ensure that everyone PLACES TO SIT
will be comfortable at your tailgate
party. It’s also much easier to eat
and enjoy food if there’s somewhere
to sit down. Lawn chairs and folding
chairs are easy to transport, making
them ideal for tailgates.
PLAY
TAILGATE
GAMES

A GOOD TAILGATING IDEA IS TO PROVIDE GUESTS WITH OUTDOOR

GAMES TO PLAY! THIS GIVES YOUR TAILGATE GUESTS SOMETHING TO
DO BEFORE THE GAME AND DURING HALFTIME. THINK ABOUT HOW MUCH
SPACE YOU HAVE AT YOUR TAILGATING SPOT SO YOU KNOW WHAT KIND
OF ACTIVITIES YOU’LL HAVE ROOM FOR.

https://www.extraspace.
https://www.extraspace.com/
MORE
com/blog/outdoor-rec-
INFORMATION blog/outdoor-recreation/tailgat-
reation/tailgating-par-
ing-party-ideas-tips/
AND SOURCE ty-ideas-tips/

Both the content for this newsletter and the design are created by students enrolled in
COMM 3310 Copy Editing and Design in the School of Communication at East
Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina during the Spring and Fall semesters
under the direction of course instructor Barbara Bullington.
We welcome suggestions for article ideas for future issues.
For inquiries, please email bullingtonb@ecu.edu

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