Down with the Wave🌊
Can you believe it? This girl made it to an entire year working for WAVE 3 News, the NBC affiliate located in Louisville, Kentucky.
It's amazing how much can happen within a year and how fast time flies right on by...seems like yesterday I was stressing about not having a job lined up for me right after graduating college.
I moved back home to Louisville from Lexington and while I waited to get hired somewhere, I just spent my time volunteering at my alma mater Central High School and former co-oping job at Coleridge-Taylor Montessori Elementary which sits across the street from one another.
I could have applied for any job I wanted knowing I was beyond qualified for most positions aside from the ones that required me to have a car. Still, I was determined to find a job that was similar to what I went to school for or something that highly interest me.
Let me tell you all about my journey and how everything came along for your girl, being a recent graduate from the University of Kentucky with a bachelor's degree in journalism (broadcast multimedia). I honestly thought I would never find a job, often times I felt a little hopeless.
Since the time that I applied to WAVE 3 it took almost a month for to be in contact with someone, be interviewed, take a drug test and get hired. I was slightly stressed and very impatient because it seems like my life was riding on this job... money that I had from my other jobs was getting fairly low.
I have been blessed with many opportunities while working at WAVE 3 News. I started working the "night" shift and just within two days as an employee I was already hanging out with people and enjoying some free food.
On my second day during my two hour break I hung out with the evening meteorologists and attended our stations viewing party for the hit show 'America's Got Talent'. The screening was at the Kentucky Center for African American Heritage, where people were waiting to see Louisville's own quartet Linkin Bridge perform live from Los Angeles.
I was only observing teleprompter for my first few days. Which in a sense I felt was pointless because thanks to my internship at LEX18, our sister station in Lexington I already knew all there was to know. I honestly believe I feel asleep while observing at some point. 🙍🏾 Come that Friday I was left alone running prompter, I believe I did a pretty good job until it came time for sports 'Touchdown Friday Night'. Running teleprompter was so tricky! Glad I had a second chance to redeem myself sort of. Being able to understand different anchors reading speed and getting a feel of when they may ad lib was a bit challenging, it took me awhile to get use to.
Working nights was great but coming home late at night wasn't. Within a month or so of being hired I moved over to working Sunrise. I was giving up some "luxury" for "real work." I only say that because now I have the rest of the day to myself to do other things if need be unlike what I was able to do while working nights. However, waking up at 3 in the morning is killer, it's all worth it in the end!
What I miss about working nights are the intellectual conversations and funny moments with Uncle Gary! Along with watching my shows in the green room while on break for two and a half hours.
My first day on Sunrise was October 20th. It was a bit intense because on top of adjusting to how different things are compared to night side, there was breaking news. Three children were injured in an accident involving a Jefferson County Public School bus and a SUV located at 32nd and Dumesnil. I remember like it was yesterday it was a rainy day and so many emotions were surfacing while covering the story. So... that definitely wasn't a "normal" sunrise day.
I learned from the best! People that are no longer at WAVE 3 are those who either retired or moved on to further their career. Teleprompter was my job for about 4 months seems like forever until I started to learn something new. Before leaving night side they were attempting to try me on camera but since someone started around the same time as me and they were working on getting used to camera still, they chose to advance me to Chyron.
Working one of the busiest weeks .... DERBY WEEK! It sounded more terrifying then I believe it actually was. My job for the 143rd annual was to do camera/floor on the backside and 1st turn camera at Churchill Downs. I also had one evening shifted that required me to come back in do chyron for the Pegasus Parade. Everyone this particular week worked overtime, all hands on deck were need... no one had any off days. As the week went on it seems as if things only got more hectic leading up to the biggest yet shortest main event taking place within the country. I was fine with the week and all the major work that was to be done I even travelled to Nashville for a Chris Brown concert and travelled right back in time for work... #TeamNoSleep. Literally each night I personally got roughly 3 to 5 hours of sleep each night. Thanks to me not having a set bedtime and just wanting to have a life of my own aside from work.
I felt it within my spirit and I even said it on Friday which was Oaks Day. "I don't think I'm going to make it. I'm going to be late tomorrow" ... what do you know? Saturday morning I was late to work. Instead of meeting everyone at the station like I have done for the majority of the week, I met everyone at the track. Hey! You can't say I didn't give a warning... As sad and unprofessional it may have seemed, Friday drained all the life out of me. I believe Friday was the day that it stormed also the most while we were outside and although my position was covered standing out in the rain for hooouurrss with only an hour break really took a toll on me.
I am glad I was able to experience and work such an amazing event, it's really the only time that all WAVE 3 family and close friends came together and work on something so great for others at home to enjoy. *I even got some camera time of my own while at the 1st turn😉😂
What's work with out a little bit of fun?
It's always nice to see co-workers and a more relaxed setting. While working at WAVE 3 I have experienced new things and have built amazing relationships with not only co-workers but some of our guest as well.
Pictures of life at WAVE 3 News:
Employee Appreciation Dinner
Churchill Downs and other wonderful events
Networking and Volunteer Opportunities
