Here's a little bit about me.

Greetings, friends! My name is Morgan Yarnik and I am new to blogging. I am a freshman at The University of Texas at Austin and have been recently admitted to the Moody College of Communications (as of the Spring 2014 semester). I'm officially a Journalism Major (yay!) in pursuit of becoming a broadcast journalist. I'm 18 years old, but I'm pretty sure I've always known what career path to choose... News.

My family:

Before I get too ahead of myself, I want y'all (yes, I say y'all) to get to know more about me. I'm proud to say that I'm a native North Texan, born and raised in the booming suburb of Frisco, Texas. I live with my dad, mom, and younger sister. We are a Christ-centered, fun, loud, and sometimes spazzy family (I'm on the far left).

Morgan, Phil, Shanna, and Rachel

How we spend our time:

I love my family dearly. Before I went off to college, we would always eat dinner together, relax at home, go have fun, or travel to the lake every once in a while to get away from the distractions of such a fast-paced, suburban lifestyle. My family goes to Lake Bob Sandlin where my aunt and uncle own a lake-house. It's where we bond more, relax, and have fun out in the middle of no where in East Texas. Here's my view from the dock on the lake.

Lake Bob Sandlin (2004)

Now about me... My parents always push me to try hard in everything I am involved in, like school and sports. No matter what I choose to do, they tell me to follow my dreams and to never give up. I know not everyone has the same family as I do, but I can't thank God enough for where He has placed me.

My dreams:

I can always remember one dream that has continued to stick in my heart: I want to become a Broadcast Journalist. I used to watch the news as a kid and wondered how newscasts worked. Watching stories that tugged at my heartstrings inspired me to do the same. In high school, I was a part of two news programs, Titan TV and Frisco ISD-TV. They are both award winning shows that have shaped who I am as an aspiring journalist today. I have learned the basics of journalism such as anchoring, camera shots, editing techniques, producing, and writing. Here's a Frisco ISD-TV show from my senior year where I co-anchored!

Journalism competitions:

While I was a part of both news shows in my school district, I learned so much. One of my favorite things about being in broadcast was getting to network with such wonderful, creative people. I also loved getting to compete in local, state, and national journalism competitions. Last March, I had the opportunity to attend the 2013 Student Television Network Convention in Los Angeles, California. It was the best experience of my life. I was chosen to present awards at the ending ceremony. I also competed in the anchoring competition!

These are my "presenter" friends from STN 2013.

The next chapter of my life:

I am so blessed to have a family that loves me unconditionally, a foundation in journalism from two wonderful programs, and now a bright future that's ahead of me here at UT. I'm proud to call myself a longhorn and I can't wait to learn even more about the art of journalism. It's so important to become a well-rounded, original, and talented professional journalist; I want to do just that.