ZhaoZhou Dai

When I came to Nebraska, it was my first time abroad by myself, and I didn’t know anyone. I felt cultural shock, and there was a big adjustment to the time difference and the cold weather. I would tell any international student to get out of your comfort zone and cherish all the opportunities you have—just go for it. Even if you think you might fail, always try. 

When I was in middle school, I really enjoyed reading the news, so I started thinking that I would want to be a journalist. From there, I joined a journalism class, and after that the seed was planted in my heart; I wanted to become a journalist.

My first year at Nebraska, I told myself I needed to get out of my comfort zone. As a journalism student, one of the ways I’ve connected with others at Nebraska is by interviewing them. I write for the Nebraska News Service, and this semester I’ve been focusing on writing about diversity and inclusion.

I interviewed Nebraska professors about their immigration stories, including professors who had immigrated from Russia and Vietnam. Recently, I wrote a story about the Stop Asian Hate movement. I reached out to Asian communities in Nebraska like the Nebraska Chinese Association, Nebraska’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion and even a local restaurant owner.

I really enjoyed being part of the National Student Advertising Competition (NSAC) team and competing against other American universities. At first, I wasn’t sure about it because the whole team was domestic students; I was afraid I wouldn’t fit in. They were all so friendly and warm, and they helped me if I had any questions.

I also work as the visual communications lab assistant. I assist journalism underclassmen who are learning the Adobe programs they need to complete their assignments, including InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator. Recently, I took a data journalism class, which is all about news reporting using data and analysis. I feel like I’m falling in love with this topic, and after graduation, it is a topic I want to pursue.