The concept of patience can be extremely difficult for a lot of people to deal with. However, achieving success over time is not something that usually comes easy. Sometimes it takes a change of a college major to provide that spark toward a true calling.
Bruna Nessif, a former member of the PCC Courier staff and Lancer Radio, went on to graduate from Cal State Fullerton in 2011 and now writes articles daily for E! Online. Her decision to change her psychology major early in college ultimately opened a door for success.
“There came a point when I realized that being a psychologist may not be the best route for me, so I remembered how much I enjoyed to write and began pursuing journalism,” said Nessif. “I was never certain that I would end up as a writer, especially since I ultimately decided to focus on broadcast journalism. But I’m happy with the way things panned out.”
Outside of writing about celebrities, fashion and other current events for E! Online, she started her own blog a little over a year ago called “The Problem with Dating” which has continued to gain popularity over time.
“I’ve wanted to write about dating for years, but never went through with it. I met with my former colleague and friend Liz Hernandez, who was working with E! News Now, and I told her I really wanted to brand myself. She told me I should have my own website and asked what I would want to write about,” said Nessif regarding her website, which centers on topics such as love, relationships, and dating experiences.
Over the past year of writing her blog, additions she makes continue to change her perspective and make her even more open-minded about the dating world along the way.
“Because I write about things so openly and honestly, rereading my posts gives me more insight into the way I handle relationships and dating,” said Nessif. “Another part of me wonders if I go after certain guys or go on dates simply to get a story out of it for the blog. I’ve noticed that as my love life goes downhill, my blog goes uphill. Obviously, when things are going poorly in the romance department, I have more to write about. But I have to remind myself that this can’t dictate my love life.”
PCC TV/Radio instructor Scott Carter, whom Nessif considers one of her mentors, said he has always envisioned her achieving the accomplishments she has so far in life for as long as he’s known her.
“After watching her in my Live Radio Workshop I could tell she was a ‘natural’ with the skill and inner motivation to become a true pro,” Carter said of his former student, who he still stays in touch with regularly. “Bruna has both the focus and ability to be on the air with guests and be totally aware of the time constraints of a broadcast and communicate visually with her producer and board operator.”
“I base my evaluation of her on more than 25 years as a commercial broadcaster. I know the difference between those who are ready to work and those who aren’t,” Carter proudly added.
Barbara Naylor, an assistant professor of video production and media writing at PCC, was also quick to compliment Nessif on how she carries herself throughout her work.
“She’s upbeat, enthusiastic, dedicated, and a quick learner,” said Naylor. “You never really know how a student will do in the labor market with so many variables, especially in the entertainment industry, but she had drive and determination.”
To get where she is today, Bruna has continuously overcome different types of struggles in the competitive field of broadcast journalism.
“Sometimes you have to question people’s motives,” she claimed. “Are they really trying to help me or are they going to stab me in the back? I also have to be careful of what I do or say or post on the Internet, because somebody is always taking notice and I’m not just ‘Bruna’ anymore. I represent a company and the brand.”
As for people who aspire to achieve success as a journalist just like her, Bruna noted some attributes and a certain mentality that a writer should carry with them going forward. She added that it is of great importance to be a very respectful worker to surrounding people, which has greatly benefited her as a major key to success.
“I started as an intern and that’s how I got my foot in the door,” she said. “Show your skills, work with as many people in the company as you can, take initiative and learn. But you have to remember that being a good writer is only half of it. The other half is having good work ethic.”
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