It’s so crazy. I finally have returned to being a regular student, and it’s all over now.I remember when I first got to Grambling and signed up for mass communication, Mr. Grover Brown and Mrs. Carolyn Cage told me how much I would love Grambling and the department. They believed in my dreams of becoming a film director and producer.
I was hard to get through to at first because all I wanted to do was run home on the weekends, eat in the café, play the video games in my room (the infamous Pinchback I might add), and play basketball in the intramural center.
I never knew that life was more than staying home until I pushed myself to make that first step. Ever since I graduated high school, I always worked two jobs because I knew I would have bills, and I loved electronics. I wanted every laptop, video game, I-Pod that I could get.
I worked at Burger King, Raising Cane’s, Super One, Ryan’s Steakhouse, Applebee’s, Domino’s Pizza and Wal-Mart throughout my college career, and at one point I was working three jobs.
The Summer school sessions drained me, and I only had one major, but I took 18 hours each semester.
My reasoning for doing all this was to kill my interest of running home each weekend and getting me use to staying around Grambling. Now, I barely have time to go thirty minutes away from the campus. It made me more independent and better prepared for the world.
When I became involved in The Gramblinite and the Television Center, it was my first step to the professional world.
When you are in the mass communication field, it becomes clear that you must have a decent GPA, but if you don’t have any experience, then you will not have a chance to know anyone, and if you do not know anyone, you will not get a job.
I continued to work hard for The Gramblinite and the Television Center. I even branched out and attempted to film my own movie. At the young age that I was, I did a pretty decent job, but it wasn’t until now when I realized that this is not a Film School and it is difficult to do a film with everyone doing their own things. With the advisement of Mr. James Penny, I became a stronger photojournalist.
He linked me with my first and only internship at Bossier Parish Community College in which I participated in filming a movie.
I stepped up my work in The Gramblinite and became the Voices Page editor. With the help of Ms. Joice M. Dunn and Ms. Wanda Peters, I became a better writer and it took me a long way.
I had the opportunity to travel to two HBCU conferences to showcase my work. That still was not enough. Something was missing. I began looking into a more political direction.
I worked closely with the SGA when Whitney Moore White was in office and I realized a great deal of the issues that were going on. I had a vision of being the president and leading the student body in a totally different way. Still, I was missing something.
March 29, 2008, I was born again as an Ace, Chris Harmon Jr. Tri-Q-Daddy, Spring 2008 initiative of the Gamma Gamma Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. It was a brotherhood that showed me another way of life. The process groomed and helped mature me.
Three weeks later, I was elected as the SGA President. I worked with Black Dynasty, Thurgood Marshall Club, Floyd L. Sandle Theatre, Political Science Coalition, and was a Fall 2008 initiative of the Alpha Tau Chapter of Phi Beta Lambda.
When I look at Graduation, I smile because I did it in four years, my family is proud, and I am happy that my mother is able to see me graduate.
But when I look back at what I went through, I almost want to cry because I been through so much.
At this point, I will be taking a break to prepare myself for Law School and Film School. I will be moving to Florida soon to attend Full Sail University for Film and after I take the LSAT, I will determine which Law school I wish to attend.
My plan is run for SGA president at whatever Law School I do attend as well. When I passed the flame over as president, a nerve struck in my mind wondering, “Is it over for me?” No . not by a long shot.
I am an entertainer .and I was born to be a movie producer. I am here to tell you, I am Chris Harmon and I will become that Movie Producer and I will again be and live the American Dream.
For now, I am going home and going to sleep at last.