Wow. It wasn’t the most breathtaking sight ever, but it was a view I won’t forget. I could see where I lived freshman year. I could see the buildings where I spent endless nights studying. I could see the highways and the hills to the west. I could see downtown Austin.

I was 28 floors up at the observation deck of the UT tower, somewhere I never thought of being. I felt very relaxed, trying to take it all in. What was funny to me, was how I saw the tower everyday going to class, but never imagined what it was like to be at the top.

The tower, in my opinion, is the ultimate symbol for UT Austin. The tower can be seen miles away far down the highway. The tower is a widely recognized symbol internationally. The tower is where we begin and end our journeys as students. The tower brings us together in times of celebration, but also in times of mourning. The tower is a powerful and beautiful piece of architecture, serving as the center of the university. This was something I really thought about during my time on the deck. I had to take in the fact that this was likely to be one of the only times that I would be up there, so I really tried to enjoy the moment. (Once I put the view on my Snapstory and responded to people asking how to get up there)

I looked around, trying to spot all the places I had been so far during my time at UT. There was a UTPD officer standing guard at the top too. I just thought, I would want that job too if it meant having a view like this every day. Here’s one of the pictures I took from the top. 

Being the media curator is an interesting job. For big companies and celebrities, it is a daunting, but meaningful task. I am in charge of my fraternity’s social media, so this experience wasn’t as new, but definitely refreshing. Two of my greatest fears when I make posts are typos and getting things wrong. The thing about social media today is that word spreads so fast and you can never really take anything back. One error or “accident” spells disaster. Anyone can take a screenshot and never let it go. As for large firms, it creates a PR nightmare that could potentially ruin their image forever. My organization’s Facebook page has over 1,400 likes; I am especially careful when I post things to ensure that all the information is correct. I have never written a blog before, so this has been a new experience.

-William Mao