Diary of a solo living student

Nada Darwish, The American University in Cairo

Description or Abstract

I am Nada Darwish. I'm a student in the American University in Cairo. I study Multimedia Journalism and I am a senior. In this track, I recorded some of the most significant incidents in my day for my Audio Diary assignment. I have a very constant routine where i just wake up, greet my cats, go to school, attend classes, record some audio and go back home study for the upcoming assignments and projects. script: My cats wake me up. I live alone. I spoil them because this is what I do. • FADE IN NAT SOUND: Door opens, my cats approaching, purring and meowing, then fade out. (0:14) Its 12 PM. I need to get ready to go university. Let the day start. • FADE IN NAT SOUND: sound of car engine starts and I start driving. Then fade out. (0:10) My dear car... I’m on my way to school, 104.1; favorite radio station, tune in! • FADE IN NAT SOUND: Radio station 104.2 with Sally Sampson (broadcaster) laughing and speaking, Sally Sampson, the very cheerful broadcaster isn’t she. the morning show is an essential for the day. • then fade out. (0:16) Happiness in a destination, Starbucks! My coffee is an essential, because coffee before anything else am I right. • FADE IN NAT SOUND: Starbucks drive thru guy taking the order from me. Then fade out. (0:17) Cairo traffic is no joke. You just can’t go anywhere before checking Cairo traffic. • FADE IN NAT SOUND: 104.2 radio station: Sally –presenter- announcing the traffic conditions of highways and important roads. Then fade out (0:13) Here we go, I’m here AUC! Securities are very humble here. • FADE IN NAT SOUND: Security guard greeting me, while giving me a parking ticket. Then fade out. (0:05) I’m kind of late. Gates aren’t really as crowded as they usually be. • FADE IN NAT SOUND: Swiping my ID card on the machine and entering Omar Mohsen gate, with the background of the security guard asking people to leave their belongings outside the inspection device. Then fade out. (0:07) First destination is always the studio. Our dearest radio studio, where I basically spend all day in, with the great technician; Badawi! • FADE IN NAT SOUND: Badawi –the radio studio technician- asking me and my colleague to start opening adobe audition and have us edit our radio show. (0:07) I went to class, I finished and I’m now running to the library where I have to print my assignment for my project. • FADE IN NAT SOUND: Printer noise -printing my assignment- in the printing station in the library. (0:17) Peace out! I’m done. I’m leaving uni., Let me just go carry on with the day at home, • FADE IN NAT SOUND: going out of the library gate. (0:06) Okay, dusk is here. Maghreb prayers being called, and it’s time to go back home and start with studying for tomorrow’s midterm. • FADE IN NAT SOUND: Maghreb prayer being called in the mosque nearby. (0:12) Back to my dear car. Getting ready to face a long journey back home, and repeat. • FADE IN NAT SOUND: starting the car engine and starting to drive back home. (0:11) I’m home, and obviously, my cats are welcoming me, yeah, they’re my family. • FADE IN NAT SOUND: my cats meowing, welcoming me home after a long day. (0:08) The #AUCdiaries project is an oral history project that documents the life of the AUC community. The project was initiated by Kim Fox in the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication (JRMC) along with Hoda Mostafa, Maha Bali and Nadine Aboulmagd, all from the Center for Learning and Teaching (CLT). The bulk of the content that was created for the #AUCdiaries podcasts was completed by students as part of AUC courses. As such, this is both a digital pedagogy project, since students learn while producing, and a digital scholarship project, since the output is considered to be digital scholarship.