Through My Lens: Focus on fun career

By Jake Leslie
Photo Editor

The end of eighth grade is an exciting time. The weather is warm and everyone is excited for summer – the last summer before you start high school.

I remember thinking about how big of a deal this was; feeling like a big chapter of my life was ending, and an even bigger one was beginning.

Our final project was a speech with a very simple, all too familiar prompt: “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

By this time, we had abandoned our childhood answers of “superhero” and “pro wrestler.” We knew the world a little bit better and we knew ourselves a little bit better. So, when it as my turn to give my speech, I told the class that I wanted to be a photojournalist.

This changed during high school. Photojournalism didn’t seem realistic. My friends wanted to be doctors and lawyers and business people. Everyone had plans to make money. As those four years drew to a close, I had decided that I was going to play it safe and study something more traditional: economics.

What a mistake!

After too many years slugging my way through econ courses at Michigan State, I finally had had enough. I was miserable. I was treading water, not knowing which way to swim, but I remembered that eighth grade speech. So, I dropped out and swore to myself that I would pursue something more meaningful and enriching – something I actually cared about.

This is my first semester here at LCC as a photography major, and I am incredibly excited to be able to say that I am the new photo editor for The Lookout! I believe that this position will be an invaluable experience that will help me achieve my hopes of becoming a professional photographer.

I live here in Lansing, and in my free time I like to take pictures, hike and play golf.

Hello and thank you to everyone at LCC. I’m excited to contribute to our community!