"HAVING THE INSIDE SCOOP"

In this line of work it's all to easy for the one-on-one interview to lose its charm. Same old questions, same old answers...everyone just going through the motions. Well, I was lucky enough to catch a breath of fresh air this week in my interview of the ever-charming Carley Dryden. Where some people seem to lack the conviction to even tell me what they ate for breakfast, Carley was more than willing to divulge about her past, her future, and what it is that gives her the unrelenting willpower to accomplish her goals.

KC: Alright so what are the basics? Where are you from? Why did you come to SC?

CD: I'm from St. Charles, Missouri, it's a suburb of St. Louis, it's nice because it's very safe, a lot of older people, nice neighborhoods, etc. I came to SC because I was interested in journalism and Annenberg was such a well-known school. Also, when I came and visited SC I immediately fell in love. Everyone at Annenberg and USC seemed so well put together and so organized and everyone was really nice. I just immediately felt at home on the SC campus.

KC: So it sounds like you've had journalism on the mind for a while. What makes you want to pursue it? Where do you want to go with it?

CD: I have always loved writing and in high school I fell in love with journalism while working at the school paper. I love meeting new people, hearing their stories and also I love being the first one to know about something. Being a journalist is like having the inside scoop. You are always in the know. Since I've been in college I realized that my passion is feature writing so I see myself working for a magazine or freelancing for multiple fashion,entertainment and lifestyle magazines. I like to travel also so I would eventually love to do long-term projects for magazines, have them send me on assignments in various countries. In the distant future, I would like to start my own lifestyle/entertainment magazine.

KC: Looks like you're heading in the right direction. Even so, journalism can't be the only thing driving you right now. What else has influenced your life?

CD: I think I have been the most influenced through riding horses. My mom and grandma have ridden their whole lives, so it was inevitable that I would develop a passion for riding horses. Because I was away at horse shows every weekend, it was easy to stay out of trouble in high school. Also, as corny as it sounds, riding horses teaches you a lot of values- hard work, strong independence and extreme determination. I feel that riding horses made me who I am.

KC: Are there any specific ideas or words that you live your life by?

CD: There is no certain concept I live by, but I have just learned to not care what others think or to rely on others' judgment and to just live my life how I want (within reason) and go for the dreams and goals I have laid out for myself and not let others make me think I can not attain those goals.

KC: Alright, well I have a tradition of wrapping up one-on-ones with this simple request: explain to me why you are the way you are.

CD: This is a difficult one. I think I, like everyone, became who I am through outside influences- family, friends, activities. Those that are close to you help mold you into the person you are. Riding horses, a sport in which you can rely only on yourself, helped me gain my strong independence. My family instilled strong values and principles in me from childhood. The closer I got with my friends, the more comfortable I was in my personality and was able to open up and become very outgoing and talkative. So I think there are a lot of influences that form your identity.

KC: And what a distinct and memorable identity that is. Thanks a lot Carley!