Tubyez is a 2014 graduate of AF Amistad High and a member of the Franklin & Marshall College Class of 2018. We sat down with him to hear about his life on campus. What is your major? Why did you choose that major? I am majoring in Film and Media Studies, with a minor in Computer Science. I was drawn to the field of film and media by the idea of turning nothing into something. There is so much that goes into pre-production, production and post-production. It’s riveting to see hours, or even days, of preparation and highly-detailed production work go into a one-minute clip. I have such a strong attention to detail, so I feel at home when I can sit down at a desktop and work with hundreds of clips and files. I’m also very passionate about what this medium can do. When I look at the world, I see so many things that the human eye can see, but can’t register. What I mean by that is we can look at something magnificently beautiful or even absolutely horrific, and experience that moment. But when you film it, whether it’s digital or 16mm film, it adds character and authenticity to that moment and you can do so many things with that clip that you captured. What is your favorite thing about college? My favorite thing about college has to be the complete independence. Since I was a sophomore in high school, I would always tell my mom that I was ready for college. I was always so eager to get out on my own and make something out of my life. Being in college has completely changed me and the way I look at life. College, for me, is all about being the best you can be and gaining as much experience as possible so that employers will take a second look at you. And the biggest factor that goes into accomplishing this is putting a lot of responsibility on yourself and taking it in stride. At the end of the day, no one cares more about your future and your success than yourself. I’ve taken it upon myself to be as independent as I can be, in order to prepare myself for the real world. So for the majority of my college career, I’ve had multiple jobs and internships, while taking a full set of classes each semester. How did Achievement First prepare you for college? AF Amistad High was all about getting “college ready.” When people think about high school, they say “yes that’s what high schools are supposed to do.” But Achievement First made it priority to see all of their students get accepted to college. It’s no surprise to me that they are ranked so highly in the nation. [caption id="attachment_9535" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Tubyez today near the Franklin & Marshall campus[/caption] One of the most helpful classes that prepared me for the next chapter of my life was the College Ready class. This class was all about resume preparation, college applications and learning what to look for in a college. The class only took approximately 50 minutes of my day, but that was the time of the day that I deemed most important. It not only taught me all the technicalities of the application process, but it also gave me so much hope for my future. It gave me so much more confidence that I would get into a good school, and I think it worked out pretty well. What are you favorite activities at college? When I’m not in class, I’m either working at Prana Functional Manual Therapy or interning at Aurora Films. I’ve been working at Prana for two years as a receptionist, and I’ve been interning at Aurora for a few months. The atmosphere of both of these places is full of energy and fun people. Working at the front desk of a therapy office has given me the opportunity to meet so many people and make so many connections that I’d never think I’d make. Aurora Films is totally different, it is all about exploration and visualization. It’s much more of a free environment, but it’s all about teamwork and collaboration. We shoot tons of different products for different clients, and each one is more fun than the last. Along with these jobs, I’m also a part of a club called IMPACT (it stands for Intelligent Men Purposefully Achieving College Together). It’s a club/ brotherhood that strives to do community service around the Lancaster area, and help our fellow brothers complete college with the proper support. This club is one of the reasons that I’ve been able to survive at such a rigorous college, and I’ll always stay in touch with the people I’ve met through IMPACT. It has all the same qualities as a fraternity, except it costs significantly less! What career/field do you want to pursue after college? My biggest dream is to get into the field of media. I would love to get into video production or post- production, but if that’s not immediately possible, I’d also like to become a digital media specialist. I simply enjoy being connected with the field of media. It brings out all of the creativity in me, and when I’m doing it, it never feels like work. It’s everyone’s dream to work for a place that doesn’t feel like work and get paid for it. I’m currently applying for jobs in New York and Philadelphia, but I’m always open to new opportunities no matter where it is! Regardless of what I do end up going into, I know that my college experiences have perfectly prepared me for whatever gets thrown my way. Thanks for sharing, Tubyez! Whatever happens next, we know you'll be great.