The Universe’s A Day in the Life of BYU will be held this Saturday, Sept. 21. The project encourages students, faculty and the BYU community at large to “be a journalist for a day” by sharing their unique stories and points of view through photography.
Participants can take pictures of their Cougar spirit at the big Utah rivalry game, during a weekend road trip with roommates or their expeditions on study abroad programs. Participants can submit their experiences via Instagram and Twitter using the hashtag #BYUDAY2 or on The Universe’s official Facebook page. The project will be held from midnight to midnight MST.
According to Steve Fidel, director of The Universe, the main objective of the project is to provide students and faculty with the chance to be a reporter for a day and share their story with the BYU community. Other objectives include the promotion of an interactive audience, the boost of online activity and the chance to create something “outside the box.”
BYU’s popular phrase “the world is our campus” illustrates how the work ethic and religious values learned at BYU should stay with each student, faculty or alumni regardless of where in the world they are. Students are not restricted to actual campus boundaries, and Fidel invites people with all levels of photography skills to share what a day in their lives looks like from around the globe.
“What is BYU like when you are not in Provo?” Fidel asked. “You don’t have to be a professional photographer to tell us what your day is like.”
The Universe’s first Day in the Life project took place on Nov. 9, 2012. Last year, 700 participants submitted photos by email from locations ranging from close to Provo, and abroad to countries such as Turkey, Spain and Ireland, Fidel said.
Brittany Hendrickson, a BYU senior studying public relations from Kalamazoo, Mich., participated in A Day in the Life last year with a picture at the Lamborghini Museum while on her study abroad in Italy.
“I think that it’s a great way for students to get involved on campus and to see what everyone else is doing,” Hendrickson said. She continues, saying the project helps students “branch out to see what other people are doing to build a better sense of unity across campus.”
In the future, Fidel hopes that A Day in the Life of BYU will become a representation of significant days on campus.
The Universe’s first Day in the Life project garnered the National Newspaper Association’s “General Excellence” award in the most current Better Newspaper Contest. According to an article regarding the awards, the judges loved the idea of inviting the entire campus community to share their campus experiences.
“What a great idea to see the university through the eyes of your readers,” the judges said.
Katrina Ricks, a senior graphic design major from Scarsdale, N.Y., believes that people like having an online presence through social media and sharing what they do with friends and family, saying the Day in the Life project helps portray the wide variety of experiences BYU students have.
“It’s just kind of cool to think that it’s all on this one campus and you are just a building away from a completely different world,” Peterson said.
