Tara Iyengar
When I was first asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I remember thinking I wanted to be an astronaut. Science was what fascinated me the most, and I was thoroughly convinced that I’d fly into outer space one day. I was five. Sixteen years later, I can honestly say that a lot has changed since then. I’ve realized that my passions don’t lie in the stars and in other planets- they’re much closer to home. I’m much happier when I have something to write with and something to write about. I’m a writer and a storyteller. It’s what I’ve always been and something I’ve only recently come to fully embrace.
My name is Tara Iyengar and I am a fourth year Journalism student at the University of Georgia. My college years have been anything but certain. I bounced around from being a journalism major to psychology to landscape architecture and finally back to journalism. And ever since committing to being a Grady student, I feel as though I’m home and that I’m doing what I’m best at.
Through my time at Grady, I’ve learned so much about what it means to be a journalist. I’ve learned new skills, met new people, and worked on things that I never really thought I would. Grady’s pushed me to be a better writer, a better photographer, and a better student journalist. I’ve learned that there is so much more to cameras than simply ‘pointing and shooting’ and I’ve learned how to edit photos through Adobe’s Creative Suite. Photojournalism is something that I’ve absolutely fallen in love with and something I hope to pursue in the future. Writing has always been something that I’ve enjoyed and something that I turn to when I feel lost. I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember, and coming up with stories to share since before I knew how to write. Grady’s pushed me to better my writing and really find my voice, Finding journalism, which combines two of the things I love most, has been an absolute dream.
Like I said before, I’m a storyteller. Whether those stories are told through words or through a lens isn’t as important as making sure the stories are shared.