When I first stepped into college radio, I didn’t know I was stepping into the most consistent love of my college experience.
I wasn’t the typical DJ. My show, Undercover Underground, wasn’t about mellow tracks and curating cool playlists (I left that to my much cooler friends), it was about speaking truth, unpacking policy, and diving into the messy intersections of culture and current events. It was where I could be my boldest self: loud, passionate, reflective, and endlessly curious.
College was anything but linear for me. I started at UC Davis, where I learned how to be still, to grow in the quiet. And then I landed at GW, where the pace was fast, the stakes were high, and everything I’d worked toward snapped into place. Through every transition, radio remained my anchor. That mic was always there, ready to listen, ready to catch my words when I didn’t quite know what I was trying to say.
WRGW gave me more than airtime. It gave me a place to think out loud, to grow in public, to connect with others who believe in the power of voice. It gave me my people, friends, mentors, and listeners who made it all worth it.
To everyone who tuned in, challenged me, encouraged me, thank you. I’ll carry your voices with me wherever I go.
And to WRGW: thank you for giving a scrappy girl from Los Angeles who never shuts up a home. I leave with more than a degree, I leave with a voice.
By Tim Ju
Every freshman who seeks to join radio wants to be different and underground – I was no different. Spring 2022 had just started, I just rushed Delt, and I had a strong urge to join another org that would counterbalance that mainstream side of my life, and I knew that WRGW would add that indie factor to my resume. So, I wandered around the basement of the Stu and found the spreadsheet of programming schedules posted on the bulletin board outside. As I scanned the endless list of shows, I found one I knew would be perfect for me: Lofifinds, hosted by Bryn Taylor.
I decided this was the perfect show for me, as my most listened to genre for my 2021 Spotify Wrapped was, indeed, lofi. After finding Lofifinds on Instagram and then Bryn’s, I decided to do what any man does best: sliding into her DM’s. I expressed my interest and my Taco Bell order, pretending that was my cover letter (she had her’s in her bio at that time) (crunchwrap supreme but subbing the meat for spicy potato, diet baja blast, and a 2 pack of cinnabons).
Flashforward after interning twice and then becoming a co-host on Lofifinds, I threw my name in to become the personnel director in my junior year. Not to be nacho cheesy, but this position forever changed my life. I would not be who I am today without it. There’s something about matchmaking 400+ freshmen and holding up a black sign with bright green letters, yelling at org fair that really solidifies a significant (and traumatic) aspect of your college experience.
Anyone who does radio knows that the actual show is a small part of the experience. I found countless friends, community members, and maybe even opps, throughout my time at WRGW, and I wouldn’t want it any other way. Every hour that I spent in the station was truly special. From nobody listening to your show to jamming as many guests as possible in the station, the best part about having a show is that it doesn’t matter what your MyLifeChat looks like. Being able to just talk for an hour straight into the abyss is an experience that is unmatched. I wouldn’t change a single experience.
Thank you to WRGW. You mean more than you’ll ever know.
