It's coming together well

With a looming deadline date and three articles in progress, I must admit my nerves are surfacing. However, I am thoroughly confident in my ability to complete the trio of articles in a timely manner just in time for Wednesday afternoon. The first of my writing duties involves covering the shifting restaurant market in Downtown Athens, a trend that has recently become apparent with the closing of two older Soul Food restaurants and the financial troubles of another, as well as the interesting success of new upstarts that are non-traditional and modern. Can this be attributed to the youth that clearly dominate the downtown market desiring a dining experience that reflects their interests i.e. anything new, invigorating, and distinctive? Or is this simply a result of the general population's disinterest with soul food? Perhaps there's only room for one soul food restaurant in town. I have an interview set for tomorrow morning with the Director of Marketing at the Convention and Visitor's Bureau of Athens who could likely clear up the cloudiness surrounding this change in restaurant fixtures.

Another article deals with the student debt crisis, an issue becoming more and more apparent in present-day America. The recession affected every sector of the economy including financial aid. With budget cuts bearing down on much of state funding, colleges have had to hunker down and increase tuition in order to accommodate this drastic shift. College students and graduates have never before had to come to terms with such a hindrance that obstructs future goals and expectations. I was able to chat with a couple of students on their thoughts about the student debt crisis and both shared similar sentiments voicing a concern for the state of the financial aspect of attending school and where their degree will place them in the job market which has become an extreme rat's race for newcomers. One particular source of information that would be quite helpful in analyzing student debt would be the Financial Aid office. I have contacted UGA's office and intend to speak with them. Hopefully their knowledge will lend the article an edge that I can either contrast with the student's input or coordinate it.

Within the past decade the college admissions process has taken leaps and dives in an effort to strengthen university repertoire and adapt to changing economic times. A more competitive atmosphere has invaded the system and doesn't show any signs of easing up. What may have been acceptable for applicants a decade ago is no longer acceptable now according to today's admissions standards, resulting in decreased class sizes and increased teen ambition. The two college student's I chatted with about the college admissions process spoke in fairly relative terms about their experiences, but agreed that it is becoming much more difficult for the typical high school to waltz confidently into the arms of admissions officers. I would like to hear directly from the admissions office tomorrow about their views on the competitiveness of college acceptance. I was able to speak with the Dean on this issue at a press conference this morning and I believe his responses will provide a good angle for the article.