A New Start

After my winter hiatus, I am both nervous and excited about this new semester. My name is Nick Kaufman, and I am a 22 year old Mass Communications major focusing on Journalism. I am also an avid photographer, self-taught, and would like to combine that passion with my enjoyment of writing. I also like to work on my car, ( a 5.0 Mustang money pit that I have a love/hate relationship with). I enjoy painting, drawing my influences from artists such as Jean-Michel Basquiat, Wassily Kandinsky and Jackson Pollock. Though I have little experience, I also love graffiti art. My favorite graffiti artist is Banksy, whose true identity is still unknown to the world. If you have not heard of him, I would reccommend looking up his work.

I love to travel, and have a strong desire to see more of the world. It is fueled not only by the photographic opportunities that would be presented, but also by the curiousity I have about other cultures. Visiting an actual Mayan village in Mexico was one of the most exciting and humbling experiences I have ever had. I played a crude game of soccer with a young Mayan boy who I will never forget. Our ball was an empty Diet Coke bottle with some pebbles in it, and the genuine smile on his face only left a larger impact on me. My ultimate goal is to be a travelling photojournalist for a major publication such as National Geographic or Time magazine.

I try to find humor in everything, having learned it is the best way to keep your sanity, though it has also led me to trouble. I love meeting new people, and I'm looking forward to what the future will bring, since it is never guaranteed.