Monday, August 23, 2010

Taylor Merck: Student on the Go

Twenty-one year old Taylor Merck lives for busy days. Having just arrived back from a semester abroad in Oxford, England, she has already filled her schedule with classes, a part-time job, as well as an internship.

“Why waste time?” she asks, “Life after college is approaching fast.”

Merck, a senior at the University of Georgia, is majoring in publication management at the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, as well as pursuing a minor in English.

During her time outside a full schedule of classes this fall, she works at her job with a tree farm, no less. Merck works part-time with Select Trees, a local sustainable tree grower, and manages their creative media needs. “I do a mixture of things for Select: press releases, portfolios in InDesign, and basic office tasks. I like to dabble in all sorts of things.”

Growing up on a river in southeast Georgia, Merck has always held a love for the outdoors and trees: her father grows pine trees on their family property. She spent her childhood amongst the ‘leaves’—books and trees. Merck’s favorite things naturally, then, are reading and being outside. But, she does not limit herself to pursuing only these interests.

“I like so many things that I can’t honestly limit just a “few” of my favorite things. They vary from day-to-day. Maybe I’m wishy-washy. Or maybe I just like to make life interesting,” said Merck, and with a laugh start to list favorite things, “traveling, photography, reading, writing, graphic design, exploring new and old places, kayaking… it never ends.”

Along with pursuing her favorite things, attending classes, and working a part-time job, she just began an internship as a Copy Editor with BLVD, a local Athens magazine for culture, art, food, fashion, and more.

Her dream for the future? An even busier life in a big city with a career with a book publishing company. “Maybe Random House,” said Merck with an ambitious grin.

For her last year at the university, however, she hasn’t forgotten that she is still a student. “I can’t wait for football games, traveling, and absorbing as much of a college life as I can before I leave Athens,” said Merck.

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