On March 4, our Executive and Editorial staff touched down in San Francisco to attend the Associated Collegiate Press (ACP) Media Conference. Our staff was immersed not only in the thoughtful workshops and roundtables, but also in the lively landmarks of the Golden City. From putting on our most professional attire in the mornings for the conference to styling up in the evening for the Golden Gate Bridge, these photos sum up all the vibrancy San Francisco gifted to our NYC students.
Night one in San Francisco consisted of settling into our hotel rooms and grabbing a bite at none other than California’s hottest restaurant: In-N-Out in Anchorage Square Mall. By the next morning, we were putting on our best blazers and business trousers to gather up for our very first day at ACP. Our staff rotated between different sessions, some about having fun together as a newspaper team, and others attended sessions regarding research and career advice. Even after a long morning and afternoon of learning from professionals within our beloved industry, we still had some energy left over to sightsee and get lost on the slanted streets of San Francisco.
We decided a small trip to the famous Haight-Ashbury was only necessary, and we took our journey the only way NYC students know how: taking the public transit. We walked to Market Street and Drumm straight from our hotel, hopped on the Muni F train, rode nine stops and then walked the rest of the way to Haight-Ashbury. We dipped in and out of groovy shops, bought some vinyls at a vintage record store, and then decided it was time to visit The Painted Ladies. A 22 minute scenic walk took us from Haight-Ashbury and up a short hike on Alamo Square to arrive perfectly at golden hour with the Painted Ladies glowing right in front of us.
As students studying in the city that never sleeps, we are accustomed to our late 3:00am dessert shops. And after a long journey to The Painted Ladies the night before, on our third day, our sweet tooths led the way to Ghirardelli Square. San Francisco mimicked our New York walking behavior as we powered through various long and steep blocks, stopping every few minutes to catch our breaths while simultaneously turning our heads to admire the rich blue toned sky and apple green trees. At every corner, our eyes followed the turquoise and yellow accents spotted on the Hyde cable car lines.
Upon arriving at Ghirardelli Square, we went up the levels only to see the bay still as exposed as it was when we walked along its shoreline. A man sat right in front of the view, drinking his coffee (or maybe Ghirardelli hot chocolate disguised in a coffee cup). His view was the best one in-house, and his relaxed element made this image all the more lively and natural.
On our last day of the conference trip, we squeezed in the last few of the sessions available to us. We woke up early enough to scour the first-come first-serve hospitality breakfast and we livened up our bagels with superb natural jelly and honey spreads that only a state with high-quality fresh produce, such as California, can offer. After a delicious (free) breakfast, we wandered our way into several rooms. One that stood out to our group was the “Engage Your Audience” session. As a newspaper club, we love writing and publishing as it is, but what use is it if we aren’t reaching our audience?! This is where I give our Instagram page a shout: follow our official Instagram @thepacepress – you’ll find some new and exciting content waiting since we arrived back.
