Ashley Kribs’ Future Career Inspired by Gilmore Girls
The classic TV show introduced a dedicated watcher to a career path in journalism
Unlike many rising seniors in high school, 17-year-old Ashley Kribs does not have to deal with the stress of figuring out what her major will be in college. Kribs was inspired by Rory Gilmore, from the hit drama series “Gilmore Girls,” to pursue a career as a journalist.
Kribs said, “I fell in love with Rory Gilmore,” who is a journalist and editor of her local newspaper. “She is kind of like my inspiration of who I want to be.”
Before watching Gilmore Girls, Kribs did not know what journalism was. Not only did the show introduce her to the world of journalism, but it taught her what it truly meant to be a journalist.
Kribs said, “Throughout the show, journalism is based on story telling and expressing your opinion and really what you want to document for the world to see.”
Kribs’ introduction and newfound appreciation for journalism led her to find other role models in that industry. Kribs praised the women who were news anchors for CNN during the pandemic.
“They have this freedom of speech and do not care who or what disagrees with them,” Kribs said.
It is clear that Kribs and journalism are a perfect match. Kribs stated that one of the main reasons she loves to read biographies is because she feels as though the people in the biographies were talking to her.
“I really like to talk to people, [and] get to know people,” Kribs said. “That’s where I’ve really gotten my passion from.”
Kribs is now utilizing her newfound passion of journalism to decide where to pursue her college career.
Kribs said, “All the schools that I’ve considered have a great journalism program and that’s all that I’m thinking [about]. …The cost, tuition, dorms, wherever I live, that doesn’t matter to me. My passions are my number one priority.”
Kribs’s journey to realizing her true passions was not easy. Coming from an Argentinian family that only spoke Spanish made it difficult for her to form sentences. Kribs and her mother had to learn English with their own determination.
“I never knew when to put apostrophes or where to put semicolons,” she said.” I never knew that because I was never taught that or I didn’t understand it. Reading books kind of helped me… and that’s when I discovered what I really wanted to write.”
Rory Gilmore was a woman only raised by her mother and always looked forward when things did not go as planned. With Gilmore as Kribs’s inspiration, she was able to overcome her own obstacles and not lose sight of her goal.
“If she can do it with all her struggles, I can do it as well,” said Kribs.
