After graduating the other day and realizing the chapter of my life that contained college is over with -- there is a lot that I'm left to reflect. Sitting here contemplating the future, I'm not even sure when I decided to go to school for journalism. There were a few teachers in high school that said I had a way with talking to people and that it would be a logical career choice. I was also on the television team in middle school and the broadcast team in high school -- I loved it all.
When I was applying for colleges, no other academic choice than becoming a journalist made sense to me. But to be honest, I had no idea how I was supposed to go about writing a story, interviewing people and the editing process. I had thrown myself into the world I was unfamiliar with -- and that was the most exciting part. I made my choice and I'm glad I never looked back.
There were times when my schooling first started that I wanted to quit, drop out and never come back. I thought it was over for me, and it's not like I was having a horrible time in school. But, after being propped up by my peers and realizing my love of talking to people, learning more about topics I had no freaking clue about and the written word -- I decided that school was the place for me. I decided that journalism was the career that I belonged in.
Walking into my first communication course in the fall of 2012, I really didn't know what to expect. The term "communication" is a real umbrella term and seemed a little overwhelming as I approached the lecture hall on the first day of my college career. As my education continued, I found that it all clicked into place -- my interests, whether personal or otherwise, my future and everything I saw my potential in.
When I began taking actual journalism courses, it was like a whole new world opened up for me. Reporting and interviewing people is a serious joy for me. This is something I didn't expect from myself because I was still questioning the choice I made for my major. I was going out into the real world and learning more about what was happening. I felt connected. I felt like I was at the epicenter.
I began writing for various student publication in my later years of college and I really enjoyed the experience. I was sharing the skills I learned, getting my name out there and learning things from my fellow writers that I couldn't learn in a classroom. I was making friends and professional contacts that I wouldn't have normally come in contact with if I had really dropped out of college in the first place!
After writing 40+ articles and gaining skills I would have no way developed outside the college setting, I accepted my first internship. This was an experience that certainly changed me. Allowing me to use all of the skills I gained while in school and applying them to situations and assignments that weren't for a grade, I found myself growing in the professional world too.
This all came to a peak my senior year when I was appointed managing editor at the student publication. This is where I belonged. Writing stories, editing works, laying out newspaper pages and dictating work -- it all felt like I was supposed to be doing. I'm typically a bossy person to begin with, but this position was a positive outlet for those tendencies and the people I worked with appreciated me.
After the AP style book has been burned into my brain and the oxford comma being dropped from my writing existence, I realize that choosing the journalism track changed the course of my life. I'm involved in something I truly enjoy and the fact that I paid a lot of money for it doesn't totally bother me. It wasn't time wasted -- I invested in my future and I couldn't be more thankful.
To the people I have worked next to, with and under, thank you for all the tips and tricks you provided me with. To my friends that I have made, thank you for supporting me through all of the tough times. To my professors, thank you for believing in me and telling me not to give up.
To my future employers, you haven't seen anything yet!
