One of the greatest aspects of college is meeting someone in just about every major you can think of. You've got the English major, the math major, the art major, the Business major, and the list goes on. However, none of these majors are quite like yours; journalism. Yes, while your friends are readingOthello and finding the value of Pi, you're spending the next four years doing the thing that you love the most; writing. Between conducting interviews, keeping a watchful eye on the news, and memorizing those trusty grammar rules, the life of a journalism student includes way more than meets the eye. Without further ado. here are just 15 of the countless traits of the textbook journalism major:
1. You're the designated paper editor of your friend group.
Ah, yes. How do you know that your best friend has a Shakespeare paper due the same day as her psych research paper? Obviously, she sent you both to look over and critique because it is a simple known fact that journalism students are the sharpest editors in the biz. Your brain is hardwired to know where to put every comma and colon, what sounds smooth and what sounds awkward. The bottom line? You read so many papers a week, you should start charging for your input.
2. Basically every character from "The Devil Wears Prada" is your style inspo.
Fact: Watching this movie gave you the inexplainable need to work at Runway in New York City. And within the glamour of this iconic story about an aspiring fashion journalist was, naturally, the fashion. From Valentino to Burberry to, well, Prada, this flick set the stage for what a young writer at a fashion magazine gets to step out in and made us all insanely jealous.
3. Your favorite media is the social kind.
Staying updated on the latest events is a huge part of a journalism student's job. Without the news, there's nothing to write about! Catch the young journalist-to-be on pretty much glued to every social media app that their phone's storage allows them to download, whether it be Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, Snapchat, etc.
4. You can down a coffee like it's a glass of water.
Suddenly, one cup a day just sounds like such a bummer.
5. If you ain't talking AP Stylebook, I don't want to talk.
You know how the Kardashians swear on everything by saying "Bible"? If journalism students tried this, they would say "AP Stylebook". To the untrained eye, this big, dense book that looks like the world's most specific dictionary. However, actually, it is a journalism student's closest friend. You live and die by it.
6. You can quote "13 Going on 30" in your sleep.
That's right, journalism students. For some of you, Jenna Rink's 30-year-old self truly had the dream life. A big-time magazine editor who is friends with Madonna and goes to lavish launch parties? Sign me up!
7. You've got about five or more news apps on your phone.
Whether it's FOX News, CNN, MSNBC (or maybe even BBC for you international journalists), watching the news is essential for every journalism student to do. Whether we are being graded on it or not, it's crucial for future newsies to stay up-to-date on what's going on in the ever-changing world.
8. When the class gets assigned a paper, the rest of the class groans while you're doing this:
Because you'd rather write a 100-page paper than do any type of video, art, or anything a professor would deem as a "fun" project. Seriously, don't make me have to go to the craft store and try to piece together something artistic when I could get a much better grade on a writing assignment. This is especially true for group projects.
9. You're pretty much the unofficial grammar police.
You actually cringe when you see the wrong form of your/you're, where/wear, whether/weather, or the classic there/their/they're. And resisting the urge to correct these is like trying not to stare at a car accident; you just have to.
10. When there's a big story going on, you're following it closer than white on rice.
The journalism student is the kid whose phone lights up in class every 10 minutes because there's a break in whatever case is big in the world at that point in time. Followed by this are excessive amounts of tweeting their thoughts on said case and about 50 different story ideas on how they could write about it flashing through their mind.
11. You're just the right amount of creative and practical.
Journalism students really have the best of both worlds. They are extremely creative in the sense that they are constantly looking for inspiration around them; on television, online, outside in the world, everywhere. On the other hand, though, they are equally as practical about these thoughts. Their brains are trained to take those muses and translate them into a functional, readable story. And that, truly, is what makes a journalism student so unique.
12. Writing press releases makes you feel like a total badass.
Admit it: you loved when your class got to the press release chapter because being a public relations specialist makes you feel like an instant superhero. Getting to public speak and present your spin on the story gives journalists a little insight into the life of their close companion, the PR professional.
13. This is your response when someone asks you to do a math problem:
What was that? You're asking me what the square root of that number is? Sorry, that's not my job.
14. You strive to be Carrie Bradshaw.
Carrie has the life. Living out every writer's dream in New York City, while figuring it all out with her best friends in tow, Carrie Bradshaw is the true definition of journalist. Bow down.
15. But most of all, you love to write!
You simply love the feeling when pen hits paper. It feels therapeutic when you write down your thoughts and begin to form the foundations of a truly great story. Even more, you love the feeling that what you are writing will raise awareness, shed light on a topic, or deliver a message to the world. Because at the end of the day, you aren't writing because it's your job or your expectation to; you write for you.