Well, it's July, which means another school year is on the horizon. For me, I'm gearing up for my last two semesters of college, which is crazy to process. I'm a journalism major and I hope to continue my career as a reporter once I'm done with school. I've learned a great deal during my time and I know that as I finish my journey as a college journalist, I'll learn so much more. But for the time being, I wanted to share a few things that I learned so far that will hopefully help someone else.
1. You need to know yourself.
In order to survive any Journalism program, you have to have a strong sense of self. My first semester, I thought I was this amazing writer who had it all together. Then, I got my first paper handed back, and I thought the professor dipped it in red kool-aid. On top of that, I read my classmates papers and I was blown away by their writing styles. In those moments, you can use it as a motivator or you can be defeated by it. What I've learned, and in some respects am still learning, is to look at the glass half full instead of half empty. That helps you deal with the criticism and improve and mature as a writer without beating yourself up. All the criticism and all the frustration is just preparing you for life in the newsroom.
2. Advanced Reporting will have you questioning your choice of major.
Advanced Reporting will come for your life. I know this might not make a ton of sense, but it's one of those classes that you have to experience first-hand to understand the pain in which I'm speaking of. Every Journalism program has an Advanced Reporting class, not just UCF. I have friends in other programs who know the struggles caused by this class. In my opinion, that class is the closest thing to the reality of a professional journalist, except they get paid. It's a 24/7 job and it takes up every ounce of your time, energy, and effort. When you think you have a chance to sit back and breathe, you find yourself setting up another interview, writing another story pitch, or trying to meet your deadline. It's intense, but it's all worth it when you see your story published. It may seem crazy, but the feeling is something special when it's all over and you realize that you survived Advanced Reporting.
3. Other majors won't understand your pain.
Your friends outside of the Journalism program won't understand what you have to go through. When they ask to hang out, either you won't have the time or the energy to hang out. Your bed, reporter's notebook, and computer become your best friends. Sometimes, those friends understand and stick around. Other times, they'll think you're overreacting and move on. It's a part of life and a part of the profession. But one thing that I've found is that you build a comradery with the other journalism students over time and they become more than colleagues - they become true friends.
In closing, don't fret over what I've said. It's not all bad, I promise. When you do what you love and what you're passionate about, you tend to enjoy the crazy rollercoaster that comes along with it. You learn lessons and experience different things. And in this profession, you get the chance to tell cool stories and make a difference.
