Journalism isn't easy. It takes hard work and dedication to learn different interview and writing techniques, learn how to use different equipment and learn how to talk to complete strangers. Interviewing people you barely know is really challenging. It takes a lot of prep time! Interviewing musicians involves listening to their music and trying to learn as much about the band as possible before the interview, so you don't waste time on questions you can find the answer to through the band Facebook page.
Part of being a good student journalist is preparing thoughtful questions that will really help expose who your interviewee is through a powerful story. Truly, everybody has a great story to tell. Stories are everywhere and the little things are what matters. Even a pretty small event can make for a good story! One of the truly exciting things about journalism is good stories are truly everywhere. Unfortunately, not everyone wants to share their life experiences, especially not to a student journalist.
One of my reporting professors told my class that all of us were journalists and we didn't need the "student" qualifier, because there aren't laws in the US that journalists need to be licensed or even educated. Essentially, due to the freedom of the press, if you practice the art of journalism, you are a journalist. Even if you're still learning, like me! I feel more powerful when I identify as a journalist than as a student journalist. I feel more credible.
People also take Journalists more seriously than student journalists, which has made it a little easier to score interviews with good contacts. However, identifying as a student journalist made people extremely reluctant to talk to me. You would think that I would have gotten used to rejection at this point, but NOPE!
Rejection is hard, but we give a voice to the voiceless and that makes all the struggles worth it. Journalism isn't just talking to people. It's the art of trying to tell someone's story the most accurate way we can. Journalists are expected to do a lot and it's a tall order. But I'm going to live up to the expectation as well as I can!
