As a sophomore in college, I have already been given incredible opportunities to get a taste of what it is like to be a journalist. Whether it is writing a brief for my college newspaper or writing about the importance of eating healthy for a social journalism platform, I have seen and experienced what I like and don’t like about my future career. Being a journalism major, most people have the perception that I want to end up working for CNN or my local news center or local newspaper. The truth is, I never looked into having a career there. Now, I'm hesitant to say my true goal in life career wise, mostly because I don’t know where I want to work or in what sector, but I have developed a significant interest in one thing.

I got the chance to start finally working on full stories for my school newspaper, after gaining experience writing briefs for them, and my first assignment was to interview a supernatural club. While I’ve written for my high school’s online newspaper, I knew this was going to get published and would set a clearer view of what this very much talked about club in my college consisted. Topic aside, as a reporter, one has to interview and witness what is going to get reflected. Before going in, one has to be prepared with questions and research. I had a full page of questions for the members of this club and the leaders. Fast forward to interviewing three people (a member, the president, and president’s aid), and I had two hours of a manuscript to transcribe. I don’t know if it was my questions or their ability to answer, but I was amazed by how much story one has behind them. Each person was unique and had their personal experience with the club and their battles with life in general. My story ended up being more than the 750 words limit. There was so much to write about and each thing I felt contributed to the success of these people and where they are now, which is a happy place. Fast-froward to my new assignment, I had to interview a college professor that was creating free libraries for less developed nations. After that interview, which was conducted over the phone, I had an epiphany.

I don’t know if this is an actual career in journalism, but I want to have conversations with people. I don’t mean on the side of the carpet, nor for five minutes. I want to sit down and create an accurate story about them. People around us are doing things to leave a mark in the world. They aren’t just doing things to gain money nor attention. For example, the piece I did with the professor creating free libraries, I learned she is helping fund it with her money and it's non-profit. She is an educator but wants to reach more into the world. Knowing that I got a chance to listen to her story and others working with her left me in awe and inspired me. To learn that a simple sit down interview can lead to me getting inspired, I want to pass the same experience I felt with audiences all around me. I now can see a future. I envision myself working for a magazine, conducting interviews and writing four pages of narrative on someone’s life. Tough questions, easy questions, thoughtful questions; anything I feel will empower my readers.

Now, while I have newly discovered this, as we all know, life is full of surprises. I still have my ultimate dream career goal to become an entertainment journalist that works for E! News. I have others telling me to have my talkshow and quite frankly, to possibly work towards having a spot on the male only Late Night television schedule could be a barrier I’d love to break. To at least know that talking to people in depth makes me enjoy my writing career is more helpful than you can imagine. Hope one day you will see me live from E! News studio or read my byline in a cover story for Vogue.