From day one, I’ve been drawn to words whether it be in books, magazines, writing or blogging. In my opinion, if one can bring enjoyment and thought provoking words to another person, they have a large amount of power. I wanted this power, and the Missouri Journalism School was the way to obtain this power successfully. With that being said, success comes at a price.   

Worst: Your sanity might disappear when your grade slowly dwindles (and it will at least once or twice). Stay on top of your game, even on the weekends. 

Best: Very few journalism schools in the country can prepare you for the journalism world like Mizzou can.   

Worst: You will spend long nights in the newsroom, library, or on the floor of your apartment because you can no longer sit at a desk writing an article due by 9 p.m. on a Saturday, when you should be out with your friends or doing anything but homework. 

Best: When your deadline is met, you will have an overwhelming sensation to lie on your couch and watch TV with a glass of wine — and you’ll actually be able to. 

Worst: When someone who has been through the J School themselves asks what you’re studying and you tell them you’re in the Missouri Journalism School, you know that their “oh, good for you …” is actually their attempt at being nice while giving you their condolences.  

Best: When someone asks what you’re studying and you tell them you’re in the Missouri Journalism School, you’ll see their eyes light up in awe or with envy – and both are equally as satisfying.   

Worst: You genuinely think all of your teachers hate you at every point in time throughout the semester they have you in their class. 

Best: Your teachers are rooting for you to succeed so they’ll actually help you get clips (well, most of them).  

Worst: Deadlines are crucial — miss them and you’re dead.   

Best: For those of you who dread test taking and are still scarred from the ACT, half of your classes will never have an exam. Not. A. Single. One.   

Worst: People will ask what city the Missouri Journalism School is located in, and they won’t even pretend to know where Columbia is at in the state of Missouri. 

Best: You can brag that your journalism school is ranked higher than theirs.   

Worst: You get to work in an actual newsroom.

Best: You get to work in an actual newsroom. 

Worst: You always think the kids in your class are smarter than you. 

Best: Even if they are smarter than you, working hard goes a long way.   

Worst: You cry every time you walk into the Missourian. 

Best: The Missourian probably will be one of the reasons (if not the only reason) you get an internship next summer.  

Worst: That C you received in that one class that one semester (or in some cases, a few classes in the past three semesters).   

Best: Being able to put on your resume that you graduated from the Missouri School of Journalism and actually made it through alive.