Being a journalist is not all about being on camera and having thousands of Instagram followers. Journalists don’t get paid to just look pretty and talk. There is more to it than just that. Having a career as a journalist is very worthwhile and they give a lot for what they do.
Journalists are the ones who wake up before the sun to watch the news while they're in school. People question them all of the time about why they don't sleep when they already have a busy day.
They are crazy to want to have a job that requires them to wake up at 2:00 a.m. every day. Just imagine all of the coffee that journalists consume in a year. Think about it this way, journalists have no rush-hour traffic and they get to leave work early.
There are so many rules when writing. I have to admit, AP style is the hardest grammar concept ever. Ordinary people may not pick out the mistakes, but former New York Times editors will rip your articles to pieces.
“Oh, the places you’ll go!” I am always jealous of the places that journalists get to travel to and report on a story there. I’ve always said that, after I graduate, I want to be an international correspondent in order to travel the world. The cultures other countries and cities amaze me.
Social media becomes your new best friend. News can be published faster because of social media and that is a tremendous help for the big-market news stations and newspapers. Journalists are constantly posting photos, current events, or breaking news so that audience members can be up to date. While journalists are in college, they set up a professional Twitter and tweet random stuff that's happening to, hopefully, get their big break.
I feel famous when the SMU assistant football coaches follow me.
Journalists and future journalists meet the most interesting people. Viewers can easily see famous people every single day on some talk show or news report. Also, future journalists who already know their favorite news show can gush over anchors and meet them. (Yeah, I was on Good Morning America and got a selfie with all of the news anchors.)
I have to bring the coffee back up. How else will journalists survive the week or even an hour at work? (I am just a journalism student and I have about three cups of coffee per day.) Journalists are the reason why Starbucks is surviving.
Other than freaky geniuses, journalists are the smartest people who you will ever meet. You could literally pick their brain about anything. They will tell you right then and there what’s up (or they'll act like a journalist and research your question).
Lastly, journalists will be the best friends who you will ever have. This obviously does not apply to everyone, but they will tell you like they mean it. If they don’t like what you’re wearing, expect the honest truth from them. Even if you have never met your favorite journalists, you believe in them and know that they will be honest.
Having the career as a journalist has been my dream since I was 12 years old. I could not see myself in any other rewarding career. Good luck to all of my fellow journalists out there who are waiting for their breakthrough moment.
