I started in journalism by accident when I was choosing an elective class for my junior year at Granite Hills High School. I wasn’t sure what to pick, so I just wrote down “The Clarion” as my choice since I had a presentation from the school newspaper fresh in my mind.
When I went to actually speak with a counselor about implementing my choices into my schedule, I was told that it required me to meet with the class instructor for permission. That little bit of extra effort made me instantly back down and try to choose something else. But my counselor encouraged me to follow through.
So I went to meet with the teacher, and I saw some familiar faces there who already were in the class or who were also interested in joining. That made me a little more comfortable with the idea of starting something I knew virtually nothing about.
When the next school year finally started and the class began, I felt somewhat out of place, but I very quickly got invested in journalism. I especially became invested in interviewing people and seeing their different perspectives.
After a year, I managed to become an editor for the Community section of the newspaper, although only to a limited degree due to the arrival of COVID-19 which made classes more online oriented. It would have been very easy for me to have missed out on all of those experiences if I had gone through with avoiding the “hassle” of requesting permission to join the class.
When I graduated and went to Grossmont college I felt very detached from the campus due to the heavy online only focus for the majority of classes. My final semester there, as in-person classes were beginning to return, I managed to get into a course for the college newspaper “The Summit.”
Writing for that magazine allowed me to learn a lot more about the school than I ever would have otherwise. It helped me with becoming familiar and comfortable with the campus as well as meeting new people.
Once I finally transferred to San Diego State University, I volunteered into The Daily Aztec as quickly as I could so I could continue practicing journalism. It once more helped me in reaching a better understanding of the campus, meeting new people and improving my confidence.
Here, I believe, I’ve probably done my best journalistic work due not only to my past learning experiences adding up but also the great editors I’ve had who helped me improve the quality of my articles.
It would have been very easy for me not to have gotten interested in journalism and I think it would have made my entire college experience poorer for it. I never feel more comfortable and confident than when I’m working on an article.
Between my education and part-time work, I’m glad I’ve had the opportunity to interview and write as much as I have amidst my busy schedule. And I hope to continue doing so in the future, wherever I may find myself able to do so.
Here, I believe, I’ve probably done my best journalistic work due not only to my past learning experiences adding up but also the great editors I’ve had who helped me improve the quality of my articles.
It would have been very easy for me not to have gotten interested in journalism and I think it would have made my entire college experience poorer for it. I never feel more comfortable and confident than when I’m working on an article.
Between my education and part-time work, I’m glad I’ve had the opportunity to interview and write as much as I have amidst my busy schedule. And I hope to continue doing so in the future, wherever I may find myself able to do so.
