I’m not wired for science or math. I get giddy when I get my papers back in English classes all marked up for me to correct.
No, I’m not pre-med, pre-op, pre-pharm or pre-anything else under the sun. No, I most likely will not make a boatload of money with my career.
Every once in a while, after the words “I’m a journalism major” leave my mouth, I get the forced response of “oh, that’s cool,” when I can see what they’re really thinking is that I took the easy route.
Let me be frank—if you look down on anyone’s major or their career choice, you’re an awful person. Making someone feel bad about the things they enjoy doing is probably one of the worst things you can do.
Journalism isn’t always easy. Reporters have so much freedom that it’s a blessing and a curse. You get to choose what your audience reads, what viewpoint they read it from and what side they get to see. That’s a hell of a job and those decisions aren’t always easy, especially when you look at the lack of quality in what is being published at some news outlets nowadays.
Journalists get attacked for their way of life but our job is essential to keep those in power accountable and we work around the clock to give you news updates as fast as possible.
And then there’s the actual writing component added into the mix—but that’s the easy part, at least to me.
As a reporter, you have to be flexible. If a story isn’t developing like you wanted or you aren’t getting the quotes you need, you have to be able to adapt. That’s what I like about it. It’s not just writing—it’s creatively solving problems and putting pieces together to add to the narrative.
Finally, after all your hard work, you come up with something you’re excited to see in print. Then either virtually no one reads it or you get criticized for it. People don’t consider the work we do behind the scenes.
Don’t tell me there isn’t a need for reporters. The demand isn’t as high as other majors but until robots replace the human population, we’re still going to need good reporters to keep everyone informed. Show me the same respect I have for you the next time you hear me say I’m studying journalism.
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