With so many on and off-campus jobs to choose from, working within the field I study has helped me become a better worker and student simultaneously.
Picking a major and not taking classes related to it in high school to back up your decision can be stressful. That’s how I felt when I first picked journalism as my major.
I had no experience working with journalism before, and I didn’t know if I would enjoy majoring in it. After my first couple of days here, I found the perfect opportunity to see if I would enjoy journalism.
While I was looking for an on-campus job, I attended the on-campus job fair. The Torch happened to be there that day, and I instantly knew I wanted to join. Not only would it be an opportunity to help me decide whether I was sure this was what I wanted to major in, it would also help me improve my skills.
When I first started out as a reporter, I didn’t have any tips or ideas of how to get good reporting notes. When I began reporting on my first story, I asked a lot of questions and made a few mistakes, but I knew it was what I wanted to major in.
The more time I spent working in my major, the better I did on my assignments. I was picking up things from working in the field that we hadn’t quite covered in my journalism classes yet.
I found myself afraid to ask people if I could interview them, as I thought that they would be mad at me. However, I have found that I’ve become more comfortable going up to people and asking them for an interview. After all, the worst that they can say is no.
In my first journalism class, we did an assignment where we had to interview people. Working with the Torch during my first semester allowed me to tackle interviewing people, a common practice in my major.
According to US News, 70% of students work in college. Why not work in a job related to your major if available? It can help with your skills, major specific classes and help you build work experience. I know that when I’m finished with my degree, I will be able to bring my experience in the field to future employers, showing them I have the skills for the job.
You should give yourself the best chance you can to help yourself with your major. Working in your major while on campus can be a great way to help yourself out, both in classes and your future.