As an amateur journalist for a high school newspaper, you tend to learn on the job through the many mistakes that you will undoubtedly make. Newspapers function much differently than any composition class. Instead of working on a project for weeks, you’re churning out a new article every day.

First lesson: news is constant.

And with that daily grind is a fact we’re all not proud of. Mistakes happen. You misspell names and places, and even common words can trip you up. However, this is not the end of the world.

Second lesson: editing is (at least) 50% of the job.

No one wants their name misspelled or their words misquoted. This is why face-to-face interviews are one of the best sources of information. Where would any newspaper be without first-hand accounts to glean the facts from?

Third lesson: interviews make the journalism world go round.

Of course, having a sit-down conversation with someone you’ve never met can be quite an awkward pill to swallow. Taking photos for a big event can also cause some unwanted nerves. However, hard work pays off, no matter how excruciating you believe the job to be. Having the quotes and the photos you need to finish a story will never not be useful.

Fourth lesson: putting yourself out there never hurt anyone.

When your work is finally tried and true, there is nothing more rewarding than hitting the Publish button. Your name, finally underneath a headline, comes with a surge of pride. Your work is out there.

Fifth lesson: be proud of what you accomplish.

Writing articles for a newspaper became so much more than a high school class to me. I’ve learned how to schedule interviews, take photos, meet deadlines and edit out mistakes before publishing. I’ve also learned that with all the hard work comes a well-deserved sense of pride. Newspaper as a journalist has taught me how to communicate. Newspaper as a student has taught me everything else.