For as long as I can remember, I was always writing. English has always been my favorite class in school and I joined News Journalism because I believed I had strong writing skills, and I loved to write. After a couple of students came and talked to the English classes about what News Journalism entailed, I thought it would be such a perfect match for me. I don’t want to say I thought the class would be easy, but I definitely did not think it was going to be as much work as it was or push me way out of my comfort zone. I had strong writing skills and cared about the work I produced in every previous class I had been in. I thought to myself, how hard could it be? I quickly learned that the greatest lessons I learned in this class would not come from lessons about writing or grammar.
My first two years of high school, my comfort zone became a little too comfortable for me. High school is the time in people’s lives when they are constantly trying new things, and getting out of their comfort zone. For me, I never really tried anything new. I stuck to what I have always known and didn’t broaden my horizon. It wasn’t until I stepped foot in the newsroom in August that I truly got out of my comfort zone.
I have always been shy, reserved, and kept to myself for as long as I can remember. Teachers would always tell me how I should speak up more in class, or share my ideas as early as kindergarten. I have always been nervous to speak my mind or share my opinions. Because of my quiet nature, I have never been a person to get out there or express myself to the world. After receiving my first People of the Month assignment, I remember thinking to myself, how would I talk to someone so vastly different from me, AND pull them out from their class in a room full of people? I didn’t realize that this was a huge chunk of my responsibilities in class when I signed up. Although I didn’t exactly enjoy taking people out of their class and conducting interviews, I believe it has taught me a lot. I’ve learned that you don’t have to be similar to someone to have a good conversation. I’ve learned that communicating with people I don’t know on a personal level is not as scary as it seems.
This class has forced me to talk and work with people who I otherwise would have never connected with. It has forced me to be okay with being uncomfortable, and it has challenged me to be a leader. I have learned to speak my mind and to share my ideas which is something I have always struggled with. I have always been known as the quiet girl in the back of the class, but News Journalism did not allow me to continue my old ways.
I’ve always been the type of person to be on top of things. Late assignments were not something that I’ve ever known to produce, but there has been a bigger responsibility to get things done for me in this class. I learned that not meeting deadlines was not just something that would impact me, but rather something that would impact our entire team. Learning to work as a team is such a valuable lesson that was learned in this class.
Prior to News, I never wrote work that anyone but my teachers would see. I loved feeling a great sense of pride when I would get to hit publish on a story. I poured my heart out in to the work I produced and it felt good to finally be able to write for an audience. Through News Journalism, I have found an outlet for myself, and I am so thankful for that.
Reflecting on the year, I have learned a lot. I have stepped out of my comfort zone and have learned that it’s okay to be uncomfortable. Although being uncomfortable is never something we all strive to experience, I will say that it is how I’ve gained confidence, motivation, and self-awareness. Most importantly I’ve learned, that growth does not come from staying in a comfort zone and sticking to old ways. Growth comes the second you choose to get out there and try new things.
