This year is my second year on staff, but that hasn’t stopped me from learning new things this year. When most people think of the journalism class at ADM, they might think of the toilet paper, Black&Red TV, written stories, or even just an excuse to get out of class. But one of my biggest takeaways from the news is something that happens behind the scenes, something that most of the student body probably doesn’t even know that we do. And that would be starting every class by sharing our good news. This probably isn’t something that people would expect me to write about; maybe they would think I’d write about improving my writing skills or time management, but I feel like good news is just as important.
When I first started the journalism class, I thought good news was just a silly little thing to get the class moving, so I didn’t feel the importance of sharing every day or even pay attention the whole time. But now I understand what good news actually does for us as journalists.
From a journalistic perspective, good news serves as a means to communicate stories from the staff without necessarily framing them as news. You would think it would be more obvious given its name. News is about sharing other people’s stories, and those stories can originate from the positive happenings around our school, whether related to activities or popular events. We learn these from our staff, which in turn will help us in planning stories.
Outside of journalism, sharing good news has helped me find a more optimistic outlook on life. Last year, I refrained from sharing my positive experiences every day because I didn’t see the point, and I believe that affected my overall mood. This year, I committed to sharing good news daily, and I found myself constantly thinking, “This could be my good news,” even on days when we didn’t have class. I began to appreciate the little things that brought me joy and recognized them more often. I made it a point to share my good news, even on days when I was feeling down and struggled to see anything positive. I challenged myself to find that happy and exciting aspect of my life, no matter the circumstances.
Good news would help me connect with my staff and better understand their lives. The most important aspect of journalism is being part of a team, and strengthening our relationships enhances our ability to work well together.
While good news may not dominate journalism, it remains essential for brainstorming stories, finding optimism, and promoting teamwork.
