News Never Stops

For the last four years of my life, I’ve been an aspiring journalist. From my humble high school beginnings to working in print at my college and a broadcast internship over summer break, I couldn’t be happier with finding my passion in life. I’ve covered countless events, talked to some incredible people, and written more stories than I could imagine. Journalism has also shaped me as a person. The knowledge I’ve gained on the structure of stories, how to make captivating headlines, and find out what’s newsworthy has been invaluable. That’s not all I’ve learned. There’s been several life lessons I’ve learned along the journalism path. Here are a few: 

 

1) You will turn into a different person (for better or for worse).  

When I started as a journalist, I was wide awake, ready to take on the day after a good night’s sleep of eight hours. I can’t remember the last time I had a good night’s rest. It might have been during COVID when all there was to do was nap. There are stories to tell and deadlines to meet! Sleep can come once the paper has been sent to publications. My heart was calm and steady, pumping blood through my veins. It’s now working overtime to support my caffeine addiction which has slowly grown. When I was younger, coffee was something I said I’d never touch. Eventually, sugary mochas became a treat I’d get on Fridays for a hard week at work. That gave way to black coffee which now matches the soul I’ve sold to journalism. Now, if I don’t have my I.V. line flowing with consistent caffeine, I’ll disintegrate into a pile of interview questions and Associated Press guidelines.  

 

2) You will be pushed out of your comfort zone.  

High school journalism was pretty light material. How students reacted to wearing masks and alternating the flow of hallway traffic during COVID. The non-traditional grad parties seniors were throwing. Even a restaurant review with a cool centerspread full of photos. Meanwhile, in college, stories can get a little more wild. One of my first few stories in college was covering an event called “Sex in the Dark.” Besides the 180 that my editor threw my way, I didn’t know we could cover content like that. I knew college was a time for maturing, but I wasn’t sure I was ready for the PG-13 to rated R jump in publication. Gathering up my courage, I headed into the event with my list of questions and an open mind. While most of the questions asked were about consent and knowing about how the body functions, some of the questions made me realize how bad some school’s health classes were. I mean, what 1890s school tells girls to not show their ankles and what a normal period cycle is like? However, nothing could have prepared me for a panelist misreading a sex term as “figging.” I’m not going to explain what that all entails, (google at your own risk) but I’ll never look at a fig or ginger root the same way. It also isn’t your average Tuesday night to see a condom rolled onto a gold spray-painted penis either. However, I maintained my professionalism and left the event with a goodie bag of prophylactics and the advice to “live deliciously.” When the article came out, I was proud of the story I produced. I was able to get out of my comfort zone and make something I was proud of out of it.  

 

3) You will be humbled.  

There have been people I’ve talked to who are way smarter than I’ll ever be, those who have been through tough hardships, and those who have already accomplished so much. And then there will be times when you have to call about a missing dinosaur. Calling a county sheriff’s office to obtain two mugshots of 18-year-olds who stole a dinosaur statue is not your everyday phone call to make, but one that may happen during your job. Trying to keep a straight face while listening to the police briefing. The upside is coming up with tags for the story such as “Grand Theft Jurassic Park” and “Dino Gone Missing.” 

 

4) You will become extremely nosy.  

Anything and everything can be considered a story and investigating will become a part of your daily routine. For example, I was in Okoboji over the summer and while I was throwing away trash, I overheard a middle-aged man tell his friends, “I lost my favorite pair of jeans on a fire hydrant in Milwaukee.” It sounded like a Cards Against Humanity card, but I knew there was no way a sober mind could piece those words together. There is so much to unpack from that one sentence and instantly I came up with a million questions. Picturing my notebook in hand, I could see myself sitting down at the table and getting the full scoop. First, my condolences on your jeans. I know how it feels to find the perfect fit around the waist and ankles. Second, what were you doing to that fire hydrant that you lost your jeans? How much did you drink for you to violate a fire hydrant that badly? Third, were you walking around Milwaukee sans pants for the rest of the night? I would be shocked, but it’s Milwaukee and the beer flows like water there. I’d then thank him for his time and share my story with Calvin Klein to get the guy a jeans endorsement.  

Another scenario I wanted to learn more about was when I was walking down the bread aisle of Hy-vee a few years ago. As I was planning on reaching for a bag of hamburger buns, I heard the classic Boston exclamation, “Oh my daughter, I need Ziploc Bags.” Like pantless-in-Milwaukee, I imagined myself in an interview with her. Rushing up to her with a microphone in hand, I could see myself asking the hard-hitting questions. What is the urgency behind the Ziploc bags? A way to store the leftover lob-stah? A place to put the crackers for the clam chow-dah? And what’s the praise from the daughter about? Is she equated to God in your mind? Was it a brief bout of amnesia that made you forget her name? How many Ziploc bags does your kitchen currently hold? Listening to others’ conversations has helped me keep my questioning mind sharp and my comedic heart satisfied. 

 

The truth is, I wouldn’t change anything about my love for journalism. It’s helped me grow as a person, given me an invaluable networking service, and let me meet some of my closest friends. News never stops in the world; you just have to be willing to seek it out (with a cup of black coffee and sex-story courage in mind).