This
term in journalism, I feel that I have learned a great deal. I have never taken
a class like this before, so I didn’t really know anything about journalistic writing,
photography, or using InDesign, etc. Now however, I not only know how to write
news stories for the school in journalistic style, but perhaps more
importantly, I know how to critically analyze the news I read every day. I am
now a much more conscious consumer of media and am able to spot things like
bias, unethical reporting, or incomplete facts. Also, I feel as though I have
developed some photography skills. Before, my only experience with taking
pictures was on my iPhone and posting them to Instagram, but now I have some
strategies for composing a picture that tells a story, and I also know how to
Photoshop those pictures and effectively use them in the yearbook. This class
has also forced me to become a little more brave and businesslike when it comes
to conducting interviews, covering events, or selling ads, and this is a great
skill to have in the real world. Finally, I believe journalism has helped me to
work on being reliable and meeting deadlines so that I don’t let down my
instructor or my classmates. I represent the whole journalism staff, and I now
realize how important it is to be a good member of the team.
I
have not only gained a lot from this class, but I have given a lot, as well. I
have a talent for writing, so I like to think I bring those skills and my voice
to the news I write for the paper. I’ve also always been something of a
go-getter, so I have volunteered to write stories at the last minute and have
come through when the journalism staff gets in a pinch. I’ve taken my fair
share of the workload each week, both with news and photography. I also bring
positivity and humor to the class, which I think my classmates appreciate. I
look forward to continuing to develop my journalism skills throughout the rest
of the semester.
