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Read other letters about this article
I graduated from a top J-school in June.
It was a whirlwind year with a lot of stress and not much time for self-reflection in between the panic, worries and deadline pressure.
Now a few months into my first "real" journalism job, I've started to think about things.
It's a tough industry, especially right now. Newspapers are fighting tooth and nail to stay afloat. Good reporters hardly get paid enough to live in "big market" cities, let alone pay back any school loans.
The hours are sometimes crappy. The work is often unglamorous. (Think school board meetings, person-on-the-street interviews and constantly running up against stereotypes about the big, bad MEDIA)
The people we deal with aren't always nice.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO LOVE THE PROCESS. Nobody does.
Some journalists are aces at interviews but stare at the keyboard in a panic when it's time to write. Some are more "writerly" and love crafting the perfect sentence, yet loathe getting on the phone. Some are expert researchers and pride themselves in having the esoteric knowledge, but clam up when it comes time to ask the tough questions.
Some, like me, know that this is one a few paths that satisfies my curiosity and gets me fired up for an unusual and diverse career path.
I would encourage you to think about what your mission is for your career. For me, I knew I could NOT do a job that was the same each day. I knew I had to be around smart, motivated, energetic people. I knew I had to be challenged and learn something new everyday. I knew I liked finding connections with perfect strangers and having license to ask (sometimes embarrassing) questions. I knew that I had to do "something" with the burning curiosity that kept me up reading all night, asking questions and wanting to leave an indelible mark (in ink) on the world.
Find your drive. Go to happy hours with the other J-School students and ask them what brought them there. Find a mentor who inspires you and who can help you see past the stress of today's story and keep you focused on the long term goal: Doing something that makes you happy.
