I declared a major in journalism in my sophomore year of college, but I knew I wanted to pursue a career in writing ever since I was younger. When I was growing up, I would write newspapers that detailed the happenings of my stuffed animals. In high school, I wrote a blog that was basically a diary where my friends read my innermost thoughts.
However, I didn’t declare a major in journalism, not at first anyways. When I first entered college, I actually was a psychology major and wanted to be a social worker. Once I took the classes, however, I realized that psychology wasn’t the career for me. It was time to the drawing board, where I constantly questioned what am I going to do with the rest of my life?
The answer came to me one day in journalism class. We were watching a documentary about George Seldes, a journalist who was dedicated to delivering fact based journalism without bias. I remember watching that, and thinking I want to do that!
I soon began to chase that dream of becoming a journalist by becoming a regular contributor of the Southern News Opinions section, where I would become the editor. Contributing my opinions on whatever matter I wanted was the beginning of everything falling into place. I thrived whenever I got behind the computer to write my stories, and developed a thick clip pile.
After leaving Southern News in May of my junior year, I became a Staff Writer and Copy Editor for the Hamden Journal before leaving to focus on my final semester last fall. Recently, I began to contribute to the Quinnipiac Valley Times as a reporter, and have taken to the position like a duck to water.
While my career has had both highs and lows, my passion for being a reporter never seemed to go away. And believe me, there were a lot of lows. Since I worked three jobs during my undergraduate career, I was always overwhelmed and unhappy. When graduation was rolling across the corner, I doubted whether or not it would be possible for me to have a job. (Luckily, I did find one in communications, before figuring out that communications wasn’t the right career for me.)
Even though I did have my doubts on whether or not I wanted to be a journalist, my passion will always and forever outnumber it. When I go out to cover a story – from interviewing someone for a profile, town meeting, or concert – I always come back feeling energized, and walking on sunshine.
Why? Because, I am in love with it.
I love talking to people. I love listening to their stories. I love learning more about something that I may not have previously known much about. I love hearing what makes someone passionate. I even love learning about what is next for the town in terms of policies.
But, what I love most is the places that I’ve had the opportunity to go to throughout my career. When I was a staff reporter for the Hamden Journal, I got the opportunity to go backstage during a Kansas concert to meet the band and interview them. Recently, I got to hold a goat at a local farm that employs people with special needs. In addition, while at Southern, I was able to attend conferences in Los Angeles and in Disney World to network and obtain new skills.
I don’t know where I am headed next in the writing realm (I currently work at a radio station), but I am not worried. With every story, I fall more and more in love with what I do, and the opportunities that I have to do it. With that love and passion, as well as a stubborn streak to seize every opportunity that comes my way, I believe that I will be just fine.
So, while this is only the beginning of my journey, I am so excited to figure out some of the places that I will be going to next.
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