Exiting editor offers journalism tips for life
Commentary
Brittany Shaw
Issue date: 4/16/09 Section: Editorial
It's customary for the exiting editor to enlighten enlivened Echo enthusiasts with insight. The thing is, I do not necessarily like soul-baring exposés, but I do enjoy journalism.
Try as I might, I cannot seem to suppress my passion for pursuing the capital "T" truth, as it were. I got my first taste of it in eighth grade and have enjoyed it ever since. Even though occasionally it gets a bad rap, its essence is something I not only find respectable, but as I have striven to improve my journalism skills, I've noticed elements of its foundation can translate to a more enriched overall life experience.
Ask questions, research and document. This is undoubtedly my favorite aspect of journalism because it is a rare opportunity to gain, often invaluable, insight. In journalism, and I believe in life, it is important to talk to as many people, ask as many questions, and take note of as many things as possible. Even sub-par experiences can be valuable.
Be as unbiased as possible and be aware of "conflicts of interest."Although I do not really believe there is such a thing as entirely unbiased, I think the aspiration to be so is a worthy one. Whether it's our birth order or our demographic, we are unique which is great because that means we all have a wonderfully different perspective to offer the world. Everything is an effort to understand the infinite dimensions of the human experience. As a result, we must interpret ourselves and others as just that.
Don't get so hung up on your 'beat' that you miss out on more interesting opportunities. Change is a word that has gotten an uncanny amount of attention recently. Yet in the midst of all the hype, the denotation of change seems to have been overlooked. Far from the glamorous boost it received, change often has a pejorative connotation. After all, positive changes often take far more effort than negative ones. I had a American lit teacher as an underclassman who once pointed out that most people are simply too afraid to even dress differently, much less make potentially life altering changes. But when we get too comfortable in our nice, we miss out on opportunities to evolve and improve.
Edit your work continually. There will always room for improvement.As we strive to "edit" our work, and our life we should reevaluate the use our time, our energy and our lives. Sadly there are a lot of people out there not cultivating their passions and not realizing what could be limitless potential. We may not be able to control every aspect of our lives, but truth be told we can direct many facets of it. Everything we do, good, bad or nothing, has an equal and opposite reaction. Personally I think that surrounding yourself with good people, continually-evolving interests, and an array of aspirations is the key to a productive life. Hence whatever you do, we must do intentionally and to the best of our ability. As my parents and grandparents have often reminded me, challenge is just another word for opportunity. Whether you're graduating like myself or just starting your college career, take time to edit your work and make changes accordingly.
Try as I might, I cannot seem to suppress my passion for pursuing the capital "T" truth, as it were. I got my first taste of it in eighth grade and have enjoyed it ever since. Even though occasionally it gets a bad rap, its essence is something I not only find respectable, but as I have striven to improve my journalism skills, I've noticed elements of its foundation can translate to a more enriched overall life experience.
Ask questions, research and document. This is undoubtedly my favorite aspect of journalism because it is a rare opportunity to gain, often invaluable, insight. In journalism, and I believe in life, it is important to talk to as many people, ask as many questions, and take note of as many things as possible. Even sub-par experiences can be valuable.
Be as unbiased as possible and be aware of "conflicts of interest."Although I do not really believe there is such a thing as entirely unbiased, I think the aspiration to be so is a worthy one. Whether it's our birth order or our demographic, we are unique which is great because that means we all have a wonderfully different perspective to offer the world. Everything is an effort to understand the infinite dimensions of the human experience. As a result, we must interpret ourselves and others as just that.
Don't get so hung up on your 'beat' that you miss out on more interesting opportunities. Change is a word that has gotten an uncanny amount of attention recently. Yet in the midst of all the hype, the denotation of change seems to have been overlooked. Far from the glamorous boost it received, change often has a pejorative connotation. After all, positive changes often take far more effort than negative ones. I had a American lit teacher as an underclassman who once pointed out that most people are simply too afraid to even dress differently, much less make potentially life altering changes. But when we get too comfortable in our nice, we miss out on opportunities to evolve and improve.
Edit your work continually. There will always room for improvement.As we strive to "edit" our work, and our life we should reevaluate the use our time, our energy and our lives. Sadly there are a lot of people out there not cultivating their passions and not realizing what could be limitless potential. We may not be able to control every aspect of our lives, but truth be told we can direct many facets of it. Everything we do, good, bad or nothing, has an equal and opposite reaction. Personally I think that surrounding yourself with good people, continually-evolving interests, and an array of aspirations is the key to a productive life. Hence whatever you do, we must do intentionally and to the best of our ability. As my parents and grandparents have often reminded me, challenge is just another word for opportunity. Whether you're graduating like myself or just starting your college career, take time to edit your work and make changes accordingly.
