One Semester Left

I'm a broadcast journalism major with minors in journalism and broadcast management. Since about seventh grade I knew I wanted to be a journalist. I’ve always enjoyed writing and I believe in the public’s right to information. The summer of tenth grade was when I realized I wanted to pursue broadcast journalism. I participated in a pre-college leadership program called Lead America, it took place at Fordham University in the Bronx. Not only did I meet people from all over, it opened up to me that there is a whole world within journalism. It only begins at newspapers, the opportunities are more than I had realized.

I truly think my college has an underrated communication studies dept. Not by the students and faculty, but by outsiders. You rarely see it on those “Top Whatever Colleges For Whatever Major” lists, while I think it’s pretty deserving of a little boasting. From my freshman year I was given hands-on opportunities with camera equipment, editing software and production control room access. Pretty impressive if you ask me.

It’s a weird feeling when I’ve been so sure about what I want to do since before entering college and now here I am as a senior with one semester left, not completely sure if reporting news is what I want to do. Entering college, I never had an interest in TV/video production. However, as I moved on in my major, I realized news reporters are usually their own producers and editors alike. I started to grow more of an appreciation for production and behind the scenes work. News is not just sitting at an anchor desk and reading a teleprompter (in fact the chances of getting an anchoring job without being a reporter first are slim to none).

I started to realize maybe I should have double majored with TV/video production, it could have really benefitted me in the future. I still love my major (although I hate it sometimes), but I’m not sure where I want to end up after college, which is kind of scary. I really have an interest in online news—and websites for news, lifestyle, fashion, beauty, technology and so on are all growing. So I know opportunities are out there and I know I will probably have to do some jobs I really don’t want to do before getting my dream job (whatever it is that week).

My college experience thus far has taught me more than what I've learned in a classroom, I've learned about myself, others and how I work with others. I've learned that ideas are supposed to be ever changing and growing and it's ok to have more than one dream. I believe I can take the skills I've learned with the hands-on experience I've had and will continue to have, and mold them to whatever potential job or internship I may have in the future. I've learned (and am continuing to learn) to become versatile and not just fit one canvas of what my major is.

Maybe I don't want to do news right now, maybe my mind will change in three months. Maybe I want to wait to do news for a few years. The point is, I don't need to know right this second because I still have time, which is what I often forget. Possibilities are endless and I need to grasp that and believe anything I set my mind to can happen. I will continue to stay curious, hopeful and creative moving forward. There will be trials and tribulations and I'm more than welcoming them with open arms.