The best part of my journalism experience was the exposure to outside sources and the constructive criticism that came with the reporting. I found it extremely helpful to create outlines for various stories and will continue using that tool in the work force. Because JMC majors tend to be exposed to the masses, I believe it is also necessary to understand our rights when we produce news in different mediums.
Classes that fit these categories tended to be my favorite, but with the heavy material came the stresses of juggling school, Division I athletics, and a social life.
The spring is a stressful season being in-season and traveling frequently and tends to put strain on time management skills. Thankfully, that was the only low point through my JMC experience. I am grateful to have been put under that stress because I learned how to deal with it and it made deadlines more enjoyable throughout the semester.
I would have liked to get more real-world experience while in college. Summers were spent in various small towns throughout the country playing baseball and left little time for internships and shadowing professionals. I would have benefitted from more guest speakers, preferably journalists with credentials that I sought in my career such as sports or beat writers.
Although I feel I could produce quality work for a publication, I do not find myself to be as qualified as I would like to be at this point. Experience, in my opinion, is the only way to cure this dilemma.
