Journalism hones useful life skills

In my sophomore year I decided to take journalism, the class behind The Olympian. As a current senior, I have now spent three years in the class, serving as a staff writer, arts and entertainment Editor, and now editor-in-chief. In my three years, I have learned valuable lessons that will stick with me throughout my life. 

Most evidently, my writing skills have improved drastically. While I have always been a fairly strong writer, this class allowed me to focus more on writing as well as fine-tune any little issues I had. I have also been able to work on writing different styles, as I have had to write different types of stories, ranging from entertainment reviews to sports stories, and, of course, news.

However, writing isn’t the biggest thing I’ve improved on in journalism. In my two years as an editor, and especially now as editor-in-chief, I have been able to focus on my leadership abilities in several ways. 

As a somewhat non-confrontational person, I have had to get used to talking to others in the class about certain things they need to fix, whether it be issues with a story, a problem with a page layout, or a deadline that needs to be met. Being able to address others if I have any concerns about the work has allowed me to realize that it’s okay to confront someone if something they have done is wrong. 

 I have also noticed that I’ve become more confident speaking in front of a group. This year especially, I’ve had to do a lot of this, such as leading an editorial discussion or going through the monthly story budget. I have become much more confident in this ability, which is definitely going to be useful throughout my life. 

Additionally, I have improved my ability to talk to people I don’t know very well. I’ve often had to talk to complete strangers in order to get good sources for certain stories. While this used to be incredibly awkward, it has slowly become easier. 

The three years I spent in journalism have been one of the best parts of high school. Despite coming every morning at 7 a.m. for zero period and having to occasionally give up lunch, Trojan Time, and time after school, I do not regret it. This class has taught me skills to take with me into the rest of my life and I am incredibly grateful for it.