This is sadly my first and last semester with The S&B, though my ties to The S&B really didn’t begin this semester. Going into my first year, I remember just how badly I wanted to get the courage to apply, but the idea of trying to get hired for a paid journalism position with no true experience in journalism was terrifying for me. So I didn’t apply. Instead, my roommate and I made it a point to collect S&B papers in our room to have our own archive, which quickly got out of hand.
I proceeded for the next two years to convince myself that I wasn’t good enough and thus, I didn’t apply. After studying abroad in Dublin for a writer’s program, I finally got the courage.
While here, I’ve really honed my love for engaging with the wider community. It’s easy to fall into a negative perception of Grinnell, both within the college and the wider community, but I think being able to engage with so many different people has really allowed me to see and feel all of the good we do.
When you think about journalism, sensationalism is one word that comes to mind for many. I’ve come to discover that a majority of journalism is talking to and connecting with different people.
I’ve discovered through my short amount of time here that, while I probably won’t be pursuing journalism as a career in the future, there is so much that goes into journalism than I had never even expected. Even though it’s short-lived, I appreciate the time that I have been able to spend here and all of the skills that the paper has helped me build.
I have gotten to talk to so many different and cool people through my interviews and that is an experience that I don’t think I would have been able to get anywhere else. I am proud to have been a part of The S&B and to stand alongside all of the amazing staff this semester.
