By Jaimie Collins
Journalism is about stretching your comfort zone until it almost bursts. If you’re too scared, nervous or reserved to put yourself out there, you’re never going to make it in the real world.
As a journalist just getting my start, I felt extremely intimidated when I decided to take a story covering the visit of former President Bill Clinton, Jerry Brown and Gavin Newsom to SJSU.
With no previous experience to draw from, I was worried about covering an event of such size and importance. I found myself in a sea of journalists and as I milled through the crowd making small talk with representatives from CBS, NBC and ABC, I felt out the competition and tried my best to appear as professional as possible.
I started out nervous and unsure of myself but quickly realized that an event like this can do wonders for my portfolio and my career. Being able to show off an article covering the former President of the United States is something that could make my experience more valuable to future employers. It was also a wonderful opportunity to network with professionals in my field and get the inside scoop on what life is like post-graduation.
As the event ended at 8:30 p.m. with the story due that night for the next morning’s paper, I experienced the importance of managing my time efficiently while creating a well-written, well-sourced article. With help from my editors, I managed to whip out the story within two hours and made it home before midnight.
More than anything, covering this story gave me an alternate perspective on the big leagues of writing and reporting and what exactly I’m getting myself into.
After finishing and publishing this piece, I feel just a tad more prepared for what awaits me in the journalism world. It was a once in a lifetime experience that I will appreciate for as long as I choose to continue writing.
