The Road to Becoming a Journalist: a Personal Narrative
The sweet aroma of ice cream and new books filled the air on a warm, sunny morning in July. During the morning shift at my summer job, half bookstore and half ice cream parlor, I tugged the strings of the open sign and picked up the box of new arrivals to sort on the shelves. I found myself gazing at the display of local authors when I began to wonder what it would be like to become a writer. I had always loved writing, but I never thought of the possibility of creating a career out of my passion.
Over the course of time, I filled my life with writing. I wrote short stories for fun, taking inspiration from the countless books I read on the job. I participated in any and every writing camp I could find that summer, including the Yale Daily News Summer Journalism Program. This program introduced me to professional writers and allowed me to write an op-ed about the environmental impact of the Olympics that fueled my passions.
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When I returned to school that fall, I joined the student journalism program. I filled my time writing articles for the school paper, filming morning announcements as a news broadcaster, and creating public service announcements as well as other content. I created original content like the first official podcast series featuring senior class members and an anti-vaping campaign. The program has provided the opportunity to leave my mark on the school by producing content that is impactful. My experience in Weir Student Media fostered my love for writing and blossomed it into a true passion.
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At first, I found it difficult to shift from writing formulaic academic essays to finding my voice and style as a writer, experimenting with new topics, organizational patterns, diction, and more. I am still learning what I’m passionate about and where to use my voice for good. Journalism has helped me explore and expand those horizons and has taught me the importance of self-expression and advocacy. Most recently, I became a student advocate for West Virginia student press freedom with the progression of Senate Bill 121 by contacting my state legislators and writing an op-ed about the importance of our rights and perils of censorship. Along with my classmates and students around West Virginia, we persuaded the Senate to pass the bill and the House Education Committee to move the bill on to the Judiciary Committee. We are still fighting to make that legislation a reality.
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In addition to my school’s media program, I am participating in the Carnegie Science Center STEM Storytellers program. This program provides the funding and support to write, illustrate, and publish a STEM children’s book. My book is titled Margot’s Career Day, and the pages feature diverse women in niche science fields to provide the representation needed to encourage young girls to pursue STEM. Sharing my book has allowed me to make an impact on my community, proving that everyone can make a difference.
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I hope to expand on my previous achievements next year at Barnard College of Columbia University as a physics and English (with a concentration in creative writing) major. I plan to combine my passions in science and English as a career. I want to contribute to astronomical research from a different perspective, from a writer’s point of view. I hope to use my education to inform the public about the world of astronomy through creative writing. I aspire to uncover the complex nature of promoting cultural and intellectual diversity in mainstream science media. I hope to gain insight into how I can use my platform to embrace diversity within the frames of my field.
As a result of the experiences I've gained through journalism and other writing endeavors, I have found a college and career path that I'm deeply passionate about. Journalism has inspired me to continue to make an impact on the world around me, and I cannot wait to share my work with the world.
