Journalism is quite a unique major. Not only do most of our classes consist of writing and memorizing every news story from that day, but we also have to learn how to talk to people and get the facts of a story straight. Having to do these things can bring challenges that not every college student deals with. If you’re a journalism major, you can probably understand these struggles.
1. Your life struggle is figuring out what to write about in the future.
Do you want to go to concerts or interview bands by writing about the arts? Or would you rather stick to the hard-hitting stuff and do news or investigative reporting? One of the toughest decisions of being a journalism major is what your concentration will be during your career.
2. You have an extensive list of article ideas.
You’re always thinking about your next article, and when you need to write a new one you have plenty of options. Whether you think of them from overhearing talk on campus or just thinking of random ideas throughout the day, you probably have a good idea of what your articles will be about.
3. Writing articles sometimes takes priority over actual homework.
Why would I do math homework when I could be writing something that could be published and read by the entire campus? That just doesn’t make sense.
4. You’re always updated on current events.
When people try to tell you about current events you’re already super informed about them, either because your classes force you to be or just because you love the thrill of breaking news.
5. “Spotlight” is your favorite movie.
How can a movie make being a journalist look so heroic and cool at the same time? When you saw this movie, you remembered why you chose to be a journalism major in the first place. (And if you haven’t seen it, check it out!)
6. Rejection comes naturally to you.
A lot of people you ask to interview reject the offer either because they simply don’t want to talk or just dislike the media. Since rejection is so common when it comes to interviewing, you’re used to it by now.
7. Interviewing people stresses you out.
One of the elements of being in this major is interviewing people who might be able provide concrete information for an article you’re working on. This involves social interaction with people whose reactions to being interviewed can either be met with enthusiasm or unwillingness.
8. Not making a deadline is your biggest fear.
If you can’t make deadline in college, will you have the same problem in your career as a journalist? This is why keeping up with deadlines is a very important skill to learn during your time as a journalism major.
9. You find yourself asking friends if you can edit their work.
When a friend just finished an essay and is about to turn it in, you find yourself having the urge to add a “few” suggestions.
10. You’ve already planned out who you want to write for in the future.
You already know what city you want to work in and which newspaper or magazine you want to write for. You’ve probably already imagined your name under a very clever headline.