I’ve always been fascinated by the spread of information and the way we consume media. When I had the opportunity to ballot for our school’s journalism class I decided to take a chance and see what I could get out of it. 

It’s safe to say that it was the best decision I’ve made. I started out in Journalism 1-2 my junior year and was able to gain a lot of knowledge on what journalism is and how it applies to our everyday life. I was also given the opportunity to write a few articles and columns. The one that got me the most excited and passionate was my column, “The Beauty and Struggle of Natural Hair.” I was writing about something I really cared about and it felt great. I remember many of my family members and friends supporting me and telling me how proud they were. That feeling I got from writing was what pushed me to continue in the class. 

Not only did journalism open my eyes to the world of writing but it also taught me how to stay caught up with important current events and credible news sources to check. I’ve learned a lot about the general public me and I think it’s helped me become more self-aware and I will be forever grateful for that. 

I didn’t realize it then but journalism is so crucial to our society. It’s meant to provide everyone with accurate, credible information so that they can form their own opinions on the world around them. The power it holds is so great. I have a newfound appreciation for all of the journalists and reporters around the world. They constantly put their lives on the line and work tirelessly to make sure we are being informed. 

This year I got to spend even more time writing and learning now in Advanced Journalism. School can oftentimes be hard to get through but this has been one of the only classes that I continuously enjoy attending. I feel like I walk out each day knowing something new and it’s amazing how I’ve been able to apply it to my everyday life. It’s also helped me have some general idea of what I want to major in. I’ve come to the conclusion that I want to study more into communications and journalism plays a big part in that. I don’t know if I would’ve ever found the thing I was interested in if it wasn’t for this class. 

I struggled a lot during my freshman and sophomore year on finding a place on campus, so taking journalism my junior year was an eye-opening experience. It truly made my high school career more enjoyable and interesting.

I highly recommend that everyone take a course on journalism. It really teaches you valuable lessons and skills that will help you better navigate social media and news entities. You may not think so now but everyone is capable of learning something new in the class.