To be honest, I still find it surreal that tomorrow will be my first day as a reporter for the Columbia Missourian.
As a journalism student at MU, I’ve spent the past year and a half preparing for this day. I can’t count how many times my professors have said, “When you’re at the Missourian …” or have referred to assignment requirements as equivalent to “Missourian standards.” Even before I moved into Schurz Hall my freshman year, my peers began excitedly discussing the coveted Missouri Method and all that occurred because of it.
The day has come, and I feel prepared. Besides taking the prerequisite classes, I’ve spent much time in two newsrooms during the past year and a half. I could write for days about the lessons I’ve learned and the experiences I’ve had — both rewarding and trying — but from them, I’ve come to the same conclusion: I truly believe in the power of the Missouri Method because I know getting this hands-on experience has made me the journalist I am today. However, I also know my education is far from over. I will always have more to learn about serving a community through media, and I’m excited to continue my education this semester at the Columbia Missourian.
Though I do not aspire to report for a career (I’ve decided the editorial and managerial side of journalism is more of my calling), I’m excited to report about education this semester. Education is a topic about which I’ve always been passionate because I think it’s essential to and even, in some ways, can define a community. It certainly impacts the future. I’m truly looking forward to covering higher and K-12 education topics and how they affect the Columbia community.
However, I must admit I’m a bit nervous to report — because I spent the summer and last semester copy editing, the most recent story I wrote was for Journalism 2100 in July. It will be an adjustment to begin reporting again, but I’m prepared to make it. I’m ready to “jump in,” as the editors repeated at orientation.
See you tomorrow, Lee Hills Hall.