Friday, September 01, 2006
Turtle journalism (sighs)
"How many internships have you done?"Um. How about none! That's right. I'm in my fourth year of school, majoring in journalism, and have only published one article in my life. I was paid and proud of that freelance piece. Only until online readers posted some not-so-polite comments demanding more context, to which my word count and editor did not permit, did I actually realize that my one measly article didn't mean much in the scheme of things. (A longer more detailed follow-up to my story was then assigned to a reporter based in New York. Life's a bitch.)
And then I attended the National Association of Black Journalists Convention in Indianapolis. There, amongst my peers, I felt like a scrawny Asian kid in the locker room shower surrounded by "big footed" black football players. I didn't quite measure up. They all were on there second and third internships, slinging fatty clip and resume packets in their NABJ convention bags, ready for the recruiters to scoop them at the career fair. I had nothing. And I still have nothing but my one clip.
Some say that the turtle never wins the race, but at some point the turtle has reach the finish line. Well, I'm going to reach the finish line. And at that finish line, a Pulitzer Prize awaits.
Don't sleep on that. continue...
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I think the truest statement I ever heard about this business is, "There is no set path," Tisha Thompson a television reporter in Baltimore told me that.
"A reporter is always concerned with tomorrow. There's nothing tangible of yesterday."
Edward R. Murrow said that and I think you know if your today leads to a tomorrow where you're using what you have to get experience, and to prove yourself capable, it'll work out in your favor!
Don't worry--when I graduated I only had one newspaper internship (an alt weekly at that) and never ever got much love at NABJ stuff. I had to make my own way. If you want it bad enough, I'm sure you will too. Good luck.
there really is no set path to making it happen. i have had a million and one internships and still looking for work. i know many people in the industry, but still was declined by all but one company for this past summer. if you want it, it will happen. i have told you that. so stay focused, figure it out and make it happen.