First Published Article/ Me Blabbing About Journalism

     Some people get knots in their shoulders when they're stressed. Some grit their teeth. Some cry about it. Some feel lethargic. I know I'm stressed when canker sores start showing up in the most obnoxious spots in my mouth. Just thinking about the amount of school work I need to accomplish by next Friday is most likely the cause of this nonsense. Hopefully my dad is reading this and proudly thinking, "Good. She's busy. I'm getting my money's worth."

     When I walked into my journalism class today, my professor had the article I wrote for JUMP on the projector and congratulated me. (JUMP is a magazine devoted to covering all aspects of the Philadelphia music scene. This is a better explanation.) I was surprised but it really made my day. Hearing positive feedback from someone I have a lot of respect for and simply seeing something I devoted a lot of time and effort to in print brought my mood up substantially - along with the fact that it's Friday, Friday, gotta get down on Friday.

     Actually having involvement and seeing what it's like to go out and collect information on my own, tailoring facts to meet a word count, and balancing a deadline with my other responsibilities gave me a good insight as to what a journalist does, aside from just being lectured about it. It's a good test to see if journalism is something I want to do, because originally I decided on it because I like to write. I quickly learned that writing is only a little sliver of what makes up a story. Nobody goes up to you and gives you everything you need to write. You have to be that sometimes seemingly awkward person that approaches and talks to strangers that may or may not want to talk to you so you can get what you need. I love being that sometimes seemingly awkward person.
     I can't help but to think how different my college experience would have been if I decided to pursue journalism at a different school. Temple's right in Philadelphia where a limitless amount of opportunities exist if you want to get involved with things that aren't just affiliated with your school. I would feel suffocated at an isolated school where you can't escape "college world" to be in the "real world." I'm glad I remained vehemently against going to a school that wasn't located in a city.
     I'm really excited about JUMP and where it's headed. I love that it's volunteer-based, so it's apparent that the people involved are passionate about their interest and involvement in Philadelphia's flourishing music scene. I know I still have a lot to learn about writing for journalism, but I'm working on it!

    You can pick up a copy of JUMP at any of these locations or read it online if you don't live in Philadelphia. Like us on Facebook and help spread the word!