My first three or so months were, in all honesty, a repetitive cycle of discovery, mistakes, learning from said mistakes, and growth.
I’m sure that cycle will continue long after my time here.
Making the change from being a starry-eyed student in high school to having to put my “big girl pants on”, as one of my co-workers used to say, took some getting used to, and in more cases than one, I was in way over my head.
At least, that’s how I felt.
Getting used to the writing style, different story formats and piecing bits of information together like a puzzle was a fun challenge — and the most enjoyable part of the job!
My love for writing was what sent me on this journey, after all.
The interviews and phone calls?
They weren’t so great.
There wasn’t anything wrong — I just didn’t like them.
The nerves would be too much sometimes, too much for me to bear.
But a wise senior journalist taught me that even if I felt flustered, it was important that I didn’t show it.
Not because it was unprofessional, but because it was part of a journalist’s job to make the process go as smoothly as possible, for both the interviewer and the interviewee.
And to do that, the person in question had to be comfortable. Seeing someone freak out in front of you doesn’t exactly encourage that feeling.
To write a satisfactory story, both parties need to work together.
It’s a group project, not a solo mission.
With that in mind, the more I went on these jobs, the more I grew to love them. I learnt to slow down, take my time and let my curiosity take the lead.
Because I wasn’t just writing an article, I was getting to know a person.
And in lot of instances, a pet as well.
The anxiety was still there, the pressure to ask every question right and not bumble around was overwhelming, but I found that the advice I was given really helped me out.
I’m truly grateful for the support of everyone I’ve met along the way, from my co-workers in the office to everyone in the community I’ve had the privilege of working with.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that my time here has helped me improve not just in the workforce, but in my personal life as well.
The News will always have a place in my heart.
Thank you for having me.
Sharlene Baldo, signing out.
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