For me, it was simple. I was a
communications and English major at college. This particular community college
didn’t have a journalism degree at the time. Once I became editor of the college
newspaper, I discovered how powerful my words were in covering the news on the
college campus. While the monthly newspaper had come out sporadically before I took
over, maybe once a semester, I made sure it came out every month. And I organized
it into sections and put substance in it. I discovered I liked sniffing out
news stories for the paper. I became an advocate for the student body, finally
finding my college voice at the community college level, investigating life on
campus from why the administration closed the pool to why some buildings became
a lake each time it rained.
Anything that affected the
student body and college campus found its way into the student-run college
newspaper. Where the administration had been all excited about the new look and
content of the student paper, department heads and vice presidents soon started
to glare at me and hold their tongues until I made them understand that I was
going to report on an incident whether they spoke to me or not. I permitted the
administration equal space within the article to inform the student body what
was being done about certain situations.
But how did I know
administration was upset with my coverage of events at college? Once a semester,
all leaders of student organizations met with the president of the college and
the provost and vice presidents. We students introduced ourselves and reported
to the president what our organizations were doing around campus. We also
brought up any concerns students may have. I had no problem with this, as I was
doing it already in the newspaper. The president zeroed in on me and
relentlessly drilled me as to why I kept harping on any problems the college
was having. If it wasn’t for the provost reminding the president that I was
only doing my job, he was a college reporter in his time too, I thought the president
was going to kick me out of college. I really got under her skin.
But the important issues in life need to be
brought up, need to be discussed if we’re ever going to make things better in
this world. That’s why we need honest and moral writers to bring the issues
into conversation to help those in charge see the importance of addressing the
issues.
I can’t wait to see how you
learned that language had power. Thanks for visiting! Please follow Adventures
in Writing if you haven’t already and connect with me online. Leave your blog
link in your comment so I can be sure to do the same for you.
This post was written for the
Insecure Writer’s Support Group. We post on the first Wednesday of every month.
To join us, or learn more about the group, click HERE.
It sounds like you were totally fair and doing your job on the college newspaper. And I love the quote at the top of your post. So very true.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Natalie. I believed I was. And thanks for your kind words here at Adventures in Writing. I appreciate them. Enjoy your weekend!
DeleteCommunication in any form brings us closer together. Help us understand.
ReplyDeleteAnna from elements of emaginette
Yes it does, Anna. For sure! And thanks for your note here at Adventures in Writing. All best to you!
DeleteGood for you for holding your ground. If they'd had some positive things going on, I'm sure more of those would've made the paper.
ReplyDeleteYes, they would Alex. I reported on the good and the bad at college. I'm a positive thinker and always looked for the good at college; from arts and activities to join to student accomplishments and what new professors could offer students.
DeleteThanks for your comment here at Adventures in Writing. All best to you, sir!
Being part of a college newspaper was one of my dreams, but I didn't end up going to college. I did do the newspaper in high school for 10th grade, though. :)
ReplyDeleteGood for you, Chrys. I couldn't do much in high school as I needed to be home right after school for you younger sisters and start dinner. I did theatre at high school because rehearsals were at night, after my parents got home.
DeleteThanks for your note here at Adventures in Writing. All best to you!
I also edited a college newspaper and the literary magazine. No burning controversial issues at the time. Good for you for standing your ground.
ReplyDeleteGood for you, Lee. And thanks for your encouraging words. I'm sure that being an adult in college helped but so did the provost. We had a literary magazine at college, too. Another student had that position.
DeleteThanks for your comment here at Adventures in Writing. Enjoy your weekend!
Good for you for standing your ground. That's wonderful that you were on the college paper. Words do have power, especially in the news.
ReplyDeleteYes they do, T Drecker. And this is where the whole truth matters so readers can make their own informed decisions about a situation.
DeleteThanks for your comment here at Adventures in Writing. Enjoy your weekend!
What a learning experience running the college paper must have been! By then you obviously knew you’d become a journalist/writer. I don’t even think our (small) college had a paper. Let alone in English. :-) Still, I wish I would have picked up “serious” writing earlier than I did. I’ve read some great answers to this month’s question on the IWSG blog hop, but still have no story to share of my own.
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, Liesbet, was running the college paper a learning experience. Many, many late nights getting the paper out on time!
DeleteAs for "serious" writing, aren't you a translator? That is a difficult thing to do to be able to render into another language the meaning of a piece of writing. And another good thing, Liesbet, is that you've documented your travels and journey into finding peace within yourself and wrote a cohesive piece of writing. Bravo!
Thanks for your note here at Adventures in Writing. All best to you!
I always loved (and have been) writing - in Dutch - for myself Victoria, but it wasn’t until ten years ago or so that I started making money with writing (that’s what I meant with “serious” writing) articles and doing translations. We were living on our sailboat back then. I’m actually a certified primary school teacher by profession. :-)
DeleteNo kidding, Liesbet. That's fascinating! Did you ever teach primary school? As I've said, you have a truly amazing life.
DeleteAnd bravo to you to be able to live anywhere and produce publishable [ie, making money selling it] writing. Seriously, I am so glad to know you. All best, Liesbet!
You are being very kind, Victoria! I actually taught primary school for four years in Belgium. After graduation, I traveled for a year, then I taught for two, then I backpacked for another year, and then I taught another two years before leaving permanently (without knowing it would be permanently). :-) So, I had to find another profession to make money on the road and on the water...
DeleteI am so fascinated by your life, Liesbet! Not many people have courage enough to try something like that. More power to you, my dear.
DeleteWhere was your first destination of travel? Did you go with a friend? What an adventurer you were and are. Gosh! I can't wait to read your book. My life doesn't seem nearly as thrilling.
Your life s thrilling in a different way, Victoria - you are a successful writer and mother. You have five children to be proud of and you undertook a challenging journey not many have done at that age. Power to all of us! :-)
DeleteMy first adventurous trip was hitchhiking to and in Italy for a few weeks with a friend when I was 16. And, no, my parents weren't too fond of that. :-) My most exciting trip was a solo backpacking adventure in SE Asia for one year when I was 25. Those were the days...
Right, I'd have problems with my daughter hitchhiking at 16, too. Bravo to you for going solo backpacking in SE Asia. My son was only 19 when he solo hiked a large portion of the Appalachian Trail here on the Eastern coast of the U.S., a challenging, rock-strewn trail.
DeleteI've backpacked only a small portion of the A.T. with both my son and one of the twins, but only for 3 or 4 days at a time. That was about all I could handle while carrying "the world" on my back. We packed much too heavily to do the whole thing, approximately 2190 miles through the Appalachian Mountains. We have camped in various national parks as a family where we took the five kids on the A.T. for day hikes. We just carried day packs with snacks and water on those hikes.
I'm guessing you traveled light when you backpacked, like we saw the smart “through” hikers do on the A.T. “Through” hikers were hiking the whole A.T. at one time. You probably bought supplies as needed for one. Did you only carry a bed mat and a change of clothes, an extra pair of shoes or sandals? Do they have shelters on the trail you took in SE Asia? You probably covered many, many miles a day, as opposed to my 5 to 8 miles backpacking with my son and daughter. I hope you kept a journal. What treasure that would be to have your thoughts captured on the pages. We did on our short A.T. hikes. Did you keep a journal of sorts on your ocean voyages?
Sorry for all the questions. I’m just so fascinated. All best to you, Liesbet!
A college newspaper is valuable as a two-way communication channel to keep both students and administration informed about various issues. It's also a great opportunity to groom those "honest and moral writers" of the future.
ReplyDeleteYes it is, Michelle! Like I said, it's important to be sure those in charge actually know what concerns students and others in their day to day activities whether at college or in the world.
DeleteThanks so much for sharing your insight here at Adventures in Writing. All best to you!
Enjoyed the story. Kudo's to you. Happy IWSG.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Juneta! I truly appreciate it. Thanks for your note here at Adventures in Writing. Happy IWSG Day! Enjoy your weekend!
ReplyDeleteGlad that you stood up for the paper and yourself. My journalism career didn't start until I left college (in Canada), and there was a period when I edited a political magazine (back in the UK) so had to raise tough issues. Not so often as an equestrian journalist.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Roland, for your kind words. Good for you editing a political magazine. It takes a tough person to be able to raise any issues in politics. Bravo!
DeleteThanks for your comment here at Adventures in Writing. Happy IWSG Day! Enjoy your week.
Kudos to you! I don't know if I could be a reporter. As a teacher, I know that my language has power. The students remember everything you say. You always need to be truthful.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely, Michelle. And teachers have so much power, for they are instilling knowledge and opinions into young minds. Good for you!
DeleteThanks for your note here at Adventures in Writing. Have a beautiful day.
I was on my high school's newspaper. Loved the students I met. Back then I don't think I wrote about anything controversial. My mom still has one or two of those issues. Thanks for this post.
ReplyDeleteSo neat, Dawn. I bet it would be interesting to read the article now just to see what was important to the teenage you back then. I was only interested in writing stories with my favorite stars in them back in high school. More power to you.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your experience here at Adventures in Writing. Have a beautiful day.
Hi Victoria Marie - I was hopeless at school ... and communication via my blog is where I found I had a voice. I've realised reading here that my Africa letters out to family and friends were 'respected' - but just thought that was 'politeness' rather than being good at - comes of being put down a lot educatively at school ... and with a not easy family life. We grow and thankfully we develop our own path ...
ReplyDeleteKudos to you though - now I see where you're coming from! Cheers Hilary
Hilary, your blog is sooo very interesting. You bring up important issues, too. In fact, your life of travelling or living in different areas is truly inspirational. I understand completely about feeling put down educatively both at school and at home. Yes, we do grow and develop our own paths.
DeleteIt's always a pleasure seeing you here at Adventures in Writing. I hope it’s dry where you are. We’ve been having too much rain lately. All best to you!
Good for you. You stood your ground.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Nas. It wasn't easy, but many things in life aren't. I hope you are well, my dear. Thanks for your note here at Adventures in Writing. Have a beautiful day.
ReplyDelete