Writing for the school newspaper was something I never saw myself doing. That was until I realized I needed to find an internship and find one fast.
What started out as a professor suggesting I join The Dateline turned into one of the most rewarding experiences of my college career.
At first, I was nervous. What on Earth was I going to write about? Would my pitches get approved? Where would I even start?
As I began to get more fearful about how this was all going to turn out, I decided to dive in headfirst and just focus on doing my best. Besides, what was the worst that could happen?
From the very beginning, I was never left to my own devices or unsure of where to start. There was an amazing team of students behind me who were ready to help at a moment’s notice.
From the publication schedule to journalistic resources, everything was well-organized and easy to find. As someone who was only able to participate fully online, I was extremely surprised at how simple it was to get in touch with our editor, Karla Carrillo, and how productive group meetings were. Even if you couldn’t make a meeting, they were recorded, so you could always go back and see what the week had in store for you.
Whether they had been writing for The Dateline for a while, or they had just begun that semester like me, everyone put out work they could be proud of. As a writer, I really felt like I found my voice and was excited to share my published articles in each issue with friends and family.
I was encouraged not to make the first article that I wrote an opinion piece, but that’s exactly what I ended up doing. Turns out, I really like writing opinion pieces.
Being able to share my unique perspective, write about what I cared about, and incorporate my own voice made writing fun for me. I still remember the excitement of reading my first comment online, someone appreciated my work enough to say they loved it.
It was one thing to have friends and family appreciate my work, and it was another to have a stranger like my work enough to comment on it.
Since joining The Dateline, I developed a deeper respect for the effort behind journalism and realized we were not just “telling stories.” We were influencing opinions, sparking discussions, and building community awareness.
I also learned that journalism carries a responsibility to be accurate, honest and ethical, which made me more mindful of how I was covering a topic and the impact my words could have on others.
If you’re unsure, skeptical or hesitant to write for The Dateline, I encourage you to give it a shot. Whether you need an internship to graduate or simply want to get your work out there, The Dateline offers the opportunity to do both.
Through The Dateline, I was able to find my voice as a writer and have been given the opportunity to walk away knowing I have published works. Therefore, I encourage you to take the leap. Your future self will thank you for it.
