Going Forward

With the semester coming to a rapid close, the improvement among my fellow classmates and me is undeniable. We have all come a very long way from our first class, when we sat around in a circle – the nervous energy palpable – speculating as to what we thought made a great producer. Now, we are running the newsroom with a sense of confidence and expertise that is sheer proof of how far we have come/how much we have learned.

Nevertheless, I believe that there is always room for betterment, and that goals can always be set higher. That being said, for this last week, I am striving to become a faster/more efficient producer. I want to have the rundown formatted by the time I leave for class at 10:30 a.m. This is absolutely essential because the MJs cannot begin working on stories, until I have completed a rundown (even if it is preliminary). In order to accomplish this objective, I am simply going to get started on the rundown as soon as possible and begin plugging in stories as fast as possible. I am extremely detail oriented and, therefore, tend to way overthink the formatting of each individual story. The fact that there is no “right answer” when it comes to the formatting of any one story really heightens my anxiety and makes it difficult for me to make decisions. In the end, though, I must find a way to embrace that the rundown is really never “final” and find a way to not stress about the ever-changing nature of journalism.

Last week, after we took our practice final exam, I had the unfortunate experience of being slapped in the face by reality. I walked away from the classroom, with my eyes filled with tears because I had failed to finish half of the exam. For several days, I beat myself up and even questioned the future of my entire career path. However, I am not one to give up easily. Ultimately, this setback has only further motivated me to practice this craft to the point where crafting a rundown is second nature.