As I sit here, staring at the empty glowing screen on my phone, something occurs to me: this article will be one of the last that I write as a member of The ‘Burnian team. While I can’t remember who suggested the idea for this article, I am grateful for the opportunity to share what I’ve learned while working for The ‘Burnian.
The first lesson I learned was that writing an essay and writing a news article are two completely different animals. I had to adapt and learn a new style of writing. That meant that I could no longer write one lengthy sentence after another to carefully whittle down the details and articulate the precise point that I had in mind. I also had to learn to use commas sparingly. While commas serve as a helpful grammatical tool, particularly in academic writing, I quickly discovered and was saddened by the fact that comma usage is not so applicable in the world of journalism.
I also learned that credibility is everything. Finding credible sources for information extends far beyond a basic Google search. I had to confirm the information I read before presenting it to our readers. There is a great sense of responsibility when it comes to public distribution of information. While the internet has broadened society’s access to information, it’s also brimming with fake news and misrepresented facts.
I learned that working for The ‘Burnian could enrich my education. Prior to this semester, I wrote a lot of articles about scientific concepts. As a biology major, I enjoyed the fact that I could write about current events that involved science. Attempting to explain those concepts to readers helped me to better understand the concepts I find so interesting.
Working for The ‘Burnian also helped me to understand the importance of communication and teamwork. Week after week the talented writers, designers, photographers and editors of The ‘Burnian work together to produce a final product. For every issue of the paper, we share responsibility and a common goal. Without communication between team members and individual accountability, we would never get anything accomplished. In our weekly meetings, we share ideas and use one another’s unique perspectives as a sounding board to develop interesting content for our readers. Every publication is a shared accomplishment that could never be actualized without that sense of camaraderie and interaction.
The most important skill I learned while working for The ‘Burnian was to never stop learning–to be versatile and step outside of my comfort zone. I learned to write about more than just science. I’ve written about campus events, personal stories, sports in the Carlinville community and I even wrote an opinion piece that involved President Trump.
Working for The ‘Burnian has been a great educational experience that I will never forget.