By The Courier Staff
In 2012, a survey reported by CareerCast ranked journalism one of the worst jobs in America, under waiting tables and slightly above oil rigging. It’s no secret many people do not care for journalists.
Publications have falsely printed and reported on news events such as the misidentification of the Boston bombers or the overly publicized Trayvon Martin case. And even more criticism can be attributed to the entertainment media, calling into question the newsworthy aspects of Miley Cyrus’ twerking incidents. The backlash and the sometimes-minimal pay might be enough for some to say, “No thank you on that job.”
Forbes compiled a list of reasons why journalism is the best job ever in 2012. And we agree. Some of the reasons the article listed include: You’re always learning, you get paid to read and meet cool people, you get to meet celebrities and interesting people and you get to enjoy notoriety yourself — “and then there’s the small matter of self-expression.”
The Courier staff agrees, but we have our own motives for pursuing the craft as well.
While others sit in class learning useful and practical knowledge, we get to constantly connect and learn things in life that can only be taught through compassion and experience.
Every assignment is a chance to meet someone new with a different perspective and unique story. Sometimes the people we meet would not have had a voice otherwise. We get to give them that voice and an opportunity to be heard.
The Brookhaven Courier has covered everything from inspirational stories of our peers’ struggles with adversity or their ultimate successes to a breakdown of new state funding procedures for state colleges.
While the pay may never be top-notch, the experience is, and the freedom that comes with it is worth more than a six- figure income. Editor-in-Chief Maddox Price said, “It’s not like a regular nine-to-five, stuck in a fluorescent-lit cubicle all day, for the most part, but we get to get out and go to new places and breathe in fresh air.” Plus, we sometimes get into events for free with all-access passes.
If not for the money, the glamor or even the romantic notions of being a writer, then why do we choose to do this on a bi-weekly basis?
We choose journalism because the career allows us to express our many talents. Photographers, graphic designers, illustrators or writers, we each get a chance to refine our work and get better before we enter the world of professional journalism. Arts and Entertainment Editor Scott Mitchell said he is drawn to journalism because it allows him to get his photos out for people to see and tell stories through the diverse images The Brookhaven Courier publishes.
We chose journalism to do what comes naturally for all humans, to question. We investigate, we create and we inform, transforming a campus of strangers into a community of students, unified under the banner of higher education.
Art Director Jordan Wylie said she wasn’t interested in journalism before, because pages were so word-heavy. Now she gets to interest people in the news through illustrations and design.
Fashion and Sports Editor Adriana Salazar summed it up best: “Not only do I get to learn new things, but I also get to teach it to my readers, and I hopefully get rid of some ignorance in this world along with my own.”
