Prior to this year, every English class I’ve taken was your standard “read book – write essay” class. In my senior year, I had the option to switch it up and take Journalism to fulfill my English requirement.  That’s just what I did,  and I couldn’t be happier about it. I have learned a great deal of things by taking this class, but if I had to narrow it down to the most important things, they would be as follows…

Lesson 1: Burglar and Robber don’t mean the same thing

This is just a funny way of saying that we learned a lot of grammar rules this year. Specifically, we talked about grammar relating to journalism, because there are many rules to apply when writing more than just your standard essay. To be honest, grammar was something I happened to struggle with, and learning all of the rules definitely helped me to become a better writer. I think this knowledge will serve me well in the years to come. Whether applying to college, interviewing for employment, or competing for scholarship funding, your writing is typically the first impression people may have of you. Usage of improper grammar may cause others to see you as less educated.  For that reason, I am very fortunate to have had such an in-depth grammar unit this year.

Lesson 2: Less is More

In many situations, it is appropriate to demonstrate all your knowledge, which can sometimes cause your writing to be a bit wordy.  However, when trying to grab someone’s attention, less is more. A lot of the pieces I wrote this year were 300-500 words. That is quite different from the traditional five-page essay! We learned that people often read the first paragraph of what is written, and decide, at that point, whether they want to continue reading. Journalists use the inverted pyramid style of introduction to get the most important information out first. As the article continues, more specific details are shared. Although I am not going into a field where I will have to write articles using this format, it was incredibly helpful when writing college essays. Essays were limited to 500 words, so my new-found ability to write concise pieces was very helpful.

Lesson 3: Your writing has the power to influence others

Writers have the ability to create change through their writing. When you are putting “pen to paper,” you need to be mindful of what you are saying and the way you are saying it. In today’s world of lightning-fast news spread, the importance of checking your facts prior to publishing cannot be overstated. The language you choose has the power to bring people together or tear them apart.  As a journalist, you can never allow your personal bias to prevent you from presenting an accurate, fact-based portrayal of events.

Journalism has taught me many things when it comes to writing. I was pushed outside of my comfort zone and became a stronger writer as a result. My ability to write creatively has grown exponentially.  The ability to analyze the purpose of my writing and express myself using the appropriate format for that purpose will serve me well in every aspect of my future writing projects.