broadcast outcast

There’s been consistent talk about how this program at Medill, specifically the first quarter methods, is journalism “bootcamp.”

I don’t think we’re anywhere near that.

Aside from the one week where I had an article due Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, with a project due Wednesday, the rest of my time here has been relatively light.  Yes, we have to spend a good amount of our time in class, but outside of this, I can’t say I’m terribly stressed by the workload.  It simply hasn’t been a lot of work.

Am I complaining?  Absolutely not.  The opposite, in fact.  This is why I can’t understand when any of my classmates whine about the amount of work we have on a regular basis.  The work we actually have is usually interesting and kind of fun.  At least that’s how I see it.  That makes me certain that I want to be a journalist.  Right now we’re learning so many different ways to tell stories.  Sometimes, a video is best.  Other times, it’s a hard-news piece using facts and figures.  And other times, you want to write a feature story.  Maybe you’ll do a slideshow.  Who knows.  No matter what, it’s interesting, at least to me, and I’m taking a lot from every experience.

Not to belabor the point, but for any grad student who complains about the workload or the curriculum, I say this: get out.  You’re here for the wrong reason.  You need to be sold out in every way about your work here.  We’re here to learn and to improve.  No student here knows everything–otherwise, you’d be at CNN already.

That’s my two cents on the matter.  Perhaps it will change in a month’s time–but I doubt it.