Personal Narrative
Personal Narrative
One of the most embarrassing days of my life was October 17th 2021. That day, a guest speaker came to our journalism class and displayed an article about feminism on the screen. The article had crossed out sentences, question marks, and highlights on just about every paragraph. As she spoke about what needed to be edited, I took furious notes, my head bent over my notepad, the subject saying ‘What to fix about my article’.
Having entered class that day pretty confident in my story, the feeling of defeat I felt by the end was unexpected. Not only was I disappointed in myself for not catching all of these errors and areas of improvement, I was so embarrassed to have displayed that work in front of my classmates.
During that class, I felt the article was out of my range. It was a topic I knew little intricacies of, but cared deeply about. In fact, it was evident the writer didn't know much, as the story was, to put it simply, all over the place. I talked about intersectional feminism in one paragraph, loosely connected it to internalized misogyny in another, and finished on harmful opinions of women. But as I listened to the speaker say the writer needed to find a topic and stick to it, I knew what I wanted to focus on. I got home that day, sat at my desk, messaged my interviewees, changed my research angle, and began drafting an entirely different story. After deciding and honing in on a singular topic, I then edited the stories in my Opinion section and corrected my staff writers' stories using the same techniques the guest speaker used on my article.
I learned that I could handle these deep issues in a meaningful, insightful way, while still learning about them myself. Since then, I’ve written articles that tackle topics which cover the queer community, students of color, and Hawaii-based issues. I now feel comfortable when researching, interviewing, and writing because I know how to both avoid mistakes an be conscious of the gaps in my knowledge. Even as my staff writers have checked their stories with me, turning towards me for help, I’ve always encouraged them to pick the story their hearts lie in, to delve into those topics that they care about, even if they're not yet sure how to do that.
I’ve taken these skills throughout my journalism experience and still use them as Editor-in-Chief. As I correct my staff writers' stories and guide them on their path, I make sure I maintain meaningful, personal connections to each of them in the room. I know what it feels like to have a complete stranger tear you apart, so by always being a friendly face, I make sure they feel comfortable and safe whenever I’m editing their work.
The article I wrote that day was eventually recognized by Best of SNO for Opinion Writing. Through hard work, intense focus, and experiencing one of the most uncomfortable moments as a student journalist, I was able to create something that I was truly proud of. Not only did this experience mold the way I view my own stories, it made me a better mentor, editor and peer in the newsroom.