(This is my sixth blog entry for my fall semester J2150 class.)
One thing I have learned in J2150 so far (or I guess started learning when I began reporting for The Maneater last year) is that a large aspect of journalism at any level is professionalism. For a freshman or sophomore in college, that’s not always the easiest thing. Professionalism itself can even be a pretty abstract concept. The biggest thing I’ve had to deal with so far is keeping my cool in front of subjects or people I’m interviewing when I’m frustrated or stressed and act like I know what I’m doing. I haven’t had many of these experiences while interviewing for the paper, but when I started to add photography, audio and video equipment into my storytelling repertoire for J2150, it was more difficult. Not being very familiar with a lot of this equipment, it can be harder to learn by doing while also dealing with real people in front of the camera. However, no matter what my challenge so far, I have been able to stay professional and trick people into thinking I actually know what I’m doing, faking it until I’m more comfortable, faking it until I make it.
Hannah Black 