COM4610 Reflection

Throughout these past 3.5 years at Appalachian State, I was not sure what I was going to expect with being a journalism major. I knew I always wanted to write and tell stories, but I was not quite sure where I fit into this specific field. I knew I was absolutely sure that I did not want to be on the television screen since I am already camera shy enough. I have realized the importance of community and the importance of telling the stories of those in the community. When looking back on the assignments completed over the semester, I realized I had to think deeper about what I was reporting. Even now, I think there are more ways I can go in-depth on some topics. I think that is my greatest discovery about journalism and this course is that it challenges you to go beyond your comfort zone. I noticed that a lot over these 3.5 years of being a journalism major. Some people I would never thought I would speak to because of how I am so caught up in my own bubble sometimes.

With the different guest speakers and journalists I have spoken to over the semester, I realized how important it is to continue to evolve with the way we communicate with our audience as time goes on. A prime example of this can be the COVID-19 pandemic. My first year of college was interrupted by a global pandemic, it’s still crazy to think about. However, I learned a lot about myself and what I wanted to do with my career. Navigating what I wanted to do in a time of uncertainty gave me a lot of courage and reassurance of what I wanted to do. I found that reporting on historical topics, culture and highlighting small businesses in the community excites me. When talking to a journalist I have met off Twitter, she mentioned how she specializes in reporting on the Black Southern experience, which I noticed a lot about her work.

Throughout the semester I have learned what it means to be a diligent journalist and how you adapt to the changes around you. The industry is forever growing and I think we have an obligation to our audiences to make sure we continue to adapt to these changes to report and shine a light on stories in our communities.