As a freshman, I am unsure of most of the classes I want to take and the senior research lab I want to participate in; I can barely make my way around the building – what was left of it as least. The one thing I m sure of, however, is that I want to take Journalism all four years of high school.

The staff of tjTODAY has the extremely important job of reporting the latest news, successes, and stories of the school. Seeing the job of a journalist executed properly is extremely rewarding experience and provides the occasional ego boost. Although this may sound cliche, taking journalism has taught me valuable lessons in time management and meeting deadlines while still having quality work.

The idea of being a journalist is one I have always found appealing. Despite the pressure, I love the idea of taking interviews, writing news articles, designing pages, and the feeling of satisfaction that comes with the student body’s positive reception of the paper. The class, while serving a serious purpose, is the perfect time to relax and socialize – the perfect break from the tension of tests and grades.

Yes, taking journalism means that I will have to spend my summers in school. But at the same time it also means that I can bond with other students over the course of four years, perfect my writing skills, and take time off to recover from the plethora of STEM related coursework that can often feel overwhelming. With all this taken into account, I feel like taking journalism is all the more worth it.