Make Each Word Tell

It’s that time of the semester. Sweats and ponytails replace sundresses and primped hair. Sniffles are heard throughout a class period, only to be interrupted by a “bless you!” as a classmate violently sneezes. A warm bed envelops you in the early morning, discouraging you from going to class. Coffee intake skyrockets, accompanied by a shot of cough syrup. It’s fall time. It’s flu time. It’s crunch time.

I’m about halfway into this fall semester, and sometimes I feel like we’re all just grasping. School feels like a Friday club night at the restaurant, going from table to table (or class to class) to do just enough to satisfy the requirements and demands of that customer (or professor). Except with school, I can’t just settle for a bad tipper (or grade).

It’s not just because I’m on academic scholarship. It’s because we don’t settle for anything less than the best. Because average is a C+, and that’s doesn’t cut it.

I really needed to take the time to reflect on the positive things of each class. Too often I criticize the class: teaching style, course material, textbook, etc. Who am I to challenge these professors who have dedicated their life to teaching a whole bunch of empty headed arrogant students?

When I arrived on campus I continued to have doubts about picking journalism as my major. Though it is near and dear to my heart, I fought against the stereotypes of media, more specifically, journalists. The rumors of “dying journalism” discouraged me greatly. My professor countered these arguments by stating that journalism is not dying, but it is changing. Just like it changed from cave drawings, to scrolls, to newsprint, the medium is changing. These encouragements brought me up from my pulpy pit of sorrow.

After vowing that I would not be involved in any extra curriculars, an all too persuasive editor convinced me to start writing for the school paper. It’s satisfying, I must admit.
A few things I wanted to share from Journalism class:

“Make each word tell.” – William Strunk, Jr.
This quote is taken from The Elements of Style, after urging writers write concisely (something that I need to improve on). If I were to ever get a tattoo, this would be it. I think.

“God uses...suffering to produce award winning pieces” – Dr. Longinow, August 27, 2009

“A Christian should pray with a Bible in one hand, and a newspaper in the other.” - Karl Barth
Love this quote. Live it.