I had essentially no journalism experience prior to beginning NextGen, and I knew that it would be a challenge. Before applying, I had actually read a couple of reflections from previous program participants, who described NextGen as a sort of transformative whirlwind. Looking back, this description feels accurate in the best kind of way. I’ve learned a lot about myself — and about journalism in general — as a result of participating, and I’m so glad to have had the opportunity to help tell Dustin and Nancy’s stories.
Throughout this process, I’ve experienced firsthand how journalism really blends analytical and creative perspectives to create a compelling story. I’m somewhat practiced in creative and academic writing, but I wasn’t prepared for the challenge of combining both, which is how this foray into journalism has felt for me. While working on the web story, as well as the audio piece, I was pushed to use my “right brain” and “left brain” (to oversimplify) together in new ways. I definitely need a lot more practice. I’m really grateful to my mentor, Dani, as well as everyone else on the project for supporting me through the process. I will say that I sort of regret not coming into the program with more experience; I felt that Dani and others had to provide a lot of support when I was working slowly. However, I think coming in with zero experience also provided an exceptional introduction to the field that I could not have gotten otherwise.
I really appreciate how hands-on this entire process has been. I think that my favorite part of the experience was actually the interview itself. I really loved speaking with Dustin and Nancy, connecting with them, and just listening to their answers. I think empathy is at the core of journalism. I hope that as I continue to build all the skills necessary to succeed in this field, I will continue building my empathy “muscle” as well, helping to tell even more compelling and genuine stories.