It's been a while since I've posted! I was just very busy during the last few weeks (From the looks of my archive, months) of school. Trying to keep up with my classes while being burnt out is certainly not my idea of a good time, so I wasn't too focused on keeping up with my blog that has about two to three readers a month, if I'm lucky. Nonetheless, I plan to update this a lot more often now that I have some time.
Last week, I started my internship with Lifestyle Magazine, and I even posted my first short blog for them, which is not really a big deal as it's so short. However, it was really exciting seeing something I wrote published with a pretty established name. It's been great so far! Everyone who works there is really nice and understanding. It's just hard trying to get into the 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. routine. I'm a night owl, so even the idea of waking up at 10 a.m. is daunting for me. I'm pulling through!
Working there, I realize I actually really like lifestyle writing. Before going to J-school, I thought I wanted to go to war-torn countries to save the world and become a superstar journalist like Anderson Cooper, getting a Pulitzer Prize and basking in eternal glory for my philanthropy.
Now, I realize, I don't want that. It may sound like I'm selling myself short, but I'm not. I'm naturally a person who likes to have fun in whatever I do, and that includes work. I want to interview interesting people who have done good for the world, and I want to learn about what's in style, and I want to know about all the beautiful places to visit in the world. Hell, everyone's dream is travel writing (who doesn't want to get paid for travelling the world?), and someday I hope I can get to that point. Although international and political journalism is rewarding and I know I could handle it, I couldn't handle the constant state of distress and being away from the people I love. I couldn't handle missing opportunities to live my personal life for my job.
Other journalists may be bigger and better than me for that, and that's why they're famous and I'm not. Journalism is a job where you pretty much have to sacrifice your life. I remember when Anne-Marie Mediwake came to visit Ryerson to speak about a work-life balance, and she said she decided very early on that her family would take precedence over her job. Before, I didn't realize that this would become an issue. Now, I'm making the same decision and because of this, I feel lifestyle journalism would not only suit my interests, but it would be a little more predictable which would allow me to live my own life. Of course it'll still be hard work, but I'm hoping that it would be less emotionally draining!
This doesn't make me any less aware of the evil in the world, or any less unwilling to help people and share stories. I think I'll always try to do that in my own way. Perhaps through charity, or even this humble blog, but because I love human rights and I believe in justice, there will always be a place in my heart for hard news journalist if I decide I really want it.
For now, I think I'm going to try my hand at lifestyle journalism, but I'm not absolutely putting my heart into it just yet. I'm still young, so I have a lot of time to decide. You never know, maybe in five years you'll catch me on CNN reporting on conflict in the Middle East. It could happen.
