Thoughts of a JMC Major

I've learned a lot in Advanced News Writing this semester, but the question to ask is, what will I take with me after graduation?  All of my journalism courses have reinforced my negative views of media, but they have also given me explanations as to why I might feel that way.  The experience has not been negative, it has been wonderful.  I've learned how to interview people and network with people more effectively.  I've become a better writer, and my thoughts and ideas are more readily transferred onto paper than they were four years ago.  This is exactly what I had hoped for when I entered the program, and all of my classes have helped me become a better writer.  What I did not get was a reassurance that my negativity was unfounded, but for a critical mind, this applies to most parts of life.  My biggest surprise came last year, when I learned that many students in the program believed that the ends justified the means, and that unethical behavior was justified by the positive results.  This did not necessarily surprise me, but it did disappoint me.  What I did not expect was to have a very similar opinion about journalism after graduation to the views I had at the end of high school.  I would love to have become a more diligent worker rather than a procrastinator, but that change has been minimal.  The advice I would give to incoming journalism students is the same advice that I would give to a person in any field of study: think critically.