One moment that shaped my experience in journalism happened while writing my first news story this past November. After checking out a camera in SMART, I drove to a Tiburon Town Council meeting regarding a new nicotine ban. As I pulled into a parking spot, a mix of excitement and nervousness flooded my body. I was nervous about walking into a room full of adults and public officials as just a high school student with a camera. I worried that I would look out of place and not know how to act professionally. However, I knew that I needed to take this first step outside of my comfort zone in order to become a stronger journalist. I grabbed my camera, stepped out of the car and walked into the building, trying to look more confident than I felt. At that moment, I realized journalism involved much more than writing stories.

When I arrived at the meeting, I was directed to the boardroom, and I immediately realized how different real journalism felt compared to classroom assignments. In this moment, I felt like more than just a high school student. I felt like a professional reporter. For a brief moment, my nervousness disappeared until I realized I would soon have to start taking photos with a camera I barely knew how to use. I eventually built up the courage to take that first photo and from there I reached a sort of flow state. I began moving around the room with confidence, taking photos from different angles throughout the meeting. Afterwards, I introduced myself to members of the council and began asking questions about how the meeting went. To my surprise, they were very friendly and willing to talk to me. I even received the Tiburon mayor's phone number so I could follow up for future reporting. 

This experience changed the way I viewed journalism and myself as a journalist. It taught me that journalism is built on confidence, communication and persistence. At the beginning of the year, I was hesitant to approach people, but through experiences like these, I became more outgoing and built connections within the community. This experience also helped me learn that I enjoy the fast-paced nature of journalism and I would love to be a part of the program throughout the rest of high school.

Looking forward, I hope to continue improving my interviewing and storytelling skills while becoming a stronger leader within scholastic journalism. What once felt intimidating now feels exciting, and journalism has helped me become more confident as a writer and as a person.