As the week started, I was terrified to even walk into our makeshift newsroom. Imposter syndrome crept in, telling me I really didn’t have the skills to be here. I was anxious to start, apprehensive over how it would end. I was ready to be left in the dust.
Now the sprint is over, and I’m tempted to say I wish this week was longer, despite the four days of endless work. The time I spent with my subject Aura opened my eyes to just how rewarding it is getting close to your story. My one regret is that I didn’t spend more time on location. The audio editing process also reminded me to always keep recording. The work began, and I spent plenty of time developing my story and editing, all while hunched over my laptop. I wasn’t just fine with working through lunch, I was excited, which is completely unlike me.
Before this, I’ve struggled with writing and even just getting the words out of my head and onto (digital) paper. I can’t believe I developed an entire story without that usual panicky feeling setting in when it came time to write it out. There were a few instances where I was shocked checking the time, in disbelief that I had written for an hour straight. I usually stare at a blank document for quite some time before even starting to type. I think the writing process here at NextGenRadio really pushed the point that the key portion is just getting the words out. Trusting the process was my overarching theme of the week.
I was in disbelief that others trusted my abilities. Everywhere I looked, there was support and affirmation available. If a question cropped up, even if it was a stupid one, there was confirmation that yes, I was, in fact, doing the right thing.
My week here in the Florida Newsroom solidified that you have to ignore that snarky inner voice and just start. Whether it’s writing or contacting a source, you won’t find out how great it can be until you actually begin