You should read this piece. I think it exalts the Journalism student and their importance a little more than necessary, but is a brilliant read. I, being a signal-status* Journalism graduate [omygod i never thought id live to this day to be able to call myself that! whoot whoot!], can vouch wholeheartedly and personally for point number 2, 3, 4, and 6. Everything said below though, has a flip side too, and I shall cover that in a blog post soon. Until then, enjoy the piece!
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You see that student walking around campus all semester. They seem smart and nerdy but at the same time fun and mysterious. They always seem busy and they always seem to be going somewhere important or talking to someone in a serious situation. They have their heads buried in their planners, notebooks and cell phones and in the split second that something out of the ordinary occurs their attention is immediately directed toward the excitement. In the blink of an eye, they head over to see what is going on, notebook and pen in hand. If you’ve seen this person around campus, congratulations you’ve spotted a journalism student. You are intrigued by this person, but are faced with an interesting thought process. Do you take the time to stop them in between running errands to introduce yourself and ask for a coffee date or do you feel they don’t have time…? If you’re faced with this dilemma, you’ve obviously never known, or dated, a journalist before.
Yes, they always appear busy and always seem to have somewhere to go, but this is what makes the journalism student have such a unique appearance on campus. Although they may seem to busy to be bothered, they are always more than happy to have someone approach them on the street. Throughout their journalism career, these journalism students play one role, the role of approaching strangers. Being on the receiving end of that and being approached first is something rare and something that will keep their attention.
Before you approach the student journalist as though you would approach anyone else you find intriguing and attractive, there aresome things you need to know:
Know When to Approach. If there is a major event occurring that includes fires, natural disasters, sirens, fighting politicians, or riots, DO NOT approach us unless you have a relevant quote, good insight to the situation or a possible source. These are the moments we thrive on to help propel us ahead in our career. Take caution when approaching us in these situations.
Student Journalists Commit. We are building our career the minute we decide to major in journalism. Because of this, all we have to do is overhear a good quote or a strong fact and we will commit to a full 5-source story. The same goes for other aspects of our lives. If we see something we like, we dedicate ourselves to it 100 percent, which makes us great in relationships.
We are Loyal…loyal to our sources, loyal to our readers and loyal to the special people in our lives. We are taught to go to all lengths to protect our sources, be completely loyal and honest to our audience and as a result we apply this practice to our lives everyday. If you want to know something about us, just ask. We pride ourselves as being transparent and we know that the truth will eventually be found out, so we always tell the truth at the very start.
We are Great With People. While other students are in the library with their nose in a textbook, memorizing formulas, or partying until they can’t remember their own names, we are out in crowds interviewing and mingling with everyone we meet. From the student body president and the guy selling water on the sidewalks to the mayor and state senators, we can carry on an intelligent and fun conversation with anyone in any crowd. This means we’ll get along great with your acquaintances, have fun with your friends, and impress your family.
We are Informed. Think about it, the future of our career depends on us knowing the ins and outs of everything around us. This can back fire on you if your intentions are in the wrong place though… don’t expect to stand us up and sneak away with the sorority or fraternity hottie and go to a party. We already know about the party and everyone who’s going… we have sources everywhere, and things you do will get back to us. This is a great quality for our social lives though. We will know of every party, every sporting event, every occasion happening in the college scene, and if we don’t know it right now…give us 20 minutes and we will be able to tell you who the host is, what they will be wearing, what time they will run out of drinks and the name of their dog. It’s what we do.
You Will be Quoted. What separates a good story from a great story is the perfect quote. Since you are a part of our lives and we spend so much time with you, chances are at one point or another you will say something that catches our attention more than normal, and we will quote you in an article or homework assignment. Don’t be upset or embarrassed, be flattered. We are taught to only use the strongest and best quotes, so if you are in our story, we obviously held what you said to high regard...(that or we waited until deadline to write, we are still typical college students.)
There you go, six things you should know before you approach a student journalist in an attempt to score a date. Feel free to share and add more…
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*i have decided to address the status single, as signal from now on. because im such a grammar rebel like that.
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