Student journalists are thankful this holiday season for the First Amendment… and pie. Oh, and coffee. Did I mention great pens… and pie?
I asked student journalists what they are most thankful for this week. The most common responses were press freedom and people—their family, friends and student media colleagues.
I am thankful for the people in my life who have shown me why journalism is important and who encourage me to pursue it. They keep me going against all the backlash and negativity that media, student journalists and even my school’s student newspaper get on a daily basis.”
Of course, the students are thankful for journalism and independence in their journalistic work.
I’m thankful to work in a field that I love, and for the opportunity to learn more and more each day.”
Students also said they are thankful for learning opportunities from conferences to adviser-led training and for all of the many online resources for student journalists, like the Student Press Law Center, Associated Collegiate Press, College Media Association, and Poynter.
I’m thankful for all the people I’ve met, columns I’ve read and Facebook groups I’ve been added to that continue to encourage and inspire current and future journalists like me.”
And, of course, student journalists are thankful for readers and their gratitude for the job they do.
I’m definitely thankful that open records requests are a thing and that for every negative comment or reader, there seems to be a positive one.
Other things students mentioned being thankful for included:
- Quality bloggers,
- Pinterest,
- a working car with decent mileage,
- a puppy who likes to go on runs,
- Netflix,
- Amazon Prime,
- my camera,
- Google Drive,
- private Twitter lists,
- Facebook messenger read receipts,
- my cat,
- a day off,
- Pilot v5 Precise pens,
- my trusty moleskin notebook, and
- to be graduating in three weeks.
I enjoyed reading the students’ responses. I certainly am thankful for them and all of the other student journalists who I engage with regularly. These students work hard to make their campuses better and aren’t often told they’re appreciated. I appreciate each one of them. My life is better just for knowing them.
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