Final Journalism S:100 Blog Post (Harvard University, Summer 2015)

I decided to share what my experience was in this course, and how it has prepared me for the final writing project!

This has definitely been an experience and an eye-opener for me. I walked into this class thinking it was cake, but I was 150 percent wrong. Harvard is not a joke. After the first few days I was nervous about how much of our class work I could handle, due to my side work as a Style and Digital Content Director, for a high-profile rapidly growing start-up company, that relies on 85 percent of my contribution.

I stuck with the course, because the learning experience was very important to me and something I truly needed, if I wanted to be an editorial publicist for the long-term.

I was amazed at how much I didn’t know as a writer, and how much I needed to improve on.

I have gained a better understanding of my writing abilities, and where I need improvements down the road. The experience in this course (good and bad), has encouraged me to write more than I already do. I think the more you write, the better you will become. I have learned a lot about time management when juggling reporting duties, and other work responsibilities at the same time. I have a better understanding of how much reporting and writing work I can handle, in a short amount of time. I am also glad I experienced the panic that can occur, when I'm trying to gain interviews for a story with people who are unreliable and unsure of themselves.

This course has also influenced my interest in political and community news stories, which has become very shocking to my fashion friends back in NYC and family. However, I see this as a great thing - and I look forward to reading more about political, financial and community issues from hard news outlets.

Moving forward, I am really excited to implement AP Style and paraphrasing in my writing. I believe, the more I practice and read hard news, the better I will be.

What I look forward to the most is my final project. So far, I have five sources confirmed. It is a topic I am incredibly passionate and excited about, which will give me more momentum to do great and get the best information I can, to develop an amazing story. I am glad I have more time to really review my notes, and class discussions we have had over the next week. I look forward ti including everything.

I really enjoyed my time on the Harvard University campus this summer!