The backstory

I decided to become a journalist because I couldn't pick from the millions of career options and the hundreds of courses offered at the university. I chose the only job that was all the jobs all wrapped up into one.

The premier told me his job was the best, adding "what other job lets you travel around and talk to all the people you meet?" I said my job was good for that.

It seems like everytime I ask people what they like about their jobs, they say something that I have in my job too.

I've interviewed a forensic scientist and kids working on a proposal for the United Nations. I've tried aquacizing with seniors and played a little wheelchair basketball with some elementary students. I get to do and be everything here. (At least in theory.)

Another reason I picked journalism was because the program at my school is one of the top in the country and only 26 students are accepted each year. Those that are accepted have to hand in an application package, write an exam and pass a panel interview and the entire process takes half a year of anxiety. The department has these snobby glass doors to keep everyone else out. I wanted to be the snob on the inside and that played a shamefully-large part in how I chose my major.

Now that I'm working at this small-town paper with my big-city ideas, I feel like everything is backwards from how it should be. I feel like people here think I'm dumb and it makes me feel like I need to prove myself to them.

I miss being behind those glass doors because while I was back there, everyone knew I was smart and one of the Chosen.