Episode 5 — Nothing new, but I was thinking…

Why?

Instead of ending this semester with a ‘new’ post, I wanted to do a bit more reflecting on the articles I have written so far.

My four columns represented articles that I, you, or anyone could refer to if we ever found ourselves in a tough spot. Writing a mix of opinion articles and news articles helped me better understand the multiple ways I convey my thoughts with others.

In Quarantine Times, we started with how we’d possibly approach situations that are in our control. We looked into how to change our perspectives on our greatest fears. Shifting into midterm and a subsequent final project season here at Stevens, we looked into strategies that would help us juggle our hobbies and academic/professional responsibilities. Finally, we looked into how the goals we make are extensions of who we are.

Looking back, the layouts of each article were pretty unique and helped support each topic at hand. I liked how they were different in their own way and reflected whatever the focus was. My first and second columns incorporated tweets that I thought were a nice change of pace for whoever read them. After my second column though, I reconsidered what it was that I wanted to focus on going forward. In Episode 2, I talked all about how I overcame my fears about being more comfortable writing; so then why was I confusing you by peppering in tweets of someone else’s thoughts? So long, Twitter.

In Episode 3, I decided to use some of my own pictures to complement my writing. It is also probably my favorite piece thus far because here I was sharing strategies with you all that I know work for me and probably work for you. Talking about adaptable goals in Episode 4, I hoped to show the caveat to productivity strategies are that they are reflective of the particular environment and the unique set of responsibilities at a particular time.

I was re-reading Episode 2 and wanted to comment on the following sentence I wrote:

“But highlighting your strengths while masking your weaknesses will be of no help to anyone, especially you.”

While humility is good, good leadership also comes in the form of leveraging your strengths. I always had an interest in journalism because fact-based writing is something I am exposed to in my day-to-day schoolwork. Research was something I wanted to get better at. That being said, my first Science and Metro articles — virtual learning and women in politics — were not easy to write. It was a new experience and different way of researching than what I was used to. But I was really proud of putting myself in a unique environment where I could challenge myself to learn a different way of researching and reporting. At the end of the day, it was important for me to know that I did something and that I won’t regret missing an opportunity.

The message I hope you have received by now is that how we express ourselves to others is how willing we are to change our strengths, skills, and goals in order to share them. How we express ourselves boils down to what our #1 priorities are in life that we will have to juggle day in, day out.

Thank you for following me for the past few weeks. I hope that by now, you feel more willing to go out and achieve your dreams. I don’t know what the future holds for this column. This might be the end, or there might be something new in store next semester.