EIC Mandy Facer Says Farewell to The Echo

Working at “The Echo” for four years has taught me many things: I’ve learned new writing styles, mastered editing techniques, gained experience with Adobe In Design formatting software, and even earned the State Champion Title in News Writing in 2009. But the Journalism class is so much more than creating a newspaper- it’s daily lessons in skills that will help me for the rest of my life, long after my journalism career.

Lesson One I Learned in Journalism: Manage Your Time

The Journalism class is full of deadlines- we have an article due every Friday. In the span of five days we have to conduct multiple interviews, choose possible quotes from said interviews, research information about our topics, factcheck, and construct a rough draft of the article by Friday night. Sound like a lot? Well it is, if you do it all on Thursday night of course. But the more time I spent in Journalism, the more I learned to plan. Scheduling interviews with multiple people, especially “high profile” subjects like an administrator or the Superintendent, takes time and skill. In real life, if I have to talk to my boss about a project I’m working on, I’ll have to schedule an appointment before the night it’s due, just like in Journalism. Time management is a must in Journalism class, and that won’t change when I leave Urbana High School.

Lesson Two I Learned in Journalism: Be Confident

Here’s a secret I picked up in my time as a journalist: people talk to you if you’re confident. A man/woman with their head held high, shoulders back, firm handshake, and eyes ahead makes an impression on people- they trust you to portray them fairly and they are wiling to talk more. Now, don’t be someone you’re not- schmoozing and being two-faced gets you nowhere and is just plain wrong. But the first time I met someone for an interview with a smile and a feeble attempt at confidence, it was easier than previous, nerve-wracking attempts. And the more I did it, the more real the confidence became and talking to strangers or important people became way easier. I always try to stay true to myself, but I try to be the best version of that self in pressure situations.
Lesson Three I Learned in Journalism: Check Your Facts
Whether it’s for a paper or a business interview, do your research. When I go into interviews unprepared, the people I’m interviewing can tell. However, when I know what I’m talking about and let the person I’m interviewing know that (without being arrogant or being unwilling to admit I’m wrong when I am), they are impressed and more willing to speak up. People appreciate it when other people show interest and dedication- it makes them feel good, and it makes me feel good to put them at ease. Trust is hard to come by in this day and age, but when I gain it with someone else it makes life much easier and way more worthwhile.
Lesson Four I Learned in Journalism: Be Aware
Working for a newspaper made me aware of other newspapers- I looked to the local and national press outlets for ideas on how to make our paper here in Urbana better. But, I also read the news to stay informed- every morning I check the New York Times website or the Yahoo! homepage to stay up-to-date on current events and to know if there’s a story the staff needs to cover. Making this habit of checking the news regularly gives me instant conversation starters for awkward moments and it keeps me in the loop. While my Journalism career ends in a week, I’ll be reading articles for the rest of my life to stay informed about current events.
Lesson Five I Learned in Journalism: Try New Things
I’ve been to a wrestling match, baked cupcakes, seen strange movies, watched good (and bad) plays, seen an ice dancing show, talked to strangers, learned to run a website, made creepy caramel apples, walked down the hallway to Dr. Taylor’s office at least five hundred times, and met some amazing people…all in the name of Journalism. Working at The Echo has made me push outside of my comfort zone sometimes for a story- nothing bold or very interesting, but different all the same. And while it may have seemed silly at the time, looking back I learned a lot from these experiences- who would have known how intense people get at Journalism State or how difficult it is not to burn caramel when distracted? The Echo made me grow as a person, and I had some really fun experiences in my journey over the years.
I’m very sad to be leaving “The Echo”…I’ve invested a lot of time and effort to this paper, but I wouldn’t take anything back. Each year I’ve enjoyed having a different, lovely advisor, and each taught me many things about journalism in general and myself. I wish the future editors of “The Echo” the best of luck, and look forward to reading coming issues!