Last August was the first time I had set foot in The Daily Tar Heel office.
I had no expectations, strong feelings or idea of what being a writer or editor at this newsroom meant. I had no friends who worked at the newspaper before last year and I heard nothing about the working environment or the pressures of being in this workplace. I walked into a blank slate, ready to learn and absorb as much as possible.
For the first few weeks, I took my job as an observer very seriously. I needed to understand how a newsroom worked – and I felt more foreign than ever.
I often went up to management and asked them silly questions. “So, um, what exactly is a CQ?” “What is that thing called below the headline?” “How do you look for quotes in Otter?”
I was initially hesitant — should I have known about this before I signed up? However, comfort came quick. My questions were never laughed at and I was encouraged to ask more.
Things work fast in a newsroom, faster than I had ever anticipated.
In that constant sprint, I was in awe of the hard work everyone put in, how meticulous people were and how hours went into editing a single article with a writer. This was the first time I had seen anything like it.
Quickly, I also learned that in the middle of this madness, people cared about me and I cared about them.
I was often checked up on, given spontaneous hugs, invited to dinner and then dropped off at home late at night. Deep conversations and connections have turned into lifelong friends I am so grateful for.