Our Great Accomplishment

To all recent graduates,

As I sit in my living room, piling around all the job ads I should be applying to, I have been thinking about the mentality of a job seeker. As many of us know way too well, this is not the best of economic times. Whether you are still searching for the right opportunity, took a decent job just to move away from home, barely making rent or even working for your dream employer, the same mentality applies.

Recent graduates have forgotten about the work we have done. Many of us, who have recently graduated from a four-year university, are forgetting about what we have accomplished. Whether you went to the University of Illinois, Montana, West Virginia or Judson, you did the work to get out of there alive. You had those all-night study sessions cramming a semesters’ worth of material into your brain. You sat through those boring lectures that counted towards your attendance grade. You went into office hours trying to get help on that lesson you learned last week. You did it all.

Now, since some have graduated and have yet to find that perfect fit somewhere, we forget about everything we have done. Graduating college is no small feet. Just because we are not where we thought we would be, doesn’t mean we are failures. I know from first hand experience that I have felt like a failure in these last couple of months. I then ask myself; why am I failure? I know I have done all I can to land that great writing job I know I deserve. I know I got through college, met new people, branched out and did things I never thought I could. I am sure everyone had great accomplishments during those four amazing years that they never even dreamed of.

What I am trying to say is that no matter where you are in life, you can’t forget what you have achieved. Just because you are not where you want to be now doesn’t mean you won’t get there. Failure is defined as an act or instance of failing or proving unsuccessful. None of us are that. I think everyone needed to be reminded of this.

Thanks for listening.

State of Journalism

Hello all journalism lovers,

Welcome to an edition of Jacob's thoughts on journalism. It has been a long time since that journalism 420 editing class (thank g-d that ended). After re-reading some of my posts from about a year ago, I would like to bring back some of those conversations with a new and updated look on them.

All journalism majors have heard for the past four years is that our future looks bleak. Let's face it; people are not buying newspapers as much as they once were. Even being a journalist, I understand why. Who would pay for the Chicago Sun-Times when they can get any article for free online? Having just graduated, with the little money that I have, I am learning the true meaning of a dollar. People are tightening their belts and when something can be replaced for gratis, people will give in.

Despite this fact, despite people telling me for four years I am in the wrong industry, I am not giving up. I am so tired of people saying you shouldn't do this since it won't be here in 10 years. I am tired of people saying you are not going to make any money. I am tired of people saying you won't make it. I am tired of you people.

Unless you are a true journalist, you do not know the effort that goes into being a full-time reporter, photographer, editor or designer. You do not know our drive to capture the moment or break that once in a lifetime story. You do not fully comprehend our AP style of journalism. Most importantly, you do not understand our love for the industry that can not fail.

Chicago readers will always want to see what Richard Roeper has to say about Illinois’ hot topic. Sports fanatics will also look at what Rick Telander or Rick Morrissey have to say about Ozzie Guillen or the Chicago Bulls or anything for that matter. These kinds of people matter in our town. I am going to be one of these people. The reason why? Journalism!

So where do I see our industry in 10 years. I see it better than ever. I see new newspapers popping up all over the nation. I see a digital newspaper in everyone’s inboxes. I see new and exciting technology that brings the reader or viewer or whatever closer to the story. I see an industry that stood up the words “I can’t” and said “we did.”