When people find out that I work for The Auburn Plainsman, they always ask me what I do. Then comes the follow-up, "What does being a reporter even mean?"
It means a myriad of things to multiple people.
To my section editor, it means being responsible and reliable. Dependable and dedicated. My section editor is the closest thing I have to a boss at this point.
When I switched over from the intrigue section in December, I really didn't know what I was getting into.
I was visiting a friend when I got a phone call from a number I didn't recognize. It was my new section editor calling me.
All I could gather from the brief phone call was that she talked fast and loud, wanted to meet as soon as possible and had already given me a story that would be due the next week.
To say I was a little intimidated would be an understatement.
Throughout the semester, the intimidation lessened, but I still get a little nervous when I see her name pop up on my phone.
To the people who read the community section, being the reporter means having the facts and getting them out there as soon as possible.
The Plainsman readers are accustomed to speedy and reliable information. They want the whole story, and with the rise of technology and the many outlets to gain information, the story needs to get to them fast.
Getting the whole story doesn't mean just calling one person and being done.
Multiple people have different facts and viewpoints you can use to fill your story out. And it has to be well written, or else you just look stupid.
I need to be ready to go after a story when it happens, that's what's expected from a reporter, even if it's late at night or early in the morning after Rodeo.
It's pretty much a 24/7 job, and that's what it means to work at The Plainsman.
The responsibility taught me to grow up. Of course I grew up in my years here at Auburn, but school and The Plainsman taught me that deadlines are real.
If you don't deliver, people who were depending on you will be let down. If I were to not do my part on The Plainsman, they would fire me, and I would be devastated.
I've become a part of a little family, and The Plainsman office is always a place I can go to get some peace and quiet on this loud campus. I've met some of the greatest people working here and working the community section.
I've gotten to be on a first name basis with city council members, and I call the mayor and city manager on a weekly basis.
I've learned how to compose an important email, speak intelligently to adults and go to meetings that last an hour.
I can now walk into a last minute interview and think of questions off the top of my head.
I talk to the most interesting people and learn more about this town that I love so much.
I've found the coolest hole-in-the-wall places around town and found amazing organizations that benefit the community here.
So, when I'm asked what being a reporter means, the answer is too long and complicated for a friend or passerby.
I just tell them it's my job to talk and listen to people and tell their story, and I love doing it.
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
