THE BITE OF JOURNALISM I TASTED WAS WONDERFUL

Working as a student on The ASNE Reporter was an experience that demands to be described in a unique fashion without cliches or ordinary words. But it has been difficult to avoid saying words like wonderful, unforgettable and helpful when talking about the newspaper written by a staff of professional journalists and college students.

The week was similar to ordering a "lunch special" burrito, however unsure of what mystery meat and ingredients it is filled with, you still take that bite. Although The Reporter was a four-issue newspaper and not a tasty burrito, it was also filled with lots of unexpected goodies. The four days in which students and editors worked on the paper were stuffed with moments of discovery, panic, stress and passion. Oh yeah, it was also jam-packed with lots of fun.

The Reporter gave college students the chance to work in a newsroom environment in which helpful tips and advice was given by professional journalists. The editors and reporters were quick to get the ball rolling in a game that was intense, fast-paced and, at times, ulcer-causing. Oh and by the way, also fun. The editors were very demanding in asking students to do the best job possible. Stories were rewritten and rewritten again. When deadline was near, editors stood behind students constantly reminding them to hurry. Moments such as those were truly exhilarating. Feelings of panic and stress strangled student reporters as they tried very hard to make every issue of the paper a proud one. However intense and frustrating it was at times, people came away as friends. After a few days, the professional journalists allowed students to call them by their first names. And they also encouraged students to keep in touch.

The ASNE Reporter is an excellent internship program that should be offered into the next millennium, if possible. It gives college students of all ethnic backgrounds the opportunity to work closely with editors and reporters from such impressive newspapers as: the Boston Globe, the Washington Post, and the Los Angeles Times, which is as rare as finding a rose in the desert. Students need more programs like this to lead them in the right direction.

The program is helpful for those students who question journalism as their career because it gives them a firsthand perspective of what is expected and required. The assignments and deadline pressures demand that students take the job seriously. The editors teach students how important it is to do the job quickly and accurately. All of these are important when working for a daily newspaper. The Reporter is a stepping-stone for students who are just getting started in the field and a building block for those who already have some journalistic experience.

Gomez is an intern for the Tuscon (Ariz.) Citizen. She was a reporter for the 1996 ASNE Reporter.