In the field

I can't help myself so I think I should just come right out and admit it. I enjoy doing field work as a journalism major.

I find it funny admitting to this especially after the rough beginning that I had to my career during first year journalism.

When we were given our first streeter assignment I was incredibly nervous. I also felt guilty.

"This is how people who work in call centers feel,"I thought.

I just felt like I was bothering people who were otherwise occupied, when I went up to them to kindly ask if they would answer a few questions for me.

We would have to get two quotes from two different people, so as soon as I got my second quote I would head back to class and try to write my story.

The only problem was the quotes I got weren't all that great. There was something incomplete in them because I had failed to ask the proper follow up questions.

I remember going to the Bomber game assignment last year and having this big sigh of relief when I saw someone I knew in the section I was sitting in. I felt this would be enough to get a story and I wouldn't have to 'bother' anyone at the football game.

I ended up only quoting one person and failing because I needed at least two. There had been others there, I was just too nervous to approach them.

I spoke with my first semester Jounralism instructor, and she told me that I should have a purpose in mind whenever I went out to interview someone. This idea really seemed to help.

Last summer I was in Korea shooting a documentary about English teachers. In total I ended up interviewing around thirty people from all over the world. Some of them were my friends and some were not.

I got a few of my interview subjects through Facebook. In Korea they have groups on Facebook for everything ex-pat related. I put a few posts on there and got a few hits.

One of my favourite interview sessions took place on a rooftop in Incheon, the sight of the famous amphibious landing that turned the tide of the Korean War.

I got a lot of practice at doing work in the field. The more I did, the more I started to realize how much I enjoyed going out and talking to people.

A few weeks ago, when my class covered Justin Trudeau's appearance in Lorette, I felt quite comfortable. I worked the room and in a way I felt like I owned it.

By the end people started coming up to me to talk, and they were not bothering me.

Something had changed. I had discovered that I really like what I do.

Afterwards I was so excited I couldn't sleep. Now I just gotta get over the anxiety I have over deadlines. If anyone has any advice, please let me know.

cheers,

rymr