My entire college career I believed that the less responsibility I had, the better. Joining clubs or internships could take away time for studying and inadvertently hurt my grades. If you have a massive course load, this may prove true. However, for the majority of full-time students, I argue that getting involved at the Daily Utah Chronicle could likely improve your grades and your future career for a few key reasons. 

Just Skating By

I have always considered myself a competent writer and student. My whole life I’ve put in a moderate effort to receive a good GPA. Once I got to college, I instantly fell into a lifestyle of following every paper’s rubric to the dot — no more, no less. Eventually, writing became soulless and effortless, just another box-checking activity. I didn’t have to hold myself accountable to write my best, because the rubrics never called for that. The writing was something I had to do, not wanted to do. That was until I pursued my internship at the Chronicle.

Nearly Missed Opportunity

I didn’t join the Chronicle until my final semester here at the University of Utah. Unfortunately, I really wish I had joined years ago. On top of the fact that I could have saved god knows how much in tuition with scholarships they can provide, joining Student Media has been the most gratifying experience I’ve had here.

The Chronicle allowed me to write about exactly what I wanted to, no rubric in sight. That meant the only person I had to impress was my supervisors, readers and myself. I can’t speak for my readers or supervisors, but it turns out I am pretty hard to please. I spent hours researching, writing, editing and revising to turn a mediocre article into a great one. Getting compliments from friends and readers has been more motivating to me than any A+ I’ve received.

But ultimately, knowing that I did justice in my work to a topic I’m truly passionate about is one of the most satisfying accomplishments of my college career. 

Keep my Spot Warm

It is safe to say that getting involved at the Chronicle improved my writing tremendously. It also improved my work ethic by writing under deadlines. If I had these skills years ago, my grades would likely be even better today. Don’t make the same mistake I did; get involved ASAP.

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