Blast from the past

I ran across a box of old floppy disks and discovered, among other things, this essay I wrote as part of my application for the Dow Jones Newspaper Fund editing internship. I got a spot in the program and it led to what remains my favorite job ever, even though it was in Ashland, Ky.

Rereading this essay made me laugh. I hope you like it.

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My personality reads like a profile of the ideal editor. As a senior in college, what a relief to realize that my idiosyncrasies match a job description!

I'm curious. Or, maybe, nosy. I like to know what's going on in the nation, around North Carolina, across campus and in my small hometown. I believe in digging deep, and I think that's why I'm a good interviewer: I really do care about getting below the surface. My sense of what matters, what readers care about, gives me good news judgment.

I'm detail-oriented. Three years ago in a journalism class, I was thrilled to learn of The Associated Press Stylebook. Who knew other people were bothered by inconsistencies in publications? I thought I was just anal.

I'm flexible. Since I was quick to pick journalism but slow to settle on a sequence, I've taken my share of random but relevant classes, which makes me a versatile potential employee. Advertising, public relations, graphic design ... I've had flings with them all. In a pinch, I'm willing to work on anything. And I want to learn more.

I'm organized. I can handle a full workload without being overwhelmed because I kicked my old habit of procrastination and learned to love my daily planner.

I'm creative. That's why I actively seek unique angles for same-old, same-old stories, and it's why I consider writing headlines to be an art in itself. Creativity is the difference between "Who gives a damn?" and "Well, I'll be damned!"

I never considered that these quirks might be gifts -- and clues to my future -- until I worked on my high school yearbook.

I applied for the yearbook staff on a whim, as a junior, because I thought it would be fun to see my work in print. As a sportswriter, I was able to get grounded in the basics: writing, interviewing, grammar and spelling, layout and design. Even a little photography, because our staff was small and desperate.

My senior year I was the copy editor, which meant I frequently stayed late, frantically redrawing layouts and cropping photographs and proofreading copy until the whole package worked. I learned to be decisive and to edit wisely, correcting mistakes without sacrificing the original writer's style.

Since those days I've worked with Carolina's yearbook and several small campus publications, and interned part time with the alumni magazine. I'm glad for every chance to refine my skills. But my deadlines are usually weeks away, not hours, and I crave a faster pace. And I miss bringing all the elements of a publication together.

I had a hard time deciding which aspect of journalism to pursue until I realized editing covers the bases. It's a perfect match for me, and all I lack is professional experience. I want to intern in a real newsroom, working with the best; that's the next step in my quest to edit.