After completing summer journalism workshops and gradually learning more about it over these past four years of high school, I have come to realize that journalism is not just about communicating facts to the public. Instead, it is a way of viewing and interpreting the world that we as humans can learn from.

As a journalist, we often request to interview our subjects. While I do this habitually now, how often do we make similar requests in “normal” life? Usually, we don’t consider the precious time of others and just ask them whatever we need to know. Plus, it is rare that we ever request to hear about other people, as our own lives usually consume all of our daily thoughts. 

Additionally, journalists must constantly ask their interviewees to spell out their first and last names before an interview. How often do we as individuals pay that close attention to others? 

And yes, these formalities exist because newspapers are published and people get upset if they are in the paper without warning or if a fact is incorrect. However, maybe if we treated every conversation like an interview and viewed every person like a subject for an article, then the world would be a much better place. 

Instead of getting caught up in individual thoughts and goals, we would start to realize that many people are far more interesting than we are and that’s okay. In fact, it is healthy. 

I’ve interviewed many people for The Wall who have done far more extraordinary things than I likely ever will. I’ve interviewed an internationally renowned dancer who has traveled the globe, a free-throw record holder in the NCAA, and many other special individuals. 

While personal ambition is important, not valuing the rest of the world is how those goals dissipate into fantasies. We need other people to thrive and journalism is a bridge to form these connections.