Working on the job as a passion, not a chore

Mackenzie Freund, Staff Reporter

“You’re a journalism major? So basically you don’t want a job?”

When I chose to change my major to journalism, I knew that I was getting into a very competitive field.

What I did not do, however, is go into a career path of which I have no future in.

I chose to change my major to journalism because I found something that I am good at, and something that makes me happy.

I came to EIU as a transfer student majoring in biology. I started working for the Daily Eastern News and the Warbler Yearbook, and suddenly that’s all I talked about to my best friend and my family.

Having the experience of working for the paper made me realize that I didn’t want to major in science to do what I thought would make my family happy.

Being part of the DEN made me realize that what I wanted to do was take pictures, write stories, and tell the truth about events.

I spent a lot of time roaming around campus and going to events with my camera glued to my face just waiting to capture that perfect moment.

I spent a lot of time doing what I love, and not even thinking about it as a career.

I chose to be a journalist because I love it. I love knowing that I get to go out and make my passion my career. I love knowing that I can build relationships with people that some can only dream about.

I have the opportunity to work at a daily paper for my school, better my skills as a reporter and photographer and give myself that extra step that many people don’t have.

Knowing that I chose my major because it is what I want to do, not what everyone else wants me to do took a load of stress off of me that I didn’t even know existed.

I know that when I graduate in two years, I will not have made a mistake when I chose journalism as my major.

I love knowing that I will be happy when I graduate from EIU, because I had the opportunity to work for the DEN and get a view of what the rest of my life will be.

I wish more students had the opportunity to do this.

I wish more students could go out and get this kind of hands on experience in whatever field they want to go into.

If more students had the option to turn their passions into their careers, I feel like they would be less concerned about pleasing other people and end up being happier with what they choose as a career.

Mackenzie Freund is a journalism major and can be reached at 581-2812 or at [email protected].