Thoughts about my future in the journalism industry.

I like to think that I have a chance in this business. I like to think that when I graduate, someone will look at me and think, "Hey, that kid has potential. She's worth taking a risk on."
I read about layoffs at several news organizations. I read things like angryjournalist.com with posts from people who are disenchanted with this business. Just yesterday, I received a letter in my RGJ e-mail about how Gannett is laying off 10 percent of its newsroom staffs.
Despite all those things, I still keep trucking on.
But the other day, I realized something - I am one of many.
Social networking has opened my eyes to that. Thanks to places like Facebook and Twitter, I've met (or at least messaged) dozens of other young, bright-eyed journalists like myself. Their resumes are similar to mine, they have experience that I don't, they have the same basic dreams.
And it's enough to make a person wonder...well, what in the world makes me stand out?
A few weeks ago, Mike asked me what my journalistic goals were.

"To be a good journalist."

"Well, obviously. But what else besides that?"

I didn't have an answer. I'm still figuring it out. But it's those goals that make you stand out from the crowd. It's those dreams that will make someone realize I might be worth it.
I know that getting a job in this crazy age is a mixture of experience, who you know and plain luck. And I believe that everything happens for a reason (good example - I never wanted to go to UNR, but didn't have the money for NYU, so here I am. And look where that's gotten me: working for a great student newspaper, friendships that I hope will last a lifetime, professional internships, connections...the list goes on and on).
I just hope whatever else I do in the next two years will put me in the right place at the right time to make someone think, "She's going places. She's got a future."