Since I was 5 years old, music has been engraved into my life as my main outlet for creativity, so for years, I thought I had developed my artistry to its fullest potential. However, when I began to get more involved in journalism two years ago, I realized I lacked a lot of creativity.
As the Sports co-editor for The Accolade last year, part of my job was to design my own layouts for my section. During the production process for the first issue, I was extremely unsure of how to even begin my page. After several days, I finally came up with a design that was immediately turned down by the top editors. Although this was only my first issue, I already began to question my abilities and wondered if I was worthy of a position so high when it was only my first year on the team. As a result, my love for journalism as a whole faltered.
It was November 2024 when I started to rethink my stance on journalism. I experienced my first proper “Tommy Li-esque” celebration when we celebrated our National Scholastic Press Association Pacemaker award at the end of the month. We had sweet treats, a toast with apple cider and a chant to properly feel the thrill of the win. Witnessing our adviser speak about journalism with so much passion and truly making an effort to recognize our hard work inspired me to explore deeper into journalism and discover why people like Li have fallen so deeply in love with it.
For the next semester, I opened my eyes to the raw beauty of journalism. I experienced some more failures, but I also learned how exciting and genuine the wins felt when I thought about the hard work my fellow staff and I put in until late at night to put these magazines together. We sat in Room 138 every day, discussing layouts and writing stories until the sun stopped shining through the windows. Through journalism, I met some of my closest friends, and together, we cried and rejoiced through another season of The Accolade.
In classical music, everyone’s ultimate goal is to become a soloist — and for 12 years, I believed that earning that soloist spot meant you were the best. But journalism taught me that camaraderie and teamwork are really where it’s at. Having a team to rely on truly motivated me to grow both personally and as a teammate, giving me the skillset to contribute more confidently.
Striving towards goals alone only narrows your vision — like how I thought my creativity was solely rooted in my musical ability. Journalism broadened my view on life and truly took me to a new world that I never would have found without its help.
