When I left my college newspaper in May after three crazy and challenging years, I admit I entertained the idea of never returning to a newsroom.
While the combination of running a twice-weekly publication, printing a 40-page special edition and completing my senior journalism capstone (all in one semester) contributed to that idea, I worried I’d never find another newsroom in which I felt equally inspired. Where community defined the experience.
After my first week as a sports news assistant at The Des Moines Register, I’ve realized the power of the newsroom isn’t in a witty headline, a moving story or even the name at the top of each page.
For me, the newsroom is a home and a haven, a place where I feel comfortable and challenged, productive and peaceful, all at once.
Maybe it’s that extra cup of black tea I inevitably pour when I copy edit. Maybe it’s the thrill of finding the dreaded Oxford comma and drawing a thick, red line through it. Maybe it’s the fact that I dedicate my time to content I hope enables readers to make decisions about their lives.
In typical Taylor fashion, I’m not certain — about a lot of things. Where my career will lead, where I’ll live after graduation.
But I know I’ll always have a home in the newsroom. And the best kind of home, at that: one with an endless supply of red pens, AP Stylebooks and people who believe in me.