Four years ago, I walked into The Reflector office, attempting not to let my nervousness show as I waited for my interview to begin. Terrified I wasn’t good enough to write for the newspaper, I prepared myself for a rejection because I had only written in high school and was a biochemistry major. To my surprise, I was not only told I could write three trial articles for the entertainment section but was also invited by the managing editor to visit the office to see what the editors did, in case I wanted to apply for a spring position.
And so began my journey of self-discovery and fulfillment which many college freshmen go through (I’ll spare you.) But I did become entertainment editor and change my major from biochemistry to English and communication by the end of the year.
I had found something I was passionate about. So, for four years, I held various jobs at the newspaper and wrote about as many topics as I could.  And, on occasion, I asked a professor if I could duck out of class if the FBI or the coroner called. I learned to balance writing stories, editing and doing classwork. Sometimes that meant sacrificing sleep, sometimes that meant being a chronic anti-social.
But I never regretted it. And, honestly, as hard as my life may have seemed at some points (both to myself and those who knew me), I didn’t have it as bad as many student journalists I know.
At the end of April 2011, I had just taken over as editor in chief of The Reflector.  At the same time, the staff of The Crimson White dealt with covering the tornado that struck and devastated Tuscaloosa.
Former staff members who covered the tornado have described to me their ethical struggles in evaluating whether to release information based on unreliable sources, especially with death reports.
Staffers used what resources they could to report as accurately as possible in order to distribute information.
And, through all of this, they made great sacrifices – although they never complained or described it as such. To them, they were just doing their jobs.
In our line of work, journalists face difficult situations – covering natural disasters, crime, sensitive issues and death. But sometimes, we’re writing about new laws, construction or industry trends. All of it is important. All of it deserves the same care. Before we put words on the page, we have to act professionally and ethically. We make choices that affect our coverage. And that may begin with researching the issue at hand thoroughly before going to interviews so the right questions are asked.
Student journalists must realize they are not different from professional journalists. We are held to the same standard – if not a higher standard by some – as the rest of the media. Our facts must be correct.
We must look for all sides of the story. We must never stop learning and improving. And we must learn to do it while maintaining excellence in our schoolwork and other activities.
Why do we care about the print industry and keep writing? Because there’s huge potential to inform people in an in-depth manner. Short newscasts will never be able to give 3,000 words to explore key issues. We can. (I’m not knocking the broadcast industry; it just fulfills a different role.) Readers can have a physical copy of information and go back to it as needed.
So we need to be accurate. We need to be fair. We need to care. We need to be passionate about what we do. We aren’t limited as student journalists – we have enormous power to do good.
Through persistence, hard work and love for service, journalists continue to make a difference throughout the world.
So should we.
And that involves getting a more diverse group of people involved in writing and working for The Reflector. 
To any student interested in writing, taking photographs, working as ad sales representatives or delivering the paper: come apply. Your major doesn’t matter. What matters is your commitment to the job. To make something good better. To serve your fellow students and your community.
But, to those of you who just enjoy reading us, I urge you to give us feedback. Thank you for reading and always feel free to write in ([email protected]) if you have any comments, concerns or letters to the editor. I encourage you one last time because I won’t be here to do so. Today, I turn in my keys to The Reflector office and step down as editor. The memories and lessons I learned will stay with me, but I will move on – as is the case with many of the students who pass through this office. And I appreciate all that everyone at this university, especially my staff and Frances McDavid (The Reflector adviser) and Denise Kellum (business manager) has done for me.
I leave thankful for not only the opportunity I had to serve but also grateful this job has changed me. Being a journalist has made me thoroughly consider others, the implications of my actions and the importance of education.
As I prepare to leave, Kaitlyn Byrne will take over as editor in chief for 2013-2014. Congratulations to her and the new editorial board staff. I have every faith they can show you, the readers, how important and effective journalism can be. I look forward to reading.