Winter blues go away: How to keep motivated as a journalism student

Let’s face it everyone, the days have gotten shorter, the winds have picked up, and the temperatures have dropped. Winter’s in full swing and with the break coming to a close, it’s normal to be worried about switching back to “school mode.” Journalism students are always on the go, so it’s especially easy to burn out.

We want you to get the most out of your education and remember why you came to Carleton! To help you get back on track, here are some great tips and tricks for staying motivated during any season. 

Absorb the News 

Yes, that’s right! I know I’m sounding like all of your professors right now, but it’s important to remember why you wanted to become a journalist in the first place! A few bad marks do not mean that you weren’t meant to be a journalist; it’s just preparing you for the future. Criticism is apart of the game, and we should welcome it — it’s the only way we can get better.  So, go back to your happy place, listen to The Current and pretend you’re on the air with Matt Galloway, or watch primetime  news on CTV with Lisa Laflemme, or read the Ottawa Citizen’s ‘One in a Million’ feature stories with Bruce Deachman. Go back to the great journalists you admire and see how you can become like them! I guarantee a spark will go off and you’ll soon be back at your desk creating stories again. 

Practice Writing

Sometimes we forget our passions, what we are curious about, and what we want to write about. It’s hard to write what we care about with so many assignments looming over us. So my next piece of advice would be to sign up for a club, paper, or blog and find things that you like to write about. This is a great way to connect with your own interests and gives you some great practice of finding sources, conducting interviews, and making deadlines. As the old saying goes, practice makes perfect, you won’t regret the time you put into it, especially when you get great feedback on your writing. 

Stay Social 

A great way to stay motivated is to network! Either through meeting people in the same program as you, meeting with your professors, or reaching out to new journalists for tips, you’ll really start to feel more connected to the journalism community. Once you’re a part of the community, you’ll never want to leave! A great way of socializing with your peers is finding people in the class and messaging them on social media, see if there are any journalism group chats to be a part of, and (of course) come to JSOC events! 

Take Breaks 

Yes I said it: take breaks! Sometimes you just need a small moment to yourself. If a story isn’t coming together or you can’t think of anything else to write, give yourself 10 minutes, and I’m sure something will come. Most times, we get a footy brain from lack of sleep, lack of nutritious food, and plainly just doing too much work in one day. So if you’re staring at an assignment that you just can’t finish, go work on something else, exercise, grab a snack, get some fresh air. Do anything that will give you a moment of relaxation and you’ll soon have your writing juices flowing again. 

Hopefully some of these tips will help you stay motivated during the cold winter season and help you feel good about the coming months.

Remember, journalism is what you make it; have fun with it! 

By Rachel Fiset, second year representative