Without a doubt, I was a late bloomer to the world of The Badger Herald.

After contributing as a campus reporter for a semester sophomore year, I took a year hiatus to be a Humorology director. (We didn’t even place. It was pretty depressing.) But after working at a newspaper in Prague this past summer, I realized I wanted to be a journalist and — with little experience — needed to get my shit together.

I became an associate state news editor of the Herald last semester, and it was definitely weird having my stories restructured and edited by people younger than me. I had already been in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication for two years — what could student journalists teach me that I didn’t already know? Apparently, a lot.

Now as one of the Herald’s features editors, I have grown as a writer, leader and overall person these past two semesters. The Badger Herald reshaped what I thought I knew about meeting deadlines, time management and how to just get to the point when writing a story. Most importantly, it taught me how to be a journalist in a way that an academic course just can’t.

The irony here is that I accepted a post-grad internship in strategic communications, not even journalism. But I am 100 percent positive that I would not have received an offer if it weren’t for the writing portfolio I gained while at the Herald.

So even though I began my Herald career late, I encourage everyone (you too, strat comm trackers) to try writing an article for the Herald at least once. You will probably get defensive and want to punch someone at first, but trust me, it will change you as a writer. Plus, you’ll meet some pretty incredible people along the way. (#BH4LYFE <3)