When visiting the Rhody Cigar website, I clicked on my name, which was attached to many articles at this point. After clicking on the fourth page, I was met with an article I had completely forgotten about, which I wrote three years ago.
To say I wrote it is a stretch. I had no knowledge of print journalism, and when I finished it, the editors called me in to completely overhaul it. I feel embarrassed thinking about it, but everyone starts somewhere.
Rejoining as a contributing reporter in my junior year was daunting, but I had more experience under my belt from the classes I had taken. I don’t think I really got the hang of writing for print until my senior year.
As of now I have written over 40 articles for The Good Five Cent Cigar as well as a few video news packages. With the guidance of the Cigar team and my friends, I can now write work that I’m proud of.
To me, being a reporter is about expanding my horizons. I have met a lot of people, gone to events I never would have attended and learned so much about both the University of Rhode Island and the world. It was essential for my growth as a journalist and as a person.
It is a very dark time to be a journalist and a young person. Attending protests where people rallied for me, speaking to people from all walks of life and learning about disciplines that make the world a better place helped me through these tough times.
The Cigar was also there for me when I lost my job at Simmons Farm in Middletown, Rhode Island, after the farm shut down. Taking care of the goats at Simmons Farm gave me so much joy, and losing them tore a hole in my heart. I am lucky to have had the Cigar to keep me motivated and help me recover.
I would encourage any student, especially those in the Harrington School, to at least attend one Cigar meeting and write one story. Even if you do not write for the paper long-term, you will open yourself up to experiences and perspectives you have never heard of, and you’ll be glad you did.
I want to thank everyone on the Cigar team for helping me, especially my news editors Abbie Chipps and Sadie Brandt. Your encouragement and feedback were so valuable and made me a better journalist.
I also want to thank my friend James Melita. On almost every event coverage story I took, and many other investigative reporting stories, he came along with me. Thank you for paying for and riding the RIPTA Flex buses with me, and thank you for holding the camera whenever I filmed for a newscast. I could not have done it without you; you’re an honorary member of the Cigar to me.
I am not sure what the future holds for me. I am looking to write freelance for local publications along with a steady job of any kind, hopefully in animal agriculture. I will always remember my time with the Cigar fondly; it was one of the best parts of my URI experience. I hope it will continue to prosper, and I’ll always check the website from time to time to see how it continues to grow.
