JACC Convention

First of all I received some complaints about my inexperienced it seems to the blogging world....(umm haters u noe who u are) Just Kidding guys.

Ok, so here I go in more experienced-AP Style-boring type of blogging.

I went to the JACC State Convention this past weekend and let me say it was the most thrilling experience I have ever received. Being part of the Talonmarks staff, has made a proud student here at Cerritos. Being awarded on the best online newspapers has had me thinking; "Man we're good."



The JACC offered various workshops varying from broadcast to print, to layout and design. The one's I mostly attended were the one's associated with the print, which includes newspapers, blogging and magazines. I attended more workshops than those that were required from my professor because I wanted to get the sense of things. Seeing all those students in the conference, really brought to my attention that I am not the only one trying to make it in this profession.



It showed me that I really need to start improving in my skills and actually start "selling myself" which was said by Randy Hagihara, recruiter for Los Angeles Times, which by the way was the most honest, and brutal workshop I attended. But that was a good thing, it introduced me to the materials that I need to succeed in this demanding business.



By the way I also participated in a competition (forcefully by my editor-in-chief) but I thank him for that, even though I was nervous. It was an amazing experience, the pressure was insane, and the gathering of information was stressful because all sorts of ideas are running through my head, that I lose the correct angle I am trying to get at. I have realized through this experience that I need to stay focus on one topic and deliver my opinion straight on. My stories end up all over the place, and that's going to end up hurting me.



Something I learned, that was eye -opening for me was feature writing. I can almost say this is my favorite type of writing. I like to write news, but I see myself as a story teller and that's what feature writing is about; description. For those who read my opinions I tend to that a lot, and I am not sure my editors like it that much, sorry.



But I think I rambled enough. I am so grateful for this experience and seriously, this made my decision of coming back next semester and giving it my all in the newspaper.