This semester I committed my self to only writing stories I really cared about. Not that I didn't before, but every once in a while you get stuck on a story that you thought would be fun that actually sucks your will to keep writing. For example, the tutoring story and the here's the handbook were both ones that I felt really reflected things that I wanted to adress with my writing.
When you write about something that you care about, you're bound to put more effort into it. This is why I felt like the tutoring story and the competition story also helped to push my skills with writing. With the tutoring op/ed, it pushed me to refine my voice when it comes to writing about my opinion and personal expirences. The handbook story pushed me to take charge of a group project and delegate jobs that needed to be done. It also pushed me in writing massive stories that have touchy subjects because I had to make sure everything that I wrote was adressing every side of this debate.
This semester also taught me a lot about how to function and communicate in a team setting. There were many times this semester when I saw how lack of communication kind of held back the staff, like with the many factual and AP style errors in issue 4. Yet when we pulled it together and learned how to communicate it really showed in issue 5.
All in all, I am so thankful for my time on the Arlingtonian staff and for everything it has taught me about working in a group and the importance of journalism on every level in society.