"We're so Pawley's Island" - Khadijah

Rachel, myself and Marina - The Interns

Only less than a week remain for my time here at South Carolina ETV, and I'm reminded more and more everyday that this opportunity is going to do wonders for my career in the near future.

Yesterday, the girls and I had a conversation regarding the question, "What next?" Though they're going on to face the tough decisions of where to take their career after graduation, I still have two years left to figure this all out, and I honestly don't know where this road is going to lead me.

I'm so used to going after opportunities, and completely shocked once they're in my grasp. I've found that during my time here with ETV, I am open to a lot of opportunities for my future, and I'm passionate about a great deal when it comes to media.

Though I know for certain that I would like to go on and serve my time at CNN with my career, I'm aware that a person trying to break out into the media industry doesn't just get lucky all the time.

And I'm okay with that.

I don't want to be that girl that expects a handout down the road, or to rely on references from other people (though that would probably be a great help in this industry!). I'm all about proving why a company needs me, and working on ways to stand out from the crowd with my work ethic and skill.

I think the most important thing to understand through that process however is to never think that you're too good for an opportunity. Yes, expecting more for yourself is something that you always should do, and that's how I was raised, but it can also hinder some great opportunities for you if you're not careful. Though my dream is with CNN, I know that it is not the only platform out there for me to share my knowledge and to educate individuals. I'm open to working with other platforms before or after my time with CNN if it is meant for me to do so.

It's also important to love what you do.

A part of our discussion about life and our future involved discovering the difference between what a job is and what a career is. In my opinion, a career is something that everyone should aim for - it is the very thing that keeps you going. Something that you never grow tired of, no matter how demanding the job may be. It's something that you love to do - you breathe it and you live it to the very best of your ability because it's something that you care about beyond the money. Money is a tangible object that we won't always have forever - it's something that we'll always work for, but many times, we're never motivated to do when we don't love what we have to do to get it.

I can only hope that with whatever I do in life, I'll love it to the very fullest of me. I hope that what I do helps and inspires someone and teaches them that news is more than an outlet of sharing negativity only, but showing the best parts of our world that people should be aware of.

And more importantly, that it'll be more than a job to me.

P.S. Because me trying Nutella for the first time in my life was a big deal.



"I Guess This Means You're Famous Now " - Khadijah

Clip from SCETV  Interns Video

 

     How do you actually know when you've reached the point of success?

It's always been an ongoing question of mine when I made the decision that I wanted to be a broadcast journalist. There are so many avenues that can be taken with this particular decision, and there are so many different ways of achieving a successful career. There are also many definitions of what it means to be successful generally speaking. When we observe the lives of our favorite artists, writers, communicators, etc., we have a preconceived notion of what success is based upon their life and what they display on television/media outlets.

But again, I ask, how do you KNOW when it is that YOU'VE reached the point of being successful in your field of work?



Palmetto Scene episode clip (last Thursday)






 

Last Thursday, I saw my work being broadcasted on television for the very first time. Now, I've done a lot of work for the broadcast station at my school that is broadcasted through the University of South Carolina campus network, but I've never done anything of this magnitude. To have my work shown to more than the usual campus demographic that I'm used to is an extremely amazing experience. The feeling I got when seeing my work was literally that of a speechless excitement.

I got a call from my younger brother that night, and the first words he said to me were: "I guess this means you're famous now."

I didn't necessarily know how to react to that.

I knew that this was a great point in my career, especially at such an early stage in my academic career at the University of South Carolina, but did this really mean that I've reached the pivotal moment of "fame" or success?

One thing that I've always told myself is that I never want to let the defining moments of being successful overtake my mind to the point where I forget where I started. I see that happen often, and I don't want something like this opportunity to do the same.

So with that being said, I personally believe that I still have a long way to go, but to have a moment like this means a lot. It means that I am on the right track, and that should be recognized, if not by anyone else, than to myself.

With my internship ending in a little less than 2 weeks, I have a really big decision to make as far as where do I go from here?

Do I want to continue pursuing a career in journalism?
Will I come back to ETV next summer, or will I explore other opportunities?
Where do I want to be years from now upon graduating college?

I think that the most defining moments of success isn't with how much money you make, or how may followers you have on Twitter (though you're in a pretty good spot when hitting more than a few thousand!), but I think that the most important aspect of being successful is always being on your toes. Never ceasing to think about what it is that you want to do with your life, and never ceasing to work towards those goals and dreams.

This is the first step in my career, but it most certainly isn't the last.

P.S. : Apart of being an intern at South Carolina ETV is getting to share your experiences with others! Check out the internship video below that my fellow internship friend, Marina edited and put together here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MQZpetM8-U

 

 

And don't forget to check out the new episode of Palmetto Scene, featuring my work from the Barnwell School District Summer Reading Program!

http://video.scetv.org/video/2365290537/