My Reporting Fundamentals class is coming to a close, and I want to take a chance to reflect on my semester.

I came in with very little knowledge about social media, content creation, or reporting. However, I left with many valuable skills.

I left knowing how to – somewhat – navigate Adobe Pro, and it helped me create the project I was most proud of throughout the entire semester. The project was a short video package about my younger brother as he goes through the college application process.

Using Adobe Pro was by my biggest challenge throughout the semester. My lack of knowledge coupled with a computer that struggled to keep up with the software made this project extremely difficult for me. However, as I said, I am very happy with how it turned out, and I feel I presented his story in an authentic manner.

I struggled through many of these assignments, but came out the other end with new skills and a product that I could share with others, and one that I was happy with.

I was able to turn an otherwise typical conversation with my sister about our favorite show: The Sopranos, into short podcast episode – something I never thought I would be able to do. This assignment showed me that anyone can make a podcast, and it’s quite simple. I learned the importance of incorporating strong sound bites and music to create a captivating episode that people will enjoy.

I really enjoyed creating infographics using Canva. I never used canva before, but was really impressed with the high quality design tools it provides. I realize now that infographics are present everywhere, and they are a great way to present information if you’re able to make them fun or interesting.

I very much enjoyed the photography unit. However, I certainly struggled. I was lucky enough to be taking a photography class this semester as well, with awesome teachers, so I had some knowledge going into the unit.

I learned the importance of angles, shutter speed, and aperture, all things I had no idea were so important when taking a photo. I came with a newfound love for photo-taking, and a new respect for the skill that it requires.

These are my two favorite photos from this semester. The first is a picture I took of my breakfast sandwich from WestTown Bakery, and the second is one of a festive man at the Christkndl Market in Wrigleyville, which I highly suggest visiting before it closes on December 31st.

Overall, I enjoyed this class, and believe that I learned skills that will prove invaluable within any career path. I am not sure if I will pursue a career in journalism. However, this class forced me to be creative and think outside the box – two things that are important in any walk of life.