I’ve heard more times than I can count that the trick to being confident is “fake it ’till you make it.” It’s a theory I’d never tested out, not until the day I called the Benicia Herald with the goal of securing an internship.
I was riled up about some forgotten grievance, and I decided that teenagers needed their voices to be heard, one way or another. I appointed myself representative of adolescent woes and chose the Benicia Herald as the platform to express these matters on. With no experience in journalism, unless you count interviewing 8th graders for the middle school’s yearbook (I spelled sandwich wrong- it made it in the final version), I called up my local newspaper. My inexperienced 16-year-old self informed them that I would be a valuable asset to the paper. I convinced them they needed me; I talked myself up so much that I was impressing myself. They told me they’d talk to the editor, and I promised it would be a decision they wouldn’t regret.
It was almost a year and a half ago that I made that call, and I still consider it one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. It was an uncharacteristically bold move for me, and it still amazes me that the same 11th-grader who would accept the wrong amount of change at check-out to avoid confrontation could call a newspaper and persuade them into creating an internship. Perhaps the Herald recognized a blazing determination in me that I had yet to discover myself, but whatever it was that convinced them, I am grateful every day for it.
My internship allowed me a unique opportunity to take a glimpse into the world of journalism. Although I wrote my articles from the comfort of my home, I still gained a better sense of what being a journalist entails. I learned how to interview other people, how to create a story out of a headline, how to navigate an important deadline. Most importantly, I learned that being a journalist wasn’t for me. I love writing the way some people love art or music, but if my ability to put food on the table depended on that love, it would quickly spiral into a much less healthy relationship. Writing is as natural to me as breathing, but just like that constant cycle of turning oxygen into carbon, the second it no longer becomes involuntary, it defeats its own purpose. Writing is a passion of mine, but it is not my only passion. A job that depends solely on my writing ability would drain me of that passion.
While I may not be pursuing a career in journalism, I still understand the importance of writing. Writing is a versatile skill that can be applied to almost every avenue of work, and I plan on incorporating it into all of my future endeavors. Whether I end up as a marketing director, a humane resources manager, or even an executive director, I know that my writing will be an invaluable asset.
Ironically, the majority of what I wrote during my time at the Herald had little to do with provocations for change or internalized outcries from the youth. I enjoyed writing my own content, exploring different holiday traditions around the world, covering school events, and interviewing local politicians and school administration. There were only two instances where I actually used my internship to express my opinion on a controversial matter, and both those articles by far were the ones where I received the most positive feedback.
First with the dress code, then with the school board’s decisions that affected the performing arts, I voiced my frustration and outrage, sentiments that I felt were representative of an ignored majority. My article on the performing arts garnered an enormous response from the community. I had parents, students, and teachers thanking me for what I wrote, and I can’t deny that it was an incredible feeling. I can only hope that what I wrote snowballed into action or change, or at the very least sparked a discussion about it.
My second to last article was a timely reminder of why I started my internship in the first place. Knowing that my words are able to inspire and mobilize others is incredibly empowering. I’ve always believed that words are the most potent catalyst for change, and my experience at the Herald has only deepened this belief. I am so grateful that I was granted this experience, and I am eternally thankful to the Benicia Herald for believing in me.
Most importantly, a writer is nothing without their readers, so I want to thank each and every one of you that followed me on this journey.
On June 10, I will be graduating high school, and starting a new chapter of my life, studying business-economics at UCLA. This will be my last article for the Benicia Herald as a high school student. I don’t know what the future has in store for me, but for now, this is goodbye.

Jasmine Weis is a senior at Benicia High School– until Friday, that is, when she graduates.

Sharing is caring!