This has truly been one of the most transformative experiences of my life. That’s incredibly cliche, but it’s true. I’ve learned a lot, and when I say I’ve learned a lot, I don’t mean that I learned some neat new tricks about editing audio and getting good nat sound, even though I did learn that. What I mean is that I’ve learned a lot about people and a lot about myself, and I think that’s the best thing this experience could have given me.

For instance, I’ve learned that journalists really don’t take themselves too seriously. And I mean that in the best way. Just because someone sounds really official and informed on the radio, that doesn’t stop them from going to karaoke bars late at night or singing to themselves while they type, or spending massive amounts of time watching viral videos online. And I think that’s the most humbling thing. To look around you and realize these are people, and they’re just trying to make a difference in the world. And maybe I can do that too, if I decide it matters enough to me to make it happen.

Before this bootcamp, I had only one month of radio experience. I felt like I wasn’t qualified, like I was somehow unprepared, or I wouldn’t write an absolutely perfect story that blew everyone away and went viral as soon as I uploaded it. But I slowly realized that, for better or for worse, the people at Next Generation Radio trusted me to tell a good story. And that, in and of itself, gives me the confidence I need.