The most important thing any journalism student will learn in their very first class is to always address the who, what, when, where, why and how of every story.
An article or column without those five Ws and one H won’t fly.
I’ve conducted the five Ws and one H test countless times on stories since fall 2015 when I first joined our Student Media program. A news story here. A review there. It’s all the same: who, what, when, where, why and how.
But when I think back on the last four years of my life, I never thought to take that test to my own story. My college story, essentially, began and will soon end on the Third Floor of the Pitman Center, tucked away among stacks of newsprint, years-old couches and some of the most influential people in my life.
When I think about the past four years, it’s only fitting I convey that story in the first way I learned how — the first way we all learned how.
Hailey Stewart | Argonaut
The who
Without The Argonaut or Blot Magazine (both my pride and joy), I would have never met my second family — the people I count on daily.
I joined the newsroom timid and a little clueless. But over time, editors and mentors took me under their wings. A baby at the time, college me eventually turned into a young editor and a passionate lover of journalism.
To say these people are some of the most amazing people I have ever met would be an understatement. They are the reason my work is fun. They are the reason my days are filled with more laughter than stress. They are the reason the last four years have all too quickly flown by. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
The what
You’ve probably noticed a new edition of The Argonaut pops up every Thursday. And you’ve probably noticed the occasional Blot Magazine on stands.
These publications have been part of my daily routine for the last four years. Every Wednesday night production for the paper, every long weekend in the newsroom designing and editing the magazine helped me grow as a journalist and helped our staff tell important stories.
The when
The news, we all know, likes to happen whenever and wherever. Sometimes it happens on a regular Thursday night when a rocket explodes on campus. Sometimes it happens when a Vandal Alert is sent out during an average afternoon. Sometimes, it happens over time.
The news never stops, because storytelling never ends when there are important stories to be told.
The where
The next time you walk past the Pitman Center, look up. It’s a home to many people and somewhat of an unknown place to most others.
Greying couches, one too many empty coffee cups, notebook scraps and bright blue walls may not sound like a place one would call their happy place, but the feeling of friendship and a shared passion for journalism is alive and well on the third floor.
The why
There were many times throughout the last four years where I asked myself why? Why would I spend every week night in an office for meetings and editing when we could all be napping, eating or completing homework on time for once.
It’s a simple answer — there’s nothing like sharing the stories people care about most. When there’s a big game win, a community celebration, a change in leadership or an illustrious Vandal Alert, we’ll be there.
The how
There’s a whole lot of design, photography, illustration, editing and re-editing that go into each newspaper, each magazine and each radio show. The “how” truly happens with humans first.
The technology might change. And one day the newspaper might be more online than in print. The way we do journalism might be in a constant state of change. But at the core of what we do — strong storytelling and reliable journalism — the people make it all possible.
Hailey Stewart can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @HaileyAStew