the words of a journalist.

with my time at sph drawing to an abrupt end, i leave with a full heart and a dash of sadness. on friday i have to submit an evaluation form. detailing what i have learned etc. from this experience.

here's a snippet of it:

Journalism, as a career, has always appealed to me. As a pre-pubescent adolescent, I used to follow the illustrious career of Christine Amanpour on CNN and I yearned for her job and her place in the world. I thought being a journalist meant actively being a bridge that connects the public with the important news of the world -large-scale disaster, war, financial crises and all those other earth-shattering tragedies that often shake the globe.

After my stint at The New Paper, I've realised that being a journalist entails much much more than just that. Prior to this internship, I had only been interested in world news, 'big' news, news that I thought would be impactful to a majority of people. Local news, on the other hand, was irrelevant in my opinion -too insignificant in the big scheme of things. I had also seen journalism as a career that was both glamorous and dangerous, one in which fame would be easily sought and where one's voice would be easily heard.

I realise now, however, that journalism is not a job for the weak, the self-indulgent, the narrow-minded or the fame-seeking. It's not merely a job, but a vocation, where there is a deep-rooted responsibility to one's colleagues and to the public who read and trust what you've written. It's an immense responsibility, one that entails great integrity, thorough knowledge and a drive for excellence. This drive also means a great amount of personal sacrifice. I knew journalism was not a simple career but I never really appreciated the full extent of it. Journalism is a vocation that requires time, plenty of effort and lots of heart. At times, it also requires you to grapple with your self-confidence and with difficult characters and personalities -both newsmakers and colleagues alike. As a journalist, you are constantly pushing yourself -for greater stories, for better writing abilities, for more attuned interview skills, for more passion and drive, etc. It's a learning journey, one which is speckled with a vast array of characters and personalities, difficulties and triumphs.

More than anything, I have finally witnessed and experienced the significance of what I once deemed 'small' news. At The New Paper, where a majority of the news stories are local news stories, my eyes were opened to how local news is tremendously important to a great many people. I saw how certain stories impacted the public in ways I would never have imagined possible. I met with newsmakers who had stories to share that surpassed any of my preconceived expectations. I realised that local news matters and is no less important, or less significant, than the 'big' news that I was previously so keen to write about.

In many ways, it was a humbling realisation. One that made me proud to be Singaporean, to be a Singaporean journalist, who can see big things in what to the naked eye seems insignificant. I think many journalists, particularly those that report for the big news channels and agencies, forget how important local news is to local people. Big news shapes the world, that is true undoubtedly; but it is the small news that shapes a person, that shapes a culture, that shapes an identity -particularly in a small place like Singapore.

During my time at SPH, I have had the opportunity to meet people from all walks of life -many of whom I never would have come across had I not taken this internship. My eyes were opened to the underbelly of Singapore society, to the heartache behind the otherwise perfect facade of our little country.

I feel I've grown tremendously as a person through this interaction and this experience; I feel I'm more open, more inquisitive, more informed and most importantly, more interested in the plights and triumphs of the people around me. Everyone, I've found, has a story to tell. It's just whether or not you have the time, patience, humility or drive to not just listen, but to really hear what they have to say.

All in all, I've learned a tremendous deal, both at a personal and professional level. Personally, I've grown in my understanding of myself and I've gained great insight into the workings of a human being -in times of joy, in times of grief and everything in between. Professionally, my eyes have been opened to the reality of a journalist's life- the difficulties and the long hours, the emotional connection with newsmakers and the triumphs in getting a great scoop. More than anything, I now know for a fact that journalists are truly the bridges that connect the public to information they otherwise would not have known -but this information is not necessarily the big news on earthquakes and wars, it can also be the local news -the news that gives a people its heart.

Because of this incredible, eye-opening experience, I know for a fact that I want to be a journalist. I know for a fact that this is my calling.