[466 Special] Beyond the Well: My Journey with The Dongguk Post

   I remember that when I applied for The Dongguk Post, I wrote that my motivation and biggest wish is “to be a frog out of the well,” which means having as much experience as possible and getting out of narrow-minded thinking. The Dongguk Post has been a valuable experience that has helped me realize my values. I was able to enjoy a variety of experiences as a reporter, including interviews with a professor of North Korean studies, Professor Park Ae-ri, baseball players, Baeksang cheerleaders, international students and participating in club fairs, summer seminars at the media center, and upcoming overseas coverage.

   As a reporter, I cared the most about the structure and I remember the first time I was assigned an article and tried to write it well. I remember being criticized for writing it more like a report than an article. Being a Cub Reporter who was figuring out how to write an article, and the kinds of articles people would like to read seems like yesterday, and I cannot believe the time has come for me to leave The Dongguk Post. I met many people, wrote articles, and edited the newspaper, all of which were valuable experiences. As an English major, my experience here started as utilizing English to do something meaningful for the school community, but it became more than just that. I was able to learn about other fields by preparing articles, proofreading, and reading articles written by my colleagues.

   Another big takeaway was the value of working together. I realized the value over teamwork when we all had the same goal and used our skills to produce a newspaper. Personally, I prefer individual assignments to teamwork. I was worried about conflicts during the preparation process, and I thought that I could accomplish enough on my own. However, I think publishing the newspaper three times per semester was the same as doing three team assignments. Of course, we had conflicts about how to choose coverage items and how to proceed, but we resolved them with wise choices, consideration, and consensus, and we were able to grow even more after overcoming difficulties together. I am grateful to my fellow 57th reporter colleagues, and also to the senior reporters whom I worked together with.

   It is now time for me to jump towards another new world that awaits me outside the well, but the precious experiences and passion from my time here will forever remain with me. Farewell, The Dongguk Post!