How journalism school boosted my confidence
And helped me feel better about myself
Growing up, I was always super shy and lacked confidence in myself. As a student, I struggled with mathematics and sciences due to my learning disability.
Struggling with math and sciences took a toll on my self-esteem, and every attempt and failure to come up with the correct answer felt like a dagger to my heart.
There were many times when I sat at the dining room table and my desk that I just wanted to cry. I knew I wasn't stupid, but deep down, I felt like it.
But there was one thing I could always rely on that could make me feel good, and that was writing. What I lacked in my understanding of math and science was eventually overshadowed by my creativity.
My creativity and success in English made me feel like I could conquer the world.
Now not only did I struggle with confidence in school, but I also lacked self-esteem in my physical appearance.
At two years old, I was diagnosed with a neurological condition that not only resulted in a learning disability it also affected my appearance, and I developed a facial difference.
One side of my lip is larger than the other, and because of this, kids would often bully me from elementary school to high school. And it made me want to hide away and not go out very much.
Fast forward to 2017, the year I started journalism school. I knew that eventually, I would have to appear on our live radio show, and it terrified me.
Many things went through my mind, like; people will be watching this show, what will they be thinking? Would they be judging me based on my appearance?
I know as an adult those things seem trivial, but we live in a society where appearance means everything. It's hard not to doubt yourself, especially when you've been a victim of bullying.
But finally, I pushed all those negative thoughts aside and went on air for the first time during that first year of journalism school. And you know what? I liked it.
When I went back and watched the show, do you know what I saw? I saw this young, confident woman and thought? Wow, was that really me?
Yes, yes, it was.
And you know what else? I continued to go on air for the remainder of the first year and almost every chance I got in my last school year.
Not only did journalism school give me the confidence to present myself to anyone watching our show, but it also provided me with a great support system that helped me become successful in my studies.
I made many friends who helped me along the two-year journey that is journalism school. They lifted me when I was felt down and supported my ideas. We weren't just classmates. We were like a family.
Not only did I have this amazing group of people to support me during my journey. I also had great professors.
My professors made me feel like I could succeed at anything, and when I made a mistake, they guided me in a way that didn't make me feel unintelligent.
I don't think I would have graduated if it weren't for their support. My professors were always there for me when I needed them and, when I came to them with the proper corrections, they had a look of pure pride.
A look that to me that said, wow, I really can be successful. My professors made me feel good about myself, where other teachers in my school career (not all) did the opposite.
So, thank you, journalism school, for the friends I made, the professors I met and for giving me the confidence I so badly needed.
And if you're ever struggling with self-confidence, remember, you can do anything if you put your mind to it.
Never give up on your dreams, and never let anyone bring you down.
About the Creator
Rachelle Baird
My love for writing began at an early age when I started writing ghost stories to tell around the campfire. From then on my love for the craft only grew, and eventually, I went to school for Journalism. Where I improved my writing skills.
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I Never Chose the Easy Path; I Always Chose Hardship
From the earliest memories I can recall, life presented me with two roads. One was smooth, inviting, and well-trodden—a path that promised comfort, approval, and ease. The other was rough, rocky, and uncertain—a path of struggle, obstacles, and lessons that demanded effort, patience, and resilience. I never chose the smooth road. I never took shortcuts. Not because I was fearless, but because something deep inside refused to let me live a life that wasn’t earned. The easy path whispered promises of fleeting satisfaction, fleeting success, and fleeting recognition. It was tempting. Many around me chose it, and I often wondered if I was foolish for ignoring it. But I learned early that true growth is rarely convenient. The easiest choice often leads to emptiness, to regret, to a quiet knowing that you could have been more than you allowed yourself to be. Hardship became my teacher long before success ever noticed me. The lessons it offered were harsh, uncompromising, and often lonely. 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It grows quietly, in the moments no one sees—the early mornings, the long nights, the repeated failures, the times you push forward when giving up would be understandable. Resilience is not simply surviving; it is deliberately choosing to continue, to stand again, to pursue the path that tests you the most. It is knowing that walking away is easier but will never lead to the person you are capable of becoming. I have walked many hard roads in life. Each one was different, yet the lessons were the same: comfort cannot teach endurance, shortcuts cannot teach discipline, and fleeting success cannot teach respect. Every struggle, no matter how small, adds to your character. Every failure is a mirror that shows you who you really are. And every choice to face hardship instead of fleeing builds a foundation that lasts long after temporary victories fade. There were times when I felt truly alone. People around me often misunderstood my choices. 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I measure it by how I faced challenges I could not ignore, how I embraced struggles that seemed unbearable, and how I refused to take shortcuts at the cost of my own becoming. I never chose the easy path. I chose the one that made me resilient. I chose the one that taught me self-respect. I chose the one that allowed me to become the person I am today. And if I had the choice again, I would choose the hard path every single time. Because the road of struggle is not only a journey—it is the making of a human being.writing...
By Ihtisham Ulhaq5 days ago in Motivation
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