Dear Jordan,
Today is March 2, 2015, and today you head to your first day of work! You work at a real television station, you have a real job, you are a real reporter. Congratulations! You survived "the move" and here you are. Soon, you'll start getting real benefits and real paychecks and paying real bills which isn't the most fun but you'll live. Also, don't forget to set up an electric account or you'll come home to a dark and very humid apartment in a couple months when they realize your accidental error. Hint: this actually does happen to you. Anyway, whatever you're feeling today about work and the future, you're going to be fine. Actually, you'll be more than fine and you'll adjust fantastically. You'll make friends, you'll love your job and you'll like your free time, too. Only thing is your sink will literally always be the messiest part of your apartment and you're pretty much going to have to learn to live with that.
Jordan, I ask that you keep in mind why you came to Florence. Not sure if it's occurred to you, but packing up to move to a place where you don't know anyone just for a job is kind of a big sacrifice to make. Most people do not do it. I know to you it's just the logical next step in life, and the only thing that makes sense in your journey. But remember, it's not always easy to be away from home and you might not love every day you live. You're here to learn something every single day, go to sleep in some way a better reporter than you were when you woke up, and soak in every experience you're met with. Some days, going to work will just feel like going to work. But most days, like 99% of the days, going to work is freaking fun. You have it way better than most entry level reporters do. And the good news is most of the time life is very easy, and you like it a lot. Promise.
The rumors are true, you will drink a lot of wine and you'll watch a lot of TV. But you won't be able to buy alcohol in your county on Sundays so be sure to plan ahead. You'll grow to consider Ina Garten and Rachael Ray close friends. They'll teach you things too! You'll watch a lot of Say Yes to the Dress and it's still very funny to you that a bride will say she's "never felt more beautiful" in potentially the ugliest dress you've ever seen. No one has to know that. Our secret.
At work and at play, these six months might actually make you the most positive you've been... ever. You won't tolerate negativity around you, you will send out good vibes and trust the universe to do the rest. I guess this is when you've reached the point of allowing in only thoughts and people that make you strong and happy. Mazel tov on that front.
Anyway, back to work. Take a spare makeup bag and put deodorant, cough drops, tissues, band-aids, all sorts of medicines, chapstick, sunscreen, etc. in it (full list available by request). Put this bag in your trunk. Might seem excessive but you'll never be in a situation where you're unprepared. You'll get called to breaking news. Your plans will change. You'll feel better just knowing you have these things on hand. You'll use them to feel pretty when it's a literal 105 degrees and you're going live. Also, get a raincoat. Lol. Like, but actually get a raincoat. Hint: you'll live here three whole months before you buy one.
Today is March 2, 2015, and today you head to your first day of work! You work at a real television station, you have a real job, you are a real reporter. Congratulations! You survived "the move" and here you are. Soon, you'll start getting real benefits and real paychecks and paying real bills which isn't the most fun but you'll live. Also, don't forget to set up an electric account or you'll come home to a dark and very humid apartment in a couple months when they realize your accidental error. Hint: this actually does happen to you. Anyway, whatever you're feeling today about work and the future, you're going to be fine. Actually, you'll be more than fine and you'll adjust fantastically. You'll make friends, you'll love your job and you'll like your free time, too. Only thing is your sink will literally always be the messiest part of your apartment and you're pretty much going to have to learn to live with that.
Jordan, I ask that you keep in mind why you came to Florence. Not sure if it's occurred to you, but packing up to move to a place where you don't know anyone just for a job is kind of a big sacrifice to make. Most people do not do it. I know to you it's just the logical next step in life, and the only thing that makes sense in your journey. But remember, it's not always easy to be away from home and you might not love every day you live. You're here to learn something every single day, go to sleep in some way a better reporter than you were when you woke up, and soak in every experience you're met with. Some days, going to work will just feel like going to work. But most days, like 99% of the days, going to work is freaking fun. You have it way better than most entry level reporters do. And the good news is most of the time life is very easy, and you like it a lot. Promise.
The rumors are true, you will drink a lot of wine and you'll watch a lot of TV. But you won't be able to buy alcohol in your county on Sundays so be sure to plan ahead. You'll grow to consider Ina Garten and Rachael Ray close friends. They'll teach you things too! You'll watch a lot of Say Yes to the Dress and it's still very funny to you that a bride will say she's "never felt more beautiful" in potentially the ugliest dress you've ever seen. No one has to know that. Our secret.
At work and at play, these six months might actually make you the most positive you've been... ever. You won't tolerate negativity around you, you will send out good vibes and trust the universe to do the rest. I guess this is when you've reached the point of allowing in only thoughts and people that make you strong and happy. Mazel tov on that front.
Anyway, back to work. Take a spare makeup bag and put deodorant, cough drops, tissues, band-aids, all sorts of medicines, chapstick, sunscreen, etc. in it (full list available by request). Put this bag in your trunk. Might seem excessive but you'll never be in a situation where you're unprepared. You'll get called to breaking news. Your plans will change. You'll feel better just knowing you have these things on hand. You'll use them to feel pretty when it's a literal 105 degrees and you're going live. Also, get a raincoat. Lol. Like, but actually get a raincoat. Hint: you'll live here three whole months before you buy one.
I know when you got here a week ago you might've been a bit more psyched had you been moving to Myrtle Beach where you know the vast majority of reporters in the market live. But trust me, you're going to be the rare breed of reporter in this market who prefers Florence to Myrtle Beach. It's actually really kind of weird. No one will understand it. Maybe if you'd been at The Beach from the get go you'd like it more, but the people in Florence are very nice to you. You will laugh when I tell you this place will feel like your home. When you are in Myrtle Beach, you're going to love being in a real newsroom with people and edit bays that are full and police scanners that are interrupting. But Florence is your safe cocoon, and you really like it. You'll also find it a quick and easy way to evade the drama that so often accompanies groups of 20-somethings working together in such close proximity.
That said, there is nothing like being with other reporters, as you'll soon begin to learn. In about a month, you'll start having days where you are one of three reporters from local stations on the same story. You'll come to enjoy considering your "competition" your "colleagues" and you'll really enjoy seeing the three different ways the three of you told that story on that evening's news. One day, you'll actually scoop one of your Myrtle Beach reporter friends and get particular enjoyment out of it... because you don't cover Myrtle Beach. You will get better by watching these other reporters. You will pick up tricks and tips by listening and keeping your eyes peeled to the way they work. But, Jordan, these relationships should remain nothing more than friendships. Trust me on that one. Pour a glass of wine and we can talk about it more later.
That said, there is nothing like being with other reporters, as you'll soon begin to learn. In about a month, you'll start having days where you are one of three reporters from local stations on the same story. You'll come to enjoy considering your "competition" your "colleagues" and you'll really enjoy seeing the three different ways the three of you told that story on that evening's news. One day, you'll actually scoop one of your Myrtle Beach reporter friends and get particular enjoyment out of it... because you don't cover Myrtle Beach. You will get better by watching these other reporters. You will pick up tricks and tips by listening and keeping your eyes peeled to the way they work. But, Jordan, these relationships should remain nothing more than friendships. Trust me on that one. Pour a glass of wine and we can talk about it more later.
The things you're worried about now really aren't going to be the things that you struggle with. I know it feels weird that in an entire semester at school, you did no more than ten full stories. But don't be worried about meeting deadline each day. You're going to get so used to that deadline that you'll just innately know when you're ahead of or behind schedule. You'll usually be ahead. But there are also going to be days you double as a magician and make an actual piece of television in twenty minutes from your car in a random parking lot. No one will get a bigger kick out of this than you do. I've been here six months, and let me tell you, creating television is every bit as thrilling as you've dreamed. Actually, there are some days it will be better to you than your dreams even allowed you to believe. You'll cover things that change you, you'll interview cool people and see awesome things, and you'll come to be very fond of the people you work with.
I'm going to go so you can get to work today. But remember, keep your eyes open to everything that happens around you. Learn as much as you can. Call home every day. Don't ever forget what this place has the potential to do and be for you. Enjoy the people and the place for what it is: your very first step. Oh and also before I forget, set up an electric account... like, soon.
Jordan
I'm going to go so you can get to work today. But remember, keep your eyes open to everything that happens around you. Learn as much as you can. Call home every day. Don't ever forget what this place has the potential to do and be for you. Enjoy the people and the place for what it is: your very first step. Oh and also before I forget, set up an electric account... like, soon.
Jordan
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