My journey through The Sidekick was slightly atypical. You see, I decided to take a gap year from the program during my junior year. Rejoining the program for my senior year was one of my best decisions in high school.
I first heard of The Sidekick when I saw the senior issue distributed through the halls of CHS9. It intrigued me to see students producing such professional work, so I decided to take the opportunity to do the same.
I really like writing. I remember drafting stories in first grade while my classmates were playing with LEGOs. However, writing news-style stories was unfamiliar to me. It took some time getting used to the formatting, language and style, and I was frequently frustrated by the number of comments from editors that greeted me when I opened up my drafts.
After some time, I got the hang of things and started branching out to many sections. The D115 newsroom taught me how to be adaptable and think on my feet. After all, it was my job to inform the public, so I should not be afraid to ask questions and dig deep. The hardest thing to learn was relying on others.
I am independent and a perfectionist, two things that do not work in a newsroom. Each story had visual media I was not responsible for, so I had to trust the process. It took a lot of effort to realize deadlines are deadlines, and stories will never be perfect.
Most importantly, The Sidekick gave me a creative outlet. It is no secret that high school is difficult and mentally taxing. I cherished my hour and a half in the newsroom, and that is why I decided to return in my senior year. While planning for junior year, I realized that I would not be able to fit The Sidekick into my schedule. But, I made a promise to myself that I would return and finish what I set out to do.
This year in the program has been a lot different than my first year. My friends are editors, and sometimes I feel like I am behind. But, I try to remember that everyone’s journey is different and that I can still make an impact on the program.
I started exploring my artistic side more, drawing comics and designing infographics for stories. I also got the incredible opportunity to write the center spread for the third issue, which was one of the most challenging things I had to do during my time in the program. I delved into as many sides of the program as I could, from coverage to writing for a variety of sections.
While I will be pursuing engineering, I will treasure the knowledge I gained from The Sidekick. The most important lesson is about balance. I thought life is all about pushing yourself as hard as you can, but making sure you take time to explore your interests is imperative to your well-being. I learned that it is never just “this.” A fulfilling life is full of the “this, that and those.”
As I embark on the next chapter of my life, I will remember to be open to new things and always remember to exclude Oxford commas.
Follow Deepali (@deepali0914) and @CHSCampusNews on X.
