Before this summer, I never planned to be a writer, unless you count the crayon novels I created in elementary school.

When the 2013 school year began, I started my education in journalism at the University of Alabama. I focused my attention on photography, because that is what I love to do.

When the school year ended, I began an internship at The Natchez Democrat.

I had worked here before. I was an intern for nearly a year and a half during high school.

I started out as a photographer. It was something I was used to and was fairly confident I could do.

Then, I got my first story assignment.

I remember being nervous about going to the 100-year anniversary party for the Adams County Extension Service.

I recorded my short interview with David Carter on my cell phone. I was terrified to misquote him.

I remember coming back to the newsroom and doing my best to write the story while striving to remember all I had learned in my reporting classes.

Then Lindsey Shelton helped me rewrite the story.

I spent the rest of this summer slowly becoming less nervous to interview a person; I worried I wouldn’t do a good job telling their story.

After I got a few stories under my belt, less red ink started showing up on the pages Rod Guajardo edited for me.

I still get a lot of red marks, but I’m working on it.

I talked to so many people this summer and heard so many stories.

I heard stories about restoring centuries-old buildings, fathers returning home, teachers, artists and too many other stories to list.

Then, I got the opportunity to make sure other people heard these stories.

That is what I loved most during my time at The Democrat and learning to write from the numerous skilled reporters that work here.

I learned how to tell the stories of people in our town and, potentially, the stories of people far away from here.

The Democrat was crucial in this education.

My journalism classes at school are amazing, but there is no education like experience.

It is easier for me to learn from doing than from being shown.

I have found that true throughout my life.

I had to actually work a math problem to learn the process of solving it, I had to actually take a photograph to learn how to work the settings on my camera, and I definitely had to actually write a story to learn how to write a story.

Working at The Democrat has been one learning experience after another and that was what it was meant to be.

I learned how to write, I learned to be a better photographer and I learned the importance of deadlines and meeting them.

Those are things that my classes at school have and will attempt to teach me, but the staff at The Democrat were the best teachers I have had in those departments.

So I thank all of those here at The Natchez Democrat for one of the most educational summers I will ever have.

 

Mary Kathryn Carpenter is a student at the University of Alabama and recently completed an internship at The Natchez Democrat.