Hey Wildcats,

Natalie here again. As a very small portion of you know, I’m not just a journalism major. I’m a double major in public relations and digital journalism. I’m probably one of few if– not the only one– who is doing this at CWU right now, but that’s not the point.

In my PR classes, my professors are beginning to stress finding a career instead of a job. The first time I heard this I was like, “uuuh, okay, what’s the difference?”  

I have a job right now –actually I have two –but they both have a time limit and not much room for growth. Here at the Observer, I’ve worked my way from a staff reporter all the way to Co-Editor, which is great. We don’t employ students in the newsroom after they’ve graduated though. So, when I finish my journalism degree, I’m done here. This is a job.

My other job is only part-time and also doesn’t have much room to grow. I work in the administrative office of a car dealership in Yakima doing title work, licensing and inventory, which is pretty cool for a college student. But if I’m still there a few years after I graduate, I won’t be happy about it.

I’m going to school to learn to write articles and press releases, and to learn how to properly represent a company as the public’s first point of contact. That’s a career. Sure, I may not want to stay at the same place for decades, but I have nowhere to go but up in the fields.

On April 23, Monday Movie Madness screened “The Post,” followed by a discussion with professional journalists. One of the panelists, Kate Martin, an investigative journalist from the Tacoma News Tribune and self-proclaimed data journalist, brought something to the table I hadn’t considered: the difference in income between journalism and public relations.

That’s how I know that either would be a career for me. To me, a career isn’t about the money. The minute you start worrying about how much you’re getting paid or are just clocking in and out to collect a paycheck, you’re in a job.

I guess my point is that, if it’s something you could give up tomorrow and it wouldn’t make you question your life decisions up to this point, it’s not a career.

Anyway, if you’re just here to read the stories this week, we have information about Bowers Field, the First Amendment Festival, spring football and a few of CWU’s senior softball players.

See you next week, Wildcats!

Natalie Hyland

Co-Editor