What is it like being me?

Innovation is something I've been thinking a lot about recently.

When I started college, I didn’t know how the word innovation could be applied to me. Now, I know that my definition of innovation is my creative projects, applying learned material across fields and professional endeavors, and applying ideas to tangibility and tangible things to ideas.

Innovation is being able to try new things boldly, knowing you have a constantly evolving toolbox at your disposal.

When I look at things like AI, I think: is that really innovation? And for me, it's not. People are constantly innovative, and I see it in my friends, family, and network every day. If today is your day to learn something new, know this: you don't have to be afraid of creativity.

The 'How'

Getting experience in your field is tough, sometimes. People with more experience get the jobs and roles because they already have experience. It's a vicious cycle. How do you even break into what you really want to do?

For me, it was starting small. But I'm still looking to continue on this trajectory. Firstly, it's about gaining skills.

HTML and coding. Website quality control and graphic design.
Adobe products: InDesign and PremierePro. This is how I make videos and templates.
Canon camera. Multimedia elements are so important to have.
French/Norwegian. I'm trilingual, which increases my range of people to talk with.
On-time/dependable. I'm putting out work and checking in.
Collaboration and leadership. Every role I've had has taught me more about connection and managing.
And of course: communication. It's everywhere, all the time. It's the emails I send, the cashier at the grocery store, the people I interview.

Final Thoughts...

What's next?

My future goals include working for a media organization away from my hometown of Cleveland.

Everything I have done so far here has provided me with steppingstones to achieve these goals. I can live in a city, for example, because I am confident, collaborative and good at planning—things I learned in honors classes. I can work for a newspaper or some other publication because I am structured, knowledgeable and determined, all things I learned and continue to develop.

Overall, I learned throughout my journey that I can boldly do hard things, both journalistically and personally. This is what innovation means to me, post-graduation.