Rudi Chamria

Strolling through central London, I found myself at the heart of Trafalgar Square, flags waving slowly – almost cinematically – as the wind resisted. Innately curious, I was now walking through one of the multiple Palestinian demonstrations that would take place in the following weeks. What I didn’t know, was that I was standing among tens of thousands of demonstrators that day.

My journalistic instincts kicked in. I pulled out my camera and started taking photos, which was initially quite difficult with my five-foot frame. Determined, I sat on my friend’s shoulders, so I could get a better view. I opened up my Voice Memos app and searched through the streets for friendly faces who could become my interviewees.

Admittedly, I was slightly afraid to tell my adviser I conducted reporting at protests. A few days earlier, I had told her that attending these demonstrations was unsafe and inadvisable. When I sent my Google Chat, clarifying that I had done a risk assessment, her reaction was far from adverse. “Thank you for thinking like a journalist,” she said.

“Thinking like a journalist” feels like a birthright; there has always been an unexplainable curiosity in me. Curiosity paired with my hunger to right wrongs through my words and actions made journalism the best form to quench these desires.

It had always perturbed me that I lived in a world I know very little about. I entered freshman year with a clear mission: figuring out how and why systems at our school operate the way they do.

There was no better place to do this than my school newspaper The Standard. My journalism teacher and I often laugh about how valiant my efforts were from the get-go. In my first article, I pressed the principal about discrepancies in homework policies and the absence of accommodations during minority religious holidays.

Inquiry became an addiction. I went to our school’s math department and revealed shocking statistics regarding gender equality in higher-level STEM courses. I even reported on the legalization of marijuana, to which one student responded, “That’s the first time I opened up the paper!” (Hearing that hurt me a little, but the honesty was charming.)

Journalism as my form of inquiry has become a powerful tool. It has gifted me with the opportunity to absorb the wisdom of my interviewees. It has embedded in me the importance of creating trust both inside and outside of the newsroom. It has made me a more empathetic person.

Suddenly, my trepidation became a vessel to understand my world.

But it didn’t stop there. Now I had the opportunity to share my love for crafting the stories that matter with over 70 members on The Standard’s staff. Every free period I wasn’t consumed with work was spent in the publications room, learning about and mentoring the next batch of the paper's leaders.

Perhaps that’s why I can only describe the publication in one way. Before using the words “newspaper,” “extracurricular” or “class,” I would describe The Standard as an extension of my family. It is this group of talented and driven individuals who make the publication far from a chore, and truly, a task I take up with genuine fondness.

What truly motivates me to keep digging deep are the diverse skills and personalities of each member of the staff. Before I graduate, I still need Jaden to teach me how to edit video to perfection, and I’ll persuade Laila to show me how to get those precise action shots at soccer matches, just to name a few. I’m constantly impressed by the talent on our staff.

The gratitude is mutual, of course. After all, having posted almost a hundred stories in just one semester on our site has required grit, organization and steady leadership. Leading The Standard extends beyond class time. It requires interest and dedication to the publication, but more importantly, a love for the people with whom I create it.

I never thought that I would become the kind of person who needs a weekly dose of Ira Glass on This American Life for inspiration. I never imagined I would send 1 a.m. texts to the sports editors with my newest story ideas. I never knew that one day I would be tinkering with embed code until I got the perfect text wrap on the site.

I never considered the fact that journalism, in all its forms, would one day completely consume me. And I can say, with the utmost sincerity, that I am glad it did.