Not every journey makes sense at the beginning. For many students, it takes time, uncertainty and persistence before things start to fall into place.
At the beginning of university, I didn’t always feel confident about where I was heading. As Marcus Aurelius once wrote, “what stands in the way becomes the way,” a reminder that the path we expect is rarely the one we follow.
During my time working on The River, particularly on press days and editorial meetings, I began to understand this more clearly
Even when things feel difficult, we keep going. In Japan, the art of kintsugi repairs broken pottery with gold, highlighting its cracks instead of hiding them. The object becomes stronger because of its damage, not despite it.
In many ways, university feels like that. It is not just about gaining knowledge, but about learning how to think, question and grow. Through my work on The River, I started to understand this better. Over time, my doubts turn into curiosity, and a sense of purpose begins to form.
For a journalism student, that realization matters. Journalism is not only about reporting what happens. It is about listening, especially to people whose voices are often ignored or unheard. While working on my stories, I realized how important it is to represent people fairly and accurately
As journalist Bill Moyers said, “The gravediggers of democracy do their work in silence. The journalist’s job is to make noise.” Journalism has the power to inform, but also to challenge, expose and give a voice to others.
As a mature student, returning to university and changing direction in my career, this understanding has become more personal, it is not just about learning the role, but about finding a purpose through it.
No one goes through this journey alone. Teachers push us to think differently, tutors guide us, and mentors open doors we didn’t know were there. Classmates become part of the experience, especially during long nights of deadlines.
Beyond assignments and grades, something else develops in those final weeks: a clearer sense of direction.
Education doesn’t end with a degree. Its real value comes from how we use what we have learned to question, challenge, and give a voice to those who are not always heard.
If my work can bring understanding, even in small ways, then it has meaning. The legacy I hope to leave for my children, my friends and the people around me is not perfection, but compassion.
A more peaceful world is built one truthful story and one act of empathy, at a time. The last assignment is not the end, it is where the real work begins.
Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash