Journalism teaches much more than writing

I used to joke with the news staff that the Daily Bruin’s chief contributions to my life would be an ability to spell every California politician’s name accurately and a Zagat-level knowledge of ASUCLA restaurants.

Looking back, I’m happy to say that I’ve learned much more than that.

For me, the Daily Bruin has been an incredible chance to get to know this university in ways I don’t think I ever could have otherwise.

I remember in particular two stories I wrote in 2006, one on astronomy and physics professor Edward Wright and one on Peter Anton, a professor in the David Geffen School of Medicine. Wright and his team had just had their satellite approved by NASA for launch ““ they got the good news on Friday the thirteenth. Anton was working on new types of microbicides that could potentially prevent the transmission of HIV.

What stuck out to me then and sticks with me now is how excited Wright, Anton and their team members were. As undergraduates sitting in lecture, we don’t often get to see how passionate our professors are about their work, that they do it because they love it and because they know it matters.

That was something I encountered over and over again as a writer at the Bruin.

And it’s not just limited to academics. I’ve also gotten to know UCLA’s administration, certainly not something I would have been able to do outside the Daily Bruin.

I have learned that running this university is one hell of a tough job. As students, we more often than not only notice when things go wrong. I’m glad I’ve been able to speak firsthand with many administrators because it’s helped me appreciate how hard they work on our behalf and how many things they do extremely well.

Of course, not every moment I’ve spent at the Daily Bruin has been enlightening or even particularly enjoyable.

For at least a year, I could have reasonably called 118 Kerckhoff my home. I don’t think I’d like to see a tally of all the classes I’ve skipped to work on something Bruin-related (or just to sit and watch videos on the news couch, let’s be honest).

I can actually hear former editors pointing out all the style errors in this story ““ I believe there is a particular phrase they would have applied to some of the above sections.

I’ve often wondered why I did it.

But now, looking back, I think I’ve had my answer all along. The Daily Bruin has been an integral part of my education here at UCLA. In some ways, I’ve learned more working for this paper than I have in many of my classes.

I’m glad I could articulate that in this story, the very last time I will write for this paper.

Journalism is a world of deadlines and finished products; the destination is everything. But for me, this has been very much about the journey. -30-

Erlandson was a 2006-2007 assistant news editor and a news reporter from 2005 to 2009.