My first article for The Daily took me approximately four whole days to finish.
My pitch was to write a simple 600-word piece on the midseason March Madness odds for the Men’s and Women’s Basketball teams. What ensued was a personal four-day nightmare of writing, deleting, writing, deleting, and so on. My inability to find the right words to use was, in retrospect, a result of a deeper issue: I lacked confidence in my voice.
In fact, I was afraid. Afraid that my editor would turn it away. Afraid that someone more knowledgeable than me would pick apart my analysis. Afraid that I would be exposed as a fraud.
But it turns out, upon submission, none of that was true. Sure, there was a lot I had to work on, but with the guidance of my editors, I diligently reworked and polished it until it felt right. In the end, what began as a struggle turned into a source of pride—a finished product I could point to as proof that maybe my writing could turn into something more.
Over my four years with The Daily, my writing evolved and adapted. From covering Baseball and Golf to Women’s Soccer and Women’s Basketball — and eventually Men’s Basketball — I sharpened my research, interviewing, and editing skills with each new beat. I even ventured into the lands of arts reviews and city news, adding dimensions to my writing I hadn’t known were possible
What I’ll remember most are the experiences my writing led me to. Beyond the confines of Northwestern’s campus, I connected with the larger Evanston community and with athletes from around the world. Trips to Bloomington, West Lafayette, and even Brooklyn placed my feet on the courts of arenas I never imagined stepping onto as a lifelong sports fan.
If I had given up writing that very first article, sure I wouldn’t have spent countless days writing, editing, designing social posts, waiting on my sources, or devouring Smarties in the newsroom. But I also wouldn’t have made the memories, met the incredible people, or discovered the voice that I carry with me now. I think I made the right choice.
Email: [email protected]
X: @lucaskim_15
