Working For The Daily Tar Heel

I was recently hired by the Daily Tar Heel, and I will begin writing there this week.

The Daily Tar Heel (DTH) started a long time ago, in a century far, far away. It finally became a daily newspaper in 1929, and has been written, edited and overseen by a student led organization since its inception. At the DTH orientation, the editor-in-chief basically said that 18,000 copies are distributed to the campus and surrounding areas, and that over 38,000 people will read the paper each day.

The Daily Tar Heel

If I was not nervous before I applied to write for the DTH, I am now.

At the orientation, the editor-in-chief also explained how the Daily Tar Heel is one of, if not the best, college newspaper in the country. The DTH was named the best college newspaper in the country by The Princeton Review in 2007 and 2010. The newspaper has continuously won award after award.

I am going to write for one of the best college newspapers in the country—which puts a lot of pressure and stress on me to perform well. I want to write thought-provoking material, but also give the 38,000 people that read the paper a simple, easy-to-read article. I do not want my articles to be about me. Rather, the articles should be focused on the people and places in the story. Hopefully, I can create and write articles that are interesting, but also informative. It is a difficult thing to do, but I will try my best. 

Everything I just said sounds a little cliché, but what else am I supposed to say? I am now working for the Daily Tar Heel, which means I have to watch what I say in public. I know that acting and behaving in a good and respectful manner in public makes people think of me, my family and my friends in the same way, so I now have to include the Daily Tar Heel into that “equation.” 

A lot of great writers, authors, journalists and editors worked at the Daily Tar Heel before they went on to succeed, so I should be able to, right?

We will all see, I guess.