This past weekend, from Feb. 17-19, The Cascade was proud to be able to send eight staff members to the 85th annual NASH conference at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario; I was one of the lucky few.
The conference, which is hosted by rotating members of the Canadian University Press (CUP) is an opportunity for delegates from student newspapers across the country to get together and brainstorm, develop, and network with each other. Returning to an in-person format for the first time post-COVID-19 restrictions, it was a very energizing and fulfilling thing to spend three days surrounded by other young people who share the same crazy passion for the news and student journalism that I do.
I began my first NASH feeling apprehensive; it was easy to feel in over our heads, surrounded by the century-old likes of publications like The Ubyssey or The Gazette. Throughout the conference, buzzwords and industry terms were tossed around casually, and I found myself taking notes, looking things up, and asking lots of questions throughout every panel to try and keep up with the conversations that were happening… and the cool thing is, I was successful! I left each block feeling like I’d taken something new away. Professional guest speakers, alum, and fellow student journalists alike were warm, engaging, and accessible; imposter syndrome be damned, I didn’t feel for a second like I didn’t belong there.
And isn’t that the beauty of student journalism? I took one “introduction to journalism” class pre-pandemic. Considering UFV doesn’t have a journalism program — or as the cool kids call it, a J-school — I think it’s safe to say that I am among the vast majority of folks who have drifted through the office of The Cascade over our 30 years of publication without any formal training in the field. Yet we’ve all been able to pick up and learn from scratch how to write, edit, and put together a newspaper. (Although, I have rewatched The Newsroom three times, so I like to think that may be giving me a slight edge.)
Getting involved in campus culture at UFV can sometimes feel like an exercise in futility; like you’re an object in motion, colliding with the concrete wall of apathy that is the student body of a commuter school. Student publications provide a unique opportunity for us to build skills and portfolios before we go out into the world; as we watch community news sources disappear in this country at an alarming rate, it’s more important now than ever to protect these safe havens for budding local media. This sentiment was one that I saw reflected in my fellow delegates unanimously — because regardless of the size or pedigree of the school you’re attending, putting your time, energy, and love into a student newspaper is an act of stubborn optimism. Thank you for being stubborn with us.
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