If you are a j-school student worried about life after graduation this year, there is no shame in taking a non-journalism job in something like comms or PR. That was my first job after undergrad. It helped me save $, learn skills and figure out how much I wanted to be a reporter.

You might have student loans or family commitments. Look for a job that will allow you to learn and grow. If you can freelance on the side, even better. Look at other countries for opportunities too. Keep going to networking events. I got my first reporting job at 24.

My first jobs had nothing to do with journalism. I was a photolab technician at a pharmacy and then a bank teller for 3.5 years. I trained people, audited files, learned Cantonese on the job, even caught fraudulent customers on two occasions. Both taught me a lot about people.

Being a bank teller taught me how to talk to many kinds of people, offer advice, and learn a lot about personal finance. I also worked at 10 different branches, which taught me about adapting to new teams. But I have also done six internships. In the last one, I was 29.

It is *totally fine* for your path in journalism to have some detours, especially during or due to a pandemic. Doing something besides journalism for a bit after graduating from j-school is not a personal failing.

I have been a backpacker, laid off, unemployed, the entry-level broadcast/news associate, the really old intern, and the struggling freelancer. Be kind to yourself. Try not to compare your life and career to other people.