It is my first year with the EconomEast and any other publication, in fact. I joined EconomEast because it is a medium for students to become journalists and take on real-world events with a slightly economical perspective.
So far in the activity, we have chosen our article (and specified a deadline for it) and assigned roles. I think my choice of being part of this activity really speaks to how I like to work on my projects independently, where I can put our own spin on it. I think EconomEast has not only helped me become more aware of my strengths, as I see that I am self-supporting and self-reliant (i.e a capable self-manager) but also see some qualities which I could improve upon. During class, for instance, I find myself sitting with my friends and I didn’t even endeavor to obtain a leadership position. I think the latter was likely because any leadership position requires constant contact with the teacher and other leaders, which therefore goes to show that I need to become more outspoken during my tenure as a journalist. I think I’ve struggled in this area the most for all of my activities/service. I think it’s because I am naturally shy and would much rather choose to listen than talk, which I know hinders my capabilities but I’m working on.
I think EconomEast is the most challenging activity I am part this year. It follows a strict regiment, with a strict timeline, which means that there isn’t much scope for anyone to fall behind. One settling example is that even if you send in articles late because of work or other commitments, the article would simply not be put in the magazine. In order to stick to the leaders’ deadlines, I have chosen to write a draft of my EconomEast article (that examines the impact of music festivals) during the October break. This way I would stay ahead of my responsibilities as a journalist, and simultaneously manage my IB work and schedule better. Early on in the activity, each member had to sell 4 copies of a magazine that came out earlier this year, which was quite troublesome because people who are genuinely interested in the magazine have already purchased it and because around 30 people are trying to sell the same item to a limited amount of people (high school students and teachers). I think this activity helped me improve my skills in communication as certain teachers or parents were skeptical about buying it and so I had to really portray the magazine in a lucrative, yet informative manner, even though I had only one lunchtime’s worth on information on my side.
