Being a Student Journalist in 2025
By Sydney DePietto
posted Sept. 12
“Good luck with that.”
That is a typical comment adults make after I tell them I’m a student journalist, followed by a remark about how little money I’m gonna make.
To be fair, I can’t really blame them. In today’s polarized world, journalism is consistently threatened by misinformation online and by the current administration.
President Donald Trump has stated his intentions to limit the free press with $1.1 billion cuts in public broadcasting funds to NPR and PBS stations. He has called for the FCC to revoke the licenses of “fake news” media outlets, including NBC and ABC. In April, his administration dismantled Voice of America.
In chapter one of Mobile and Social Media Journalism: A Practical Guide for Multimedia Journalism, the author, Anthony Adornato, highlights these challenges. Living now in an online world, journalists must make the switch to social media platforms in addition to traditional print writing. Adornato explains that now people expect instant news on their phones and social media feeds.
Additionally, he explains that this switch has increased the workload for journalists significantly. Reporters now juggle writing, filming, editing, tweeting, livestreaming, and engaging with readers. In my experience as a student journalist at Newhouse, this field is cutthroat. Peers fight each other for limited internship opportunities, and it can often feel like a contest of who has the most experience at only 20 years old.
Despite these obstacles, I am undeterred.
I first really started paying attention to politics at 12 during the first Trump administration. In my house, my dad, a glorified lawyer, would argue hard and constantly ask for evidence in our family debates. Growing up in an environment where critical thinking was required, I couldn’t understand the lack of it in the world.
For me, witnessing these events as a student journalist makes the question urgent and personal. I understood then that the best way to make a difference and have some power was to write.
In previous journalism classes, we’ve discussed the vital need for news and the constant force of misinformation today.
Chapter 3 of Mobile and Social Media Journalism explains how ordinary individuals have the power to succeed. Social media, blogging, and beat reporting are tools for student journalists to build credibility and a niche. The textbook looks at Brian Stelter, a student who started a dorm-room blog focused on media coverage. This gained traction and credibility, eventually leading him to become a media correspondent at The New York Times.
This emphasized to me that as a student, you could build your own beat and professional presence even before graduating. Even in a competitive environment or with attacks on journalism, innovation and social media allow reporters to remain relevant.
Unlike what many think, journalism is not dying, but simply evolving. Threats and political attacks, and industry challenges, highlight why independent reporting is critical.
Journalists now have the opportunity to innovate, build communities, and use social media responsibly. Free press is necessary for truth, democracy, and community awareness.
Too Good To Go Comes to Syracuse: Affordable, Sustainable, and Student-Friendly
By Sydney DePietto
posted Sept. 12
The Syracuse area is now part of a global movement to limit food waste under Too good to go. The app partners with local restaurants to provide users with leftovers at a discounted price.
Establishments create “mystery bags” filled with their unsold items and customers don’t know what they’ll receive until pickup. The unique and discounted service may attract Syracuse University students looking for more affordable options.
The restaurants on the app currently include Phoebe’s Restaurant & Coffee Lounge, Las Delicias, Glazed & Confused, and Purple Banana. Many of which are walkable from campus, fitting into students busy schedules.
As prices typically don’t go above $15, mystery bags are cheaper than regular menu prices. Students can receive lots of goodies from favorite spots for just a few dollars.
Along with creating affordable options, Too good to go emphasizes their mission to limit food waste . According to the National Conference of State Legislatures roughly 40 percent of food produced in the U.S. today is wasted.
Founded in 2016, Too Good to go is active across 19 countries in Europe and North America and “helped to save over 400 million meals from being wasted” according to their website.
They cite Project Drawdown (2020) which reports reducing food waste “is the number one action you can take to help tackle climate change” and state their efforts have avoided the emissions of 1.1M tons of CO2e.
Additionally, Too Good to go states their intention to “fight food insecurity alongside our mission of fighting food waste to build a legacy for people suffering from food insecurity” in their code of ethics. This issue, hitting home for many Syracuse community members.
In its 2024 impact statement, Food Bank of CNY estimated over 170,000 people in its service areas face food insecurity. In Onondaga County alone, about 45,000 residents experience food insecurity, according to Syracuse-Onondaga Food Systems Alliance.
Over half of census tracts in Syracuse are considered food deserts, communities with residents living more than 1 mile from the nearest grocery store. People lacking access to fresh, healthy food are more likely to experience obesity and health issues according to a University of Texas at San Antonio Office of Research study.
Syracuse residents now have a new service to receive affordable food options while contributing to a mission of improving the environment. The apps simple design creates a user friendly experience encouraging users to do their part in stopping food waste.