Q: I am an aspiring journalist who is looking to gain newspaper experience in any way possible. What are some ways I could get more involved, seeing as how I am a senior in high school?

Are high school internships available? How and where do I apply for one?

Also, I am trying to make a decision on where to attend college to study journalism. The two colleges I have in mind have little or no journalism programs. Would it make sense to attend a non-journalism school and work on the newspaper for two years, and then transfer to a school like Wisconsin-Madison, who has a pretty good journalism program?

Also, the professional journalists I have talked to do not really seem to like their job due to low salary and long hours. Are these things true and if so how does one overcome them?

Shane

A: Well, you're getting started early, and that's good.

The only real opportunities for high school journalists will be very local. Call the local papers -- especially the smaller ones -- and ask if they can use any help getting high school scores, covering local events -- anything at all. If your high school offers a co-op program or externships, see about doing one of those at a local newspaper.

I am not fully understanding why you are so intent on going into journalism but NOT attending a university where they teach it. However, that can work -- and it can work for transfer students. Just make sure you get a lot of real-world experience starting ASAP.

I know some journalists who are not happy with their jobs, too. Almost everyone I know would like to make more money and work fewer hours. And a lot of us are concerned about the future of journalism. There are changes on the horizon and change can be exhilarating or scary. The happy journalists I know feel fulfilled by what they are doing -- most of the time -- and have found a good balance between work and their personal lives.