The idea of being an adult is terrifying. This notion fluttered through my head as I sat packed in the early morning commute on my way to the first day of my COOL Week assignment. A million thoughts popped up in my over caffeinated head, what would they expect out of me? Would they like me? How badly was I about to mess this up? I had to be an adult, and that was well, terrifying.

COOL Week is the week long opportunity given to LISD seniors to try out the career of their dreams, anything from dog agility training, to the police force, civil engineering with Samsung, giving tours at the Contemporary art museum, to working for Community Impact Newspaper- my assignment. After a grand total of 75 spots filled from each LISD school, COOL Week coordinator, Pat Lopez worked with campus coordinators to find the right fit for each student. Assignments can last anywhere from a single day, to an entire week. COOL Week provides students with a first hand look at the career they’re hoping to pursue.

After two wrong turns, and stumbling into the wrong building I finally made my way through the doors of Community Impact Newspaper. Nonchalantly trying to rip the tag off my new dress pants, I was greeted by my mentor for the next two days, editor Lyndsey Taylor. To my imminent relief, she wasn’t the terrifying professional adult I had conjured up in my mind, she was cool, funny, and didn’t expect for me to know everything right off the bat. She introduced me to everyone in the office, from publicist, to other editors, the advertising department, I mean everyone. I was soon escorted to meetings, and even given my own office space to review my assignments.

After a day full of meetings, dress pants, lunch dates, and professional adulthood, I got to dig into the real part of my COOL Week, my assignment. My assignment called for me to schedule and collect interviews from other COOL Week kids and write a piece that Community Impact could publish. For seven hours I went through the city feeling like a real life journalist, I was rushing around, writing, chugging coffee, stressed beyond belief, yet the more fulfilled I’ve ever been.

COOL Week was a lot of things, stressful, scary, exciting, wonderful and everything between. It showed me not only was I capable of being a real journalist, but that I enjoyed it. COOL Week is a valuable experience that is worth every terrifying moment leading to it. The journey to adulthood is a scary one, it’s a leap, a chapter turn, and the next great adventure, this is the first step, the first jump, and it’s a wonderful one.

http://communityimpact.com/austin/education/2016/02/03/leander-isd-students-participate-in-cool-week/