As student journalists, admittedly there are certain things we don't know. And with a new editorial staff this summer, we might make mistakes.
Errors may slip through and be printed. We might even mess up the crossword puzzle.
But we're students. This is a learning experience.
When we heard that New York Times reporter Jayson Blair, 27, was under investigation for plagiarism, invented quotes and falsified stories, we couldn't help but be upset.
In a 7,500-word New York Times article from its Web site, the paper details how Blair became successful at the Times despite his sloppiness and frequent reprimands from supervisors.
Publisher Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr. called the revelations "a huge black eye."
"It's an abrogation of the trust between the newspaper and its readers," he said.
Don't forget aspiring journalists.
From the start, journalism students are taught the value of truth and accuracy in reporting. We are given opportunities such as this newspaper to hone our skills and become the journalists we want to be.
To us, the New York Times is like a Promised Land, where only the best journalists can succeed.
How could this guy make such career-threatening mistakes?
What's worse, how many professional journalists are out there doing the same thing, but not getting caught?
It's shocking, frustrating and so difficult to understand.
As student journalists, we've learned yet another lesson. In some cases, we've got a better grasp on our job than the pros do.
Now if we can just get the crossword right, we'll be fine.
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