Despite the constant juggling in his life as a web editor at a busy TV station, university student Alejandro Melgar is still smiling.
Melgar is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in communications and media studies at the University of Calgary. At the same time, he works at CityTV, a job he got after receiving his journalism diploma from SAIT in 2022.
Melgar sat down with The Press recently to talk about working in journalism, returning to school and maintaining his sanity through it all?
Why did you choose to study journalism?
I was a personal trainer for a while, and I left because I wasn’t exactly happy. I wasn’t really in the best place. Mentally, I felt I wasn’t doing what I wanted to do. I wanted to do something different, and I did a lot of self-reflection. And journalism was what I felt would help me express myself but also enable me to help others.
What were your experiences when you were on your practicum at the SAIT and when you started your work at CTV?
I did my practicum with LiveWire, which is an independent outlet here in the city. You always need to have a story ready there. Every single day you need to pitch and have a couple of pitches in your back pocket, just in case. But with my job now with City News, particularly when I was full-time, I would write probably eight stories a day. I remember during the UCP leadership race, I was writing stories like crazy.
What was your experience transitioning from work to being a student?
It was interesting. I had already been working and had my own place. I had been taking care of myself and living as an adult, so I was already doing all this stuff and going back to school was kind of humbling. It’s interesting to be immersed with everyone who is quite younger and learning a lot of these skills at the same time as me. It made me realize that it doesn’t matter how old you are when you go back to these scholarly pursuits. I really enjoyed it.
How do you motivate yourself when you feel tired from the workload and your studies?
I work out. In my school days, I try to keep an active lifestyle. I try to eat as much as I can throughout the week or the day. If you don’t take care for yourself, you’re so sluggish, and you’re not able to do a good job with your work.
What are you strongest at?
I always feel that if you think you’re the master or the best at something, you’re never going to improve. And for me, I get humbled all the time at work. So, for me, I feel I’m always improving.
If I had to pick a strength, I think it’s my ability to communicate with the newsroom about what we’re reporting. We work in teams with the radio station and the TV station. It’s important to have that communication.
What do you do in your spare time?
I try to catch up with some reading, spend time with my family, work out. I like to go running. But sometimes I just chill. I like to do some photography if I have the spare time.
I still see my friends when I can. And I think that’s important because you need to have that social connection. You need to be able to break away.
This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
