Journalism as a pedagogical tool is something everyone should have access to. Before I came to journalism school I would have been terrified to call an editor at the Globe and Mail to ask for an interview. I could not have imagined calling a local politician and requesting time for a chat. And the truth is I rarely read newspapers--preferring to read magazines at my leisure.

The skills I've learned, and now take for granted, are valuable for anyone who wants access to the truth about anything. Awareness of the variety of news sources available--and knowing which ones offer the best stories--has made me more informed. I did some work for a former employer over the Christmas break, and was taken aback by the fact that nobody knew what was happening in Darfur or anywhere else. Many people are too busy being overworked and underpaid to have any time left to read the paper, magazines or books.

People don't have time to run around and do interviews after they've put in a full day of work, made dinner, talked to their kids, and then read several news sources on a weekly basis--just to get at the truth. But practicing journalism can mean making a call to your local MP and asking why more isn't being done about childcare and global warming. Or calling members on the board of education to find out why there isn't more training for teachers on racism and homophobia.

You have to be constantly brave in j-school. Every time I pick up the phone to call someone and ask for a few minutes of their time, so I can ask them about X and Y, is daunting, no matter how many times I've done it. Fear of rejection remains. But knowing that I just have to keep digging, keep asking until someone talks to me, until I acquire more pieces of the puzzle, has changed me in a permanent sense. So whether I decide to work as a journalist or not in the future, I think I will be a better citizen, willing to ask more questions of everything.