I worked for free in what was essentially a lengthy volunteer internship for a local-area paper back in my early years of college, even working in an AM/PM mini-mart on the graveyard shift for a year specifically so I could go to school and do that during the day/regular night hours.
But that was quite a long time ago now, and honestly, back then, I didn't even think about it. I needed and wanted the clips and the experience, and I just
wanted to do it. And I could, because I still lived at home at the time.
I'd never do it again, and nowadays, I'd never suggest or recommend that anybody do that. But I'd have to say that, really, it worked out OK for me then, when I think that sort of thing was more common and less frowned-upon anyway.
I got plenty of clips and experience, and it was all worth it when the paper hired me for a full-time half-sports/half-news staff opening there the next year. It was a small paper, but I liked it and was just loving the work so I jumped at the opportunity. Obviously, I made contacts, and, to this day, friends. Once I'd started working there, I realized I liked the particular city/area where the paper was located very much, and I started thinking that if I could ever live there, I would.
Well, I still do, having bought a condo and settled there.
And even though I moved on from the paper to bigger and what I considered better things -- actually my dream thing, back then -- I still own/rent out my home there and I still keep in periodic touch with several people I met and worked with at that paper. Some of them also went on to bigger things, while some others stayed right there for many years -- or are still there -- apparently having liked it just as much as me.
All that notwithstanding, do as I say now, not what I did then.
