Set Yourself on Fire

Set yourself on fire.  Wait, put the matches down.  I mean in the figurative sense, not literally.  In all seriousness, though, that was one of the biggest lessons I learned at this year’s NCRA convention in Nashville.  We, as court reporting students, need to unleash the fire inside of us and let that energy propel us through what is, arguably, one of the most difficult programs to complete.  This program requires hard work, discipline, self-motivation, organization, resilience, strength of character, and an unfailing positive attitude.  And believe me, you need a fire to keep all of that going. 

Court reporting students also need a good support system to help maintain the flame.  Of course, that includes your teachers, friends, and family, but even more importantly, it should include a group of fellow students who share your zeal and devotion to making this dream a reality.  And that is exactly what I found after getting “fired up” at the convention.   Several of us went to Nashville together and we all left feeling the same way: inspired.  Inspired about the profession, inspired by the myriad of possibilities, and, most importantly, inspired to finish school!

Since then, we’ve managed to keep that flame alive by meeting outside of school to practice together.  We review our theory and explore others, we examine challenging concepts, and above all, we write.  And then we write a little more.  We’ve set goals and shared them with each other.  We’ve seen improvements in our writing and passed tests.   We’re burning a path to the finish line! 

But, in my opinion, it is the support and motivation we get from one another that enables us to progress.  It is the knowledge that there are other people in the same situation, struggling with the same circumstances, and fighting the same battle that comforts us on this journey.  We understand each other’s disappointments as no one else can, and we happily celebrate our successes together.  As I see it, this camaraderie is crucial for success in this endeavor.  So, my advice to other court reporting students: grab some classmates and turn up the heat!

By Natalie Sandi, a student at Brown College of Court Reporting

More information on Brown College of Court Reporting can be found at www.bccr.edu or by calling (800)849-0703.