2 . My first newsroom was in a grand building with tall arched windows that dominated a street corner in the small Midwestern city where I worked. Inside, there was a high ceiling."Did this use to be a bank?" many visitors would ask.But it had, in fact, always been a newsroom.

I was young and shy when I first went to work there, and it probably took me a month before I talked to any of the other reporters. But eventually, they became my best friends, the core of my social life.

My second newsroom was the airy top floor of a historic building in the state capital of Maryland. It was smaller and less grand but far more energizing. My colleagues were older. I learned so much about how to be a reporter from overhearing their phone interviews.

This past summer, several American newspapers announced they would be closing their newsrooms. Many local newspapers have gone out of business in recent years, victims of declining circulation and shrinking advertising dollars. Then along came the coronavirus pandemic ,and so many of us were sent home to work from there. The pleasant surprise is that we have all succeeded brilliantly in working remotely. But some managers have looked at this success and thought:"Why would we need to return to the newsroom?”

I worry that they are making a big mistake. A physical newsroom sends a powerful message to a community: “We are here for you.”At my first job, strangers could walk right through the door and straight up to my desk. We treasured that visibility.

But I also think about the collaboration   - of the times I would overhear colleagues talking about a story and realize that I had some useful information for them. Sometimes, a colleague would see me in the hall and give me a story idea. I can't wait to get back to my newsroom.

5 . A job is more than just a job, especially to the older generation. “It’s not the money that matters, but the sense of self-worth,” 56-year-old Cheng Wonlan said. So, every day Ms. Cheng carries a bag of parcels, letters and documents of all shapes and sizes and does her rounds in North Point. She’s a courier (快递人员).

Five years ago, Ms. Cheng was a nurse at a private clinic. She had worked there for almost 30 years but was made jobless when the doctor migrated ( 移 居 ). It was extremely difficult for her to find another job as a nurse. “People do not trust my ability when they learn how old I am,” she said. After two years of searching, the mother of two eventually found another nursing job. But then after two years, she quit. Why?

“My colleagues were young and they didn’t understand me because of my age. They often asked me, ‘You are so old, what are you working for?’ I was very unhappy.” She said. So while the rest of her family left for work, she was left to lonely boredom at home. Then, one of Ms. Cheng’s neighbours told her about Employee’s Retraining Board (ERB) offering retraining courses for older people on specific occupations, such as convenience store assistants, junior clerks and so on.

“I was interested in courier work. I didn’t think my age was a barrier because I was fit and healthy,” she said. Upon graduation from the ERB, Ms. Cheng was offered a job by the Speeding Shuttle Courier Service Company Limited. But then Ms. Cheng was caught between honour and employment. It took Ms. Cheng 24 hours to make up her mind and eventually she took heart and went off to work as a courier.

Ms. Cheng’s employer is delighted with her. “Ms. Cheng has been working with us for two months and has shown a good responsible attitude to work.” Anthony Chong, who runs the company, said. Mr. Chong said he hired older people because they were able and reliable. “Age is not an important factor but attitude is. Many old people are more capable than youngsters. They will not run from difficulties but young ones will,” he said. “It is not easy to recruit (招募) young people since they shy away from hardship and challenges.”

6 . Job for You!

I was still a fresh graduate from high school; I got a chance to work. During my first day of work, I came early. I was the first one to arrive in the office. Perhaps it was due to excitement, I had performed well in my given tasks. Everything went smoothly in my work. The passion when I started was still the same passion I am feeling until now. Furthermore, I didn’t forget to do well in my studies. In fact, I still managed to review my notes, to become active in classes and to score high in tests.

I had learned new things as I started working there. Dealing and interacting with people were some of the remarkable learning I had. Moreover, it was also very fulfilling when I had helped my parents diminish their finances in my own ways.

It is not that easy to study while working. There are truly pressures in between them. Sometimes, deadlines of the school project and errands(差事) from the boss go together. Sometimes, there are misunderstandings between colleagues. There are just some sacrifices and challenges of becoming a working student.

Yet, it is my will and I am very happy with it because I am learning and growing. They say, “You can’t serve two masters at a time. ” It is possible, but it is a challenge. I know that I can balance studies and work. Moreover, I know that I can still keep my relationships with my family, friends and loved ones. I know that I can still share my talents despite my busy life. I just enjoy everything because every moment of being a working student is a truly remarkable experience.