“I’m nosy,” said Terrell Bryant, justifying his decision to delve into journalism.

The 23-year-old says he first toyed with the idea of being an architect because of his awe of skyscrapers. But somewhere in the industrial art mix, Bryant realized that journalists were much cooler.

“I always thought they were the smartest people,” Bryant said with a wide, toothy grin. It’s “such a respected field.”

Bryant noticed that he enjoyed being “in the know” before anyone else. Writing became his path to glory. “I get to be in control,” he said.

The recent Benedict College graduate was editor of his monthly campus newspaper Tiger News, which had a staff of no more than 10 news junkies. “And that included the advisor,” he added.

Though he described the setup as challenging, he was able to learn the ropes well enough to complete two internships during his time at Benedict, one at Carolina Panorama, and the other at Black College Wire, an online newswire specializing in black college news.

Bryant, who was only one of 10 mass communication students from Benedict to graduate, has snagged a job at The State, the largest daily newspaper in South Carolina. Bryant, who is interested in public relations, said he’s looking forward to his position as a retail sales account executive. When he spoke it was nearly impossible for him to hide a beaming smile.

“Life is too short for you to always be down,” he said. “If you have a pessimistic view on life, your soul is dead . . . without God I wouldn’t be here.”

LINDA HOBBS