Masters Madness

My high school teachers told me that GCSEs were the most important qualifications I'll ever take in my life. My A Level teachers told me the same. Then, of course, I got to university and realised that I only did GCSEs and A Levels to get here, and this was the most important qualification I'd ever do in life. Then graduation - FINALLY! Now I've been learning for 17 years I can get a job and live happily ever after, right? Apparently not.


During my final year at university I applied for so many internships and jobs, wasted so many trees for all those CVs, cover letters, and 'please see enclosed some recent examples of my work', and spent so many long hours worrying about rejection after rejection.


- Get as much work experience as you can: check
- Do as many different things as you can: check
- Demonstrate your dedication to your career goals: last-10-years-of-my-life-CHECK


I even chopped all my hair off in order to look more professional! (i.e. more like Kate Silverton and Natasha Kaplinsky - two of my journo-goddess idols)

So it's crushing to realise after being on job seekers allowance for so many weeks that your excellent GCSEs, excellent A Levels, and excellent degree from the 3rd highest university in the country, not to mention your mass of diverse experience (for your age) and your unmatchable determination and dedication, still isn't enough.

So what now?

I am 21.

I have wanted to report from the Oscars since I was 12 years old.

Nothing is working.

Time for the POSTGRADUATE!

So that's where I've been for the last 3 months. That was the stage where my blogging ceased to exist. In fact, that was the stage where a-spare-two-hours-to-relax-and-watch-a-film ceased to exist.

In the same week back in September, I started both a Broadcast Journalism MA at on one of the highest accredited and most respected Broadcasting courses in the country, AND a part time job at BBC Radio Stoke. On top of that I successfully gained an academic bursary to pay for half my fees in exchange for my working as a journalist for the arts department.

My life for the first few weeks can so very easily be summed up in two words: INFORMATION OVERLOAD. And sitting here 12 weeks later I can't even comprehend how much I've learned!

I have published articles, I can compose radio news bulletins, I can radio DJ, I can produce an entire TV news package on my own (filming, reporting, interviewing, editing...), I can operate every aspect of a TV news station (camera work, video editing, sound mixing, vision mixing, auto cue, directing, presenting...), and I can write shorthand at 60 words per minute!


I've even learnt about things I've never ever not-even-a-little-bit cared for or been able to understand - government, politics, and law. Yes, my friends, these are essentials for a journo. And yes, I get it now! (This, I hasten to add, is one of my greatest personal achievements).


And not only that, but I work for the BBC (which, by the way, is simultaneously amazing and terrifying).

Phew

The MA is great. I'm working pretty much 9-5, and when I get home I work until around 9-10pm each night - the point is that our tutors and mentors require us to be journalists - colleagues - not students. The work we do gets published, and the articles we write and the TV news packages we create are about real news and real people. Our 'newsdays' may not have a radio or a TV station that broadcasts, but every budding and experienced journo in the room genuinely believes that thousands could be listening or watching our broadcast. It's hard, it's exhausting, and it's hugely rewarding.


On our first TV newsday, I was the vision mixer - right-hand-lady to the director and responsible for the camerawork. Here is the 10minute broadcast from our very first news attempt, and note my first news package is featured 4m50s in.


On my Personal YouTube Channel I have started to upload my news features and our newsday pieces.


This last week I was director - phew! Very busy, very tense, and I loved it. Though I am a master of organisation - one of those 'freaks' whose pictures folder is organised by family/friends, then by year, month, and date - each one named, each one in its rightful place. The point is, being in charge of organisation - fantastic!

Next week I'm the TV presenter. Now THAT is where I want to be. I've been practising my voice (yes, we have professional voice coaching sessions too!), and I haven't yet decided on an outfit. But I DO know my hair will be somewhere on the money.

[Kate Silverton in the dress she wore for reporting live from the Oscars]