I applied for journalism and media degrees at the age of 18. I wanted to become a journalist because I loved to write. It was a cliché reason that has stood the test of time and it was one of my only reasons. I’d had experience on the school magazine, Banter, and was an editor for a one-off page that we did in a local newspaper about news from the school. I gained places on all five choices, but i wasn’t ready. I didn’t feel like I could jump into university at the age of 18, it was too soon.
Decisions
I withdrew my application and decided to go to college and study for a Extended Diploma in Health and Social Care. I enjoyed helping people and enjoyed the subject at school so I thought “why not?”. Fast forward two years and it was 2014. I had gained a place on a Social Work degree at the University of Sunderland. I did one year of the course and dropped out due to mental health.
I made the decision to transfer to journalism. I have many reasons for doing so.
Writing!
We’ll start with the cliché saying first. Although this may sound naive, I’ve written since I was a child. I can remember gripping a pen and wanting to write. I was always told to stop writing. I wrote about events such as the Tall Ships Race and wrote poems about World War Two. I thrived on writing and I still do. I write whenever I can. Whether it is a news story, an editorial, a feature or simply a long list of to do’s.
Wanting to tell stories
I want to tell other people about things that have happened. I want to be subjective and objective. I want to be able to show other people the facts and show opinion too. I enjoy reading stories so why not enjoy telling them too. I thrive on reporting events and on breaking news stories. I get an adrenaline rush like never before. I find telling people stories exhilarating. It’s like being a storyteller.
Helping others
By telling stories you are helping people. It gives people a voice and it allows others to give their account of an event. Journalism helps people in a different way to social work. Since starting journalism in September I’ve noticed that I enjoy gathering vox-pops and gathering quotes. I enjoy giving people a voice which I guess comes from my previous course.
There are many other reasons but those are my main three: to write, to tell and to help. That’s why I chose journalism.
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