I'm always fascinated to find out what other bloggers, or anyone really, want to do when they 'grow up'; whether it be in fashion, media or something that contrasts completely with their blogosphere persona. Up until last year I honestly had no clue what I wanted to do with my life, I've always had a vast range of interests and couldn't narrow my passions down to just one career. My A-Level options - French, Textiles, History and Physics immediately convey an image of me running around with my arms flailing and screaming I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH MY LIIIFFEE! Despite this, journalism seems like the career I've been unknowingly preparing myself for since I was young - when I was little I used to go to my mum's work and make my own fashion magazines, coloured in with highlighter pens and biro (as you can probably tell, they were very sophisticated), I was obsessed with the world of Ugly Betty, I've been writing blogs since I was about 14 and for my Extended Project Qualification that I started at the beginning of last year, I decided to create my own affordable fashion magazine entitled 'onefifty' and have been working on it ever since. Still without realising that journalism was the career path for me.
For me, journalism marries my love of the arts, and more academic subjects - taking a journalism course at university will allow me to dabble in radio, T.V and print, as well as working on any subject from arts and culture to world news. It would be an absolute dream come true to work at, or run, a fashion magazine and taking a journalism course will bring me one step closer to making that a reality. I have dropped Physics (which in all honesty I hated) and picked up an AS in Creative Writing, I'm now loving my A-Levels and feel like everything is coming together because I've decided what I'm aiming for.
So, for all of you out there that may not have decided what they want to do yet, or who are considering journalism, I hope this post maybe inspires you or gives you some ideas for the future.
I'm trying to keep a 'writing journal' of pieces I've written as well as words, articles, poems, quotes and photographs that inspire me, so I can use them to inspire ideas and the journal itself will be something I can take along to university interviews.
Universities I am looking at:
- City University London
- University of Sheffield
- University of Cardiff
- University of Westminster
- Kingston University London
- University of Arts London - London College of Communication
Books I am reading:
- Andrew Marr - My Trade
- Caitlin Moran - Moranthology
- Flat Earth News - Nick Davies
- Dial M for Murdoch - Tom Watson & Martin Hickman
- Street View
- Politics and the English Language - George Orwell
- Journalism Principles & Practice - Tony Harcup
- The NTCJ Guide to Essential Reporting - Jon Smith
- Fashion Blogs
Saving the best news until last - this week I was offered 2 weeks work experience at The Telegraph's Stella magazine in London!! I'm so excited to get a realistic and first-hand experience of the magazine industry and I'm hoping this will open doors for me, whether it be on my university application or when I'm applying for future jobs. Hopefully I'll be able to do a photo-diary type thing to feature on here and show you guys the kinda things I'm getting up to!
What do you want to be when you grow up?
Love Ellen xx