Monday 30 September 2013

When I grow up I want to be...A Journalist

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
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7 comments

  1. This is such an interesting post. It's always nice to see someone actually trying hard to achieve something in life instead of expecting it to just be handed to them!

    JS Beauty & Style - I follow back

    xx

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh my god im in the same position as you were, i just started my 2nd year college and i have no idea what i want!
    Wedding photographer, fashion journalist, stylist? I have absolutely no idea! Argh! xxxxxx

    http://da-chic.blogspot.co.uk/ xxxxxx

    ReplyDelete
  3. I agree, I love seeing what direction bloggers want to go with their careers. I'm currently a second year uni student studying creative writing but this year I get to do a journalism module which I'm so excited about!

    Love your blog,

    www.inspirationormadness.com

    xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  4. I know how you feel. It wasn't until last year that I really knew what I wanted to do.I'm now 22 and in my second year of advertising and I've finally found what I want to do. It the perfect combination of creativity and academic classes. And I now love all of my classes, which is great.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I want to do exactly the same. I am currently at college studying fashion, but I am useless at the manufacturing side. I make up for it in my creativeness in my course work and research; skills that I learnt from blogging I think. I'm also very good at English which is obviously essential to fashion media.

    I personally want to go to the University Arts of London, both of my college tutors studied there and say that its essential that you study somewhere central and well known.

    Great post Ellen, good luck :)

    http://chicgeekblogger.blogspot.co.uk/

    ReplyDelete
  6. This post is wonderful and very helpful (for me personally at least).
    I´ve had my mind made up that I want to study journalism for a year now I think, and I´m trying to gain experience or something to write on my application. Though it´s tough, being a 16-year-old junior in high school because no one´s hiring, not even as an intern and especially not in the journalism world. Im from Slovakia, and I would love to study at city university as an international student. (I am also considering kingston!). Would I be bothering you if I wrote you an email and asked about your first year at university, your application and work experience prior to studying at city, and basically tips and tricks how to get into a journalism course?
    Thanks a lot for responding,
    Barbora xx

    ReplyDelete

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