2020: REFLECTING ON A YEAR OF CHANGE

Before I embarked on my postgraduate degree in Magazine Journalism, I pictured myself in a Carrie Bradshaw-esque lifestyle with a portfolio as thick as my purse. However, my naivety to the reality of journalism was soon eliminated as the idealised lifestyle of flowing content and endless macchiatos was replaced with unresponsive interviewees and crashing computers.

Reflecting on the first half of the module is quite difficult as it feels as though it was a lifetime ago. The law and ethics module was daunting at first as I felt completely intimidated by the sheer volume of content, however upon reflection I think this was one of the most fascinating aspects of the course. I could apply what I was learning in lectures to the news stories of that week, and this real-world application made me realise how important the module was, as professionals can face large fines or prison sentences if the rules are not followed. It was an aspect that I had not considered before the course, but I now feel prepared to enter the world of journalism law and talk to my editor if I ever feel the content I am publishing may intrude on someone’s privacy or contain defamatory statements.

My favourite aspect of the course was the amazing guest speakers we had across the year. From Melissa Denes to Ian Birch, I found every professional that spoke to us inspiring and learnt a huge amount from them.

Laurence Mozafari, editor of DigitalSpy, was the speaker I enjoyed the most. He provided us with a great insight into what works well in the digital world and his advice on what content belongs on what platform was incredibly useful. For example, he taught us that an interview with a popular journalist would be better promoted on Twitter and an interactive quiz would work best on Instagram. This specialist knowledge has already helped me stand out to potential employers when applying for social media jobs and has led to job interviews.

March 2020 was a pivotal point in the course. The lockdown made it clear just how important writing and creating is to me. My assignments provided me with a sense of meaning and escapism throughout the pandemic.

Working from home with limited technology available to me proved to be difficult as I could not produce any design work which was the part of the course that I enjoyed the most. However, I was able to improve my news writing skills, which led me to write one of my favourite pieces of work, my story on the re-opening of schools.

At the beginning of the course, news writing was the aspect I enjoyed the least. But during the second news week, they were crucial due to the unprecedented nature of the pandemic. Information was being released in abundance and people were keen to obtain knowledge fast. I thrived from this pressure and my news writing skills improved as I felt an obligation and a passion to inform the public on important topics, structuring my writing so the most important information was conveyed first and making sure the headlines were informative to avoid clickbait. This type of pressure is common in the industry and I’m glad I experienced it throughout the news weeks as I learnt how to cope with it and use it as a tool to inspire me to work harder, rather than crack under the weight of it.

My portfolio of work is the greatest thing I will take away from this course. I was pushed to get some amazing interviewees and covered a range of topics and writing styles. From B2B interviews to reviews, photography to social media videos.

My portfolio features work produced through InDesign, Photoshop, Premiere Pro and Shorthand, skills that will make my CV stand out to potential employers.

My knowledge of analytics, SEO and design skills will help me in many different job roles within the industry. I now feel confident to apply for a wide range of jobs, from a content creator to a freelance writer. Whatever the job, I have work in my portfolio that I can take to an interview and show potential employers.

Some may argue that 2020 was the wrong year to do a masters, online seminars and the absence of social interaction isn’t the most productive learning atmosphere. However, I now know that if I can work through these conditions, there isn’t much I can’t do. I have met highly respected professionals and found inspiration from not only them, but my incredibly talented course mates and tutors. It wasn’t the Sex and the City episode I imagined (more like an episode of Black Mirror), but the unprecedented circumstances have taught me much more than I could have ever imagined.