ANOTHER week down and one of the best weeks I’ve had of the year so far. Pressure released from some rather tight shoulders, things finally began to go my way and the spectacular journalism night out less than 24 hours ago has left me buzzing.
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| FINAL: The front cover of my 12-page magazine |
If you had read last week’s edition, then you will have understood the nightmare I had with Printers Pairs. On Monday, I went to the library at the University of Northampton to print out my 12-page magazine, based on retro TV (see picture for front cover). Typically for me, it didn’t run without its problems. First, the magazine wouldn’t print out, because I was on another student’s username. Then, my library password had expired, which meant I couldn’t get onto my log-in screen and set-up my Adobe PDF file for printing. Eventually, I managed to print out three A3 copies, and by accident, one A4 colour booklet copy. Looking at the final product, I am delighted with how it all came together in the end, after some trials and tribulations. Of course, I needed some assistance, otherwise I would have been in a major panic and I’m lucky to have that this year, in the form of a strong and very close friendship with Tamika.
As a group, I do think we all have a strong chemistry. A lot of us have different interests; different hobbies and some have more eccentric lifestyles than others! However, it all works out in the end. What I do know this year is that without the presence of Tamika, I wouldn’t have been as motivated as I have been and maybe, I wouldn’t even be at the University. Tamika has helped me massively though some very tough situations for me this year, both within University and outside Uni. She has always been there for me and I am eternally grateful for that. Without her care and support, I wouldn’t be as strong as I am now. Monday was another prime example of this. I know many people who would have just walked away from me and left me to fight my own battles. Tamika has never done that, and I’m so pleased she has always stuck by me, especially in some trying situations. True, you do need to show some individual qualities, but to have a strong personality backbone; you need loving support from your friends. I’m lucky, because I do have three or four very close friends on my course at Uni, as well as my loving family and the ‘Pubbage’ crew back in my hometown, Milton Keynes. With her hard-working capabilities, together with always being there for support, advice and a good laugh too, Tamika’s friendship will be one of the most positive aspects I will lookback on during my second year at the University of Northampton.
Whilst I can never fault Tamika’s reliability as a friend, the lecturers continue to be a total liability. I’m beginning to feel I should trust Ian Beale from EastEnders more than the useless lecturers. I don’t want to be too hyper-critical if I can help it, but I am paying over £3,000 a year to attend my degree at the University of Northampton. I expect top-quality teaching as a result and to say that I and the rest of my course are getting that would be one of the biggest porkies I’ve heard. England has got more chance of winning the Football World Cup than we have of getting any decent communication. This week’s episode saw the ridiculous decision taken to move the deadline for the Unique group magazine portfolios by a week, and let us know, two flipping days before it is meant to be handed into the Assignment Office! The lecturers used the excuse that we all knew and it was made abundantly clear! So, where’s the evidence? No-one told me, and also, what is a Log Book? I mean, they accuse some of us for slacking. Well, don’t prove that by changing around deadlines without telling us then! I don’t expect us to be spoon-fed. After all, we are all grown-ups, but just a little bit of better communication wouldn’t go amiss. No-one will break their leg if that happened. It feels like Civil War is breaking out between Lecturers v Journalism Students. It would be an interesting occasion for Big Fight Live! Quick, I’d better telephone Rupert Murdoch; he might be able to back a blockbusting knockout victory for the students! Sometimes, I feel more reliable than the lecturers and I’m not even teaching! Maybe we should trust Wikipedia more than them.
Thursday May 12, and its 9.30am. I have just started my dreaded exam on law and government for journalists. Then, I come across a term called TWOC! I’ve have never even heard of that terminology, never! If someone wants to let me know, send your answers via postcard! Aside from that stupid term, I felt the two-hour exam went really quickly and went very well. I got a C last year, from an exam that I thought was easy-peasy, chocolate-squeezy! I actually thought the 2011 exam was easier still. Exams have been the death of me in the past. My brain always froze in an exam hall, and often would spoil a hard year’s work of effort. Since I screwed up my GCSE’s in 2005, I have worked incredibly hard to sort these issues out and the results seem to be coming together now. I’m glad I don’t have to do any next year (I hope!), and will always going in feeling butterflies. However, I felt very confident of doing well and hopefully; the results will prove my confidence. I’ve always gone into a hall with a bag of nerves, often been ill in the build-up to the exam, not eating much and struggling with irregular sleeping patterns. Not so this time around, so it was a pleasant change.
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| PARTY: With journalism buddies, Shamima, Tom and Richard |
To conclude this personal blog on a happy note and I went out last night into town to make my debut in the Balestra nightclub. Since Balestra opened just before Christmas 2010, I’ve always been interested to go and experience it. I’m not a clubbing person and never will be, especially after being attacked on the way home from a night out in Milton Keynes in July 2009. However, I will bite the bullet and go out occasionally, with the plan to have some drinks, a mad dance, a real laugh and a memorable experience. This certainly happened last night. After some pre-drinks at Pennywhistle’s with two of my closest friends, Emily and Rochelle, plus a rather entertaining Jonathan (who I’ve never really seen eye-to-eye with), we headed down town to the club. I was so thrilled to finally have a night out which saw the large proportion of journalism students out together, partying into the early hours of Friday morning. It is something we haven’t done enough of and I think that made the experience even more enjoyable. I have also managed to find a nightclub in Northampton that can match up to my favourite place, which is Oceania in Milton Keynes. Like I said before, I’m not a regular clubber, but Oceania is the only experience when I’ve come out of a club and gone ‘Wow,’ before last night anyways. To see people out, who I don’t normally socialise with made it more awesome too. There were plenty of highlights along the way. Seeing one of our journalism technicians outside Pennywhistle’s, as we disappeared into the town, Farida complaining that her feet were about to fall off and an Olly Murs lookalike trying to chat up Farida and Tamika in one of the nearby eating establishments after the nightclub experience and frankly, failing absolutely miserably! Well, some guys just don’t know when to stop! I got back to my place, exhausted at 3.45am, but having had one of the best nights for ages!
More partying next week hopefully, when Uni is wrapped up for another year! I already know that despite my London work placement and Fuerteventura summer holiday with the family, I am really going to miss my journalism buddies over the lengthy summer break. LET’S GO OUT ON A HIGH!
