At the beginning of June, right after I had finished my first year of uni exams, I got in contact with the editor of Suffolk Magazine. As scared as I was to do so, I have gained invaluable experience in the world of publishing.
As an aspiring writer and current English Lit student, journalism is a popular route for me to go down, however I was never sure if that's what I wanted to do.
My immediate thoughts and judgements of journalists were that they would do anything for a story, however moral or immoral that may be and that was it! Oh how wrong I was...
Working for a magazine is an entirely different ball game. Writing about what people are interested in, getting involved in the design and layout of the mag as well as interviewing some wonderful people that you would have never thought you would have come across. This is what magazine journalism is all about.
Initially on my first day I thought I would be the token tea maker, being given jobs that were at the bottom of the pile that nobody particularly wanted to do, but once again I was proved wrong.
For the whole duration of the two weeks I have been given two to three features a day to research and write about and I have certainly been kept on my toes - all made better by being warmly welcomed by a team of talented and inspiring women.
I have learnt a number of things but mostly, how important internships are when choosing the right career and how invaluable it is to your portfolio. So, I cannot stress enough the importance of gaining experience in whatever field you wish to go into.
I would be here forever if I tried to list all the things I had done whilst at the magazine, but I am proud to say I did get a number of things published!
One of the pieces I am most proud of is an 1000 word feature on National Allotment Week, which doesn't initially sound too exciting, but it was so lovely to see something I had wrote and had put major effort into, coming together in a stylish way to fit into the EA life supplement. (It even has reported by Becca Green sitting proudly at the top of it!)
It was also majorly handy to learn the ins and outs of how a magazine comes together - what systems they use and how much of a tight schedule these guys are on. I even found myself using Adobe 'In'design' ... I never thought i would see the day!
If you were like me two weeks ago, and simply do not have a clear idea of what you wish to do after A levels or in my case university. Then if you haven't already guessed, I would highly recommend applying for a summer internship.
What I've found is people are often scared to contact employers, especially students as we are supposedly not yet 'in the real world.' Unfortunately, however annoying this stereotype is, it sometimes is proven to be true.
But what is there to lose? You're only ever going to receive a yes or no answer, and plus... to future employers it is a major plus to have confidence in yourself, and is a perfect introduction to your personality.
Sorry for my rambling but this is such an exhilarating time for me - and wanted to offer some light words of relief for you guys that aren't to sure what path is destined for you just yet!
x
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