JOUR1111- Lecture 1

My first lecture of JOUR1111. I’ll admit I had an inkling of what to expect from the reports of friends who had completed the course in the first semester of this year however I was still happily surprised by the laidback and conversational nature of the lecture. Dr Redman avoided spending a large amount of time discussing the mundane administrative details of course profiles and tutorial times as some of my other lectures would have. For me this was a great advantage as this is the first subject in which I don’t have a two hour lecture, and the fifty minute period seems as if it’s finished in no time at all.

I stumbled my way into taking a journalism course as is unfortunately often the case amongst arts students. I regret to say that I am not one of the lucky few, those born with the knowledge of where they wish their future to take them. I decided upon journalism as it seems to be the perfect place to make use of my ability to write at a reasonable level, and my unfortunate inability to do most other academically oriented activities, especially mathematics.

The first lecture of this course connected with me. It was and remains to be my first university lecture that was actually what I was hoping to receive from the course.  Dr Redman opened the lecture in his laidback manner, he introduced us to the idea of taking a journalism course with the words, “ You are the journalist”. This idea made me feel as if I wasn’t just taking a university course, I was taking an internship into a career that I wish to pursue.  Words like this legitimise the course and help me motivate myself to do my best and as someone who often lacks motivation, I am extremely thankful for that. This lecture continued to motivate us through further quotes such as “ Journalism is the first rough draft of history”. As if I wouldn’t want to be a part of creating history ! The concept of both studying and of doing journalism appealed to me immensely. I have already worried that my time at university would be simply discussing things I wished to be part of. Dr Redman managed to lay my concerns to rest immediately. The remainder of the lecture was a quick walkthrough of how to use blackboard and the course profile, sadly a tedious necessity.

I came out of this lecture anxious and excited for a second semester at university. After a relatively misguided first semester in which I couldn’t settle on what I wanted to do, I felt that I have truly found my niche of tertiary study.

I look forward to another hopefully engaging lecture next week. Let’s hope it continues like this !