by Lesley Roy, MA Multimedia Journalism student
Toasting the new MAMJs on the Roof Garden of the Saltire Centre
RoofGardenSept12
Thursday saw the start of yet another academic year and the first steps on the road to becoming professional journalists for this year’s Masters in Multimedia Journalism cohort. I am Lesley, one of the eleven new affectionately named MAMJs, who are about to begin what we have been assured will be a thoroughly exhausting yet hopefully rewarding year.
Thursday and Friday were the first two induction days of the course and besides trying to take in a whole host of new information about the university and more particulars about all of the ups and downs we can look forward to over the next year, it was a great chance for us all to get to know each other a little better.
After assigning each other alliterative nicknames and discovering that in a group of eleven there are no less than THREE Callums (Cool, Crazy and Clumsy) we took to the bright lights of the TV studio for some ‘Induction Chat’. Complete with awkward questions and getting tangled in the mics, we found out a lot of random facts about our new MAMJ family – these included such insights as two of our members having met the legend that is Carol Vorderman, knowing we can maybe get some mates’ rates in Pizza Hut and that one of our classmates who works in a certain Glasgow shoe shop regularly deals with a man with a fondness for stilettos…
Corrie Martin, News Editor, Real Radio
On Thursday we were also joined for a short while by Corrie Martin, Deputy News Editor at Real Radio. She gave us a real insight into what we can expect from the broadcasting industry and in some ways scared a lot of us into action. She reiterated how difficult it will be for us to find a job at the end but also said that with a lot of hard work, enthusiasm and determination nothing is impossible and that a lot of the time, it is merely our own attitudes that are the barriers to our own success.
Friday allowed us to all to talk to Collette, Craig and Nicola, some of last year’s MAMJs. Their honest accounts of the past year left us under no illusions – this year is going to be difficult! However, when asked if they would do it all again they said “definitely” and Collette claimed that the course has changed her life. I don’t think any of us needed any further endorsements to be honest.
The two days of induction ended with a lovely drinks reception on the roof garden, despite the dark cloud and chilly breeze that often accompanies Scottish September. There was much chat over wine and nibbles and it gave us the opportunity to mingle not only with our lecturers but also with several other postgraduate students. I think I speak for everyone when I say that I think we are lucky to have such a good group of people, since we are basically going to be spending every waking moment with each other over the next twelve months. Proper proceedings start tomorrow so all that is left to say is: MAMJs, let the fun commence!
