Jour1111 Lecture 1 Monday 23^rd July 2012

“YOU ARE THE JOURNALIST”

So it began. Day 1 of my Journalism degree. Although I had studied at a university level prior to this day, (Fashion degree at QUT) I was nervous. For me it was the new surroundings, the no familiar faces, and the particular “unknown” element this new degree would provide. How intense was this course? Will the subject matter interest me? Will I be able to keep up? All these questions aimlessly bouncing around my head, as I wandered aimlessly around campus trying to locate the “Physiology Lecture Theatres”. To stubborn, and perhaps too socially awkward to ask for help I continued to navigate my way through UQ until I eventually found myself at the right place, congregating with 300+ other nervous “first dayers”.  

We were met by Dr Bruce Redman , forwarded into the lecture hall and  let the class begin.  There was an exchanging of pleasantries and Dr Redman shared a little insight of himself before he opened with this statement “YOU ARE THE JOURNALIST”. This immediately enlightened my expectations of  the course. Jour1111 would be about strong discussion, involvement and learning, not as a university student sitting through a subject, but as a trainee journalist with our L plates on, preparing for bigger and better. Dr Redman went on quoting some of Journalism's grates, like Henry Anatole Grunwald  Journalist/editor/diplomat (quote bottom of post) and continued with a brief course outline for the semester. Then he concluded with something that truly cemented my surety in knowing I was in the right place, taking the right course and going to thrive at UQ, a video snippet from the master, the man himself, Ron Burgundy. Sure he’s a fictional character and not really an established journalist but hey, he had one particular piece of advice I will carry throughout my degree. Simply, “GO WITH YOUR GUT”.

“Journalism can never be silent; it is its greatest virtue and its greatest fault. It must speak and speak immediately, while the echoes of wonder, the claims of triumph and the signs of horror are still in the air.”- Henry Anatole Grunwald  Journalist/editor/diplomat

Image origin: Bleacher Report 2012.http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/slides/photos/000/638/120/ron-burgundy-3717_display_image.jpg?1295055247 (Accessed 31/07/2012)