Hello!
This week has been enrichment week, which means I have a week off uni that I'm using to catch up and get a little bit ahead but also to chill out and not work at 100%. Not being at uni might be an excuse to take a week off from updating this but I've still been doing some stuff and technically it is Week 6, so I thought I'd talk about it anyway!
Monday was still kind of uni-heavy because my workbook deadline was that night, but it was all fairly chilled - I worked in the morning, we went to Asda, I uploaded it about half past eight which was a little bit later than I anticipated but I was actually really pleased with the final product (hence why I included it in my October Favourites post on Sophie Counts Clouds!). If I'd started earlier I definitely could have been more creative and perhaps made it longer, but a 41 page workbook submitted makes me all done!
Tuesday was a super productive day for me - I made a list of things I'd like to accomplish this week, I made a daily list of what I wanted to achieve on each day and I got everything on my Tuesday list by 1pm, good day! I tried to dye my hair but by bleaching it I got rid of the black and green in my hair and brought back the blue in my hair, but that got sorted later in the week (the convenience of writing on a Saturday about the past).
It seems that a productive day is always followed by a flop day - Wednesday I slept in too late, I bleached my hair again, tried to put pastel purple on my hair and apparently it's not pastel purple but pastel blue. It upset me more than I thought it would, but I'm going to try and get rid of the colour without putting more bleach in my hair and then add the purple in maybe in a few weeks.
Thursday was a new day and another productive one! I did the washing up, I cleaned out my wardrobe, I did my hair and make-up (I actually did my make-up, it's a miracle), I thought of another package idea for my next Producing the Package deadline, I did a few uni bits and bobs and got the result from my presentation and workbook.
I got a first, like a really good first. I was so pleased that all my work had paid off and I really hope I can maintain this throughout the year and keep up that level of grade but I can't imagine I'll get a first on every assignment. Either way, I'm very happy. So many happy.
Friday was where the 'chill' part started - my mum and my sister came to visit and I had a lie in, went into town and bought the Krispie Kreme doughnuts they requested, showed them the flat I'm living in this year and then we went to Asda and I stocked up on a lot of food and spent far too much of my mothers money and I'm very, very grateful. Shoutout to mum because you're the best ever. After that, we tetris-fit everything in the fridge, I had a nap then got changed and went for an anniversary meal with my boyfriend. We've been together for a whole year now, it's fab! I also wrote another blog post. Just to finish the night off y'know.
Saturday was our actual anniversary but he was working at a TEDx event from 8am-8pm, but we had Chinese this evening and it's all very chill and really nice. But for the rest of the day! I went into town about 11am, I mooched around with my sister and my mum, my sister went and got her nose pierced, we had McDonalds for lunch (I was so happy), we then went to my favourite cafe to show them where I go to work sometimes, we went back to the hotel and had a drink and then I showed my mum how to use InDesign. When the boys got back, we got out Chinese and had a good time.
The plan for tomorrow is to go see my family before they leave, go to the gym and then do lots and lots of works in the afternoon!
It's been a lovely week off, but it'll be nice to get back to uni on Monday.
Personal blog: sophiecountsclouds.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sophiecountsclouds/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/sophiecountsclouds
The Student Seat: https://thestudentseat.wordpress.com/
Saturday 29 October 2016
Week 5: Stress, then more stress
Normally when I write these blog posts, it's off a set of notes I've been writing throughout the week so I don't forget anything. I feel like that fact I've not made any notes this week summarises the kind of week I've had.
Monday and Tuesday were always going to be stressful - I had to do a Pitch Presentation, pitching three feature ideas to three different publications to a lecturer and someone else I didn't know who is an industry professional, or something. So my Monday lecture and seminar were cancelled because of these ongoing presentations but mine wasn't till Tuesday, so I used the time to work more on my pitch and also the full package story that was due as part of another unit, also due on Tuesday.
See why I was stressed?
So Monday was a lot of prep working from home - I managed to get quite a bit done for the pitch, then I went in early to the package seminar that was still on to work on editing my package before the hand in the next day. Then I had dance and had an early night.
Tuesday morning, I was up and in my lovely little cafe spot at 8.30am to start working. I had to edit the video for my package and that took a solid three hours, but from there I made the final notes for my pitch presentation, went to a tutorial meeting with my level tutor, went to Asda, started writing the copy for my package and went to do my presentation.
They were running so far behind on presentations that I had to wait 35 minutes and miss my lecture but it was Who's The Boss so I really couldn't care less. So I came home, carried on working on the copy for my package and then prepared to submit everything - video done, audio edited, pictures edited, copy written - assignment submitted before I went to dance.
Now that was a nice feeling.
And after all that, Wednesday was another Newsday. I wrote a story about a 48 Hour Film Challenge that is happening this weekend, you can read all about it here: Exposure Filmmakers Host 48-Hour Film Festival This Weekend
Thursday was a good day actually - two hours of InDesign was really useful because I got to make a start on the workbook I really should have started on Tuesday and is due on Monday - about five days from now. I'm actually getting into and enjoying making the InDesign workbook, it's a way of virtually making pretty designs and I'm quite enjoying the process of it.
Friday was a bit of a day off - bit of a lie in, then going to the SU with my friends (taking my laptop to work on the workbook, obviously). I then came back home to work on the workbook and had a break to go for a free drink and pancakes, before coming back to... work on the workbook! I didn't work hard and fast all day long but I worked kind of consistently and had YouTube on in the background and I got way more done than I was ever anticipating to.
Today hasn't been so successful - after staying up till 3am working and the boys playing GTA, we all slept in pretty late and then went into town for some things we needed to pick up. From there it was back to working on the workbook, watching the Flash with fish and chips and a spontaneous trip to see Doctor Strange at the cinema.
I'm hoping to get some more work done this evening when we get back from the film and then tomorrow will be another day of work before a Halloween fundraiser for dance that I'm taking a bunch of my friends too.
Next week is enrichment week so not a lot will be going on at uni because whilst I'm sure there's stuff going on, I don't know about any of it. I'll probably still write a post because I'm working on my blog re-design next week so I'll keep you up to date!
Personal blog: sophiecountsclouds.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sophiecountsclouds/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/sophiecountsclouds
The Student Seat: https://thestudentseat.wordpress.com/
Monday and Tuesday were always going to be stressful - I had to do a Pitch Presentation, pitching three feature ideas to three different publications to a lecturer and someone else I didn't know who is an industry professional, or something. So my Monday lecture and seminar were cancelled because of these ongoing presentations but mine wasn't till Tuesday, so I used the time to work more on my pitch and also the full package story that was due as part of another unit, also due on Tuesday.
See why I was stressed?
So Monday was a lot of prep working from home - I managed to get quite a bit done for the pitch, then I went in early to the package seminar that was still on to work on editing my package before the hand in the next day. Then I had dance and had an early night.
Tuesday morning, I was up and in my lovely little cafe spot at 8.30am to start working. I had to edit the video for my package and that took a solid three hours, but from there I made the final notes for my pitch presentation, went to a tutorial meeting with my level tutor, went to Asda, started writing the copy for my package and went to do my presentation.
They were running so far behind on presentations that I had to wait 35 minutes and miss my lecture but it was Who's The Boss so I really couldn't care less. So I came home, carried on working on the copy for my package and then prepared to submit everything - video done, audio edited, pictures edited, copy written - assignment submitted before I went to dance.
Now that was a nice feeling.
And after all that, Wednesday was another Newsday. I wrote a story about a 48 Hour Film Challenge that is happening this weekend, you can read all about it here: Exposure Filmmakers Host 48-Hour Film Festival This Weekend
Thursday was a good day actually - two hours of InDesign was really useful because I got to make a start on the workbook I really should have started on Tuesday and is due on Monday - about five days from now. I'm actually getting into and enjoying making the InDesign workbook, it's a way of virtually making pretty designs and I'm quite enjoying the process of it.
Friday was a bit of a day off - bit of a lie in, then going to the SU with my friends (taking my laptop to work on the workbook, obviously). I then came back home to work on the workbook and had a break to go for a free drink and pancakes, before coming back to... work on the workbook! I didn't work hard and fast all day long but I worked kind of consistently and had YouTube on in the background and I got way more done than I was ever anticipating to.
Today hasn't been so successful - after staying up till 3am working and the boys playing GTA, we all slept in pretty late and then went into town for some things we needed to pick up. From there it was back to working on the workbook, watching the Flash with fish and chips and a spontaneous trip to see Doctor Strange at the cinema.
I'm hoping to get some more work done this evening when we get back from the film and then tomorrow will be another day of work before a Halloween fundraiser for dance that I'm taking a bunch of my friends too.
Next week is enrichment week so not a lot will be going on at uni because whilst I'm sure there's stuff going on, I don't know about any of it. I'll probably still write a post because I'm working on my blog re-design next week so I'll keep you up to date!
Personal blog: sophiecountsclouds.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sophiecountsclouds/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/sophiecountsclouds
The Student Seat: https://thestudentseat.wordpress.com/
Saturday 22 October 2016
Week 4: Creeping Deadlines
This week, it seems like two deadlines have snuck up on me completely out of nowhere to stress levels are sky high. But lets take it back to Monday, where stress levels were only at 30,000 feet.
On Monday, my Concept to Commission lecture 'scared the shit out of me' (thank you Past Sophie for those eloquent words of wisdom) but the seminar time was actually really useful in terms of getting some research done and really ploughing on with the assignment. My pitch presentation is now confirmed to be on the same day as my first full package is due, which definitely helped the stress levels that's for sure... No one missed the sarcasm there.
However the Producing the Package seminar was actually pretty useful - I chatted Jon through my idea and he approved, he thinks it's a good idea and as the event I was filming wasn't until later in the week, he approved of me leaving a little bit early which is always nice.
Tuesday began with a 9am cafe work date with my friend from my flat in halls last year following a very successful six-hour session on Sunday. We stayed for a few hours, had hot chocolate and lunch, went into town and then to uni to go make the most of a printer. I then went back to my flat, had a nap and went to dance in the evening. This is the beginning of my decline to the mess I am now writing this at the end of the week! It was a slow day but I know I was going to have a super long day on Wednesday so I was mentally preparing myself for that.
I'll describe very briefly what Wednesday was:
8am start.
Yes, I know a lot of people will say that that's a normal work day and I need to grow a pair and start complaining but it was a very early start. I was then at uni until 5pm and had people coming over for a games night that evening. I was a very tired girl at the end of Wednesday.
Despite all that complaining, News Day wasn't actually that bad - I was a Social Media Assistant Producer for the day so I got to tweet and make Facebook posts all day. That sounds like an easy day but it was actually a lot of making sure we didn't miss any content, thinking of creative ways to keep content varied and up to date and I actually did enjoy it. I probably posted about 50 tweets over the course of the whole day alongside a bunch of Facebook posts and scheduling even more posts that I think have been removed since then because they have not been going up on Facebook. But it's not my responsibility any more so it's fine!
I also made brownie and that went well.
Thursday was a fairly easy day - I went in for my two hour InDesign session but that was really just another environment to work on my research for the Concept to Commission pitch but the Who's The Boss seminar was cancelled (reserving comments on how I feel about that) because our lecturer was written off as ill this week. I then went into town for some retail therapy (and took most of the clothes I bought back), went home for a shower and back to uni to pick up equipment to film for my package story!
My new story, after the gig at Notes Cafe fell through, was a vintage clothing line launch at my university's shop Re:So - I got my boyfriend to help me film the event, I took photos and conducted both video and audio interviews as well as doing a piece to camera that was 90% improvised. Looking back, I think the whole event was a success both for Re:So and for me in terms of recording it but my anxious mind told me then and is still telling me now that this package actually counts as part of the marks for my actual degree grade and nothing is ever good enough and I'm a failure. But that's just how my brain works.
Then I went to a dance social and I hated it but that's not a post for this blog.
Friday is my beloved day off but even that was busy - I had to return all the equipment I'd used the night before, tidy my room, go to the halls I lived in last year to pick up a parcel Amazon delivered for me, go to the train station to pick up my sister who's here to visit for the weekend, go to the SU to see my friends and have lunch, come home, go back into town to go to Asda, then collapse for the night.
This weekend I should really be doing a lot of prep for my two approaching deadlines but with my sister here, I'm having to be very creative (and a lot of late nights, hence why this is 'technically' going up on Sunday... sorry) with how I get my work done. I'm sure it'll all get done in the end.
My primary anxiety right now is that all of this counts - all of these assignments actually count towards my final degree and I feel like I should have put a lot more effort in than I have but I don't know where that effort would have gone because I also feel like I've put everything I could have into these assignments but part of me really wants that First but I really know I'm not going to get it and it's crushing me a little.
My crumbling mental health is showing. Hopefully, with two deadlines surpassing this week and a Halloween dance fundraiser with all my friends next Sunday, Week 5 should be better!
Personal blog: sophiecountsclouds.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sophiecountsclouds/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/sophiecountsclouds
The Student Seat: https://thestudentseat.wordpress.com/
On Monday, my Concept to Commission lecture 'scared the shit out of me' (thank you Past Sophie for those eloquent words of wisdom) but the seminar time was actually really useful in terms of getting some research done and really ploughing on with the assignment. My pitch presentation is now confirmed to be on the same day as my first full package is due, which definitely helped the stress levels that's for sure... No one missed the sarcasm there.
However the Producing the Package seminar was actually pretty useful - I chatted Jon through my idea and he approved, he thinks it's a good idea and as the event I was filming wasn't until later in the week, he approved of me leaving a little bit early which is always nice.
Tuesday began with a 9am cafe work date with my friend from my flat in halls last year following a very successful six-hour session on Sunday. We stayed for a few hours, had hot chocolate and lunch, went into town and then to uni to go make the most of a printer. I then went back to my flat, had a nap and went to dance in the evening. This is the beginning of my decline to the mess I am now writing this at the end of the week! It was a slow day but I know I was going to have a super long day on Wednesday so I was mentally preparing myself for that.
I'll describe very briefly what Wednesday was:
8am start.
Yes, I know a lot of people will say that that's a normal work day and I need to grow a pair and start complaining but it was a very early start. I was then at uni until 5pm and had people coming over for a games night that evening. I was a very tired girl at the end of Wednesday.
Despite all that complaining, News Day wasn't actually that bad - I was a Social Media Assistant Producer for the day so I got to tweet and make Facebook posts all day. That sounds like an easy day but it was actually a lot of making sure we didn't miss any content, thinking of creative ways to keep content varied and up to date and I actually did enjoy it. I probably posted about 50 tweets over the course of the whole day alongside a bunch of Facebook posts and scheduling even more posts that I think have been removed since then because they have not been going up on Facebook. But it's not my responsibility any more so it's fine!
I also made brownie and that went well.
Thursday was a fairly easy day - I went in for my two hour InDesign session but that was really just another environment to work on my research for the Concept to Commission pitch but the Who's The Boss seminar was cancelled (reserving comments on how I feel about that) because our lecturer was written off as ill this week. I then went into town for some retail therapy (and took most of the clothes I bought back), went home for a shower and back to uni to pick up equipment to film for my package story!
My new story, after the gig at Notes Cafe fell through, was a vintage clothing line launch at my university's shop Re:So - I got my boyfriend to help me film the event, I took photos and conducted both video and audio interviews as well as doing a piece to camera that was 90% improvised. Looking back, I think the whole event was a success both for Re:So and for me in terms of recording it but my anxious mind told me then and is still telling me now that this package actually counts as part of the marks for my actual degree grade and nothing is ever good enough and I'm a failure. But that's just how my brain works.
Then I went to a dance social and I hated it but that's not a post for this blog.
Friday is my beloved day off but even that was busy - I had to return all the equipment I'd used the night before, tidy my room, go to the halls I lived in last year to pick up a parcel Amazon delivered for me, go to the train station to pick up my sister who's here to visit for the weekend, go to the SU to see my friends and have lunch, come home, go back into town to go to Asda, then collapse for the night.
This weekend I should really be doing a lot of prep for my two approaching deadlines but with my sister here, I'm having to be very creative (and a lot of late nights, hence why this is 'technically' going up on Sunday... sorry) with how I get my work done. I'm sure it'll all get done in the end.
My primary anxiety right now is that all of this counts - all of these assignments actually count towards my final degree and I feel like I should have put a lot more effort in than I have but I don't know where that effort would have gone because I also feel like I've put everything I could have into these assignments but part of me really wants that First but I really know I'm not going to get it and it's crushing me a little.
My crumbling mental health is showing. Hopefully, with two deadlines surpassing this week and a Halloween dance fundraiser with all my friends next Sunday, Week 5 should be better!
Personal blog: sophiecountsclouds.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sophiecountsclouds/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/sophiecountsclouds
The Student Seat: https://thestudentseat.wordpress.com/
Saturday 15 October 2016
Week 3: Freshers Flu
I feel like I need a week off between every week of uni just because every week is so busy but that's not how it works, so here's to week 3!
Monday was a difficult day - since Thursday the previous week I've been feeling increasingly more ill and after an 8.30am Asda trip, the rest of the day was feeling like a bit of a push. After my lecture first thing, I felt a little bit like death and didn't go to the seminar (obviously emailing my lecturer and getting the work I missed out on, obviously) and I did go to my package seminar in the evening just because I needed to talk to the lecturer - being ill can't stop anything at uni because if you stop you'll miss something.
I'm working on a package story about Joe Fox, who's performing at a cafe in Southampton but has a pretty cool backstory. Have a read on the event page if you want to know a bit more. I'm not sure this story's going to go through because I'm still waiting for people to respond to me but I've got back up stories in the running just in case it all falls through. But I feel like that's just the story of a journalist!
Tuesday was another Who's the Boss lecture, my least favourite. They're always rubbish. This week we learnt all about how things can be interpreted differently by different people. I know right, I'm so glad I'm paying £9000 a year. So glad.
Wednesday was a News Day planning day and this one was a little bit different to every other one I've been to - today, rather than being a News Journalist I was being a Social Media Assistant Producer. I had to go to the editors meeting in the morning and I felt like I was actually useful! I've been making and uploading content to the SSU Journalism Facebook page and twitter page so if you want to see what I've been up to have a look there, I'm really pleased with the little teaser video I made from planning day.
Thursday was a pretty slow day, still feeling pretty under the weather but the InDesign session was really useful because we actually started working on our assignment workbook and I actually started making some research notes.
Who's the Boss on the other hand was a different story entirely.
We debated whether marmite was good or bad. Yes, the yeast based product marmite. That only one member of my class liked. It was the most pathetic 45 minutes of my life and the only thing I really questioned was whether it was really worth £9000 a year. Nine thousand pounds. It hurts my heart.
Friday was a nice lazy day for me - I needed it to try and recover from this cold I couldn't shake and in preparation for working an Open Day at uni on the Saturday. So I went for lunch in the SU with my friends, went for an Asda trip where I bought a lot of baking supplies and Halloween glitter but then had a chilled afternoon, desperately trying to shake the coughing.
But today has been super busy! I was at uni for 7.45am this morning and then working the Open Day at uni till about half past three. I'm absolutely shattered and have spent the rest of the afternoon napping, eating the most amazing stir fry the best boyfriend in the world has ever made and watching The Flash. It's been a good night.
And tomorrow I'm going to a cafe with my friend to get some hardcore work done and then finish the Flash season 1 and start the Flash season 2. It's going to be a very exciting weekend.
Personal blog: sophiecountsclouds.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sophiecountsclouds/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/sophiecountsclouds
The Student Seat: https://thestudentseat.wordpress.com/
Monday was a difficult day - since Thursday the previous week I've been feeling increasingly more ill and after an 8.30am Asda trip, the rest of the day was feeling like a bit of a push. After my lecture first thing, I felt a little bit like death and didn't go to the seminar (obviously emailing my lecturer and getting the work I missed out on, obviously) and I did go to my package seminar in the evening just because I needed to talk to the lecturer - being ill can't stop anything at uni because if you stop you'll miss something.
I'm working on a package story about Joe Fox, who's performing at a cafe in Southampton but has a pretty cool backstory. Have a read on the event page if you want to know a bit more. I'm not sure this story's going to go through because I'm still waiting for people to respond to me but I've got back up stories in the running just in case it all falls through. But I feel like that's just the story of a journalist!
Tuesday was another Who's the Boss lecture, my least favourite. They're always rubbish. This week we learnt all about how things can be interpreted differently by different people. I know right, I'm so glad I'm paying £9000 a year. So glad.
Wednesday was a News Day planning day and this one was a little bit different to every other one I've been to - today, rather than being a News Journalist I was being a Social Media Assistant Producer. I had to go to the editors meeting in the morning and I felt like I was actually useful! I've been making and uploading content to the SSU Journalism Facebook page and twitter page so if you want to see what I've been up to have a look there, I'm really pleased with the little teaser video I made from planning day.
Thursday was a pretty slow day, still feeling pretty under the weather but the InDesign session was really useful because we actually started working on our assignment workbook and I actually started making some research notes.
Who's the Boss on the other hand was a different story entirely.
We debated whether marmite was good or bad. Yes, the yeast based product marmite. That only one member of my class liked. It was the most pathetic 45 minutes of my life and the only thing I really questioned was whether it was really worth £9000 a year. Nine thousand pounds. It hurts my heart.
Friday was a nice lazy day for me - I needed it to try and recover from this cold I couldn't shake and in preparation for working an Open Day at uni on the Saturday. So I went for lunch in the SU with my friends, went for an Asda trip where I bought a lot of baking supplies and Halloween glitter but then had a chilled afternoon, desperately trying to shake the coughing.
But today has been super busy! I was at uni for 7.45am this morning and then working the Open Day at uni till about half past three. I'm absolutely shattered and have spent the rest of the afternoon napping, eating the most amazing stir fry the best boyfriend in the world has ever made and watching The Flash. It's been a good night.
And tomorrow I'm going to a cafe with my friend to get some hardcore work done and then finish the Flash season 1 and start the Flash season 2. It's going to be a very exciting weekend.
Personal blog: sophiecountsclouds.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sophiecountsclouds/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/sophiecountsclouds
The Student Seat: https://thestudentseat.wordpress.com/
Saturday 8 October 2016
Week 2: Back to Uni Life
Week 1 of being back at university really knocked it out of me - being in uni four consecutive days a week and going back to being a lot busier than I had been? I definitely wasn't ready for it and week 2 has definitely been a bit of a struggle. But overall it's been a good week!
Monday was another lecture in the morning which was actually really interesting - I learnt a little more about the industry and how it'll be for us going in as graduates and also telling us more about the presentation we have to do in a few weeks. The seminar was a bit slow and a bit patronising but I suppose it was useful in the end. I guess?
The second seminar of the day was actually really good, there was loads of useful tips for filming video and it was nice to chat to the lecturer on his opinion on things. The discussion about pandas needing to be extinct was questionable but was clearly poignant because it's stuck with me nearly a week later!
Tuesday is my quiet day - I have one lecture that starts at 4pm and is meant to last an hour but today I was there for half an hour being told that the internet has censorship. It's a shocker right? There are restrictions on the internet? I'm glad I'm spending £9,000 a year.
Wednesday was our first live news day of the year! I ended up being in uni for seven and a half hours, working on a story about a potential HIV cure. This week I made an infographic (which is a video with pictures and text rather than footage of an interview or talking to the public) and got to use some of my animating skills in photoshop (and by skills I mean, I know how it's done, not I know how to do it well). If you'd like to have a look, you can read the story here! HIV hope as first patient cured
Thursday is my other long day - I had a two hour InDesign session which was okay, other than the fact I was really beginning to feel quite ill but the seminar that goes with the shitty Tuesday lectures was, unsurprisingly, horrific. The way the lecturer (who never fails to remind us about his pHD) arranges our debates is stupid, none of us know why we even have to debate anyway - as journalists, we see arguments from both sides so we can then produce content equally and honestly. I hate debating when the arguments made are weak and especially when someone makes a really long point that is actually defending our side of the argument. It's all ridiculous, and my partner for the presentation had bailed after InDesign anyways, so I had no reason to stay that afternoon.
Friday is still my day off - I fully intended to be super productive and get up early and go to the gym, but what I did was get up early-ish with my boyfriend so we could do our laundry, then when he went to uni I curled up bed surrounded by my clean laundry and watched YouTube... then we went into town to browse shops we didn't need to be in, went to the SU for lunch and didn't do much in the afternoon because I was feeling increasingly more and more ill.
So whilst I do have a to do list that I really wanted to complete this weekend, I have a funny feeling that I'm not going to make the dent in it I intended but looking at it positively - maybe I'll wake up tomorrow feeling much better and have a really good day!
I do have try outs for a couple of dance teams on Saturday, but I'm not entirely sure how that's going to go... I'll fill you in next week!
Personal blog: sophiecountsclouds.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sophiecountsclouds/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/sophiecountsclouds
The Student Seat: https://thestudentseat.wordpress.com/
Monday was another lecture in the morning which was actually really interesting - I learnt a little more about the industry and how it'll be for us going in as graduates and also telling us more about the presentation we have to do in a few weeks. The seminar was a bit slow and a bit patronising but I suppose it was useful in the end. I guess?
The second seminar of the day was actually really good, there was loads of useful tips for filming video and it was nice to chat to the lecturer on his opinion on things. The discussion about pandas needing to be extinct was questionable but was clearly poignant because it's stuck with me nearly a week later!
Tuesday is my quiet day - I have one lecture that starts at 4pm and is meant to last an hour but today I was there for half an hour being told that the internet has censorship. It's a shocker right? There are restrictions on the internet? I'm glad I'm spending £9,000 a year.
Wednesday was our first live news day of the year! I ended up being in uni for seven and a half hours, working on a story about a potential HIV cure. This week I made an infographic (which is a video with pictures and text rather than footage of an interview or talking to the public) and got to use some of my animating skills in photoshop (and by skills I mean, I know how it's done, not I know how to do it well). If you'd like to have a look, you can read the story here! HIV hope as first patient cured
Thursday is my other long day - I had a two hour InDesign session which was okay, other than the fact I was really beginning to feel quite ill but the seminar that goes with the shitty Tuesday lectures was, unsurprisingly, horrific. The way the lecturer (who never fails to remind us about his pHD) arranges our debates is stupid, none of us know why we even have to debate anyway - as journalists, we see arguments from both sides so we can then produce content equally and honestly. I hate debating when the arguments made are weak and especially when someone makes a really long point that is actually defending our side of the argument. It's all ridiculous, and my partner for the presentation had bailed after InDesign anyways, so I had no reason to stay that afternoon.
Friday is still my day off - I fully intended to be super productive and get up early and go to the gym, but what I did was get up early-ish with my boyfriend so we could do our laundry, then when he went to uni I curled up bed surrounded by my clean laundry and watched YouTube... then we went into town to browse shops we didn't need to be in, went to the SU for lunch and didn't do much in the afternoon because I was feeling increasingly more and more ill.
So whilst I do have a to do list that I really wanted to complete this weekend, I have a funny feeling that I'm not going to make the dent in it I intended but looking at it positively - maybe I'll wake up tomorrow feeling much better and have a really good day!
I do have try outs for a couple of dance teams on Saturday, but I'm not entirely sure how that's going to go... I'll fill you in next week!
Personal blog: sophiecountsclouds.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sophiecountsclouds/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/sophiecountsclouds
The Student Seat: https://thestudentseat.wordpress.com/
Saturday 1 October 2016
Week 1: New Year, New Units
Hello!
Let's start this year of right, right? Week 1, uploading on time!
This semester I'm studying three units and then after Christmas I have the two optional units I picked plus another core unit. The three units I'm doing now are called Concept to Commission, Producing the Package and Who's the Boss.
Concept to Commission is my writing unit for this semester - I have to do a presentation of three feature ideas for three different publications with a workbook to go with it and then I have to pick two of those feature ideas to actually write about by the end of the semester.
Producing the Package is pretty self explanatory - I have to produce two full news packages which means finding a story and writing copy, producing audio, video and pictures to go with it. I've completely forgotten how I'm meant to find news stories but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. Probably tomorrow. At some point before my deadline at the end of October.
Who's the Boss is the confusing one - it's the one theory unit I have to do, I have to a debate-style presentation thing and an essay (I have no idea what the essay is meant to be about yet). I'm not entirely sure what the point is of this unit, I thought it would be about freelancing and knowing how to approach companies and get a job after uni, but at present it's nothing like that.
I think I'll try and stick with the structure I had last year of going through the week and talking about each lecture and seminar that I had this week.
Monday was a long day but luckily not an early start - first was a lecture that was basically an introduction to Concept to Commission, we were told about our assignments and given a bit of context as to what the unit was about and how it was relevant to our assignments. Within that lecture I had some ideas about what I could talk about in the presentation, which is only about four weeks away, so at least I'm not totally uninspired.
The seminar for the same unit was then an exercise to further refine our analytical skills of magazines and their audience. It brought back all my English Literature A Level analysis skills and I'm almost excited to get back to that, especially over something I care more about.
The last thing I had on Monday was a Producing the Package seminar which was another very introductory lesson - talking through the assignments and what's the best way to approach them. It's not a massively, overwhelmingly difficult unit but the lecturer is quite intense! Especially when I've completely forgotten how to find news stories. How I got through last year I have no idea. Absolutely none.
Tuesday was a much easier day - just a one hour Who's the Boss lecture at 4pm, it was weird to be starting my uni day so late. This lecture was not worth going in for though - I sat and listened to a man talking about what a bad thing the internet was and the conclusion was that none of us should have smartphones because they're made by children in Asia.
I know a lecture is bad when I feel inclined to tweet about it. There were many tweets and group chat conversations about this lecture.
Wednesday was another easy-ish day - getting back into News Days with a planning day. My story this week is okay, I'm writing copy about an inspirational woman who works at a VR company in Southampton who just won a national business award. Having since tried to write the copy, I've just forgotten how to write a news story but that's not the point - it's not a bad story! I'm almost excited for News Days now? Just because I'll actually have some decent work to do rather than just being the dogs body.
Thursday was another long day - starting with a two hour seminar on how to use InDesign, it's a five or six week course to help us put together our workbook to go with our feature pitch presentation. I like learning how to use new software and I'm actually thinking I might make a start already (I know, right?!) just so I can jot some of my ideas down.
Then it was another Who's the Boss session - a two hour seminar where we had to do some form of badly organised debate that was so unfairly weighted, but we then actually got told what our presentation in this unit has to be about and got to start brainstorming and talking through that, so it's nice to have some ongoing work.
I still don't see how it has any relevance to my journalism degree but I can't just not do it so I'm not saying anything... (except on twitter).
On Thursday night, I actually got to go to an exclusive pre-launch event at MAC Cosmetics in Southampton - it was so cool to be part of this environment of bloggers and feel like I was getting this shortcut in. I'll be honest, I feel like I was doing a hashtag #spon post and I felt really good about it, so I really loved writing this blog post on sophiecountsclouds.com.
Disclaimer: it wasn't sponsored in any way, shape or form. I had to pay extortionate amounts of money for a lipstick and a lip liner.
Then Friday was my day off! Why oh why I went to the gym at 9am for two and a half hours I have no idea, but I then went to the SU for lunch with my friends and then went to an adorable independent cafe called Mettricks for a hot chocolate and a working afternoon with my friend Tatiana and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Like, really, really enjoyed it.
Maybe I've become one of those pretentious types who sits in independent cafe's working and you know what? I don't think I mind.
Personal blog: sophiecountsclouds.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sophiecountsclouds/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/sophiecountsclouds
The Student Seat: https://thestudentseat.wordpress.com/
Let's start this year of right, right? Week 1, uploading on time!
This semester I'm studying three units and then after Christmas I have the two optional units I picked plus another core unit. The three units I'm doing now are called Concept to Commission, Producing the Package and Who's the Boss.
Concept to Commission is my writing unit for this semester - I have to do a presentation of three feature ideas for three different publications with a workbook to go with it and then I have to pick two of those feature ideas to actually write about by the end of the semester.
Producing the Package is pretty self explanatory - I have to produce two full news packages which means finding a story and writing copy, producing audio, video and pictures to go with it. I've completely forgotten how I'm meant to find news stories but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. Probably tomorrow. At some point before my deadline at the end of October.
Who's the Boss is the confusing one - it's the one theory unit I have to do, I have to a debate-style presentation thing and an essay (I have no idea what the essay is meant to be about yet). I'm not entirely sure what the point is of this unit, I thought it would be about freelancing and knowing how to approach companies and get a job after uni, but at present it's nothing like that.
I think I'll try and stick with the structure I had last year of going through the week and talking about each lecture and seminar that I had this week.
Monday was a long day but luckily not an early start - first was a lecture that was basically an introduction to Concept to Commission, we were told about our assignments and given a bit of context as to what the unit was about and how it was relevant to our assignments. Within that lecture I had some ideas about what I could talk about in the presentation, which is only about four weeks away, so at least I'm not totally uninspired.
The seminar for the same unit was then an exercise to further refine our analytical skills of magazines and their audience. It brought back all my English Literature A Level analysis skills and I'm almost excited to get back to that, especially over something I care more about.
The last thing I had on Monday was a Producing the Package seminar which was another very introductory lesson - talking through the assignments and what's the best way to approach them. It's not a massively, overwhelmingly difficult unit but the lecturer is quite intense! Especially when I've completely forgotten how to find news stories. How I got through last year I have no idea. Absolutely none.
Tuesday was a much easier day - just a one hour Who's the Boss lecture at 4pm, it was weird to be starting my uni day so late. This lecture was not worth going in for though - I sat and listened to a man talking about what a bad thing the internet was and the conclusion was that none of us should have smartphones because they're made by children in Asia.
I know a lecture is bad when I feel inclined to tweet about it. There were many tweets and group chat conversations about this lecture.
Wednesday was another easy-ish day - getting back into News Days with a planning day. My story this week is okay, I'm writing copy about an inspirational woman who works at a VR company in Southampton who just won a national business award. Having since tried to write the copy, I've just forgotten how to write a news story but that's not the point - it's not a bad story! I'm almost excited for News Days now? Just because I'll actually have some decent work to do rather than just being the dogs body.
Thursday was another long day - starting with a two hour seminar on how to use InDesign, it's a five or six week course to help us put together our workbook to go with our feature pitch presentation. I like learning how to use new software and I'm actually thinking I might make a start already (I know, right?!) just so I can jot some of my ideas down.
Then it was another Who's the Boss session - a two hour seminar where we had to do some form of badly organised debate that was so unfairly weighted, but we then actually got told what our presentation in this unit has to be about and got to start brainstorming and talking through that, so it's nice to have some ongoing work.
I still don't see how it has any relevance to my journalism degree but I can't just not do it so I'm not saying anything... (except on twitter).
On Thursday night, I actually got to go to an exclusive pre-launch event at MAC Cosmetics in Southampton - it was so cool to be part of this environment of bloggers and feel like I was getting this shortcut in. I'll be honest, I feel like I was doing a hashtag #spon post and I felt really good about it, so I really loved writing this blog post on sophiecountsclouds.com.
Disclaimer: it wasn't sponsored in any way, shape or form. I had to pay extortionate amounts of money for a lipstick and a lip liner.
Then Friday was my day off! Why oh why I went to the gym at 9am for two and a half hours I have no idea, but I then went to the SU for lunch with my friends and then went to an adorable independent cafe called Mettricks for a hot chocolate and a working afternoon with my friend Tatiana and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Like, really, really enjoyed it.
Maybe I've become one of those pretentious types who sits in independent cafe's working and you know what? I don't think I mind.
Personal blog: sophiecountsclouds.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sophiecountsclouds/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/sophiecountsclouds
The Student Seat: https://thestudentseat.wordpress.com/
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