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Topic: Fact or Myth: Journalism attracts "weirdos"?
| Author | Message |
| Dinnie | Posted – 12/4/2008 10:14:59 AM | show profile | email poster When I say journalism, I really mean all streams under the "communications" umbrella. I study in one of the biggest universities in my country (not U.S.) and the j-school (where I study), while famed nationwide, is really notorious across the university. Deservedly so. Students are a headache for the dorm matrons. They flaunt the most outrageous dresses in the university. And most nightclubs in the fraternity would have to be closed but for them. Personally for me, it was a huge culture shock to be in such a college, previously having been a zoology major and been in an entirely different academic setting. Lots of students seem to be perennial attention seekers-- any attention is better than no attention. And while I went to j-school because of my genuine interest in the field and writing, most others seem to be in it because they weren't good at anything else. Lots of failed singers, failed tennis players and failed actors seem to be around. Students from other courses are often found saying that since there isn't really much for the j-schoolers to study, they have a lot of time to freak around. Or maybe I'm just overly surprised because it's my first campus experience ever? Thoughts? |
| stinking prague | Posted – 12/4/2008 10:59:45 AM | show profile What you're experiencing is just University. ITs a freakshow, don't take any of it too seriously. A few years from now, you'll realize how little bearing any of it has on anything. If your plan is to become a journalist, pursue that. Quite probably more of your real opportunities will come from completely outside the university. Enjoy yourself, but leave the freakshow to the freaks. |
| jcpatterson | Posted – 12/4/2008 11:09:41 AM | show profile I think it is largely the fact that you are at a university; this is a time when people typically "try on" extreme or different personas, aided by the fact that they often have the time and freedom from responsibility to do so. Second, however, is that communications does tend to attract creative types, and that can include more flamboyant personalities than perhaps the sciences do. Also, many people believe they can write/create, so the creative professions always include a certain number of the "failed actor" etc. types that think they can make a career out of writing. Hang in there. People have a tendency to moderate considerably once they are in the real world. |
| WordyBird | Posted – 12/4/2008 12:24:33 PM | show profile And it could be that students of the hard sciences, such as zoology, are all introverted nerds. Take your pick. |
| mamakind | Posted – 12/5/2008 5:37:16 PM | show profile | email poster I take it you don't have any Engineering students at your university. Traditionally (and IMPE), they are by far the biggest bunch of freaks on campus. Their frats usually have the highest percentage of assholes, too. Maybe it's because they know they're going to be making decent coin after, no matter what they do. Interestingly enough, most of the people I know who were in "the Arts" (I include journalism in there) tended to do their thing, freakish or not, in more private settings. Maybe it's because they know they'll be making no coin after, no matter what they do. |
| Dinnie | Posted – 12/9/2008 8:53:12 AM | show profile We do have engineering students and honestly they are the freakiest bunch! |
| mamakind | Posted – 12/9/2008 6:53:48 PM | show profile | email poster SEE! I knew it... friks! Every single one of `em. ;-D That said, I hope my kids go into engineering and not the Arts, like their mama. I'm definitely not making enough in this field to take care of my own wrinkly ass when my fingers are too arthritic and my soul too broken to write. |
| WordyBird | Posted – 12/10/2008 10:34:53 AM | show profile Mamakind, somehow I think it's all going to work out for you. Your posts are terrific. |
| caitlinkelly | Posted – 12/10/2008 11:54:39 AM | show profile I wonder if mamakind and I attended the same university...the artsies and engineers were frequently the objects of each other's loud and public derision. One might add to the differences that engineers (I've written about engineering education many times, go figure) are often technically focused and social skills are definitely not the number one thing anyone is looking for....while the ability to master huge amounts of technical data is. |
