I'm 5 years old again...

This is it. This is the final weekend before I start my Journalism course which is scary in itself but now it's here. I basically feel like I am starting school again, new people, new stationary, new clothes. I know all the people are lovely, I've said that before but people are scary, I need to get a grip I know but it is all unknown territory at the moment...Who am I kidding this dang shorthand has me losing sleep, I can deal with people as we all do on a daily basis but this shorthand. Shorthand. SHORTHAND. What if I don't learn it in the time and I am the only one who fails? What happens if I get tonsillitis and lose valuable time and get behind? Actually I've already decided that contaminating my fellow students with tonsillitis is something I may have to do just so I don't get behind on the shorthand (Sorry)...I'm sure it will all be fine BUT there is always that little tiny voice that is actually like a tannoy in your head saying "You do know that this is going to be tough" "You do know that the Shorthand exam is out to make you fail?" Am I just hearing voices? If so Shorthand is the least of my worries...It will all be fine!

So...I have a secret but don't want you all to think i'm not serious about the course itself...You ready?

I've spent a lot of money this summer all on things 'For my Journalism Course'. Obviously I think people will totally believe that this is why a lot of the money I've earned this summer has been spent on a new coat, it is definitely going to be cold in the morning and evening, and I'll be travelling so I definitely don't want to be cold, Right? I bought a 'serious' bag, it is smart but casual, a pair of 'Professional' shoes with an ultra sensible heel for those rushed moments in life, and last but certainly not least I bought 'The' dress, the dress that means I am ready to take on the world, I'm ready to do that interview, ready to work into the evening on a new Breaking story all to be ready to go to print. It all sounds very exciting doesn't it? But you see these "things" are all very important to the rest of my life, it sounds very dramatic but it's not. You see all these insignificant yet terribly significant details will add to the experience, they will round things off, make you feel more comfortable and therefore less likely to shuffle and squirm in uncomfortable silences.

Anyway the real fun will be getting on all the right forms of public transport Monday morning, never mind about the actual course yet, this comes first.

NCTJ Excitement and Fears.

We need a new word; One that explains an excessive amount of excitement running along side a vein of nerves. I suppose there could be a word already to explain this, I just haven't read my dictionary thoroughly enough!

So...Today I received the lovely surprise of my 'Journalist Works Journalist Instructions'. I thought because of this it would be wholly appropriate to voice some fears and some reasons why I am so excited.

Understandable Nerves...Enthusiastic Excitement...
-New People. This scares and excites me. I've spoken to a lot to the people on my course and we all seem to be on the same wave length, which is encouraging and will make the course a really good experience for us all because we all want roughly the same outcome.

-100wpm ... Shorthand. This is something that everyone will talk about in their blogs over the next few weeks. I will probably want to cry/throw things/laugh in the face of shorthand, but reading about other peoples experiences it is all about practice, like everything else in life, so this makes me a little optimistic (Yes Emily just used the word optimistic)

-14 Weeks of 9am-5:30pm days. This is one of the things that I am genuinely looking forward too, Yes I can hear you all saying "Oh how sweet, she really has not got a clue" I know I don't but let me go into it guns blazing and then you can say I told you so when I kick a bin for no reason.  I was reading the main 'advice' on the Brighton Journalist Works Blog and it basically says..."Forget about any life you might have had before the course, forget about the television, forget you have friends" Well that's how I read it anyway. But I am ready to immerse myself into the "Adult World" I am bored at the moment, I want to be working and proving myself.

-Exams. No-one likes them, I have never been very good at them, this is going to be interesting!