Lecture 1

The Honeymoon Phase.

Ah, and so begins the love-hate relationship with JOUR1111. After predicting the next few months of this introductory course to no doubt be a fairly turbulent experience, I'd like to think of these blog posts as our own little form of 'couples therapy'.  After all, is it not our passion that has driven us down the journalism corridor?
I like to tell myself that that is the case (for God help me if I cannot justify my choice in degree).

The commencement of my University experience and my first 'real' lecture took place on an ordinary Monday afternoon, in what felt like the basement of the campus. Hundreds of "very keen" first year students (as was eventually pointed out by EVERY LECTURER we were addressed by throughout our first week) filed into the rather traditional lecture theater. Naturally, we held the expectations of a clueless single on his (or her...) way to a first date (...but let's face it, us women are rarely clueless). We sat in nervous silence - waiting for our minds to be filled with all the wisdom we evidently lacked throughout our high school years. We were well groomed, well prepared, and, drawing an excellent parallel to our relationship metaphor - we were interested.
The tension in the theater reached a peak, our lecturer took the stand, and unbeknownst to the cohort, we fell headfirst into our first great story.

"YOU ARE THE JOURNALIST!"

It was the statement that started it all. Immediately, hundreds of first year students straightened their backs and craned forward in their seats - it was obvious that this first lecture was going to be remembered.

Over the next fifty minutes, we were shown glimpses of the journalist's world and the power of good reporting. Quote's were thrown across the room like compliments to a lover, and we fell for every single one. Most notable of the evening, was a statement by Phillip Graham (no doubt a most charming fellow);

"Journalism is the first rough draft of history."

A line that could be likened to a smooth "I could spend the rest of my life with you", or perhaps "you are the most beautiful creature I have ever seen." The challenge had been lain - we were going to make history, we were going to be the best, and we were going to love every second of it. The weeks to come would merely be a measure of our dedication and a test  of our success.