Getting ready for some well earned R&R

Not long now... Another month, then I'm free. Not that I am in any way imprisoned at the moment, but I need at least a few weeks to chill and do absolutely nothing. This semester started out calmly enough, back to the old six hour weeks that I forgot existed. Then, a couple of weeks before Easter, all hell broke loose. Gone were the two or three lectures a week, instead we've been doing 9AM-4PM every single frickin' day. At least.

I'm not complaining, but I seriously don't understand how real people can function and manage full-time work, a family and/or a social life. Adjusting to getting up in time for school was hard enough, nevermind the actual work. For the last month or so we've been doing a television course, learning to shoot, produce and edit television-pieces, while still being journalists. Can't say I like it very much, too much to think about. Camera angles, lighting, editing, etc.

Almost had a breakdown because of it, mostly because I kept assuming responsibility for each group project we had. But I blame the other people in the group. One guy who was pretty good at shooting and editing, me - who did the on camera stuff and interviews, and the third guy, who is a total tool. Or no, I have no way of knowing if he actually is a tool, since he hardly speaks at all. Or does anything, for that matter. We tried our best to involve him, but he lacks any skill in communication, which can be pretty important if when doing something as a group. And he kept screwing up shots and stuff, so finally we just let him hold the camera when we weren't using it.

He still gets as much credit though. Anyway, the pieces turned out pretty well in the end. But yeah, no, TV isn't for me. Or well, it might in a professional setting, since I won't have to worry about every single thing.

It just takes too long. Our 8-hour days have turned into 10-12 hour days for the last couple of weeks, and I still have to be at the radio station a few nights a week to do the news and my show. It's really killing me. My free time during the weekdays consists of 4 or 5 hours a night of sitting on my couch. Staring at the wall, that sort of thing.

Oh yeah, I have a radio show now too. Me and a few others from the journalism class are doing a show on behalf of the Dean of the university. Nice guy. He wants to reach out to students or some such bullshit. Pretty fun though, and I love the fact that they wanted students who actually studied journalism to do the show, when all we're doing is basically ask fluffy questions about how good the university is. Whoring, is what it is, basically. But I don't mind, I'm not far enough along in my career to have principles. And I have a foot in with the dean, which can't be a bad thing.

And I now have my internship squared away for the fall. I was hoping to do my internship with the state radio channels, but those bastards totally stonewalled me, and didn't even bother to answer my e-mails. Funny, when I applied for a summer job there back in January, it was the same deal. Lots of other people at the student radio station at least got interviews, and me they didn't even answer. Not even a "thanks, but no thanks". Assholes. I'm gonna have to swallow my
contempt at some point though, if one wishes to be a radio journalist in this country, the state radio is the only option, since none of the commercial channels do anything remotely similar to journalism.

So no radio internship. I will, on the other hand, spend 10 weeks at the largest newspaper in southern Sweden, Sydsvenska Dagbladet. Really looking forward to that. I'm not sure exactly what I'll be doing, but they do have an local office here in Lund, and I might be dumped there. Which would save me alot of money for the commute. Not that money will be an issue. As I understand it, they'll be paying me half the starting salary, which is more than the student loans and grants. So I'll be pretty rich then, since I'll still be taking the loans. This will be a part of my studies, so shut up. Hoping to save up a little money, perhaps enough for a hop over the pond at Christmas?

Back to the student radio station. It turns out I won't be the news editor next year after all. They wanted me, but didn't feel comfortable with the fact that I'd be gone for the first 10 weeks of the fall semester. And I don't blame them, there's alot to do at the beginning of a semester, and I simply would not have had time for it. Unless I manage to give up sleep entirely. They told me that they'd get me in a years time, but hell, I might be long gone by then, considering that I graduate in late January. But who am I kidding, as if I'd be able to find a job. Most likely I'll be freelancing one way or the other, which leaves plenty of time for the student radio station. Even though I'll no longer be a student. Oh well, we'll see what happens.

All from me, for now. Watch out for crazed bunnies.