My story started about six years ago in the capital city of Bulgaria, Sofia. I was always a curious child, but this did not help me acknowledge my talent at an early stage. I compared myself to groups in which one was good at chemistry and the other could sing; but what about me? My passion to communicate and explore made me later realise that the most important thing for me was to understand; not only myself and the people surrounding me but also the world as a whole. The pursuit of this particular knowledge laid the foundations to apply for a degree in journalism.
To be honest, choosing a vocation, a university and making decisions that will reflect on your future is really stressful. My goal was to be a witness at the heart of world-changing events as they unfold, to create an unbiased story that can live under the skin, inspire and induce social awareness. Thus, finding a university with a course that could help me gain the requisite skills and relationships in order to grow as a professional was one of the most important tasks for me. I wanted a course that would give me a profound knowledge of every career path I may decide to follow, whether it would be broadcast, digital or print journalism.
College Building at City, University of London. Photograph: City, University of London
Television studio at City, University of London. Photograph: City University of London
City, University of London caught my attention with its incredible academic facilities such as a television studio, radio broadcast newsrooms and production newsrooms. I was amazed at the chance of working with tutors, who are active journalists, as we could receive first-hand experience and not limit our learning process to just textbooks and presentations on a whiteboard. The university was the only one with such a professional network and practical independent learning.
The application process was quite easy. I worked through an agent, as I did not have any previous experience. My job was to write a personal statement and have grades applicable to City’s standards, together with an IELTS certificate. One of the greatest moments was when I was shortlisted for an interview. I talked with Tom Felle, who helped me forget my nervousness and successfully become part of the journalism family at City.
And when I say family, I do mean it. From our course officer David Buckley, the tutors we can always email for help, to events created with the sole purpose of making students feel valued, always learning and not homesick, I feel as if I belong to a community… but more on that to come.
