I've been a writer for the University newspaper since the beginning of term and, I suppose, as a journalist you have to be open to controversy. That is a fact that I wholly accept. But when you don't even write anything offensive, criticism is completely unnecessary!
If I had to decide, I'd say that I was more of a blogger than a journalist. My mind isn't adapted for this structural conveying of information with specific points and targets than need to be met in order to keep the reader entertained. My mind is wild and rambles beyond belief but in a bid to broaden my horizons I tried writing for the newspaper.
I stick mainly to opinion articles because I know that's what I can get away with. It's just my opinion - I don't have to be write. And because it is my opinion, I get excited by the fact that I might spark debate.
One of the latest articles to be published under my name was "We wouldn't hurt a fly" which examined thug culture in Britain. Admittedly it wasn't one of my best pieces, it was a piece I used
to break into this type of writing to develop a certain professional style. But, even though it might not have been a righteous article for publication, the editor of the section deemed it good enough to be featured. And so it was put up on the website for the whole University to peruse at their leisure and negate my views should they so desire.
On many of my articles, I'd never had a comment before. I assumed my writing just got brushed away as a topic of little importance, but at least, I figured, I was building my portfolio.
So when I saw that I had a comment on the thug culture article, my heart leapt a little. But it was for a completely different reason that it was still jumping after I closed the window.
The comment wasn't bad but it still knocked me.
I love the unrelated part about celebrities, it read.
I had written that bit mainly to up the word count so it would be of suitable length. And at the time I thought that celebrity influence was an additional viewpoint that would provide insight into the problem.
Perhaps it wasn't. And perhaps I shouldn't have mentioned it. Maybe it was irrelevant. I didn't really know why I cared so much about someone else's opinion on my work. I was looking for the spark to start a meaningful debate, but when I got a frank and useless comment, I was suddenly thrown.
I found myself thinking of retaliation. I felt the need to craft ridiculous speech.
"Yeah well ... well ... well, I've got an interview at Gregg's, so there!"
I didn't have an interview at Gregg's. I don't know why anyone would have cared if I did. But I felt like it would be some backlash, something that would make that user stop in their tracks. I thought it was like a warning: Don't mess with me!!!
It wasn't.
But for all the worrying I had done on the subject, just one simple classic song filled the room.
"You need me, I don't you."
It's funny how music can do that. Calm storms, ignite flames, burst rivers.
I listened to the song, the careful matrix of the lyrics. Ed Sheeran was right; I didn't need them. In the first place, I didn't even know why I was getting worked up. I already knew that, but I just needed someone to tell me.
I'm a first year and though I'm not a baby, I could do with guidance. Perhaps the slight cast on the day wouldn't have been there had someone commented;
I don't think this part should be there.
I feel defiant to change it for their sake. So now I'll leave it posted; wrong. Some people are just so quick to criticize.
Thank goodness for Ed!
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