"I still don't know why I was chosen..."

My journey from self-effacing student to Editor of this website was a strange one – so strange, in fact, that I’m still yet to fully come to terms with exactly how it happened.

It all began less than three months ago. I was just about to begin my final semester as a Journalism student at Liverpool John Moores University and my ambitions were at an all-time low. The very thought of pursuing a career in journalism had all but deserted me. I felt as though I was severely lacking the talent and desire to make it in what I had been told was a cut-throat industry that was shedding jobs, not creating them. My focus was purely on getting through the final few months of the course... I was going through the motions.

Who knows what my plans were after graduation? Maybe I’d go back to the office job I’d worked the previous summer, or maybe I’d try and dodge real life for a little while longer by going off travelling somewhere. Either way, journalism was not on the agenda.

Then, in the space of a couple of weeks, my life got flip-turned upside down.
 
A depressingly regular Monday was the setting for a very irregular third year 'convergence' workshop in which we were told of grand plans for the Journalism department to join forces in one big project. The idea was simple: Online and Print students would team up by producing designs and content for a new showpiece website. Not only that, but the site would also offer an unprecedented platform for TV, Radio and everything else that gets produced by Journalism students here.

It would be unfair to say that I was initially as rebellious toward the idea as certain others, but even my fence-sitting, non-plussed attitude seems ridiculous on reflection. “What about all the coursework we’ve got to do!? Where does that fit into this utopian vision of the future?” I thought. Such a silly boy.

The very next day saw a breakthrough moment for me. It turned out that the idea was for us to incorporate our coursework stories into the site, which would be very much a “by the kids, for the kids” production. My initial distress at having to shelve plans for my own not-so-revolutionary Final Project music site (to be viewed by an audience of none) was soon replaced by a wave of enthusiasm, and I immediately began to see the benefits.

Myself and the rest of the Online group were told that we would be the key players in the launch of the site and that, in order for this to happen, the format of our lectures would have to seismically shift to a world of work scenario. This meant that job titles (including the role of Editor) were up for grabs, if we wanted them.

It never occurred to me that I’d be in the frame for the Editor’s job. I was bereft of confidence in my own ability and I knew that a successful Editor would need to be something of an inspirational leader. I was hardly Winston Churchill (more like Churchill the nodding dog from those car insurance ads) and I imagined myself fading into the background as a music writer or something equally humble.

I then had a one-on-one tutorial with John Mathews – my lecturer, and one of the innovators behind the website, along with fellow staff members Kate Heathman and Steve Harrison. At the end of the conversation, I was quizzed as to how I felt about the project. “Well...” I replied. “It’s exciting times, isn’t it?” Little did I know what an impact these words were to have.

I was then asked to send an inspiring e-mail to the other students to get them sufficiently ‘pumped’ in time for the next workshop in a few days' time. I wasn’t entirely sure how well received a random e-mail from someone as insignificant as myself would be, but I nevertheless set about constructing a rallying cry of epic proportions. Within minutes of pressing ‘Send’ I was called and told I was the new Website Editor. John had been interviewing me all along, watching my progress as a writer for two years, he said... but I had no idea. That email was the clincher, apparently.

Since that fateful day I’ve been doing things that I could never have imagined. I’ve given speeches (with varying degrees of success) to rooms full of students and staff, and I've been involved in huge world of work projects, like our coverage of the Hillsborough 20th anniversary, plus the launch of this website. My confidence has grown immensely and my ambitions as a journalist have resurfaced.

None of this would have been possible without this website
and I feel incredibly proud at what has already been
achieved. The truth is, I’m still not entirely sure why I was
chosen to be the Editor and, even now, could probably
suggest at least two more capable candidates than myself.
My performance has been far from perfect, but it’s been a
fantastic experience from start to finish and I’ve learnt an
enormous amount.

One of the biggest inspirations on this project came from
the unlikeliest of sources. Months ago I attended a lecture
which opened with the words: “I believe the children are our
future... teach them well and let them lead the way.” Sound
familiar? Those are the words of Whitney Houston (or
George Benson if you want to be picky) from her 1986
single ‘The Greatest Love of All’. I would never admit
publically to being a Whitney fan (oops!) but this song very
much became the soundtrack during the making of this
website... and I won’t forget it in a hurry.

Through working with younger students and our peers on this project, the Level Three Online team found the greatest love of all, but this is your website, so please enjoy it. I feel like we've been given the keys to a brand new Ferrari, and you're all invited along for the ride.

I'll be working here over the summer, or until I get paid employment. If you're struggling to find work after you graduate, why not help us out and contribute to the site? Let us all know how you are getting on in a blog, or maybe write a cool feature that we can publish. We promise to make it look nice on the site so it will look good in your job applications!

Exciting Times™