The National Union of Journalists held a fantastic event in Eastbourne at the Winter Gardens venue last week. Becoming a recent member of the union I thought this would be a great chance for me to meet the other members, as well as learning new knowledge about the Journalism industry. Getting up at 4am to travel down to the bottom of the country I was looking forward to the ‘unknown’, and despite the tiredness washing over me I kept on smiling.
Arriving bright and early I checked into my hotel across the road from the venue for the conference. Sharing a room with a stranger was something I was used to, and luckily enough we got on absolutely perfectly. We had loads in common, including the fact that she goes to the University of Westminster!
The conference was both insightful and compelling, and from the moment I entered the venue we were all welcomed with open-arms, and chauffeured to the correct location. We listened to some in-depth industry talks – including The Future of Journalism and other speeches from people within the working profession – and we had the chance to ask questions and take notes simultaneously.
I would definitely advise anyone to get involved in the NUJ! You get to go along to great events for free as well as having that forever-lasting support throughout your career no matter who you work for. It’s kind of like an insurance policy, and you have the perfect people within your radar ready to assist you with any challenge you might face. Networking is essential to growth, and it really does make you feel alive when you surround yourself with like-minded people. Finishing the night off swiftly, we all sat down to watch an exclusive stand-up show: Mark Thomas. I can honestly say I have never been so blown away by a comedian in all my life, and I have huge plans to follow him in the foreseeable future. A must watch!
Embarking on new adventures: just what I am all about as a person. It lifts me, gives me a strong emotion that I basically find very difficult to explain. So many people question the fear of challenging yourself and having that courage to just get up and go, but don’t let that override determination to achieve exactly what you want to. We can have and be whatever we wish to; once we are ready.
Along The Way - G.L.Smith 
