EXCUSES, EXCUSES OH, AND MY WORK PLACEMENT

I know I've been really quiet on the whole blog front but I have been busy. Well that's my excuse anyway! I'll start posting on here more regularly about college, posting new articles that I've written and just general chit chat, I promise!!

In other news, last week I did a week's work placement at Radio Tay and I must admit it was a lot of fun. As well as just general news writing and editing interviews, I actually went out and did some proper interviews. I interviewed Gordon Wilson, the former chairman of the SNP on the recent transport issues affecting the trains from the Aberdeen, Dundee area to Edinburgh and managed to slip in some cheeky questions about the referendum and Scottish independence.

I also covered the story of the dome being placed on the Hamilton Grand in St Andrews. It's such a beautiful building and will look amazing when it is complete and the scaffolding comes down. I also got a free lunch in the posh Old Course Hotel in St Andrews and even though it was lovely, I've never felt so out of place!

Remember doing Scottish country dancing when you were at primary school? Well, its quite big in Dundee with over 400 primary pupils taking part in the Annual Scottish Country Dance Festival. When I was their age, I didn't remember it being that much fun, but when I was there watching it, I did have an urge to start joining in. It looked so much fun!

I have to admit though that the highlight of my week was getting to see a tiny meerkat at St Andrews Aquarium. The poor wee critter had been abandoned by his mum so the staff at the aquarium were having to hand feed it and take turns staying there at night to keep an eye on him. He looks like a little fighter though and I'm sure he'll pull through.

I learnt so much being at the station. I did a course called Media Production a year or two ago and part of that was a module in radio but it didn't really go too much into the journalistic side of it. It did help me with the basics like using the studio equipment, the editing software and stuff. It also helped to give me some experience in all the different platforms of journalism as at college we look at print, broadcast and online journalism but not radio.

I have another work placement coming up at a music magazine so that will hopefully give me even more experience. It's all go for me :)