But recently my need for change and progress has returned. My first thought was "I've gotta get out of here." I applied to other papers for similar positions that I'm in now and while I had a couple of offers, I knew deep down it wouldn't be a change, only a different location. I realized I don't dislike where I am or what I'm doing.
I just don't like feeling limited and that is exactly what I am right now. I'm a reporter with no other skills. I haven't designed or paginated, I don't get much practice editing others work and my technological skills have been frozen since 2008.
So I decided to stay where I am and take steps toward improving my skill set instead. Oprah said she didn't believe in luck. She said she made sure she was prepared for any opportunity that presented itself so I think that's what I'm trying to do. So I clicked on an advertisement on journalismjobs.com.
After many harassing phone calls from the nice people at Full Sail University, I will start an online Masters degree program next month. It's very expensive ($30,000 in federal student loans). I hate to have so much debt hovering over my head, but I felt like I really didn't have a choice in order to keep up with the ever-changing world of journalism. The program, New Media Journalism, only takes a year to complete and you take one class a month.
The $30,000 includes a new Macbook, camcorder and all the programs needed to produce media packages, including text, images, video, blogs and other new media elements. I've wanted InDesign for years so I could learn to paginate and maybe even create my own magazine, but it was so expensive to buy on my own. So now I have my new computer with Indesign and Photoshop.
This weekend I will be spending most of my time trying to remember the program so if anyone wants to buy me Indesign for Dummies that would be great. I'll add it to my Amazon wish list. I know nothing is for certain and an expensive (nontraditional) education doesn't guarantee anything, but I can't help but be optimistic about what the skills could do for my future.
I think my ultimate goal is to be able to work from home freelancing for several publications or being my own boss somehow whether its with a magazine or marketing/consulting business.
The program courses include interactive media, research and investigative skills, multimedia development and editing, public relations, digital news production, mobile technology, social media, legal aspects of new media journalism, publishing and distribution and finally, a final project that incorporates all of those classes.
Possible careers include blogger, corporate communications specialist, marketing copywriter, media consultant, content developer, online content manager, online news writer/publisher and public relations consultant.
I will also be required to keep a Full Sail blog so this one may be abandoned for a while, or I'll duplicate my posts on here.
More to come on my idealistic dreams.
