The most testing period of the average Indian student life will be kicking in shortly, with the results for class 12th being announced and a consequent yet inevitable mayhem ensuing. The vertigo of confusion, self-doubting , bizarre advices from long lost relatives, and fatiguing phone calls from everyone your parents has made an acquaintance with over their lifetimes, is likely to gobble you in. In such a scenario, if you as much as dare to pursue any unconventional stream, like that of journalism, the consequences can be dire. Speaking from experience here, you are likely to be flooded with suggestions, advices and alternate career suggestions from every bhuaji and massiji you know, or in some cases, you have the pleasure of knowing just then. To steer you clear from the myths that you will be exposed to (excuse my cockiness, but I can’t stress on this enough- I am borrowing a lot from my experience here, here is a comprehensive list of myth busters if you want to pursue journalism at Delhi University:
1) MORE THAN JUST REPORTING:
Even though the DU degree states BA(H) Journalism, the course structure will acquaint you with disciplines such as politics, economics, advertising, International Relations , New Media along with several others. A journalist is expected to be a jack of all, and master of none. The course is well rounded to suit the needs of a budding journalist.
2) VENTURE OUT:
Even though the course structure is designed to bring all aspects of journalism under its ambit, it’s largely theoretical in nature. The maximum practical exposure that you are likely to receive in college is during the internal examination, which of course is not enough to prepare you for the years to come. You will have to venture out and seek internships which guide you to put your theoretical knowledge into practice. Internships are a crucial step towards pursuing this course in its right spirit.
Read: How Studying English Honours Will Change You
3) BOYS HAVE IT TOUGH-ER:
There are 6 colleges in Delhi University offering journalism, namely- Delhi College of Arts And Commerce, IP College For Women, Kalindi College, Kamala Nehru College, Lady Shri Ram College for women and Maharaja Agrasen College. In this pool of 6 colleges, only 2 are co-educational which allow admission to the Y chromosomes. Digressing a little off topic, it’s interesting to note how the number of male journalists in Delhi is still exponentially higher as compared to the number of female journalists.
4) NOT GLAMOROUS:
If you are going in for this course because of the common misconception that journalism is all glam, then you should reconsider your decision. There is much more to journalism beyond what Barkha Dutt or Arnab Goswami does.
5) WRITING WOES:
As much as I dislike being the bearer of this news, I will have to let you know that you won’t get to wield your pen as often as you would want to during the course of your studies. This dimension adds to the imperativeness of interning during the three years so as to preserve and hone the skills that you may possess.
6) IN TANDEM WITH THE WORLD:
A newspaper will have to be your daily drug. Long hours at college will be spent discussing and analysing events of the day, so make sure you are matching your stride with that of the world at all times.
7) IT’S FUN! :
You may be told that narrowing down and specializing on the undergraduate level isn’t the best of ideas and you should explore your options further before settling for anything. Well, follow your heart. If you are abound with curiosity and harbour a love for words, go for it. It’s enlightening and it’s fun.
