What is my future in journalism?

As we draw the curtains on the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ) 2023/2024 academic session, I realise that many people are faced with feelings of doubt, worry and anxiety over what the future spells.

From the bittersweet feelings and reels of laughter reverberating across the walls of the Higher National Diploma 2 students who recently defended their projects, to the slightly more confident strides of the Post Graduate Diploma students, the question races through the mind: “what is my future in journalism?”.

This sort of feeling is not novel to anyone who has ever taken on the challenge of seeking self development and progress.

Understandably, it means something different to the PG students most of whom have come from varied backgrounds of professional discipline and experience. I am in this category.

There’s an adage that says “you cannot teach a child how to use the left hand in old age”.

Believing this, one is tempted to believe that the journey into journalism is challenging and laden with insurmountable hurdles simply because you were not originally trained to be a journalist and so, it might be difficult to break into the media field.

Resumption and settling into the environment

Personally, I had resumed at the Institute with high expectations of learning, unlearning and relearning some exciting tenets and training upon which the revered course is anchored.

Alas, I soon discovered that it was a different ball game as I got overwhelmed by the torrent of assignments, tests, and term papers that coloured the academic sphere of the NIJ.

Ordinarily, this new gruelling academic pursuit ought not to have appeared strange to me, considering that I was from a legal background, having obtained a BL through the rigorous training of the Nigerian Law School. But it did.

Unforeseen vicissitudes

Over the attendant matters of adjusting to a new schedule, I had the issue of distance to grapple with, owing to the fact that I reside at Ajah, while the school is located at Ogba.

This situation then signalled a major shift in my schedule. I immediately adapted to a new routine of waking up at 4am-5am daily in order to meet up with the classes which typically began at 8am.

This further created a slight descent on my health. It was a tad difficult to marry my academic work with my daily commute to school, planning healthy meals and seeking time to attend to my health.

Regrettably, and indeed, the biggest pitfall that I experienced during my sojourn at NIJ was the day that I was robbed in a taxi while heading home from school. This sad encounter occurred precisely on the day that we wrote the last paper of the first semester examinations.

Kazeem, Segunfunmi and Kenny had just dropped me off at Ikeja after sharing a hearty meal at Mega Chicken, Agidingbi Road.

I hurriedly walked to the bus stop at Ikeja Mall in order to board a vehicle to Ajah. Unfortunately, I became filled with much unease and trepidation of the impending nightfall, and I got into a taxi supposedly heading to Obalende.

To my worst realisation, the passengers in the vehicle, including the driver were armed robbers and once again, I was faced with the worst ordeal of my life.
I was instantly dispossessed of my phone, money and jewelry, and unceremoniously dropped off in the middle of the Airport/Ajao Expressway, far flung from my initial destination of Ajah.

Thankfully, I was not hurt and I managed to get home sometime after midnight with the help of good Samaritans.

A new feeling of hope

These unexpected challenges were gradually relegated to the recesses of my projections as I presented only the positive experiences to the fore.
I had established new friendships and acquaintanceships with my classmates and some lecturers. I envisioned that, hopefully this could create the base of beautiful partnerships in the future.

Thus, I trudged on with a fearless mindset and high hopes of being able to finally push through the programme. Howbeit, not without that constant, nagging question latently looming somewhere in my mind, “where do we go from here?”.

By and large, we have come to the end of an era and hopefully, it is the beginning of a bigger, better and rewarding future.

Confronting and overcoming the Imposter Feeling

So, moving forward, the question remains of how we can make the best of this PG course. How do we overcome the feeling of being imposters of journalism?

For anyone learning of this syndrome for the first time, imposter syndrome in journalism refers to the feeling of inadequacy and self-doubt that many journalists experience, especially when starting their careers.

It’s a psychological phenomenon where individuals question their abilities and feel like they’re “faking it,”. It is sometimes described as the fear of being exposed as incompetent, despite your education, training, and accomplishments.

This can lead to anxiety, stress, and a fear of failure, making it challenging to perform at your best. Imposter syndrome can affect even experienced journalists, particularly when facing new challenges or high-pressure situations.

This can come through feelings of self doubt, undue comparisons and self-deprecating behaviour.

So, how do we overcome these feelings of debilitation, exude confidence and project our best abilities?

I did a little research and I came up with some ideas and tidbits on how one can be better as a PR specialist or a journalist depending on your area of focus.

Ideas for PR and Journalism Practice
Let’s take a brief look at these ideas below:

– You must recognize your feelings by acknowledging and accepting your emotions, knowing that imposter syndrome is a normal experience.

– Focus on learning : this might be somewhat challenging as not a single member of our class would claim to be immune to the physical and mental stress that we faced in the course of pursuing the PG degree. But I wish to encourage you to seek opportunities to learn so you don’t stop growing.

– Prepare thoroughly to make the best presentations irrespective of the field you have chosen. Always remember to research, plan, and practice. This in turn helps to build confidence in your abilities.

– Seek feedback: Ask for constructive criticism from trusted colleagues or mentors. I mean, we are all together on this journey regardless of the differences and drama that we witnessed along the way, and trust me, we had fistfuls of drama!😊

– Celebrate small wins: This is very crucial to your growth. I can relate with occasional worries about how your classmates are churning out ideas, writing articles, presenting, getting juicy internship placements and so on. But, hey, you must acknowledge and celebrate your achievements, no matter how small they are!

– Surround yourself with support: Build a network of peers, mentors, and colleagues who encourage and support you. Remember that the world is a village and it does take a village to build up a city! 😁

– Reframe negative thoughts: Please and I repeat please, do everything to challenge self-doubt by focusing on your strengths and accomplishments. May I remind you of the SWOT analysis highlighted in Mrs. Odum’s course on PR and Advertising in the first semester.
If you don’t sell yourself, then I’m not buying. Capiche? 😊.

– Embrace mistakes and view them as opportunities for growth and learning. I don’t think I can emphasize this enough, but I believe you get my drift, don’t you?

– Stay humble: This is an often repeated injunction in the Holy books, and the philosophy of life prescribes it. “No dey carry shoulder” as some people might say. Recognize that there’s always room for improvement and be open to learning. The journey of a thousand miles begins with a step.

– I read something about building confidence somewhere, and the writer suggested that you “fake it until you make it”. This is not advising you to be a fake person or to claim to be who you are not, but I encourage you to act with confidence, even when you don’t feel it, and eventually, you’ll develop genuine confidence.

Remember, my friends, overcoming the imposter syndrome takes time and self-compassion. Please, be patient, persistent, and kind to yourself as you grow in your journalism or PR career. I always like to see life as a journey. You can love it, embrace it, seize it as an opportunity, enjoy it and you may add your own view on what life means to you.

Nevertheless, and ultimately, it is important that we live each day with gratitude and everything good will come.