{"id":190,"date":"2020-10-21T13:12:46","date_gmt":"2020-10-21T12:12:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.ncl.ac.uk\/prnewcastle\/?p=190"},"modified":"2020-11-02T13:13:48","modified_gmt":"2020-11-02T13:13:48","slug":"abandon-all-hope-ye-who-enter-here","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.ncl.ac.uk\/prnewcastle\/2020\/10\/21\/abandon-all-hope-ye-who-enter-here\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Abandon all hope, ye who enter here\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The art of abandonment: how to kick start your academic year and stand up to the challenge<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Ramona Slusarczyk<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fear not: the title of this entry, taken from Dante-esque Hell<\/a>, is just a tease \u2013 that\u2019s how evil I am! \u2013 but what I really want to say is this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Shyness, embarrassment, and anxiety are natural responses to public speaking, which, according to some surveys<\/a>, is feared more than death, spiders and heights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After years in academia, I very much prefer public speaking than spiders, no matter how cute they are.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bad news is that throughout your studies \u2013 in both our online and offline sessions, you\u2019ll have to speak in front of other people. A lot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And then some more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll meet clients. Experts in the field. You\u2019ll lead<\/em> some sessions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Our students, braving through a crisis press conference.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blunders happen to all of us, yours truly included<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

No one likes to look like a fool, but the positive side is that all of us have similar fears and we all fail every now and then.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To prove my point, I\u2019ll share the most embarrassing job interview anecdote (you can\u2019t use it against me though) \u2013 and not just for any job, but for my most-dreamt-of and craved position of a university lecturer. Read: high stakes, weeks of preparation, and new formal clothes (obviously).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Understandably, I was nervous. Understandably, I was anxious. Unexpectedly, I was sick from food poisoning the evening before (side lesson: don\u2019t do your final job interview prep over dinner out; the restaurant staff may try to poison you).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having spent most of the night in hospital pleading with doctors to make me feel better \u2013 \u2018I have a dream job interview<\/strong> in the morning!<\/em>\u2019 \u2013 I arrived at the university (it wasn\u2019t Newcastle) with a green face, fluttering stomach, and sweaty hands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To explain my state to the interviewing panel, I uttered a half-hearted warning about the said restaurant. Without batting an eyelid, the programme director said: \u2018Are you warning us, Ramona, that you\u2019ll be vomiting on us during the interview?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the worst part was when one panel member asked me how I\u2019d explain the difference between PR and advertising to students \u2013 something they usually struggle with at the beginning of the academic year (don\u2019t feel bad about yourself if you do unless you\u2019re at the end of your studies!).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019d like to say that my mind went blank from stress (and hunger, and exhaustion). I think that actually would\u2019ve been better than what it started projecting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At such a crucial moment, my unsubordinate brain decided to get stuck on a quote I got from one of my research participants who cracked an old joke in response to my question about his perception of PR \u2013 the following cartoon illustrates his views:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

DO NOT use this comparison   

in your essays.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The only thing whirling in my head was that humorous \u2013 if not entirely inappropriate – parallel between first- and third party endorsement (something we will discuss<\/em><\/strong>along the conceptof trust<\/strong> <\/em>A LOT) but I was clearheaded enough not to voice it; I doubt whether the panel would have appreciated it. Maybe they\u2019d have been amused. Impressed \u2013 not so much. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, I asked the interviewer to allow me to revisit the question a bit later and we moved on with the interview. I relaxed, the conversation flowed, and I went back to the PR vs. Advertising question \u2013 we\u2019ll discuss that distinction a lot during the course of your studies, so bear the suspense!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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At the age of 29 I got my first lecturing job at an Australian university! Champagne!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It happened only because:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. I was overall well-prepared,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. I planned how to handle different\/difficult questions,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. I revisited the question and thus didn\u2019t miss the opportunity to show my expertise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And this is how I want you to think about your classes whether online or on campus: do your homework \u2013 do the readings and make notes and think what you\u2019re going to say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keep your eyes on the prize: make the most of your time in our sessions and —<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Very often, students worry: what if my answer is wrong aka what if I make an idiot of myself<\/em>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My answer is: SO WHAT.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is it going to matter in twelve months\u2019 time? No.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In three months\u2019 time? No.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are you being assessed on giving wrong answers in our sessions? No.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Those sessions are like a playground: you can test your ideas and we can debate why they work. Or why they don\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pause, look around, take a breath. Gather your courage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We are all learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s perfectly normal to get things wrong \u2013 it\u2019s part of the learning process \u2013 but when you don\u2019t take those opportunities and wait until you submit your paper via Canvas, then it\u2019s too late to make any amendments and<\/em> amends!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eyes on the prize aka<\/em> abandon yourself to experiences<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s go back to the beginning of my studies: early 2000s, University of Wroclaw, Poland. In the second year of my BA in Journalism and Communications, I chose a PR module as my option and that was it: I loved the module, the principles of strategic planning, the storytelling, the ethics of the profession\u2026 Everything!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was love at first sight (seminar).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I wanted to develop my writing skills, so I wrote for the university\u2019s weekly, got an internship at a magazine publishing company \u2013 I won\u2019t tell you how many rookie mistakes I made there! \u2013 and then spent the summer working at a PR agency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fast-forward to my MA studies in Media and PR at nowhere else, but Newcastle University \u2013 I am<\/em> a graduate of the same course you\u2019re just about to start! \u2013 where I chose a practical module which required students to design and execute PR campaigns for local businesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The experience was petrifying \u2013 I had to pitch \u2018our\u2019 story to the local media, like, actually phone journalists and promote our client\u2019s initiative \u2013 but it taught me how to be resourceful and that most practitioners in the communications industry are very, very<\/em> nice people (I also learnt NOT to start a press release with \u2018yesterday\u2019 \u2013 do<\/em> make a note of that!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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My younger, student-self at the backstage
of a fundraising event
with our client.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, here\u2019s my tip for you: do get involved in anything the University offers, and most opportunities are accessible both to the domestic and international students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Take our project-based assessments seriously: they can serve as a showcase for your future employment and they can be extremely rewarding \u2013 see the result of the Pencil Case Project campaign our students ran as volunteers at the University:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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