What the hell are you doing?

Image via BabyAnimalz.com

What the hell are you doing?

This was a question that I asked myself at the beginning of last academic year, in relation to going back to university. And it’s the question that I seem to be asking myself a lot again just recently. This time, it is about whether I am cut out to follow this career path.

Within the first couple of weeks at university, I learnt that everything that I was doing was wrong. So straight away I feel like I took a huge leap back. At first, I didn’t let this bother me, because I was going to learn about how to do it the correct way. Right?

Well I am not so sure I am going to be learning much about coding. There is going to be some, but I am expected to learn (or actually know already) a lot of it by myself. Which is fine, so this is an additional workload on the existing university units’ work that I have to complete?

To add insult to injury, I am seeing fellow students who “know everything”; okay they don’t and like to think they do; but still, that brings me down as well.

I have some group work to do this term, and don’t feel like I have the skills to help. I tried to be diplomatic and suggest we all have a go at creating and go from there, to find out someone has updated the pages already…and by a far superior standard than I can do. So what is the actual point in me trying?

Then, there is the fact I do not have a creative bone in me. I think my brother got all of them! So, why do I want to follow a career which has a design element to it? Surely, this is just madness in a tin?

While admiring some of the sites that the professionals have done, and apart from thinking “I can’t do that”. I am also thinking “I wouldn’t even know how to think up something like that”.

Can you get taught things like this?

I know that having a degree on its own is worth nothing nowadays. We are told that we should be trying to get work experience as soon as possible, as this is what employers are looking for. Additionally, we need to get out there and make ourselves known. This is drummed into us from the start of uni life.

To get work experience, you need to have knowledge in several types of coding. This is something that I am going to need to work on so won’t be able to get the work experience at the moment. So when does it actually become too late and come graduation time I don’t have a job in the industry, and instead I am back in a contact centre (with a degree) doing a un-related career to what I want to do?

The annoying thing is, I offered my time to charities, for free, to try and get some hands-on experience with websites (mainly non-coding), but this doesn’t seem to be enough. After copious amounts of chasing (which is on the verge of being classed as stalking), and promised that someone would contact me. No one did. Even though they said, or requested, help.

Then I am told to get out into the industry and mingle. I just don’t feel like I have the confidence to do that. Additionally, I would just feel like a traitor and laughed out the room for knowing nothing.

So, if I am being told that a degree is in fact useless and that the majority of coding will be taught by me, then why the hell am I actually at university? Where’s the logic in me wasting four years of my life, having no money while putting myself in loads of debt when all I will get is a piece of paper that is worthless?

I know that I am being hard on myself. I am only in the first year of uni, and I am expecting too much of myself, but I can’t help but think that maybe this is something that I might not actually be cracked up to do.

Let the assignments begin

Image via illcallbaila.blogspot.com

Just as I was saying last week that it felt like it was the calm before the storm, I can now vouch that this is in fact, true. This week, see the start of the assignments to be set properly and boy they are piling up. I have to admit, I think I prefer to work under a bit of pressure. Granted those around me probably wouldn’t think that.

So what are the assignments that I have ahead of me?

• Data Technology – This assignment is to add a new section to an existing website. To be honest, this is a little daunting as I have no idea what I need to do. That’s because the majority of it has not been taught yet. Should be interesting to see how this pans out. Especially as it is 50% of the overall mark.
• DigiComms – The 2nd part of the portfolio is to continue this term, which also includes this delightful blog. I am struggling with the blog. Some of it is down to noise pollution (I like quiet when concentrating), but then some of the stuff I have write about is not something that I am interested in. I mean, who blogs about stuff they have no interest in? Aren’t they called assignments?
• Media Making – The first assignment that we have is about photography, and we need to submit 5 images taken into account the rules of photography that we are learning. I would love to be able to take great professional photographs, but I don’t have the knowledge or skills to pull them off in such a short space of time. Saying that . I am enjoying this assignment.
• Media Making – The second assignment is a group video. Again something I have absolutely no experience in. It shall be interesting to see how this piece of work pans out, especially working the group that I am in.
• MISO – The group portfolio needs to be looked at and fixed accordingly so it is prepared for marking in March. Our team is a little harder, as it is two teams conglomerated together so we need to merge the work that we did separately together aswell.
• Network Society – The essay was set before the Christmas period. The majority of the research has been done (as part of the first coursework), but I just need to go through it all again, making notes and then researching the missing information need.
• TCM – Like Network Society, this was given last year and I have to go through the same

Oh…and then I have an in-class test for data technology!!!

So as you can see, this is a heavy workload that I have to contend with. Let’s hope the planning and organising works out as I hope.

DigiComms Class Task | Week 2

For those of you that have come across this random blog…feel free to look away.  It is purely a class task and of no interest to anyone, unless you are a fan of the film, Green Hornet; or  music piracy. Then you can stay.

Green Hornet

I am not comic book fan, but I am of their film counterparts. The trailer provides the audience with an inclination of what the storyline is about this film, delivering it via a good mix of non-stop, fast-paced action and comedy. This in return makes it a must-see film for me.

Image via Apple iTunes

Guardian Article – Music Piracy

Alternative Heading

“On air, on sale” policy set to excite the music charts while tackling piracy

250 word summary

Piracy remains to be a big issue for the music industry with the overall market falling 6%, and albums sales falling by 7% in 2010. Two of the UK’s largest record labels, Sony and Universal, plan to tackle music piracy by making new singles available as soon as they reach the airwaves.

The original policy of building up a demand for six weeks before placing the single on sale is deemed out of date. Research has found that searches on Google and iTunes for songs peak two weeks before the single being released. This suggests that the potential buyer has either got bored or already pirated the song.

The record companies are aware that the current generation do not want to wait for their music, and require “instant gratification”, and they are looking to the X Factor as an example of this. The Matt Cardle’s winning single ‘When we collide’ was released as soon as the final has ended and sold over 439,000 copies.

Additionally, the new “on air, on sale” policy should excite the charts, similar to what was seen when download sales joined the mainstream. Under the old policy, heavy pre-released marketed singles tend to land in its peak position within the chart. However, the new policy should see singles climb the charts, like Jessie J’s ‘Do it like a dude’, that went on sale and radio at the beginning of December and since been climbing the charts to number 5.

50 word summary

Two of UK’s largest music labels plan to excite the charts and tackle piracy by changing their singles release policy to “on air, on sale”. Research has shown that people prefer “instant gratification” instead of the 6 week pre-release marketing. This should also see the singles climb the charts instead of peaking at their highest position.

Original Article

Guardian | Universal and Sony Music plan ‘instant pop’ to beat piracy

Lifelong Learning

Image via First Nations Holistic Lifelong Learning

The phrase lifelong learning was originally coined by Basil Yeaxlee in 1929, and is about how, as individuals, we continue to learn throughout our life. It is defined as:

All learning activity undertaken throughout life, with the aim of improving knowledge, skills and competence, within a personal civic, social and/or employment related perspective.

ESAE

Yeaxlee states that as we progress through life, we require more not less need for adult education and is much a need as food and exercise. To get more from life, we are required to reflect on past experiences and learn from them.

Related Articles:

Mark Smith | Lifelong Learning

Europe Society of Association Executives | What is lifelong learning?

Barack Obama | Information Challenge

Image via The White House

In 2009, Barack Obama spoke about the current challenges to literacy, which need new skills that were not necessary needed previously.

Barack Obama raises the concern that anyone can publish their opinion, whether it is true or not, but accessing the varied sources of information, either independent or government will help locate the truth from the fiction.

He wants to inform and educate US citizens, with the help of institutions, by increasing awareness and understanding the importance of information while gaining the skills required to obtain, collect and assess information as well as the ability to use current technologies, such as computers.

Related Articles

Whitehouse.gov | National Information Literacy Awareness Month, 2009

Calm before the storm

Image via School Psychology Blog

The second term has started, and I feel like I am being given a false sense of security. On the other hand, maybe it is just the calm before the storm.

I know that the assignment workload is high this term; but, at the moment, it just feels as if I am plodding along. Maybe I am just ignoring it in the vain hope that it will all go away. Better still, all the work will miraculously be done by itself…and I shall pass with flying colours (obviously). Wishful thinking, eh?

I advice to anyone that wants to do something that you always put off (like the dirty dishes)…then start studying. It appears that this is a common remedy to getting that work done instead of studying. This term has seen me try something different in relation to organising my time (a goal that I set myself at the beginning of the year); in the vain hope that this will help reduce my procrastination. I hope that being more organised and planning what I want to do that week will help get the work done, instead of leaving it all to the last-minute.