Almost a year on from the first lockdown and the ‘official start’ of the Coronavirus Pandemic, thousands of graduated Sports Journalism Students are approaching the one-year mark since their university experiences were cut short.
Adding to a shortened third year and an ever-changing world due to COIVD, graduates in the Sports Journalism field such as former UEL Student, Abbey Conroy have felt the full wrath of coronavirus in their first year out of education.
As with most things in today’s world, I conducted a Q&A over Zoom with Abbey, to find out exactly how her last year has gone and the impact of COVID on her as a Sports Journalist, since graduating.
FC: How did you feel when COVID initially ‘started’ back in March 2020 and brought an end to your University Experience?
AC: “It was a really weird experience to be honest. I was quite naïve in the aspect that, I left for home when teaching stopped just before the first lockdown and was expecting to be back after a few weeks to a month or so.
It was a stressful experience having to complete assignments and coursework for deadlines without any specialist equipment and in a different environment. However, looking back and having something to do during the First Lockdown, something to get out of bed for and complete”.
FC: How did you find adjusting to becoming a Sports Journalist in the Summer after the University Life and structure you were used to, stopped?
AC: “So with no graduation ceremony last year, it was almost like the whole thing never actually happened. For example, after my dissertation I jumped straight into ‘Job Hunting’ as I never really knew what else to do.
“The whole thing was weird like I handed in all my assignments and various final coursework pieces in my back garden! The whole experience was just a mental way to finish, especially as my overall university experience came to an end on a random Tuesday in March of last year”.
FC: How has job searching been for you personally in this pandemic and just how hard has it been?
AC: “I’ve found it pretty tough to be honest. It happens in periods, like one day or one week there could be about 10-15 roles to apply for but for the next two weeks there’s nothing to apply for at all. It’s so hard because often you apply for jobs and don’t even get a rejection email 90% of the time, it’s so tough to take when it happens to you constantly.
At the same time however, I know how many people that are in the same position as I am due to the pandemic and the situation we are in. I have realised also, that with the opening of more sporting events going ahead, something will come along eventually. You just have to keep trying”.
FC: What’s one piece of advice you could give to someone studying Sport Journalism in 2nd or 3rd year now?
AC: “Get all the help you can, take all the opportunities that fall your way. Even if it’s a sport you aren’t that comfortable with, people know that you are learning, and they know you are a student.
It will help when you are job hunting also, like it brings different skills and voluntary experiences to add to a CV so you can broaden your horizons”.
