Stranger than fiction, better than reality

By Lara van Zyl

"You have your way. I have my way. As for the right way, the correct way, and the only way, it does not exist." The quote above is from one Friedrich Nietzsche, a quote that I believe in and one that I will forever harbour in my mind when creating news. There is of course exceptions to the rule like that little thing called grammar - I cannot have my way by creating sheer gibberish only to be subject to personnel surplus reduction in due time. The world is not in black and white, and when we start to realise that there are different people within the world whom believe in different things, whom have different lifestyles etcetera to that of our own, we might just realise that although there is room for debate whether journalism can still be entirely objective, I can still try. Media is a powerful tool used today for example, I never thought of being a journalist when I was younger - I wanted to be an Archaeologist. Why? I was influenced by the film "The Mummy" when I was eight because it was like so cool man and Archaeologists looked like Rachel Weisz, they could awaken the dead and because seeing is believing, I believed it. A friend once told me that those who have been judged, are the least likely to judge and I believe in what she said. All journalism students are here for a reason and it is not for the distorted version of college life portrayed in "American Pie" for one we actually do have work, we do get tired and we don't get laid half as much as we would like to nor are we desperate enough to chase such a thing. Journalists and journalism students share interlinked criteria for their reasons for becoming a journalist. I think that many can relate to mine - I have a desire to influence for good, but I am essentially the servant of the people and the idea of defending the rights of ordinary people is a dominating factor. The desire we, as journalism students, share for knowledge is overwhelming, but we need to cultivate the necessary skills and qualities in order to do so. I have an interest in life, a love of language, belief in equality and would never withhold any information to protect the so-called "fat cats" from scandal. With the ups come the downs, but ups outweigh the downs - journalism is hard work and it requires long hours, pesky deadlines and editors whom are always on your case are never fun, but humour yourself and remain professional, after all, editors are there to help you, so there is no need to lynch them.