The jackpot is...free drinks from Camelot

Yesterday, as predicted was a very busy day. I had a meeting with the deputy head of Belmont School in Harrow Weald concerning a piece about their fast approaching fundraising day in aid of Children In Need.

The meeting was a success and I now have three stories for The HA1 secured. One for next week, one for the week after and one for January.

I also said I would attend a debate that my lecturer, Patrick had organised. Patrick has done so much for all of us and more and I really felt as though I should go to support him. The debate, which was also filmed by television students took place in the television studios and I was a member of the audience. In fact for quite a while I was the only audience member (until the rest, that were being held in another room were let in).

I was worried about being the last person there because I had to get back from my meeting in Harrow Weald. Little did I know while I was rushing across Harrow to get back to uni that I would actually be the first audience member to arrive.

That was not the only first I encountered yesterday. During the debate we were all asked if we gamble (I put my hand up), we were then asked if we do the lottery (I put my hand up). Only two of us out of an audience of 30 raised their hands. My answer then meant that I was in the spotlight. Patrick, knowing it was me asked me the first question (this was before any of the panelists had been introduced). Apart from Patrick's voice, mine was the first to be heard and I was the first to be filmed. I just hope I didn't mumble. To be honest I cannot remember what I said.

I knew that after the show of hands, trying to persuade the audience that playing the lottery was a good thing was not going to be an easy task. I think I put my point across well though. I had said my piece and I was not going to speak or go near a microphone for the rest of the debate.

After the debate my mind was not changed in terms of playing the lottery. All I was now thinking about were the free drinks Camelot (the firm behind The National Lottery) had offered to buy us in our SU bar.

The rest as they say is history. The free drinks went down very well but having started drinking at 5, I was home by 10 to watch the EastEnders repeat on BBC Three.

And the stress kickstarts again...

Being a third year student at university means only one thing. It is time to grow up. Many who will know me will understand that growing up and behaving like an adult has been something I have wanted to put off for a very long time.

Parts of my second year were stressful but the sheer volume of work I have to do (we all have to do) this year could top that (and I think it probably will). So far I have a final journalism project, a commission piece, three stories for an online news site, a class presentation with an accompanying essay and a dissertation proposal to complete and that is just this semester.

I have an idea for my final journalism project. I am going down the radio route and opting for a broadcast project, possibly a documentary or a podcast. Maybe I will play it safe with a news bulletin.

My commission piece is going to be extremely personal and I will be blogging about it throughout the semester. I'm writing a piece on moving from the country to the city, an experience that is still fresh in my mind even though I first moved to London just over two years ago. I am hoping to pitch this piece to The Independent Student Section. I am also looking for students that are thinking of moving to London this year or have just moved to the Capital to tell me about their experiences so if anyone reading this wishes to then let me know.

With Children In Need 2010 just around the corner one of my online news features is going to be about the fundraising schools in Harrow are doing (if they are doing anything at all).

I don't really want to think about my dissertation but I don't really have much choice. I am trying to start researching on a topic that is just an idea and not set in stone yet. I really want to do well and possibly achieve a 'first'.

With so much work to do my social life may well have to be put on hold. You know I'm joking. A night out in Camden is just what I need tomorrow.