University teaches you theory. Placements teach you reality.
After years of lectures, coursework, and carefully constructed assignments, nothing prepares you for the chaos, pressure, and buzz of a real workplace like actually getting out there and doing the job.
I recently completed a placement at a local news outlet and here are five things I learned that no textbook ever mentioned.
1. Deadlines are very real, not optional
At uni, you can negotiate extensions or plan deadlines weeks in advance. In the real world?
A story might land at 10am and need publishing by lunch.
During my placement, I got a call at 9am telling me to be at an event by 9:45. I had to roll out of bed and get there, no time to faff.
Lateness wasn’t an option.
It teaches you to move fast, trust your instincts, and stop procrastinating.
2. Nerves are normal, seriously
It’s completely normal to feel nervous on your first day. Or your second. Or, honestly, every day.
Being the new person is hard, especially in an environment where everyone seems to know what they’re doing.
But confidence doesn’t mean knowing everything. It means being willing to learn. Everyone around you was new once too, and more people will help you than judge you, as long as you ask.
3. Joggers don’t count as workwear (even if they should)
Uni fashion is a free-for-all. Joggers? Pyjamas? No one cares.
But placements? Bit different.
Starting mine made me realise that all my tops were cropped, and the only smart trousers I owned were from Year 11.
Not ideal.
That doesn’t mean you need to splash out on fancy office wear, I raided my mum’s wardrobe (thanks mum) and hit the charity shops for cute, cheap fits that didn’t scream “student”.
4. Editors are busy , so be useful
This one’s for the journalism girlies, but it applies to most workplaces.
At uni, you have a tutor. On placement, you’ve got an editor, and they’re usually juggling 10 things at once. They don’t have time to hold your hand.
You learn quickly to take initiative: pitch stories, offer help, ask smart questions.
It’s not about being perfect ,it’s about being reliable.
Your job is to make their job easier.
5. You figure out what you actually want to be
The best part of a placement? You’re thrown into the real world and forced to try everything.
You learn what you enjoy.
What drains you.
What challenges you (in a good way).
You don’t just learn how to do a job, you start figuring out who you want to be in it.
Uni gives you the tools. Placements show you how to use them.
For me, my placement didn’t just teach me how to write. It taught me how to work.
If you’re studying journalism (or any creative degree, really), go get some real experience.
Write something. Interview someone. Make the call.
The real learning starts when you leave the classroom.
