Creativity is a powerful driving force, with many different forms of expression. Some people are adept at naturally tapping into their imagination, though most people benefit from the opportunity to explore their creativity and find the best way to express themselves. The Journalism program at Mohawk College helps students harness their creative drive and discover where they fit into the creative industries.
Korina, a second-year student in the Journalism program, joined the program to follow her passion and hone her skills as a writer. “After doing some research on several university and college programs, I decided to go to Mohawk College and take Journalism,” says Korina. “I chose a program in the creative industries because I’m a creative and imaginative person, and I can picture myself being successful in a creative field. I thought it would be a good way to pursue my passion for writing while also exploring my interest in news and current affairs.”
While her goal is to improve her writing ability, Korina has learned a variety of other versatile skills. “I want a career in writing. I either want to be a magazine writer or an author, or both,” she says. “The cool thing about Mohawk’s Journalism program is that it’s designed to teach students all types of journalism. I only like print news, but I’ve learned skills in digital editing, radio, and TV journalism as well.”
These new skills push not only her ability, but her creativity and imagination as well. “The journalism program is a great way for those who are looking to explore their creativity because there is so much room given to be creative,” says Korina. “A lot of assignments require imagination and creativity.”
Since joining the program, Korina has had the opportunity to explore her writing abilities and tackle new subjects. “Print Reporting has been my favourite class so far,” she says. “This course allowed me to add more of my creativity and colour to my writing, and I got to interview a lot of amazing people. It’s fun and allows me to be myself.”
With a strong creative drive, passion, and the right set of skills, anyone can find a career in the creative industries. Korina believes that recently, many people had the opportunity to reconnect with their creativity, and it has had a positive impact on the field. “I do think that the creative industries are a growing field,” she says. “I feel like COVID-19 allowed people to explore their interests more and pick up new hobbies in creative areas, like learning an instrument or writing a journal, which helped people realize that they could pursue their hobby as a career.”
Creative drive can be hard to contain once it starts flowing, and Korina has advice to help future students make the most out of it. “I think the best advice I could give is to be organized,” she says. “I find that being organized really helps me to be successful. Planning out your week and setting aside the best times around classes and work for assignments are a few things that you can do to help you stay on top of things throughout the semester.”
