Brighton West PierA NEW city, a new life. I have relocated to Brighton to attend the UK’s best-performing NCTJ course in Magazine Journalism at City College Brighton & Hove. The course is full-time and intense, but I am loving the challenge, the new people and the change of scene.

With two to three hours of shorthand a day, I am falling asleep with shorthand lines and squiggles in my head! I also have tutorials in Media Law, Sub-editing, Production & Design, Feature Writing and Public Affairs (my favourite so far!). The course is an intense blitz of learning for five months, followed by accredited exams next January.

CCBHCity College Brighton & Hove is spread across one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the UK: a venue to music, comedy and art festivals all year round.

The main campus, Pelham Tower, is adjacent to Brighton’s famous The Lanes, the place to get your supply of tie-dyed shirts and herbal teas. But it was the remote campus of Wilson Avenue that became my first acquaintance with the college. I made the journey to Brighton on the hottest day in July with no air conditioning and an unwilling sat nav. I was not feeling ready for the two-hour exam and interview ahead of me.

But with bottled water and a walk around the area, I discovered why the college would be an ideal place to study and learn. A mile inland from the sea and above the city, the views are inspiring for any aspiring journalist stepping into the spotlight of one of the shortest and intense media courses in the country.

Now, in my second week of the NCTJ in Brighton, I have no regrets. Whether you are fresh out of school, or coming from the rat-race of employment, City College will give you the time and space to find yourself in a full-time education environment.

The fantastic photo above is Brighton’s West Pier. The pier is a steel wreck but looks beautiful in the evening with the sun setting - absolutely unique to Brighton.

I will be updating my blog with progress on the course, and with the articles and features I produce. All comments are welcome. I hope you enjoy the journey with me!

Matt :)

Flickr image from Dominic's pics' photostream