Over the last months, I can feel myself learning. Perhaps it’s the placement I’m in, and the reflective document I’ll create for that (even unbidden; I want to examine progress).
Perhaps it’s that I’m so immersed in my [future] field – like being on a choir camp or the like. Perhaps it’s that I’m so busy, so professional expansion is a natural reaction to that.
Whatever it is – I can feel the changes in my brain. Unfortunately, they aren’t as widespread nor as automatic as I’d wish for; nevertheless they are there.
Vague? Why, yes. So what am I learning?
- A deeper level of professional conduct
- More etiquette skills
- Actual collaboration methods
- Editing experience
- A slightly more critical eye for information
- Audio and (self-taught) video editing (and getting down to what I think are the most important skills)
- To write more succinctly
- To write every day, and not to imbue writing with such a sense of ‘specialness’ that it’s an ordeal or ritual to sit down and do so
- To balance tasks of writing, organisation, planning, and editing
- That I, without doubt, and unbeknownst, love the Oxford comma (oh dear!)
- Media skills – talking to scientists and journalists, from both sides of the fence
- Writing in different genres (articles, media releases, profiles, education materials)
- Presentation skills and PowerPoint do’s and don’ts
- Not to be precious about editing and tearing up of my (see, even that is wrong) – a – piece of writing
- Deeply examining edits on writing and using constructive criticism
- To dive in, even if I’m frightened about a situation
- Networking contacts
This is SO exciting. I don’t want this period of learning to recede – I don’t want the tide to go out. I want to keep the fullness of my brain bursting with a spark from something I’ve happened upon.
I want to come home and rave to TheBoy about everything fascinating. I can see that he’s learning about science communication, too, from my (very friendly) rants and overflows of speech.
Oddly enough, I think most insights come totally organically, too. Like I haven’t had to think about them – my subconscious must be burning up – like they just appear, pre-formed, in my head. And I think, ‘Well, yes, that’s right.’
I feel like a kid who’s just discovered paint, or the stars.
