Life of any student is difficult as it is but it gets a whole lot harder if you’re a media student. Whether you’re going to ZCOMS or any other university in Pakistan, people don’t really know the difference between media and acting. EVERYONE thinks you’re training to be a television superstar which couldn’t be farther from reality.
Here are a few things every media student will be able to relate to:
1. Everyone thinks you didn’t get into any other college because you’re not all that smart.
Opting to do Journalism/media studies/sciences, you’re bound to be considered as one that couldn’t do anything else, such as the ghissa pitta engineer or doctor.
2. Your relatives think you will soon be a star.
As soon as everyone hears the word “media”, they instantly think of television and suppose you’re about to get famous.
3. Or they expect you to know stars
“Fawad Khan se toh milwana.”
Pehle khud toh mil loon.
4. You’ll probably be asked for a few free passes every now and then, even if you have no way of getting them in the first place.
People suddenly think of you as their gateway into the world of glitz and glamor. Which obviously isn’t true most of the time.
5. You’re bombarded with sentences like “Jab movie banaye toh bhai ko mauqa toh dena”
Unofficial auditions start way before you even have a degree.
6. The ultimate question, “when will we see you on TV?”
Media is only TV in the land of Pakistan. Basically, your future should be nothing more than ending up on the screen.
Aunty pehle Ziauddin se graduate tou honein dein.
7. They try very hard to understand what you do…
Them: “So, what do you do?”
Me: “I study journalism.”
Them: “Okay, what is that? Like being a reporter?”
Me: *sits in anguish*
8. People think you don’t really do much studying because it’s all fun and games.
When you rant to your friends or other people about stuff you have to get done and what not, and they only say, “tum toh advertising ke log ho, party kartey ho purey time.”
9. Your parents ask you after every exam about your future prospects.
Coming back home from exams will always be like coming to answer to another exam, except this one demands to know what the job forecast looks like for you. It’s like them continuously asking, what will you do, what will you do?
10. Your creativity means nothing to dull, boring people from other professions.
People start thinking ‘oh, you’re creative, nothing special about that.’ And you sit there looking at their face and holding yourself in a creative manner.
11. When you encounter someone who knows what media studies is you’re finally happy, but then they give their opinion
Them: “So what are you going to major in?”
Me: “Film.”
Them: “Ohh, wah wah, Maula Jatt banaoge hain?”
12. “Tumhari parhai toh halwa hai.”
This is probably a statement that all media students have come across if they ever talk about how complicated their studies can be.
It’s always, “you’re a media student just think of yourself as a party rocker day and night.”
13. Even you sometimes start to doubt yourself because of everyone else’s doubts
There does come a point where the ‘what if’ comes… and you’re confused as to why is media studies still so underrated.
14. One of the worst things about being a media student? Comparisons to… uggh… mass communications
So, you’re doing media studies? You can explain it to them a little bit and then comes the atom bomb.
“Ohh, so it’s like mass communication.”
15. People don’t understand that you genuinely don’t have a lot of time due to your packed schedule
Many people think you’re blowing them off, but you genuinely don’t have time to spare. You kinda wish more people understood that.
If you’re planning to pursue Media Studies, know that these questions are bound to come your way but it will all be worth it in the end. So, apply away to ZCOMS and do what you’ve always been interested in.
This post has been sponsored by Ziauddin College of Media Science.
At Ziauddin, come pursue Journalism, Advertising, and Film and Video.
ZCOMS provides an in- house HTV Studio (TV Channel), campus radio channel FM 98.2 and a daily English newspaper ‘The National Courier’ as a platform for the students to showcase their talents and have a hands-on experience of the knowledge acquired and the professional media world. It’s the place to be if you’re interested in everything from Journalism to Advertising. Good luck! Love you.