Lauren Brown, an English alumna from Trinity College who is now a staff writer and podcast host, reveals how the Varsity Trust has made an impact on her career
Without the Varsity Trust I just wouldn’t be where I am today.
It enabled me to complete my master’s in journalism, which ultimately landed me in the role I’m in now. I’ve landed on two feet in London, which straight from Cambridge would have been impossible for me, and I’m now a staff writer on a magazine with a readership of over 100,000 people. I also freelance and have had articles published in the Independent, Women’s Health and Index on Censorship. The scholarship I received was a life-line. The financial support was what I needed to get me to where I knew, if only I could afford it, I could get to. I’m still on that path but I never, ever thought I’d be where I am doing what I do, and I owe the Varsity Trust a lot for that.
you’ve got to play the long game and do your time
I love getting up in the morning with a fresh news story to write for our website.
I get to go out and news gather and speak to people about their experiences and opinions. I get a chill whenever I see my name in print. And the people I work with are exceptional: supportive, intelligent, challenging and also hilarious. My favourite thing about my current role is that I can be unabashedly myself.
Honestly, London is mad expensive.
So starting out in journalism is tough for that reason. It’s challenging wanting to move really fast through your career – moving from school to sixth form the uni gives you the thrill of the chase, whereas in the “real world” patience is vital: you’ve got to play the long game and do your time on stories of tasks you might wish you didn’t have to do.
The more working class people we get in the industry, the more understanding it will be
My advice to those considering applying for the Varsity Trust Scholarships?
Go for it! I didn’t think I was even eligible because I’d barely written for Varsity, let alone edited a section. But you never know, and if you don’t go for it you don’t know. As my gran says, shy bairns get nowt. Getting into journalism is hard. I’m not going to say “go and do loads of unpaid internships” because, honestly, they’re a cancer in this industry. And if you’re in a privileged position where your parents know a journalist and can pull a few strings, check that privilege. Pitch ideas to the section editors of different publications, do your research so you strike the right tone for them, and offer to take people out to coffee. Make connections and just do your best. The more working class people we get in the industry, the more understanding it will be. Good luck!